OSCAR WRAP UP
It's a glorious night for fashion and film each year, and I admit that I'm pretty easily entertained. I thought everyone looked great, and I enjoyed the montages quite a bit.
I was thrilled with Ellen's performance, and I thought she did a great job of keeping it light and moving it along. The opening monologue was terrific (the best Liza Minnelli impersonator is here - great job, sir) and all in good fun, and I felt we were off to a good start. This is the most thankless job in the industry, and before the presenter even begins, mostly people are criticizing their work.
Overall, I had a pretty good night - I got 21 out of 24 correct in my Who Should Win post, so I feel pretty good about my prognostications. (If you used my guesses and won your pool, don't forget my cut!)
Before I get to the awards, I have a few general comments.
- Bette Midler and Pink both killed it. I was especially relieved that neither Lorna Luft nor Liza Minnelli sang Over the Rainbow because neither sings any better than Judy Garland did (which I think was not well - don't lynch me.) Pink, on the other hand, was superb.
- The In Memorium section had a bit of controversy this year, and I was pleased to see Sarah Jones (the camera person who was recently killed while shooting a film by being run over by a train) acknowledged right at the end of the necrology report. It was a good compromise to list her name and refer people to the web site.
- The pizza bit went a little long, but the people in the audience seemed to enjoy it, so what the heck.
- You have to love that the Oscars broke Twitter. I loved seeing all the celebrities get on board and play along and not take themselves too seriously. Kudos.
Best Picture - 12 Years a Slave
Kudos and well deserved. My favorite overall, and one of the rare years that the Best Picture winner and the Best Director winner were not from the same film.
Actor in a Leading Role - Matthew McConaghey
I still think Chiwetel Ejiofor should have won, but McConaghey's speech was lovely and good for him.
Actress in a Leading Role - Cate Blanchett
One of the few winners about which I'm actually mad. She couldn't touch Judi Dench in Philomena, but she also spoke graciously and beautifully, so fair enough.
Actor in a Supporting Role - Jared Leto
Yes, yes, and yes. Great speech. Well deserved. Mazal tov.
Actress in a Supporting Role - Lupita Nyong'o
Right on! (Continuing the curse of the red dress, Jennifer Lawrence!) Also a beautiful speech, and yes, I cried, because I have a rule that no one cries alone. I'm sure she appreciated my support. I was also happy that June Squibb's scene at the cemetery where she lifts her dress and yells, "see what you could have had if you didn't talk about wheat all the time!" got shown in the clips. She was so terrific in that movie, and I wish she had been neck and neck with Lupita instead of Jennifer Lawrence.
Animated Film - Frozen
Let's face it, it was unstoppable, but I hope people will take the time to see Ernest and Celestine. It's coming out in English, but try to see it in French. A-dor-a-ble!
Cinematography - Gravity
I know my many readers from the Academy are going to pay attention when I say they should add another category called Hybrid Cinematography. If we're going to recognize this kind of work, then it can't compete with just good old fashioned camera work with no special effects.
Costume Design - The Great Gatsby
Yup. But don't bother seeing the movie. Go online, check out the costumes, and you'll have spent your time better.
Directing - Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
I can't imagine how hard it must be to put together all of the pieces of this kind of film, so I think this award was won for level of difficulty. Again, it's rare that we say that there is a film that is the absolute BEST and then not recognize the leader who made it happen (Steve McQueen). But, I loved Gravity, so I don't begrudge this award.
Documentary - 20 Feet From Stardom
Oh, Darlene Love, his eyes ARE on you, you little adorable sparrow. First he sent you David Letterman (who basically revived her career) and then you get this wonderful recognition. You go girl. (Still, how The Square or The Act of Killing don't win the prize, shows a little something about how deep Academy voters are willing to go. Or maybe they just didn't watch all of the choices since the rule changed to the honors system this year.)
Documentary Short - The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Don't mess with the Holocaust people. Seriously. This was a beautiful film and how sad that its 110 year old subject didn't live to see the win. But she lived an amazing life and this was a lovely tribute to her.
Film Editing - Gravity
Yup. No question.
Foreign Language Film - The Great Beauty (I got this one wrong!)
UGH, the second worst of the lot. Hard for a documentary to really compete among these kinds of films, but I still really encourage everyone to see The Missing Picture, The Broken Circle Breakdown, and The Hunt - all superb films.
Makeup and Hairstyling - Dallas Buyers Club
Thank goodness - I think I couldn't live in the world where Bad Grandpa wins an Oscar, but this Academy branch needs to step up its game finding better choices for this category. None of these was that impressive. Are you telling me there were no cool sci fi choices, period pieces, or full fledged drag queens available to recognize? We need to get on that.
Original Score - Gravity
The nice thing about this film is that the silence of space made room to showcase a great score, and I think that's what made for this win. It was easy to be moved by the music next to the quiet moments of the film.
Original Song - Let it Go
Look, I love my Idina Menzel (Adele Dazeem?) as much as the next gal, but this was not a great performance of the song. Her hand was shaking, and I'm shocked because she does live performance for a living! It was good throughout, but went really wrong at the end - almost as though they started an octave too high without telling Idina. She screamed the big note instead of singing it, and her voice cracked throughout the note. Still, most of the world can't hit that note on their best days, so we can cut her some slack. I've seen some internet banter that she was frazzled because Travolta mangled her name, but that's absurd. The woman is a professional singer. A mispronunciation of her name isn't going to shake her.
After two years flubbing words in the introductions, John Travolta needs to come off the presenter list. Last year, he mangled Les Miserables (I still can't begin to reproduce what he tried to say), and this year, he mangled Menzel's name.
Production Design - The Great Gatsby
Yes, again, google the sets. They were spectacular. But not worth watching the movie.
Animated Short - Mr. Hublot (I got this wrong!)
Ok, ok, I should've known. This category rarely goes to Disney and Pixar films, and also, usually what wins are the quirky or emotional films. Since was basically the only other semi-passable choice, I supposed I should've predicted it. My bad, readers, my bad. I just thought that Get A Horse film was so clever and creative that they would overlook the source.
Live Action Short - Helium (I got this wrong!)
Look, I like films about kids dying from cancer as much as the next gal, and I did cry at the end of this one, but I still think Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me) should have won. This was a good film and I think folks went for it because of its emotional component, but wouldn't it be nice if children being kidnapped into terrible lives of murder and rape and losing their souls made us cry as much as cancer did?
Sound Editing - Gravity
No brainer.
Sound Mixing - Gravity
No brainer. The technical awards were clearly what made Gravity the night's biggest winner.
Visual Effects - Gravity
Ditto.
Adapted Screenplay - 12 Years A Slave
Bravo! This often goes to films that aren't going to get other recognition so I secretly thought they might choose Wolf of Wall Street. Choosing NOT to recognize a story about the lowest life forms who basically created class warfare was a great outcome, in my opinion. I wish that Mandela had been nominated in this category over Wolf of Wall Street.
Original Screenplay - Her
I was thrilled with this choice. I loved the movie and I was delighted for it to get some recognition. My other choice would have been Nebraska, which was such a delightful film.
I will continue to review movies as I see them, so feel free to subscribe to the blog, so you can stay tuned for updates, and I'll see you next year at the Oscars!!!
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Monday, March 3, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
WHO SHOULD WIN?
WHO SHOULD WIN?
Wow, big day! Yesterday I completed my final movie review and for the first time in my history, I saw every single nominated film. I'm so grateful to all of you who have followed, reposted, commented, and supported the blog. I might just make this a regular hobby of reviewing films as I see them, both new and old. Anyway, I feel I owe you something and while I have no idea who the winners WILL be, I'm happy to tell you who I think they SHOULD be. I've included some industry buzz about who will win, and if you win your Oscar pool, I'll take 10%!
Best Picture
Should win: 12 Years a Slave - the movie was important, told a story we haven't heard before through the eyes of a man who was born free and kidnapped into slavery.
Will win: It's going to be a tight race among 12 Years, Gravity, and American Hustle, but I think one of the first two will prevail. Academy voters are older and like epics and historical narratives, but they knew 12 Years would be a tough film and might have skipped watching it. Still, I'll predict 12 Years.
Best Actor
Should win: Chiwetel Ejoifor - his performance basically wrung himself out as a person. No competition.
Will win: Matthew McConaghey - Academy voters love physical makeovers (Nicole Kidman's nose, Charlize Theron's "ugly," Tom Hanks' weight loss) and when it is combined with great acting, it's usually rewarded.
Best Supporting Actor
Should win: Jared Leto - I wrote a lot about his performance in the Dallas Buyers Club review. I think he will remain changed as a person from this role.
Will win: Jared Leto - he's won almost every other award this season (surprise win at the BAFTA's for Barkhad Abdi, good for him! I hope he continues to do well.)
Best Actress
Should win: Judi Dench - there was no performance like hers this year. It was subtle and hysterical in all the right ways.
Will win: Cate Blanchett - this is the one with which I will be most disappointed. Her one-note hysteria in a disappointing film does not an Oscar performance make. But somehow, people are loving her this year, and she will probably take it.
Best Supporting Actress
Should win: Lupita Nyong'o - No performance touched hers this year, and the part was written to perfection. I will admit that I would also happily accept a win for June Squibb, who was my favorite of all the nominees among the entire list of 20 actors nominated. She was everything to me - tender, funny, misanthropic, cranky - the full range.
Will win: This is another tough call. Jennifer Lawrence is a favorite among Academy voters and she's won a lot of the awards this season, although Lupita Nyong'o won the SAG award, which is often a predictor of the acting awards at the Oscars. It's a squeaker.
Best Director
Should win: Alfonso Cuaron or Steve McQueen
Will win: Alfonso Cuaron - now since I don't predict Gravity as the best pic winner, this would go against Oscar history where only a couple of times did the best pic and best director winners not come from the same film.
Adapted Screenplay
Should win: 12 Years A Slave - the most powerful and important of the list.
Will win: 12 Years A Slave
Original Screenplay
Should win: Her - the most creative and innovative of the group, and so timely for where we are in the technological world. It moved the world forward, but not so forward that we couldn't recognize it. It wasn't just The Jetsons come to life.
Will win: I really can't call this one. Her would follow a string of films which win this prize that don't really win anything else. It's sort of the "we loved the movie but not enough to give it anything else" category. On the other hand, this prize is also often taken by movies with lots of action and dialogue, and many are predicting a win for American Hustle on this one. I'm guessing Her.
Animated Feature
Should win: Frozen, but I would also take the win for Ernest and Celestine which I loved and just didn't get nearly the same attention, not having come from the Mouse House.
Will win: Frozen. If you're rooting for anything of the other nominees, well, let it go.
Animated Short
Should win: Get A Horse! - the rest were basically disappointing.
Will win: Get A Horse!
Cinematography
Should win: Nebraska, no competition. It was the most beautifully and methodically shot film of the year, with true, unenhanced, cinematography. You know, the kind where you can't choose where to place the sun? Special mention to the Grandmaster, which also had gorgeous cinematography.
Will win: Gravity - it should win a new award called, "Hybrid Cinematography," you listenin' Academy?
Costume Design
Should win: The Great Gatsby was amazing, and a spectacle of costuming. American Hustle, if only for including the DVF wrap dress, the original version. Oh, and anything that clothed Jennifer Lawrence or Amy Adams in any portion of that movie.
Will win: It's going to be a squeaker between American Hustle and The Great Gatsby, and the costume category is one of the least influenced by "buzz" and the most influenced by the actual work, so The Great Gatsby could take it.
Documentary Feature
Should win: The Square - it lifted the veil on the Arab Spring and asked important questions. It was tight and powerful. The Act of Killing was also important, but needed to be edited a bit more.
Will win: 20 Feet from Stardom - somehow Academy voters go for the feel good docs over the tough ones, and those get the most buzz, and the last few years, the win.
Documentary Short
Should win: Facing Fear - even though it's mostly a talking head movie, its story of forgiveness and redemption is particularly relevant this year.
Will win: The Lady in Number 6 - Academy voters love a Holocaust survivor movie. (and they'll overlook the super weird narrator, which should have been done a different way because it was awkward.)
Film Editing
Should win: Gravity
Will win: Gravity
Foreign Language
Should win: The Missing Picture - although hard to suss out a comparison between a documentary film with this one's weight and importance versus other films made entirely from screenplays.
Will win: I have no idea. I've been doing a lot of reading on this one, and a favorite seems to be The Great Beauty, which won the Golden Globe (though the GG winner for foreign language and the Oscar winner are often not the same). I hated The Great Beauty and I thought it was pretentious, but who knows.
Makeup and Hairstyling
Should win: None of them or The Hunger Games (not nominated). Ok, the best of the lot was Dallas Buyers Club.
Will win: I think Dallas Buyers Club will take it. It's true that Bad Grandpa had to convince people in real life that they were talking to a 70 year old man, but I can't live in a world where this piece of you-know-what wins an Oscar.
Original Score
Should win: Gravity or Saving Mr. Banks.
Will win: Gravity - it was practically the only other sound in the film, and it was done superbly.
Original Song
Should win: This is a tough category for me! Who can resist the toe tapper "Happy" from Despicable Me 2, or the powerful "Ordinary Love" from Mandela (disappointingly the only nominee from this film)? But Frozen it shall be. You can't have 2 bajillion youtube video imitators and not win the big one. I hope for the other songs that being left out in the cold doesn't bother them anyway.
Will win: Let It Go - and let's hope Idina Menzel gets to sing it again after the win.
Production Design
Should win: The Great Gatsby - there is nothing that can touch it. True Baz Luhrmann spectacle through and through.
Will win: The Great Gatsby - Production Designers tend to go for what's deserving and not just what has buzz.
Live Action Short
Should win: Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me) - it was a powerful film about child soldiers and in a category filled with excellent choices, this was the best, in my opinion.
Will win: The Voorman Problem - the Academy never goes for the African child soldiers films, no matter how excellent they are. In this category, they've been picking the funny, English language shorts, and this one has legit stars to boot. But what a miss, if they do.
Sound Editing
Should win: Gravity
Will win: Gravity
Sound Mixing
Should win: Gravity. My personal favorite of the mix (though they were really all deserving in this category) was Inside Llewyn Davis, but Gravity really did an amazing job.
Will win: I think Gravity is going to sweep these more technical awards.
Visual Effects
Should win: Gravity - come on.
Will win: Gravity
Have fun tonight! I'll probably be live tweeting @JodiBee, so feel free to follow my reactions, which I will summarize in tomorrow's blog!
Wow, big day! Yesterday I completed my final movie review and for the first time in my history, I saw every single nominated film. I'm so grateful to all of you who have followed, reposted, commented, and supported the blog. I might just make this a regular hobby of reviewing films as I see them, both new and old. Anyway, I feel I owe you something and while I have no idea who the winners WILL be, I'm happy to tell you who I think they SHOULD be. I've included some industry buzz about who will win, and if you win your Oscar pool, I'll take 10%!
Best Picture
Should win: 12 Years a Slave - the movie was important, told a story we haven't heard before through the eyes of a man who was born free and kidnapped into slavery.
Will win: It's going to be a tight race among 12 Years, Gravity, and American Hustle, but I think one of the first two will prevail. Academy voters are older and like epics and historical narratives, but they knew 12 Years would be a tough film and might have skipped watching it. Still, I'll predict 12 Years.
Best Actor
Should win: Chiwetel Ejoifor - his performance basically wrung himself out as a person. No competition.
Will win: Matthew McConaghey - Academy voters love physical makeovers (Nicole Kidman's nose, Charlize Theron's "ugly," Tom Hanks' weight loss) and when it is combined with great acting, it's usually rewarded.
Best Supporting Actor
Should win: Jared Leto - I wrote a lot about his performance in the Dallas Buyers Club review. I think he will remain changed as a person from this role.
Will win: Jared Leto - he's won almost every other award this season (surprise win at the BAFTA's for Barkhad Abdi, good for him! I hope he continues to do well.)
Best Actress
Should win: Judi Dench - there was no performance like hers this year. It was subtle and hysterical in all the right ways.
Will win: Cate Blanchett - this is the one with which I will be most disappointed. Her one-note hysteria in a disappointing film does not an Oscar performance make. But somehow, people are loving her this year, and she will probably take it.
Best Supporting Actress
Should win: Lupita Nyong'o - No performance touched hers this year, and the part was written to perfection. I will admit that I would also happily accept a win for June Squibb, who was my favorite of all the nominees among the entire list of 20 actors nominated. She was everything to me - tender, funny, misanthropic, cranky - the full range.
Will win: This is another tough call. Jennifer Lawrence is a favorite among Academy voters and she's won a lot of the awards this season, although Lupita Nyong'o won the SAG award, which is often a predictor of the acting awards at the Oscars. It's a squeaker.
Best Director
Should win: Alfonso Cuaron or Steve McQueen
Will win: Alfonso Cuaron - now since I don't predict Gravity as the best pic winner, this would go against Oscar history where only a couple of times did the best pic and best director winners not come from the same film.
Adapted Screenplay
Should win: 12 Years A Slave - the most powerful and important of the list.
Will win: 12 Years A Slave
Original Screenplay
Should win: Her - the most creative and innovative of the group, and so timely for where we are in the technological world. It moved the world forward, but not so forward that we couldn't recognize it. It wasn't just The Jetsons come to life.
Will win: I really can't call this one. Her would follow a string of films which win this prize that don't really win anything else. It's sort of the "we loved the movie but not enough to give it anything else" category. On the other hand, this prize is also often taken by movies with lots of action and dialogue, and many are predicting a win for American Hustle on this one. I'm guessing Her.
Animated Feature
Should win: Frozen, but I would also take the win for Ernest and Celestine which I loved and just didn't get nearly the same attention, not having come from the Mouse House.
Will win: Frozen. If you're rooting for anything of the other nominees, well, let it go.
Animated Short
Should win: Get A Horse! - the rest were basically disappointing.
Will win: Get A Horse!
Cinematography
Should win: Nebraska, no competition. It was the most beautifully and methodically shot film of the year, with true, unenhanced, cinematography. You know, the kind where you can't choose where to place the sun? Special mention to the Grandmaster, which also had gorgeous cinematography.
Will win: Gravity - it should win a new award called, "Hybrid Cinematography," you listenin' Academy?
Costume Design
Should win: The Great Gatsby was amazing, and a spectacle of costuming. American Hustle, if only for including the DVF wrap dress, the original version. Oh, and anything that clothed Jennifer Lawrence or Amy Adams in any portion of that movie.
Will win: It's going to be a squeaker between American Hustle and The Great Gatsby, and the costume category is one of the least influenced by "buzz" and the most influenced by the actual work, so The Great Gatsby could take it.
Documentary Feature
Should win: The Square - it lifted the veil on the Arab Spring and asked important questions. It was tight and powerful. The Act of Killing was also important, but needed to be edited a bit more.
Will win: 20 Feet from Stardom - somehow Academy voters go for the feel good docs over the tough ones, and those get the most buzz, and the last few years, the win.
Documentary Short
Should win: Facing Fear - even though it's mostly a talking head movie, its story of forgiveness and redemption is particularly relevant this year.
Will win: The Lady in Number 6 - Academy voters love a Holocaust survivor movie. (and they'll overlook the super weird narrator, which should have been done a different way because it was awkward.)
Film Editing
Should win: Gravity
Will win: Gravity
Foreign Language
Should win: The Missing Picture - although hard to suss out a comparison between a documentary film with this one's weight and importance versus other films made entirely from screenplays.
Will win: I have no idea. I've been doing a lot of reading on this one, and a favorite seems to be The Great Beauty, which won the Golden Globe (though the GG winner for foreign language and the Oscar winner are often not the same). I hated The Great Beauty and I thought it was pretentious, but who knows.
Makeup and Hairstyling
Should win: None of them or The Hunger Games (not nominated). Ok, the best of the lot was Dallas Buyers Club.
Will win: I think Dallas Buyers Club will take it. It's true that Bad Grandpa had to convince people in real life that they were talking to a 70 year old man, but I can't live in a world where this piece of you-know-what wins an Oscar.
Original Score
Should win: Gravity or Saving Mr. Banks.
Will win: Gravity - it was practically the only other sound in the film, and it was done superbly.
Original Song
Should win: This is a tough category for me! Who can resist the toe tapper "Happy" from Despicable Me 2, or the powerful "Ordinary Love" from Mandela (disappointingly the only nominee from this film)? But Frozen it shall be. You can't have 2 bajillion youtube video imitators and not win the big one. I hope for the other songs that being left out in the cold doesn't bother them anyway.
Will win: Let It Go - and let's hope Idina Menzel gets to sing it again after the win.
Production Design
Should win: The Great Gatsby - there is nothing that can touch it. True Baz Luhrmann spectacle through and through.
Will win: The Great Gatsby - Production Designers tend to go for what's deserving and not just what has buzz.
Live Action Short
Should win: Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me) - it was a powerful film about child soldiers and in a category filled with excellent choices, this was the best, in my opinion.
Will win: The Voorman Problem - the Academy never goes for the African child soldiers films, no matter how excellent they are. In this category, they've been picking the funny, English language shorts, and this one has legit stars to boot. But what a miss, if they do.
Sound Editing
Should win: Gravity
Will win: Gravity
Sound Mixing
Should win: Gravity. My personal favorite of the mix (though they were really all deserving in this category) was Inside Llewyn Davis, but Gravity really did an amazing job.
Will win: I think Gravity is going to sweep these more technical awards.
Visual Effects
Should win: Gravity - come on.
Will win: Gravity
Have fun tonight! I'll probably be live tweeting @JodiBee, so feel free to follow my reactions, which I will summarize in tomorrow's blog!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
THE GRANDMASTER - 2 nominations
THE GRANDMASTER
Cinematography - Philippe Le Sourd
Costume Design - William Chang Suk Ping
The Grandmaster is about the life of Ip Man, the grandmaster of Kung Fu who became legendary for having been the martial arts teacher of movie legend, Bruce Lee. He begins as a young apprentice of the Gong Family school, and we follow his journey, along with the journey of Gong's talented daughter. There are many rivals and betrayals, and all of this leads to many fights, including avenging Gong's death, one student capitulating with the Japanese during the war, and the various roles that disciples of the original school followed, some honorable, some not.
But the story is almost irrelevant in the film, because of how beautiful the Cinematography is. From the opening scene, you can tell that this is no ordinary Kung Fu movie, and each shot is a feast for the eyes. When you add in the amazing costumes which not only reflect China's history over time (read: period pieces!) but also support the narrative of the film in innovative ways, it's easy to see how the movie got the Academy's attention. These two elements combine to take a genre that normally has no appeal for me and transform it into a piece of art from which I couldn't look away. I'm not sure that seeing the film is imperative for those who aren't lovers of the martial arts genre, but those who do see it will inevitably spot how special it is compared to its counterparts.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Grandmaster Movie Trailer
Cinematography - Philippe Le Sourd
Costume Design - William Chang Suk Ping
The Grandmaster is about the life of Ip Man, the grandmaster of Kung Fu who became legendary for having been the martial arts teacher of movie legend, Bruce Lee. He begins as a young apprentice of the Gong Family school, and we follow his journey, along with the journey of Gong's talented daughter. There are many rivals and betrayals, and all of this leads to many fights, including avenging Gong's death, one student capitulating with the Japanese during the war, and the various roles that disciples of the original school followed, some honorable, some not.
But the story is almost irrelevant in the film, because of how beautiful the Cinematography is. From the opening scene, you can tell that this is no ordinary Kung Fu movie, and each shot is a feast for the eyes. When you add in the amazing costumes which not only reflect China's history over time (read: period pieces!) but also support the narrative of the film in innovative ways, it's easy to see how the movie got the Academy's attention. These two elements combine to take a genre that normally has no appeal for me and transform it into a piece of art from which I couldn't look away. I'm not sure that seeing the film is imperative for those who aren't lovers of the martial arts genre, but those who do see it will inevitably spot how special it is compared to its counterparts.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Grandmaster Movie Trailer
Friday, February 28, 2014
ERNEST AND CELESTINE - 1 nomination
ERNEST AND CELESTINE
Animated Feature Film - Benjamin Renner and Didier Brunner
Ernest and Celestine, on its face, is about the unlikely friendship between a bear named Ernest and a sweet little mouse named Celestine. They find that they need to help each other along the way - him, in his quest for food and shelter and her in her quest to become a dentist. But, their respective mouse and bear communities have fears and prejudices about the other that are seemingly impenetrable. Ernest and Celestine commit theft together, and they escape to Ernest's home in the woods. When they are caught (she by the bears and he by the mice), they discover that each community is more invested in their prejudices than in seeing them as individuals.
On its face, Ernest and Celestine is just a super adorable animated film. But when you take time to look at the underlying point of the story, it takes on a level of importance that I wouldn't have expected before I saw it. I have talked in other blogs about how this Oscars journey where I see every nominated film uncovers a hidden gem that I would never have seen without this process. Ernest and Celestine IS that gem, and I can't believe it took until the second to last film on the list for me to find it.
I loved this film, and I'm pleased to share that it will be coming out again soon, dubbed totally in English by a cast of powerhouse American actors, so it will get more attention. However, I highly recommend seeing it in its original French before you see the English version. I promise you'll be glad you did!
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Ernest and Celestine Movie Trailer
Animated Feature Film - Benjamin Renner and Didier Brunner
Ernest and Celestine, on its face, is about the unlikely friendship between a bear named Ernest and a sweet little mouse named Celestine. They find that they need to help each other along the way - him, in his quest for food and shelter and her in her quest to become a dentist. But, their respective mouse and bear communities have fears and prejudices about the other that are seemingly impenetrable. Ernest and Celestine commit theft together, and they escape to Ernest's home in the woods. When they are caught (she by the bears and he by the mice), they discover that each community is more invested in their prejudices than in seeing them as individuals.
On its face, Ernest and Celestine is just a super adorable animated film. But when you take time to look at the underlying point of the story, it takes on a level of importance that I wouldn't have expected before I saw it. I have talked in other blogs about how this Oscars journey where I see every nominated film uncovers a hidden gem that I would never have seen without this process. Ernest and Celestine IS that gem, and I can't believe it took until the second to last film on the list for me to find it.
I loved this film, and I'm pleased to share that it will be coming out again soon, dubbed totally in English by a cast of powerhouse American actors, so it will get more attention. However, I highly recommend seeing it in its original French before you see the English version. I promise you'll be glad you did!
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Ernest and Celestine Movie Trailer
Thursday, February 27, 2014
THE GREAT BEAUTY - 1 nomination
THE GREAT BEAUTY
Foreign Language Film - Italy
Did you ever sit through 2 hours of a movie and wonder what the heck just happened in the story you just watched? I have, it was called The Great Beauty. It took over an hour for me to even figure out the plot.
The basic premise is that an aging writer in Rome looks back on his life and wonders if it was a series of opportunities wasted, how he missed out on the great love and beauty of his life, why he never wrote a second novel after much acclaim for the first, and if his decadent lifestyle has any meaning. Scenes are set against the backdrop of avant garde performance art pieces, which seem to question life and its absurdity. There are also heavy religious symbols, including a Mother Theresa-esque character, who is presumably there to provide a juxtaposition between crazy excess and over the top self-deprivation.
I know some people love these kinds of "arty" movies (The Great Beauty won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film), but I find them gratuitous, overly complex, and mostly exhausting. I find no evidence that absurdity is a higher form of intellect, and The Great Beauty only seemed pretentious in its circus atmosphere. You have to work way too hard to get the point.
However, I do have to give a shout out to the spectacular costumes and the absolutely beautiful soundtrack. The production design was also wonderful and captivating, and with Rome for a backdrop, the setting was gorgeous. Better than seeing the film, go to Rome, listen to some beautiful music, and go shopping on the Piazza Navona - it will have been time much better spent.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Great Beauty Movie Trailer
Foreign Language Film - Italy
Did you ever sit through 2 hours of a movie and wonder what the heck just happened in the story you just watched? I have, it was called The Great Beauty. It took over an hour for me to even figure out the plot.
The basic premise is that an aging writer in Rome looks back on his life and wonders if it was a series of opportunities wasted, how he missed out on the great love and beauty of his life, why he never wrote a second novel after much acclaim for the first, and if his decadent lifestyle has any meaning. Scenes are set against the backdrop of avant garde performance art pieces, which seem to question life and its absurdity. There are also heavy religious symbols, including a Mother Theresa-esque character, who is presumably there to provide a juxtaposition between crazy excess and over the top self-deprivation.
I know some people love these kinds of "arty" movies (The Great Beauty won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film), but I find them gratuitous, overly complex, and mostly exhausting. I find no evidence that absurdity is a higher form of intellect, and The Great Beauty only seemed pretentious in its circus atmosphere. You have to work way too hard to get the point.
However, I do have to give a shout out to the spectacular costumes and the absolutely beautiful soundtrack. The production design was also wonderful and captivating, and with Rome for a backdrop, the setting was gorgeous. Better than seeing the film, go to Rome, listen to some beautiful music, and go shopping on the Piazza Navona - it will have been time much better spent.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Great Beauty Movie Trailer
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
OMAR - 1 nomination
OMAR
Foreign Language Film - Reported by the Academy as the submission from "Palestine"
Omar tells the story of a young member of a terrorist group living in the West Bank who, with his two friends Tarik and Amjad, go in the middle of the night to a base for the Israeli Defense Forces and shoot and kill a soldier from their concealed spot in the woods. Omar is caught by the IDF and while imprisoned, is tricked into implicating himself for being an accomplice to the crime. Meanwhile, he is in love with Nadia, Tarik's sister, and he dreams of marrying her and starting a life together, so he agrees to act as a double agent for the army as they try to round up Tarik, who is the head of the terrorist group in order to gain his release from prison. He remains loyal to the group and immediately reveals what the army wants him to do, but the group figures out that there is indeed an informant in the mix. He also discovers that he has a rival for Nadia's affections in Amjad, who would equally do anything to win her, and to get Tarik's approval for marriage.
I am incredulous at this film's nomination, first and foremost because of the major holes in the story. Before I even address the propaganda in the film, it is impossible to miss that there are so many big, implausible, illogical plot points for which we are asked to suspend disbelief that it is difficult to understand how this became an Oscar nominee. It is just a cartoon of a film in which all Israelis are the caricature equivalents of Dastardly Dan tying the innocent damsel to the train tracks, and all Palestinians are simple people trying to live their lives in peace, even when they are planning murders of IDF soldiers. We are asked to disregard the fact that Omar, himself, volunteers to act as sniper without a single thought when Amjad, the shooter, is agonizing about pulling the trigger. We are asked to applaud Omar that he never betrays his cause and will set up an ambush to murder the extraction team who wants to arrest the leader of the terrorist group (Tarik) who orders the times and places of murders of Israelis.
The movie hopes that we will miss the fact that when Omar is imprisoned, that he is provided a lawyer for free, that the Israelis acknowledge that they need evidence to charge and hold him, and that let's face it, were the situation reversed, there would be no justice system for captured Israelis, merely executions. And, the biggest problem of all, we are asked to draw a moral equivalence between being used as an operative for the Israeli army in order to capture known terrorist leaders and murdering a person in the dead of night. This is too big of a leap for me to make, and in the end, all I had for this film was stunned and angry silence. Let's hope that smart people are not so easily manipulated.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Omar Movie Trailer
Foreign Language Film - Reported by the Academy as the submission from "Palestine"
Omar tells the story of a young member of a terrorist group living in the West Bank who, with his two friends Tarik and Amjad, go in the middle of the night to a base for the Israeli Defense Forces and shoot and kill a soldier from their concealed spot in the woods. Omar is caught by the IDF and while imprisoned, is tricked into implicating himself for being an accomplice to the crime. Meanwhile, he is in love with Nadia, Tarik's sister, and he dreams of marrying her and starting a life together, so he agrees to act as a double agent for the army as they try to round up Tarik, who is the head of the terrorist group in order to gain his release from prison. He remains loyal to the group and immediately reveals what the army wants him to do, but the group figures out that there is indeed an informant in the mix. He also discovers that he has a rival for Nadia's affections in Amjad, who would equally do anything to win her, and to get Tarik's approval for marriage.
I am incredulous at this film's nomination, first and foremost because of the major holes in the story. Before I even address the propaganda in the film, it is impossible to miss that there are so many big, implausible, illogical plot points for which we are asked to suspend disbelief that it is difficult to understand how this became an Oscar nominee. It is just a cartoon of a film in which all Israelis are the caricature equivalents of Dastardly Dan tying the innocent damsel to the train tracks, and all Palestinians are simple people trying to live their lives in peace, even when they are planning murders of IDF soldiers. We are asked to disregard the fact that Omar, himself, volunteers to act as sniper without a single thought when Amjad, the shooter, is agonizing about pulling the trigger. We are asked to applaud Omar that he never betrays his cause and will set up an ambush to murder the extraction team who wants to arrest the leader of the terrorist group (Tarik) who orders the times and places of murders of Israelis.
The movie hopes that we will miss the fact that when Omar is imprisoned, that he is provided a lawyer for free, that the Israelis acknowledge that they need evidence to charge and hold him, and that let's face it, were the situation reversed, there would be no justice system for captured Israelis, merely executions. And, the biggest problem of all, we are asked to draw a moral equivalence between being used as an operative for the Israeli army in order to capture known terrorist leaders and murdering a person in the dead of night. This is too big of a leap for me to make, and in the end, all I had for this film was stunned and angry silence. Let's hope that smart people are not so easily manipulated.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Omar Movie Trailer
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
THE MISSING PICTURE - 1 nomination
THE MISSING PICTURE
Foreign Language Film - Cambodia
The Missing Picture documents the reign of the Khmer Rouge, and the atrocities committed by them under their ruthless dictator, Pol Pot. The systematic murder of intellectuals followed by the "re-education" of the Cambodian people is carefully and methodically portrayed through the use of hand created clay figurines, with a background of bits of video footage from the time. Most photo and video evidence has been destroyed, including individuals' own histories, since they were required to release any personal items from the moment that the Khmer Rouge rounded the people up and sent them to labor camps.
The film is an astounding accomplishment both in storytelling and in the incredible feat of staging hundreds (thousands?) of clay figurines in the settings. They are truly magnificent and that accomplishment alone makes the film mind boggling. The story of the violence and brutality is told through the eyes of one survivor, his journey, and his family, and it is impossible to shake off once the film is completed.
When one is able to connect with clay figurines as representations of people, you know there is a powerful story there. It is not easy to sit through if you have even the slightest sense of humanity, but it is likely the most important of the foreign films nominated this year. The question for the Academy voters is likely to be what prevented The Missing Picture from making the top 5 list of the full length documentary nominees, as it easily competes with this year's crop. However, what a relief to know that this film will get recognition and attention through the foreign film category, at least. It will be interesting to observe how a documentary competes with original screenplays written to be entertainment, rather than the review of real life events.
Either way, The Missing Picture is an outstanding and moving film - one that is truly not to be missed.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Missing Picture Movie Trailer
Foreign Language Film - Cambodia
The Missing Picture documents the reign of the Khmer Rouge, and the atrocities committed by them under their ruthless dictator, Pol Pot. The systematic murder of intellectuals followed by the "re-education" of the Cambodian people is carefully and methodically portrayed through the use of hand created clay figurines, with a background of bits of video footage from the time. Most photo and video evidence has been destroyed, including individuals' own histories, since they were required to release any personal items from the moment that the Khmer Rouge rounded the people up and sent them to labor camps.
The film is an astounding accomplishment both in storytelling and in the incredible feat of staging hundreds (thousands?) of clay figurines in the settings. They are truly magnificent and that accomplishment alone makes the film mind boggling. The story of the violence and brutality is told through the eyes of one survivor, his journey, and his family, and it is impossible to shake off once the film is completed.
When one is able to connect with clay figurines as representations of people, you know there is a powerful story there. It is not easy to sit through if you have even the slightest sense of humanity, but it is likely the most important of the foreign films nominated this year. The question for the Academy voters is likely to be what prevented The Missing Picture from making the top 5 list of the full length documentary nominees, as it easily competes with this year's crop. However, what a relief to know that this film will get recognition and attention through the foreign film category, at least. It will be interesting to observe how a documentary competes with original screenplays written to be entertainment, rather than the review of real life events.
Either way, The Missing Picture is an outstanding and moving film - one that is truly not to be missed.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Missing Picture Movie Trailer
Monday, February 24, 2014
THE HUNT - 1 nomination
THE HUNT
Foreign Language Film - Denmark
If you read my review of the Broken Circle Breakdown, you already know why the foreign films tend to be an outstanding group, having been submitted by their respective countries as the best ones to be produced from the entire crop of movies to appear in theaters that year. Denmark has a very strong entertainment industry, and has had many nominees make the top 5 list for the Oscars.
This year's "The Hunt" is no exception. The movie tells the story of Lucas, wrongly accused of child sexual abuse because of one little girl's lie. (We know throughout the film that he is innocent, not a spoiler.) Though the little girl immediately admits the lie to her parents, everyone has already been told that children never lie and also that out of shame, once they have revealed abuse they have a tendency to recant. So when she admits what she did, everyone is already convinced that this is just the regular pattern that children who have been abused follow, and don't believe the truth. Soon after, other children in the kindergarten also claim abuse, after having been coached by their appropriately concerned parents.
It is a small town in Denmark, so naturally the entire town turns against Lucas. They vilify him, beat him, and interfere with his attempts to get custody of his son, who is living in another town with his estranged ex-wife.
The tension in the film comes from two places - how can one prove that one hasn't done something, and how can we blame the town for following the diagnosis of the experts, who are convinced that the children have been abused? There was a knot in my stomach for most of the movie. Wanting to see justice, watching the needless breakdown of lifelong relationships among Lucas and his childhood friends, understanding the parents' desire to protect their children and their fury in learning that they couldn't - all of these elements made for an outstanding film.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Hunt Movie Trailer
Foreign Language Film - Denmark
If you read my review of the Broken Circle Breakdown, you already know why the foreign films tend to be an outstanding group, having been submitted by their respective countries as the best ones to be produced from the entire crop of movies to appear in theaters that year. Denmark has a very strong entertainment industry, and has had many nominees make the top 5 list for the Oscars.
This year's "The Hunt" is no exception. The movie tells the story of Lucas, wrongly accused of child sexual abuse because of one little girl's lie. (We know throughout the film that he is innocent, not a spoiler.) Though the little girl immediately admits the lie to her parents, everyone has already been told that children never lie and also that out of shame, once they have revealed abuse they have a tendency to recant. So when she admits what she did, everyone is already convinced that this is just the regular pattern that children who have been abused follow, and don't believe the truth. Soon after, other children in the kindergarten also claim abuse, after having been coached by their appropriately concerned parents.
It is a small town in Denmark, so naturally the entire town turns against Lucas. They vilify him, beat him, and interfere with his attempts to get custody of his son, who is living in another town with his estranged ex-wife.
The tension in the film comes from two places - how can one prove that one hasn't done something, and how can we blame the town for following the diagnosis of the experts, who are convinced that the children have been abused? There was a knot in my stomach for most of the movie. Wanting to see justice, watching the needless breakdown of lifelong relationships among Lucas and his childhood friends, understanding the parents' desire to protect their children and their fury in learning that they couldn't - all of these elements made for an outstanding film.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Hunt Movie Trailer
Sunday, February 23, 2014
DIRTY WARS - 1 nomination
DIRTY WARS
Documentary Feature - Richard Rowley and Jeremy Scahill
The Joint Special Operation Command is the focus of an investigation being conducted by Jeremy Scahill, war correspondent. In the film, we learn that the JSOC is a division of the American military that conducts its work in secret and apparently, without limitations or oversight. The film is a condemnation of this kind of work, and especially when it follows the murders of members of a family of bystanders who seemingly have no connection to terror activities.
From what we can tell, the work seems amoral, without reason and too secretive to have integrity. The notion of a "kill list" which not only includes foreigners but Americans, as well, is almost too cinematic to be real. There are several former military talking heads in the film who confirm that the JSOC does indeed have a wide berth in which they are allowed to operate and make secret decisions, and it isn't clear whether those choices are taken to any sort of military chain of command, including the Commander-in-Chief. (spoiler alert - neither Democrats nor Republicans have the moral high ground here - these operations have been taking place for decades covering Presidents from both sides of the aisle, so please save your commentary along these political lines for someone else's, or your own, blog)
It would be simplistic to condemn these actions and fall down the rabbit hole with Scahill as though there isn't a very real war on terrorism abroad, particularly in the countries where the majority of the operations have been carried out. This film is important because of this dilemma - we know that there are people who are targeting America and Americans, we know that there are terrorists in the world, and we know that not everyone being targeted is indeed a terrorist. So we must try to figure out what's moral, what's important, and what's legitimate use of force, and we must do that while we know full well that we can't ever know what the decision-makers know without levels of government clearance that most of us will never have.
For me, the documentary failed to acknowledge that there are things that we don't know, and that some of those things are critical for evaluating the actions of the JSOC, but it is hard to escape the eerie sense that there are people who are over empowered to do what they like, potentially without justification or rationality.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Dirty Wars Movie Trailer
Documentary Feature - Richard Rowley and Jeremy Scahill
The Joint Special Operation Command is the focus of an investigation being conducted by Jeremy Scahill, war correspondent. In the film, we learn that the JSOC is a division of the American military that conducts its work in secret and apparently, without limitations or oversight. The film is a condemnation of this kind of work, and especially when it follows the murders of members of a family of bystanders who seemingly have no connection to terror activities.
From what we can tell, the work seems amoral, without reason and too secretive to have integrity. The notion of a "kill list" which not only includes foreigners but Americans, as well, is almost too cinematic to be real. There are several former military talking heads in the film who confirm that the JSOC does indeed have a wide berth in which they are allowed to operate and make secret decisions, and it isn't clear whether those choices are taken to any sort of military chain of command, including the Commander-in-Chief. (spoiler alert - neither Democrats nor Republicans have the moral high ground here - these operations have been taking place for decades covering Presidents from both sides of the aisle, so please save your commentary along these political lines for someone else's, or your own, blog)
It would be simplistic to condemn these actions and fall down the rabbit hole with Scahill as though there isn't a very real war on terrorism abroad, particularly in the countries where the majority of the operations have been carried out. This film is important because of this dilemma - we know that there are people who are targeting America and Americans, we know that there are terrorists in the world, and we know that not everyone being targeted is indeed a terrorist. So we must try to figure out what's moral, what's important, and what's legitimate use of force, and we must do that while we know full well that we can't ever know what the decision-makers know without levels of government clearance that most of us will never have.
For me, the documentary failed to acknowledge that there are things that we don't know, and that some of those things are critical for evaluating the actions of the JSOC, but it is hard to escape the eerie sense that there are people who are over empowered to do what they like, potentially without justification or rationality.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Dirty Wars Movie Trailer
Saturday, February 22, 2014
CUTIE AND THE BOXER - 1 nomination
CUTIE AND THE BOXER
Documentary Feature - Zachary Heinzerling and Lydia Dean Pilcher
Cutie and the Boxer asks a number of fundamental questions about marriage, art, and life and what success looks like in all three. Is there only room for one genius in each relationship; a gardner and a flower but never two flowers?
Cutie is the artistic doppelgänger to her artist, the wife of the pair (Noriko), who tames her narcissistic, formerly alcoholic cartoon husband, Bullie (the inspiration for the character drawn from her real-life husband, Ushio) in art, if not in life. One can see the resentment that comes after a life of giving up one's voice in order to accommodate the dreams of her partner. But there is love there too, and respect for his talent, and we see the devastation that such narcissism and alcoholism can wreak on a family, including their now adult - and seemingly alcoholic - son.
We are at the moment in time where both artists appear to be on the brink of flourishing, and we see Noriko begin to find and embrace her own voice, both as a person and as an artist, while Ushio is fighting to save what little career he has left, reviving his unique style of "boxing art" for what is likely his final show.
I expected to like this film so much more than I did. In places where it was trying to be methodical, it was excruciatingly slow. In places where it was trying to be touching, it translated as ironic. In places where we are meant to be uplifted, we are sadly, turned off. Perhaps there is too much bitterness and not enough love left for us to care about this couple, though the filmmakers do attempt to show the brief moments of affection they have left for each other. Unfortunately, it's just not enough to make the film great.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Cutie and the Boxer Movie Trailer
Documentary Feature - Zachary Heinzerling and Lydia Dean Pilcher
Cutie and the Boxer asks a number of fundamental questions about marriage, art, and life and what success looks like in all three. Is there only room for one genius in each relationship; a gardner and a flower but never two flowers?
Cutie is the artistic doppelgänger to her artist, the wife of the pair (Noriko), who tames her narcissistic, formerly alcoholic cartoon husband, Bullie (the inspiration for the character drawn from her real-life husband, Ushio) in art, if not in life. One can see the resentment that comes after a life of giving up one's voice in order to accommodate the dreams of her partner. But there is love there too, and respect for his talent, and we see the devastation that such narcissism and alcoholism can wreak on a family, including their now adult - and seemingly alcoholic - son.
We are at the moment in time where both artists appear to be on the brink of flourishing, and we see Noriko begin to find and embrace her own voice, both as a person and as an artist, while Ushio is fighting to save what little career he has left, reviving his unique style of "boxing art" for what is likely his final show.
I expected to like this film so much more than I did. In places where it was trying to be methodical, it was excruciatingly slow. In places where it was trying to be touching, it translated as ironic. In places where we are meant to be uplifted, we are sadly, turned off. Perhaps there is too much bitterness and not enough love left for us to care about this couple, though the filmmakers do attempt to show the brief moments of affection they have left for each other. Unfortunately, it's just not enough to make the film great.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Cutie and the Boxer Movie Trailer
Friday, February 21, 2014
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECTS
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECTS
Cavedigger - Jeffrey Karoff
Facing Fear - Jason Cohen
Karama Has No Walls - Sara Ishaq
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall
Once again, I'm taking all of the shorts in a category and talking about them together, mostly because all together, there are 15 short subject films, and there simply aren't enough days between the nomination announcements and the Oscars to take them individually. (There are exactly 57 films with nominations!)
The short docs this year were a powerful bunch, with only one which told an important story, just not told very well.
CAVEDIGGER
Ah, to see art everywhere. Cavedigger is the story of Ra Paulette, the inventor of art in the form of hand-carved, hand shoveled, hand-everything-ed caves in the mountain formations in New Mexico. Much like Michaelangelo who allowed the image to emerge from the stone, Ra allows the cave to emerge from the hill. Like all artists for hire, there is the troubling challenge of patron input into the art, particularly as timelines and budgets become meaningless in the pursuit of the perfect cave and sponsors are no longer willing to allow Ra to get to the perfect conclusion. Ra's vision is to create his magnum opus cave - the work to end all works which will take a decade to complete, and which is a piece just for his legacy and not for hire, leaving his wife to shoulder the burden of sustaining their household. This film is beyond worth it, if only to see his magnificent and mind-boggling creations, and if the cave is to be his magnum opus, the film is at least a minimus opus, a true tribute to his brilliance.
Cavedigger Movie Trailer
FACING FEAR
Imagine being the victim of a violent, hate-filled attack only to discover over a decade later that you are working with your attacker. Imagine being a former neo-Nazi who perpetrated a homophobic, mob crime only to discover that your victim works where you volunteer, doing what you can to make amends for your horrible deeds. This is the exact tale that Facing Fear follows, and all of it ironically (coincidentally? inevitably?) taking place within the walls of the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The film is difficult, it is inspiring, and it requires to ask ourselves the true meaning of forgiveness - how to forgive and how to be forgiven.
Facing Fear Movie Trailer
KARAMA HAS NO WALLS
Much like its full length feature doppelgänger "The Square," Karama Has No Walls tackles the difficult subject of the grassroots uprising in Yemen. This was the least fleshed out of the five short subject docs, with the point being unclear. It follows the young believers who want to change their circumstances and their government, and the violent attacks by thugs and actors from the state who have no hesitation in maiming and killing anyone, including young children. Still, at the end of the film, we are still left asking what kind of change is actually in store for a country with no good leadership options, and where dictator is more likely followed by dictator, not likely by democracy.
Karama Has No Walls Movie Trailer
THE LADY IN NUMBER 6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE
This is the powerful and uplifting story of a 109 year old Holocaust survivor (the oldest on record) whose passion for music and brilliant piano playing has been the backdrop to her life story. The film is literally filled with wisdom - whether she is cautioning us that hate brings only hate, reminding us that human relationships are the only thing that matter, or encouraging us by reinforcing that when you love something you must work at it.
The Lady in Number 6 Movie Trailer
PRISON TERMINAL: THE LAST DAYS OF PRIVATE JACK HALL
Terminally ill prison inmates are the subjects of this film, in particular we follow Jack Hall, an inmate near the end of his life. Jack is serving a life sentence for the murder of his late son's drug dealer. He is a former, much decorated military hero, and his life is slowly slipping from him. In Iowa, the prison system set up a hospice care unit that is staffed by professionals and by specially trained inmates, themselves kidnappers and murderers. But the lovely part about this film is watching these caregivers become people that they never knew they could be. They become tender, loving, respectful, and vigilant partners in the sick inmate's death journey. These are the true heroes of this film - we are not asked to discard their terrible historic acts, but we are warmed by each act of personal kindness.
Prison Terminal Movie Trailer
Cavedigger - Jeffrey Karoff
Facing Fear - Jason Cohen
Karama Has No Walls - Sara Ishaq
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall
Once again, I'm taking all of the shorts in a category and talking about them together, mostly because all together, there are 15 short subject films, and there simply aren't enough days between the nomination announcements and the Oscars to take them individually. (There are exactly 57 films with nominations!)
The short docs this year were a powerful bunch, with only one which told an important story, just not told very well.
CAVEDIGGER
Ah, to see art everywhere. Cavedigger is the story of Ra Paulette, the inventor of art in the form of hand-carved, hand shoveled, hand-everything-ed caves in the mountain formations in New Mexico. Much like Michaelangelo who allowed the image to emerge from the stone, Ra allows the cave to emerge from the hill. Like all artists for hire, there is the troubling challenge of patron input into the art, particularly as timelines and budgets become meaningless in the pursuit of the perfect cave and sponsors are no longer willing to allow Ra to get to the perfect conclusion. Ra's vision is to create his magnum opus cave - the work to end all works which will take a decade to complete, and which is a piece just for his legacy and not for hire, leaving his wife to shoulder the burden of sustaining their household. This film is beyond worth it, if only to see his magnificent and mind-boggling creations, and if the cave is to be his magnum opus, the film is at least a minimus opus, a true tribute to his brilliance.
Cavedigger Movie Trailer
FACING FEAR
Imagine being the victim of a violent, hate-filled attack only to discover over a decade later that you are working with your attacker. Imagine being a former neo-Nazi who perpetrated a homophobic, mob crime only to discover that your victim works where you volunteer, doing what you can to make amends for your horrible deeds. This is the exact tale that Facing Fear follows, and all of it ironically (coincidentally? inevitably?) taking place within the walls of the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The film is difficult, it is inspiring, and it requires to ask ourselves the true meaning of forgiveness - how to forgive and how to be forgiven.
Facing Fear Movie Trailer
KARAMA HAS NO WALLS
Much like its full length feature doppelgänger "The Square," Karama Has No Walls tackles the difficult subject of the grassroots uprising in Yemen. This was the least fleshed out of the five short subject docs, with the point being unclear. It follows the young believers who want to change their circumstances and their government, and the violent attacks by thugs and actors from the state who have no hesitation in maiming and killing anyone, including young children. Still, at the end of the film, we are still left asking what kind of change is actually in store for a country with no good leadership options, and where dictator is more likely followed by dictator, not likely by democracy.
Karama Has No Walls Movie Trailer
THE LADY IN NUMBER 6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE
This is the powerful and uplifting story of a 109 year old Holocaust survivor (the oldest on record) whose passion for music and brilliant piano playing has been the backdrop to her life story. The film is literally filled with wisdom - whether she is cautioning us that hate brings only hate, reminding us that human relationships are the only thing that matter, or encouraging us by reinforcing that when you love something you must work at it.
The Lady in Number 6 Movie Trailer
PRISON TERMINAL: THE LAST DAYS OF PRIVATE JACK HALL
Terminally ill prison inmates are the subjects of this film, in particular we follow Jack Hall, an inmate near the end of his life. Jack is serving a life sentence for the murder of his late son's drug dealer. He is a former, much decorated military hero, and his life is slowly slipping from him. In Iowa, the prison system set up a hospice care unit that is staffed by professionals and by specially trained inmates, themselves kidnappers and murderers. But the lovely part about this film is watching these caregivers become people that they never knew they could be. They become tender, loving, respectful, and vigilant partners in the sick inmate's death journey. These are the true heroes of this film - we are not asked to discard their terrible historic acts, but we are warmed by each act of personal kindness.
Prison Terminal Movie Trailer
Thursday, February 20, 2014
THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN - 1 nomination
THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
This foreign film nominee from Belgium is a heart-wrencher. It is the story of a Belgian bluegrass singer who falls in love with a carefree, much tattooed woman, and their seven year relationship. With flashbacks and flash forwards, we meet them as their 7 year old daughter is dying from cancer, and follow the aftermath as they struggle to recapture their lives together. They each try to find their own paths to recovery, struggling with religion and politics and just simply the crazy-making reality of life after burying a child.
Along with the beautiful story and the brilliant acting, is a glowing tribute to bluegrass music. What Inside Llewyn Davis did for folk music this year, The Broken Circle Breakdown does for country and bluegrass. There is a catharsis in the music in so many places during the film that I started to crave more and more of it. I happen to love this genre of music, but seeing it through the loving eyes of non-Americans makes it new and gives us a fresh listen, like meeting old friends in a foreign country.
The film was very personal for me, having had a sibling who had childhood cancer and having experienced some of what happened in the film in my own life (though fortunately, my brother lived through it). But even without the deeply personal connection, the movie is a straight up tear-jerker, and was particularly moving at the end of the story.
This film exemplifies the gift of the foreign film category at the Oscars. The rules for submitting a foreign film for consideration in this category are different than for domestic films. (If you want to read all the technical details, you can do so here.) Basically, a jury from each country decides what movie to submit, so it's a bit like taking the Oscar winner for Best Picture and submitting it as the competitor from the United States. All of this means that if you see all 5 foreign films, it's a bit like watching 5 Best Picture winners, and The Broken Circle Breakdown really deserves its place among the five.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Broken Circle Breakdown Movie Trailer
This foreign film nominee from Belgium is a heart-wrencher. It is the story of a Belgian bluegrass singer who falls in love with a carefree, much tattooed woman, and their seven year relationship. With flashbacks and flash forwards, we meet them as their 7 year old daughter is dying from cancer, and follow the aftermath as they struggle to recapture their lives together. They each try to find their own paths to recovery, struggling with religion and politics and just simply the crazy-making reality of life after burying a child.
Along with the beautiful story and the brilliant acting, is a glowing tribute to bluegrass music. What Inside Llewyn Davis did for folk music this year, The Broken Circle Breakdown does for country and bluegrass. There is a catharsis in the music in so many places during the film that I started to crave more and more of it. I happen to love this genre of music, but seeing it through the loving eyes of non-Americans makes it new and gives us a fresh listen, like meeting old friends in a foreign country.
The film was very personal for me, having had a sibling who had childhood cancer and having experienced some of what happened in the film in my own life (though fortunately, my brother lived through it). But even without the deeply personal connection, the movie is a straight up tear-jerker, and was particularly moving at the end of the story.
This film exemplifies the gift of the foreign film category at the Oscars. The rules for submitting a foreign film for consideration in this category are different than for domestic films. (If you want to read all the technical details, you can do so here.) Basically, a jury from each country decides what movie to submit, so it's a bit like taking the Oscar winner for Best Picture and submitting it as the competitor from the United States. All of this means that if you see all 5 foreign films, it's a bit like watching 5 Best Picture winners, and The Broken Circle Breakdown really deserves its place among the five.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Broken Circle Breakdown Movie Trailer
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
THE ACT OF KILLING - 1 nomination
THE ACT OF KILLING
Documentary Feature - Joshua Oppenheimer and Sygne Byrge Sorensen
The Act of Killing is unlike any other documentary I have ever seen. In it, the executioners from the massacre of over 1,000,000 communists in Indonesia are asked to recreate their acts in a film portraying what they had done. At the start of the documentary, we understand that these murderers have not only never been punished for their crimes, they are lauded by the people of Indonesia, and they are quite proud of what they did. They happily recreate the best ways to decapitate a person, and lament white pants in a recreation of one of the acts, because of its inauthenticity.
The film portrays not only acts of killing, but the acting of killing, and thereby earns its title.
So the executioners band together as community heroes to make a film portraying what they did. In the occasional moment of self-awareness, a current leader of the party warns that the reenactments not be too blood-thirsty, because that would be bad for their image. He reenforces that the agenda of murdering all communists around the globe is righteous, but that the appearance of the murders is what counts. It doesn't matter what it was, only how it looks.
There are moments in this film that are bone chilling - the proud boasting about rapes of women and children and the eager demonstrations of the most violent of killings are only two examples of scenes that are hard to view and absorb.
And then there is the palpable shift as the murderers portray the victims of their violence. They flinch. They start asking themselves if their acts were unpunished sins. They begin to see communists as people and themselves as demons. Experiencing their acts through their victims eyes begin to make a mark, and we see slight shifts that give us hope.
It is hard to say what impact this film will have on the citizens of Indonesia, but it is hard to imagine that it won't have some further impact on its subjects. It's not easy to watch, not by a mile, but it is important to see this cautionary tale of mass murder and its long term impact. (as if we needed one)
As for the Oscars, it's hard to say if it will win, especially now that documentary voting is on the honor system. It's a hard movie to watch, and it's long with some meandering parts that make me wonder if Academy voters will make it all the way through to its important climactic ending. If it wins (or if The Square wins, which I consider to be the most deserving), we will certainly know that they did their jobs.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Act of Killing Movie Trailer
Documentary Feature - Joshua Oppenheimer and Sygne Byrge Sorensen
The Act of Killing is unlike any other documentary I have ever seen. In it, the executioners from the massacre of over 1,000,000 communists in Indonesia are asked to recreate their acts in a film portraying what they had done. At the start of the documentary, we understand that these murderers have not only never been punished for their crimes, they are lauded by the people of Indonesia, and they are quite proud of what they did. They happily recreate the best ways to decapitate a person, and lament white pants in a recreation of one of the acts, because of its inauthenticity.
The film portrays not only acts of killing, but the acting of killing, and thereby earns its title.
So the executioners band together as community heroes to make a film portraying what they did. In the occasional moment of self-awareness, a current leader of the party warns that the reenactments not be too blood-thirsty, because that would be bad for their image. He reenforces that the agenda of murdering all communists around the globe is righteous, but that the appearance of the murders is what counts. It doesn't matter what it was, only how it looks.
There are moments in this film that are bone chilling - the proud boasting about rapes of women and children and the eager demonstrations of the most violent of killings are only two examples of scenes that are hard to view and absorb.
And then there is the palpable shift as the murderers portray the victims of their violence. They flinch. They start asking themselves if their acts were unpunished sins. They begin to see communists as people and themselves as demons. Experiencing their acts through their victims eyes begin to make a mark, and we see slight shifts that give us hope.
It is hard to say what impact this film will have on the citizens of Indonesia, but it is hard to imagine that it won't have some further impact on its subjects. It's not easy to watch, not by a mile, but it is important to see this cautionary tale of mass murder and its long term impact. (as if we needed one)
As for the Oscars, it's hard to say if it will win, especially now that documentary voting is on the honor system. It's a hard movie to watch, and it's long with some meandering parts that make me wonder if Academy voters will make it all the way through to its important climactic ending. If it wins (or if The Square wins, which I consider to be the most deserving), we will certainly know that they did their jobs.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Act of Killing Movie Trailer
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET - 5 nominations
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Picture - Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joey McFarland, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role - Leonardo DiCaprio
Actor in a Supporting Role - Jonah Hill
Directing - Martin Scorsese
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Terence Winter
Ok, I admit that I've been deeply dreading this review, because who wants to say that they enjoyed a film in which a morally bankrupt criminal displays the most abhorrent behaviors? Jordan Belfort, the notorious bilker and schemer and his partners who do the same all without a blink of an eye are the very people who stirred up class warfare in American society. These are the very steal from the middle class and give to the rich wall streeters who embody the worst in what excess and privilege can engender in people.
But, unfortunately, the movie is as intoxicating as the drugs they take must be. There is much controversy in the film because it's basically a three-hour orgy of misogyny, swearing, and debauchery, and to some it could feel like a tribute to all of those things. I think the film is more complicated than that, because watching people lose their humanity is deeply personal, and the truth is that the actors in the film seem to comprehend that in their performances. (I could live without Jonah Hill's strange New York accent, but other than that, well played by both him and Leonardo DiCaprio, especially.)
It is masterfully directed, and though I do love Scorsese films, I don't approach them without a scrutinizing eye. In this case, it is clear that the camera is used in a way to either pull in close so that we can develop a sense of connection with the characters, or pulled back just far enough so that we are lured into ruthlessly and harshly judging them. Scorsese is at his best in this film, and despite the frenzied tone of many of the scenes, it is clear that he is not directing without a strong plan.
There is no Wolf of Wall Street without the brilliantly crafted screenplay. The writing is certainly graphic, and has garnered much attention for the most uses of the f word in a single movie. I was not distracted by that triviality, because the use of the language is not gratuitous. It is used purposefully and to create an atmosphere that we, who work in jobs where those euphemisms would not be acceptable, can begin to understand. I have no idea if this portrayal of wall street risk-takers is authentic, but it certainly feels authentic, which I suppose is the mark of truly good writing.
This is another film that would never make the top 5 Best Picture nominees in the old days. There are much better, much more important movies out this year. Having said that, it is clear once you see it where the hype is coming from, and why it is genuinely deserved.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Wolf of Wall Street Movie Trailer
Best Picture - Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joey McFarland, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role - Leonardo DiCaprio
Actor in a Supporting Role - Jonah Hill
Directing - Martin Scorsese
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Terence Winter
Ok, I admit that I've been deeply dreading this review, because who wants to say that they enjoyed a film in which a morally bankrupt criminal displays the most abhorrent behaviors? Jordan Belfort, the notorious bilker and schemer and his partners who do the same all without a blink of an eye are the very people who stirred up class warfare in American society. These are the very steal from the middle class and give to the rich wall streeters who embody the worst in what excess and privilege can engender in people.
But, unfortunately, the movie is as intoxicating as the drugs they take must be. There is much controversy in the film because it's basically a three-hour orgy of misogyny, swearing, and debauchery, and to some it could feel like a tribute to all of those things. I think the film is more complicated than that, because watching people lose their humanity is deeply personal, and the truth is that the actors in the film seem to comprehend that in their performances. (I could live without Jonah Hill's strange New York accent, but other than that, well played by both him and Leonardo DiCaprio, especially.)
It is masterfully directed, and though I do love Scorsese films, I don't approach them without a scrutinizing eye. In this case, it is clear that the camera is used in a way to either pull in close so that we can develop a sense of connection with the characters, or pulled back just far enough so that we are lured into ruthlessly and harshly judging them. Scorsese is at his best in this film, and despite the frenzied tone of many of the scenes, it is clear that he is not directing without a strong plan.
There is no Wolf of Wall Street without the brilliantly crafted screenplay. The writing is certainly graphic, and has garnered much attention for the most uses of the f word in a single movie. I was not distracted by that triviality, because the use of the language is not gratuitous. It is used purposefully and to create an atmosphere that we, who work in jobs where those euphemisms would not be acceptable, can begin to understand. I have no idea if this portrayal of wall street risk-takers is authentic, but it certainly feels authentic, which I suppose is the mark of truly good writing.
This is another film that would never make the top 5 Best Picture nominees in the old days. There are much better, much more important movies out this year. Having said that, it is clear once you see it where the hype is coming from, and why it is genuinely deserved.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Wolf of Wall Street Movie Trailer
Monday, February 17, 2014
20 FEET FROM STARDOM - 1 nomination
20 FEET FROM STARDOM
Documentary Feature - Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen, and Caitrin Rogers
For the first time in history, the camera pulls in close to the talented artists who help make songs into a wall of sound - the backup singers. It is a whole new look on the music industry, as some of the top backup singers in the business talk about their lives, their aspirations, and their amazing experiences with the most famous and well known musicians and producers in history.
Contrary to what I would have believed, not all backup singers aspire to take center stage. Some do, and we get to listen to them and see their journeys as well - Sheryl Crow being the most famous among those who walked from the back microphones to the center one, but also Darlene Love who is famous for her song, "He's a Rebel," but who Phil Spector famously shafted in the building of her own career. The list of people included in this film (both backup and famous alike) reads like a Stradivarius plays.
What an incredible movie! If you see it only to listen to the incredible soundtrack of live music, it's a completely worthwhile endeavor. Judith Hill, who had that iconic moment in Michael Jackson's final film, This Is It, is featured. She has amassed a huge fan base (partly due to her appearance on The Voice) and she is now working very intentionally to establish her own solo career, with the occasional backup gig when the likes of Elton John ask her.
20 Feet From Stardom has a pretty good chance of capturing the award, only because about half the time the full length documentary winner is the most fun or uplifting story, and most of the time the winner is the most well known among the five, which this is. We'll see how the rule changes (described in my entry for The Square) affect the outcome in the category, but win or lose, this film was outstanding.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the 20 Feet From Stardom Movie Trailer
Documentary Feature - Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen, and Caitrin Rogers
For the first time in history, the camera pulls in close to the talented artists who help make songs into a wall of sound - the backup singers. It is a whole new look on the music industry, as some of the top backup singers in the business talk about their lives, their aspirations, and their amazing experiences with the most famous and well known musicians and producers in history.
Contrary to what I would have believed, not all backup singers aspire to take center stage. Some do, and we get to listen to them and see their journeys as well - Sheryl Crow being the most famous among those who walked from the back microphones to the center one, but also Darlene Love who is famous for her song, "He's a Rebel," but who Phil Spector famously shafted in the building of her own career. The list of people included in this film (both backup and famous alike) reads like a Stradivarius plays.
What an incredible movie! If you see it only to listen to the incredible soundtrack of live music, it's a completely worthwhile endeavor. Judith Hill, who had that iconic moment in Michael Jackson's final film, This Is It, is featured. She has amassed a huge fan base (partly due to her appearance on The Voice) and she is now working very intentionally to establish her own solo career, with the occasional backup gig when the likes of Elton John ask her.
20 Feet From Stardom has a pretty good chance of capturing the award, only because about half the time the full length documentary winner is the most fun or uplifting story, and most of the time the winner is the most well known among the five, which this is. We'll see how the rule changes (described in my entry for The Square) affect the outcome in the category, but win or lose, this film was outstanding.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the 20 Feet From Stardom Movie Trailer
Sunday, February 16, 2014
12 YEARS A SLAVE - 9 nominations
12 YEARS A SLAVE
Actor in a Leading Role - Chiwetel Ejiofor
Actor in a Supporting Role - Michael Fassbender
Actress in a Supporting Role - Lupita Nyong'o
Best Picture - Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen, and Anthony Katagas, Producers
Costume Design - Patricia Norris
Directing - Steve McQueen
Film Editing - Joe Walker
Production Design - Adam Stockhausen (Production Design), Alice Baker (Set Decoration)
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - John Ridley
I think I have been waiting for 34 reviews to talk about this profoundly important movie by Steve McQueen. Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejoifor) is a free man and musician in the north in the 1800's who is abducted along with other free people to be shipped south and sold as slaves. He ultimately reaches plantation owner and slave abuser (Michael Fassbender) where he sees the most terrible cruelty a person can perpetrate on other human beings. At this plantation, there is a subplot in which the owner's favorite slave and victim is one of the women workers (Lupita Nyong'o), who also suffers terribly at the hands of Fassbender's jealous and cruel wife.
The plot is not unlike other films and epics about slavery, except that this version is so superb, it is hard to imagine that it didn't get nominations in every possible category, including its well-deserved writing recognition (it is adapted from the book that Solomon Northup himself wrote, after he was freed). We are drawn in by the extraordinary performances - particularly by Ejiofor who brilliantly demonstrates the kind of dignity that can only come from within, and from holding fast to the belief that freedom is only slightly less in one's mind than it is in one's reality. There is a moment in the film where an abused slave has died and is being buried by his peers, and this is the moment where we see Solomon Northup take all of the anger and bitterness he has been holding in and begin to let it all out. It is also the single point in the film where he seems to accept his position as a member of the slave community, while at the same time managing to demonstrate the free will that all human beings deserve. It is an overwhelming performance that must not go unnoticed.
While I'm on the subject of acting, Lupita Nyong'o can't be overlooked. Her desperation is palpable - we feel her oppression in our own bones. She is such a strong character and Nyongo's portrayal of this person who has no exit from her misery is possibly unrivaled. She is delicate and she is strong all at the same time.
As I've said before, the artists associated with period pieces are given a true gift in that they are able to create masterpieces in costume, set design and production design. These artists are no exception and they have risen to the occasion in this film.
I've saved the best for last - Steve McQueen was single minded in his quest to have this film made, and it is clear when you watch it that he knew what his plan for the direction was before he even shot the first scene. Each movement is methodical, each scene moves the story forward. The Director is ultimately responsible for every decision on a set, and McQueen's soul is left for us to see all over the screen. He, and this film, are deserving of any recognition they receive, and even the recognition they don't. It was the most important story among the Best Picture nominees and I can't say enough about it. If you have any humanity at all, it's a very difficult film to sit through. But sit through it, we must.
Haven't seen the film? (What? Stop reading and get to the theater right now.)
Watch the 12 Years a Slave Movie Trailer (and then go see it immediately)
Actor in a Leading Role - Chiwetel Ejiofor
Actor in a Supporting Role - Michael Fassbender
Actress in a Supporting Role - Lupita Nyong'o
Best Picture - Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen, and Anthony Katagas, Producers
Costume Design - Patricia Norris
Directing - Steve McQueen
Film Editing - Joe Walker
Production Design - Adam Stockhausen (Production Design), Alice Baker (Set Decoration)
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - John Ridley
I think I have been waiting for 34 reviews to talk about this profoundly important movie by Steve McQueen. Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejoifor) is a free man and musician in the north in the 1800's who is abducted along with other free people to be shipped south and sold as slaves. He ultimately reaches plantation owner and slave abuser (Michael Fassbender) where he sees the most terrible cruelty a person can perpetrate on other human beings. At this plantation, there is a subplot in which the owner's favorite slave and victim is one of the women workers (Lupita Nyong'o), who also suffers terribly at the hands of Fassbender's jealous and cruel wife.
The plot is not unlike other films and epics about slavery, except that this version is so superb, it is hard to imagine that it didn't get nominations in every possible category, including its well-deserved writing recognition (it is adapted from the book that Solomon Northup himself wrote, after he was freed). We are drawn in by the extraordinary performances - particularly by Ejiofor who brilliantly demonstrates the kind of dignity that can only come from within, and from holding fast to the belief that freedom is only slightly less in one's mind than it is in one's reality. There is a moment in the film where an abused slave has died and is being buried by his peers, and this is the moment where we see Solomon Northup take all of the anger and bitterness he has been holding in and begin to let it all out. It is also the single point in the film where he seems to accept his position as a member of the slave community, while at the same time managing to demonstrate the free will that all human beings deserve. It is an overwhelming performance that must not go unnoticed.
While I'm on the subject of acting, Lupita Nyong'o can't be overlooked. Her desperation is palpable - we feel her oppression in our own bones. She is such a strong character and Nyongo's portrayal of this person who has no exit from her misery is possibly unrivaled. She is delicate and she is strong all at the same time.
As I've said before, the artists associated with period pieces are given a true gift in that they are able to create masterpieces in costume, set design and production design. These artists are no exception and they have risen to the occasion in this film.
I've saved the best for last - Steve McQueen was single minded in his quest to have this film made, and it is clear when you watch it that he knew what his plan for the direction was before he even shot the first scene. Each movement is methodical, each scene moves the story forward. The Director is ultimately responsible for every decision on a set, and McQueen's soul is left for us to see all over the screen. He, and this film, are deserving of any recognition they receive, and even the recognition they don't. It was the most important story among the Best Picture nominees and I can't say enough about it. If you have any humanity at all, it's a very difficult film to sit through. But sit through it, we must.
Haven't seen the film? (What? Stop reading and get to the theater right now.)
Watch the 12 Years a Slave Movie Trailer (and then go see it immediately)
Saturday, February 15, 2014
STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS - 1 nomination
STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS
Visual Effects - Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann, and Burt Dalton
Star Trek: Into Darkness is the second in the series of throwback films where we get to see our beloved Star Trek (Original Series) characters as younger adults getting their start in their space careers. As always, there are ethical dilemmas, lots of fighting and explosions, and plenty of fun surprises that I wouldn't dare ruin with my review. The film begins with James T. Kirk in the unenviable position of having to choose between the prime directive of non-interference in extra-terrestrial societies and saving the life of his friend, Spock. You can probably guess which he chooses, and how that choice teaches him and his crew the importance and challenge of the good of the many vs. the good of the one. This is a theme that arises over and over in the Star Trek world - how to evaluate the life of a single person against the good of the community.
I'm a fan of the Star Trek films in general (I haven't seen nearly all of them, but have seen a fair few), and this J.J. Abrams conception of the Star Trek films brings me back to what I originally loved about the series. It's as much the lessons and insights behind the action that make the stories incredible, and this one was no exception. They certainly brought in as many twists and turns as they could think of into one pretty solid film.
The funny part is that for the first three-quarters of the movie, I kept wondering where the spectacular visual effects were that made this film worthy of an Oscar nomination. However, in the last quarter of the film, the answer arrived. If the word "spectacular" is derived from spectacle, then that word is only too fitting for what happens when the visual effects really start to kick in. Some would wonder why a nomination for effects when most of the movie relies more on storytelling than the visual effects medium. But the effects are done so convincingly and with such aplomb that the movie finishes leaving little doubt. And, I applaud the decision to save the best for last. If a movie relies solely on visual effects to engage the viewer, then the story can't be very good. And a space movie with no visual effects makes no sense. With Star Trek: Into Darkness, J.J. Abrams finds a great balance that makes the movie fun and totally worth it.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Star Trek: Into Darkness Movie Trailer
Visual Effects - Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann, and Burt Dalton
Star Trek: Into Darkness is the second in the series of throwback films where we get to see our beloved Star Trek (Original Series) characters as younger adults getting their start in their space careers. As always, there are ethical dilemmas, lots of fighting and explosions, and plenty of fun surprises that I wouldn't dare ruin with my review. The film begins with James T. Kirk in the unenviable position of having to choose between the prime directive of non-interference in extra-terrestrial societies and saving the life of his friend, Spock. You can probably guess which he chooses, and how that choice teaches him and his crew the importance and challenge of the good of the many vs. the good of the one. This is a theme that arises over and over in the Star Trek world - how to evaluate the life of a single person against the good of the community.
I'm a fan of the Star Trek films in general (I haven't seen nearly all of them, but have seen a fair few), and this J.J. Abrams conception of the Star Trek films brings me back to what I originally loved about the series. It's as much the lessons and insights behind the action that make the stories incredible, and this one was no exception. They certainly brought in as many twists and turns as they could think of into one pretty solid film.
The funny part is that for the first three-quarters of the movie, I kept wondering where the spectacular visual effects were that made this film worthy of an Oscar nomination. However, in the last quarter of the film, the answer arrived. If the word "spectacular" is derived from spectacle, then that word is only too fitting for what happens when the visual effects really start to kick in. Some would wonder why a nomination for effects when most of the movie relies more on storytelling than the visual effects medium. But the effects are done so convincingly and with such aplomb that the movie finishes leaving little doubt. And, I applaud the decision to save the best for last. If a movie relies solely on visual effects to engage the viewer, then the story can't be very good. And a space movie with no visual effects makes no sense. With Star Trek: Into Darkness, J.J. Abrams finds a great balance that makes the movie fun and totally worth it.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Star Trek: Into Darkness Movie Trailer
Friday, February 14, 2014
THE SQUARE - 1 nomination
THE SQUARE
Documentary Feature - Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer
We have arrived at our first full length documentary feature. The documentaries are a particular favorite of mine, and the topics this year are diverse and take us around the world to true stories that make us think, make us cry, and hopefully make us act. One interesting thing about the full length documentary category is that in the past, all members of the Academy were eligible to vote for the winner among the nominees, but only if they have seen all 5 of the films. This restriction doesn't apply to all of the Oscar categories. This year, Academy members got a box with all the screeners for all the documentaries, shorts, and foreign films, and so this category has shifted to the honor system, like the others.
The Square documents the rise of the movement for change in Egypt, starting around 2011, when a group of young, idealist, change makers took over Tahrir Square to oust the then-President Hosni Mubarak. You can feel all of the hope and all of the expectation and all of what could be converging in that one place when people come together to demand a better life. But that hope is dashed as the military takes over only to be succeeded by the election of the Muslim Brotherhood, who quickly seizes power and moves to replace one dictatorship with another.
The conversation then moves from the ousting of dictators to the question of secular versus religious rule, and can people coexist if a government requires either secularism or religiosity as the only way of life to allow its citizens who do not align with the ruling party to live without oppression. All of this is made very personal through the eyes of the grassroots movement's leaders - some of whom are secular (like the former lead actor in the movie The Kite Runner) and at least one of whom is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but who displays some independent thinking along the way, but makes clear that he is expected to act under the orders of the Brotherhood, whether or not he agrees with them.
The film ends with the same uncertainty that Egypt is mired in right now, with the ousting of Mohammed Morsi as the new President cum dictator, and the situation is far from peaceful. We are left asking ourselves what this "Arab Spring" has really accomplished. Is it simply the trading of oppression of religious Muslims with the oppression of secular Muslims? Modern women were active in the overturning of the government, what is their future in Egypt, as the religious reigns are tightened? Is there hope for secularism in Egypt with the only organized faction being the Muslim Brotherhood? Can idealists find the practicality to understand and engage in politics?
One thing is sure, for everyday Egyptians, there are simply no easy answers, but they are not ready to give up. As one of the characters stated so well, until they stand for something rather than simply against the government, it will be hard for them to lead, and to grasp enough political power to affect real change. Hope will just not be enough.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Square Movie Trailer
Documentary Feature - Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer
We have arrived at our first full length documentary feature. The documentaries are a particular favorite of mine, and the topics this year are diverse and take us around the world to true stories that make us think, make us cry, and hopefully make us act. One interesting thing about the full length documentary category is that in the past, all members of the Academy were eligible to vote for the winner among the nominees, but only if they have seen all 5 of the films. This restriction doesn't apply to all of the Oscar categories. This year, Academy members got a box with all the screeners for all the documentaries, shorts, and foreign films, and so this category has shifted to the honor system, like the others.
The Square documents the rise of the movement for change in Egypt, starting around 2011, when a group of young, idealist, change makers took over Tahrir Square to oust the then-President Hosni Mubarak. You can feel all of the hope and all of the expectation and all of what could be converging in that one place when people come together to demand a better life. But that hope is dashed as the military takes over only to be succeeded by the election of the Muslim Brotherhood, who quickly seizes power and moves to replace one dictatorship with another.
The conversation then moves from the ousting of dictators to the question of secular versus religious rule, and can people coexist if a government requires either secularism or religiosity as the only way of life to allow its citizens who do not align with the ruling party to live without oppression. All of this is made very personal through the eyes of the grassroots movement's leaders - some of whom are secular (like the former lead actor in the movie The Kite Runner) and at least one of whom is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but who displays some independent thinking along the way, but makes clear that he is expected to act under the orders of the Brotherhood, whether or not he agrees with them.
The film ends with the same uncertainty that Egypt is mired in right now, with the ousting of Mohammed Morsi as the new President cum dictator, and the situation is far from peaceful. We are left asking ourselves what this "Arab Spring" has really accomplished. Is it simply the trading of oppression of religious Muslims with the oppression of secular Muslims? Modern women were active in the overturning of the government, what is their future in Egypt, as the religious reigns are tightened? Is there hope for secularism in Egypt with the only organized faction being the Muslim Brotherhood? Can idealists find the practicality to understand and engage in politics?
One thing is sure, for everyday Egyptians, there are simply no easy answers, but they are not ready to give up. As one of the characters stated so well, until they stand for something rather than simply against the government, it will be hard for them to lead, and to grasp enough political power to affect real change. Hope will just not be enough.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch The Square Movie Trailer
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
SAVING MR. BANKS - 1 nomination
SAVING MR. BANKS
Music (Original Score) - Thomas Newman
Saving Mr. Banks is the story of how Walt Disney convinced the misanthropic and Britishly uptight author of Mary Poppins (PL Travers) to allow Disney Studios to turn her beloved book into a movie. The film flashes back regularly to her childhood in Australia with a loving but alcoholic father and a troubled mother. The film is at once sad, funny, and touching, and it was somehow irresistible to watch this favorite childhood movie come to life. In addition, Emma Thompson is devilishly difficult, and manages to be distasteful as a character in her great lack of common social skills and also sympathetic as her childhood story comes to life.
As a great fan of Mary Poppins (the Disney movie), the way that the music is woven into the film is brilliant. It's more than hearing the songs again as though they are being written in front of us, though that is fun to watch. What makes the music remarkable is that the original music from that movie is integrated into the orchestrations for this film. It makes the entire score lovely and visceral - and you can't help feeling something that touches your soul. This is one of the few original score nominations this year that I wholeheartedly endorse.
I saw Saving Mr. Banks twice, and I deeply enjoyed it both times. It's a movie that works on every level, the performances are authentic and the story gives us satisfying insights into how the character of Mary Poppins was born (both as a movie and as a book). It was truly the delight of a spoonful of a sugar combined with flying a kite up to the highest height.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Saving Mr. Banks Movie Trailer
Music (Original Score) - Thomas Newman
Saving Mr. Banks is the story of how Walt Disney convinced the misanthropic and Britishly uptight author of Mary Poppins (PL Travers) to allow Disney Studios to turn her beloved book into a movie. The film flashes back regularly to her childhood in Australia with a loving but alcoholic father and a troubled mother. The film is at once sad, funny, and touching, and it was somehow irresistible to watch this favorite childhood movie come to life. In addition, Emma Thompson is devilishly difficult, and manages to be distasteful as a character in her great lack of common social skills and also sympathetic as her childhood story comes to life.
As a great fan of Mary Poppins (the Disney movie), the way that the music is woven into the film is brilliant. It's more than hearing the songs again as though they are being written in front of us, though that is fun to watch. What makes the music remarkable is that the original music from that movie is integrated into the orchestrations for this film. It makes the entire score lovely and visceral - and you can't help feeling something that touches your soul. This is one of the few original score nominations this year that I wholeheartedly endorse.
I saw Saving Mr. Banks twice, and I deeply enjoyed it both times. It's a movie that works on every level, the performances are authentic and the story gives us satisfying insights into how the character of Mary Poppins was born (both as a movie and as a book). It was truly the delight of a spoonful of a sugar combined with flying a kite up to the highest height.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Saving Mr. Banks Movie Trailer
PRISONERS - 1 nomination
PRISONERS
Cinematography - Roger A. Deakins
Prisoners is the story of two families whose daughters have been kidnapped on Thanksgiving Day. A suspect emerges but is ultimately released from police custody for lack of evidence. One of the fathers (Hugh Jackman) is convinced of the suspect's guilt, so he kidnaps the young man and sets up a site where he tries to torture the truth out of him.
There are lots of twists and turns along the way, and still somehow Prisoners manages to be a pretty bad film. Despite the powerhouse cast, there are so many holes in the storyline that it becomes exasperating to watch. Accepting the lack of sense in each story error is almost impossible, so the movie becomes either annoying or completely boring.
Despite this, the cinematography nomination is understandable given how much shooting was done in tunnels, small spaces, underground, and inside dark buildings. The art of lighting and shooting these kinds of spaces convincingly is not easy, so it is not uncommon for movies like this one to receive a nomination in this category. Unfortunately, the cinematography doesn't make watching the film worth it.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Prisoners Movie Trailer
Cinematography - Roger A. Deakins
Prisoners is the story of two families whose daughters have been kidnapped on Thanksgiving Day. A suspect emerges but is ultimately released from police custody for lack of evidence. One of the fathers (Hugh Jackman) is convinced of the suspect's guilt, so he kidnaps the young man and sets up a site where he tries to torture the truth out of him.
There are lots of twists and turns along the way, and still somehow Prisoners manages to be a pretty bad film. Despite the powerhouse cast, there are so many holes in the storyline that it becomes exasperating to watch. Accepting the lack of sense in each story error is almost impossible, so the movie becomes either annoying or completely boring.
Despite this, the cinematography nomination is understandable given how much shooting was done in tunnels, small spaces, underground, and inside dark buildings. The art of lighting and shooting these kinds of spaces convincingly is not easy, so it is not uncommon for movies like this one to receive a nomination in this category. Unfortunately, the cinematography doesn't make watching the film worth it.
Haven't seen the film?
Watch the Prisoners Movie Trailer
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