Golden Globe Predictions!

Hi everyone!

The Golden Globes are the first real award show of the year (sorry People’s Choice!), and (often but not always) a good predictor for the Oscars.  I’m going to take a look at the list (take a look at if for yourself: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/12/golden-globe-nominees-2014-the-complete-list/), and offer the following: my prediction about what I think will win, what I would like to win, and (if applicable), what was snubbed and deserves some recognition.  While this blog has mainly been used for movies, I have been keeping up with TV too and will offer predictions for that as well!  I’m excited to have Amy Poehler and Tina Fey co-host again, they did a great job last time and always have such great chemistry together!

First, let’s start with movies!

BEST DRAMA

Think will win: 12 Years a Slave is an awards show favorite, and rightly so.  It’s incredibly dramatic and emotionally powerful, and certainly deserves the recognition.

Want to win: Gravity is a film unlike any other, and it’s that originality that makes it so exciting.  The power of special effects and having only two actors made the film that much more intimate and thrilling, and made you root for the characters that much more.

Snubbed: Short Term 12 was a phenomenal film that was definitely underrated, and is an emotional powerhouse of a film.  Fantastic acting, great chemistry between the actors, and a great, compelling story all make this film a must-watch!

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY

Think will win: American Hustle has been getting a lot of buzz, and rightly so, due to it’s old-school feel and great acting.

Want to win: The Wolf of Wall Street is, in my opinion, the funniest film of the year.  Thanks to the over-the-top acting of DiCaprio and Hill, this wild true story is taking to new heights, and never comes back down!

Snubbed: The Way, Way Back was a fantastic comedy/drama that definitely slipped under the radar.  Fantastic acting by Steve Carrell and the rest of the cast made this a compelling film that nicely balanced comedy with drama.

BEST DIRECTOR

Think will win: Steve McQueen will probably take this one along with the Best Picture.

Want to win: Alfonso Cuarón deserves it for the masterful job he did with his film.

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Think will win: Judi Dench has only won one Academy Award/Golden Globe in her illustrious career (though she’s been nominated for many), and the academy usually likes to give these awards to older actors/actresses before it’s too late.

Want to win: This is a tough one, because both Emma Thompson and Sandra Bullock did such phenomenal jobs in their respective films.  While I loved Emma Thompson though, I think I’ll lean toward Bullock, since she essentially carries her whole film.

Snubbed: Once again, I’m going to go with Brie Larson from Short Term 12, who wears her heart on her sleeve in the film and experiences just about every emotion you can go through in the film, from anger and depression to excitement and joy.

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Think will win: Chiwetel Ejiofor will probably also take this award for this film, though maybe due to the times, Idris Elba will sneak away with the win with his interpretation of Mandela.

Want to win: Matthew McConaughey found a way to make a cocky, stubborn, homophobic uber-cowboy into a likable character.

Snubbed: I know he’s already nominated, but I think McConaughey should have been nominated for his awesome role in Mud, which I thought was a much more compelling character.  But just to add variety, I believe Hugh Jackman’s role in Prisoners was incredible and completely ignored.

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL/COMEDY

Think will win: Christian Bale certainly does a great job in this role, and I think he will probably take it.

Want to win: DiCAPRIO!!  He absolutely DESERVES to win this award for his phenomenal job in this insane film!  However, I also believe Oscar Isaac did a fantastic job in his role as well (as both an actor and singer), and he certainly deserves some recognition for it.

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL/COMEDY

Think will/want to win: To be honest, the only one I’ve seen in this list is Amy Adams, and she definitely did a great job.

Snubbed: I think it would have been awesome for the academy to think outside of the box and give the award to Scarlett Johansson for her voice acting in the film.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Think will/want to win: J-Law totally stole the show in her film, and is the funniest part about the whole movie.  She definitely deserves the win!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Think will win: Michael Fassbender played a totally despicable plantation owner, which is what made 12 Years a Slave such a powerful film, so he’ll probably win it.

Want to win: Jared Leto did an absolutely incredible job in his role, and completely stole the movie.  Funny, emotionally powerful, and absolutely compelling, he deserves the win!

BEST SCREENPLAY

Think will/want to win: Spike Jonze for Her. It’s an original, fresh love story that also smartly looks at our obsession with technology, specifically our smart phones.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Think will/want to win: Once again, I haven’t seen any of these films, but based on the buzz and reviews, I’m going to say Blue is the Warmest Color will probably take the award.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Think will/want to win: Frozen is the best Disney film in years, and has a phenomenal soundtrack.  As cute as the minions are, there’s no competition for in this category in my opinion.

Snubbed: Regardless, I’m surprised Monsters U didn’t get nominated.  I guess there’s only room for one Disney movie! 🙂

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Think will/want to win: “Let it Go” for Frozen is essentially the theme of the film, and fits it very well.  Sung incredibly by Idina Menzel, it’s worthy of the prize.

BEST SCORE

Think will win: 12 Years a Slave will probably take it for adding to the emotional powerhouse film.

Want to win: Gravity‘s score added so much tension to the film, which was already tense enough!  It was very powerful and deserves recognition.

Now on to TV!

BEST TV COMEDY/MUSICAL

Think will win: I don’t know how it continues to do so, but Modern Family seems to be unstoppable.  I’m guessing it will continue its reign of terror.

Want to win: Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the funniest new shows of the year, and definitely deserves some recognition.

Snubbed: I’m surprised The Crazy Ones was not nominated; Robin Williams is back in top form in this show!

BEST TV DRAMA

Think will win: Though I’ve never seen the show, I know many people say Breaking Bad is one of the best TV shows of all time, and that it had a particularly strong final season.  I think the academy will bid it farewell with an award.

Want to win: Again, though I’ve never seen the show, I think it would be interesting to have the academy nominate a Netflix show.  If  House of Cards wins, it could really signal a shift in the power of TV shows that aren’t necessarily on TV.

Snubbed: That being said, I’m surprised Orange is the New Black and Orphan Black were left out of the running (they are nominated for other categories after all).  Once again, I guess there’s only room for one Netflix/internet TV show.

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Think will win: I’ve never seen the show, but I know Julianna Marguiles has garnered consistent praise for the show, so I have a feeling she’ll win it.

Want to win: For the same reasons listed earlier, I would love to have Taylor Schilling or Tatiana Maslany win for their internet/Netflix shows!

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY

Think will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus will probably get an award, for the same reason Judi Dench will probably win; she’s been nominated many times and is due for a win.

Want to win: It would be awesome if Poehler won, a) because she’s hosting and b) because Parks and Recreation is probably coming to an end soon, and it would be a fitting send off.

BEST ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

Think will win: For the same reason I think the show will win, I think Bryan Cranston will take the award, and rightly so.

Want to win: Again, for similar reasons listed above, I think it would be interesting for Kevin Spacey to win.  Also, James Spader has done a great job on The Blacklist, and is essentially the only real reason to watch that show.

BEST ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY/MUSICAL

Think will win: Much like Modern Family, Jim Parsons seems to be unstoppable in these awards, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he took home the win.

Want to win: Andy Samberg is hilarious in his show, and deserves some recognition.  But it would also be great if Michael J. Fox got an award for his great TV return.

Snubbed: Comedy legend Robin Williams is the star and redeeming factor of his show, and it’s a shame he didn’t get recognized for it.

It’s hard to judge the rest of the categories because I haven’t seen many of the nominated shows.  But I will say I think American Horror Story is doing an interesting thing in terms of having the same ensemble cast and putting them in different roles/scenarios each season, so Ryan Murphy and that show should get some recognition!  I also think Parenthood doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, it’s a great drama with an excellent cast to back it up!

Anyway, that’s all for now, what do you think? 🙂  We’ll find out soon enough how close I was!

Saving Mr. Banks

Emma Thompson delivers some of the best acting of the year, joined by the always charming Tom Hanks in role he was practically born to play, in a film that reminds you about the magical joy of movies, particularly Disney movies.

Saving Mr. Banks tells the story of the notoriously difficult time Disney had in adapting P.L. Travers’s novel Mary Poppins into a film.  All of this takes place in 1961, and the film does a great job of transporting the audience to that time (something I’ve noted previously that I always enjoy and appreciate).  It has been years since I’ve seen the classic Disney logo, and I have to admit it a refreshing wave of nostalgia watched over me as soon as the movie began because of it.  In addition, seeing classic Disney characters/toys pleased my inner child.  I was also impressed at how they were able to recreate Disneyland itself as it would have looked in the ’60s.  But as stated earlier, all of this revolves around the classic Disney film Mary Poppins, and a lot of the nostalgia comes from that.  I remember loving this film as a child, though I did, even as a kid, notice some dark moments and themes in it (though they were always overshadowed by “Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious” and Dick Van Dyke dancing with animated penguins).

Speaking of which, the music is classic and still memorable to this day, and hearing it being created and discussed and almost shot down, was great to hear.  Also, geniusly, the soundtrack has some alternate arrangements of classic Disney songs, not just from Mary Poppins either.  Seeing actual storyboards and sketches for the film was also mesmerizing, and certainly added authenticity to the film.  In addition, be sure to stick around a bit after the credits to hear the actual tapes from the meetings Travers had with the Disney crew, it’s pretty awesome (and shows you how well the actors did in recreating those moments).

The film also smartly interweaves the tragic back story of P. L. Travers with the troublesome production meetings for the film.  After seeing everything that Travers went through, it makes you appreciate the film that came out of those struggles so much more; I’ll never see the film the same way again!

But where this film truly shines is in it’s incredible cast and the phenomenal acting they provide for the film.  Emma Thompson does an absolutely incredible job bringing the bitter, angry, jaded P. L. Travers to life.  Every sour look and every nasty remark was both painful yet funny to watch on screen.  And there’s no better joy than watching her slowly crack into the saccharine magic of Disney, and to finally realize at the end how beautiful her story can be when put in the right hands.  This brings me to the wonderful job done by both B.J. Novak (yes, the guy from The Office) and Jason Schwartzman as the musical geniuses behind the film, the Sherman brothers.  They have such a great chemistry with each other and actually seem like blood brothers.  The way they sing with such enthusiasm, despite Travers obvious disapproval, is inspiring and fun to watch.  They, along with Don DaGradi (played very well by Bradley Whitford), make a great team, doing simply what Disney asked them to do in a room with a woman who despises just about all of those ideas.  Seeing them struggle to keep their cool in front of such an unruly woman is a delight to watch.  Which brings us to Disney himself, played remarkably by Tom Hanks.  Hanks does a great job showing us a side of Disney we never really saw, a frustrated and very assertive side that occasionally smokes and drinks to calm down.  But of course, we also see the side of Disney we all know and love, a man who simply wants to show everyone the magic he sees in things.  Seeing him interact with Travers is an interesting love/hate relationship that is so much fun to watch on screen.

Props also have to be given to Paul Giamatti, who plays Travers’s driver Ralph.  Though his role is fairly minimal, he has a big impact on the film the few times he is on.  His character is so genuine and sweet, and having that once again paired with such a sour woman, is jarring at first, but makes the evolution of their relationship that much more fun to watch.  Finally, Colin Farrell does a sensational job as Travers Goff, father of P. L. Travers.  His character is complex, a wonderful caring father who has his own demons that he deals with in unwise ways.  Seeing him essentially play two characters, and play them so well, made the back story of P. L. Travers so powerful and emotionally-charged.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

This is certainly one of the best movies of the year thanks to it’s incredible cast who all act superbly.  It shows another side of a Disney classic, and in doing so reminds us what made that movie, and what makes all movies (particularly Disney films) so magical and powerful. Don’t be surprised to see some Oscar buzz at the very least for Emma Thompson, if not for some of the other great acting in the film.  If you love Mary Poppins, Disney, or filmmaking in general, you absolutely must see this film!

QUICKIES! 6 movies, 1 post!

Hi everyone!

As you may have noticed, I’ve been AWOL lately…  Life has been busy, and other distractions have gotten in the way of my reviews.  But that hasn’t stopped me from going on some cinematic adventures!  And with the holiday season right around the corner (which means plenty of awesome movies around the bend), and life not getting any less busy, I want to quickly recap some movies I’ve seen since my last post.  I hope to continue to write my regular-sized posts in the future, but if I don’t write these mini-reviews now, I feel like I never will and will just fall behind, so please excuse the irregular format this time around!

1) Bad Grandpa – 5/10

In another case of the trailer spoiling the best parts of the movie, all the funniest scenes in the film were given away in the trailer.  The rest was just Johnny Knoxville being Johnny Knoxville: outrageous, gross, and rude, which is what you come to see when you go to any of his movies.  This is certainly not as funny as any of the Jackass films, which I feel are bolstered by Knoxville’s crazy friends.  The child actor in this film is hilarious, and Knoxville does have a handful of humorous moments that aren’t in the trailer, but overall you won’t be missing anything if you skip this film.

2) Ender’s Game – 6/10

As with just about every single one of my other reviews, I have not read the book that this film is based on, but even I feel like it’s probably way better than the film.  In what is essentially a space version of Harry Potter (a chosen, gifted boy is asked to save the world using his skills) or a live-action version of StarCraft (strategically place your units in the right places to defeat the aliens), the film can be a bit boring and slightly confusing at times.  The twist at the end of the film is interesting, but not enough to save the rest of the film.  The acting either falls flat is overly bombastic many times, which is a shame considering the star-filled cast (Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, and Abigail Breslin).  The special effects are decent, but certainly not the best that we’ve seen in recent films.  Once again, you’re not missing out if you decide to skip this film entirely.

3) Dallas Buyers Club – 9/10 

2013 seemed to be the year of McConaughey, as he starred in yet another incredible film.  Unlike his role in Mud, this time around McConaughey plays a man you love to hate and hate to love.  While he is an ignorant homophobe who makes his feelings and opinions very well known throughout the film, it’s this same stubbornness and brashness that makes him so appealing.  Jared Leto does a phenomenal job in his role as the transgender woman Rayon, who is so compelling and charming.  Both actors went through drastic physical transformations to embody their roles.  Jennifer Garner does a satisfactory job in her role.  The story is hilarious and heartwarming, difficult yet delightful.  Not too many movies have really dealt with the issue of AIDS (especially in the early days of it), and this movie definitely does a great job of showing the struggle that people with AIDS faced, particularly the ignorance people had about the disease and its contagiousness.  This one is sure to garner some Oscar buzz, and is certainly worth seeing!

4) 12 Years a Slave – 10/10

An immensely powerful film, it is no surprise that it has already received so many award nominations.  This is absolutely Chiwetel Ejiofor’s breakout role, and he does a fantastic job in a very difficult role.  Showing the extremes that this man would go through just to survive is heart-wrenching, as well as how “normal” this whole insane world was for everyone involved.  For example, in one scene, Ejiofor’s character is practically hung on a tree, with his only means of survival being desperately trying to stand on his tip-toes.  Throughout his entire struggle, other slaves walk around him, children play in the fields behind him, and the white people simply check in on him every now and then as if he is a nuisance.  Other powerful roles are offered by Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael Fassbender, and of course Brad Pitt.  Believe the hype, this is definitely a great movie that, as hard as it can be to watch sometimes, needs to be seen, and displays one of the most difficultly realistic views of slavery in media of any form.

5) Frozen – 10/10

One of the BEST Disney films (and animated films in general) of recent history, and a true display of the talent that Disney Animation has without the aid of Pixar, this is a movie that both kids and adults will love.  Like every great Disney film, it has a great balance of humor (Josh Gad as a magical snowman?  Yes please!) and sweetness (the relationship between the sisters, Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel is uplifting).  Also, as a musical enthusiast, this movie has one of the best soundtracks of any Disney film out there, with a nice variety of sounds and styles that fit wonderfully into the film; I guarantee you’ll be humming at least one of the songs you hear in the movie for weeks to come.  In another awesome twist, the true love displayed in the movie doesn’t rely on romantic love, but rather the love between family.  The 3D looked great as well and was truly immersive.  The Frozen will rekindle your faith in the power of animated films and remind you about what you loved about them as kids, and I absolutely recommend it!

6) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – 9/10

Finally, in the blockbuster sequel to the blockbuster original, this film has all the action and excitement that you would expect, and a revolutionary story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.  Again, I’ve never read the source material, but people that I know who have read the books say its a pretty faithful interpretation.  Jennifer Lawrence is as incredible as ever, and the rest of the supporting cast return in excellent form, with a few notable new faces as well (Philip Seymour Hoffman in particular).  While it is over 2 hours long (146 minutes to be precise), it flies by quickly, and ends rather abruptly (which, like any great cliffhanger, simply leaves you excited for the conclusion).  The effects are great and the cinematography is excellent, and its a great follow-up to what I feel will be the biggest trilogy of recent times.  If you liked the first one (or just like action films in general), you definitely should see this one!

That’s it for now, more reviews and other posts coming soon!  Thank you all for continuing to read these posts!  In case I don’t get to chat with you all again in the next few days, I hope you all have a Happy Holidays and New Year! 🙂

-Dr. A

Prisoners

Prisoners is a top-notch, edge-of-your-seat thriller that hooks you immediately and holds your attention until the very end.  With an incredible cast working with an powerful script, this movie is certainly an Oscar contender and one of the best thrillers I’ve seen since Side Effects.

Director Dennis Villeneuve does a masterful job of setting an ominous tone throughout the whole film.  The lighting, the music, the way scenes are shot, the acting, all come together to make you feel anxious and worried throughout the film.  Sometimes this is done so subtly you barely notice it, other times it shockingly in front of you and can’t avert your eyes from it.  But really the main reason why this is such a great movie is because of its cast.

Hugh Jackman goes from 0-60 immediately and becomes an obsessed, crazed maniac, going to extreme measures to try to get some answers about his missing daughter that he doesn’t feel he is getting from the police.  Jake Gyllenhaal  plays the cop who is doing the best he can to find some answers as well, fighting through the many obstacles and twists and turns in the case that come his way.  Viola Davis, who I did not recognize until I saw her name in the credits, completely immerses herself in her role, playing a distraught mother who does not give up and who understands why Jackman does what he does.  In stark contrast, Maria Bello plays a mother who is so overrun with grief (as well as other medical/mental issues) that she can barely continue living.  Terrence Howard plays a father who doesn’t immediately agree with Jackman’s action, but reluctantly helps him in an attempt to find his daughter.  It’s so interesting to see the reversed balance in both relationships: Jackman being fierce and a persistent fighter with a wife (Bello) who completely falls apart, and conversely Howard being afraid to take drastic action while his wife (Davis) understands and supports it.  Melissa Leo and Paul Dano do a fantastic job portraying the creepy family that is behind this whole mess, in addition to David Dastmalchian.  The key to any great thriller is having compellingly creepy antagonists, and this film absolutely delivers on that front; every move that those three actors make is frightening and nerve-wracking.

As amazing as these actors are in their own right, I think credit needs to be given to the script.  I like how Jackman, as violent and insane as his actions become throughout the film, continues to be a religious man, reciting the Our Father prayer while coming up with new ways to torture his victim.  The little things that the antagonists say, and the way they say them, can be painfully disturbing.  You can feel the pain and misery of the characters in the film through their dialogue.  In my opinion, the pacing of the film makes a 2-and-a-half hour movie fly by; I couldn’t believe the movie was over, I still wanted more!  While there are certainly some parts of the story that I feel were rushed or not explained well-enough, the main story is compelling enough to make you forget that.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

An all-star cast gives some of their best performances in a thriller that keeps you engaged from beginning to end.  The director made sure that everything in the film added to the sense of dread and anxiety of the film, which really ramps up the impact of this intense, gritty, powerful film.  Definitely a must see, and one of the top big-budget films of the year (as you know, my list of Top films of the year is currently filled with indie films)!

Elysium

The director of the critically acclaimed (and Oscar-nominated) District 9 delivers another jaw-dropping, action-packed film with a powerful message about classism and healthcare.

What made District 9 so great was that is was an exciting sci-fi alien movie that also served as a social commentary on discrimination and immigration issues.  This film continues that great blend, to an even more exciting degree.  Many people that I know felt like District 9 was great but a bit too slow.  No need to worry about that this time around, this movie is exciting from beginning to end, and had me at the edge of my seat numerous times throughout the film.  Simply put, this movie is gorgeous in every way, especially in IMAX.  The high-tech weaponry was stunning to watch, the superhuman strength gained by donning an exoskeleton was awesome to witness, and the powerful contrast between the squalor of future LA and the incredible, surreal beauty of Elysium was fantastic to behold.  The special effects are great and feel natural in the film, and the cinematography is great, especially on Elysium; I guess it’s because it’s in stark contrast to the bland, sandy wasteland that is left on Earth, but the colors on Elysium are bright and vibrant and pop off the screen so beautifully.  One thing that I also found kind of interesting is that even though there are so many futuristic innovations in the world of this film, some of the displays on their monitors look like they were from computers from the ’80s.  Though it did throw me off a bit, it was also kind of nostalgic in a way.

The acting is great in this film as well.  Matt Damon does a fine job in his role of a man just trying to turn his life around and fulfill a promise he made a long time ago.  I don’t want to spoil to much, but there is a reason why he ends up needing that exoskeleton, and it makes his journey (and the ending of the film) that much more beautiful.  His Spanish is not bad either (he plays a boy that grew up in an orphanage in LA), I was pretty impressed!  Alice Braga (I Am Legend, City of God) does a great job in her role as well, and has a great chemistry with Matt Damon, despite the ups and downs in their relationship.  Jodie Foster (SO MANY FILMS hahaha!) plays a frightening role as Delacourt, a power-hungry Secretary of Defense who will stop at nothing to protect Elysium, no matter the consequences.  In an interesting twist, Sharlto Copley, who played the good guy/protagonist in District 9, play the terrifying villain in this film, Kruger, a former agent-turned-mercenary who plays by his own rules to get what he wants: more power and control.  It just goes to show what a great actor he is; he goes from being a lovable dope to a brutal killer!  The other actors in this film also perform very well in their roles.

Now to the main part of what makes this movie so great, the story.  Again, I don’t want to spoil to much, but as anyone can tell from the trailers, there’s two big important parts to this film: 1) the rich live in a beautiful paradise up in space called Elysium, and 2) one of the most amazing features of Elysium is the fact that everyone has access to “med-pods,” magical (science is magic right?) tubes that can literally cure ANY disease/injury within minutes.  Obviously, people down on Earth are dying and suffering with the little bit of medical help they receive, and will die trying to get up to Elysium for a chance to heal themselves and their children in these miracle devices.  This subtle nod to universal health care is powerful, and watching parents go to extreme lengths to save their kids is emotional.  What I also found delightfully ironic was the fact that people on Earth had jobs creating the very same robots that would later abuse them and prevent them from getting up to Elysium.  The stunning contrast between the two worlds is a fascinating demonstration of the unjust inequalities between the 1% and the 99% done in a clever, incredible way. Anyway, I would love to say more about it, but that would spoil some of the more intriguing and heart-wrenching moments of the film!

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

This movie will definitely delight sci-fi and action fans, and is an absolute must-see for anyone who liked District 9.  It’s almost like a sister-film; it seems like it could take place around the same time as the events of District 9.  It’s a smart film that is beautiful in many ways, and is supported by a talented cast who make you connect to their characters and their struggles.  Don’t be surprised if Neill Blomkamp goes 2 for 2 and gets Oscar nods again this year!