A brand new year always brings one guarantee: a brand new batch of movies hitting a silver screens nationwide! 2013 was a fantastic year at the movies with film after film delivering on its promise of thrills and award worthiness. A handful of movies that were released in 2013 were instant classics and clearly films that will be talked about 50 years from now.
But 2013 is over and 2014 is just around the corner...and 2014 looks as promising as ever!
Every month from January to December, on paper, looks to consist of a handful of films that we will probably be talking about this time next year. The first part of the year looks surprisingly very promising while the summer looks as spectacular as ever with the Oscar season already shaping up to be one great race!
Let's take a look at 20 films that I cannot wait to see in 2014!
20. Get on Up
Synopsis: A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis
Director: Tate Taylor
Release: August 1
In 2011, director Tate Taylor made quite a name for himself when he released the stellar The Help as it went on to garner 4 Oscar nominations and a win for Octavia Spencer for Best Supporting Actress. On paper, this looks to be another entertaining, yet powerful take on a dark period of history. James Brown is a legend and bringing him to the screen is going to be challenging, but Chadwick Boseman is more than capable of doing so. If you want any proof, go check out this past year's 42, in which Boseman portrays Jackie Robinson, another American legend. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer are great in everything they do and Get on Up is already on its way to being a heavy hitter come next Oscar season.
19. The Fault in Our Stars
Synopsis: Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group.
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Willem Dafoe, Laura Dern
Director: Josh Boone
Release: June 6
Every now and then, a movie will be coming up that, for no apparent reason, I'm intrigued by, and in 2014, The Fault in Our Stars is that movie. How in the world did a film about two teenagers falling in love who happen to also have cancer find its way on this list? Shailene Woodley. Woodley is one of the best up and coming actresses in Hollywood after making a name for herself in The Descendants and The Spectacular Now. Now, she gets to finally take center stage and showcase her true talents for all of the nation. Seeing Dafoe in a supporting turn is also intriguing as well as seeing how the young, yet talented Josh Boone directs such a storyline.
18. Exodus
Synopsis: The story of Moses from the Bible
Starring: Christian Bale, Aaron Paul, Sigourney Weaver, Joel Edgerton
Director: Ridley Scott
Release: December 12
This year sees the release of 3 Biblical epics: Russell Crowe's Noah in March and The Bible's Son of God coming out in February. The first one of the three making this list, however, is Scott's Exodus, and the reason for that is to see Christian Bale act once again, something that is always a treat. Whatever role he takes on, it is a guarantee that he will be completely immersed in that role and will give it all he's got, and that's something you can truly appreciate as a viewer. The story of Moses is also an excellent story to translate to the screen, and Ridley Scott needs a truly phenomenal film after a couple of disappointments the last few years.
17. Guardians of the Galaxy
Synopsis: A jet pilot gets stranded in space, and must unite a diverse team of aliens to form a squad capable of defeating cosmic threats.
Starring: Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace
Director: James Gunn
Release: August 1
Up to this point, Marvel has, very effectively, played it safe by releasing films that they know the audience will love featuring the characters everybody knows like Iron Man and Thor. This August, however, Marvel is going to take their first real gamble and truly see how beloved this company is with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy. Not everybody knows the story of these Marvel characters, and most people probably didn't even know this was a Marvel movie. That's why this is a gamble, but based off of history, Marvel usually doesn't disappoint.
16. Muppets: Most Wanted
Synopsis: While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Ty Burrell
Director: James Bobin
Release: March 21
In 2011, Kermit and the gang returned to the silver screen better than ever as they co-stared alongside Amy Adams and Jason Segal in The Muppets in one of the funnest movies of the year. This time around, Adams and Segal are gone, but Gervais, Burrell, and Fey are in, and this looks to be one fun film to watch. Disney is on a hot streak as of late when it comes to quality so they're going to continue to give everything they've got to get to the best product out there, and Muppets: Most Wanted will benefit.
15. Noah
Synopsis: The Biblical Noah suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood.
Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Release: March 28
The story of Noah is one of my favorites in the entire Bible as it's a story about a man who personifies faith and then lives it out regardless of the consequences. This story is also one that I cannot wait play out on the big screen. Russell Crowe is one of my personal favorite actors so to see him take on this role is exciting enough, but then when you take a look at the supporting cast led by Connelly, Watson, and Lerman, it's a guarantee that the acting will be top-notch. Aronofsky is an interesting choice as director which prevents Noah from being higher on this list, but the story and acting is simply too grand to ignore.
14. Godzilla
Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla appears to wreak destruction on mankind.
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Sally Hawkins
Director: Gareth Edwards
Release: May 16
A few weeks ago, Godzilla probably wouldn't have made it on this list. Why? Because I knew nothing about it. Not the stars, the director, the story. Nothing. But then they released the trailer, and I was sold! The trailer featured excellent visuals that are reminiscent of this past year's Pacific Rim. The real shock to me, however, came when I saw the cast list which features Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston who is one of the greatest actors around. Throw in Taylor-Johnson, Olsen, and Hawkins and you have something most films of this magnitude lack: star power, and that goes a long way.
13. How to Train Your Dragon 2
Synopsis: It's been five years since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett
Director: Dean DeBlois
Release: June 13
Outside of Disney, there are very few animated films that I consider classics, and How to Train Your Dragon is one of those classics. It was thoroughly entertaining while also bringing out great visuals and a surprisingly heartfelt story along with superb voice talent and an abundance of hilarity. My expectations are very high for this sequel, but after taking a look at the plot and returning voice actors, I have a feeling that those expectations have potentially to be eclipsed. I sure hope so!
12. Edge of Tomorrow
Synopsis: A soldier fighting in a war with aliens finds himself caught in a time loop of his last day in the battle, though he becomes better skilled along the way.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Lara Pulver
Director: Doug Liman
Release: June 6
Last April, Tom Cruise returned the science-fiction genre with the incredibly entertaining Oblivion. When Cruise is doing science-fiction, he's usually at his best. War of the Worlds and Minority Report are two classics in my opinion, and Edge of Tomorrow looks to have all the makings of another classic. Emily Blunt costars alongside Cruise, and she has the potential to steal the show away from Cruise. Doug Liman has some impressive credentials as well as he has directed The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Edge of Tomorrow's trailer was also impressive which gives me hope that this movie is going to be great.
11. Transcendence
Synopsis: A terminally ill scientist downloads his body into a computer. This grants him power beyond his wildest dreams, and soon he becomes unstoppable.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy
Director: Wally Pfister
Release: April 18
Wally Pfister was the cinematographer for The Dark Knight trilogy which means he's been able to work under a living legend: director Christopher Nolan. With Transcendence, Pfister takes his first crack at directing for himself and Nolan is producing. This film has all the making of being a truly amazing film. Of course, when you have Johnny Depp as your star, you're well on your way. The supporting cast is also fantastic, but the storyline is also extremely promising. I've got a feeling that this movie is going to bend some minds and cause some arguments, which is very similar to Inception (a Nolan-directed, Pfister-shot movie), and that movie is a classic.
10. Transformers: Age of Extinction
Synopsis: A mechanic and his daughter make a discovery that brings down Autobots and Decepticons - and a paranoid government official - on them.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz
Director: Michael Bay
Release: June 27
Say what you want about the first three installments of the Transformers franchise in regard to the cinematic side of things, but you can't argue that for most people, those three films were incredibly entertaining, and that was with Shia LaBeouf at the helm. Now, Mark Wahlberg is the star, somebody with actually acting capability, alongside those famous shape-shifters. Not much is known about the storyline yet and a trailer is yet to be released, but Bay will undoubtedly bring it with the visuals and deliver one of the most entertaining summer blockbusters of the year.
9. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Synopsis: Survivors of the simian plague trigger an all-out war between humanity and Caesar's growing forces.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Andy Serkis, Keri Russell
Director: Matt Reeves
Release: July 11
When Rise of the Planet of the Apes came out in 2011 with James Franco starring, expectations for this reboot were pretty low and most people mocked and scoffed at the idea of attempting to redo the franchise once again. Then, however, audiences saw the final product, and they began to think otherwise because the reboot worked and worked really well. Franco is out this time around, but the stars are still shining with veteran Oldman costarring alongside up and coming superstar Jason Clarke and CGI expert Andy Serkis. The first trailer was really well done and gives me hope that this film can exceed the expectations that the first one put on it.
8. Maleficent
Synopsis: The "Sleeping Beauty" tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora.
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Juno Temple
Director: Robert Stromberg
Release: May 30
In the history of Disney villains, none have been more evil and vile than Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent, so it's only fitting that the infamous villain get a movie all to herself, and be portrayed by Angelina Jolie nonetheless. Jolie's presence is why this film is ranked so high on this list because she fits the profile of Maleficent perfectly in my opinion, and I can't wait to see what she does with the role to take it above and beyond my expectations. Sharlto Copley (District 9, Elysium) is turning in a supporting role here which also has me intrigued. Disney has plans to maybe bring some more villains to the big screen after this one, so they obviously think that Maleficent is going to win audiences worldwide. You've sold me.
7. Into the Woods
Synopsis: A witch conspires to teach important lessons to various characters of popular children's stories including Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel.
Starring: Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine
Director: Rob Marshall
Release: December 25
I'm a sucker for a musical. Whether it be a Disney animated musical like this past year's Frozen, or a heavier adaption like 2012's Les Miserables, if you're singing, I'll be singing right there with you. Into the Woods (which is being released by Disney) boasts a stellar cast who can all sing AND act which is so vital. Rob Marshall is also behind the camera directing it all, and he knows his way around a musical as he was at the helm of the 2003 Best Picture winner Chicago. Disney has given this film a prime awards season release date on Christmas Day 2014, obviously a huge vote of confidence for for the film, and with Streep and Depp starring, who could blame them?
6. The Hobbit: There and Back Again
Synopsis: The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug's lair; but, can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it?
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly
Director: Peter Jackson
Release: December 17
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was a bit of a disappointed for Lord of the Rings fans overall, but Peter Jackson and company saved face this past December with an excellent second installment, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The way this past film ended makes me really anxious to see There and Back Again to see how they tie everything together once and for all. The entire cast from Smaug, and, most importantly, Smaug himself returns in what will surely be an epic finale.
5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Synopsis: Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford
Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo
Release: April 4
Marvel looks to continue their hot streak with creating a sequel for their first Avenger, Captain America. This is one of the final two films (Guardians of the Galaxy) Marvel will be releasing before the highly anticipated The Avengers: Age of Ultron in May 2015 (Spoiler Alert: that will appear at #1 on this list next year). Thor: The Dark World severely lacked the presence of SHIELD, so I'm thinking, and the trailer all but confirms, that we will be getting a heavy dose of the secret agency this time around, something I thoroughly look forward to. The addition of Robert Redford as a new agent is also intriguing and exciting. Let's hope that Marvel hits yet another home run.
4. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Synopsis: Peter Parker runs the gauntlet as the mysterious company Oscorp sends up a slew of supervillains against him, impacting on his life.
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, Paul Giamatti
Director: Marc Webb
Release: May 2
When Marvel decided to reboot the Spider-Man franchise back in the summer of 2012, I was skeptical, simply because I thought it was too soon since the release of Spider-Man 3. Luckily, The Amazing Spider-Man was an extremely well done movie with great thrills and performances, especially from the new webslinger, Andrew Garfield. This time around, Jamie Foxx and Paul Giamatti are enemies of Spider-Man and Oscorp is also investigated more in depth. Marvel has placed the sequel in its prime first weekend of May slot, signalling confidence. I hope it can deliver.
3. Interstellar
Synopsis: A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release: November 7
Now that The Dark Knight franchise is complete with Christopher Nolan at the helm, Nolan is free to do whatever he wants, when he wants, with who he wants. It's exciting beyond words to see Nolan dive back into some original flare because when he does just that, he's at his best. The Prestige and Inception are two of my favorites films ever, both directed by Nolan. With Interstellar, Nolan has trule brought together some of the best actors on the planet to pull off what will undoubtedly be an epic adventure. McConaughey is on an absolute roll right now and I can't to see him continue his career resurgence and after the spellbinding Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain is back and will hopefully continue to be one of the best actresses working today alongside her costar, Anne Hathaway, who is coming off her first Oscar win for Les Miserables.
2. X-Men: Days of Future Past
Synopsis: The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
Director: Bryan Singer
Release: May 23
In addition to the four actors mentioned above, this X-Men installment also stars Ian McKellan, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, and Halle Berry. I'm sold!
1. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1
Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the autocratic Capitol.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release: November 21
The Hunger Games franchise is one of the best around, and this November, the end begins. While this book is, admittedly, my least favorite of the trilogy, it's impossible to not get excited to see how this all comes to a close. Lawrence is picture perfect as Katniss, and I have no doubt that she'll deliver another great performance in the movie. Julianne Moore joins the cast for the last two films which I have no problem with at all. Here's hoping that the end of this franchise is as spectacular as the beginning.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Updated Oscar Predictions
Oscar season is in full swing and while we're still over a month away from the nominees actually being announced, the fields for all categories are beginning to look pretty clear. Let's take a look at the nominees as I see them with the first film or name listed being the frontrunner and the last name being the most vulnerable.
Best Picture
12 Years a Slave
Gravity
Saving Mr. Banks
The Wolf of Wall Street
Nebraska
Captain Phillips
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
American Hustle
Possible Spoilers: Lone Survivor, Dallas Buyers Club, Lee Daniels' The Butler
With The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle revealing themselves, all of the possible nominees have been seen and reviewed. 12 Years a Slave and Gravity are still the frontrunners and have received nice boosts from critic groups nationwide to begin the award season. Saving Mr. Banks' chances will rely heavily on its box office performance domestically. If people show up for this movie, the Academy could award it for being the lighter film. Watch out for The Wolf of Wall Street. I've heard from more than one critic that it's Martin Scorsese's best film which is a HUGE complement. Outside of those four, I don't forsee any other film being a threat at the point. They're safe for nominations, but a win is unlikely.
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Possible Spoilers: Alexander Payne, Nebraska; Spike Jonze, Her; John Lee Hancock, Saving Mr. Banks; David O. Russell, American Hustle
McQueen and Cuaron are locker in, and one of the two will probably end up being the winner. If The Wolf of Wall Street continues to gain momentum, Scorsese can play in as a major factor. The last two spots are up for grabs. The Coen brothers are Oscar favorites so I would not be shocked in the least to see them sited. Greengrass has lost a lot of momentum since the beginning of the season, but I have faith that he'll be able to sneak in with his directing of one of the year's best films. The possible spoilers all have a legit shot at sneaking into the field but will need help in the precursors.
Best Actor
Chiwetal Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Possible Spoilers: Robert Redford, All is Lost; Forrest Whitaker, Lee Daniels' The Butler; Joaquin Phoenix, Her; Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis; Christian Bale, American Hustle
The top four seem pretty safe at this point with all having a pretty good chance to take home the prize. The final spot is up for grabs though in a big way. I'm going with DiCaprio because 1) he was snubbed last year for Django Unchained; 2) he's never won an Oscar; and 3) The Wolf of Wall Street is gaining some serious buzz. Redford has lost a lot of steam as of late, even missing out on the SAG nomination. The remaining four all have a shot, but are looking less likely everyday.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Judi Dench, Philomena
Possible Spoiler: Amy Adams, American Hustle
Basically, these five actresses are the final five. I do not see any other actress sneaking in and bumping one of these five. Adams has a chance because she's a four-time nominee and American Hustle could gain momentum once the public begins to see it, but it's a long shot. These five look to be safe. Who wins, however, is a different story. I can see Blanchett, Bullock, or Thompson taking home the prize with Streep and Dench happy to be nominated. Whoever may win will then be a multiple Oscar winner as each one of these five actresses have won in the past.
Best Supporting Actor
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
Barkhard Abdi, Captain Phillips
Possible Spoilers: Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street; Daniel Bruhl, Rush; John Goodman, Inside Llewyn Davis; Will Forte, Nebraska; Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Of all the categories, this one is the most wide open with only Leto and Fassbender being safe at this point in the race. Hanks is probably going to be able to sneak in there because, well, he's Tom Hanks as he's playing Walt Disney. The late James Gandolfini should be receiving a posthumous nomination with a chance at pulling off the upset and getting the win. Abdi had been quiet up to this point in the race, but then he scored a SAG nomination, and now I believe he'll be able to sneak in. All five spoilers have a chance to break into the field with Hill being the most likely because of the anticipated Wolf momentum.
Best Supporting Actress
Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
June Squibb, Nebraska
Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station
Possible Spoilers: Julia Roberts, August: Osage County; Margo Martindale, August: Osage County
If Oprah is nominated, which I highly anticpate her being, I don't see her losing. She is, by far, the best part of The Butler and she can work the awards circuit like nobody else. Nyong'o, though, poses a huge threat as she is representing the Best Picture frontunner. Her role is heartbreaking and the Academy loves role like her's. Lawrence is one of the most popular actresses in the business today and she is on her way to going down in history as one of the best actresses of all-time. If American Hustle can pick up some steam, watch out for Lawrence. Squibb and Spencer will have to settle for a nomination, but watch out for the Osage County women. They're both hot on their heels.
Best Picture
12 Years a Slave
Gravity
Saving Mr. Banks
The Wolf of Wall Street
Nebraska
Captain Phillips
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
American Hustle
Possible Spoilers: Lone Survivor, Dallas Buyers Club, Lee Daniels' The Butler
With The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle revealing themselves, all of the possible nominees have been seen and reviewed. 12 Years a Slave and Gravity are still the frontrunners and have received nice boosts from critic groups nationwide to begin the award season. Saving Mr. Banks' chances will rely heavily on its box office performance domestically. If people show up for this movie, the Academy could award it for being the lighter film. Watch out for The Wolf of Wall Street. I've heard from more than one critic that it's Martin Scorsese's best film which is a HUGE complement. Outside of those four, I don't forsee any other film being a threat at the point. They're safe for nominations, but a win is unlikely.
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Possible Spoilers: Alexander Payne, Nebraska; Spike Jonze, Her; John Lee Hancock, Saving Mr. Banks; David O. Russell, American Hustle
McQueen and Cuaron are locker in, and one of the two will probably end up being the winner. If The Wolf of Wall Street continues to gain momentum, Scorsese can play in as a major factor. The last two spots are up for grabs. The Coen brothers are Oscar favorites so I would not be shocked in the least to see them sited. Greengrass has lost a lot of momentum since the beginning of the season, but I have faith that he'll be able to sneak in with his directing of one of the year's best films. The possible spoilers all have a legit shot at sneaking into the field but will need help in the precursors.
Best Actor
Chiwetal Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Possible Spoilers: Robert Redford, All is Lost; Forrest Whitaker, Lee Daniels' The Butler; Joaquin Phoenix, Her; Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis; Christian Bale, American Hustle
The top four seem pretty safe at this point with all having a pretty good chance to take home the prize. The final spot is up for grabs though in a big way. I'm going with DiCaprio because 1) he was snubbed last year for Django Unchained; 2) he's never won an Oscar; and 3) The Wolf of Wall Street is gaining some serious buzz. Redford has lost a lot of steam as of late, even missing out on the SAG nomination. The remaining four all have a shot, but are looking less likely everyday.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Judi Dench, Philomena
Possible Spoiler: Amy Adams, American Hustle
Basically, these five actresses are the final five. I do not see any other actress sneaking in and bumping one of these five. Adams has a chance because she's a four-time nominee and American Hustle could gain momentum once the public begins to see it, but it's a long shot. These five look to be safe. Who wins, however, is a different story. I can see Blanchett, Bullock, or Thompson taking home the prize with Streep and Dench happy to be nominated. Whoever may win will then be a multiple Oscar winner as each one of these five actresses have won in the past.
Best Supporting Actor
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
Barkhard Abdi, Captain Phillips
Possible Spoilers: Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street; Daniel Bruhl, Rush; John Goodman, Inside Llewyn Davis; Will Forte, Nebraska; Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Of all the categories, this one is the most wide open with only Leto and Fassbender being safe at this point in the race. Hanks is probably going to be able to sneak in there because, well, he's Tom Hanks as he's playing Walt Disney. The late James Gandolfini should be receiving a posthumous nomination with a chance at pulling off the upset and getting the win. Abdi had been quiet up to this point in the race, but then he scored a SAG nomination, and now I believe he'll be able to sneak in. All five spoilers have a chance to break into the field with Hill being the most likely because of the anticipated Wolf momentum.
Best Supporting Actress
Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
June Squibb, Nebraska
Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station
Possible Spoilers: Julia Roberts, August: Osage County; Margo Martindale, August: Osage County
If Oprah is nominated, which I highly anticpate her being, I don't see her losing. She is, by far, the best part of The Butler and she can work the awards circuit like nobody else. Nyong'o, though, poses a huge threat as she is representing the Best Picture frontunner. Her role is heartbreaking and the Academy loves role like her's. Lawrence is one of the most popular actresses in the business today and she is on her way to going down in history as one of the best actresses of all-time. If American Hustle can pick up some steam, watch out for Lawrence. Squibb and Spencer will have to settle for a nomination, but watch out for the Osage County women. They're both hot on their heels.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Top 10 Disney Animated Movies
Since the late 1920s, the animation world has belonged to the Walt Disney Company. From 1928 when a very familiar mouse made his debut in the first cartoon with sound, Steamboat Willie, until the present day when Disney's newest classic, Frozen, hits theaters this week, Disney's films have provided high quality family entertainment for generations.
In honor of the release of Frozen, Disney's 52nd animated feature, let's honor the Mouse House's pantheon of classical films with their top 10.
10. Mulan
Following along with the same mold as Hercules, Mulan is both high quality entertainment while also promoting strong family values. The lead heroine is someone everyone can sympathize with in some form, so the entire audience of pulling for Mulan to succeed. The sidekicks, once again, still the show. Mushu, Mulan's hilarious "guardian," is one of my personal favorite sidekicks in Disney history mainly because of the voice talent of Eddie Murphy who injects wit and charm into every word Mushu utters. The songs are also predictably strong with such classics as Reflection and I'll Make a Man Out of You. When the final credits roll, anyone with a heart will want to go and hug the closest family member around.
9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The film that started it all must be on this list! Walt Disney chose Snow White as his first full-length animated film because he believed that it had everything a fairytale needed: a heroine and hero, an evil villain, the sympathetic, scene-stealing characters, and a happy ending. Of course, Walt would be correct. Snow White is a timeless classic that will undoubtedly be viewed by generations to come with the same awe and amazement as those audience members who first saw it back in 1937. Animation has come a long way since Snow White, but this film remains a classic for a reason...because it's great!
8. Wreck-It Ralph
Never have video games been so awesome that within the world of Wreck-It Ralph. This Disney classic may not follow the tradition guidelines for a Disney film, but it still delivers a strong story with raw emotion. Ralph is a bad guy who just wants to be good. How can anyone not pull for him?? During his quest to become good, he's joined by Venelope and Fix-It Felix who are genuine scene-stealers. The nostalgia that the movie brings to the table is just incredible; the animations is beautiful, and Wreck-It Ralph wrecks it....in a good way!
7. Tangled
Disney went back to their roots in 2009 when they released Princess and the Frog, their first princess film in over a decade. In 2010, they continued that renewed interest in the princess with Tangled, some of the company's best work since the early '90s. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider's charisma is enough to carry the film itself, but luckily, all the classic Disney elements are there, including excellent music, which is highlighted by the show-stopping number, I See the Light, and hilarious sidekicks in the chameleon Pascal and Maximus the palace horse. The romance and strong storyline are predictably there and Disney continues to show that they still know what they're doing when it comes to animation.
6. Cinderella
A whole lot was riding on the success of Cinderella for the still young company when it was released in 1950. Disney had produced classics like Pinocchio and Bambi, but they haven't exactly made the amount of money Disney had hoped for. But with Cinderella, the fortunes began to change, and the reason is simply because this film personifies what it means to be a classic. The storyline is simply yet still incredible. The mice, led by the hilarious Gus and Jack, are scene stealers, the fairy godmother is regal every time, and the step sisters are still lovingly annoying. But of course, who can forget that amazing scene when the glass slipper finally fits onto Cinderella's foot? Simply a classic.
5. The Little Mermaid
After the death of Walt Disney, the Walt Disney Company went through a period of time where they were trying to find their identity when it came to their movies. They struggled and didn't really produce a true classic in the '70s and early '80s, but in 1989, Disney came back with authority with the release of The Little Mermaid. Ariel, the first Disney princess since Aurora in Sleeping Beauty way back in 1959, is someone that everyone can't help but pull for. The songs are beyond memorable. Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl, Part of Your World, and Poor Unfortunate Souls are some of the best songs Disney has ever produced. The sidekicks and villain, the Disney specialties, are as strong as ever, leading to a true Disney classic.
4. Aladdin
In my opinion, Aladdin produces the best Disney song ever written in the Oscar-winner, A Whole New World, and the film itself is just as classical. Robin Williams is simply hysterical as the lovable Genie. The story between Aladdin and Jasmine is a perfection execution of romance. Jafar is simply evil, making him one of the best Disney villains in the canon. As mentioned before, the songs are some of the best ever written for a Disney film. In addition to A Whole New World, audiences are treated to Friend Like Me and One Jump Ahead. Of course, one of the most memorable scenes in a Disney film comes in the movie when Aladdin takes Jasmine on a magic carpet ride. Magical.
3. The Lion King
While Aladdin produced the best song in my opinion, The Lion King produces the best overall soundtrack for a Disney film. With such classics as Oscar-winner Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Hakuna Matata, and the awe-inspiring Circle of Life, every song is just amazing. The story of Simba is legendary and inspiring. Timon and Pumbaa undoubtedly steal the show from the moment they take the stage. Scar is straight-up villainous, continuing Disney's tradition of excellent villains. There's a reason that The Lion King continues to be so successful with its many stage adaptions and re-releases, and it's because everyone enjoys this film. Period.
2. Frozen
Believe the hype. Disney's latest film, Frozen, is another classic in the canon. All the necessary elements are there for this film to become a classic. First of all, the main characters are rich and lovable. Anna and Elsa are both fascinating protagonists that every audience member roots for from beginning to end. The sidekicks are hilarious and scene-stealing. Olaf the Snowman and Sven are two characters that will have everyone laughing every time they are on the screen. The music is some of Disney's best in their history with future classics like For the First Time in Forever and the show-stopping, Let It Go. The story is so very strong and extremely intriguing. Frozen is a movie for the generations.
1. Beauty and the Beast
I have a feeling that it's going to take a film truly amazing and breathtaking to dethrone Beauty and the Beast on my list. In my opinion, it's by far Disney's best film to date. The story is timeless. Belle is one of the more complex Disney princesses and the Beast is someone you just learn to love. The sidekicks are abundant and hysterical, led by Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts. Gaston is perfect as the villain for this story. The songs are fantastic. Be Our Guest and Belle are simply classical, but the most memorable scene in Disney history comes when Belle and Beast elegantly dance in the castle's ballroom with Angela Lansbury's beautiful voice softly singing Beauty and the Beast. It truly is a tale as old as time.
In honor of the release of Frozen, Disney's 52nd animated feature, let's honor the Mouse House's pantheon of classical films with their top 10.
10. Mulan
Following along with the same mold as Hercules, Mulan is both high quality entertainment while also promoting strong family values. The lead heroine is someone everyone can sympathize with in some form, so the entire audience of pulling for Mulan to succeed. The sidekicks, once again, still the show. Mushu, Mulan's hilarious "guardian," is one of my personal favorite sidekicks in Disney history mainly because of the voice talent of Eddie Murphy who injects wit and charm into every word Mushu utters. The songs are also predictably strong with such classics as Reflection and I'll Make a Man Out of You. When the final credits roll, anyone with a heart will want to go and hug the closest family member around.
9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The film that started it all must be on this list! Walt Disney chose Snow White as his first full-length animated film because he believed that it had everything a fairytale needed: a heroine and hero, an evil villain, the sympathetic, scene-stealing characters, and a happy ending. Of course, Walt would be correct. Snow White is a timeless classic that will undoubtedly be viewed by generations to come with the same awe and amazement as those audience members who first saw it back in 1937. Animation has come a long way since Snow White, but this film remains a classic for a reason...because it's great!
8. Wreck-It Ralph
Never have video games been so awesome that within the world of Wreck-It Ralph. This Disney classic may not follow the tradition guidelines for a Disney film, but it still delivers a strong story with raw emotion. Ralph is a bad guy who just wants to be good. How can anyone not pull for him?? During his quest to become good, he's joined by Venelope and Fix-It Felix who are genuine scene-stealers. The nostalgia that the movie brings to the table is just incredible; the animations is beautiful, and Wreck-It Ralph wrecks it....in a good way!
7. Tangled
Disney went back to their roots in 2009 when they released Princess and the Frog, their first princess film in over a decade. In 2010, they continued that renewed interest in the princess with Tangled, some of the company's best work since the early '90s. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider's charisma is enough to carry the film itself, but luckily, all the classic Disney elements are there, including excellent music, which is highlighted by the show-stopping number, I See the Light, and hilarious sidekicks in the chameleon Pascal and Maximus the palace horse. The romance and strong storyline are predictably there and Disney continues to show that they still know what they're doing when it comes to animation.
6. Cinderella
A whole lot was riding on the success of Cinderella for the still young company when it was released in 1950. Disney had produced classics like Pinocchio and Bambi, but they haven't exactly made the amount of money Disney had hoped for. But with Cinderella, the fortunes began to change, and the reason is simply because this film personifies what it means to be a classic. The storyline is simply yet still incredible. The mice, led by the hilarious Gus and Jack, are scene stealers, the fairy godmother is regal every time, and the step sisters are still lovingly annoying. But of course, who can forget that amazing scene when the glass slipper finally fits onto Cinderella's foot? Simply a classic.
5. The Little Mermaid
After the death of Walt Disney, the Walt Disney Company went through a period of time where they were trying to find their identity when it came to their movies. They struggled and didn't really produce a true classic in the '70s and early '80s, but in 1989, Disney came back with authority with the release of The Little Mermaid. Ariel, the first Disney princess since Aurora in Sleeping Beauty way back in 1959, is someone that everyone can't help but pull for. The songs are beyond memorable. Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl, Part of Your World, and Poor Unfortunate Souls are some of the best songs Disney has ever produced. The sidekicks and villain, the Disney specialties, are as strong as ever, leading to a true Disney classic.
4. Aladdin
In my opinion, Aladdin produces the best Disney song ever written in the Oscar-winner, A Whole New World, and the film itself is just as classical. Robin Williams is simply hysterical as the lovable Genie. The story between Aladdin and Jasmine is a perfection execution of romance. Jafar is simply evil, making him one of the best Disney villains in the canon. As mentioned before, the songs are some of the best ever written for a Disney film. In addition to A Whole New World, audiences are treated to Friend Like Me and One Jump Ahead. Of course, one of the most memorable scenes in a Disney film comes in the movie when Aladdin takes Jasmine on a magic carpet ride. Magical.
3. The Lion King
While Aladdin produced the best song in my opinion, The Lion King produces the best overall soundtrack for a Disney film. With such classics as Oscar-winner Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Hakuna Matata, and the awe-inspiring Circle of Life, every song is just amazing. The story of Simba is legendary and inspiring. Timon and Pumbaa undoubtedly steal the show from the moment they take the stage. Scar is straight-up villainous, continuing Disney's tradition of excellent villains. There's a reason that The Lion King continues to be so successful with its many stage adaptions and re-releases, and it's because everyone enjoys this film. Period.
2. Frozen
Believe the hype. Disney's latest film, Frozen, is another classic in the canon. All the necessary elements are there for this film to become a classic. First of all, the main characters are rich and lovable. Anna and Elsa are both fascinating protagonists that every audience member roots for from beginning to end. The sidekicks are hilarious and scene-stealing. Olaf the Snowman and Sven are two characters that will have everyone laughing every time they are on the screen. The music is some of Disney's best in their history with future classics like For the First Time in Forever and the show-stopping, Let It Go. The story is so very strong and extremely intriguing. Frozen is a movie for the generations.
1. Beauty and the Beast
I have a feeling that it's going to take a film truly amazing and breathtaking to dethrone Beauty and the Beast on my list. In my opinion, it's by far Disney's best film to date. The story is timeless. Belle is one of the more complex Disney princesses and the Beast is someone you just learn to love. The sidekicks are abundant and hysterical, led by Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts. Gaston is perfect as the villain for this story. The songs are fantastic. Be Our Guest and Belle are simply classical, but the most memorable scene in Disney history comes when Belle and Beast elegantly dance in the castle's ballroom with Angela Lansbury's beautiful voice softly singing Beauty and the Beast. It truly is a tale as old as time.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Top 10 Marvel Movies
Marvel Studios is currently enjoying worldwide domination by their characters at the box office and in the minds of the audience. From Iron Man to the X-Men to Spiderman, Marvel is undoubtedly at the top of their game, and this weekend, they hope to continue their amazing string of colossal successes with the release of Thor: The Dark World. So in honor of the opening of the new Marvel film, I thought I would take a look at Marvel's finest works.
First of all, let's get something straight. I LOVE every Marvel film. No film is below the 'very good' category in my opinion. That being said, however, this list only consists of their Top 10, but I would remiss not to mention the great films that just missed getting on this list.
First of all, the Spiderman franchise started all of this Marvel craze way back in 2001 with the first Spiderman. Spiderman 3 ended the franchise under the direction of Sam Raimi for a mere five years before Andrew Garfield became the webslinger in The Amazing Spiderman. The Spiderman series is definitely one of Marvel's greatest achievements, and they look to keep that fact true next May with The Amazing Spiderman 2.
The X-Men franchise is, without question, one of the finest franchises in Hollywood. X-Men: The Last Stand is a superb film and the same can be said for X-Men Origins: Wolverine (a vastly underrated/underappreciated film) and The Wolverine.
Finally, Iron Man 2 is some very fine entertainment while Hulk and The Incredible Hulk are two overlooked gems in the Marvel world.
Now, let's get to the Top 10!
10. Thor: The Dark World
When The Avengers' box office run came to an end, all Marvel fans looked at what was coming up in the universe of superheroes. Iron Man 3 was first (see further down the list) and it cashed in on the success of The Avengers both financially and with the critics. Then came Thor: The Dark World, and I can safely say that you will not be disappointed with this sequel. Chris Hemsworth is back and better than ever as a more mature Norse god of Thunder as he commands the screen from beginning to end. Tom Hiddleston returns as the lovable and so very evil Loki and he, unsurprisingly, shines. The rest of the cast, led by Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins, deliever the goods as well. The storyline is complex but very intriguing, and the connection to The Avengers is beautifully done. Props also goes to director Alan Taylor for crafting another home run for Marvel Studios.
9. X-Men
Starting a franchise is extremely difficult to do. More often than not, the proposed "franchise" ends up being only one, maybe two, movies and it's done, but Marvel just seems to have knack for kick starting a global hit. The way they started the X-Men franchise was nothing short of a stroke of genius. First of all, the cast is impeccable, led by Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart. The real proof of brilliance on Marvel's part, however, was casting the relatively unknown at the time Hugh Jackman as the X-Men's most popular figure, Wolverine. Luckily, though, Jackman is all in in this role and the film overall benefits tremendously from his total control. The plot is ultra awesome and sets the stage for a franchise that is still going strong today.
8. Thor
When Marvel was attempting to create the monster known as The Avengers, questions were abundant regarding the film adaptions of Captain America and Thor to accompany Iron Man. Some people believed that they couldn't pull it off, but on the first weekend of May 2011, Marvel once again proved the public wrong with their hit, Thor. When audiences first lay eyes on Asgard, they are immersed in a world of endless possibilities and storylines, but it's the characters that we grow to know and love, led by Chris Hemsworth who is perfect as Thor and Tom Hiddleston who begins to become one of the world's finest villains here with his portrayal of Loki. Director Kenneth Branagh deserves the bulk of the credit, however, for crafting a Thor film that is humorous while being serious and mature instead of being too cartoony.
7. Spiderman 2
When the first Spiderman was released, we knew we had a worldwide hit on our hands, but when Spiderman 2 was released, we knew that Marvel was here to stay for the long run as they produced one of their finest achievements with the webslinger. Tobey Maguire delivers his best turn as Peter Parker in this film and James Franco begins to prove that he has the goods to be a solid actor. The real star, however, is Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus (aka- Doc Oct). His back story is explored just enough that he becomes a sympathetic villain while also being evil personified, a method Marvel would once again utilize with a certain villain named Loki. Sam Raimi directs his best work of his career with this film and reinforces the statement that Spiderman is just awesome.
6. Captain America: The First Avenger
The pressure was on this film tremendously to produce big time. Iron Man had become a worldwide icon, Thor was on his way up, and Hulk was...Hulk. We knew that the Avengers would assemble in the following year after this movie, but could Marvel execute a Captain America movie? Answer: absolutely! Chris Evans is picture perfect as the first Avenger and the back story is told beautifully. The connection between this film and The Avengers needed to be strong, and it most definitely was as it explains the role of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the grand scheme of things while alse unveiling how Captain America would even be around in the present day setting of The Avengers. The stage was now completely set for the biggest superhero movie of all-time.
5. Iron Man 3
The first movie of Marvel's Phase Two (the movies released after The Avengers and before The Avengers: Age of Ultron) was Iron Man 3, an incredible piece of filmmaking with a top notch cast firing on all cylinders and creating one of the best plot twists in recent movie history. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark is, once again, brilliant. Gwyneth Paltrow and Rebecca Hall are great in their short screen appearances, but the scene stealers of this film are Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce. Kingsley as The Mandarin is comical while also being extremely devious and Pearce turns in his best performance in years. Director Shane Black alos infuses genuine emotion into the story and life on Tony Stark as we see how Iron Man is dealing with the aftermath of The Avengers. With Iron Man 3, it's safe to say that Phase Two will be just as good as Phase One if not better.
4. X2: X-Men United
With the first X-Men installment, audiences got everything they desired in a comic book movie, but in X2, they got even more. The story takes a dramatic turn as the feud between the mutants and the humans intensifies. Director Bryan Singer produces his best work of his career with this film and really highlights the full potential of the franchise.
3. Iron Man
Although Marvel has Spiderman and the X-Men becoming worldwide icons, they never truly delved into their biggest calling card, the Avengers, until 2008 with Iron Man, and on paper, this film was not supposed to be good. Iron Man, at the time of the release, was not a very popular character in the Marvel universe, and the star that Marvel called on to embody Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr., was essentially one of the last choices by the public to portray this character. But that's why movies aren't judged on paper. Iron Man was a knockout, and with a post-credits scene for the ages, the craze for more Marvel began.
2. X-Men: First Class
A prequel to X-Men wasn't exactly what a lot of fans were calling for, but in 2011, that's exactly what they got, and Marvel ended up producing one of its finest pieces of film making. Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy are stellar as the younger Magneto and Professor X as are Jennifer Lawrence and Nicolas Hoult as Mystique and Beast respectively. With this film, the audience now has previously unknown knowledge about where the X-Men really came from, and this film's success has set up the greatest X-Men movie ever assembled coming out next summer with X-Men: Days of Future Past.
1. The Avengers
There's really no competition in my opinion. Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, and Agent Coulson on one silver screen, uniting together to fight against the villainous Loki is pure Marvel magic. The cast is perfect, the visuals are perfect, the storyline is perfect, but the superstar of these superheroes is director Joss Whedon who somehow managed to give all these actors equivalent screen time while also crafting the greatest superhero movie of all-time.
First of all, let's get something straight. I LOVE every Marvel film. No film is below the 'very good' category in my opinion. That being said, however, this list only consists of their Top 10, but I would remiss not to mention the great films that just missed getting on this list.
First of all, the Spiderman franchise started all of this Marvel craze way back in 2001 with the first Spiderman. Spiderman 3 ended the franchise under the direction of Sam Raimi for a mere five years before Andrew Garfield became the webslinger in The Amazing Spiderman. The Spiderman series is definitely one of Marvel's greatest achievements, and they look to keep that fact true next May with The Amazing Spiderman 2.
The X-Men franchise is, without question, one of the finest franchises in Hollywood. X-Men: The Last Stand is a superb film and the same can be said for X-Men Origins: Wolverine (a vastly underrated/underappreciated film) and The Wolverine.
Finally, Iron Man 2 is some very fine entertainment while Hulk and The Incredible Hulk are two overlooked gems in the Marvel world.
Now, let's get to the Top 10!
10. Thor: The Dark World
When The Avengers' box office run came to an end, all Marvel fans looked at what was coming up in the universe of superheroes. Iron Man 3 was first (see further down the list) and it cashed in on the success of The Avengers both financially and with the critics. Then came Thor: The Dark World, and I can safely say that you will not be disappointed with this sequel. Chris Hemsworth is back and better than ever as a more mature Norse god of Thunder as he commands the screen from beginning to end. Tom Hiddleston returns as the lovable and so very evil Loki and he, unsurprisingly, shines. The rest of the cast, led by Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins, deliever the goods as well. The storyline is complex but very intriguing, and the connection to The Avengers is beautifully done. Props also goes to director Alan Taylor for crafting another home run for Marvel Studios.
9. X-Men
Starting a franchise is extremely difficult to do. More often than not, the proposed "franchise" ends up being only one, maybe two, movies and it's done, but Marvel just seems to have knack for kick starting a global hit. The way they started the X-Men franchise was nothing short of a stroke of genius. First of all, the cast is impeccable, led by Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart. The real proof of brilliance on Marvel's part, however, was casting the relatively unknown at the time Hugh Jackman as the X-Men's most popular figure, Wolverine. Luckily, though, Jackman is all in in this role and the film overall benefits tremendously from his total control. The plot is ultra awesome and sets the stage for a franchise that is still going strong today.
8. Thor
When Marvel was attempting to create the monster known as The Avengers, questions were abundant regarding the film adaptions of Captain America and Thor to accompany Iron Man. Some people believed that they couldn't pull it off, but on the first weekend of May 2011, Marvel once again proved the public wrong with their hit, Thor. When audiences first lay eyes on Asgard, they are immersed in a world of endless possibilities and storylines, but it's the characters that we grow to know and love, led by Chris Hemsworth who is perfect as Thor and Tom Hiddleston who begins to become one of the world's finest villains here with his portrayal of Loki. Director Kenneth Branagh deserves the bulk of the credit, however, for crafting a Thor film that is humorous while being serious and mature instead of being too cartoony.
7. Spiderman 2
When the first Spiderman was released, we knew we had a worldwide hit on our hands, but when Spiderman 2 was released, we knew that Marvel was here to stay for the long run as they produced one of their finest achievements with the webslinger. Tobey Maguire delivers his best turn as Peter Parker in this film and James Franco begins to prove that he has the goods to be a solid actor. The real star, however, is Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus (aka- Doc Oct). His back story is explored just enough that he becomes a sympathetic villain while also being evil personified, a method Marvel would once again utilize with a certain villain named Loki. Sam Raimi directs his best work of his career with this film and reinforces the statement that Spiderman is just awesome.
6. Captain America: The First Avenger
The pressure was on this film tremendously to produce big time. Iron Man had become a worldwide icon, Thor was on his way up, and Hulk was...Hulk. We knew that the Avengers would assemble in the following year after this movie, but could Marvel execute a Captain America movie? Answer: absolutely! Chris Evans is picture perfect as the first Avenger and the back story is told beautifully. The connection between this film and The Avengers needed to be strong, and it most definitely was as it explains the role of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the grand scheme of things while alse unveiling how Captain America would even be around in the present day setting of The Avengers. The stage was now completely set for the biggest superhero movie of all-time.
5. Iron Man 3
The first movie of Marvel's Phase Two (the movies released after The Avengers and before The Avengers: Age of Ultron) was Iron Man 3, an incredible piece of filmmaking with a top notch cast firing on all cylinders and creating one of the best plot twists in recent movie history. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark is, once again, brilliant. Gwyneth Paltrow and Rebecca Hall are great in their short screen appearances, but the scene stealers of this film are Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce. Kingsley as The Mandarin is comical while also being extremely devious and Pearce turns in his best performance in years. Director Shane Black alos infuses genuine emotion into the story and life on Tony Stark as we see how Iron Man is dealing with the aftermath of The Avengers. With Iron Man 3, it's safe to say that Phase Two will be just as good as Phase One if not better.
4. X2: X-Men United
With the first X-Men installment, audiences got everything they desired in a comic book movie, but in X2, they got even more. The story takes a dramatic turn as the feud between the mutants and the humans intensifies. Director Bryan Singer produces his best work of his career with this film and really highlights the full potential of the franchise.
3. Iron Man
Although Marvel has Spiderman and the X-Men becoming worldwide icons, they never truly delved into their biggest calling card, the Avengers, until 2008 with Iron Man, and on paper, this film was not supposed to be good. Iron Man, at the time of the release, was not a very popular character in the Marvel universe, and the star that Marvel called on to embody Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr., was essentially one of the last choices by the public to portray this character. But that's why movies aren't judged on paper. Iron Man was a knockout, and with a post-credits scene for the ages, the craze for more Marvel began.
2. X-Men: First Class
A prequel to X-Men wasn't exactly what a lot of fans were calling for, but in 2011, that's exactly what they got, and Marvel ended up producing one of its finest pieces of film making. Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy are stellar as the younger Magneto and Professor X as are Jennifer Lawrence and Nicolas Hoult as Mystique and Beast respectively. With this film, the audience now has previously unknown knowledge about where the X-Men really came from, and this film's success has set up the greatest X-Men movie ever assembled coming out next summer with X-Men: Days of Future Past.
1. The Avengers
There's really no competition in my opinion. Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, and Agent Coulson on one silver screen, uniting together to fight against the villainous Loki is pure Marvel magic. The cast is perfect, the visuals are perfect, the storyline is perfect, but the superstar of these superheroes is director Joss Whedon who somehow managed to give all these actors equivalent screen time while also crafting the greatest superhero movie of all-time.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Early 2014 Oscar Predictions
Oscar season is definitely the greatest part of the year for any movie lover because it seems like every weekend produces at least one contender for the race. This time of year really allows every moviegoer to stop and truly appreciate the masteful work being done in Hollywood as audiences celebrate actors, directors, and films as a whole.
Every Oscar race in recent memory has often proclaimed that their race is the best in the Academy's history. While this has often proven not to be the case, the 2014 Oscars can very easily make that argument when it's all said and done. To begin with, a couple of films have already emerged as the race's frontrunners. Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave has received rave reviews across the board and has just began to make some money at the box office, a hidden key to a successful Oscar campaign. Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's space thriller, has also received worldwide praise for not only its technical advancements, but also for the direction and acting. The film also continues to far exceed expectations at the box office as it has passed $200 million this past week.
In the second tier of contenders, we find two films helmed by none other than Tom Hanks. Captain Phillips have emerged in the same likeness as Gravity as it was expected to be good, but not one of the best films of the year. Hanks along with director Paul Greengrass and co-star Barkhard Abdi have received much deserved praise and the film is performing extremely well at the box office. The next Tom Hanks-led contender is Saving Mr. Banks. While yet to make its North American debut, it has premiered in Europe, and early word is very positive, citing the picture as a whole as well as Hanks and co-star Emma Thompson. A story about the making of Mary Poppins with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) himself in the film is not only pure Oscar gold, but this film's box office performance should also be strong.
Two films have yet to be released anywhere, but if they deliever, both could be heavy hitters this season. Martin Scorsese reteams with Leonardo DiCaprio for The Wolf of Wall Street, a behind the scenes look at Wall Street and its corruption. The first two trailers have been received with universal acceptance and the expecations are high, but rumors of the film's editing being rush have made people, including myself, a little skeptical until we see the final product. American Hustle, on the other hand, should make its deadline with ease, and it has the makings of a potential winner. David O. Russell has missed out twice in the last three years on the Academy's top prize, and this year, he wants the golden statuette. He has assembled quite an ensemble to pull this film off, starring Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner. If this film is up the standards of Russell's previous works, The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, look out.
So all that being said, let's take a quick look at the major categories and where we stand going into November.
Best Picture
12 Years a Slave
Gravity
Captain Phillips
Saving Mr. Banks
The Wolf of Wall Street
American Hustle
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Alternates
Prisoners
Rush
August: Osage County
Her
Blue Jasmine
The first four I feel extremely confident about. If The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle live up to the hype, I'll feel really confident in them as well. The final three could easily be switched with one of the alternates. Prisoners and Rush are both very worthy films, but I unfortunately feel like their staying power won't be strong enough. August: Osage County has the pedigree (based on a Tony award-winning play) and the starpower (Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Benedict Cumberbatch, etc.), but while the reviews have positive, they're hardly rave. Her is a dark horse in this race, but I ultimately think that the Academy will find the film too different for their liking.
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
Alternates
Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
Lee Daniels, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Spike Jonze, Her
John Lee Hancock, Saving Mr. Banks
J.C. Chandor, All is Lost
Best Actor
Chiwetal Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford, All is Lost
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Alternates
Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Joaquin Phoenix, Her
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Alternates
Judi Dench, Philomena
Kate Winslet, Labor Day
Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Berenice Bejo, The Past
Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Barkhard Abdi, Captain Phillips
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Alternates
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Jeremy Renner, American Hustle
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
Daniel Bruh, Rush
John Goodman, Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Supporting Actress
Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Orange County
Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Alternates
Sarah Paulson, 12 Years a Slave
Amy Adames, Her
Carey Mulligan, Inside Llewyn Davis
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
June Squibb, Nebraska
Every Oscar race in recent memory has often proclaimed that their race is the best in the Academy's history. While this has often proven not to be the case, the 2014 Oscars can very easily make that argument when it's all said and done. To begin with, a couple of films have already emerged as the race's frontrunners. Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave has received rave reviews across the board and has just began to make some money at the box office, a hidden key to a successful Oscar campaign. Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's space thriller, has also received worldwide praise for not only its technical advancements, but also for the direction and acting. The film also continues to far exceed expectations at the box office as it has passed $200 million this past week.
In the second tier of contenders, we find two films helmed by none other than Tom Hanks. Captain Phillips have emerged in the same likeness as Gravity as it was expected to be good, but not one of the best films of the year. Hanks along with director Paul Greengrass and co-star Barkhard Abdi have received much deserved praise and the film is performing extremely well at the box office. The next Tom Hanks-led contender is Saving Mr. Banks. While yet to make its North American debut, it has premiered in Europe, and early word is very positive, citing the picture as a whole as well as Hanks and co-star Emma Thompson. A story about the making of Mary Poppins with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) himself in the film is not only pure Oscar gold, but this film's box office performance should also be strong.
Two films have yet to be released anywhere, but if they deliever, both could be heavy hitters this season. Martin Scorsese reteams with Leonardo DiCaprio for The Wolf of Wall Street, a behind the scenes look at Wall Street and its corruption. The first two trailers have been received with universal acceptance and the expecations are high, but rumors of the film's editing being rush have made people, including myself, a little skeptical until we see the final product. American Hustle, on the other hand, should make its deadline with ease, and it has the makings of a potential winner. David O. Russell has missed out twice in the last three years on the Academy's top prize, and this year, he wants the golden statuette. He has assembled quite an ensemble to pull this film off, starring Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner. If this film is up the standards of Russell's previous works, The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, look out.
So all that being said, let's take a quick look at the major categories and where we stand going into November.
Best Picture
12 Years a Slave
Gravity
Captain Phillips
Saving Mr. Banks
The Wolf of Wall Street
American Hustle
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Alternates
Prisoners
Rush
August: Osage County
Her
Blue Jasmine
The first four I feel extremely confident about. If The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle live up to the hype, I'll feel really confident in them as well. The final three could easily be switched with one of the alternates. Prisoners and Rush are both very worthy films, but I unfortunately feel like their staying power won't be strong enough. August: Osage County has the pedigree (based on a Tony award-winning play) and the starpower (Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Benedict Cumberbatch, etc.), but while the reviews have positive, they're hardly rave. Her is a dark horse in this race, but I ultimately think that the Academy will find the film too different for their liking.
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
Alternates
Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
Lee Daniels, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Spike Jonze, Her
John Lee Hancock, Saving Mr. Banks
J.C. Chandor, All is Lost
Best Actor
Chiwetal Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford, All is Lost
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Alternates
Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Joaquin Phoenix, Her
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Alternates
Judi Dench, Philomena
Kate Winslet, Labor Day
Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Berenice Bejo, The Past
Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Barkhard Abdi, Captain Phillips
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Alternates
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Jeremy Renner, American Hustle
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
Daniel Bruh, Rush
John Goodman, Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Supporting Actress
Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels' The Butler
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Orange County
Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Alternates
Sarah Paulson, 12 Years a Slave
Amy Adames, Her
Carey Mulligan, Inside Llewyn Davis
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
June Squibb, Nebraska
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Final 2013 Oscar Predictions
This Thursday morning, at 5:30 AM Pacific Time, all of Hollywood will be waking up to hear who the Academy has nominated for this year's Oscars, and Thursday morning is ready to offer us one amazing lineup in all the categories, solidifying this year's race as one of the best in history. Throughout the past month or so, I've been following the trends and tendencies that have been developing in the race, and I'm finally ready to unveil whose name I think will be called this Thursday. Like every year, the announcement will probably bring a surprise or two that I didn't see coming, but I'm cool with that, because some of their surprises are just awesome. Here's my predictions.
Best Picture
Anywhere from five to ten films can be in this field, and this year offers so many worthy contenders that I believe that the field will max out with ten films. It would just be a little disgraceful if less than ten were nominated. Argo, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, and Zero Dark Thirty are definitely in the field, as has been the case for quite some time now. The question is, and has been for just as long, who will join those six. Six additional films have strong resumes to fill the four remaining spots, and that's the only reason that I would hesitate to put ten movies in the field. I fear that the voting will be too split between those six films and, as a result, we get a simple six or seven total nominations. However, I don't forsee that occuring. This Best Picture race is one of the best in the history of the Oscars, with, in my opinion, four films have a legitimate shot at getting the top prize.
Prediction:
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Watch Out For: Skyfall, The Master
Best Director
Now, imagine for a moment that the Best Picture race could only have five nominees period, no execptions. That's essentially what is taking place with the Best Director field. All the directors in the running directed films currently in the Best Picture race. Therefore, you're basically nominating your top five films in the Best Picture race with this category. Ben Affleck, Kathryn Bigelow, and Steven Spielberg are locked into the field, with one of those three bringing home the award. The remaining two spots will belong to two of seven worthy directors. It's essentially a coin toss at the moment with no one really knowing the outcome until Thursday morning. The Director's Guild Awards nominated Ang Lee for his work with Life of Pi and Tom Hooper for Les Miserables. Call it a boring prediction, but that's what I'm going with.
Prediction:
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Tom Hooper, Les Miserables
Watch Out For: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained; Michael Haneke, Amour; David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actor
Categories like this one just frustrate me to no end because six actors are so well deserving of this recognition, but one five slots are given. Really, as is the case with director, nobody really knows who will the lone soul on the outside looking in. One thing's for sure, though: Daniel Day-Lewis is getting nominated for his breath-taking turn in Lincoln, and he's going to win unless a MAJOR upset is pulled off (Hugh Jackman for Les Mis probably poses the biggest threat). However, that doesn't mean we should ignore the remaining actors because all of them give career-best performances. It's just when Day-Lewis also gives a career-best performace, you're going to lose out. I still can't get by Joaquin Phoenix's negative comments he made about the Oscars a few months back, and when couple that with him not receiving a Screen Actors Guild nomination, I think Phoenix will be the actor left out.
Predcition:
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Denzel Washington, Flight
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Watch Out For: Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Best Actress
I've said since day one that Best Actress is, by far, the weakest field of the major categories, and I hold by that with these final predictions. It's a two-horse race between Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence. One of the those two will win, and rightfully so, because they're really the only two worthy of a victory. The other actresses in the running surely give endearing performances, but nothing that makes you say, "Best of the year." I've got a feeling that something strange is going to transpire come Thursday morning with this category. I don't know why I have that feeling, but I do.
Prediction:
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Watch Out For: Emmanuella Riva, Amour; Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Best Supporting Actor
This category has been strange all season long. No frontrunner has emerged with seemingly everyone getting a chance to pull out a victory come Oscar night. But if you want to have that chance, you first have to get nominated, something that will be quite an accomplishment in this year's race considering ten actors have a case to be in the field. Tommy Lee Jones and Philip Seymour Hoffman seem to be pretty safe, but after that, I'm not sure anyone really knows. Django Unchained is going to keep someone in the field (if it didn't, it would be a shame). The question is: who? Leonardo DiCaprio has been the leading man since day one, but once the movie was released, Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson have been charging up the front. All three deserve it, but who gets it is beyond me. It's not impossible, albeit not likely, that Django pulls off two nominations, an amazing feat in this year's race.
Prediction:
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Watch Out For: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained; Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained; Javier Bardem, Skyfall; Eddie Redmayne, Les Miserables; Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike
Best Supporting Actress
This race is still over. Anne Hathaway is winnig this award. The only drama left is who will join her in the field. Sally Field and Helen Hunt seem pretty secure, with Amy Adams probably joining them. The last spot can belong to a number of contenders that are really deserving. I believe, like the Best Actress race, something interesting is going to happen here.
Prediction:
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Sally Field, Lincoln
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Amy Adams, The Master
Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Watch Out For: Judi Dench, Skyfall; Ann Dowd, Compliance; Samantha Barks, Les Miserables; Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Thursday morning we'll be an exciting day in Hollywood. I can only hope that I can join them in their excitement because predictions were pretty accurate. Enjoy the announcement!
Best Picture
Anywhere from five to ten films can be in this field, and this year offers so many worthy contenders that I believe that the field will max out with ten films. It would just be a little disgraceful if less than ten were nominated. Argo, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, and Zero Dark Thirty are definitely in the field, as has been the case for quite some time now. The question is, and has been for just as long, who will join those six. Six additional films have strong resumes to fill the four remaining spots, and that's the only reason that I would hesitate to put ten movies in the field. I fear that the voting will be too split between those six films and, as a result, we get a simple six or seven total nominations. However, I don't forsee that occuring. This Best Picture race is one of the best in the history of the Oscars, with, in my opinion, four films have a legitimate shot at getting the top prize.
Prediction:
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Watch Out For: Skyfall, The Master
Best Director
Now, imagine for a moment that the Best Picture race could only have five nominees period, no execptions. That's essentially what is taking place with the Best Director field. All the directors in the running directed films currently in the Best Picture race. Therefore, you're basically nominating your top five films in the Best Picture race with this category. Ben Affleck, Kathryn Bigelow, and Steven Spielberg are locked into the field, with one of those three bringing home the award. The remaining two spots will belong to two of seven worthy directors. It's essentially a coin toss at the moment with no one really knowing the outcome until Thursday morning. The Director's Guild Awards nominated Ang Lee for his work with Life of Pi and Tom Hooper for Les Miserables. Call it a boring prediction, but that's what I'm going with.
Prediction:
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Tom Hooper, Les Miserables
Watch Out For: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained; Michael Haneke, Amour; David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actor
Categories like this one just frustrate me to no end because six actors are so well deserving of this recognition, but one five slots are given. Really, as is the case with director, nobody really knows who will the lone soul on the outside looking in. One thing's for sure, though: Daniel Day-Lewis is getting nominated for his breath-taking turn in Lincoln, and he's going to win unless a MAJOR upset is pulled off (Hugh Jackman for Les Mis probably poses the biggest threat). However, that doesn't mean we should ignore the remaining actors because all of them give career-best performances. It's just when Day-Lewis also gives a career-best performace, you're going to lose out. I still can't get by Joaquin Phoenix's negative comments he made about the Oscars a few months back, and when couple that with him not receiving a Screen Actors Guild nomination, I think Phoenix will be the actor left out.
Predcition:
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Denzel Washington, Flight
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Watch Out For: Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Best Actress
I've said since day one that Best Actress is, by far, the weakest field of the major categories, and I hold by that with these final predictions. It's a two-horse race between Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence. One of the those two will win, and rightfully so, because they're really the only two worthy of a victory. The other actresses in the running surely give endearing performances, but nothing that makes you say, "Best of the year." I've got a feeling that something strange is going to transpire come Thursday morning with this category. I don't know why I have that feeling, but I do.
Prediction:
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Watch Out For: Emmanuella Riva, Amour; Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Best Supporting Actor
This category has been strange all season long. No frontrunner has emerged with seemingly everyone getting a chance to pull out a victory come Oscar night. But if you want to have that chance, you first have to get nominated, something that will be quite an accomplishment in this year's race considering ten actors have a case to be in the field. Tommy Lee Jones and Philip Seymour Hoffman seem to be pretty safe, but after that, I'm not sure anyone really knows. Django Unchained is going to keep someone in the field (if it didn't, it would be a shame). The question is: who? Leonardo DiCaprio has been the leading man since day one, but once the movie was released, Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson have been charging up the front. All three deserve it, but who gets it is beyond me. It's not impossible, albeit not likely, that Django pulls off two nominations, an amazing feat in this year's race.
Prediction:
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Watch Out For: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained; Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained; Javier Bardem, Skyfall; Eddie Redmayne, Les Miserables; Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike
Best Supporting Actress
This race is still over. Anne Hathaway is winnig this award. The only drama left is who will join her in the field. Sally Field and Helen Hunt seem pretty secure, with Amy Adams probably joining them. The last spot can belong to a number of contenders that are really deserving. I believe, like the Best Actress race, something interesting is going to happen here.
Prediction:
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Sally Field, Lincoln
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Amy Adams, The Master
Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Watch Out For: Judi Dench, Skyfall; Ann Dowd, Compliance; Samantha Barks, Les Miserables; Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Thursday morning we'll be an exciting day in Hollywood. I can only hope that I can join them in their excitement because predictions were pretty accurate. Enjoy the announcement!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Top 10 Movies of 2012
2012 was truly one of the finest years in cinema with the blockbusters delivering and the Oscar contenders being, well, Oscar contenders. It's very hard to get a list of simply ten films because every single one of them delivered in its own way.
I'll start by giving some honorable mentions. The first one I give you is The Amazing Spiderman. It took guts to reboot a franchise that just ended a few years back, but that's just what director Marc Webb did, and he rebooted Spiderman with great success. Stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are great in their roles as Garfield, in particulary, brings things to the table that was missing when Tobey Maguire was the webslinger. Spiderman is very solid start to the new franchise.
The second shout-out goes to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and it finds itself on this list because of stars Ian McKellan and, especially, Martin Freeman. Overall, The Hobbit clearly doesn't live up to The Lord of the Rings entries, but McKellan and Freeman make this movie go and makes me excited for the next two installments.
Lawless is one of the most overlooked gems of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed what Tom Hardy and the rest of the incredible cast were able to accomplish with this simply yet incredible movie. Hardy stands out, like he tends to do nowadays, and proves to me that he is on the fast track to becoming one of Hollywood's finest.
My last two honorable mentions go out to the two best animated features of the year: Brave and Wreck-It Ralph. Pixar's Brave is one of the most underrated Pixar films in the company's history. I definitely believe it's one of their finest, being a step down from the classics like Toy Story 3 and Finding Nemo. With Wreck-It Ralph, Disney continues to show us that they can still put out an incredibly entertaining movie without Pixar's assistance. The vocal work is fantastic and the story is top-notch. I honestly don't know which one I enjoyed more. They're both great!
Now, let's get down to the list. Here's my top ten films of 2012.
10. Jack Reacher
I've seen the majority of Tom Cruise's movies, and he was in top-notch form in December's Jack Reacher. I went into this film expecting a solid, late year action movie as my love for Cruise continues to increase. When I left the theater, I had just left one of my favorite Cruise movies, deserving to be mentioned in the same breath as his best work such as Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol and Jerry Maguire. Another aspect I enjoyed about Reacher was the surprisingly impressive performance by Rosamund Pike. As Cruise's supporting actress, Pike, at some points, carries the film and goes toe-to-toe with Cruise and steals some scenes in the process. I hope this launches Pike into some roles just like this one so she can shine some more in the future. Cruise continues to steadily make a comeback, and Jack Reacher helped that comeback along.
9. Prometheus
Ridley Scott is widely considered one of the finest directors in Hollywood today, and he started evolving into that role when he broke onto the scene in 1979 with the classic film Alien. In 2012, Scott decided to head back to the universe of Alien with Prometheus, a film that deserves to be considered one of Scott's finest works. The visuals are extraordinary, the acting is spot-on, and the storyline is a perfect prequel to Alien. Scott had been on a minor downward spiral over the last few years, and it was very encouraging to leave Prometheus knowing that Scott still has some tricks up his sleeve.
8. Looper
Joseph Gordon-Levitt had quite a year in 2012 with supporting turns in Lincoln and The Dark Knight Rises, but Looper was his chance to shine, and he knocked it out of the park. Director Rian Johnson crafted one of the best science-fiction movies of the twenty-first century and, in the process, reminded everyone that science-fiction can be both visually spectatcular and smart. Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt also did a fabulous job supporting Gordon-Levitt, with Willis proving that he's still got it and Blunt proving that she is definitely on the rise. I can only hope that this keeps the smart science-fiction genre alive.
7. Skyfall
The James Bond franchise has been around since the 1960s with six actors portraying Agent 007 in twenty-three movies, so when Skyfall is being heralded as the best in history, you've done something special. I thoroughly enjoyed Casino Royale, Daniel Craig's first Bond film, and I thought that nothing would be able to match my enthusiam for a Bond movie. However, I've never been more happy to be wrong. Skyfall blew me away. James Bond is once again cool thanks to Craig fully embracing Bond, but his supporting cast were the true stars here. Judi Dench and Javier Bardem turn in Oscar worthy performances, something unheard of in a Bond film. The real star here, though, is director Sam Mendes, breathing new life into an fading franchise. The next installment has an extremely tough act to follow.
6. The Hunger Games
High expectations surrounded The Hunger Games in every aspect of the film from the casting, directing, writing, etc. With a fanbase so grounded and die-hard, you needed something special here to not only satisfy them, but also bring in some new believers. If you've seen the film, you know that the makers of this movie did a more than satisfactory job. Jennifer Lawrence is picture perfect in the role as Katniss Everdeen as she continues to show the world that she is one of the finest young actresses in the business. Her co-star, Josh Hutcherson, more than holds his own, in addition to Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson. Director Gary Ross did a masterful job bringing this novel to life by meeting and going above and beyond expectations. We get Catching Fire in 2013. Here's hoping that crew does just as great.
5. Argo
Ben Affleck has had quite an interesting career, evolving from laughable actor (looking at you Daredevil) to dynamite director. With Argo, Affleck has established himself as one of the greatest directors in Hollywood nowadays. He turned a very straight forward plot into a tense, political thriller. While Affleck deserves the bulk of the credit, his starring role and his supporting actors shine bright as well. Alan Arkin and John Goodman deliver career best performances, and that's saying something considering the body of work they both have turned in. Affleck does just enough as the star here, but he earns his stripes behind the camera. An Oscar nomination is coming towards Affleck's way, and I can't think of a person in Hollywood more deserving than him. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
4. The Dark Knight Rises
I still get chills every time I think of Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight, so expectations were pretty astronomical going into the final installment. Director Christopher Nolan brings his genius trilogy to a brilliant conclusion with The Dark Knight Rises. Tom Hardy does a fantastic job as Batman's villian, Bane, as does Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. Michael Caine does his best work in years, providing a surprisingly emotional element to the film. Christian Bale is fully involved and committed as Bruce Wayne, and it shows as he turns in his best work as the Caped Crusader. Nolan has radically changed the comic book genre. Every film after this one will be compared to this movie. Last time I checked, that's not easy to do. Good luck to the one who dares attempt to continue the story of Batman.
3. The Avengers
Every since 2008 when Iron Man was released, we've been anticipating the day that Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk would join forces on the silver screen for the first time ever. We all expected The Avengers to great, but nobody really expected it to be one of the best movies of the twenty-first century. The cast is firing on all cylinders here, with the impossible being pulled off by each character getting an adequate amound of screen time. The action sequences are superb and the visuals are eye-popping. Director Joss Whedon did one of the best directing jobs I have ever witnessed. The story is so great and shockingly emotional, and the script is, at times, utterly hilarious. What will Marvel amaze us with next?!
2. Lincoln
Steven Spielberg is my personal favorite director in the history of cinema. Daniel Day-Lewis is my personal most respectable actor in the business. With Lincoln, they worked together, and the result was nothing short of extraordinary. Day-Lewis turns in one of the best performances I have ever had the priviledge of experiencing. You leave the theater feeling like you just spent two and half hours with the sixteenth president himself. He completely immersed himself in the role, and it's clearly evident. His supporting cast is also phenomenal, led by veterans Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field, who give career-best performances. Spielberg goes back to his roots by letting the actors shine without the help of visuals to carry the film. Politics have never been more exciting and watchable. Oscar must take notice.
1. Les Miserables
I pride myself in holding it together during the movies that are meant to make the audience cry. I couldn't hold it together in Les Miserables. I lost it. It left me completely speechless. Hugh Jackman has never been better. I would put his performance up against any performance I have ever seen in the history of my movie watching day. He's simply incredible and deserving of Oscar contention. Russell Crowe also comes to play here showing off his acting range. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are hilarious. The young superstars Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, and Samantha Barks make their presence felt in an extremely powerful way. Anne Hathaway, though, took my breath away. She's great beyond words. She turns in one of the greatest performances I've ever witnessed. The singing is simply heavenly, and the movie is also heavenly. Not only is it the best film of 2012, it's the best film I've ever seen. Hands down.
2012 is over.
Good luck following that 2013!
I'll start by giving some honorable mentions. The first one I give you is The Amazing Spiderman. It took guts to reboot a franchise that just ended a few years back, but that's just what director Marc Webb did, and he rebooted Spiderman with great success. Stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are great in their roles as Garfield, in particulary, brings things to the table that was missing when Tobey Maguire was the webslinger. Spiderman is very solid start to the new franchise.
The second shout-out goes to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and it finds itself on this list because of stars Ian McKellan and, especially, Martin Freeman. Overall, The Hobbit clearly doesn't live up to The Lord of the Rings entries, but McKellan and Freeman make this movie go and makes me excited for the next two installments.
Lawless is one of the most overlooked gems of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed what Tom Hardy and the rest of the incredible cast were able to accomplish with this simply yet incredible movie. Hardy stands out, like he tends to do nowadays, and proves to me that he is on the fast track to becoming one of Hollywood's finest.
My last two honorable mentions go out to the two best animated features of the year: Brave and Wreck-It Ralph. Pixar's Brave is one of the most underrated Pixar films in the company's history. I definitely believe it's one of their finest, being a step down from the classics like Toy Story 3 and Finding Nemo. With Wreck-It Ralph, Disney continues to show us that they can still put out an incredibly entertaining movie without Pixar's assistance. The vocal work is fantastic and the story is top-notch. I honestly don't know which one I enjoyed more. They're both great!
Now, let's get down to the list. Here's my top ten films of 2012.
10. Jack Reacher
I've seen the majority of Tom Cruise's movies, and he was in top-notch form in December's Jack Reacher. I went into this film expecting a solid, late year action movie as my love for Cruise continues to increase. When I left the theater, I had just left one of my favorite Cruise movies, deserving to be mentioned in the same breath as his best work such as Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol and Jerry Maguire. Another aspect I enjoyed about Reacher was the surprisingly impressive performance by Rosamund Pike. As Cruise's supporting actress, Pike, at some points, carries the film and goes toe-to-toe with Cruise and steals some scenes in the process. I hope this launches Pike into some roles just like this one so she can shine some more in the future. Cruise continues to steadily make a comeback, and Jack Reacher helped that comeback along.
9. Prometheus
Ridley Scott is widely considered one of the finest directors in Hollywood today, and he started evolving into that role when he broke onto the scene in 1979 with the classic film Alien. In 2012, Scott decided to head back to the universe of Alien with Prometheus, a film that deserves to be considered one of Scott's finest works. The visuals are extraordinary, the acting is spot-on, and the storyline is a perfect prequel to Alien. Scott had been on a minor downward spiral over the last few years, and it was very encouraging to leave Prometheus knowing that Scott still has some tricks up his sleeve.
8. Looper
Joseph Gordon-Levitt had quite a year in 2012 with supporting turns in Lincoln and The Dark Knight Rises, but Looper was his chance to shine, and he knocked it out of the park. Director Rian Johnson crafted one of the best science-fiction movies of the twenty-first century and, in the process, reminded everyone that science-fiction can be both visually spectatcular and smart. Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt also did a fabulous job supporting Gordon-Levitt, with Willis proving that he's still got it and Blunt proving that she is definitely on the rise. I can only hope that this keeps the smart science-fiction genre alive.
7. Skyfall
The James Bond franchise has been around since the 1960s with six actors portraying Agent 007 in twenty-three movies, so when Skyfall is being heralded as the best in history, you've done something special. I thoroughly enjoyed Casino Royale, Daniel Craig's first Bond film, and I thought that nothing would be able to match my enthusiam for a Bond movie. However, I've never been more happy to be wrong. Skyfall blew me away. James Bond is once again cool thanks to Craig fully embracing Bond, but his supporting cast were the true stars here. Judi Dench and Javier Bardem turn in Oscar worthy performances, something unheard of in a Bond film. The real star here, though, is director Sam Mendes, breathing new life into an fading franchise. The next installment has an extremely tough act to follow.
6. The Hunger Games
High expectations surrounded The Hunger Games in every aspect of the film from the casting, directing, writing, etc. With a fanbase so grounded and die-hard, you needed something special here to not only satisfy them, but also bring in some new believers. If you've seen the film, you know that the makers of this movie did a more than satisfactory job. Jennifer Lawrence is picture perfect in the role as Katniss Everdeen as she continues to show the world that she is one of the finest young actresses in the business. Her co-star, Josh Hutcherson, more than holds his own, in addition to Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson. Director Gary Ross did a masterful job bringing this novel to life by meeting and going above and beyond expectations. We get Catching Fire in 2013. Here's hoping that crew does just as great.
5. Argo
Ben Affleck has had quite an interesting career, evolving from laughable actor (looking at you Daredevil) to dynamite director. With Argo, Affleck has established himself as one of the greatest directors in Hollywood nowadays. He turned a very straight forward plot into a tense, political thriller. While Affleck deserves the bulk of the credit, his starring role and his supporting actors shine bright as well. Alan Arkin and John Goodman deliver career best performances, and that's saying something considering the body of work they both have turned in. Affleck does just enough as the star here, but he earns his stripes behind the camera. An Oscar nomination is coming towards Affleck's way, and I can't think of a person in Hollywood more deserving than him. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
4. The Dark Knight Rises
I still get chills every time I think of Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight, so expectations were pretty astronomical going into the final installment. Director Christopher Nolan brings his genius trilogy to a brilliant conclusion with The Dark Knight Rises. Tom Hardy does a fantastic job as Batman's villian, Bane, as does Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. Michael Caine does his best work in years, providing a surprisingly emotional element to the film. Christian Bale is fully involved and committed as Bruce Wayne, and it shows as he turns in his best work as the Caped Crusader. Nolan has radically changed the comic book genre. Every film after this one will be compared to this movie. Last time I checked, that's not easy to do. Good luck to the one who dares attempt to continue the story of Batman.
3. The Avengers
Every since 2008 when Iron Man was released, we've been anticipating the day that Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk would join forces on the silver screen for the first time ever. We all expected The Avengers to great, but nobody really expected it to be one of the best movies of the twenty-first century. The cast is firing on all cylinders here, with the impossible being pulled off by each character getting an adequate amound of screen time. The action sequences are superb and the visuals are eye-popping. Director Joss Whedon did one of the best directing jobs I have ever witnessed. The story is so great and shockingly emotional, and the script is, at times, utterly hilarious. What will Marvel amaze us with next?!
2. Lincoln
Steven Spielberg is my personal favorite director in the history of cinema. Daniel Day-Lewis is my personal most respectable actor in the business. With Lincoln, they worked together, and the result was nothing short of extraordinary. Day-Lewis turns in one of the best performances I have ever had the priviledge of experiencing. You leave the theater feeling like you just spent two and half hours with the sixteenth president himself. He completely immersed himself in the role, and it's clearly evident. His supporting cast is also phenomenal, led by veterans Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field, who give career-best performances. Spielberg goes back to his roots by letting the actors shine without the help of visuals to carry the film. Politics have never been more exciting and watchable. Oscar must take notice.
1. Les Miserables
I pride myself in holding it together during the movies that are meant to make the audience cry. I couldn't hold it together in Les Miserables. I lost it. It left me completely speechless. Hugh Jackman has never been better. I would put his performance up against any performance I have ever seen in the history of my movie watching day. He's simply incredible and deserving of Oscar contention. Russell Crowe also comes to play here showing off his acting range. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are hilarious. The young superstars Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, and Samantha Barks make their presence felt in an extremely powerful way. Anne Hathaway, though, took my breath away. She's great beyond words. She turns in one of the greatest performances I've ever witnessed. The singing is simply heavenly, and the movie is also heavenly. Not only is it the best film of 2012, it's the best film I've ever seen. Hands down.
2012 is over.
Good luck following that 2013!
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