Justin and I saw The Nice Guys on May 22, 2016! This is definitely one of the best movies of 2016, and honestly, one of the better movies in the last few years. It was a great mix of mystery, action, comedy, and dynamic characters.
This movie reminded me of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (which is one of the most underrated movies of all time IMO). It makes sense as Shane Black wrote and directed this. The movie gives us a very intricate plot where every little detail connects in some way: whether it's pornography, the environment, or even Richard Nixon. This movie has brilliant writing throughout. The dialogue is intelligent. There are never any slow moments in this movie. Each piece of the movie flows. The characters constantly keep us invested in the story.
I think Ryan Gosling's work as Holland March is my favorite male performance of the year thus far. His work as the down on his luck private investigator was a fantastic character study. His imbecility blended with his drive to prove his worth to those around him, including his daughter, Holly is a great story. Much like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang his investigation eventually connects with Russell Crowe's brute of a character Jackson Healey. He also is on a mission to prove his worth where he truly belongs in society. Crowe was phenomenal here. He might have unorthodox, intense ways to get information, but at the same time he is doing these things for the right reason. I think the chemistry with Gosling and Crowe is excellent. They never missed a beat. The dialogue between them was timed perfectly. They shared tremendous comedic and dramatic scenes together. I think Angourie Rice also deserves a lot of praise for her work as Holly. She was the glue that held this team together through everything. She is intelligent and helps her father and Jackson each step of the way.
The action sequences are so well done. They are so over the top, but with the nature of the different stories going on it worked so well. The brutality in the action sequences was necessary for the tone of the movie. Everything was timed perfectly. The auto show scenes keep you on the edge of your seat. The scenes at Sid Shaddick's mansion are some of the best movie moments of 2016. Both Holland & Jackson's journey has a great ending that both deserve. The bumps and bruises accumulated along the way are necessary for them to feel whole. It also helps Holland become closer to Holly, which I really liked. Jackson also bonds with Holly in his own way which was great for Jackson's character.
I highly recommend this movie. The excellent characters, the dialogue, the action sequences, the genuine comedy, the dramatic elements, the cast in general, and the tremendous writing and directing gets a definite 5/5 from me. This is the type of movie we go to the theaters for.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice Review
Justin and I saw Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice on March 28, 2016! I'm a DC guy and I'm finally glad more focus is being put on the Justice League. Let me just say: This is my new favorite comic book movie. The only comic book movies I like as much are Kick-Ass, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Dark Knight, and Man of Steel. This was an incredible introduction into the beginning of the Justice League while also looking at real world political issues as well as motifs within the comic book genre.
This movie really does an amazing job exploring the positives and the negatives of Superman. I think Superman is by far the focus of this movie. The whole mythology of Superman and the question of is he good or evil is done so well. We look at how Superman has created so much destruction, but on the other hand this destruction was done to save humanity. I think looking at the Superman vs. Zod battle from Bruce Wayne's vantage point was interesting. You see how people were suffering while Superman was fighting to help the people. Henry Cavill was excellent here. I think he is the best Superman since Christopher Reeve. His performance should be considered one of the best from any comic book movie. You feel like you're watching Superman come to life from the comics before your eyes. His relationship with Lois Lane, his mother, and his dealings with Perry White at the Daily Planetshow his humanity. When he is in battle, we see the God come forth. Superman is the personification of God vs. Man. It's really intriguing to see.
I think Ben Affleck did a great job under the cape & cowl of Batman. He played a great Bruce Wayne, and definitely brought a grittier edge to Batman. His issues with Superman hinge back to what happened to Wayne Enterprises in Man of Steel. His mission initially is to bring down Superman, but as events unfold with people like Lex Luthor (played maniacally well by Jesse Eisenberg-who basically pulls the puppet strings of Batman, Superman, & even Washington D.C. as well as introducing the important element of kryptonium that will end up being such a major part of the movie), he realizes Superman may not be the devil some paint him out to be. In my opinion, the movie showed how similar Batman & Superman are in many ways. It showed how both can create so much damage, but at the same time both believe they are making the necessary sacrifices for the greater good. I also think that even though Batman is a mortal man, I believe the fear he induces on his enemies make him feel he is a god, which also ties in the similarities between them.
The battle scenes in this movie are excellent. They were so exciting and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. They did an excellent job making it a fair fight between Batman & Superman. It was one an epic encounter for sure. Both Batman & Superman had their moments to shine in the huge clash between them. Batman vs. Superman is such a gritty fight.The force and power in each punch is felt by the audience. God vs. Man was on full display in physical form & it was amazing to watch. The action amplifies under the thumb of Lex Luthor introducing the element of science into the mix. What happens from here is the most epic battle sequences I've ever seen: The DC Trinity (Wonder Woman, Superman, & Batman vs. Doomsday). Seeing the DC Trinity together for the first time on screen brought tears to my eyes, and I think Gal Gadot is awesome as Wonder Woman. Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL did a phenomenal job on the music as well-capturing the mood and tone of each scene to match with the amazing visuals on screen.
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice had me smiling, crying, cheering, and enjoying every second of the movie-a definite emotional rollercoaster. It's a realistic, darker movie that does an amazing job exploring the most recognizable faces in comic book history. It's a movie that does an amazing job in terms of performances (particularly Henry Cavill & Ben Affleck), exploring real world issues through the lens of DC Comics, studying the Superman character, exploring the vengeance of Bruce Wayne, showcasing intense battle scenes that amplify the gritty nature of the movie, as well as phenomenal musical scores & a movie that truly shows how the more adult oriented themes of DC Comics are why I enjoy the comic book genre. All of these elements definitely receive a 5/5 from me. I know many critics disagree with me, but I really think this movie is well done and should be seen by everybody that appreciates comic books, the mythology of superheroes, & a look at the world around us through a different lens.
This movie really does an amazing job exploring the positives and the negatives of Superman. I think Superman is by far the focus of this movie. The whole mythology of Superman and the question of is he good or evil is done so well. We look at how Superman has created so much destruction, but on the other hand this destruction was done to save humanity. I think looking at the Superman vs. Zod battle from Bruce Wayne's vantage point was interesting. You see how people were suffering while Superman was fighting to help the people. Henry Cavill was excellent here. I think he is the best Superman since Christopher Reeve. His performance should be considered one of the best from any comic book movie. You feel like you're watching Superman come to life from the comics before your eyes. His relationship with Lois Lane, his mother, and his dealings with Perry White at the Daily Planetshow his humanity. When he is in battle, we see the God come forth. Superman is the personification of God vs. Man. It's really intriguing to see.
I think Ben Affleck did a great job under the cape & cowl of Batman. He played a great Bruce Wayne, and definitely brought a grittier edge to Batman. His issues with Superman hinge back to what happened to Wayne Enterprises in Man of Steel. His mission initially is to bring down Superman, but as events unfold with people like Lex Luthor (played maniacally well by Jesse Eisenberg-who basically pulls the puppet strings of Batman, Superman, & even Washington D.C. as well as introducing the important element of kryptonium that will end up being such a major part of the movie), he realizes Superman may not be the devil some paint him out to be. In my opinion, the movie showed how similar Batman & Superman are in many ways. It showed how both can create so much damage, but at the same time both believe they are making the necessary sacrifices for the greater good. I also think that even though Batman is a mortal man, I believe the fear he induces on his enemies make him feel he is a god, which also ties in the similarities between them.
The battle scenes in this movie are excellent. They were so exciting and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. They did an excellent job making it a fair fight between Batman & Superman. It was one an epic encounter for sure. Both Batman & Superman had their moments to shine in the huge clash between them. Batman vs. Superman is such a gritty fight.The force and power in each punch is felt by the audience. God vs. Man was on full display in physical form & it was amazing to watch. The action amplifies under the thumb of Lex Luthor introducing the element of science into the mix. What happens from here is the most epic battle sequences I've ever seen: The DC Trinity (Wonder Woman, Superman, & Batman vs. Doomsday). Seeing the DC Trinity together for the first time on screen brought tears to my eyes, and I think Gal Gadot is awesome as Wonder Woman. Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL did a phenomenal job on the music as well-capturing the mood and tone of each scene to match with the amazing visuals on screen.
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice had me smiling, crying, cheering, and enjoying every second of the movie-a definite emotional rollercoaster. It's a realistic, darker movie that does an amazing job exploring the most recognizable faces in comic book history. It's a movie that does an amazing job in terms of performances (particularly Henry Cavill & Ben Affleck), exploring real world issues through the lens of DC Comics, studying the Superman character, exploring the vengeance of Bruce Wayne, showcasing intense battle scenes that amplify the gritty nature of the movie, as well as phenomenal musical scores & a movie that truly shows how the more adult oriented themes of DC Comics are why I enjoy the comic book genre. All of these elements definitely receive a 5/5 from me. I know many critics disagree with me, but I really think this movie is well done and should be seen by everybody that appreciates comic books, the mythology of superheroes, & a look at the world around us through a different lens.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Allegiant Review
Justin and I saw Allegiant on March 19, 2016! In my opinion, the Divergent series is extremely underrated! Much like Divergent & Insurgent, I thoroughly enjoyed Allegiant. I thought the story was great. It centers around the complexity of human beings. It's really incredible to watch how both main view points of Evelyn & David would end up leading to utter chaos. Tris Prior opens up our eyes to realize human beings choose their own path. Paths and ways of life cannot be dictated to us. The complexity of our personalities and genetic make-up cannot be placed into one category whether it's pure, damaged, or one of the five factions: Dauntless, Erudited, Abnegation, Candor, or Amity. Being damaged as a person shouldn't necessarily be treated as a negative. Tris tells us to embrace our differences and damaged selves rather than strive to be pure. The message of the Divergent series has always been an incredible one, and Allegiant just continues to present an amazing visual representation of this.
Shailene Woodley continues to be one of my favorite actresses as she delivers another solid performance as Tris Prior. She is torn between stopping Evelyn's radical regime & David's vision of perfection. In my opinion, Tris is one of the most amazing literary & film characters in recent years. She's such a strong character that looks at issues from both sides. She has to determine who to trust (which is ultimately herself & those closest to her). She physically and emotionally leads revolutions to produce a society that embraces each other as equals. Woodley's work in this movie perfectly presents the complexity of a human being. She presents both the positives and negatives we experience in every day life. She sells pain & betrayal so well, but also shows the power of hope, trust, and forgiveness. She is the embodiment of yin and yang. She shows the light and the dark in her personality, and shows us that even though she may be deemed "pure", she definitely is "damaged." Being damaged isn't a detriment-it's what keeps her fighting and pushing on. Woodley absolutely owns this. Tris Prior's vision is definitely one that society should embrace.
I think Theo James produced his best work in the role of Four thus far in Allegiant. He had a bigger presence here realizing the flaws in David's plan, and pleading with his mother that her way isn't the way to attain respect and a habitable society. Theo is a gritty, physical being as Four, but also presented how intelligent & mentally pure his mind is. Four is considered "damaged", but it's Theo that delves deeper into the Four role to show us that this is a positive. His outside the box thinking helps Tris to doubt her trust in David (which is ultimately proven to be a good instinct), and he shows great emotion for the children who have their memories wiped clean with the new serum concocted by David.
Evelyn's radical regime will cause fear & death. David's vision will cause people to become puppets by eliminating their identity & forcing them to think and act as he sees fit. Both Naomi Watts & Jeff Daniels were excellent here. While I find flaws in both their methods, I understand Evelyn's views. She does have a very physical & violent way to get results, but I do think much of this is because of Marcus and her estrangement from Four. Her speeches resonated with me as somebody who has suffered emotional trauma from past events and is now unleashing that physically on the traitors who helped Jeanine. Ultimately, Four will help her realize it isn't the way to produce results. Jeff Daniels was excellent as David. He presented a character in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare that believes everything he is doing will purify society. He wants the faction systems so he can control people. Daniels had a calm demeanor that made David's tone more cerebral & in my opinion sadistic. His plan is truly despicable in many ways. While it doesn't necessarily cause bodily harm, he is still taking away the core of what makes us who we are. Daniels did so well manipulating Tris & those around him to make them believe his message and vision was flawless. Naomi & Jeff needed to be discussed, because they represent the flawed thinking. On one hand you have Evelyn: military/physical vengeance/chaotic factionless system, while on the other hand you have David: a man hellbent on creating mindless sheep that follow what he deems necessary-using the faction system to control society.
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for a great storyline, solid performances, a brilliant study on human beings, and intriguing twists that keep everything flowing.
Shailene Woodley continues to be one of my favorite actresses as she delivers another solid performance as Tris Prior. She is torn between stopping Evelyn's radical regime & David's vision of perfection. In my opinion, Tris is one of the most amazing literary & film characters in recent years. She's such a strong character that looks at issues from both sides. She has to determine who to trust (which is ultimately herself & those closest to her). She physically and emotionally leads revolutions to produce a society that embraces each other as equals. Woodley's work in this movie perfectly presents the complexity of a human being. She presents both the positives and negatives we experience in every day life. She sells pain & betrayal so well, but also shows the power of hope, trust, and forgiveness. She is the embodiment of yin and yang. She shows the light and the dark in her personality, and shows us that even though she may be deemed "pure", she definitely is "damaged." Being damaged isn't a detriment-it's what keeps her fighting and pushing on. Woodley absolutely owns this. Tris Prior's vision is definitely one that society should embrace.
I think Theo James produced his best work in the role of Four thus far in Allegiant. He had a bigger presence here realizing the flaws in David's plan, and pleading with his mother that her way isn't the way to attain respect and a habitable society. Theo is a gritty, physical being as Four, but also presented how intelligent & mentally pure his mind is. Four is considered "damaged", but it's Theo that delves deeper into the Four role to show us that this is a positive. His outside the box thinking helps Tris to doubt her trust in David (which is ultimately proven to be a good instinct), and he shows great emotion for the children who have their memories wiped clean with the new serum concocted by David.
Evelyn's radical regime will cause fear & death. David's vision will cause people to become puppets by eliminating their identity & forcing them to think and act as he sees fit. Both Naomi Watts & Jeff Daniels were excellent here. While I find flaws in both their methods, I understand Evelyn's views. She does have a very physical & violent way to get results, but I do think much of this is because of Marcus and her estrangement from Four. Her speeches resonated with me as somebody who has suffered emotional trauma from past events and is now unleashing that physically on the traitors who helped Jeanine. Ultimately, Four will help her realize it isn't the way to produce results. Jeff Daniels was excellent as David. He presented a character in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare that believes everything he is doing will purify society. He wants the faction systems so he can control people. Daniels had a calm demeanor that made David's tone more cerebral & in my opinion sadistic. His plan is truly despicable in many ways. While it doesn't necessarily cause bodily harm, he is still taking away the core of what makes us who we are. Daniels did so well manipulating Tris & those around him to make them believe his message and vision was flawless. Naomi & Jeff needed to be discussed, because they represent the flawed thinking. On one hand you have Evelyn: military/physical vengeance/chaotic factionless system, while on the other hand you have David: a man hellbent on creating mindless sheep that follow what he deems necessary-using the faction system to control society.
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for a great storyline, solid performances, a brilliant study on human beings, and intriguing twists that keep everything flowing.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Zootopia Review
Justin and I saw Zootopia on March 5, 2016! It's been a weak 2016 as far as movies go thus far, but I finally found the 1st movie I actually enjoyed this year. Every year there is usually one animated movie that I really enjoy. In year's past it's been Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, and Inside Out. Zootopia is a smart movie that caters to both children and adults that incorporate current themes of racism and sexism and acceptance from society, while giving us a fantastic story with good twists and turns.
Zootopia is a world where only animals exist. Predators and prey live in harmony. You are free to be whatever you want to be. If you have a dream, go out and take it. We follow Judy Hopp's dream to become the first bunny police officer. Judy represents females in society. We watch her navigate her way through negative attitudes from peers telling her she'll never make it, but her determination to prove everybody wrong is amazing to watch. She also represents prey. Nick Wild is a sly fox who has been pulling off schemes for most of his life. He ultimately represents minorities in society, as well as predators. Natural enemies their whole life simply because of how they were born, it's interesting to watch the interactions with Judy and Nick early on. Judy is determined to solve a big case of 14 missing animals to prove to Chief Bogo that she is a real officer. Nick assists Judy on her journey based on incriminating evidence she has on him.
The journey that Judy and Nick take to solve this case allows us to explore the beautiful world created in this movie. Each section of Zootopia is different in terms of climate and population. We watch Judy and Nick's friendship grow and we watch as Judy and Nick both realize they possess characteristics of both predator and prey. This is a great message for adults and children: No matter the differences they possess, when it comes right down to it, they're both animals. I really like that, and I think the dialogue between them was really well done. Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin did really well with the characters. Both were clever in their own ways, and each used their intellect to take one step closer to solving the mystery.
The twists and turns the audience encounters in this movie are well done. The most unsuspecting character ends up being behind the conspiracy. I thought the villain's stance made perfect sense as well. It takes a look at politicians and people in higher positions using fear to gain more power. The cunning wit of Nick and Judy was tremendous and really made us applaud the conclusion of their journey. Each twist and turn was designed to not only build up Nick and Judy's friendship, but it was also designed to show that the ordinary citizen can make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. We feel real emotion for the characters, as Zootopia delivers great drama. It also delivers genuine humor (particularly in a DMV scene with three-toed sloths).
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for incredible, well developed characters in Judy Hopp & Nick Wilde, tremendous work by the voice actors, a beautiful, original world filled with colors and opportunity, and a solid storyline that keeps the audience guessing as we follow Judy and Nick on their journey. I highly recommend this. It was the 1st movie I truly enjoyed in 2016.
Zootopia is a world where only animals exist. Predators and prey live in harmony. You are free to be whatever you want to be. If you have a dream, go out and take it. We follow Judy Hopp's dream to become the first bunny police officer. Judy represents females in society. We watch her navigate her way through negative attitudes from peers telling her she'll never make it, but her determination to prove everybody wrong is amazing to watch. She also represents prey. Nick Wild is a sly fox who has been pulling off schemes for most of his life. He ultimately represents minorities in society, as well as predators. Natural enemies their whole life simply because of how they were born, it's interesting to watch the interactions with Judy and Nick early on. Judy is determined to solve a big case of 14 missing animals to prove to Chief Bogo that she is a real officer. Nick assists Judy on her journey based on incriminating evidence she has on him.
The journey that Judy and Nick take to solve this case allows us to explore the beautiful world created in this movie. Each section of Zootopia is different in terms of climate and population. We watch Judy and Nick's friendship grow and we watch as Judy and Nick both realize they possess characteristics of both predator and prey. This is a great message for adults and children: No matter the differences they possess, when it comes right down to it, they're both animals. I really like that, and I think the dialogue between them was really well done. Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin did really well with the characters. Both were clever in their own ways, and each used their intellect to take one step closer to solving the mystery.
The twists and turns the audience encounters in this movie are well done. The most unsuspecting character ends up being behind the conspiracy. I thought the villain's stance made perfect sense as well. It takes a look at politicians and people in higher positions using fear to gain more power. The cunning wit of Nick and Judy was tremendous and really made us applaud the conclusion of their journey. Each twist and turn was designed to not only build up Nick and Judy's friendship, but it was also designed to show that the ordinary citizen can make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. We feel real emotion for the characters, as Zootopia delivers great drama. It also delivers genuine humor (particularly in a DMV scene with three-toed sloths).
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for incredible, well developed characters in Judy Hopp & Nick Wilde, tremendous work by the voice actors, a beautiful, original world filled with colors and opportunity, and a solid storyline that keeps the audience guessing as we follow Judy and Nick on their journey. I highly recommend this. It was the 1st movie I truly enjoyed in 2016.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
88th Academy Awards Preview
This Sunday February 28, 2016 will be the return of an event that I look forward to each year for the dedication to cinema and the pageantry and tradition of what the event has meant since 1927. This year marks the 88th installment of this event and it should be an interesting night. What I will do is post the main awards nominees: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress-these are the five I feel are the important ones, though I am always interested in Best Director (important, but I'm going to use the post to talk about the movies and the performances more from now on), Best Costumes, Best Score/Original Song, Best Visual Effects and Best Make-Up, they aren't necessarily the most important ones-just ones that interest me. I will post the ones I THINK/FEEL will win in bold. I will post the ones I WANT to win in italics. Keep in mind in one or more of these categories they may be one and the same for think and want. Then I will provide some commentary on my thoughts on the nominees involved.
BEST PICTURE:
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
This year's Best Picture nominees is a mix of different stories and themes. Whether it's looking at the financial crisis, spies during the Cold War, a girl torn between her native Ireland and Brooklyn, New York, a post apocalyptic adventure, a dangerous adventure in space, an ultimate test of survival and perseverance, looking at how big the world is through a small lens, and uncovering media stories that shake the foundation of the Catholic Church: each movie has something interesting about it. Overall, the nominees are good. I'm pleased with most of the selections. I think the movie from this list that should and will most likely win is Spotlight. The cast was phenomenal as they worked together to uncover dark secrets about the Catholic Church. Watching each step of their journey to gather information and create their news stories was intriguing throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I think the interviews, personal feelings, and ambitious nature of the characters created a solid movie deserving of nominations. I think the only other movie that has a great chance of winning is The Revenant. It won the Golden Globe, and personally, I thought this was phenomenal. This is such a physically exhausting movie for the cast involved, and I think ultimately this movie shows us the perseverance of the human spirit. Room is an excellent movie, and easily one of my favorites of 2015. It most likely won't win Best Picture, but the subject matter and the performances are well worth it. I thought it was incredible watching the world literally grow each step of the movie. We start in a small room and watch as the world expands before our eyes to a bigger, more colorful world. We see both the dark and the light explored in great detail in Room. Bridge of Spies is an underrated movie. I thought it had great tension throughout and you saw how both the United States and the Soviet Union dealt with spies. You saw how spies operated for both countries. It was really interesting to watch and the performances really bolstered a compelling story bolstered by two family men. Brooklyn did really well approaching life in two different countries with one girl's decision to choose between Ireland and New York. Capturing the Italian and Irish culture was fun to watch. You were given a sense of how different cultures mesh. Mad Max: Fury Road is so visually amazing. This is a movie that goes all out with costumes, make-up, and just an overall fun movie experience. The action is off the page exciting. Watching the different colors and visually amazing scenes take place is exciting. The Martian is interesting in terms of watching how Mark Watney adapts to life on Mars. The Big Short is a movie that explores the financial bubble of the mid-2000s. In terms of the cast, it's brilliant. In terms of the overall movie, it really isn't necessary to make this. Nobody wants to watch a movie about the financial crisis. I did laugh at the terrible fake beards throughout in this. I think the best movie of the year was omitted, and that is Ex Machina. Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, and Domnhall Gleeson all were stellar in this. The story overall was incredible, and the twist was pulled off so well. Nothing even came close to being as good as Ex Machina in 2015. I thought Ex Machina had a chance of being included, but it just didn't make the cut. If I was making the selections it would have been the first movie I included. I also think it's a shame that The Hateful Eight wasn't included. This was a great, character driven, dialogue heavy mystery movie that had me invested from the opening carriage ride. The Hateful Eight had very good story-telling, solid dialogue, humor (definitely dark at times), mystery, and lots of crimson. While it does bother me that Ex Machina and the Hateful Eight are not included, Spotlight is excellent and more than deserving of a Best Picture win. I'd be perfectly fine with Room, The Revenant, or Bridge of Spies winning as well.
BEST ACTOR:
Bryan Cranston-Trumbo
Matt Damon-The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio-The Revenant
Michael Fassbender-Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne-The Danish Girl
I think one common theme about the Best Actor list this year is perseverence. Each one of these performances in some way tested the resolve of the character. Is this the year? Could it finally be the moment? Will my favorite actor of all time finally win the award that has eluded him? I think this is the year Leonardo DiCaprio wins the Best Actor Oscar. The man has turned out solid work since 2002. In fact, Gangs of New York & Catch Me If You Can are both in my Top 5 favorite movies of all time, and DiCaprio was a lead in both of those movies. Even before 2002, he was putting out solid work in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (which he was nominated for), Basketball Diaries, Titanic, and The Man in the Iron Mask. I think his performance as Hugh Glass was incredible in The Revenant. This was a very physical performance. The audience felt the physical exertion on his body and mind throughout this movie. The pain and anguish was written on his face. I think DiCaprio did an amazing job showing the resolve of the human spirit. He kept dusting himself off and finding a way back. There was so much intensity in the performance. DiCaprio is just a flat out good actor, and I'm always amazed to see how much he puts himself into his movies. I think this is a year where there is a definite winner for Best Actor, but with the Academy you never know. I'm really pulling for a DiCaprio win. Bryan Cranston is a great actor shaping one of the most iconic characters in television history as Walter White in Breaking Bad. He's more known for his television roles, but he can translate that to screen. I thought Trumbo was good simply because it was a great look at how Hollywood was affected by the red scare. Dalton Trumbo was a screenwriter that was blacklisted (which means he was labeled a communist). He was one of the highest paid writers. He refused to give names to HUAC on actors and writers that were rumored communists, which ultimately put him in prison. He used his writing to question to the government. Cranston did well capturing the look and mannerisms of Trumbo. While I don't see Cranston picking up the win here, I definitely think his performance was well done and indicative of a chaotic time in Hollywood and the United States in general. Matt Damon's Mark Watney was left behind on a Mars mission. In order to survive, he had to devise ways to grow food and figure out how to survive on another planet. Watching the physical toll it takes on him, while also using his intellect, he is able to grow potatoes and explore the planet to send messages back to Earth to get a rescue mission. Damon did well providing some great comedic lines to break the dramatic nature of Watney's environment. He also displayed the physical toll it took on him well. Damon balanced drama and comedy so well in this role. While there was a good supporting cast, this movie is all Damon. He sets the tone for the movie at the right intervals. I think the right person had to be on screen in order for the audience to be invested in Watney's journey, and Matt Damon is a great actor for that. Since Good Will Hunting, he's proven that he's a truly gifted actor. While I don't necessarily see Damon picking up the win, this easily is one of his best performances, and deserves to be praised by the Academy and by audiences throughout the world. While Michael Fassbender is one of my favorite actors, I didn't particularly like his role as Steve Jobs. Fassbender didn't seem to be interested in the performance he was in, and I could understand that. The writing is not Aaron Sorkin's best. He's capable of so much more. Fassbender felt wooden at many points in this movie, and the focus on his relationship with his daughter never should have been the focus.. They focused more on his relationships than the technological aspects of his life. Steve Jobs really never gets to that next level and kind of fell flat. We literally just saw a movie about Steve Jobs a few years back with Ashton Kutcher and that completely bombed. I think the reason is nobody really wants to watch a movie about Steve Jobs. Even Michael Fassbender understands that, and his performance reflected that. Fassbender should have been nominated for Macbeth instead. Eddie Redmayne is wise in the movies he agrees to be a part of. Last year, he pulled off the win for Stephen Hawking in Theory of Everything. I thought Michael Keaton had it in the bag for Birdman as did most people. Even Keaton was ready to spring out of his seat. Redmayne's transformation to Lile Elbe is intriguing to watch. It's a powerful movie for the transgender community. I still think that Redmayne's performance was pretty flat. Instead of The Danish Girl focusing on fear, inner conflict, and the close mindedness of society, it really just looked at the surface and focused on Eddie Redmayne in a dress. It touched on the elements I mentioned, but we never fully become invested in Redmayne's performance, because he never allows himself to go that extra mile. I think he will be capable of that with more performances in the next few years. I think this is going to be Leonardo DiCaprio's year, and I'm fully in support of that. The Revenant physically represents his resolve to keep pushing towards that podium. The physical exertion of all his hard work over the years should finally be realized this year. Let's Go Leo! I'm not ruling out a surprise victory from the other four, but I really think this is finally going to be DiCaprio's year!
BEST ACTRESS:
Cate Blanchett-Carol
Brie Larson-Room
Jennifer Lawrence-Joy
Charlotte Rampling-45 Years
Saoirse Ronan-Brooklyn
I am always invested in female movie and television performances. Every year I have a definite favorite of who I want to win in this particular category, and this year isn't any different as I am 100% in support of Brie Larson winning for her incredible role as Joy in Room. It's amazing watching Joy sacrifice herself in several ways both physically and mentally to nurture and protect Jack. Her stories are exciting and educate Jack. She creates fun adventures for him to fill his days, which helps him think and become more well rounded as an individual with limited resources at their disposal. It's amazing to watch Joy persevere despite the dark realities she faces at the hands of "Old Nick."Brie Larson is such a talented actress. Watching Joy in the small world she creates with Jack vs. the big outside world creates a dynamic, well-rounded character. Larson's interactions with Jack, "Old Nick", and her parents are all vastly different and demonstrate Larson's range as an actress. She more than deserves the nomination and win here. Jennifer Lawrence's role as Joy didn't feel like a performance to me. It just felt like Lawrence was talking to the audience as herself. I am not the biggest fan of Lawrence, but I understand the nomination for her taking a role that goes beyond a woman selling mops. It's a story about family and all the negative things she has to deal with. People are praising this performance, and I'm just not understanding it. Most of it has to do with the fact that I am not a fan of David O'Russell's work overall. I didn't particularly find Silver Linings Playbook or American Hustle to be anything great, and I felt the same way about Joy. Lawrence was front and center in this movie, and put her all into it, but at the same time I never became fully invested in the story. It jumps from a comedy to a drama to a crime story to comedy again. Make up your mind O'Russell! Lawrence tends to overact in her performances and you sensed it at certain points here. It's a huge reason why I disliked her role in American Hustle. The Academy is a fan of her and David O'Russell, so it's not surprising that this made the list. It's probably the biggest competition to Larson in this category I would think. Cate Blanchett is one of my all time favorite actresses. She was great in Carol, because she really set the tone for the movie. Her interactions with Rooney Mara were great-lots of this movie is carried by facial expression and building tension. That's why I think it was wise to have Blanchett in this role. She knows how to command the screen with her eyes and pull the audience in. Though Carol may be slow at times, I still was captivated by everything Blanchett did in her interactions with Therese and Kyle Chandler's (who in my opinion created one of the greatest male television characters of all time in Eric Taylor in Friday Night Lights) Harge. Her scenes with Blanchett's steely gaze at Therese is intimidating, but amazing at the same time. The second half focuses on Carol with the situation with Rudin and the scenes with Harge. Blanchett is incredible! In my opinion, the last great female Oscar winning performance was Blanchett's work in Blue Jasmine. That was simply amazing work, and while this movie has a slower pace, the build-up and tension between Carol & Therese is simply excellent. I am going to be honest and admit that I haven't seen 45 Years. I am aware of Charlotte Rampling and I do know she is capable of delivering a good performance. She was the bright spot in Dexter Season 8 as Evelyn Vogel. I enjoyed Saoirse Ronan's performance as Eilis in Brooklyn. We follow this girl's journey as she learns to adapt in two different countries: her native Ireland & the United States-specificially in Brooklyn, New York. Ronan had to develop two different identities for each country while still maintaing her original blueprint as a character, and she succeeded. I enjoyed the Irish/Italian romance with Ronan and Emory Cohen's Tony. I thought she really meshed well with him and Domnhall Gleeson's Jim Farrell. Ronan sets the tone for the movie. She takes an ordinary character and manages to make it intriguing. It's a solid performance by a young actress that certainly deserves to be on this list. If I had to edit this list, I would remove Charlotte Rampling and replace her with Carey Mulligan's Maud from Suffragette. It was one of my 5 favorite female performances this year-with Alicia Vikander's Ava in Ex Machina, Daisy Ridley's Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Emma Stone's Jill in Irrational Man, and of course Brie Larson as Joy in Room being the other four. I was disappointed she wasn't nominated. I loved watching Mulligan's Maud evolve over the course of the movie. Her scenes in Parliament discussing wage raises and the women's vote, burning that chauvinist douche's hand with the iron, and the interrogation scene with Brendan Gleeson where you finally see how this vote and her rights as a mother would mean in the grand scope of things were incredible to watch. If we're supposed to be celebrating the best performances of 2015, then we need to include Mulligan's Maud. Carey Mulligan is in my Top 3 actresses. I've been impressed with all of her work since An Education. Even though Mulligan was criminally omitted, I do have a definite favorite I can rally behind, and that is Brie Larson! Go Brie! You more than deserve this nomination and hopefully a win.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Christian Bale-The Big Short
Tom Hardy-The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo-Spotlight
Mark Rylance-Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone-Creed
I think the Academy missed out big time on the Best Supporting Actor nominations. While there are definitely performances nominated here that I believe deserve to be here, there is a huge omission that bothers me a great deal. That omission is Jacob Tremblay for his role as Jack in Room. Nobody deserved a nomination for Best Supporting Actor more than him. Maybe they feel he is too young, but Anna Paquin was only a year older when she won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Piano. Tremblay was the heart and soul of this movie, and even Brie Larson has said this in multiple interviews and even thanked him in her Golden Globe speech for her performance. Tremblay uses the stories and valuable information that Joy teaches him in their little space together. He is able to eventually apply it to a big, outside world setting. Room is really seen through Jack's eyes. Watching the small, isolated world blended with the big, chaotic outside world through Jack's eyes and voice is incredible. For a young actor, he was able to show mature emotion and depth to his character of Jack that most actors 20 years older than him wish they could achieve. This list is far from being complete when the best supporting actor performance of the year was left off. I think the sentimental favorite, as well as the nominee most likely to win is Sylvester Stallone as he reprises one of the most iconic characters in movie history in Rocky Balboa. While Stallone may not necessarily be the best actor, Stallone puts his all into the Rocky Balboa role. In this movie, Michael B. Jordan filled his shoes as the fighter, and did well as Jordan usually delivers strong performances. If you need proof, check out his role as Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights or his work in Fruitvale Station. Stallone's best work has always been in the Rocky series, and his work as a mentor here is excellent. Many of his quotes are inspirational and it's one of those stories that make movie audiences excited, because in the end we know the story will be fulfilling for the characters. I think it would be awesome to see Stallone win as it will serve as a career achievement in shaping a character from start to finish over the course of five decades. Rocky won Best Picture in 1976, and Stallone wrote and directed it. Stallone getting the win for the actual performance just seems right. I would have no issues with Stallone winning at all. My favorite of the nominees is definitely Tom Hardy's John Fitzgerald in The Revenant. What I loved about Hardy in this role was how ruthless he was. He was a phenomenal antagonist. Hardy was actually a perfect person to play this role as he has the look of an absolute brute that just doesn't care. His interactions with Leonardo DiCaprio are excellent. To me, Hardy presents the yang of the human spirit-the dark side, how we're capable of terrible things, while DiCaprio represents the yin-he is the light, we're capable of shunning terrible things and fighting to get back from the dark. To me, that is the core of The Revenant-the human spirit, and Hardy's representation of the dark is simply amazing. He deserves a win for how sadistic he made the John Fitzgerald role. Another performance that I felt was good that could potentially win is Mark Ruffalo's work as Mike Rezendes in Spotlight. Realistically, Ruffalo is the actor we end up identifying with most as we follow him on his journey to bring down the despicable acts of the Catholic Church. His passion and energy he puts into his research is awesome to watch. I felt Rezendes anger through Ruffalo's drive to collect testimony and delve deeper into the theological corruption at hand. His outburst towards Michael Keaton's Robby Robinson was well timed and showed how the case was becoming personal to him. He was driven on this case. I would say this could be Ruffalo's best work of his career. While this movie features a tremendous ensemble cast, it's Ruffalo in the driver's seat for most of the movie. He sets the tone in many of the scenes and decides what direction Spotlight will take next. I felt as if Ruffalo became Mike Rezendes. That's the mark of a good performance-if you believe the actor on screen is invested in the character and the story. I was invested in everything Ruffalo did here, and a win for him would be well deserved in my opinion. Bridge of Spies was one of the most underrated movies of the years. Going along with that theme, Mark Rylance's role as the KGB Soviet intelligence officer Rudolf Abel is underrated as well. He was definitely guilty of being a spy, but I really liked how much the movie made me care about Rudolf Abel the person regardless of whether he was a spy or not. In reality, Abel is only doing what his country asked of him. He's a family man, and Rylance did really well displaying his role as an intelligent spy staying one step ahead of the law, but at the same time showed us how good hearted he is. We had the same type of situation going on over in Russia. I think this also showed how the justice system can be a beautiful thing when practiced in a balanced and fair manner. James B. Donovan did everything in his power as a family man to assist Abel and show that he is a family man as well. Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance had great chemistry. Their discussions in the prison were well written and presented how the United States and a foreign power can communicate in a peaceful, democratic way. I don't think Rylance has a chance at winning, but I was pleasantly surprised to see him on the list. I am not understanding the praise for The Big Short. Christian Bale's performance was eccentric, but Bale has always been like that. This isn't a great performance. It's Bale portraying an eccentric, lonely genius that quite frankly, much like the rest of the movie didn't pull me in at all. As I said, I don't want to watch a movie about the financial crisis. I thought we were supposed to go to movies to escape. The cast is solid in this, but I think they all signed up, because one or the other felt they had a chance to be nominated for an Oscar. If they wanted to nominate an eccentric, lonely genius character for Best Supporting Actor, they should have included Oscar Isaac's role as Nathan in Ex Machina. That was a compelling performance and didn't feel like I was reading a cue card with financial jargon on it. Isaac was omitted last year for his excellent performance as Llewyn Davis, so I shouldn't be surprised. I feel they just put Bale on the list, because they wanted The Big Short to be represented, and that's a shame really. Overall, the list for Best Supporting Actor is decent, however, not including Jacob Tremblay or Oscar Isaac is ridiculous quite frankly. Those are two performances that immediately came to mind when I hear this category. Sylvester Stallone will most likely pick up the win achieving every possible award he could for the Rocky universe, and it would be apropos in my opinion. I am hoping for a Tom Hardy or Mark Ruffalo win, as I felt those were the two most compelling performances from the nominees listed.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Jennifer Jason Leigh-The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara-Carol
Rachel McAdams-Spotlight
Alicia Vikander-The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet-Steve Jobs
There's alot of good performances nominated in the Best Supporting Actress list delivered by talented actresses. There's three performances here that I would like to see win, but I think there's a definite winner set for this category. I think this is a category where it's an easy win for Kate Winslet as Johanna Hoffman in Steve Jobs. That doesn't mean I thought it was a good performance. I like Winslet, but I think much like Fassbender and much like the audience they just weren't invested in the movie. I liked watching Winslet's look change from 1984 to 1988 to 1998. The different make-up and clothing designs through the years was more interesting than the performance I felt. Without Winslet, there probably wouldn't have been anything worthwhile in this movie. However, as you can tell I'm mostly talking about appearance when her performance should speak to the audience. Her performance just never pulled me in no matter how she stood up to Fassbender's Steve Jobs. I didn't find it compelling. The only reason I don't have a problem with her winning is the photos that could possibly happen at the after party with Leonardo DiCaprio posing with her after he hopefully wins. My pick would definitely be Jennifer Jason Leigh's over the top character of Daisy Domergue. Much of the movie revolves around the Daisy character. There's never a point in this movie where Daisy doesn't have a bruise on her face. She is so unladylike, but I think that element of her character is pretty interesting to watch. Quentin Tarantino has always created strong female characters, and Daisy is a great addition to the list. The bloody finale is amazing to watch. The resolve and the Just Bring It attitude of Daisy makes her larger than life. JJL was so animated in this movie, and I think with the nature of the movie it made perfect sense. I doubt she will win, but at least she was nominated for her intense performance. The only other performance I liked in this category would be Alicia Vikander's role as Gilda Wegenar in The Danish Girl. To me, Vikander is the heart of this movie. Her performance should have been conveyed through Eddie Redmayne's Lili Elbe character, but Vikander has more range as an actress and has a brighter future in my opinion, and I think Tom Hooper knows that. Vikander presented an artist's wife with concern and sensitivity to Lili's state of mind. It's a performance where even though the movie is about Lili, Gilda completely stole the show. I think Vikander should have been on the list, but I think she should have been nominated for her role as Ava in Ex Machina instead. Her ability to differentiate between being a robot and a human female was amazing to watch. I also love watching how intelligent the Ava character is, particularly with the twist at the end. While her work as Gilda was great, I would have nominated her for Ex Machina as it's her breakthrough role. Ava launched Alicia Vikander and is a big reason why she has been a force in the last year and a half. Rooney Mara's breakthrough role was as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo a few years back, which she was nominated for. I figured that the Academy would split the vote between her and Cate Blanchett. Realistically, it's the right call to put Mara on the Best Supporting list since Carol is the main character. Mara did well as Therese. She really did well displaying that nervous tension while slowly falling in love with Blanchett's Carol. If you watch the movie, the first half is great in terms of seeing the story through Therese's eyes. It's a performance that shows an actress in Mara evolving into a deep, emotional role. The love story is amazing just based on the dialogue used throughout. Blanchett acts as a guide, and Mara reacts to her whims. It worked well. While I like Rachel McAdams and the movie Spotlight, I didn't think McAdams character had enough screen time for me to become invested in her character of Sacha Pfeiffer. The overall premise of the character fell flat. Much of the movie was dictated by Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton, which didn't leave enough for McAdams to deal with. Had she been able to develop her character more or have a stand out scene, I would be more invested here. She did well with the interviews and taking the initiative to keep digging for stories, but her character fell flat, because of the lack of development. One performance I would have included here is Emma Stone's Jill in Irrational Man. I actually feel she might just be the best actress right now. In this movie, she commands the screen dealing with issues of commitment to Roy, as well as being drawn to the alluring mystery of the complicated Abe. Her energy and delivery of dialogue is always on point here. Her chemistry with Joaquin Phoenix was great. The dinner table scene discussing what happened to a prominent member ot the community was a great example. It showed how intellectual Jill is. It takes a great actress to shape Jill into a well-rounded character and Stone does this in her dealings with Abe and Roy, as well as her approach in dealing with issues that arise from Abe's actions whether physically, verbally, or emotionally. I think the Oscars should look at movies throughout the year when determining nominations as opposed to just the performances that come out in the fall months. I'd love to see Stone eventually win an Oscar. I think she will down the line, but for now I'll sit back and enjoy her work. Overall, there's an interesting mix of roles here with my favorite being Jennifer Jason's Leigh's Daisy Domergue, but Alicia Vikander and Rooney Mara did well in their respective roles. I would have loved to see Vikander nominated for Ex Machina, but she still gave a great performance in The Danish Girl. Kate Winslet most likely will walk away with the win here.
Now that I have covered thefive major categories I hope the readers of this blog will enjoy this look into the 88th Academy Awards. The only other thing I'd like to add is I hope to see Alejandro Innaritu win Best Director. I hope to see Inside Out win Best Animated Picture. Inside Out is incredible. I love the unique characters based in emotions as well as the entertaining journey Joy and Sadness embark on. I enjoyed writing this Oscars piece and hope you enjoy reading it. There are some really competitive categories, and it should be interesting to see what Chris Rock s does as the host.
BEST PICTURE:
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
This year's Best Picture nominees is a mix of different stories and themes. Whether it's looking at the financial crisis, spies during the Cold War, a girl torn between her native Ireland and Brooklyn, New York, a post apocalyptic adventure, a dangerous adventure in space, an ultimate test of survival and perseverance, looking at how big the world is through a small lens, and uncovering media stories that shake the foundation of the Catholic Church: each movie has something interesting about it. Overall, the nominees are good. I'm pleased with most of the selections. I think the movie from this list that should and will most likely win is Spotlight. The cast was phenomenal as they worked together to uncover dark secrets about the Catholic Church. Watching each step of their journey to gather information and create their news stories was intriguing throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I think the interviews, personal feelings, and ambitious nature of the characters created a solid movie deserving of nominations. I think the only other movie that has a great chance of winning is The Revenant. It won the Golden Globe, and personally, I thought this was phenomenal. This is such a physically exhausting movie for the cast involved, and I think ultimately this movie shows us the perseverance of the human spirit. Room is an excellent movie, and easily one of my favorites of 2015. It most likely won't win Best Picture, but the subject matter and the performances are well worth it. I thought it was incredible watching the world literally grow each step of the movie. We start in a small room and watch as the world expands before our eyes to a bigger, more colorful world. We see both the dark and the light explored in great detail in Room. Bridge of Spies is an underrated movie. I thought it had great tension throughout and you saw how both the United States and the Soviet Union dealt with spies. You saw how spies operated for both countries. It was really interesting to watch and the performances really bolstered a compelling story bolstered by two family men. Brooklyn did really well approaching life in two different countries with one girl's decision to choose between Ireland and New York. Capturing the Italian and Irish culture was fun to watch. You were given a sense of how different cultures mesh. Mad Max: Fury Road is so visually amazing. This is a movie that goes all out with costumes, make-up, and just an overall fun movie experience. The action is off the page exciting. Watching the different colors and visually amazing scenes take place is exciting. The Martian is interesting in terms of watching how Mark Watney adapts to life on Mars. The Big Short is a movie that explores the financial bubble of the mid-2000s. In terms of the cast, it's brilliant. In terms of the overall movie, it really isn't necessary to make this. Nobody wants to watch a movie about the financial crisis. I did laugh at the terrible fake beards throughout in this. I think the best movie of the year was omitted, and that is Ex Machina. Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, and Domnhall Gleeson all were stellar in this. The story overall was incredible, and the twist was pulled off so well. Nothing even came close to being as good as Ex Machina in 2015. I thought Ex Machina had a chance of being included, but it just didn't make the cut. If I was making the selections it would have been the first movie I included. I also think it's a shame that The Hateful Eight wasn't included. This was a great, character driven, dialogue heavy mystery movie that had me invested from the opening carriage ride. The Hateful Eight had very good story-telling, solid dialogue, humor (definitely dark at times), mystery, and lots of crimson. While it does bother me that Ex Machina and the Hateful Eight are not included, Spotlight is excellent and more than deserving of a Best Picture win. I'd be perfectly fine with Room, The Revenant, or Bridge of Spies winning as well.
BEST ACTOR:
Bryan Cranston-Trumbo
Matt Damon-The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio-The Revenant
Michael Fassbender-Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne-The Danish Girl
I think one common theme about the Best Actor list this year is perseverence. Each one of these performances in some way tested the resolve of the character. Is this the year? Could it finally be the moment? Will my favorite actor of all time finally win the award that has eluded him? I think this is the year Leonardo DiCaprio wins the Best Actor Oscar. The man has turned out solid work since 2002. In fact, Gangs of New York & Catch Me If You Can are both in my Top 5 favorite movies of all time, and DiCaprio was a lead in both of those movies. Even before 2002, he was putting out solid work in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (which he was nominated for), Basketball Diaries, Titanic, and The Man in the Iron Mask. I think his performance as Hugh Glass was incredible in The Revenant. This was a very physical performance. The audience felt the physical exertion on his body and mind throughout this movie. The pain and anguish was written on his face. I think DiCaprio did an amazing job showing the resolve of the human spirit. He kept dusting himself off and finding a way back. There was so much intensity in the performance. DiCaprio is just a flat out good actor, and I'm always amazed to see how much he puts himself into his movies. I think this is a year where there is a definite winner for Best Actor, but with the Academy you never know. I'm really pulling for a DiCaprio win. Bryan Cranston is a great actor shaping one of the most iconic characters in television history as Walter White in Breaking Bad. He's more known for his television roles, but he can translate that to screen. I thought Trumbo was good simply because it was a great look at how Hollywood was affected by the red scare. Dalton Trumbo was a screenwriter that was blacklisted (which means he was labeled a communist). He was one of the highest paid writers. He refused to give names to HUAC on actors and writers that were rumored communists, which ultimately put him in prison. He used his writing to question to the government. Cranston did well capturing the look and mannerisms of Trumbo. While I don't see Cranston picking up the win here, I definitely think his performance was well done and indicative of a chaotic time in Hollywood and the United States in general. Matt Damon's Mark Watney was left behind on a Mars mission. In order to survive, he had to devise ways to grow food and figure out how to survive on another planet. Watching the physical toll it takes on him, while also using his intellect, he is able to grow potatoes and explore the planet to send messages back to Earth to get a rescue mission. Damon did well providing some great comedic lines to break the dramatic nature of Watney's environment. He also displayed the physical toll it took on him well. Damon balanced drama and comedy so well in this role. While there was a good supporting cast, this movie is all Damon. He sets the tone for the movie at the right intervals. I think the right person had to be on screen in order for the audience to be invested in Watney's journey, and Matt Damon is a great actor for that. Since Good Will Hunting, he's proven that he's a truly gifted actor. While I don't necessarily see Damon picking up the win, this easily is one of his best performances, and deserves to be praised by the Academy and by audiences throughout the world. While Michael Fassbender is one of my favorite actors, I didn't particularly like his role as Steve Jobs. Fassbender didn't seem to be interested in the performance he was in, and I could understand that. The writing is not Aaron Sorkin's best. He's capable of so much more. Fassbender felt wooden at many points in this movie, and the focus on his relationship with his daughter never should have been the focus.. They focused more on his relationships than the technological aspects of his life. Steve Jobs really never gets to that next level and kind of fell flat. We literally just saw a movie about Steve Jobs a few years back with Ashton Kutcher and that completely bombed. I think the reason is nobody really wants to watch a movie about Steve Jobs. Even Michael Fassbender understands that, and his performance reflected that. Fassbender should have been nominated for Macbeth instead. Eddie Redmayne is wise in the movies he agrees to be a part of. Last year, he pulled off the win for Stephen Hawking in Theory of Everything. I thought Michael Keaton had it in the bag for Birdman as did most people. Even Keaton was ready to spring out of his seat. Redmayne's transformation to Lile Elbe is intriguing to watch. It's a powerful movie for the transgender community. I still think that Redmayne's performance was pretty flat. Instead of The Danish Girl focusing on fear, inner conflict, and the close mindedness of society, it really just looked at the surface and focused on Eddie Redmayne in a dress. It touched on the elements I mentioned, but we never fully become invested in Redmayne's performance, because he never allows himself to go that extra mile. I think he will be capable of that with more performances in the next few years. I think this is going to be Leonardo DiCaprio's year, and I'm fully in support of that. The Revenant physically represents his resolve to keep pushing towards that podium. The physical exertion of all his hard work over the years should finally be realized this year. Let's Go Leo! I'm not ruling out a surprise victory from the other four, but I really think this is finally going to be DiCaprio's year!
BEST ACTRESS:
Cate Blanchett-Carol
Brie Larson-Room
Jennifer Lawrence-Joy
Charlotte Rampling-45 Years
Saoirse Ronan-Brooklyn
I am always invested in female movie and television performances. Every year I have a definite favorite of who I want to win in this particular category, and this year isn't any different as I am 100% in support of Brie Larson winning for her incredible role as Joy in Room. It's amazing watching Joy sacrifice herself in several ways both physically and mentally to nurture and protect Jack. Her stories are exciting and educate Jack. She creates fun adventures for him to fill his days, which helps him think and become more well rounded as an individual with limited resources at their disposal. It's amazing to watch Joy persevere despite the dark realities she faces at the hands of "Old Nick."Brie Larson is such a talented actress. Watching Joy in the small world she creates with Jack vs. the big outside world creates a dynamic, well-rounded character. Larson's interactions with Jack, "Old Nick", and her parents are all vastly different and demonstrate Larson's range as an actress. She more than deserves the nomination and win here. Jennifer Lawrence's role as Joy didn't feel like a performance to me. It just felt like Lawrence was talking to the audience as herself. I am not the biggest fan of Lawrence, but I understand the nomination for her taking a role that goes beyond a woman selling mops. It's a story about family and all the negative things she has to deal with. People are praising this performance, and I'm just not understanding it. Most of it has to do with the fact that I am not a fan of David O'Russell's work overall. I didn't particularly find Silver Linings Playbook or American Hustle to be anything great, and I felt the same way about Joy. Lawrence was front and center in this movie, and put her all into it, but at the same time I never became fully invested in the story. It jumps from a comedy to a drama to a crime story to comedy again. Make up your mind O'Russell! Lawrence tends to overact in her performances and you sensed it at certain points here. It's a huge reason why I disliked her role in American Hustle. The Academy is a fan of her and David O'Russell, so it's not surprising that this made the list. It's probably the biggest competition to Larson in this category I would think. Cate Blanchett is one of my all time favorite actresses. She was great in Carol, because she really set the tone for the movie. Her interactions with Rooney Mara were great-lots of this movie is carried by facial expression and building tension. That's why I think it was wise to have Blanchett in this role. She knows how to command the screen with her eyes and pull the audience in. Though Carol may be slow at times, I still was captivated by everything Blanchett did in her interactions with Therese and Kyle Chandler's (who in my opinion created one of the greatest male television characters of all time in Eric Taylor in Friday Night Lights) Harge. Her scenes with Blanchett's steely gaze at Therese is intimidating, but amazing at the same time. The second half focuses on Carol with the situation with Rudin and the scenes with Harge. Blanchett is incredible! In my opinion, the last great female Oscar winning performance was Blanchett's work in Blue Jasmine. That was simply amazing work, and while this movie has a slower pace, the build-up and tension between Carol & Therese is simply excellent. I am going to be honest and admit that I haven't seen 45 Years. I am aware of Charlotte Rampling and I do know she is capable of delivering a good performance. She was the bright spot in Dexter Season 8 as Evelyn Vogel. I enjoyed Saoirse Ronan's performance as Eilis in Brooklyn. We follow this girl's journey as she learns to adapt in two different countries: her native Ireland & the United States-specificially in Brooklyn, New York. Ronan had to develop two different identities for each country while still maintaing her original blueprint as a character, and she succeeded. I enjoyed the Irish/Italian romance with Ronan and Emory Cohen's Tony. I thought she really meshed well with him and Domnhall Gleeson's Jim Farrell. Ronan sets the tone for the movie. She takes an ordinary character and manages to make it intriguing. It's a solid performance by a young actress that certainly deserves to be on this list. If I had to edit this list, I would remove Charlotte Rampling and replace her with Carey Mulligan's Maud from Suffragette. It was one of my 5 favorite female performances this year-with Alicia Vikander's Ava in Ex Machina, Daisy Ridley's Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Emma Stone's Jill in Irrational Man, and of course Brie Larson as Joy in Room being the other four. I was disappointed she wasn't nominated. I loved watching Mulligan's Maud evolve over the course of the movie. Her scenes in Parliament discussing wage raises and the women's vote, burning that chauvinist douche's hand with the iron, and the interrogation scene with Brendan Gleeson where you finally see how this vote and her rights as a mother would mean in the grand scope of things were incredible to watch. If we're supposed to be celebrating the best performances of 2015, then we need to include Mulligan's Maud. Carey Mulligan is in my Top 3 actresses. I've been impressed with all of her work since An Education. Even though Mulligan was criminally omitted, I do have a definite favorite I can rally behind, and that is Brie Larson! Go Brie! You more than deserve this nomination and hopefully a win.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Christian Bale-The Big Short
Tom Hardy-The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo-Spotlight
Mark Rylance-Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone-Creed
I think the Academy missed out big time on the Best Supporting Actor nominations. While there are definitely performances nominated here that I believe deserve to be here, there is a huge omission that bothers me a great deal. That omission is Jacob Tremblay for his role as Jack in Room. Nobody deserved a nomination for Best Supporting Actor more than him. Maybe they feel he is too young, but Anna Paquin was only a year older when she won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Piano. Tremblay was the heart and soul of this movie, and even Brie Larson has said this in multiple interviews and even thanked him in her Golden Globe speech for her performance. Tremblay uses the stories and valuable information that Joy teaches him in their little space together. He is able to eventually apply it to a big, outside world setting. Room is really seen through Jack's eyes. Watching the small, isolated world blended with the big, chaotic outside world through Jack's eyes and voice is incredible. For a young actor, he was able to show mature emotion and depth to his character of Jack that most actors 20 years older than him wish they could achieve. This list is far from being complete when the best supporting actor performance of the year was left off. I think the sentimental favorite, as well as the nominee most likely to win is Sylvester Stallone as he reprises one of the most iconic characters in movie history in Rocky Balboa. While Stallone may not necessarily be the best actor, Stallone puts his all into the Rocky Balboa role. In this movie, Michael B. Jordan filled his shoes as the fighter, and did well as Jordan usually delivers strong performances. If you need proof, check out his role as Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights or his work in Fruitvale Station. Stallone's best work has always been in the Rocky series, and his work as a mentor here is excellent. Many of his quotes are inspirational and it's one of those stories that make movie audiences excited, because in the end we know the story will be fulfilling for the characters. I think it would be awesome to see Stallone win as it will serve as a career achievement in shaping a character from start to finish over the course of five decades. Rocky won Best Picture in 1976, and Stallone wrote and directed it. Stallone getting the win for the actual performance just seems right. I would have no issues with Stallone winning at all. My favorite of the nominees is definitely Tom Hardy's John Fitzgerald in The Revenant. What I loved about Hardy in this role was how ruthless he was. He was a phenomenal antagonist. Hardy was actually a perfect person to play this role as he has the look of an absolute brute that just doesn't care. His interactions with Leonardo DiCaprio are excellent. To me, Hardy presents the yang of the human spirit-the dark side, how we're capable of terrible things, while DiCaprio represents the yin-he is the light, we're capable of shunning terrible things and fighting to get back from the dark. To me, that is the core of The Revenant-the human spirit, and Hardy's representation of the dark is simply amazing. He deserves a win for how sadistic he made the John Fitzgerald role. Another performance that I felt was good that could potentially win is Mark Ruffalo's work as Mike Rezendes in Spotlight. Realistically, Ruffalo is the actor we end up identifying with most as we follow him on his journey to bring down the despicable acts of the Catholic Church. His passion and energy he puts into his research is awesome to watch. I felt Rezendes anger through Ruffalo's drive to collect testimony and delve deeper into the theological corruption at hand. His outburst towards Michael Keaton's Robby Robinson was well timed and showed how the case was becoming personal to him. He was driven on this case. I would say this could be Ruffalo's best work of his career. While this movie features a tremendous ensemble cast, it's Ruffalo in the driver's seat for most of the movie. He sets the tone in many of the scenes and decides what direction Spotlight will take next. I felt as if Ruffalo became Mike Rezendes. That's the mark of a good performance-if you believe the actor on screen is invested in the character and the story. I was invested in everything Ruffalo did here, and a win for him would be well deserved in my opinion. Bridge of Spies was one of the most underrated movies of the years. Going along with that theme, Mark Rylance's role as the KGB Soviet intelligence officer Rudolf Abel is underrated as well. He was definitely guilty of being a spy, but I really liked how much the movie made me care about Rudolf Abel the person regardless of whether he was a spy or not. In reality, Abel is only doing what his country asked of him. He's a family man, and Rylance did really well displaying his role as an intelligent spy staying one step ahead of the law, but at the same time showed us how good hearted he is. We had the same type of situation going on over in Russia. I think this also showed how the justice system can be a beautiful thing when practiced in a balanced and fair manner. James B. Donovan did everything in his power as a family man to assist Abel and show that he is a family man as well. Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance had great chemistry. Their discussions in the prison were well written and presented how the United States and a foreign power can communicate in a peaceful, democratic way. I don't think Rylance has a chance at winning, but I was pleasantly surprised to see him on the list. I am not understanding the praise for The Big Short. Christian Bale's performance was eccentric, but Bale has always been like that. This isn't a great performance. It's Bale portraying an eccentric, lonely genius that quite frankly, much like the rest of the movie didn't pull me in at all. As I said, I don't want to watch a movie about the financial crisis. I thought we were supposed to go to movies to escape. The cast is solid in this, but I think they all signed up, because one or the other felt they had a chance to be nominated for an Oscar. If they wanted to nominate an eccentric, lonely genius character for Best Supporting Actor, they should have included Oscar Isaac's role as Nathan in Ex Machina. That was a compelling performance and didn't feel like I was reading a cue card with financial jargon on it. Isaac was omitted last year for his excellent performance as Llewyn Davis, so I shouldn't be surprised. I feel they just put Bale on the list, because they wanted The Big Short to be represented, and that's a shame really. Overall, the list for Best Supporting Actor is decent, however, not including Jacob Tremblay or Oscar Isaac is ridiculous quite frankly. Those are two performances that immediately came to mind when I hear this category. Sylvester Stallone will most likely pick up the win achieving every possible award he could for the Rocky universe, and it would be apropos in my opinion. I am hoping for a Tom Hardy or Mark Ruffalo win, as I felt those were the two most compelling performances from the nominees listed.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Jennifer Jason Leigh-The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara-Carol
Rachel McAdams-Spotlight
Alicia Vikander-The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet-Steve Jobs
There's alot of good performances nominated in the Best Supporting Actress list delivered by talented actresses. There's three performances here that I would like to see win, but I think there's a definite winner set for this category. I think this is a category where it's an easy win for Kate Winslet as Johanna Hoffman in Steve Jobs. That doesn't mean I thought it was a good performance. I like Winslet, but I think much like Fassbender and much like the audience they just weren't invested in the movie. I liked watching Winslet's look change from 1984 to 1988 to 1998. The different make-up and clothing designs through the years was more interesting than the performance I felt. Without Winslet, there probably wouldn't have been anything worthwhile in this movie. However, as you can tell I'm mostly talking about appearance when her performance should speak to the audience. Her performance just never pulled me in no matter how she stood up to Fassbender's Steve Jobs. I didn't find it compelling. The only reason I don't have a problem with her winning is the photos that could possibly happen at the after party with Leonardo DiCaprio posing with her after he hopefully wins. My pick would definitely be Jennifer Jason Leigh's over the top character of Daisy Domergue. Much of the movie revolves around the Daisy character. There's never a point in this movie where Daisy doesn't have a bruise on her face. She is so unladylike, but I think that element of her character is pretty interesting to watch. Quentin Tarantino has always created strong female characters, and Daisy is a great addition to the list. The bloody finale is amazing to watch. The resolve and the Just Bring It attitude of Daisy makes her larger than life. JJL was so animated in this movie, and I think with the nature of the movie it made perfect sense. I doubt she will win, but at least she was nominated for her intense performance. The only other performance I liked in this category would be Alicia Vikander's role as Gilda Wegenar in The Danish Girl. To me, Vikander is the heart of this movie. Her performance should have been conveyed through Eddie Redmayne's Lili Elbe character, but Vikander has more range as an actress and has a brighter future in my opinion, and I think Tom Hooper knows that. Vikander presented an artist's wife with concern and sensitivity to Lili's state of mind. It's a performance where even though the movie is about Lili, Gilda completely stole the show. I think Vikander should have been on the list, but I think she should have been nominated for her role as Ava in Ex Machina instead. Her ability to differentiate between being a robot and a human female was amazing to watch. I also love watching how intelligent the Ava character is, particularly with the twist at the end. While her work as Gilda was great, I would have nominated her for Ex Machina as it's her breakthrough role. Ava launched Alicia Vikander and is a big reason why she has been a force in the last year and a half. Rooney Mara's breakthrough role was as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo a few years back, which she was nominated for. I figured that the Academy would split the vote between her and Cate Blanchett. Realistically, it's the right call to put Mara on the Best Supporting list since Carol is the main character. Mara did well as Therese. She really did well displaying that nervous tension while slowly falling in love with Blanchett's Carol. If you watch the movie, the first half is great in terms of seeing the story through Therese's eyes. It's a performance that shows an actress in Mara evolving into a deep, emotional role. The love story is amazing just based on the dialogue used throughout. Blanchett acts as a guide, and Mara reacts to her whims. It worked well. While I like Rachel McAdams and the movie Spotlight, I didn't think McAdams character had enough screen time for me to become invested in her character of Sacha Pfeiffer. The overall premise of the character fell flat. Much of the movie was dictated by Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton, which didn't leave enough for McAdams to deal with. Had she been able to develop her character more or have a stand out scene, I would be more invested here. She did well with the interviews and taking the initiative to keep digging for stories, but her character fell flat, because of the lack of development. One performance I would have included here is Emma Stone's Jill in Irrational Man. I actually feel she might just be the best actress right now. In this movie, she commands the screen dealing with issues of commitment to Roy, as well as being drawn to the alluring mystery of the complicated Abe. Her energy and delivery of dialogue is always on point here. Her chemistry with Joaquin Phoenix was great. The dinner table scene discussing what happened to a prominent member ot the community was a great example. It showed how intellectual Jill is. It takes a great actress to shape Jill into a well-rounded character and Stone does this in her dealings with Abe and Roy, as well as her approach in dealing with issues that arise from Abe's actions whether physically, verbally, or emotionally. I think the Oscars should look at movies throughout the year when determining nominations as opposed to just the performances that come out in the fall months. I'd love to see Stone eventually win an Oscar. I think she will down the line, but for now I'll sit back and enjoy her work. Overall, there's an interesting mix of roles here with my favorite being Jennifer Jason's Leigh's Daisy Domergue, but Alicia Vikander and Rooney Mara did well in their respective roles. I would have loved to see Vikander nominated for Ex Machina, but she still gave a great performance in The Danish Girl. Kate Winslet most likely will walk away with the win here.
Now that I have covered thefive major categories I hope the readers of this blog will enjoy this look into the 88th Academy Awards. The only other thing I'd like to add is I hope to see Alejandro Innaritu win Best Director. I hope to see Inside Out win Best Animated Picture. Inside Out is incredible. I love the unique characters based in emotions as well as the entertaining journey Joy and Sadness embark on. I enjoyed writing this Oscars piece and hope you enjoy reading it. There are some really competitive categories, and it should be interesting to see what Chris Rock s does as the host.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review
Justin, Mike, & I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 20, 2015!! I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It's easily in my Top 5 movies of 2015 with Ex Machina, Inside Out, Mad Max, & Insurgent being the other four. Star Wars is my second favorite franchise after Harry Potter. Personally, I have enjoyed all six movies & I think this will be a great new trilogy for fans of all generations to enjoy. I had been eagerly anticipating this movie for a long time, and finally after seeing it, I'm very impressed with what I saw. It's in my Top 3 Star Wars movies with The Empire Strikes Back & Revenge of the Sith being the other two. I think J.J. Abrams did an excellent job with the franchise.
With a compelling new adventure, we follow new characters blended with familiar characters from the past to create an intriguing movie experience. I liked the idea of mixing the past with the future. The story for the new trilogy is really well done thus far. There were new plot points that built off of the past that will fuel the future for our newer characters. I like how sinister they made the First Order. You need to make a threat more menacing as a story progresses, and they really sold that well throughout the whole movie. The plot gave us some great twists which ultimately provides great background & depth for several main characters. Even some points that haven't necessarily been revealed yet make you predict the next step of the journey. I certainly can tell you where I think things are going, and if they are there is finally a Jedi character for me to fully support 100%, but I'm not going to reveal that. You have to see the movie to find out.
I would like to touch on two performances that I felt stole the show. I think Daisy Ridley's Rey & Adam Driver's Kylo Ren completely made this movie. While I loved so many things about this movie, these two characters are the heart and soul of the new trilogy. Ridley's Rey is easily in my Top 3 Star Wars characters of all time with Emperor Palpatine & Darth Vader being the other two. Her courage, her ability to solve problems on a whim, her fighting spirit, and her importance to the Star Wars universe as a whole, as well as her wit & cute look makes her a complete package. She ran the show. This is a breakthrough role that will solidify a career for this girl. Rey is so easy to like. Much like Alicia Vikander, you can just sense greatness in Daisy Ridley. She stole every scene she was a part of, and I think she will be the most important part of the trilogy going forward. Adam Driver just bled Sith here, and I absolutely loved it. This is the kind of Sith character I root for. He is cut very much from the cloth of Emperor Palpatine & Darth Vader, and he easily could have been part of their regime, which I fully supported 100%. Driver's ability to show a sadistic side whether it was calm or enraged showed me how much this trilogy means to him. Kylo Ren is going to end up being one of the better character studies in Star Wars based on how much dept this character has. Driver really knew how to deliver the dialogue, present an intimidating presence even when calm, and physically represent the cerebral nature of the new First Order. Thank you Daisy Ridley & Adam Driver for presenting two new characters that have me fully invested in this new trilogy adventure.
The effects, the battle sequences (particularly the light saber battles), the past meshing with the future, the compelling plot, the excellent twists, and a breakthrough performance by Daisy Ridley, as well as a brilliant look at the First Order & the Resistance make this an easy 5/5.
With a compelling new adventure, we follow new characters blended with familiar characters from the past to create an intriguing movie experience. I liked the idea of mixing the past with the future. The story for the new trilogy is really well done thus far. There were new plot points that built off of the past that will fuel the future for our newer characters. I like how sinister they made the First Order. You need to make a threat more menacing as a story progresses, and they really sold that well throughout the whole movie. The plot gave us some great twists which ultimately provides great background & depth for several main characters. Even some points that haven't necessarily been revealed yet make you predict the next step of the journey. I certainly can tell you where I think things are going, and if they are there is finally a Jedi character for me to fully support 100%, but I'm not going to reveal that. You have to see the movie to find out.
I would like to touch on two performances that I felt stole the show. I think Daisy Ridley's Rey & Adam Driver's Kylo Ren completely made this movie. While I loved so many things about this movie, these two characters are the heart and soul of the new trilogy. Ridley's Rey is easily in my Top 3 Star Wars characters of all time with Emperor Palpatine & Darth Vader being the other two. Her courage, her ability to solve problems on a whim, her fighting spirit, and her importance to the Star Wars universe as a whole, as well as her wit & cute look makes her a complete package. She ran the show. This is a breakthrough role that will solidify a career for this girl. Rey is so easy to like. Much like Alicia Vikander, you can just sense greatness in Daisy Ridley. She stole every scene she was a part of, and I think she will be the most important part of the trilogy going forward. Adam Driver just bled Sith here, and I absolutely loved it. This is the kind of Sith character I root for. He is cut very much from the cloth of Emperor Palpatine & Darth Vader, and he easily could have been part of their regime, which I fully supported 100%. Driver's ability to show a sadistic side whether it was calm or enraged showed me how much this trilogy means to him. Kylo Ren is going to end up being one of the better character studies in Star Wars based on how much dept this character has. Driver really knew how to deliver the dialogue, present an intimidating presence even when calm, and physically represent the cerebral nature of the new First Order. Thank you Daisy Ridley & Adam Driver for presenting two new characters that have me fully invested in this new trilogy adventure.
The effects, the battle sequences (particularly the light saber battles), the past meshing with the future, the compelling plot, the excellent twists, and a breakthrough performance by Daisy Ridley, as well as a brilliant look at the First Order & the Resistance make this an easy 5/5.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Suffragette Review
Justin, Dad, & I saw Suffragette on November 9, 2015!! This is easily one of the best movies of 2015!! It certainly deserves awards accolades for the Golden Globes and the Oscars. There is no question about it. This movie blended a tumultuous historic time period during the British suffragette movement blended with an original story centering on a sect of working class women in the UK.
The movie centers on three themes: the female vote, a mother's rights as it pertains to her children, & societal relationships of men and women. Centering on the character of Maud Watts, we follow her as she starts out as an obedient woman, listening to whatever men tell her to do and following the order of the day. As we watch the movie progess, actions and words ignite a spark that grows within her to join a powerful movement to create change for women in the United Kingdom. There were so many instances where V For Vendetta was on my mind, and that's great to see. The suffragettes have to resort to the same type of deeds (as Emeline Pankhurst instructs her followrs) that V does to create some change. Words weren't working. Sometimes, it takes extreme measures: sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears to achieve a goal. The passion of these women to overcome struggle is amazing to watch. Physically and mentally, these brave foot soldiers started a true "diva's revolution" (wrestling term) that saw many casualties, but ultimately would be effective in creating change.
Since I saw her in An Education, Carey Mulligan instantly became one of my favorite actresses. I consider her to be one of the very best actresses today. I love watching Mulligan's Maud evolve over the course of the movie-her scenes in Parliament discussing wage raises & the women's vote, burning the chauvinist douche with the iron, and the interrogation scene with Brendan Gleeson where you finally see how much this vote and her rights as a mother would mean in the grand scope of things were incredible to watch. Carey Mulligan deserves a Best Actress nomination for this movie. I legitimately have liked her in everything she's done from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps to Drive to Shame to An Education to The Great Gatsby to her smaller role in Inside Llewyn Davis-her commitment to her roles and her natural talent make her such a force in the movie industry. Her work as Maud is such a defining acting achievement. You laugh with her, cry with her, and get agitated with her as we follow her journey throughout the movie.
I think Helena Bonham Carter's Edith Ellyn was a great supporting character-she is really the one that served as the general on the frontlines for the sufragettes, while Meryl Streep's Emmeline Pankhurst acts as the queen of the movement. Streep had a cameo, but the speech was delivered well and you can tell Streep was into it. Pankhurst's speech, Ellyn's training, Maud's growing passion, & the drive & sacrifice of women like Emily Davison (the derby scene was excellent-the sudden silence on screen combined with the images & raw emotion was superb) shows that the men can oppress, the men can beat them, but they will not take their fight, because the women will fight back and the women will get the votes, the equality, and mother's rights. This movie gets a definite 5/5 for me, especially for a show stealing, career defining performance by Carey Mulligan as Maud & a tremendous movie exploring an intriguing time period in the women's movement, as well as combining it with an original story showing how far the struggle went.
The movie centers on three themes: the female vote, a mother's rights as it pertains to her children, & societal relationships of men and women. Centering on the character of Maud Watts, we follow her as she starts out as an obedient woman, listening to whatever men tell her to do and following the order of the day. As we watch the movie progess, actions and words ignite a spark that grows within her to join a powerful movement to create change for women in the United Kingdom. There were so many instances where V For Vendetta was on my mind, and that's great to see. The suffragettes have to resort to the same type of deeds (as Emeline Pankhurst instructs her followrs) that V does to create some change. Words weren't working. Sometimes, it takes extreme measures: sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears to achieve a goal. The passion of these women to overcome struggle is amazing to watch. Physically and mentally, these brave foot soldiers started a true "diva's revolution" (wrestling term) that saw many casualties, but ultimately would be effective in creating change.
Since I saw her in An Education, Carey Mulligan instantly became one of my favorite actresses. I consider her to be one of the very best actresses today. I love watching Mulligan's Maud evolve over the course of the movie-her scenes in Parliament discussing wage raises & the women's vote, burning the chauvinist douche with the iron, and the interrogation scene with Brendan Gleeson where you finally see how much this vote and her rights as a mother would mean in the grand scope of things were incredible to watch. Carey Mulligan deserves a Best Actress nomination for this movie. I legitimately have liked her in everything she's done from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps to Drive to Shame to An Education to The Great Gatsby to her smaller role in Inside Llewyn Davis-her commitment to her roles and her natural talent make her such a force in the movie industry. Her work as Maud is such a defining acting achievement. You laugh with her, cry with her, and get agitated with her as we follow her journey throughout the movie.
I think Helena Bonham Carter's Edith Ellyn was a great supporting character-she is really the one that served as the general on the frontlines for the sufragettes, while Meryl Streep's Emmeline Pankhurst acts as the queen of the movement. Streep had a cameo, but the speech was delivered well and you can tell Streep was into it. Pankhurst's speech, Ellyn's training, Maud's growing passion, & the drive & sacrifice of women like Emily Davison (the derby scene was excellent-the sudden silence on screen combined with the images & raw emotion was superb) shows that the men can oppress, the men can beat them, but they will not take their fight, because the women will fight back and the women will get the votes, the equality, and mother's rights. This movie gets a definite 5/5 for me, especially for a show stealing, career defining performance by Carey Mulligan as Maud & a tremendous movie exploring an intriguing time period in the women's movement, as well as combining it with an original story showing how far the struggle went.
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