Oscars 2015: Acting Nominees- Will They Be Back?

Hello, Bloggers, as part of my Oscar coverage, today I will dive into the acting nominees and discuss whether or not we will see them return to the ceremony for another round with Mr. Oscar. Let's take a look:

Best Actor:

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher- Possibly. It all depends on his choice of projects. While he is usually a staple in mainstream comedy, he'll occasionally take risks with smaller films. He does have the indie Freeheld set for release next year and if that fares well or is set up to be a contender, then we could see him make a return.

Bradley Cooper, American Sniper- More than likely. He received his 3rd consecutive acting nomination and 4th overall since he was also nominated this year for producing American Sniper. So he has become quite a fixture at the Academy. But even if he doesn't win this year, he shouldn't feel too bad because Sniper is killing it at the box office and he is still Rocket Raccoon.

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game- Possibly. It depends on whether Marvel will keep him too busy from seeking out smaller films since he is Doctor Strange. But if that isn't the case and he does awards-worthy projects, then we could see him make a return. Thankfully, he became a member of the Oscar club this year and doesn't just have respect from the TV community who awarded him his surprise Emmy.

Michael Keaton, Birdman- Not sure. I would say that I doubt it because of his age, but then again, I'm sure a lot of us didn't expect Christopher Plummer to get a second nomination which we won for. But he is unlikely to ever get a role like Riggan Thomson ever again. So, I don't know. They could give him the Oscar because of that but we shall see.

Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything- Absolutely. Even though he doesn't have a slew of projects lined up, one that he has is the upcoming biopic The Danish Girl which is about one of the first people to undergo sex-reassignment surgery and is directed by recent Oscar winner Tom Hooper. Although, if I were him, I would sign on for a few projects now because even though he and Keaton have frontrunner status, a win is never guaranteed.

Best Actress:

Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night- I don't see why not. This is her 2nd nomination, so the Academy must be fond of her. Plus, she has the upcoming adaptation of Macbeth distributed by Harvey Weinstein in which she plays none other than Lady Macbeth.

Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything- Absolutely. Like Eddie Redmayne, she is a young talent and has plenty of acting years left to win the gold. So, if she picks more projects that fit into the Academy's wheelhouse, I'm positive she'll be returning to the ceremony in the near future.

Julianne Moore, Still Alice- I would imagine so. Along with Steve Carell, she has the movie Freeheld set for release this year. But she still looks poised to win this year because who knows how many 'Moore' chances she'll have.

Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl- Possibly. Kind of like Carell, it depends on her choice in projects and whether or not she can fight typecasting. If she is able to, then she should be fine.

Reese Witherspoon, Wild- Depends on choice in projects. If she hopes to stick around at the ceremony and become a fixture, she'll have to eschew from romantic comedies and maybe find a balance between mainstream fare and smaller films that allow her to take risks.

Best Supporting Actor:

Robert Duvall, The Judge- Doubt it. He is an older living legend at 84 who already won an Oscar Best Actor back in 1984 for Tender Mercies and he has nothing to prove.

Ethan Hawke, Boyhood- Probably. Although he doesn't strike me as the type of actor that does movies for awards, he still has 4 Oscar overall nominations (2 for writing the Before...sequels and 2 supporting actor nominations for this and Training Day). So they are fond of his work.

Edward Norton, Birdman- Probably. It has been a while since he was nominated, with his last one being for Best Actor for American History X in 1999. So, the Academy could look at this nomination as then saying "welcome back" and hopefully, he'll be given more opportunities to win in the future.

Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher- Probably. This is his 2nd nomination in this category so the Academy must be pretty fond of his work. Aside from his work as the Hulk, he still mostly sticks to smaller films that the Oscars lean towards. So, I would imagine we'll see him again.

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash- Doubt it. Even though he is almost the same age as Michael Keaton, something tells me he may not have another shot at winning. It could be because character actors that win or get nominated in the supporting category (Chris Cooper, Jim Broadbent, John Hawkes, etc.) tend to end up being one-and-done deals.

Best Supporting Actress:

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood- Doubt it. Even though she is a strong frontrunner to win an award for film, she is heading back to television with CSI: Cyber. It is also a matter of whether or not she can find decent film roles at her age.

Laura Dern, Wild- Possibly. She and her family are well-connected in the industry and they did give her a surprise nomination this year. But if she were to win in the future, it might be in this category because the supporting categories are typically more kind to character actors and actresses like Dern.

Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game- More than likely. She already landed a 2nd nomination by the age of 30, so the Academy might be aware that she'll have more chances to win the gold. If she continues to do more awards-y projects, like the upcoming Everest set for release this year, then she'll be in good hands.

Emma Stone, Birdman- More than likely. Even though she is an audience darling, she has also won love from the critics and now the Academy thanks to this nomination. Plus, she has the upcoming Woody Allen film Irrational Man coming up and a lot of us know how much they love to award his ladies. Yeah, we might see her at the ceremony again soon.

Meryl Streep, Into The Woods- This one needs no explanation. We might as well pencil in her 20th nomination for next year.


So those are my thoughts as to whether or not the 20 acting nominees will be back at the Oscar ceremony. If you agree or disagree, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Oscars 2015: Top 10 Best Oscar Wins Of The Best Decade (2000-2009)

Hello, Bloggers, as part of my Oscar coverage, I figured that for my latest top 10 list that I promised, just for the heck of it, I'd share my thoughts on what I think are the top 10 best Oscar wins of the previous decade. What I will do is pick the best winner in each of the top 8 major categories and a few techs. After this year's Oscars, I will do a top 10 list of the best of this decade so far. But let's get to this list:

10. Pan's Labyrinth wins Best Cinematography (2006): Despite not winning Best Foreign Language Film, Pan's Labyrinth still managed to not go home empty handed and pick up 3 Oscars for Art Direction, Makeup, and Cinematography. Its cinematography was absolutely mesmerizing and it is a thrill to see it, along with the film, get wuch recognition as it falls under a genre they typically avoid or at least weed out by giving it technical awards.

9. Lose Yourself wins Best Original Song (2002): When Barbra Streisand opened the envelope as she presented Best Song to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' by 8 Mile. But with good reason because they took a chance by awarding the powerful rap ballad that still managed to hold up very well.

8. Mo'Nique wins Best Supporting Actress (2009): As Mo'Nique herself pointed out in her acceptance speech, this is a rare example of the performance trumping politics. She campaigned by letting her performance do the talking and boy, did it pay off! Not only is it one of the category's all-time best winners, but one of the best performances put on screen. I would've even given her the Oscsr just for her final scene which might've been what sealed the deal.

7. Daniel Day-Lewis wins Best Actor (2007): Of all of the 3 performances DDL won an Oscar for, I would say this is the best. This is a fully-dimensional performance as a businessman who exudes sly charm as a physical mask for the raging and manipulative monster underneath. Plus, it became an instant classic thanks to the famous 'I drink your milkshake' line.

6. Brokeback Mountain wins Best Adapted Screenplay (2005): The genius of the film's screenplay by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana is its quietness. Although the film deals with intense subject matter involving homophobia, it is still written in such a subtle and less patronizing manner (quite the opposite of the film it lost Best Picture to). Because of its quietness, I can't help but applaud the Academy for recognizing it.

5. No Country For Old Men wins Best Picture (2007): No Country For Old Men's win for Best Picture is quite a rarity: A film that is dark, violent, chilling, and has an unsure or *spoiler alert* unhappy ending. Despite my personal choice for Best Picture being There Will Be Blood, this is a choice I have absolutely no complaints about and I cherish it because it might be a while before a film as dark as this receives this kind of recognition. Well-deserved.

4. Charlize Theron wins Best Actress (2003): One could easily look at Theron's performance as a simple 'beauty-to-beast' transformation. But while she did pull off quite the physical transformation, the performance is all her. I may have only seen Monster once, but Theron's powerful portrayal still lingers on me. That is the sign of an extraordinary performance.

3. Heath Ledger wins Best Supporting Actor (2008): Like with Theron, I could sing my praises for Ledger's performance until the end of time. Ledger's portrait of the Joker is a reinvention of the already iconic figure and almost makes you wish the Joker had his own movie. Brilliant performance from a versatile actor that sadly left us too soon. Rest easy, fine sir!

2. Martin Scorsese wins Best Director (2006): Now, I know that people don't consider The Departed Scorsese's best work or as good as Goodfellas or Raging Bull. Those two will forever be his best. But I love this win so much simply because it finally happened. One of the greatest directors working today finally got his due and I can't help but be enamored with this win.

1. Almost Famous wins Best Original Screenplay (2000): This choice is a bit biased because I still consider Almost Famous my favorite movie. But what makes a favorite movie without a screenplay, right? The script is a potent blend of comedy, heavy drama, and of course, the film's vocal point: music. Plus, it works as a coming-of-age story with a nostalgic vibe. It is a script that flows as harmoniously as a guitar string and despite not getting a Best Picture nomination (Why, I'll never know), it still managed to nab the right prize.

Honorable Mentions:

Javier Bardem wins Best Supporting Actor (2007)

Christoph Waltz wins Best Supporting Actor (2009)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind wins Best Original Screenplay (2004)

The Departed wins Best Picture (2006)

Finding Nemo wins Best Animated Feature (2003)


So those are my top 10 picks for the best Oscar winners of the past decade. If you agree or disagree with any of my pics, please feel free to write in the comments section and add your own honorable mentions. My Oscar coverage continues with another post of the acting nominees and whether they will be back again. Until then, thanks for reading!

Topic Of The Day: Why Some Actors Are Labeled Box Office Poison

Hello, Bloggers, for today's Topic Of The Day, I figured I'd discuss something I have meant to for quite a while. There have been plenty of actors over the years that have from time to time been labeled "Box Office Poison" because they have had trouble opening a film on their own. So, I figured I'd provide my own insight as to why that may be.

   The first actor I will discuss is someone who has had quite a spotty track record in recent years: Johnny Depp. Now, before he became Jack Sparrow, he was more of a critical darling than a box office draw. But when he became Jack Sparrow and made more films with Tim Burton, all audiences wanted to see him as was the eccentric-Jack Sparrow type and that didn't allow him to challenge himself which could do some damage to an actor that catches the fire while it is still hot. If they stick to the same role in their prime, then by the time they run out of steam, they have difficulty finding a mainstream audience because now that audiences have seemed to move on to other actors and that Depp continues to do the Jack Sparrow routine, he hasn't become the draw he used to be. A similar case can be made with Robert Downey, Jr. except while he can still pull in a crowd, it is only when he has the Iron Man suit on as The Judge's box office numbers have pointed out. Also like Depp, RDJ was a bigger critical darling before he became a franchise powerhouse. Now that I think about it, this has me fearing for Jennifer Lawrence, another critical darling turned franchise powerhouse, once she is done with Katniss and Mystique.

   Now, for the next case study, I will go into an actress who has still proven herself to be a big draw to prove why actresses like her bring in tickets while others haven't had much luck: Sandra Bullock. While I am a fan of hers, some may wonder why she fills seats. But it is because she appeals to both genders. Women like watching her acting and that she isn't trying or never tried to sell sex while she also does films that appeal to the male demographic as well as to females. Same reason audiences have loved Julia Roberts and even Cameron Diaz. While they are all strikingly beautiful, they hardly ever take roles that focus solely on their beauty. That's why names like Demi Moore, Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, and to a certain extent, Scarlett Johansson have had spotty B.O. track records. A good chunk of the roles they have taken were based solely on their looks and as a result, had given them a more limited audience.

  A similar case to Bullock can be made with actors, like Channing Tatum. In 2012, which was his breakout year, he proved he can handle romantic dramas for females (The Vow), raunchy comedies (21 Jump Street), and comedy-dramas (Magic Mike). Plus, he has done action with White House Down and will tackle the role of Gambit in X-Men: Apocalypse and in an upcoming solo film. There is also Bradley Cooper, who has done comedies, action, dramas, indie fare, and even voice work while still managing critics cred. Their succeses might have me hopeful for Paul Rudd, who is normally known for comedies, but is slightly changing things up by demonstrating his superhero chops with Ant-Man and even doing smaller indie films. So, the reason that artists like Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Channing Tatum, and Bradley Cooper have become big draws is because of their ability to successfully tackle different genres and appeal to different crowds.

  So, my theory as to why some actors receive the unfortunate label of box office poison is because they either limit themselves to one role or genre or only have franchises keeping their profile afloat. If you have your own theories on this topic, please feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!
 

Oscars 2015: Top 10 Upsets I'd Love To See

Hello, Bloggers, as part of my Oscar coverage, I will be discussing the top 10 upsets I would love to see. While some of the favorites to win I won't argue with, here are some surprises to potentially best them that I think would make things interesting.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy or X-Men over Interstellar for Best Visual Effects: Interstellar looks to be the heavy favorite to win Best Visual Effects. Its effects were very stunning, but it would be something if either of the aforementioned superhero films took it. Especially X-Men: Days of Future Past because it is the first film in the franchise to be nominated.

9. Interstellar over The Theory of Everything for Best Original Score: Since The Theory of Everything has a Globe win, and the Globes love to try and predict the Oscars, plenty might see it as the favorite to win at the Oscars. The score in that was wonderful, but Hans Zimmer's score in Interstellar was absolutely harmonious and I would pull for him to win.

8. Edward Norton over J.K. Simmons for Best Supporting Actor: Sure if Simmons loses, plenty will say "Not quite my tempo" and even I am rooting for him. But if I would love to see anybody pull off the surprise win, it would be Edward Norton for his layered and comical turn in Birdman. One partial reason is because I think Norton is due for a win after his two losses for Best Supporting Actor for Primal Fear and Best Actor for American History X. But if Norton doesn't pull off the surprise, then hey, there's always next time.

7. Emma Stone over Patricia Arquette for Best Supporting Actress: This is very much Arquette's to lose and after seeing Boyhood twice, I find it hard to argue with the acclaim she has received for her authentic portrayal of a struggling mother. However, if there is anyone that could pull off a surprise, I would love for it to be Emma Stone for her comically acidic yet vulnerable performance in Birdman. But like Edward Norton, if Stone doesn't upset, I am positive she'll have other opportunities in the future to win.

6. Inherent Vice over The Imitation Game or Whiplash for Best Adapted Screenplay: With Gone Girl getting snubbed for Best Adapted Screenplay, that means the category looks to be a battle between The Imitation Game and Whiplash, which may be a slight victim of category fraud as it received Original Screenplay nominations everywhere else. Both are great scripts, but it would be something if Inherent Vice stunned the world. That way, Paul Thomas Anderson can put an Oscar on his mantle.

5. Birdman over The Grand Budapest Hotel for Best Original Screenplay: Something tells me that The Grand Budapest Hotel is a slight favorite to win Best Original Screenplay. If that is the case, then I would pull for Birdman to pull off the upset. I did think Grand Budapest Hotel had a great and colorful script and it would be a wonderful winner, but I would love to see Birdman take it.

4. Bradley Cooper over Eddie Redmayne or Michael Keaton for Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne now has plenty of momentum with a Globe and SAG win and Keaton has a Globe win along with his comeback narrative making this a battle between the two. Between those two, I would go with Keaton but for the upset, I'd go with Bradley Cooper. Like Keaton, Cooper gives a career-best performance and it would be awesome to see him recognized for his transformative work.

3. "Everything Is Awesome" over "Glory" for Best Original Song: If "Everything Is Awesome" wasn't so catchy and if The Lego Movie wasn't so wonderful and snubbed, I'd probably be pulling for "Glory". But with all due to respect to Common and John Legend, I'm crossing my fingers for "Everything Is Awesome".

2. Rosamund Pike over Julianne Moore for Best Actress: Julianne Moore is one of my favorite actresses and thankfully this looks to be her year to finally win after losing 4 previous times. Another bonus to this potential win is that the performance is great. However, I would also root for Rosamund Pike to pull off the upset for her haunting turn as the titular Gone Girl. Looks to be a longshot, but if Adrien Brody's win taught us something, it is that anything is possible.

1. Whiplash over Birdman or Boyhood for Best Picture: So far in the Best Picture race, we have critical darling Boyhood vs. guild darling Birdman. Either one of those two looks primed to win the big prize, which is wonderful because they are my top 2 favorite movies of last year. But if there is any film I wouldn't mind seeing pull off the upset, it'd be my third favorite movie of last year: Whiplash. It would be an absolute stunner, but a great one.

So, those are the Top 10 Upsets I'd Love To See on Oscar night. If there are any surprises you'd love to see happen, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section and I will continue my Oscar coverage with possibly another Top 10 list. Until then, thanks for reading!

Oscars 2015: SAG Winners Reactions

   Hello, Bloggers, the SAG Awards aired last night and I will undergo my thoughts on the winners in each category, both film and television. Here we go:

   Best Film Ensemble: Birdman
   This win made me the most ecstatic. I thought the film was not only the best of the year but it had the best ensemble of the year. It also won Best Film at the Producers Guild Awards, so it is now a strong frontrunner for Best Picture, rivaling Boyhood. 

   Best Male Actor In A Motion Picture: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
   While I really wanted Michael Keaton to win it, at least we have a race here. Plus, Keaton still didn't go home empty handed which means Redmayne might not be a sure thing. Although, judging by his speech, he must really want this thing.

   Best Female Actor In A Motion Picture: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
   We have our first foregone conclusion here. Thrilled for Moore because her performance in Still Alice is fantastic and she might finally take home Oscar gold. The downside, however, is there goes Rosamund Pike's Oscar.

  Best Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
  At this point, if somebody else wins the Oscar, I can imagine a lot of fans will be like "Not quite my tempo". I say he deserves to win.

  Best Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
  She might have this thing sewn up. No argument from me. When her name was announced,  though, I remember thinking myself "Going to these things must be like a chore for Meryl at this point."

  Best Ensemble In A TV Series- Drama: Downton Abbey
  On my Gold Derby predictions, I was surprised to find out I picked Downton Abbey to win and since I haven't seen the show, I guess I can say I am glad I was right.

  Best Ensemble In A TV Series- Comedy: Orange Is The New Black
  I may not have seen the show yet, but this win excites me for three reasons: 1. Modern Family didn't win (Love the show, but glad they gave someone else a turn), 2. It proves that Netflix shows are becoming more legitimate and not just network channel shows, and 3. There is so much diversity in the cast.

  Best Male Actor In A TV Series- Drama: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
  Kevin Spacey must be thrilled Breaking Bad is off the air since he not only collected the SAG, but his long overdue Golden Globe and can potentially win the Emmy to complete his acting triple crown.

  Best Female Actor In A TV Series- Drama: Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder
 I guess her fellow actors really love her since this is her 3rd SAG win (her first two were for The Help: Best Female Actor and Best Ensemble) and I guess I should start watching that show.

 Best Male Actor In A TV Series- Comedy: William H. Macy, Shameless
 Nice! I actually get to see William H. Macy accept an award.

 Best Female Actor In A TV Series- Comedy: Uzo Aduba, Orange Is The New Black
 Coupled with Viola Davis' win, Uzo Aduba's win shows just how diverse television is becoming in terms of who they are giving the best roles to.

 Best Male Actor In A Miniseries Or TV Movie: Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
 Behind Birdman's Best Ensemble win, Ruffalo's win for his brilliant performance in The Normal Heart was one that got me the most excited. After losing at the Critics Choice, Emmy Awards, and the Golden Globe Awards, he finally got recognized for his brilliant work.

 Best Female Actor In A Miniseries Or TV Movie: Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
 I still have yet to see Olive Kitteridge, but I was pretty happy about this win because it is nice that McDormand is back in the spotlight and hopefully we get to see more of her on the big or small screen.

So, those were my quick thoughts on the SAG winners. If you have seen them or the list of winners, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. Up next, as part of my Oscar coverage, I will do my list of the Top 10 Upsets I'd Love To See. Until then, thanks for reading!

Indie Review: Hunger (2008)

                               

           
              'Hunger' Offers An Uncanny Craving For Unhinged Realism
               
              Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. Two filmmakers from the same pond that managed to become a duo that would influence and challenge cinema. One current duo that I would say is on its way to being ranked among the likes of those two is the dynamic Brit duo of both Michael Fassbender and Steve McQueen as those two have yet to deliver a false note on their collaborative filmography.

                 Story:
               Hunger follows the real-life story of an IRA prisoner named Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) who, in a Northern Irish prison back in 1981, led a hunger strike in order for them to win political status.

                 Ups:
                 I'll start off with the performance by Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands. It is an absolute transformation both physically and mentally. In the first act, Fassbender plays Sands as a charismatic leader who is accepting of his dead end despair yet as he becomes more frail, we see him as a saddended victim fighting for his cause and that is when his acting becomes more physical. This is yet another 180 from his other performances including his work as a sex addict in Shame, an android in Prometheus, a sadistic slave owner in 12 Years A Slave, and Magneto.

                 Another thing that I liked, which I thought was interesting, is how throughout its running time, there is hardly any dialogue being said. I think that co-writer/director Steve McQueen and co-writer Enda Walsh were going for an almost documentary-type feel by letting sequences like beatings of the prisoners and Sands' rapid weight loss do most of the talking. I also liked the long 17-minute long tracking shot where a priest confronts Bobby about his protest. Even as the camera keeps rolling and never moves, you can still feel the tension taking place.

                Downs:
               I thought that the first 28 minutes, up until Fassbender shows up, were kind of slow and even though they focused on two other prisoners, once Michael Fassbender enters the picture, they never seemed to go anywhere with the other two at that point. I think if they just focused on Bobby Sands throughout, it would've been much better.

               Consensus:
              Overall, Hunger is a visceral look at prison life with a documentary feel that features a performance by Michael Fassbender which packs a physical and emotional punch. I may have had problems with the first 28 minutes, but it is still a strong debut by director Steve McQueen.

               Would I Recommend It?:
              It probably won't be for everybody because it gets hard to watch at times. But it is worth a watch for Michael Fassbender's committed portrayal.

Grade: B+

Indie Review: Fish Tank (2009)

                 

         
       'Fish Tank': A Visceral Coming-Of-Age Story That Never Falls Into The Trenches

              Fish Tank is a great example of how film can be used as a form of poetry as its title is used as a metaphor with the film being built around that metaphor. Since the film is called Fish Tank, director/writer Andrea Arnold manages to show how one can feel trapped like they are in a fish tank that has dirty and treacherous waters.

              Story:
              Fish Tank follows the story of a 15-year old named Mia Wallace (Katie Jarvis) who doesn't seem to have things easy as she lives in a lower-class neighborhood with her unbearable mother (Kierston Wareing). But her life starts changing with the arrival of her mother's new boyfriend Connor (Michael Fassbender) who encourages her to pursue the one thing that gives her happiness: dancing.

              Ups:
            I'll start off with the performance by newcomer Katie Jarvis. Jarvis is an absolute force of nature as Mia who has the aggression of an adult yet also has the curiosity and free-spirit of a normal teenager. Even though this was her first movie, it feels as if she has been around for a while and it didn't even seem like she was acting. Hopefully, we get to see more from this young talent as she gives a fine debut that deserves to be ranked among the likes of Emily Watson in Breaking The Waves. I'll also give a special mention to Michael Fassbender who delivers an astounding performance as Connor who serves as a father figure/cool best friend to Mia and showcases a rather sensual charm and both he and Jarvis have such great chemistry on screen. With this performance, along with his other work, Michael Fassbender is quickly becoming on of our generation's greatest actors and is on his way to being one of the all-time greats. Kierston Wareing also deserves special mention for her equally layered performance as the overbearing and antagonistic mother with a teenage party girl mentality. All deliver exceptional performances.

          Next, I'll get into the direction by Andrea Arnold. I thought it was interesting how Arnold creates a buildup for the sexual tension that takes place between Mia and Connor. One of those scenes in particular that stood out is one where Connor gives Mia his camera and as he leans closer to Mia, she sniffs his cologne and we almost feel as aroused as Mia does once Arnold focuses on her face with Fassbender being blurred in the background. Arnold also doesn't cut away from the more intense scenes and I also loved the opening sequence where, without any dialogue, Arnold shows us what the main character is like through her routine. Interestingly, she even uses music as means to tell the story. For example, Mia likes to dance to hip-hop, but once she meets Connor, he introduces her to artists like James Brown and Bobby Womack and as she becomes more accustomed to those artists, it increases the bond she and Connor share.

          Downs:
          NIL.

          Consensus:
          Overall, Fish Tank is a well-crafted yet no holds barred coming-of-age story. The overall acting is authentic and the direction/writing by Andrea Arnold is beautifully artistic yet set in a brutal reality.

          Would I Recommend It?:
         Absolutely. I think that, regardless of a few events that occur which might make some viewers uncomfortable, this should be more widely seen.

Grade: A+

Oscars 2015: The Acting Nominees And Their "Scenes"

Hello, Bloggers, as part of my Oscar coverage, I figured that I will analyze the acting nominees and try to figure out what their Oscar clips will be. Usually, it is a big monologue or loud OMG-type moment or something along those lines. At least something big. Let's take a look:

Best Actor:

Steve Carell- Foxcatcher: Interestingly, the role is pretty flashy (real-life person with a prosthetic nose. Plus, comedian going serious). Yet, the performance is pretty subdued. But he does have a speech that I imagine he'll use: The "coach is a father, mentor, etc.) speech.

Bradley Cooper- American Sniper: Much like Carell, Cooper's performance is pretty subdued. But while he doesn't have a big monologue or big scene in general, I would imagine that his Oscar clip will be the scene where Chris Kyle runs into an amputee vet, played by Jonathan Groff, who tells him how he saved his life. Cooper silently takes it in, yet with such power.

Benedict Cumberbatch- The Imitation Game: Now, picking out his scene might be easier. Cumberbatch's clip will probably be the one where they threaten to shut down his operation and he yells about how they won't the significance of his plan.

Michael Keaton- Birdman: Easy. The fight scene between him and Edward Norton where he explains a false sad story about his background. Like his performance, the delivery in that scene is a blend of both comedy and emotion.

Eddie Redmayne- Theory of Everything: This one is even more difficult than figuring out Cooper's scene, but I'll do my best. It'll be either the big speech he gives about the human endeavor towards the end or the one where he tries to explain to Jane his condition and how he won't have longer to live.

Best Actress:

Marion Cotillard- Two Days, One Night: Probably the scene where her character and her husband return home and she explodes on him about how she is pitying her co-workers into giving up their bonuses.

Felicity Jones- The Theory of Everything: Either the "I love him and he loves me" scene or the one which might also be Redmayne's clip: The scene where Stephen tries to explain to Jane he doesn't have longer to live and Jane says she still wants them to stay together.

Julianne Moore- Still Alice: I would imagine it'll be her speech towards the end about how she tries to live in the moment. Either that or the one where at the kitchen table, she explains to Kristen Stewart's character about her condition. Between those two, I'd choose the latter. The power in her line delivery is just quietly devastating.

Rosamund Pike- Gone Girl: **POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT** Amy's final "That's marriage" monologue. But if they want to go more low key, they could choose the big reveal.

Reese Witherspoon- Wild: This one might be easy. It could be the scene where the kid sings to her and she starts breaking down and crying. That's another kind of scene they go for. A big crying scene. But that isn't to take away from the amazing work Witherspoon does.

Best Supporting Actor:

Robert Duvall- The Judge: When I saw this film, I had a feeling his Oscar scene will probably be the one where he confronts Robert Downey, Jr.'s character about why he was as rough as he was to him when he was younger.

Ethan Hawke- Boyhood: My favorite scene of his: The "Talk to me" scene. Hard to think they'll go for something else.

Edward Norton- Birdman: Originally, I had the fight scene between him and Michael Keaton, but I have a hunch they'll go for his introduction scene where Keaton directs him then he turns the tables by invisibly directing him. It gives us an idea of what his character is like in a nutshell.

Mark Ruffalo- Foxcatcher: Like everybody else, I feel that they'll pick his interview scene. Although it isn't necessarily a "big" scene or performance, it just seems like their most viable option.

J.K. Simmons- Whiplash: The first drum lesson, the lecture scene involving the music notebooks, the "good job" monologue at the end. Take. Your. Pick.

Best Supporting Actress:

Patricia Arquette- Boyhood: The college sendoff scene at the end. If not that, then the scene I had on my Best Film Sequences of 2014 list where her character yells at her daughter to cut the horsesh*t attitude after they leave her second husband's house. Both scenes are such powerful stuff.

Laura Dern- Wild: Because the part is pretty small, Dern's scene will more than likely the scene where her character explains to her daughter about teaching her to be her best self.

Keira Knightley- The Imitation Game: This one is pretty easy. Knightley's final scene where she gets to deliver a line used quite often in the film.

Emma Stone- Birdman: The "Relevant" monologue. Bar none. I'd be stunned if they picked something else.

Meryl Streep- Into The Woods: Another easy one. The "Stay With Me" musical number.

So, those are my thoughts on what the Oscar clips for the acting nominees and on Oscar night, I will get to see whether or not my predictions are correct. My Oscar coverage will continue with my list of the Top 10 Upsets I'd Love To See and my reactions to the SAG winners. Until then, thanks for reading!

Retro Review: Persona (1966)

           

       'Persona': A Complex Yet Incredibly Haunting Trip Into The Human Conscience

      Persona is a film that, despite being categorized as more of a psychological drama, has plenty of horror elements as it delves into the terrors of what goes on in the human mind and shows what happens when one mentally unravels in such a unique way thanks to the stylistic direction by Ingmar Bergman.

       Story:
      Persona follows the story of a nurse named Alma (Bibi Andersson) who is asked to take care of an actress named Elizabete (Liv Ullmann) who has gone mute. But as Alma gets closer with her, they began to absorb aspects of each other's persona.

      Ups:
     I'll start off with the beautiful performances by the two lead actresses. First, I'll get into Liv Ullmann. Ullmann hardly ever utters a peep, yet she still is able to convey plenty of emotions and layers to her character as Elizabete acts as Alma's patient, confidante, manipulator, and possible conscience. Bibi Andersson is also a revelation as Alma, who seems very delicate at first yet after one long confession, starts to mentally unravel with her delicate layer being slowly peeled off.

     Next, I'll discuss the black-and-white cinematography by Sven Nyquist. I loved that Nyquist shot it in black and white because it is a representation of how Andersson and Ullmann's characters are two halfs of the same coin. The yin to each other's yang. If it was shot in color, it wouldn't have the same effect, in my opinion. The way he and director Ingmar Bergman shot it helps create the supreme mystery that surrounds the two ladies. For example, there is one scene where Elizabete's (or Alma's) husband visits and consummates with Alma and the camera focuses on Elizabete with Alma and the husband in the background, which makes the audience wonder whether this is in Elizabete's head or if Elizabete is just a persona observing those two. We are hardly given much answers yet I still love that. Persona is one of those films where you have to let it take you in on its uncertainty.

     Downs:
     NIL.

     Consensus:
     Overall, Persona is a well-crafted yet incredibly haunting look into the human psyche. The performances by Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann are an absolute master class and the direction by Ingmar Bergman is beautifully artistic.

    Would I Recommend It?:
    It won't suit everybody's tastes because it requires subtitles and it doesn't necessarily have a straight forward story. But if you want to study acting and especially cinematography, PLEASE put this on your watch list.

Grade: A

Indie Review: Fruitvale Station (2013)

                   

     
    'Fruitvale Station': A Story With An Eye-Opening Message Despite Its Tragic End

          They say to live every day like it is your last. To call your loved ones, forgive your enemies, donate money to charity and whatnot. That moral rings true because we never know when our precious lives will be taken from us. That lesson is certainly what Fruitvale Station demonstrates while it showcases the harsh realities of what racism is like today.
     
         Story:
         Fruitvale Station follows the real-life story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) who, over the course of one New Year's Eve, tries to get his life back on track only to meet a tragic end at the hands of a few Bay Area police officers.

         Ups:
        I'll start off with the performance by Michael B. Jordan. I thought it was amazing how he would go from being sweet and sensitive one moment then, through the use of his eyes, become thus raging yet desperate man. He doesn't portray Oscar as a patron saint, but as a simple flawed man trying to provide a better life for himself and it didn't even feel like he was acting. Hopefully, big things are on the horizon for this young talent. I also would like to acknowledge Octavia Spencer, who plays Oscar's frustrated yet loyal mother. I would say that this is her best work to date and surpasses her Oscar-winning turn in The Help.

        I felt that because director/writer Ryan Coogler focused on Oscar Grant's final day alive, he wanted to demonstrate not just the theme of trying to right your wrongs, but the message of living every day like it is your last. The film has Oscar calling and spending time with his loved ones, meeting new people, and hanging with his friends before all that happiness got tragically taken away from him. So, I feel that by incorporating those events, Coogler tells the audience "You don't know what you have until it is gone" or "Enjoy every precious moment you have". While the film doesn't have a happy ending, those that watch it can potentially open their eyes after they watch it by not just being more accepting of others, but by being more appreciative of their own lives.

        Downs:
        NIL.

        Consensus:
        Overall, Fruitvale Station is a tragic yet eye-opening drama that is an honest demonstration of what racism is like today and tells us to live every day like it is your last. The acting is incredibly authentic and the writing/direction by Ryan Coogler is masterful and packs an emotional punch.

        Would I Recommend It?:
        Absolutely. This isn't exactly entertainment material, but it provides a good amount of lessons to be learned.

Grade: A+

Oscars 2015: Regarding the Snubbing of Selma

Hello, Bloggers, I figured that I would not only discuss another Topic Of The Day about the Oscars, but another Topic Of The Day regarding the film Selma. Since this year's nominations received its fair share of criticism because Selma didn't get recognized across the board. So, I figured I'd share my own thoughts as to why that is.

Now, I am sure that the Academy was labeled racist because of the snubbing of Selma, but I might have another reason why it was for the most part ignored: Maybe they just didn't like the movie. Voters are like us because they seem to have their own acquired tastes and it seems there are other films they just happened to like more than Selma. I thought Selma was a great movie, but even that film doesn't crack my personal ballot. Does that make me racist? No. It just means there are other films I liked more. It's kind of like how if someone doesn't like an LGBT film, it doesn't automatically mean that person is homophobic. But because I am not a member of the Academy,  I don't have to be bullied into being politically correct by nominating Selma like how voters would have been labeled racist if they didn't give 12 Years A Slave Best Picture and some admitted they didn't even see 12 Years A Slave. I was glad that 12 Years A Slave won Best Picture but simply because I thought it was the best film in the BP lineup and not because I'd label them racist if they didn't vote for it.

There was also quite a bit of hoopla because Ava DuVernay didn't get nominated for Best Director. But I think it is only because they wanted history to be made. So, when they tried to tell voters "Nominate her because she is a black woman!" and it didn't go their way,  people then go up in arms about how the Best Director is an all-boys club. Now, Ava DuVernay getting nominated would've been a huge deal, but I don't want to see the Academy make history just to make history because if that happened regardless of the quality of the film itself, then that prevents a better directorial vision from being recognized. I am not saying DuVernay did a terrible job directing the film. I am just proving a point. So, while I would love to see that kind of history be made, I would rather see it happen if the film and direction are worthy of that kind of praise and not simply just to make history. Plus, I think the reason that Best Director is an all boys club is because a. It has always been like that and b. some of the best films directed by females were thrown under a bus, In particular, you had Jennifer Kent, who created the monster movie/character study The Babadook, and Gillian Robespierre, who created the abortion rom-com Obvious Child, which broke rom-com conventions and isn't judgmental about its subject matter.

Lastly, I think another reason that Selma didn't get recognized as much as I people hoped is this: Don't you guys think we've seen enough racism movies for once? We already had 12 Years A Slave, 42, The Butler, Fruitvale Station, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, The Help, Django Unchained, and Lincoln. I feel that with all these films and Selma, we are becoming constantly beaten over the head with how bad racism is. Well, DUH! But shouldn't you guys be relieved that they are recognizing the unconventional by nominating films like Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel across the board and that darker, edgy fare (which they usually shy away from) like Foxcatcher is getting some major love? Those kinds of films normally wouldn't get as much love, but I think this year, they might be showing that they have minds of their own and don't want to be pushed into recognizing something just to seem politically correct. I am honestly more disgusted with audiences than the Academy because while I may disagree with who they nominate and vote for on occasion, it is even more upsetting when we feel the need to curse at them just for having an opinion like the rest of us. This is why some people make their own personal ballots to say who they would nominate and not to right the Academy's wrongs. Just remember that old saying "Everyone's a critic."

So, I think that Selma didn't get recognized as much as people hoped mainly because of personal taste and because it is kind of a "been there, done that". I get why many are upset by the snubbing of Selma, but they can either make their own ballots and focus on what actual nominations made them happy or cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it.

Oscars 2015: 6 Silver Linings To Be Found On Oscar Nominations

Hello, Bloggers, in the midst of all this controversy surrounding the Oscar nominations ranging from the apparent lack of diversity to the Lego Movie snub, here are, what I consider, to be a few high points to be found.

1. Quality Trumping Politics In The Best Actress Category: When Marion Cotillard's name was announced over the Globe-winning Amy Adams and heavy campaigner Jennifer Aniston in the Best Actress category, it was a great example of looking into what was one of the better performances because Cotillard was practically invisible during the campaign trail. Not only that, but being nominated for a foreign film is quite a rarity these days.

2. The Trend of Loving/Hating Comedians Slowly Breaking: In the Best Actor category, we had not one, but two comedians (Steve Carell and Michael Keaton) being recognized for their versatile work. The Academy has had quite a history with recognizing comedians as they gave Bill Murray only one nomination and don't want to nominate Jim Carrey for some reason. So, it is nice that in the Best Actor category, they got to go for two for the price of one and even recognize the usually dramatic Edward Norton for his comedic work.

3. Precursors Not Being A Deciding Factor: Bradley Cooper, Laura Dern, and Bennett Miller didn't receive any precursor support, yet they successfully managed to sneak into their respective categories. So, it was nice that we were actually in for surprises Thursday morning and I treasure surprises when they take place.

4. Inherent Vice Getting Nominated For Best Adapted Screenplay: Since Inherent Vice was a contender for Best Adapted Screenplay, the Academy had a chance to recognize something unique and out there. Thankfully, they took it even when they recognized other scripts that were a little more conventional.

5. A Lot Of First Time Nominees: One of the chief complaints about the Oscars is how they tend to play favorites and vote for their buddies. That complaint is justified because when their buddies get voted in, usually they have no hope of actually winning and that prevents a new face waiting to be recognized from getting in. They may have played favorites this year by including Robert Duvall and Meryl Streep. But we have a lot of fresh blood this year: Wes Anderson for his first Best Director nomination, Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Felicity Jones, Benedict Cumberbatch, Steve Carell, Eddie Redmayne, Patricia Arquette, J.K. Simmons, etc. We even saw some new faces collect acting trophies last year (Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong'o).

6. Snubs Still Leave Us Curious: Plenty of the Critics' Choice winners this year were snubbed by the Oscars (Birdman for Editing and Score, Gone Girl for Best Adapted Screenplay, Force Majeure for Best Foreign Film, Life Itself for Best Documentary, and Lego Movie for Best Animated Feature). While I do feel that these winners should be at the Oscars and their snubs are difficult to swallow, at least they have me wondering who could win in their respective categories which makes them less predictable. Plus, these snubbed winners would still make my own personal ballot anyway.

So, those were my thoughts on 6 silver linings to be found from this year's Oscar nominees that I hope will ease your pain. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the nominations in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Oscars 2015 Nominations: My Reactions

Hello, Bloggers, the day is finally here! Oscar Nomination Day! Here are my thoughts on the nominees (excluding the shorts) and even the shocking snubs. Here we go:

Best Picture:
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
Theory of Everything
Whiplash

It's wonderful that my three favorite movies of the year made it onto the final eight. Imitation Game and Theory of Everything were expected while American Sniper was a pleasant surprise and seeing Grand Budapest Hotel was also wonderful because it could be a game-changer for awards season by showing that you don't have to have a release later in the year to become a legitimate contender.

Best Director:
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Bennett Miller is obviously the biggest surprise. I know a lot of people were expecting Ava DuVernay to get in for Selma and I can understand why they are angry over that snub because it would've made history by making her the first black woman to get in for Best Director. I would've been fine with her taking Tyldum's spot because The Imitation Game was a good movie, but not really a director's movie.

Best Actor:
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything

Unfortunately no Jake Gyllenhaal on here, but to be fair, Best Actor this year was a bloodbath so a snub or two was bound to happen. Plus, it's not like the Academy hates Jake Gyllenhaal because he already has one nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Brokeback Mountain, so he is fine. But I did love seeing Bradley Cooper on here. I wouldn't underestimate his ability to take it since this is his third acting nomination in a row.

Best Actress:
Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

One of the nominations announced this morning that made my morning was seeing Marion Cotillard's name announced on this category. I was super thrilled because I loved her performance in Two Days, One Night and I was relieved that Rosamund Pike got on here because I had worried that she would get snubbed. I did have a small hunch Jennifer Aniston would sneak in, but I guess she can't have her "Cake" and eat it too.

Best Supporting Actor:
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

The biggest surprise is that there were no surprises. Figured Robert Duvall would get snubbed in favor of Josh Brolin, but I guess that was just wishful thinking.

Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into The Woods

I was so thrilled to see Laura Dern on here for her nuanced work in Wild. I am also relieved that Emma Stone is on here. The other three weren't too surprising, but they were all very good in their respective films.

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Jason Hall, American Sniper
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Anthony McCarten, Theory of Everything
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash

Thrilled that PTA snuck in! I was quite disappointed at the absence of Gillian Flynn for Gone Girl, but the inclusion of PTA and Damien Chazelle more than made up for it.

Best Original Screenplay:
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., and Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler

I got 5/5 here!

Best Animated Feature Film:
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How To Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of The Princess Kayuga

Everything would be awesome if The Lego Movie were on here. It did make it in for Best Original Song, but still.

Best Foreign Language Film:
Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines
Timbuktu
Wild Tales

Loved seeing Ida on here even though it was kind of expected. I was stunned Force Majeure didn't make it on here, but at least they recognized countries they wouldn't normally recognize like Mauritania with Timbuktu and Estonia with Tangerines.

Best Documentary Feature:
Citizenfour
Finding Vivien Maier
Last Days In Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga

Huh? No Life Itself? I'm guessing they really want to make sure Citizenfour wins.

Best Original Score:
Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Mr. Turner
The Theory of Everything

Since I already knew Interstellar wasn't going to make it in for Best Picture, it was a nice treat seeing Hans Zimmer getting recognized for his mesmerizing work on the film.

Best Original Song:
"Everything Is Awesome" from The Lego Movie
"Glory" from Selma
"Grateful" from Beyond The Lights
"I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from Glenn Campbell: I'll Be Me
"Lost Stars" from Begin Again

Everything is still awesome because Everything Is Awesome is on here.

Best Sound Editing:
American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken

Best Sound Mixing:
American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash

Whiplash! Yay!

Best Production Design:
Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into The Woods
Mr. Turner

I was hoping that Grand Budapest would make it on here and thankfully it did.

Best Cinematography:
Birdman
Grand Budapest Hotel
Ida
Mr. Turner
Unbroken

Nice surprise to see Ida on here. It would've been a crime if Lubezki got snubbed for Birdman. 

Best Editing:
American Sniper
Boyhood
Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash

Boyhood and Whiplash making it on here made me ecstatic. I do wonder why Birdman, which was made to look like it didn't have any editing, got snubbed, but I guess we'll never know.

Best Costume Design:
Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into The Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner

Inherent Vice getting on here was nice. It's its only other nomination, but I am at least glad it had a showing.

Best Makeup:
Foxcatcher
Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy

Much better than last year's lineup. I did have a feeling Theory of Everything would sneak in, but I'm not too crushed it didn't.

Best Visual Effects:
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Even though this category is usually kind to genre fare, this category excites me very much because X-Men: Days of Future Past is the first film in the franchise to become an Oscar nominee.

So overall, I was thrilled with the list of nominees for the most part. There were some snubs that kind of bugged me, but as I always say, no matter good a year it can be for film, there will always be snubs. Please feel free to share your own personal thoughts on the nominations and even who you felt got left out. The Oscars are on February 22nd and I will do plenty of coverage leading up to that big night! Until then, thanks for reading!

Oscars 2015: Final Nomination Predictions

Hello, Bloggers, the big morning is finally upon us and I figured I'd share my final thoughts as to who will make it into the major categories. When the nominees are announced, I will go into my thoughts on every single category, but here, I will narrow it down to the Screenplay and Acting categories, Director, and Best Picture categories. Let's take a look:

Best Picture:
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Nightcrawler
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Birdman, Boyhood, Grand Budapest Hotel, Theory of Everything, and The Imitation Game might be the safest locks in this category. With American Sniper doing extremely well in the specialty market and having guild support, expect it to do really well in the Academy. Gone Girl was a smashing success and because the Academy might want to include an audience favorite, it might be this film. Nightcrawler also has guild support as well as critical praise and Whiplash is, along with Boyhood, the little movie that could that could be this year's Beasts of the Southern Wild. Even though I am leaving off my predictions, I still wouldn't discount Selma, though. Watch out for that movie.

Best Director:
Wes Anderson, Grand Budapest Hotel
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Clint Eastwood, American Sniper
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Now this category is tricky. While Innaritu, Linklater, and Anderson seem like safe bets, the last two slots are up for grabs. Even though Morten Tyldum was a DGA nominee for Imitation Game, there isn't much passion around him in general, I don't think, which might be because he isn't as well known as some of his competitors. So, I left him off in favor of possible indie favorite Damien Chazelle. He definitely isn't out of the woods just yet.

Best Actor:
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Ralph Fiennes, Grand Budapest Hotel
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything

Yet another tricky category. With plenty of contenders vying for 5 spots and even Steve Carell possibly being a supporting actor contender for Foxcatcher, who knows what direction this category will go in because there are so many great male lead performances from 2014. Keaton and Redmayne might be the safest bets as they are the biggest frontrunners. Cumberbatch should be getting comfortable while Ralph Fiennes and Jake Gyllenhaal are looking more and more likely as they have picked up precursor support. Although Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson perhaps got a little too comfortable because they had precursor support only for their names to not be announced on Nomination Day last year. So, we'll see.

Best Actress:
Jennifer Aniston, Cake
Felicity Jones, Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

This category seems pretty sewn up. I finally got the chance to watch Cake and Aniston deserves her potential nomination for sure. I will post my review of it very soon, but I'll say that Aniston is very, very good in the movie. I want to say Marion Cotillard gets in because I want her to, but I don't want to risk getting it wrong.

Best Supporting Actor:
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

As much as I didn't want to include Duvall on here out of supreme dislike of his movie, he might somehow squeeze in. It doesn't seem like anybody could knock him out. Maybe Josh Brolin but who knows if voters turned off their screeners for Inherent Vice halfway through. There is also Riz Ahmed for Nightcrawler and Steve Carell for Foxcatcher. But, like with Best Actor, we'll see.

Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Rene Russo, Nightcrawler
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into The Woods

Plenty have Jessica Chastain on their predictions, but I don't think there is much passion behind her film or buzz around her performance. She may be a Globe nominee, but SAG snub stings. I think because the supporting category tends to be kinder to veterans/character actors and actresses/up-and-comers, Rene Russo could make a play in this category since she has been around for quite a while and her film has crucial guild support. Arquette, Stone, and Knightley seem like safe bets along with Meryl Streep. But if there are any major spoilers, it might be Laura Dern for Wild and Tilda Swinton for Snowpiercer. 

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Jason Hall, American Sniper
Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Nick Hornby, Wild

If Damien Chazelle can't click with the Direction branch, he might squeeze in the Screenplay category. Good news for Chazelle, but bad news for Paul Thomas Anderson for his work on Inherent Vice. Flynn and Moore seem like the safest bets, along with potentially WGA nominee Nick Hornby, with Jason Hall having a last-minute rally.

Best Original Screenplay:
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Nicholas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., and Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler

Since Chazelle is considered eligible for Best Adapted Screenplay, that means good news for Dan Gilroy, along with potentially Frye and Futterman despite their film receiving a pretty cold reception. The other three might be the safest bets. I will say that if Richard Linklater manages to win Directing, either Anderson or Innaritu and his crew take this.

Now, I'll go into who I think will get the most nominations across the board. I'm thinking Birdman and Grand Budapest Hotel because they have received support from almost every single guild. Birdman didn't get a WGA nomination, but that is only because the script, or the writers, weren't eligible. Plus, that hasn't gotten in the way of writers like Quentin Tarantino, who won the Oscar for Django Unchained. So, that snub doesn't sting as much as it seems.

So, those were my quick thoughts on the Oscar nominations tomorrow where we find out who will be snubbed, who could surprise, and who will emerge as the big winner in terms of nominations. I will post my reactions tomorrow and thanks for reading!

2015 Golden Globe Reactions

Hello, Bloggers, the Golden Globes have finally aired last night and here are my reactions to the winners and even parts of the show itself. Here we go:

I'll start off with the winners. Boyhood came out the big winners with 3 Golden Globes for Motion Picture-Drama, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress. Before it won Best Motion Picture, I remember getting pretty nervous another film would snag that award, but thankfully, that's not the case. So Boyhood can still maintain its status as the film to beat. Birdman also came out a pretty big winner with 2 Globes for Best Screenplay and Best Actor In A Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy. But it was The Grand Budapest Hotel that emerged as the winner for Best Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy, surprising a lot of us. But it isn't a winner I will lose sleep over like How To Train Your Dragon 2 winning Best Animated Feature over The LEGO Movie. Ouch. As expected, J.K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actor for his outstanding work in Whiplash. So, my top three films of the year (Birdman, Boyhood, Whiplash) managed to not go home empty handed. That I was happy about. It was also nice that Julianne Moore won Best Actress-Drama for Still Alice.  I was kind of hoping that Rosamund Pike would take it, but I won't fault Moore for her brilliant work. Amy Adams won Best Actress- Comedy Or Musical for Big Eyes, but that I can't really comment on it because I haven't seen the film, but I might just in case Adams sneaks in on Thursday morning. (Now, I'm really biting my fingernails for Marion Cotillard) I wasn't even too crazy about the Actress- Musical or Comedy category too begin with, despite Emily Blunt and Julianne Moore being excellent in their respective roles, because I was busy wondering what kind of speech Jenny Slate could've given if she was nominated and won.  Theory of Everything was also a pretty big winner as it walked away with both Best Actor-Drama and Best Original Score. Best Actor-Drama was kind of expected, but Best Original Score was unexpected. I was still left going "Agh" at those wins because even though I thought the film was good, its luster is starting to wear off of me. I mean, the score was very good and I am glad for Eddie Redmayne because of the work he did in the film and he seems like a very modest individual, but I personally would've gone a different direction in both categories. Leviathan won Best Foreign Film and that win I also can't comment on because I haven't seen. But on a more positive note, justice was served as Matt Bomer won Best Supporting Actor-TV for his work in The Normal Heart after that horrific Emmy snub. In terms of the overall film winners, though, there were a good amount that I was very happy about, some I was on the fence about, and only one that just downright irked me. Even though there were some surprises, it was nice that there were still surprises.

But what did I think of the overall show? I would say it was a hit with its fair share of misses. I loved Tina and Amy's monologue. I was surprised by how they went edgy by bringing up North Korea and Bill Cosby. But their jokes still got a laugh out of me. I also thought it was hilarious when Meryl Streep was about to get a picture taken with Margaret Cho, who was dressed as a North Korean official, and Benedict Cumberbatch sprinted up and photobombed them. When that happened, I said to myself "What is there not to love about Benedict Cumberbatch? ". There were some gasps made when Jennifer Lopez and Jeremy Renner presented and Renner made a small naughty reference to Lopez's "Globes" that were showing. While that little quip was surprising because it was said live, it isn't really anything to cause an uproar or anything like that. Although, I do think J-Lo's dress showed more than we needed to see. I also liked the speeches by Matt Bomer, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Gina Rodriguez, J.K. Simmons, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and especially Kevin Spacey, who collected his first ever Golden Globe.

So those were my quick thoughts on the 72nd Golden Globe Awards. If you watched those, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section and keep an eye out for a special post Thursday ;) Thanks for reading!

Review: Selma (2014)

                               

               
                  'Selma': Not Just Another Racial Movie

        I think that this day has finally come. I think that we finally got a movie about racism that isn't yet another "white savior" movie. Thank sweet merciful Christ!

        Story:
        Selma follows the real-life story of MLK (David Oyelowo) who, over the course of three months in 1965, tried to fight for voting rights for black people in order to bring equality by marching in non-violent protests. As he tried to get help from President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), King, along with the aide of several other people of color and eventually whites, rallies a treacherous march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery in order to achieve his goal.

       Ups:
      I'll start off with the performancd by David Oyelowo as MLK. Even when I saw the trailer, I kept forgetting that I was watching an actor and saw Oyelowo become MLK. He brilliantly captures King's diction, composure, and even, through masterful subtlety, showcases his doubts about his mission. I am very glad that, with this role, David Oyelowo is now getting the acclaim that he greatfully deserves. I would also like to acknowledge Tom Wilkinson for his portrayal of the stressed out president Lyndon Johnson, who you seem to hate yet you understand his faults. Speaking of a character you hate, Tim Roth is a commanding yet slithery presence as racist governor of Alabama George Wallace. All three actors do an amazing job with their respective roles.

      Next, I'll get into Ava Duvernay's direction. As I said in my opening statement, we finally have a racial movie in which it isn't "whitey saves all" and I feel that it is mostly thanks to Ava DuVernay who helped put it together. Plus, when blacks and whites do finally come together, it is out of the natural flow of the film and without plot convenience. So, DuVernay gave us a film that showed how blacks had to fend for themselves without it being too patronizing. One thing that I just noticed was how they had a much smaller march at first going on in Selma, then when the next march took place, it got bigger, then the next one grew, and so on. So, it seemed that they were trying to create a buildup to the final big march and I thought that was an interesting tactic to show how their voice was growing larger and larger.

       Downs:
       Now, I'll admit that as the film began, it got pretty slow. But things eventually started to pick up once the very first march began and it started to have more steam. Now only that, but there are some big names that pop up, like Martin Sheen, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Oprah, who aren't given a whole lot to do. Their characters did have a purpose, but if they were replaced by unknowns, it wouldn't have been any different.

       Consensus:
       Overall, Selma is a well-realized racial biopic about being heard even when you have trouble using your actual voice. The performance by David Oyelowo is an absolute masterclass and the direction by Ava DuVernay is masterful. I may have had problems with the pacing and how some big names aren't utilized too much. But, it is a very well-done film and not only tells the story of a real-life famous figure, but even demonstrates our struggles today.

       Would I Recommend It?:
       I would say give it a watch. Even though we already have had plenty of racial films these days, I would still say give this one a chance.

Grade: B+