Weekly Review 32: IN A WORLD, DEAR ZACHARY, SOMM, 21 AND OVER

November 11, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Weekly Review Tagged 21 and Up, Dear Zachary, In A World, SOMM, Weekly Review

After an extremely busy week at the theater that saw reviews for Thor: The Dark World, Diana, and Dallas Buyers Club and screenings of Nebraska and Philomena – which I’ll write about next week – I got busy with some more at-home viewings, catching up with a couple of flicks from 2013 that had previously swooped under my radar. I would certainly gush about the two documentaries – SOMM and Dear Zachary – that I encountered but the two traditional feature films – 21 and Over and In a World – left something to be desired. Take a stroll down movie watching lane with this week’s edition of Weekly Review.

IN A WORLD (2013)

Lake Bell‘s directorial debut is a well of indie potential that never quite finds its footing. The resulting dramedy – as if we really need another movie that fits the “dramedy” bill – is sloppy but mildly entertaining, even though it has this strange feeling that the fun was intentionally capped at 7. Laced with many B-list comedy stars, In a World rewards those plugged into film geekery with its wacky premise following a battle to become the next big thing in trailer voice over work. Demetri Martin, Jeff Corddry, Ken Marino, and a barely used Jeff Garlin all feel squandered, as if Bell didn’t want anyone to shine more than her and underwrote their characters and left any improvisation strokes of comic gold on the cutting room floor. There’s certainly many elements to like and Bell’s unkempt VO laggard is a great – dare I say feminist – turn of counterculture to an industry dominated by men but, ultimately, the ratio of laughs to mere smiles make this comedy a venture not worth pursuing.

C

DEAR ZACHARY (2008)

Amateur filmmaking and (un)happy accidents turn what could have been a minor pet project into an often unruly and always devastating documentary. Originally meant to commemorate the loss of Andrew Bagby – an at-home filmmaker/aspiring doctor who has murdered at the hands of a jealous girlfriend – this documentary shifted focus with news that his murderer was pregnant with his child. As a letter to a son about his father, Dear Zachary transforms into a whole different beast entirely. Reality tends to be more shocking and messy than fiction and the events that take place throughout this film serve as unholy proof of that fact. As much a peepshow into the failings of the justice system as a degradation of a murderer let off the hook, her name is Shirley Turner, Dear Zachary is a devastating documentary of the highest degree.

B+

SOMM (2013)

Taking a peek into the little known world of sommeliers, SOMM shows us just how little we know about wine and to what lengths some will go to be called “a master.” Despite any initial reaction urging you to jump up and yell “Bullshit!”, these gurus of grape knowledge must learn about every imagine facet of the wine making process – from grape varietals to dirt to regions, subregions, and villages – to even stand a chance at the impenetrable master sommelier test for which they are studying. Giving us a new perspective on a beverage as old as time, SOMM showcases devotion and persistent in the most unexpected of professions. The film stutters in moments and feels like it could have shaved off certain elements but for making us believe that a test about wine might just be much harder than passing the bar exam, filmmaker Jason Wise deserves a big glass of wine and a respectful nod.

B

21 AND OVER (2013)

There’s little to like in this cliche-ridden college movie that’s smothered in familiar tropes like cold gravy on a hard biscuit. Taking each and every familiar path we’ve seen so many times before, 21 and Over lacks anything distinct and is unable to summon a single laughter during its 93 minute runtime. For so short a film, it quickly overstays its welcome and only just barely glides by on the easy charm of star Miles Teller. Even the cursory gross out gags are inessential, mere distasteful moments tacked on as a last ditch effort that the film isn’t completely forgotten.

D

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10 Best Movies on Netflix Instant (You Probably Haven’t Seen)

November 9, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Lists Tagged Bellflower, Blue Valentine, Brick, Bullhead, Hustle and Flow, In Bruges, Pi, Populaire, The Cabin in the Woods, Warrior

Obviously Netflix is choke full of classics like Pulp Fiction, comedy gold like Zoolander and my favorite movie of all time Apocolypse Now. Also Once Upon a Time in The West, The Avengers, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Y Tu Mama También, Bottle Rocket, Midnight Cowboy, Being John Malkovich, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Braveheart, Memento, Punch Drunk Love. But we’re not here to talk movies that you’ve already seen or know. However if you’ve missed any of them, I implore you to get on the saddle and get to queuing because none of those films are to be missed.

But for every movie that you know you should have seen, there are two that you’ve never even heard of. This list covers those diamonds in the rough scattered throughout Netflix Instant. So do yourself a favor, grab a bag of popcorn and settle in for some hidden gems of the film world.

BELLFLOWER

An absolute knockout, Bellflower opens like a cheaply made indie romcom and evolves into one of the darkest looks at a relationship ever to grace the silver screen. Beyond the absolutely devastating third act, Bellflower amazes with its paltry budget and DIY filmmaking approach. Made for a figure shy of $17,000, Bellflower squeezes more bang for its buck than any other movie I can think of. If you’ve got a strong stomach and want to experience a film that will rip your heart out, throw it on the floor and set it on fire with a flamethrower, be sure to pop on Bellflower immediately. But don’t be deceived by the first flowery half-hour or so, once you peel back the shades, Bellflower is one of the most grim and bluntly devastating films ever made.

Add Bellflower to “Your List”

HUSTLE AND FLOW

Everyone seems to know that this movie scored an Oscar for Three6 Mafia but much fewer have seen the actual movie. If you had, you’d understand exactly why that Oscar was earned. And you would helplessly start chanting, “Whoop that trick (get ’em)” in your head. A powerhouse film that showcased a host of America’s “underbelly”, Hustle and Flow made us care about a pimp and his hoes. Like Terrence Howard‘s Djay we awaited the American Dream and were just as crushed and uplifted by his uphill journey to a mystical pot of gold.

Add Hustle and Flow to “Your List”

PI

Darren Aronofsky‘s first film is also his least seen, but there’s no good reason for it. Filmed entirely in black-and-white (not for artistic purposes but for budgetary reasons), Pi follows a troubled mathematician coming to head with his own fleeting sanity. Lean in scope but full of challenging intellectual hurdles, Pi set the table for Aronofsky’s career tailor made of mental deterioration and bleak cinematic landscapes. Pretty much everyone has seen Black Swan by now (or at least the beloved Portman on Kunis scene) but most have overlooked this early gem in the true auteur’s career. If you’ve been putting it off, now is the time to delve in. Just make sure you don’t have any power tools on hand.

Add Pi to “Your List”

BULLHEAD

Nothing cinches a movie like a great ending and Bullhead is perfect evidence of that fact – it’s filmmaking 101 on how to stick your ending. It may be Belgian and may not feature any actors you’re familiar with but this story of corruption and crime packs an unforgettable punch that’ll linger long after it’s rock hard finale. Chartering the nature of violence and the inescapable shadow of childhood, Bullhead explores the dire notion that we do not control our destiny. Instead, it is irrevocably pieced together from our experiences – the tide of nurture overtaking nature. Though it is often hard to watch, it is eerily sincere in its frankness and surprisingly affecting.

Add Bullhead to “Your List”

WARRIOR

A criminally underseen tale of two estranged brothers who meet in the Ultimate Fighter arena, Warrior only pulled $13 million on a $25 million budget, making it all but a financial failure for distributor Lionsgate. But for however unsuccessful Warrior was monetarily, it garnished near universal praise from critics and for good reason. With showstopping performances from stars Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte, Warrior continued the streak of movies centered on men in the ring striking gold (for further evidence of this fact look to The Wrestler and The Fighter). However borrowed some of the story elements may have been, Gavin O’Connor‘s film does them the right way, proving the continuing power of the sports epic.

Add Warrior to “Your List”

BLUE VALENTINE

When I reviewed Blue Valentine in 2010 to the tune of an A, I called it a “taxing but worthwhile study of the ups-and-downs of a rocky relationship.” Having seen it a number of times now, I can stand by that statement wholeheartedly. One of the most powerful and intimate looks at a relationship I can remember seeing on the screen, Blue Valentine unleashes the acting prowess of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling as they tear up each and every scene. Falling in and out of love with each other on a dime, their relationship is a train wreck that we can’t help but stare at. But don’t think of this as a “date movie”, the hard-hitting conclusion probably won’t leave anyone into lovey dovey mode.

Add Blue Valentine to “Your List”

POPULAIRE

A frothy French rom-com that’s sure to delight even the surliest of humbuggers, Popularie turns typewriting into sport and transcriptions into an allegory for women’s rights. Starring a bunch of people from France that you’ve never heard of, Populaire is insta-artistry and you’ll be that much more likeable for having seen it. Next time you’re at a dinner party and are trying to impress a lady fella, mention that you saw and loved Populaire. Mission accomplished. Netflix has a great tendency to scoop up little independent gems like these barely after they’ve hit theaters and Populaire is a great example of this media giant helping out the little guy and bringing something that otherwise wouldn’t reach a huge audience to the legion of at home viewers. Now do yourself a favor and pop it on your list.

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IN BRUGES

A jet black comedy that gently reminds you to love Colin Farrell, In Bruge has heart, wit and tension in spades. Following the exploits of two bumbling hit men hiding out in a quiet Belgian village, Farrell and co-star Brendan Gleeson are certainly an onscreen odd couple but their pitch perfect chemistry works wonders. Whether they’re bickering or sharing heartfelt moments of manlove, this mismatched duo speaks to the broken dreams in all of us. From unforgettable one-liners (“You’re just the rudest man, the rudest man”) to the shockingly gruesome showdowns – all of this plus a dour midget whacked out on hallucinatories – In Bruges is full of unexpected surprises. Director Martin McDonagh went on to make Seven Psychopaths but it failed to reach the crazy highs of In Bruge.

Add In Bruges to “Your List

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

Forgive me if you’ve already seen Cabin in the Woods but considering how new it is, I felt it demanded an inclusion on this list. If you have seen it, you most likely already love it though so won’t mind seeing it recommended to others. As a send up to the genre, Cabin in the Woods is a witty deconstruction of horror tropes, lambasted through the lens of comedy. While the first half of the film tries to convince you that it’s just the same old cabin in the woods story you’ve seen a million times before, the last bombastic act flips the genre on its head, offering heady satire in spades. Joss Whedon of The Avengers co-wrote the script with director Drew Goddard and by the end of the writing process liked it so much that he wanted to direct it himself. Even though Whedon got shut down, Goddard managed to handle the material with wily perfection. Cabin in the Woods reminds us of all the reasons why we love and hate horror, doubling as a love letter and a reminder to shake things up every once in a while. Top all that off with a merman with a blood blowhole and you have yourself a truly delightful experience.

Add The Cabin in the Woods to “Your List”

BRICK

Before Looper, director Rian Johnson debuted to the film world with a hard-boiled high school noir the likes of no other. Before becoming a household name, Joseph Gordon-Levitt rocked shaggy hair and spectacles as he saunters through a silky script that perpetually tipped its hat to Chinatown. Tactile, greasy, and totally compelling, Brick is imagination gone wild – the unicorn of independent cinema. For every hundred movies made, there is only one like Brick and appreciating its eccentricity is half the fun. Combining elements of 50s noir with a high school setting sounds unnatural but the result is a thing to behold. A film that challenges the intellect and keeps you on your toes to keep up, Brick is something of a stunner. Whether you like your detective yarns fresh squeezed or not, this one’s spilling over with extra pulp.

Add Brick to “Your List”

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Out in Theaters: DIANA

November 8, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Biopic, Diana, Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews, Oliver Hirschbiege, Out in Theaters, Reviews

“Diana”
Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews, Douglas Hodge, Cas Anvar, Daniel Pirrie, Charles Edwards, Geraldine James
Biography, Drama, Romance
113 Mins
PG-13

A princess locked away in her castle has never been quite as dull as in Diana. Even her knight in shining armor is a touchy troglodyte, so petrified of being in the public eye that he’d sooner bury his passion under a callused doctoral turtle shell than mumble “I love you” one more time. Diana keeps telling us to root for this unlikely and spotted relationship and yet we see it clearly for how fickle and irrevocably broken it is, eviscerating all emotional attachment and leaving its audience with cold feet.

While Diana the woman was a visionary humanitarian, Diana the movie is blind to its own half-baked inconsequentiality – a relic of biography as bore that has no place in the rom-com market it nearly exists in. A shining example of the tail wagging the dog, Diana is tugged through the mud with its lackluster “universal love story” front and center, a mistakenly proud icon of this flunky biopic.

Rather than focusing on Princess Diana’s chest of civil achievements, Oliver Hirschbiegel contents himself with this turkey of a love story. In doing so, he misses out on establishing historical interest and wholly makes us wonder why he chose to make a film about Diana at all since this lame love story could have belonged to pretty much anyone else.

Entirely uninterested in stirring the pot, Diana presents events that take place behind closed doors as fact and headlines as monuments to her character. With a narrative that’s pierced by moments of tabloid iconography and held in place by the glue of hearsay, there’s nothing to learn about Diana here apart from that one fated schoolgirl crush on an unlikable doctor.

As Diana, Naomi Watts is sadly unremarkable. Rather than a woman of action, she drifts like a puppy dog, hopping from cause to cause like they’re islands in the tropics, never taking a moment for deeper introspection. While Watts assumes some of Diana’s physical tendencies, there is little to award for her performance as Diana: The Princess of Tedium. Naveen Andrews is similarly disappointing, embodying a character that you never really like much less fall in love with. It’s hard to tell though how much fault belongs to Andrews though as his character is unfitting of this love saga – his hardened, driven persona incongruous with the stuff of true love fables.

Worse than the parts of their two fruitless performances is its sum. Even a blind man could see that there is no great love here. In fact, there hardly seems to be any love at all. Chemistry between Andrews and Watts is mostly invisible and consistently as sultry as a wool blanket. Little more than a wet dream fantasy overcooked in an Easy Bake Oven of delusion, their relationship is borderline pathetic, much less inspiring.

Having based the entire film around this floundering relationship, Hirschbiegel has set it up for inevitable failure. In romance, there is joy, but there is no joy here. No, just a wandering stream of historical conscientiousness built on a creaky foundation of overwrought infatuation.

Perhaps most unforgivable of all is how long Diana seems to stretch on – it’s an endless desert of enjoyment without the mirage of anything better to come. A mere ten minutes in, I was checking my watch. From there on out, it hardly improves.

The most harrowing aspects of Diana’s life are surely found in her relationship with her celebrity status but even that is treated with clumsy hands. For Diana, every outing is a exercise in dodging her inescapable fandom. The claustrophobia of the public forum – a space that’s constantly transformed into the most intimate of photo shoots – is palpably noxious. But as she waffles between celebrity and infamy, her relationship with the press remains largely unchanged, as if no one thought to account for the impact of her shifting public persona.

For all the psychological trauma that these snapping cameras seem to cause Diana, little light is shed on her emotional burden. Rather, Hirschbiegel vilifies the press – here seen as an animalistic force operating solely under the “sharks to blood” mentality. Like a maiden set for sacrifice, Diana’s destruction comes across as inevitable. As if her high horse was just waiting to buck her off while everyone snapped photos and passed judgment. But for all of the supposing about Diana’s frail mental state, nothing ever sets. There’s nothing definitive about Diana in Diana, a film that is definitively dull.

There must have been some attempt along the way to reciprocate Diana’s perpetual boredom, a state brought upon by her princess locked away in a tower qualities, but boring your audience is something else entirely – something you steer clear of at all expenses. Closer in kind to a Hallmark movie than any biopic of substance, this torpid film gives ennui the royal treatment.

D-

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Out in Theaters: THOR: THE DARK WORLD

November 7, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Anthony Hopkins, Chris Hemsworth, Idris Elba, Marvel, Natalie Portman, Out in Theaters, Reviews, Thor: The Dark World, Tom Hiddleston 2 Comments

Between Chris Hemsworth‘s washboard abs and the razzle-dazzle signature FX of Marvel‘s brand, Thor: The Dark World uses blinding awesomeness to cast shade on its portended plotting. First and foremost a Marvel movie, this second (or third if you’re counting The Avengers) outing for the God of Thunder rounds all of the superhero studio’s likely bases, but a gilded touch from Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor helps bring an epic scope to the proceedings. Far exceeding the first film in terms of visual panache and high stakes action beats, the crowning gem of the Thor camp continues to be Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki. Deviant, seething, and locked away for treason, Loki may not be as much of a focal point as he was as the big baddie in The Avengers but he persists in being the most complex and unpredictable character in Marvel’s stable. Read More

New THE RAILWAY MAN Trailer Rolls Out

November 7, 2013 by Jill Landon Posted in Trailers Tagged Colin Firth, Jonathan Teplitzky, Nicole Kidman, The Railway Man

Character exploration of PTSD-suffering war vets as well as studies of mental illness and masculinity is a topic that has been well tread in film. But the topic is so rich and important that it warrants such attention. Rarely is it explored in the context of WW2 (Last years The Master being one of the few exceptions) and even rarer is it explored in the context of the Pacific Front. The recently released second trailer for Jonathan Teplitzky’s The Railway Man looks to explore those issues from an exciting persepective, as Eric Lomax (played by Colin Firth) sets out to find the soldiers responsible for his torture on the Death Railway.

Firth, Nicole Kidman, and Stellan Skarsgard look to turn in strong performances as per usual. The cinematography and set locations look fantastic as well. Unless the script completely falls flat on its face, this should be an emotional journey and a definite award contender.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEGTm1jgf_U

The Railway Man is directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and stars Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgard, and Hiroyuki Sanada. It hits theaters December 26, 2013.

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Out in Theaters: DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

November 6, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Dallas Buyers Club, Jared Leto, Jean-Marc Vallee, Martin Pensa, Matthew McConaughey, Out in Theaters, Reviews

“Dallas Buyers Club”
Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner, Dallas Roberts, Denis O’Hare, Steve Zahn, Kevin Rankin, Jane McNeill
Drama
117 Mins
R

Imagine being sat down and told that you’ve just tested positive for HIV. Now imagine that you’ve only ever been told that this is a “gay disease” – an impossible horror reserved only for the darkest corner of “queerness.” Then picture this whopper: you’ve got six weeks to live. Six weeks. 42 days. 1000 hours…and that’s not accounting for time spent sleeping. The rest of your life needs to fit within the confines of a 1000-hour window. Welcome to AIDS in the 80s.

This true life horror story is a too commonly known in 2013, a time when we have a semi-solution to the problem – even though the living stigma attached to the HIV-positive is as lecherous and potent as ever – but in the live-free-die-young time of Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey), doctors couldn’t finger transmission causes, barely knew the symptoms, and failed to charter a road to recovery just as they failed to grasp the desperation of those afflicted.

It was a time of widespread panic, a near-modernization of the Black Plague that ripped apart communities and savaged its victims. If there was anything that HIV wasn’t, it was good. That is, except for Woodroof. His disease catalyzed him to become a man of action, a fighter with a rock-solid purpose, and most of all, a business juggernaut who built a small empire.

For a small town electrician with a seventh grade education, Woodroof essentially transformed himself into an amateur scientist and one of the leading experts on HIV/AIDS treatments. While hanging on for his life in Mexico after blasting his body with an unregulated trial version of AZT, Ron becomes a champion of the “cocktail” – a pill regiment that has become a regular staple of modern HIV treatment. Transfixed with saving his own life while making a few bucks, he soon starts smuggling boxes of the non-FDA approved medicine into the US for sale.

Never a man seeking a Nobel Prize, Woodroof was in drug business for himself and himself alone. He saw demand and a gross lack of supply and tactfully worked out a marketplace in the periphery of the drug administration’s reach. His actions couldn’t have been further from philanthropy and this is what makes the tale so entirely captivating. This is no hero’s story, this is the ballad of a charismatic anti-hero; a man profiteering off of his deadly disease, who just so happens to have made a positive mark in his community.

Amazingly, this is not the sob story that it so easily could have been. The absolute restraint on full display elevates Dallas Buyers Club from a powerful biopic into an elegant stunner. On many occasions, director Jean-Marc Vallée brings you to the brink of tears and quickly yanks away, allowing the melodramatic teat to go un-milked. In such, Dallas is the anti Nick Sparks. While this tragedy could have easily been swaddled in a waterfall of tears, Vallée and McConaughey harvest the comic aspects while maintaining a strong foothold in respectful execution. Like any true story, there is no black-and-white, just various shades of gray.

For the past two years, Matthew McConaughey has pushed against his former image – a shiftless Southerner, the heartthrob focal point of many a failed rom-com – and embraced his career like a man reborn. His work in Dallas Buyers Club is entirely stunning – unquestionably the greatest work of his career – the final stage of a prodigious transformation. Bubbling behind his eyes is a well of emotion, a characteristic that gives layers of depth to what he says, inferring that the true meaning of his homophobic, brash choice of words are always hidden behind a few layers of his callous former self. For as much of a strong-headed bastard as he is, Ron is as scared as a kid at a clown convention. But he’d rather die than ever say it.

Coming out of a semi-retirement, Jared Leto offers strong evidence that he should have never been allowed to step out of the spotlight. As Ron’s transvestite business partner, also stricken with HIV, Leto is gold and nearly threatens in upstage McConaughey in a number of scenes. Brimming with heart, Rayon offers a softer-edge to balance out Ron’s calculated apathy. Underneath the layers of overindulgent makeup, fire-red wig, and shabby drag garb, there is a real person – one who has suffered being the butt of countless gay jokes and has crawled nail-by-manicured-nail out of the disapproval of a conservative, waspy family. He isn’t some wacky transvestite; he is a human of hardship whose only reward for free expression is a case of full-blown AIDS. Ron may be the centerpiece of the film but Rayon is the timely beating heart.

As a piece of cultural import, Dallas Buyers Club works so well because it is just as poignant look at drug administration as corporate bully and the monumental failings of the U.S. health care system today as it was then. Just look at the similar origin story of Walter White in Breaking Bad – another tale of a man with a clinical death sentence forced to function outside the law to pay for treatment – to upend parallels between the 80s and now. We may have waged unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and yet the U.S. government continues to wage an invisible war on the sick with their defunct health care policies. Canadian Vallée wrangles the issue close and holds it up to the camera. “Is this acceptable America?” he asks. Of course not. And yet, around and around we go.

For the swing-for-the-fences success, major credit is due to the editing department under Vallée and Martin Pensa‘s guidance, making the most difficult calls of all – not overstaying. Debunking the belief that over-dramatization leads to more emotional impact, Vallée guides Dallas into near-perfect territory with the craft of someone who’s been doing this his whole life. Lingering long after the lights draw up, Dallas passes on an invaluable lesson: everything we have can be taken from us in an instant and, as life deteriorates around you, you can be footed with the bill. As an American living without health care, what can be more terrifying than that?

A+

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Character Posters for ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND CONTINUES

November 5, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Movie Posters Tagged Adam McKay, Anchorman: The Legend Continues, Harrison Ford, Movie Posters, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Will Ferrell

Playing up the epic element and riffing on monster movie posters, the cast of Anchorman: The Legend Continues takes over New York City in the macro. Towering above skyscrapers, stomping on cars, and lounging on buildings Ron Burgandy is joined by his faithful news crew as they trudge closer to their Christmas Day release.

“With the 70’s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) – All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy…while taking the country’s first 24-hour news channel by storm.”

Paul Rudd as Brian Fantana

Steve Carrell as Brick Tamland

David Koechner as Champ Kind

Will Ferrell as Ron Burgandy

Anchorman: The Legend Continues is directed by Adam McKay and stars Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Kristen Wiig, Sacha Baron Cohen, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Kayne West, James Marsden, Nicole Kidman, Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Amy Poehler, Jim Carrey. It hits theaters on December 20, 2013.

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Hugh Jackman to Return for WOLVERINE 3

November 5, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Movie Announcements Tagged Hugh Jackman, James Mangold, The Wolverine, Wolverine 3

I enjoyed The Wolverine, even though I had no delusions that it was a great movie, but now it looks like it will be the middle child of a trilogy of Wolverine movies. James Mangold, director of The Wolverine and 3:10 to Yuma, will return to direct Hugh Jackman for his eighth, yes eighth, run as the eponymous Wolverine. This news comes as a bit of a surprise since The Wolverine saw lackluster box office return and mild reaction from fans and critics.

Although little details have yet emerged as to where this tale will fall within the X-Men timeline, especially since this release will fall after X-Men: Days of Future Past, old Wolfy boy seems like he won’t ever die. Now Oscar nominated and a massive international superstar, Jackman seems to really be limiting his options continuing down the X-Men route. Unless you finally get Darren Aronofsky onboard and an R-rating, the propects of yet another Wolverine movie seem limited by what we’ve already seen.

Fox’s executive decisions up to this point suggest that so long as Jackman is willing, they’ll throw a Wolverine role at him every other year until he dies. Jackman though seems headstrong to continue his superhero path and has recently made comments suggesting that he would love to join up with the Avengers at some point. Slow down Jackman, I think eight superhero movies might be enough for one man.

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Sherlock Lives in Teaser Photo for Season 3

November 5, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Pictures

Anyone up to date with BBC‘s Sherlock (turn away now if not) saw Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) jump to his death at the hands of arch-nemesis Moriarty. While he may be a magician of the intellect, Sherlock is still a human and a 60-foot jump onto concrete has a tendency to kill humans. Nevertheless, Sherlock continues to live – a fact made clear by this first official from season three.

While the writers certainly have a hole to dig themselves out of – especially if they don’t want to be seen as “jumping the shark” – there is no shortage of internet theories as to how Sherlock could have faked his death in the moment for them to pursue through and pull from. While probably not a common tactic for show runners, it will be interesting to see how closely their solution to Sherlock’s death hems to the heft of fan theories. One way or another, they’re really gonna need to pull something brilliant to win the trust and confidence of fans.

As evident by the opening scene in the final episode of season two, Martin Freeman‘s Watson has become a man broken by Sherlock’s death. We can expect some fierce butting of heads when Sherlock reveals his latest stunt to just be yet another rouse but could it potentially lead to the end of Watson and Sherlock’s odd friendship?

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Taking a Second Swing at the 2014 Oscar Predictions

November 4, 2013 by Matt Oakes Posted in Awards Tagged 2014 Oscars, All is Lost, American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska, Saving Mr. Banks, The Wolf of Wall Street

A lot has changed in the weeks since my first Oscar prediction post. A big contender is now out of the running with Monuments Men unexpected move to a 2014 release, while Saving Mr. Banks debuted to soaring reviews, and The Wolf of Wall Street secured its chance in this year’s Oscar after solidifying a Christmas release date.

Although buzz has Gravity and 12 Years a Slave going head-to-head for the title, that conversation is nothing more than preemptive positioning, as there’s just so much more to see before the we start setting things in stone. One thing is for sure though, Gravity’s continued praise and high box office numbers make it a stronger contender than expected and it’s pretty much locked in nominations across the board. Nonetheless, expect it to pull an Inception/Life of Pi manuever and mostly walk away with technical accolades. Although unlikely, a director-picture split could potentially see Alfonso Cuaron taking home his first Oscar but after last year’s Affleck, Argo drama, don’t cross your fingers.

After seeing 12 Years a Slave, Blue is the Warmest Color, and Nebraska, I had to shake up a few categories, first and foremost, the Best Actor category, as I can’t imagine Bruce Dern not seeing some recognition. As for Chiwetel Ejifor‘s lead role in 12 Years, it’s beyond powerful, and he’s very likely to take home the gold. Nipping at his heels, Robert Redford continues to climb the charts for his near silent role in All is Lost and could just end up playing a legacy trump card when it comes voting time.

Another black man playing a role tailor man for the Oscars, Forest Whitaker got pushed out of the top five for now but it wouldn’t be unlikely for him to step back in sooner or later. Perhaps the biggest unknown quality in this category though is Leonardo DiCaprio, who leads Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. Criminally undernominated, DiCaprio was pegged for an Oscar for this role early on but now his odds are shakier with the knowledge that Wolf is a nearly three hour long dark comedy. Now that the film will definitely see the light of day in 2013, there’s still a chance he can pull some last minute punches. For once, it’s a rather interesting race for Best Actor with some massive talent pining for those top five spots.

The Best Director category seems pretty firmed up as none of the top five spots managed to budge. Expect further momentum in that category in December when Saving Mr. Banks, American Hustle, and Inside Llewyn Davis play for a wider audience. For now, it’s a race between McQueen and Cuaron but if American Hustle is the success story that so many people expect, a win for David O. Russell would be more than understandable.

Glancing through the list for now, you’ll notice a bit of a 12 Years a Slave domination. Does that mean I expect 12 Years a Slave to clean up at the Oscars? Not necessarily, but all current momentum does have it as an early frontrunner, making it the one to beat at the moment. Gravity is currently perceived as its biggest competition but that’s little more than hogwash, as Gravity, no matter how well received, just doesn’t stand a chance at the top.

The closet thing we have as a lock for now is Cate Blanchett‘s stronghold on Best Actress. Although Judi Dench will give her a run for her money with her titular role in Philomena, Bullock is assured a nomination, and Streep is never someone to be scoffed at, this category is all but signed, sealed, and delivered for Blanchett.

Best Picture:

1. “12 Years a Slave” (No change)

2. “Gravity” +1
3. “Saving Mr. Banks” +1
4. “American Hustle” -2
5. “The Wolf of Wall Street” +4
6. “Inside Llewyn Davis” (No change)
7. “Captain Phillips” -2
8. “Nebraska” +4
9. “Dallas Buyers Club” -2
10. “All is Lost” +1

Fringe:
11. “August: Osage County” -1
12. “Rush” +1
13. “Before Midnight” +1
14. “Blue is the Warmest Color” (New)
15. “Prisoners” (New)

Best Director:

1. Steve McQueen “12 Years a Slave” (No change)

2. Alfonso Cuaron “Gravity” (No change)
3. David O. Russell “American Hustle” (No change)
4. John Lee Hancock “Saving Mr. Banks” (No change)
5. The Coen Bros “Inside Llewyn Davis” (No change)

Fringe:
6. Martin Scorsese “The Wolf of Wall Street” +2
7. Paul Greengrass “Captain Phillips” -1
8. JC Chandor “All is Lost” +1
9. Alexander Payne “Nebraska” +1
10. Jean-Marc Vallee “Dallas Buyers Club” (New)

Best Actor:

1. Chiwetel Ejifor “12 Years a Slave” +1

2. Robert Redford “All is Lost” +2
3. Matthew McConaughey “Dallas Buyers Club” -2
4. Tom Hanks “Captain Phillips” -1
5. Bruce Dern “Nebraska” +3

Fringe:
6. Leonardo DiCaprio “The Wolf of Wall Street” (No change)
7. Forest Whitaker “Lee Daniel’s The Butler” -2
8. Christain Bale “American Hustle” -1
9. Joaquin Phoenix “Her” (No change)
10. Oscar Isaac “Inside Llewyn Davis” (No change)

Best Actress:

1. Cate Blanchett “Blue Jasmine” (No change)

2. Judi Dench “Philomena” (No change)
3. Sandra Bullock “Gravity” +1
4. Meryl Streep “August: Osage County” -1
5. Emma Thompson “Saving Mr. Banks” (No change)

Fringe:
6.Amy Adams “American Hustle” (No change)
7. Adèle Exarchopoulos “Blue is the Warmest Color” +2
8. Julie Delpy “Before Midnight” -1
9. Brie Larson “Short Term 12” -1
10. Berenice Bejo “The Past” (No change)

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Jared Leto “Dallas Buyers Club” (No change)

2. Michael Fassbender “12 Years a Slave” +1
2. Daniel Bruhl “Rush” -1
4. Tom Hanks “Saving Mr. Banks” (No change)
5. Barkhad Abdi “Captain Phillips” +3

Fringe:
6. Bradley Cooper “American Hustle” (No change)
7. Jake Gllyenhaal “Prisoners” (No change)
8. Jonah Hill “The Wolf of Wall Street” (New)
9. John Goodman “Inside Llewyn Davis” -4
10. James Gandolfini “Enough Said” (New)

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Lupita Nyong’o “12 Years a Slave” (No change)

2. Oprah Winfrey “Lee Daniel’s The Butler” (No change)
3. June Squibb “Nebraska” +4
4. Julia Roberts “August: Osage County” -1
5. Octavia Spencer “Fruitvale Station” -1

Fringe:
6. Lea Seydoux “Blue is the Warmest Color” (New)
7. Margo Martindale “August: Osage County” -1
8. Melissa Leo “Prisoners” (No change)
9. Jennifer Lawrence “American Hustle” (No change)
10. Carey Mulligan “Inside Llewyn Davis” (No change)

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