I am a writer and avid entertainment buff. This is a review of music, books, television, and especially movies, by a regular consumer for the regular consumer.
Dark. Poignant. Disturbing. Ruthless. Finally, politics I can get behind.
On February 1, 2013, Netflix introduced the world to a new political drama starring two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Now, I was a bit skeptical at first. Seriously, another political drama. But I of course gave it a whirl. I do enjoy my political dramas. I was a big fan of The West Wing and I am one of the millions of Scandal addicts.
Season 1 starts off with a bang with lead character Frank Underwood (Spacey), a congressman from South Carolina, killing a dying dog with his bare hands. That scene was so pivotal because right off the bat, we are introduced to the ruthlessness of Frank and we, as the audience know he is not going to be Mr. Rogers. Underwood is on a whole other level of disturbed. He is power hungry and losing pretty much anything is his kryptonite. This man will literally stop at nothing to have everything he wants. Kevin Spacey portrays him in a way that almost chills you to the bone. In other words, in a way only Kevin Spacey can. At first, his wife Claire, was a little difficult to analyze. At first, my thought this was just another cold fish of a television wife, trying too hard to be a cold fish. This is not the case. This woman is stone cold and I think I love her. There is a reason Robin Wright is the first actor to win a major award for a web only television series when she won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama series. She is able to grace the screen with such a frosty stoicism that the temperature practically dropped while I was watching.
The writing is superb with some of the words hitting you like a bullet in the dark. I think many people would agree when I say that Frank and Claire Underwood are probably the most intriguing yet darkest pair of characters on the small screen these days. House of Cards is a very different kind of political drama. It is no secret that at the helm are a husband and wife team with some very serious control issues. There has also been a threesome with a Secret Service agent, beer pong in the White House, a reporter pushed in front of a train, and a first lady peeing in front of a Russian diplomat.
Season three was revolutionary in writing, acting, even camera angles at times. However I am sorry to say, the ending, although not expected, was too generic for this show. Claire is a stone wall, maybe even titanium and she does a 360 and turns into every other wife on television, whining about not enough attention right at the very end of the season finale. This is not Claire Underwood. I only hope at the beginning of Season 4, it goes back to extraordinary and quickly leaves this very ordinary and, I am sorry to say, trite way to end what was an exceptional season. House of Cards so far has been a tight, taunt structure full of subtle twists and turns that will, at times, leave you speechless. Hopefully, it will soon not all fall apart.
You know, I've seen a lot of movies in my time and anyone who knows me knows I like the dark ones with the twisted, dark characters. Now, I always believe in full disclosure which means I have to admit first that I have not read the book. Since right before the movie came out, everyone was reading it which makes me one of about a dozen people in the world who have not read it.
Okay, back to my love of dark and twisted movies and their characters. If you enjoy those aspects of movies also, you will also know there have been so many awesomely dark characters in cinema. For every Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill, there's an Aileen Wournos, Jigsaw, Annie Wilkes, John Doe (Seven), Norman Bates, and Jack Torrance.
Just to let you know right off the bat, I am not going to say who is the twisted one in this intriguingly dark tale of love, marriage, and all the straight jackets in between. That would make a bad, bad movie critic and I would really need to be slapped hard on the hand. On the simpler side, Gone Girl is the tragic story of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a bar owner in a small town whose life is suddenly put to a grinding halt when, on his fifth wedding anniversary, his wife Amy goes missing. Also, again on the simpler side, most of the movie is is trying to decipher, "did Nick Dunne kill his wife?" The story weaves like an episode of Law and Order but you will figure out there is more to this story of whether simply did Nick Dunne kill his wife or not.
So, that is all I am saying about the plot itself. This is storytelling at its finest. At first, the flow is perfect, like floating on a Texas Hill Country river in summer while it is at the perfect level. Suddenly, it turns into a riptide, pulling you under and trying to rip each limb out of your body. It is even hard to say too much about the performances, worrying I will divulge too much about this deliciously nasty plot. Ben Affleck is great, definitely continuing his massive comeback (Matthew McConaughey's is called the McConnaissance but I am trying to figure out what to call Ben's). Neil Patrick Harris plays a very different type is this movie, definitely putting Barney in the rearview mirror. It was odd seeing him in this type of role and I need to do some more pondering before I decide if I want to see it again or not. I think he will put Barney far, far behind him and us. The standout is Rosamund Pike who portrays the kidnapped Amy Dunne. All I can say is she better get some major award love next year.
This is one of the best American dramas this year. There are no car chases, big explosions or natural disasters. It's a deep, dark story, with actors and great writing leading the way. If you do not experience this film, I am afraid you will be gone too.
This is one of those movies that will grab you by the collar, push your butt in the seat and scream in your face, "watch me now and be in awe." Now, that is not because there are big giant Michael Bay-esque explosions dancing across the screen, not that there is anything wrong with that. Many of you know about this movie already, drooled during the trailer, or have seen it in its entirety and wiped the emotion from your eyes while leaving the theater.
The reason for the drooling (not that I did that at all when watching the trailer) was not only the story but the tour-de-force of talent just littering this picture. How can anyone not be in total awe of Robert Duvall? Granted, much of his career is before my time but I am lucky enough to have witnessed the awesomeness of his portrayal of "Boo Radley" in To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Hagen in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Lt. Colonel Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, and of course there is one of the most iconic performances of all freaking time, Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove. Yes, yes I am kind of a fan but I think that means I have impeccable taste. Also, I am by no means the only one because his career spans 58 years now.
Robert Downey, Jr. stars as Hank Palmer, a powered attorney living in Chicago. When a death in the family forces him to return to his hometown in Indiana, Hank is forced to face his father, Judge Joseph Palmer (Duvall) who he does not have the greatest relationship with. Right at the moment Hank is about to leave to go back to Chicago, his brother Glen (played surprisingly well by Vincent D'Onofrio) calls to let him know that their father has been arrested for hitting a man with his car. This causes Hank to be involved in the life, town, and family that he so desperately wants to be apart from. This is by far one of if not Robert Downey, Jr.'s finest performance. He is most definitely on a whole other plane in his career. He and Duvall are so powerful together, they are like a cinematic grenade exploding on the screen. Robert Duvall displays a whole new level of artistry as he portrays the tough as nails, small town judge. Vera Farmiga, who portrays one of the best television characters right now, Norma Bates on Bates Motel, plays Hank's childhood sweetheart Samantha. Farmiga has always done a very nice job of portraying women who are heavily layered and complicated, but she is definitely versatile enough to play the laid back, girl next door type. That surprised me because I did not see that side in her at first. I also liked seeing Billy Bob Thornton back on the silver screen but his performance was pretty usual for him. What I mean is he plays a certain kind of character extremely well, a prosecuting attorney being one of them, but I do not see him playing a character like Hank Palmer for instance. However, he could always surprise me one day and I would like to see that.
The Judge is a film that is not going to be for everyone but for
the ones who like a good, deeply dark family drama with bits of humor
mixed in then this movie is for you. It does, however, get down and
dirty with the family dynamics that many of us face every day and so for
a lot of people (including me), this movie is going to hit close to
home for you and there are scenes that will be hard to watch which made this story all the more real. The actors handled the intense scenes beautifully. It
definitely will make you think what is going on with your own family at
the moment or something you dealt with in the past. The Judge is a superb American drama with an equally superb cast and if you do not enjoy this movie, then yes, you will be judged.
In the wee hours this morning (June 6th), one of the most anticipated
and talked about television events of the year occurred. At 3 am here
in Texas, season 2 of Orange is the New Black premiered on the streaming service Netflix. About a day before it premiered, I skimmed one article that was analyzing the awesome trailer for the season and the author recommended maybe spending the entire summer watching the 13-episode season instead doing what is now known as binge-watching. I will first admit, right here, right now that I did not decide to wait, I binge watched the hell out of season 2 and in less than 48 hours (hey I still have to work), I was finished. It was the visual book I could not put down.
Jenji Kohan is the head writer and executive producer of the Netflix phenom that is Orange is the New Black. Before that, she is best known being the executive producer of one of the longest running cable programs ever, Weeds. Weeds was a revelation. It was something new and fresh and it was a force to be reckoned with when it hit the small screens. The story of a woman living in an affluent California suburb who starts selling pot after her husband unexpectedly drops dead of a heart attack, starred one of the most versatile actresses in Hollywood, Mary Louise Parker. She portrayed Nancy Botwin, who at first is just your run-of-the-mill widowed mom of two boys trying to keep her life as together as possible but soon finds out that her new career choice comes with consequences. Some of the situations were comical but many of them were very serious and of course as the years went on, her life spiraled out of control.
However, I am here to talk about characters and boy, did Nancy have some characters alongside her. There was Doug, the city councilman and one of her biggest customers who was by her side throughout the entire run of the show. One of my favorites was Celia Hodes, portrayed brilliantly by Elizabeth Perkins. She was one of those suburban moms who wanted the perfect suburban life with perfect husband and perfect child. Instead, Celia is married to Dean who she thinks is the biggest loser on Earth and her daughter is Isabelle, a young girl with a 'weight problem' and is also a lesbian. Celia even once said, "I should have had an abortion" while watching her daughter on video. Nancy has two sons, Silas and Shane. Silas is the oldest who becomes a force in the pot business. He is also insanely good looking and hooks up with just about every female he comes in contact with from a deaf girl while he is in high school to a much older divorcee. Shane is extremely smart but a bit of a sociopath of course. His extreme protection for his mom in all of her precarious situations put the entire family in grave danger many times. Then of course, there is Nancy's brother-in-law Andy who, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting, funny, dynamic characters in all of television. Another aspect that makes Kohan's characters so different than anyone else on television is in the writing and simply the crazy things they say. Obviously, her top two shows are not network shows so there is no censoring with what the characters say but still, some of the lines that come out of the characters mouths push the envelope even by cable standards. Any fan of Weeds who has watched the show more than once (I am not going to admit fully that I am one of those people) should remember his classic speech to his nephew Shane about the benefits and the how-tos on masturbating. I often wonder if that scene was shot in one take because Justin Kirk (actor who portrays Andy) spills his soliloquy so flawlessly, it really should go down as one of the iconic speeches in television history.
There were so many more extremely interesting and complex characters appearing in Weeds including Nancy's dealer in the beginning, Heylia James, a woman not to be messed with but knows how to do business. One of my favorite lines from her was, "I don't know, I guess you just bring out the fuck you in me."
That takes me to the vast, sweeping character driven vehicle that is Orange is the New Black. There really is no way to analyze every character in this show without doing a series of reviews (or a full-length novel), there are that many of them. It is most definitely one of the most successful female driven shows ever. Most of you might already be familiar with the premise, which is based on the memoir Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman. The title character, Piper Chapman is a young woman living the life in New York City with her fiance, Larry but perfection ends when she is sent to prison for being a drug mule ten years before. When we meet her in episode one, she is already in prison but throughout the series, we see her life before going in
as we do with the rest of the inmates. Chapman is annoying, weak, and incredible naive at first, which is exactly what she is supposed to be. She grows and gets stronger in a short period of time, which I would think is something that has to happen in prison. Taylor Shilling's performance is not entirely convincing but I do see her growing more in her role as time goes by and Chapman's 'time' goes by.
Of course, at first, even before the show premiered, we knew the star and title character was Chapman, but, and I know I am not just speaking for myself, that there are a bevy characters in this show that are on their way to being stars and title characters. These women are simply a force in talent and it being such a large group of them, I would have loved to been a fly on the wall during the casting process which had to have taken a really long time. A very versatile group of actresses, none of them really household names, explode onto the screen with dark, daring, comedic, soul-baring performances speaking dialogue from an equally dark, daring, comedic, and soul-baring script.
One of the most daring performers on the show is Laverne Cox, who portrays transgender woman/hairdresser to the inmates Burset on the show. Cox, who is a transgender woman herself, was featured on the cover of Time earlier in June and became the first transgender person ever to be on the cover. Then there is one of my favorites, the recent recipient of the best supporting actress award from the Critics' Choice television awards, Uzo Aduba. Aduba portrays Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, who delivers a tour-de-force performance in every episode especially in season 2. She, along with everyone else, up the ante for season 2 when it comes to performances. They were all great in season 1 but in season 2, we got to know them more with layer after layer exposed. Kate Mulgrew is one of the most established actresses of the bunch, best known for her role on Star Trek: Voyager. She portrays "Red," disgraced former head of the kitchen crew now trying to connive her way back in, however, runs into a major roadblock in season 2 when a 'friend' from the past comes back to the prison. Another face we know is Natasha Lyonne, famous for her role in the first two American Pie movies. She plays Nichols, whose constant sarcastic wit and promiscuity hides the fact that she wants to find some kind of real companionship, even behind bars. We also got to see one of the most anticipated appearances in the show, portraying the enigmatic Alex Vause, Laura Prepron (That 70's Show). Vause was Chapman's girlfriend ten years before and the drug dealer Chapman ran drugs for which is what landed her in prison in the first place. At first, Vause is a little difficult to read which is why I had to use the word enigmatic. She's confident and strong but doesn't show much emotion. Her role in Season 2 was smaller (only 4 episodes) and I cannot decide if she is sincere or a conniving bitch, or maybe a little of both. She acts more uppity than Chapman but no one gives her any grief about it. It has been announced though that she is appearing in every episode of Season 3, which I am very excited about.
The friendship between Poussey (Samira Wiley) and Taystee (Danielle Brooks) is one of the closest bonds in Litchfield. Even though Poussey has feelings for Taystee, their friendship has still stood the test, even with a roadblock of their own in Season 2. At first, I wasn't crazy about the relationship between Diaz (Dascha Polanco) and CO Bennett (Matt McGorry) but they have become almost cute. She and her mother, Mendoza, definitely got off to a rocky start but they have now gotten closer with her pregnancy. Mendoza, Red's replacement as head of the kitchen crew, definitely holds her own as one of the more aggressive of the inmates but is trying to make it right with her daughter.
Ahhh, what can be said about the little villain of Season 1, Pennsatucky? Tiffany, if she weren't in prison, would more likely be leading her own cult outside of the razor-sharp wire. She was quite the devious little twit in Season 1 and part of that big violent end to Season 1. She is still the one we love to hate in Season 2 but I think we may be liking her just a little bit more now.
I mentioned a 'roadblock' a couple of times and that would be the force of our Season 2 villain, Vee. She is extremely vicious and that is deliciously portrayed by one of my favorite character actresses, Lorraine Toussaint, who I loved in the show Any Day Now.
Then there is the drama with the employees of the Litchfield, and wow, is there some drama. The most colorful of the characters would definitely have to go to the resident horny little devil, CO Pornstache Mendez. This is a man who loves the job that everyone else loathes because he gets to push around and yell at a bunch of women who he considers the lowest of the low in society. Pablo Shrieber's performance is extremely convincing and in-your-face which is exactly as it should be. The young CO Bennett gets a lot of attention for knocking up Diaz, which is a very interesting storyline. I am interested to see how it develops in Season 3 and when she finally gives birth. Will he take care of the baby himself while she is in prison?
Obviously this entry is so long because of the critiquing of two great shows, both with large casts. I actually feel bad about all the characters I left out and I left out a lot of them. Jenji Kohan has paved her own way and it is a perfect time for that to happen. Her characters and story lines are dark and humorous. They are about people in situations that seem could really happen and that cannot be easy to do with the outlandish things that happens to them. The last several years, television has experienced an astonishing creative renaissance, with millions of people tuning into shows with jaw-dropping twists and turns which are generating news headlines week after week. Orange is the New Black is one of those shows and I personally cannot wait to see what the future holds for the inmates and employees of Litchfield. It is clearly apparent that these women are literally changing the face of the television character which is something that is not a crime.
At first, I wanted to write that this was like someone took "Seven," "Law and Order:SVU," and "The Silence of the Lambs," mashed them together and threw them in the Louisiana swamps and what wondered out was an eight episode act of haunting television beauty. Now, I do realize I put this show in a very positive light by that glowing review but the only negative I see is comparing this act of haunting television beauty to anything else, and I mean anything.
Matthew McConaughey continues his McConnaissance with his unfathomable portrayal of the tortured Detective Rust Cohle. It's not that he is a very complex man, he is just so exhaustively fed up with the world around him, and who wouldn't be. I would be too if I had the x-ray vision to look into a person's soul that this guy has, and be right all the time about what I saw.
Lets face it, Woody Harrelson is a chameleon and can literally absorb himself in every role he takes on. Detective Marty Hart is the family man part of this serial killer tracking duo and he too is also very tortured, by his life and his job. I don't think he even realized it though, until he met and partnered up with Rust.
The story is dark and chilling but rolls perfectly along with an apocalyptic Southern Louisiana sitting exquisitely in the background like a character in itself in the storyline. The going back and forth between time periods can be a little overwhelming at first but if you keep your eyes on the prize, you will be able to follow along but you have to keep your eyes on it. The writing is tight and perfectly executed, weaving a tale of human darkness and suspense that hasn't been seen in years. There's no CGI special effects (well, 1 or 2 instances but they are small and necessary), explosions, or flashy costumes. Its just good old fashioned story telling, character development, and actors making these characters burst all over the screen. The final episode itself was awesome, with scenes that could rival some horror these days. This is a prime example of the road to creative tour-de-force television has paved in recent years and I say keep it coming. Watching this nearly 8 hour, what I like to call television motion picture since each season is a stand-alone story (see American Horror Story), was better than most things you will see at the movies these days and it doesn't take a true detective to tell you that.
*This film is nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture.*
On the road to the 86th Academy Awards (which, at the time of this writing, is tomorrow night), I, just in the nick of time, got to watch one of the front runners this year for pretty much all the awards it is nominated for.
At first, Dallas Buyers Club is hard to watch. This is mostly because we are used to seeing Matthew McConaughey as a strapping, muscular, very healthy man. However, for this role, he literally put his life on the line to play AIDS patient Ron Woodruff, an electrician who is diagnosed with HIV in 1985 and given thirty days to live. I think by now, we have all seen the infamous pictures of him during the film shoot, or by now you have seen the actual movie. He is difficult to watch when starting the 1 hour and 58 minute long movie because you are looking at a McConaughey who has lost 35 to 40 pounds. Last year, I did an Entertainer Profile on Matthew McConaughey mostly because of his stellar 2012 performances, then came Dallas Buyers Club, which he has already won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor and is frontrunner for the Best Actor Academy Award tomorrow night. I ended that profile with this line, "From what I have read though, we can expect the same level of
tour-de-force versatility in the near future and I say bring it on
Matthew." Little did I know that this was coming to our screens, this life changing, mind-altering, up lifting portrayal that can only be described as cinematic ecstasy.
Then there was Jared Leto, who, in my personal opinion, took six years off from acting because he wanted to come back with a splash. His portrayal of Rayon, the transgender HIV postitive woman Woodruff meets in the hospital, Leto landed with a continent covering tsunami. I wish I could be in Los Angeles tomorrow to hand him the Best Supporting Actor award.
These were not only the performances of their careers, Leto and McConaughey give the performances that could span several careers.
The movie is good, no it's great. Once you get past the shock of watching these two men in a whole other, and much thinner, light, you see this beautiful story emerge. This film is a powerful look at living, dying, and all the shit we have to put up with trying to accomplish one and not the other.
It has been a while since I have done an Entertainer Profile, but judging from the amount of views they get, I need to start doing them more often. They are quite popular. There is no one more deserving right now of one than a man who is pretty much at the top of my list when it comes to quality of movies and the pure awesomeness of his performances. I would absolutely love to meet him one day and just pick his brain, not literally of course because that would be wrong.
He was born in Los Angeles, California in 1974 to George and Irmelin. His father was an artist who worked on comic books and mom was a legal secretary. He was put into the industry as a child and scored some small television roles, such as a cameo on Roseanne as a classmate of middle child Darlene Conner, which I saw recently and nearly yelled at the t.v. when I saw him. He did a low-budget, direct-to-video film, Critters 3 and a now infamous stint on the final season of Growing Pains. Then came This Boy's Life, being picked by Robert DeNiro himself for the role and as you can see below, the rest is history.
CST'S FAVORITE LEONARDO DiCAPRIO ROLES This Boy's Life (1993) Whats Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) - Twenty years later and this film is still a perennial cult classic and the first of his four extremely well-deserved Academy Award nominations. His breakout role as a mentally challenged teenager and brother to Johnny Depp's Gilbert Grape launched his film career. The Basketball Diaries (1995) Romeo + Juliet (1996) Titanic (1997) - This movie is and will always be in my Top 5 favorites of all time, even in the top 3. I still to this day find it to be one of the best written, acted, most enjoyable cinematic experiences ever to grace any screen, any where. The movie was the number 1 box office champion in the world until Avatar in 2009 and was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 11. Titanic catapulted DiCaprio into a worldwide mega-star. The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) - This was a solid movie with an excellent cast including Jeremy Irons, Gabriel Byrne, Gerard Depardieu, and John Malkovich. The Beach (2000) Gangs of New York - (2002) Catch Me If You Can (2002) - DiCaprio + Tom Hanks + Steven Spielberg = good enough for me! The Aviator (2004) - One of his best performances. He was mesmerizing. His second Academy Award nomination. The Departed (2006) - Lets face it, there is not a damn thing wrong with this movie. It's Scorsese and some of the best actors in the business in a dark, engaging thriller. Blood Diamond (2006) - His third Academy Award nomination. Revolutionary Road (2008) - DiCaprio reunited with his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet was what won me over. They portrayed Frank and April Wheeler, a married couple plagued with problems while living in 1950's Connecticut. Shutter Island (2010) - DiCaprio + Scorsese + horror movie set in the 1950's = a damn good time!!! J. Edgar (2011) Django Unchained (2012) - see review 1-9-13 The Great Gatsby (2013) - see review 5-9-13 The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - see review 1-20-14
This profile is being written ten days before the 86th Annual Academy Awards where he is nominated for a very explosive performance in The Wolf of Wall Street. I am honestly saying that he is who I am rooting for and if you do not know why, then watch the movie. If you watched it and still do not know why, then watch it again. As a writer who is working on another book and a movie script, I can safely say that I hope one day, one of my books or scripts for a book lands in his hands. So Mr. DiCaprio, I don't know if you are even planning your retirement at the moment but all I ask is please wait to at least know my name before you do.
*Nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture.*
When you sit down to watch certain movies, you know in your heart of hearts that film is going to be extremely emotional and powerful, especially if you watched the trailer a few times beforehand. Then you read the shocking account in a memoir of the same name and it's then and only then, that the power and emotion is as vast and incredible as it is in 12 Years A Slave.
12 Years A Slave tells the incredible story of Solomon Northrop, a born-free black man living in Saratoga, New York. Northrop is a respected businessman, musician, and father of two. When Solomon travels to Washington, D.C. with two other men who have offered him a job as a fiddle player, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film does not hold back on the severity of slavery and the torture he endured. There are even moments when the camera is fixated on some of the acts of violence and some of those moments last minutes. I thought this made the scenes even more realistic for the viewers, which can almost be difficult to watch.
The is the performance of a lifetime for Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Salt, American Gangster). He is so good and I can only hope to see more of this caliber in the future, even though I am sure the movie shoot was an exhausting and even painful experience for him. Actually, I know it was hard for him because he made you feel his pain through the screen. I really want to say that this is one of those as you've never seen him before instances for Paul Giamatti, but looking through his list of movies (and I should have known this already), the man is most definitely a chameleon. His role as Freeman, the man who first buys Northrup in New Orleans to sell him to wealthy plantation owners, is a short role but a very effective portrayal of a man in the slave trade business in 1841. The expressions on his face are hardcore and almost haunting. Michael Fassbender has made my choice for the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award a more difficult decision. Anyone who knows me and has read my review on Prometheus knows he is definitely one of my favorites in the business right now. At first I thought his portrayal of Edwin Epps, the second plantation owner Northrup is sold to, could rival DiCaprio's Calvin Candie, but alas, this was a different kind of badass evil. It is almost like he is troubled by it where Candie enjoyed the hell out of it. Either way, Fassbender's brooding intensity was splashed all over the 35mm film.
Playing Epps' wife Mary in an awesome stoically chilling performance is Sarah Paulson, who is equally amazing in one of my favorite shows on right now, American Horror Story. Mistress Epps is a stone cold woman and Paulson's portrayal is damn near freezing. Making her big screen debut is Lupita Nyong'o, portraying Patsey, Epps' "favorite" worker on the plantation. He showered her often with the only kind of attention his demented mind is able to give, but of course this does not sit well with the mistress of the house. I can shower her with all kinds of adjectives praising her Academy Award nominated performance but all I am going to say is this actress now has a long, amazing career ahead of her.
The film itself is a fine, very fine American historical drama chronicling a very dark time in our country's history. But for some people to say the movie is "too much" or "goes too far," you cannot sugar coat anything that happened then. Also, those people apparently did not read Northrop's 1853 memoir because it does not hold any punches and neither does director Steve McQueen. Yes, you will be in awe of the performances and the movie itself, shocked and saddened by what you are watching on screen but just remember, at least you are not in the position to write the same kind of memoir.
Nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Basically, just from the cast alone, I wanted to see this movie ever since the first trailer premiered. Anyone who reads my blogs knows I love a good ensemble cast, of course a great one is even better. I love it when the great ensemble has a dynamic that radiates from the screen and play off each other like a perfectly tuned piano. Individually, these are a supremely talented group of actors. As an ensemble, they are good, but not great. The movie is also good, but not great.
The plot behind American Hustle can be a little complicated to explain but I will give it the old college try. A businessman (Christian Bale) and his beautiful British partner (Amy Adams) are forced to team up with an FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) to pull off an elaborate con in order to capture some of New Jersey's most powerful politicians in a twisted, yet comical plot filled with greed, corruption, and a double-cross around every corner. If you haven't seen this yet, make sure when you do to pay close attention to the details. Yes, it is one of those movies but as long as you pay close attention, the very loaded plot will definitely make sense to you. The story line is actually very cool and well written and the late 1970's setting was also a very big selling point with me. Of course too, there was the music, love the music from that era.
The beginning was a bit slow for me and took a little time getting off the ground. Towards the middle of the 2 hour 18 minute long film, it started to get interesting and the various plot lines began to come together. Even though it is considered comedy (it did win Best Picture Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes), I call it a dramedy. There were plenty of times me and my movie buddy laughed but there were also an equal amount of oh sh*# or oh no she/he didn't moments, including the ending.
Finally, the part I love to write on, the performances. There is no doubt this is a great cast of actors, even a couple of surprise cameos I wasn't expecting. Amy Adams and Christian Bale stole the show and were definitely the stand-outs in this film. Their performances were flawless portraying characters that fit perfectly together and I was very convinced by them. They most definitely deserve their Best Actor/Actress nominations. The other major players, not so much. Bradley Cooper's Richie DiMaso is much of the comic relief on the movie and he does a very good job but it's an uneven performance. In the beginning of the movie, I was already thinking there really could have been some one better cast in the role. However, he does get better as the movie goes on. Maybe that is because of the writing or the storyline getting better and deeper. This also is the case with Jeremy Renner's Mayor Carmine Polito. Renner is a great actor (he was AMAZING in The Hurt Locker and The Town), but I was picturing someone else in the role. I cannot put my finger on exactly who it could be but it's just not him. Finally, there is the unstoppable Jennifer Lawrence, who at the age of 23 is already on her third Academy Award nomination, with a win last year for Silver Linings Playbook. Her tour-de-force performance in the exceptional dark family drama, Winter's Bone put her on the map and now she is Hollywood's sweetheart. Now, her portrayal as Rosalyn Rosenfeld, the woman who nearly brought the whole operation to it's knees, was awesome. She was naive, heartfelt, emotional, and even funny throughout the movie but it was very similar to Cooper's. At first, she was okay but during the movie, it was like she was growing into her character as we watched and it was very interesting. I didn't find her convincing during the beginning but was definitely drawn in in the last hour and a half. It's no secret the girl has a bright future ahead of her.
This film is far, far from being a stinker but I really would have not paid the $8.50 if I weren't trying to watch all of the Oscar nominated movies. I am glad I saw it, the writing is solid, love the costumes and of course the 1970's backdrop is very groovy. There are some very noteworthy scenes. But alas, unless you are watching the award contenders like myself, don't get hustled or conned into the theater prices, wait for the very cheap rental.
*Just FYI, this review is just about the movie and not about the actual person or persons involved in the real story. I was not there and I did not live any of it.*
Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Debauchery. Obscenities. Sex. Drugs. Lewd and lascivious behavior. Corruption. Lets face it, these are the basic characteristics of any great Martin Scorsese picture. However, in The Wolf of Wall Street, all of these and every other facet of awful and indecent human behavior is heightened to exponential heights, and I loved it, for entertainment purposes only of course.
The flow of the movie is very Casino-esque, another Scorsese masterpiece. It starts out with the main character, not really in any big event like a car explosion as was the case with DeNiro's Sam Rothstein, but he was doing what he did best, extreme adult debauchery. There are flashbacks jumping all about to set up the story and the characters. But the flashbacks are not annoying in the least, they are very necessary in a 180-minute Scorsese picture.
It turns out that the wolf is an actual person who exists named Jordan Belfort, who became a stockbroker in the late 1980's and shot to fame on Wall Street earning insane amounts of money, all the while living an even more insane lifestyle. Belfort took the rock and roll way of living and lived it 100-fold over a very short period of time. If it could be snorted, ingested, or smoked, he was doing it. If there was a hooker within a mile radius, he was doing her, or snorting off of her. However, the man had the money to do these things and even an absolutely gorgeous wife at home in their Long Island mansion. But, Belfort and his business partner Donnie, soon find out, when you are making so much money that you can throw it in the garbage and not bat an eyelash, it will turn the heads of the wrong people. The wrong people for them was the FBI. Ok, I've already said too much (or have I?). If you haven't seen it yet and you are reading this, you are going to think I have told too much of the plot. But just go and see it because trust me, you will experience sensory overload.
When it comes to the performances, all I've got to say is #@!%&()+!!!!!! (I am trying to improve my language on here which is ironic since I am writing about a film that drops the f-bomb 569 times). When I wrote earlier about the indecent human behavior taken to exponential heights, this rings true about the performances, which the actors took way beyond that. The first actual great performer in the movie, believe it or not, is the small but pivotal (and from what I understand, heavily ad-libbed) role of Mark Hanna played brilliantly by the recently new and improved Matthew McConaughey. You can see much of it in the trailer. Jonah Hill (Belfort's business partner Donnie Azoff) has certainly come a long way since Superbad and Knocked Up. He has had a string of box office hits and is now riding high on his second very well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (see Moneyball). There is a particular scene in the movie (I call it the Quaaludes on steroids scene) between him and DiCaprio's character that is so well played out, so intense yet a little funny at times, but so awesomely done by the actors that it still gives me chills to this day. I mean, for all you who have seen it, you would agree with me, that whole scene had to hurt them physically and emotionally. After it was over, I just wanted to stand and yell Bravo!! Australian actress Margot Robbie is an absolute revelation as Belfort's knock-out of a wife, Naomi, but whose performance is equally knocked right out of the park. She keeps doing what she is doing in this film, there is a long, substantial career for her. I have to say, THANK YOU! to the casting gods for putting Rob Reiner in this movie as Belfort's grouchy father. We see a side of him on film that hasn't been seen in a long time, and all I have to say is, the man has not lost it at all!! I would have liked to have seen a nomination for him also.
Ahhhh, then there was Leonardo. As far as I am concerned, he will always get his own paragraph. I had to look back just now to remind myself but earlier in 2013 (see The Great Gatsby), I referred to him as the "magnetic, titanic force that is Leo" for his portrayal of Jay Gatsby, which I also called "the performance of the year." Seeing as this is a 2013 movie, make that two performances of the year and still, hand that man a trophy dammit! (Oops, sorry had to drop one in there) I also think that magnetic, titanic force still rings true. Actually, I think if I write anything else about him, it could come off as a man crush or maybe even obsessive. Okay, I can deal with man crush.
If you are easily offended and your face turns into a strawberry at the sight of a naked lady, then do not go and see this movie. It was nearly rated NC-17, which is safe to say also, it is only for adults. However, for the rest of us, get your butt to the theater. But don't worry, this wolf is not the scary, four legged kind, although he does foam at the mouth sometimes.
*Just an FYI, this is a critique of the movie Captain Phillips. I was not there, so of course I have no comment on the actual events.*
Nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Let's face it, Tom Hanks still has it! But seriously, did he ever loose it? I mean, yes there may have been some misfires here and there over the years, but he doesn't have near as many as some cinematic icons do. He is only the second actor to win the Best Actor Academy Award 2 years (1993 and 1994) in a row (behind Spencer Tracy who did it in 1937 and 1938). He starred in Castaway almost completely by himself and that went to earn $430 million worldwide.
Captain Phillips was never really high on my movie radar this season. We are getting deeper into the heavy hitter award contenders now and I read the buzz for this movie then saw the trailer at the theater. The trailer itself looked pretty intense AND I had just watched Cloud Atlas the night before and was blown away by that entire movie, the incredible plot, and one of the best acting ensembles ever put together. It was like my man crush for Tom Hanks was suddenly awakened again. Then tonight, I just watched Forrest Gump and of course that goes without saying. The movie is of course based on the book, A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea and it was written by Captain Richard Phillips, who is portrayed by Tom Hanks.
The movie flowed as easily and flawlessly as an unobstructed river on a beautiful summer day. Even the scenes at the beginning, introducing all the characters, which as we know already are on both sides of the world, kept me intrigued and were not at all boring. Normally in movies like this, the introductory parts at the beginning can be dull and my mind will start to drift if it doesn't hurry up and get going. I am usually up and ready to give every movie a chance but nowadays, as I get older and busier, I find out I do not have time for all that nonsense and also do not have the patience I once had. There was no nonsense at all to worry about in Captain Phillips.
The movie follows Richard Phillips, captain of an American container ship, the Maersk Alabama, while on a trip to Mombasa. The ship is hijacked by four Somali pirates led by a young man named Muse, who is eager for a big payday. It is a race for survival for all who are on board. The rest of the movie is intense, but not in a dark thriller kind of way, but in an emotional and compelling kind of way. Barkhad Abdi is the actor who portrays Muse. According to his IMDb page, he is from Somalia and his family settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota when he was 14. Captain Phillips is his only acting credit. I have a feeling his life is about to change though. Abdi's performance showed years of film experience and is generating much award buzz. This is one of Tom Hanks' most emotional roles, keeping me captivated up to that final tear-soaked scene (and yes, I had to wipe them away too). If the entire movie does nothing for you, stay for that final scene at least. You will definitely need to hijack some tissues, or your shirt sleeve.
*Just FYI, this will be long since it is a comparison of two movies. So go pee now, grab a snack and enjoy!*
In 1974, a relatively new author burst onto the scene with a book about a teenage girl with telekinetic powers. The girl, Carrie White, uses those powers against everyone at her school during the prom after a malicious prank. The young author started on the manuscript, which was meant to be a short story, but later threw it in the trash before finishing it. His wife, Tabitha, retrieved it out of the garbage and told him to finish the story. That book would simply be titled Carrie and that writer is of course, the incomparable Stephen King. The book was not exactly a runaway success at first but with what he earned from selling the paperback rights, he was able to quit his teaching job and write full-time.
In 1976, a film adaptation of the book was released in theaters. It was directed by Brian DePalma (Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Black Dahlia) and drew immediate critical praise. Produced for $1.8 million dollars, it would go on to gross $33.8 million dollars and be one of the most acclaimed movies of 1976, even earning 2 Academy Award nominations for it's two lead actresses: Sissy Spacek for Best Actress (Carrie White) and Piper Laurie for Best Supporting Actress as her mother, Margaret White. That is still to this day, unheard of for a horror movie. Roger Ebert called it "an absolutely spellbinding horror movie."
Watching the movie, even 37 years later, it of course oozes the 1970's but still just remains an iconic thrill ride today. Sissy Spacek, who was a bit of an unknown at the time, was 27 and actually married to the production designer on the movie and it was her husband who asked DePalma if she could audition. I find her performance remains one of the best in cinema history. Spacek had the face of an angel, looking as if she just came off a Wisconsin dairy farm. If I were in the room when meeting her for the first time, I probably would have never thought she could pull that off. She had the perfect amount of wide-eyed innocence needed at the beginning and then sheer uninhibited bitch mode revenge for the infamous prom scene. She never even blinked. Piper Laurie was much more established having been in the business over 25 years at the time. Her performance as Carrie's overbearing, sadistic mother Margaret is a tour-de-force of how beautifully evil a true cinematic villain can be. The supporting cast, like Spacek, were all playing high schoolers even though they were all in their mid to late twenties. Sometimes it's easy to forget until you watch it again that a very young John Travolta is making one of his first major movie appearances. It was also Betty Buckley's (the gym teacher Miss Collins) first role.
There was a sequel, The Rage: Carrie 2 and a television film remake but we will just put those on the back burners where they belong.
Now, it is 2013 and a new adaptation of Carrie has hit theaters. Two phenomenal actresses were cast in the lead roles: Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass and the awesome Let Me In) and 4-time Academy Award nominee and one of my favorites, Julianne Moore. Okay, let me get it out of the way right now, overall, this was not better than the original. It is an excellent film nonetheless. Many people, including King himself as I have read, asked why make this movie. Well, why do any remake then? From what I have read, this was supposed to be more true to the book. But, there is still some comparing and contrasting to do so lets get to it. First, the supporting cast, much better in the original. I know, I know, we are in a different time now and the people are different but these kids were just a little too Beverly Hills 90210 for my taste. They just couldn't pull off the pure nastiness of the kids from the original. The originals (1976) were nasty, mean, and fun to watch. The characters in today's version were just annoying and I wanted to slap them silly. They tried their best but just weren't believable. I do like Judy Greer as the gym teacher though. Next, the prom scene. This scene set a precedent in 1976, and to this day, remains one of the bloodiest battles in movie history. However, I did enjoy the hell out of the prom scene in the new version. Of course, this time around, there was more money involved and more special effects. It kept much of the integrity of the original movie's but I think, it was perfectly updated for 2013. Now, Julianne Moore as Margaret White. Moore is an awesome actress, one of the finest these days and did a fine job as Margaret White but she did not out-evil the original. Of course, I am not saying at all that that was what she was setting out to do. She portrayed her Margaret White exactly as she should be portrayed in 2013. This version was a much more broken, exhausted woman than the original evil witch.
Then, there is our star, Chloe Grace Moretz as Carrie White. Lets get one thing straight, Sissy Spacek is Carrie, always is and always will be. First, I found it audacious but awesome that they cast someone who actually is 16 years old to play the legendary character. Moretz was mesmerizing, definitely drawing from Spacek's schoolgirl innocence, but when it was time (and it came about sooner this time around) she was chilling to the core. I do not like to give details away but during her rampage, you can actually hear her breathing and there was actually a raspy wheezing sound in it, almost like growling. It's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. She may not have out-shined the original, but still Moretz most definitely glowed on her own.
There were aspects that matched the original, some of the exact dialogue spoken, some of the same actions mimicked here and there. However, the Carrie of 1976 is still and will always be the gold standard because it is the original. I do recommend watching it though because Moretz and Moore do give chilling performances but there will be one big disappointment (you'll know it when you see it). But one lesson still remains the same: do not piss off a telekinetic prom queen!
The tagline is Do not disturb the family, but my question is, how can you disturb something so......disturbing? You know immediately that is going to be a disturbing movie the second it begins. Of course, it is definitely known by simply viewing the uneasy yet hauntingly beautiful trailer.
Written by Wentworth Miller, one of the stars of the television series Prison Break, Stoker tells the story of India Stoker, a young, melancholy, plane Jane of a girl who has just lost her best friend in the world, her father, in an auto accident. While at the funeral, India meets her father's brother Charlie Stoker, whom she didn't even know even existed. On the same day, India finds out from her uncle Charlie that he is going to be staying with her and and her mother, Evelyn, for a while. Uncle Charlie has psychopath written all over is forehead and I knew immediately the man was up to no good. The question that is needing to be answered is what does this man want and what exactly are his intentions. We as the viewer are taken into the world of an extremely disturbed, upper-class family in mourning who have more layers than a 300-year old California redwood.
The imagery, speed, and tone of the movie is subtle, yet, not so subtle if that makes any sense. Actually, once you see it, you will know what I mean. Wentworth Miller has crafted a story laced with dark, brooding mystery and even more mysterious characters. Just to let you know, this movie is dark, very dark and I loved it!
Mia Wasikowska strays far from her breakout role as Alice in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, yet not too far. There is so much I want to say about her character but I certainly cannot do that without spoiling this complex family drama, which I do not believe in doing. The role was made for her. I don't know if she as even a consideration for the part in the beginning or if it were a simple audition that won the casting director over but her portrayal of India Stoker was dead on, so to speak. At first she is the quiet, distressed girl who keeps to herself and does not like to be touched. She's the one who sits in the back, soaked in a quiet innocence, not wanting to be noticed, not making a sound. Another role perfectly cast was that of India's mother, Evelyn, played by the versatile Nicole Kidman. She is grieving for a short time until Charlie arrives to help her cope with the loss of her husband, then she is betrayed and gives one of the most chilling movie speeches ever (it's at the beginning of the trailer) in an equally haunting manner. The achievement of that expression on her face is surprising to me. I've always been a fan, always knew she was talented but that was disturbing; she....doesn't......even.......blink. I was not real familiar with Matthew Goode. By looking at his IMDb page, I have seen some of his movies but they did not leave an impression. That has now changed. However, I think I said it all before when I stated that I knew immediately he was up to no good. Goode portrayed the cold, calculating Charlie Stoker in a total cold and calculating manner, channeling a little of the great Anthony Hopkins in the process.
I was afraid I was going to be disappointed when I first saw the trailer, but that did not happen. The flow of the movie was slow, but it had to be to peel back all those layers these characters have. The tagline is do not disturb the family, but please disturb your dvd player for an hour and forty minutes and soak up the intensity of the Stoker family. Then, just be glad they are not your family, or are they?
After seeing this movie, I went and had some drinks at my favorite watering hole with some friends and we had a very in depth discussion about movies: our favorite films, performances, and even our favorites by genre. One of the genres we dove into was of course the popular action/adventure film and I asked everyone what they thought the quintessential action movie was. Of course, the usual suspects were mentioned: Die Hard, Rambo, more recently the Transformer movies and most everything made by Jerry Bruckheimer. Two of my favorites, when it comes to awesome action sequences, great writing and characters I want to watch over and over again are Face/Off and Bad Boys 2 (yes, I love the sequel more). Face it, even the biggest movie snob loves a great car chase, explosions and buildings falling on each other. You know the ones, those people who claim to only watch existential independent movies full of intense, grungy people who don't bathe and are always having sex.
Last night when Man of Steel ended, my buddy and I looked at each other and literally took a breath. My first words were, "damn, I am tired now." He says, "now that was sensory overload." He could not have been more right. Part sci-fi adventure, part dark drama, part disaster movie, Zack Snyder has delivered an epic, well-written, very well acted summer blockbuster. The film has tons of emotion, depth, awesome characters and lets face it, a lot of stuff blows up.
I am the first to admit, I am by no means a comic book junkie. I can only review these movies as a movie itself because I do not know much of the actual back story, as told in the comics of course. When it comes to the Superman/Clark Kent saga, I have seen all the movies with the late Christopher Reeve and the Smallville television series, which I loved very much. This movie was advertised as being a much darker version and it definitely was. Henry Cavill (The Tudors, Stardust, Immortals) portrayed Clark Kent as a tortured, damaged man trying to find his way. We've always seen that Clark Kent was a tortured guy, especially as the younger version in the series Smallville, as he was played by Tom Welling. We saw him growing up into a man all the while trying to deal with the world almost literally on his shoulders and all he wanted to do was fit in. As he grew and found out about how he came to Earth in a spaceship by his Earth father Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner in the film), Clark always knew he had a destiny. In Man of Steel, the audience literally gets to see his life from the very beginning on Krypton and how emotional it was for his parents Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and Lara (Ayelet Zurer) to let him go. Cavill's performance is very convincing in showing the audience how hard the struggles are for him trying to be like everyone else.
Then, he meets Lois Lane, the iconic Daily Planet reporter played surprisingly well by 4-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams. I only say surprisingly because her most famous roles have been in dramas, comedies, and the occasional dramedy. When I read she had been cast, I thought it was a very surprising choice. She played the role like a violin. She could be tough and no-nonsense and didn't take any crap from anyone and she had to deal with a lot of testosterone in this role. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane were awesome choices as Jonathan and Martha Kent. Diane Lane was another surprise in the casting but she nailed the role as Clark's mom. She was more of a pivotal character, I think, because she had to carry much of her son's anguish and pain for him, like any good mother. Lets face it, this guy needed his mother many times. Michael Shannon as the villain General Zod was hard core and intense and had to be the entire movie, which takes some chops on his part.
Man of Steel starts off with a bang and ends up being 2 hours and 23 minutes of a nuclear explosion. Now, I don't know if the more darker tone does any justice to the story in the comic books but at the end of the day, I enjoyed the hell out of it. It is an all out, bad ass summer action extravaganza from beginning to end, but also has just the right amount character development to show them as real life people. A great cast was picked, many with imperfections and flaws, just like the rest of us. Even though Clark Kent is the Man of Steel, this film shows us he has a heart too.
There are some movies that are not simply movies we sit down and watch; some of them are so profound, so dazzling, so astounding that they can only be called a cinematic experience. So, yes you guessed it, The Great Gatsby is that cinematic experience and I enjoyed the hell out of it. I have been waiting to see this movie even since I first heard about it and especially of course, since I saw the first trailer. I was so disappointed when the release date was moved from December of 2012 to summer of 2013. It was the one movie I would have gone and seen at a midnight screening, which the people who know me, know I do not do. Well, as you can tell, I did get to experience this movie, so here.....we......go.
One note: I am not going to go into the synopsis. Most of us read this in high school, college, etc. If you haven't read it, DOOOO IT! But if need be, here is my favorite trailer of the movie, the one I like to call, The Music Trailer.
First of all, kudos (and kudos again) to Baz Luhrmann, the visionary director behind Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, and yes, even Australia, which many critics panned but I deeply enjoyed. He has given us an awe-inspiring, eye-gasm of a movie. I found it odd at first that it was in 3D but tonight, I definitely see it was necessary. There is so much glitz and glamor that explodes from the screen, I almost needed an intermission to blink.
Next, there is the cast, the wonderful, tour-de-force of a cast. Tobey Maguire portrays Nick Carraway, the wide-eyed wannabe Wall Street tycoon who moves in next to Gatsby and becomes his friend. I had my reservations about Maguire at first but he ended up delivering an intensity which hasn't been seen from him in some time, at least not since Brothers. Another casting decision I was surprised to see was Isla Fisher, portraying the small but pivotal role of Myrtle Wilson. We've mostly seen her in comedies (Wedding Crashers, Hot Rod) so, being a fan of hers, I was itching to see if she had the gusto. As far as I am concerned, she extended her versatility to new heights. She made you laugh and broke your heart at the same time. Elizabeth Debicki, who is mostly a stage actress, plays Jordan Baker, a female golfer and friend to Daisy Buchanan. The expressions on her face are almost haunting and as the viewer, I almost got lost in her big, bold eyes. She was mesmerizing even when not speaking. Now, I wasn't real familiar with Joel Edgerton, but with his award worthy turn as polo player and husband to Daisy, Tom Buchanan, I am definitely familiar with him now. He made the famously arrogant character bolder and sometimes, almost filthy. Then there is the porcelain, fresh faced Daisy Buchanan who is married to Tom but we find out is the love of Gatsby's life. Carey Mulligan has already, at the age of 27, accrued quite the versatile acting resume and this role just added a juggernaut of a portrayal to it. You can see that hidden pain in her face throughout most of the movie. She just broke my heart, I wanted to put her in my pocket.
And then, there is the magnetic, titanic force that is Leo!! Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby was brilliant casting. There is no doubt in my mind that this guy is not finished with throwing pure and utter acting brilliance in our faces. His turn as the iconic Great Gatsby was, no I really mean IS, the performance of the year!!! I know I am just a little early but this can be his first for your consideration, someone hand that man an Oscar! As the philosopher, Forrest Gump would say, "that is all I have to say about that."
The entire production is just simply stunning and explosive. You have to watch it in 3D for sure. The music is awesome and I love how they incorporate modern music into the movie. That just made it dazzle even more. The party scenes make you want to jump up and do the Charleston. If I saw this in IMAX, I think I would know what it felt like to be in 1920's New York City. So, I don't think I can go on with any more praise. If you are reading this before seeing it, get your butt up and go to the theater. Just remember, there is no intermission, so don't forget to blink.
Sometimes I think it is kind of a shame that Matthew McConaughey had the juggernaut year as he did in 2012. Many times, when someone has that kind of year, it is hard for them to replicate it, which is exactly what I would like for him to do. He had four major roles, which should have garnered him much award love, but did not, which is a big disappointment. However, he demonstrated some serious versatility and if he is going to stay on this route, I cannot wait to see what he has in store for the future.
He was born in Uvalde, Texas (a town just a little over 5 hours west of where I am sitting right now) in 1969 but grew up in Longview, Texas, a town just east of Dallas. His mom was a substitute teacher and dad was in the oil business. While attending the University of Texas at Austin and studying to be a lawyer, Matthew suddenly decided he had another calling and changed his major to film. After directing some short films, he was introduced to Richard Linklater (director of Dazed and Confused) and from there, a talented career began.
CST'S FAVORITE MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY ROLES Dazed and Confused (1993) - He burst onto the scene in Richard Linklater's cult classic following a group of high school students enjoying their last day of school in 1976. His character, David Wooderson, was the older guy of the bunch who had a deep affection for high school girls. The character took being a loser to astronomical levels and McConaughey turned "David" into a cinematic icon. Boys on the Side (1995) Lonestar (1996) A Time to Kill (1996) - This is still, to this day, my favorite John Grisham adaptation. It was an emotional American drama that dealt with extremely sensitive and controversial issues and as far as I am concerned, one of the best casts ever assembled. This was Matthew McConaughey's breakthrough performance and made him the new 'it' actor in Hollywood. Contact (1997) Amistad (1997) U-571 (2000) Frailty (2001) - A little known dark psychological thriller that I have always thoroughly enjoyed. Reign of Fire (2002) We Are Marshall (2006) The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) Bernie (2012) - This movie was great and if you are from Texas, you will love it and appreciate this true story out of Carthage even more. Jack Black received a very well-deserved Golden Globe nomination but Shirley MacLaine and especially McConaughey should have received some award love too.
Killer Joe (2012) - I was really looking forward to this movie when I first saw it. I was really looking forward to it until I recently saw it that is. The acting was good, it really had a great cast, but the movie as a whole failed to draw me in. However, there was Matthew McConaughey's chilling portrayal of Killer Joe, police detective by day, hired assassin by night. His character was just an all around bad seed. But, he made that seed grow and blossom into his most sinister villain since Frailty.
The Paperboy (2012) - This movie was also quite the stinker in the plot department but was packed full of great performances by Nicole Kidman, Macy Gray, John Cusack, and Matthew McConaughey.
Magic Mike (2012) - What is so phenomenal about this performance is before this movie came out, it was hailed as nothing more but a bunch of eye-candy for the ladies, and of course, it was. McConaughey portrayed the sleazy, aging male strip club owner in an all out awesome performance and nearly got nominated for an Oscar for it, well at least there was a lot of buzz which I guess is the same thing.
There were several missteps between Reign of Fire and The Lincoln Lawyer (except for We Are Marshall of course). To name a few: Failure to Launch, Fool's Gold, Sahara, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and Two For the Money. However, he bounced back brilliantly as far as I am concerned. He bounced back so well in fact, he should have been nominated (Oscar, Golden Globe, what have you) for one or more of the last 4 movies in the above list. He was quite the chameleon in these movies, reinventing himself every time. I know I am not the only one who thinks so because he was applauded by critics. From what I have read though, we can expect the same level of tour-de-force versatility in the near future and I say bring it on Matthew. From one Texas boy to another, ya done good son.
I have to admit, there were other movies I wanted to see tonight at my local cinema. There were even a couple I needed to see for the sake of my "And the nominees are...." series. However, I had a buddy of mine with me and we decided on the weekend's number one movie at the box office, Warm Bodies. I have to say, what a pleasant and most interesting surprise.
Warm Bodies was written and directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50). When the film begins, we meet R who is not only a young zombie, but he just so happens to be a zombie with a conscious who wants more out of his life (I know right). He basically spends his days sloshing around an airport in a post-apocalyptic world where an epidemic infected most of the population....well, you know the rest of the story. It's a plot that we are seeing a lot of these days. However, there is a twist in this tale. While a group of young humans leave their heavily guarded city, which is surrounded by a massive wall, to obtain medical supplies, they run into a group of the undead and of course a bloody battle ensues and at the same time, R set his sights on Julie and is immediately smitten with her. He whisks her away to his airport home and an actual friendship begins to develop, but of course this is very forbidden. Is this starting to sound familiar? There is a definite Romeo and Juliet going on here. Another twist to this, as you find out from watching the trailer, is as R and Julie get closer, he starts becoming more human starting with a beating heart.
Warm Bodies is original and funny with a much more interesting and watchable love story than any of these predictable romantic comedies we are bombarded with these days. Now, just to let you know, this film is not bust-a-gut, laugh out loud funny but you will do plenty of chuckling. The writing is smart and I thought it flowed at just the right pace in its 98 minutes and if there is a soundtrack, it will rock! Some awesome throwback songs make appearances. I was also impressed the young actors in their roles, especially the star-crossed lovers. Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy, X-Men: First Class) portrays R and does very well in a role that could not have been easy. You will know what I mean when you see it. Teresa Palmer (Julie) is quite the fresh face and plays her part in awesome form, bouncing from tough as nails to vulnerable with ease. One of my favorites, John Malkovich was cast in the role of Colonel Grigio, who leads the band of unaffected humans, and played the unemotional jackass leader as only he can, brilliantly. Rob Corddry was a surprise and a pleasant one I might add. He brings much of the comic relief of course as R's friend M, as he does with many of his roles, but he also showed some much broader acting chops in this one and I was impressed.
So, I, of course, say go on over and see Warm Bodies. I guarantee you will leave not feeling like a cold fish.
**This is part of my 2013 Academy Award Best Picture nominee series. Also nominated for Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.**
3 STARS
"An almost apocalyptic tale set right in our back yard, and yes, in this century. Poignant, original, heartbreaking, and worst of all, it is all really happening."
Beasts of the Southern Wild seemingly came out of nowhere this awards season. For a few months last year, I had heard about it on news shows and saw its title pop up in articles online. It may have been some time in December of 2012 when I finally saw the trailer. I was still under the impression this was some National Geographic documentary taking place somewhere in Africa and then when I found out this amazing story is set less than 5 hours east of where I am sitting right now in Southeast Texas, I was stunned. I am still stunned at the utter brilliance of how this movie is laid out.
Beasts of the Southern Wild is a movie set in the southern most part of Louisiana in an area of the bayous called the Bathtub. It focuses on a small group of people who still call the small island home. I know now that it was the intention of the movie makers to make us, the audience, think we were going into a NatGeo documentary about a family on another continent, but it was so subtle and so sly that I have to give them a standing ovation. The main human character would be Hushpuppy (played by, as of now, the youngest actress ever nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award, Quvenzhane Wallis) who also narrates the story of how she, her father, and a band of Bathtubians (my own choice word) are surviving extreme poverty and flooding of their low lying area. Her father, known as Wink, is in failing health but refuses to leave the Bathtub and tries to encourage others to stay even when a major storm is about to hit their shanty town.
During all of this plight, more extreme than most of us can only imagine sitting in our warm (or cool) comfortable homes, Hushpuppy is learning, far too early, about courage and how far the human spirit, and human imagination, can take you in this life. Quvenzhane Wallis is way ahead of her time in actual life also. The nine-year old Houma, Louisiana native shines in this powerful role. Much of the cast are, in fact, Louisiana residents. Hushpuppy's father, Wink, is portrayed in a haunting performance by Dwight Henry, who owns a bakery in New Orleans's seventh ward. Now, the movie does get a little wabbly in the middle. It seems to not know where it wants to go. However, it does quickly get back on track and ends up leaving you speechless. The performances are powerful, the plot is uber original, yet frightening. When you finally see Beasts of the Southern Wild, hopefully you will see Hushpuppy and her gang as less beast and more beauty.
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