Film Review -- 12 Years a Slave

Directed by Steve McQueen and based on a true story, the film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Brad Pitt. Solomon Northup (Ejiofor) is a free black from Saratoga, New York. In 1841, lured with a job opportunity, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Northup spends the next twelve years in bondage, going from kinder slaveowners like Master Ford (Cumberbatch) to the mercilessly cruel Master Epps (Fassbender), who particularly mistreats slave girl Patsey (Nyong'o). With the held of good samaritan Bass (Pitt), Northup regains his freedom in 1953. This is, without a doubt, the best film of 2013. It is now also one of my favorite movies of all-time. It works to perfection in almost everything, from impeccable acting (if it were me, Ejiofor, Nyong'o and Fassbender would get Oscars) to masterful directing (McQueen definitely deserves an Oscar, too), to the writing, to the cinematography, to the score, to.......everything. I cannot praise this film enough, truly. It is one of those films that sticks with you far beyond its end. I was bawling the second the credits started rolling, and I still tear up just thinking about it. It is, pure and simple, a masterpiece -- only once in a blue moon does a film completely overwhelm you like this one does. For that, 12 Years a Slave gets my first-ever A+.

Should you see it: Absolutely
Grade: A+

2014 Oscar Nominations

Best Picture

12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
The Wolf of Wall Street
Her
Philomena
Nebraska
Gravity
Dallas Buyers Club
Captain Phillips

Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
David O. Russell, American Hustle

Best Actress

Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Judi Dench, Philomena
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Best Actor

Christian Bale, American Hustle
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Animated Feature

"The Croods"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Ernest & Celestine"
"Frozen"
"The Wind Rises"

Best Foreign Language Film

"The Broken Circle Breakdown" (Belgium)
"The Great Beauty" (Italy)
"The Hunt" (Denmark)
"The Missing Picture" (Cambodia)
"Omar" (Palestine)

Best Documentary

"The Act of Killing"
"Cutie & The Boxer"
"Dirty Wars"
"The Square"
"Twenty Feet From Stardom"

Best Original Screenplay

"American Hustle," written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
"Blue Jasmine," written by Woody Allen
"Dallas Buyers Club," written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack
"Her," written by Spike Jonze
"Nebraska," written by Bob Nelson

Best Adapted Screenplay

"Before Midnight," written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
"Captain Phillips," screenplay by Billy Ray
"Philomena," screenplay by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
"12 Years A Slave," screenplay by John Ridley
"The Wolf of Wall Street," screenplay by Terence Winter

Best Original Score

"The Book Thief," John Williams
"Gravity," Steven Price
"Her," William Butler and Owen Pallett
"Philomena," Alexandre Desplat
"Saving Mr. Banks," Thomas Newman

Best Original Song

"All Yet Not Alone" from "All Yet Not Alone," music by Bruce Broughton; lyric by Dennis Spiegel
"Happy" from "Despicable Me 2," music and lyric by Pharrell Williams
"Let It Go" from "Frozen," music and lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
"The Moon Song" from "Her," music by Karen O; lyric by Karen O and Spike Jonze
"Ordinary Love" from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; lyric by Paul Hewson

Best Editing

"American Hustle," Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten
"Captain Phillips," Christopher Rouse
"Dallas Buyers Club," John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa
"Gravity," Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger
"12 Years A Slave," Joe Walker

Best Cinematography

"The Grandmaster," Philippe Le Sourd
"Gravity," Emmanuel Lubezki
"Inside Llewyn Davis," Bruno Delbonnel
"Nebraska," Phedon Papamichael
"Prisoners," Roger A. Deakins

Best Production Design

"American Hustle," Judy Becker (Production Design); Heather Loeffler (Set Decoration)
"Gravity," Andy Nicholson (Production Design); Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard (Set Decoration)
"The Great Gatsby," Catherine Martin (Production Design); Beverley Dunn (Set Decoration)
"Her," K.K. Barrett (Production Design); Gene Serdena (Set Decoration)
"12 Years A Slave," Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Alice Baker (Set Decoration)

Best Costume Design

"American Hustle," Michael Wilkinson
"The Grandmaster," William Chang Suk Ping
"The Great Gatsby," Catherine Martin
"The Invisible Woman," Michael O'Connor
"12 Years A Slave," Patricia Norris

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

"Dallas Buyers Club," Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
"Jackass: Bad Grandpa," Stephen Prouty
"The Lone Ranger," Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny

Best Sound Editing

"All Is Lost," Steve Boeddeker and Richard Hymns
"Captain Phillips," Oliver Tarney
"Gravity," Glenn Freemantle
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," Brent Burge
"Lone Survivor," Wylie Stateman

Best Sound Mixing

"Captain Phillips," Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith and Chris Munro
"Gravity," Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick and Tony Johnson
"Inside Llewyn Davis," Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland
"Lone Survivor," Andy Koyama, Beau Borders and David Brownlow

Best Visual Effects

"Gravity," Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk and Neil Corbould
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Eric Reynolds
"Iron Man 3," Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick
"The Lone Ranger," Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams and John Frazier
"Star Trek Into Darkness," Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann and Burt Dalton

Best Live-Action Short

"Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)," Esteban Crespo
"Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)," Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras
"Helium," Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
"Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)," Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari
"The Voorman Problem," Mark Gill and Baldwin Li

Best Animated Short

"Feral," Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden
"Get a Horse!," Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim
"Mr. Hublot," Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
"Possessions," Shuhei Morita
"Room on the Broom," Max Lang and Jan Lachauer

Best Documentary Short

"CaveDigger," Jeffrey Karoff
"Facing Fear," Jason Cohen
"Karama Has No Walls," Sara Ishaq
"The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life," Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed
"Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall," Edgar Barens

2014 Golden Globes Predictions and Winners

Here are my predictions, in bold, for the 2014 Golden Globe Awards. I will update this list with the winners after the ceremony.

Update: The winners are underlined.

FILM

Best Motion Picture – Drama
"12 Years A Slave"
"Captain Phillips"
"Gravity"
"Philomena"
"Rush"

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
"American Hustle"
"Her"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Nebraska"
"The Wolf Of Wall Street"

Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years A Slave"
Idris Elba, "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom"
Tom Hanks, "Captain Phillips"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Robert Redford, "All Is Lost"

Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Christian Bale, "American Hustle"
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Oscar Isaac, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Her"

Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
Judi Dench, "Philomena"
Emma Thompson, "Saving Mr. Banks"
Kate Winslet, "Labor Day"

Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, "American Hustle"
Julie Delpy, "Before Midnight"
Greta Gerwig, "Frances Ha"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Enough Said"
Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"

Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"
Daniel Bruhl, "Rush"
Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"
Michael Fassbender, "12 Years A Slave"
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years A Slave"
Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
June Squibb, "Nebraska"

Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"
Paul Greengrass, "Captain Phillips"
Steve McQueen, "12 Years A Slave"
Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"
David O. Russell, "American Hustle"

Best Screenplay
Spike Jonze, "Her"
Bob Nelson, "Nebraska"
Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan, "Philomena"
John Ridley, "12 Years A Slave"
Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell, "American Hustle"

Best Original Score
"All Is Lost"
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
"Gravity"
"The Book Thief"
"12 Years A Slave"

Best Original Song
"Atlas," Coldplay ("The Hunger Games: Catching Fire")
"Let It Go," Idina Menzel ("Frozen")
"Ordinary Love," U2 ("Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom")
"Please Mr. Kennedy," Oscar Isaac, Justin Timberlake and Adam Driver ("Inside Llewyn Davis")
"Sweet Than Fiction," Taylor Swift ("One Chance")

Best Foreign Language Film
"Blue is the Warmest Color"
"The Great Beauty"
"The Hunt"
"The Past"
"The Wind Rises"

Best Animated Feature Film
"The Croods"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Frozen"

TELEVISION

Best Drama Series
"Breaking Bad"
"Downton Abbey"
"The Good Wife"
"House of Cards"
"Masters of Sex"

Best Actor in a Television Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Michael Sheen, "Masters of Sex"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
James Spader, "The Black List"

Best Actress in a Television Drama Series
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"
Taylor Schilling, "Orange is the New Black"
Kerry Washington, "Scandal"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

Best Comedy Series
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Brooklyn 99"
"Girls"
"Modern Family"
"Parks and Recreation"

Best Actor in a Television Comedy Series
Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Michael J. Fox, "The Michael J. Fox Show"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Andy Samberg, "Brooklyn 99"

Best Actress in a Television Comedy Series
Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep" 
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television
"American Horror Story: Coven"
"Behind the Candelabra"
"Dancing on the Edge"
"Top of the Lake"
"White Queen"

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television
Matt Damon, "Behind the Candelabra"
Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Dancing on the Edge"
Idris Elba, "Luther"
Al Pacino, "Phil Spector"

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television
Helena Bonham Carter, "Burton and Taylor"
Rebecca Ferguson, "The White Queen"
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Coven"
Helen Mirren, "Phil Spector"
Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television
Josh Charles, "The Good Wife"
Rob Lowe, "Behind the Candelabra"
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Corey Stoll, "House of Cards"
Jon Voight, "Ray Donovan"

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television
Jacqueline Bisset, "Dancing on the Edge"
Janet McTeer, "White Queen"
Hayden Panettiere, "Nashville"
Monica Potter, "Parenthood"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"

Film Review -- American Hustle

Directed by David O. Russell, the film stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner. Irving Rosenfeld (Bale) is a con man who, along with his "British" partner Sydney Prosser (Adams), runs a successful New York-based scheme. When they are shut down by the FBI, agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper) employs them to work for the Bureau in uncovering corruption and mafia ties in New Jersey, targeting one of the state's most prominent politicians, Carmine Polito (Renner). Left largely behind from this world is Irv's wife Rosalyn (Lawrence), whose occasional bouts of lunacy threaten the entire operation. If there is one word I'd use to describe this film, it's "overrated." Bale is excellent in his role, definitely deserving of an Oscar nomination (although competition is so tight this year that it's uncertain he'll get one), but quite honestly, I found the rest of the performances quite average. Adams, Cooper and Renner do a fine job, but not up to par to some of their previous work. Lawrence has received a lot of praise and has gained considerable awards attention for her role, but I just don't understand it. This is almost the same role for which she won her Oscar last year, but this one is much more unremarkable. Frankly, I don't think she even deserves an Oscar nomination, but hey, that's just me. The film's pace alternated between electric and funny to quite slow and boring. It was my least favorite of the three David O. Russell films I've seen (The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook being the other two), but it has redeeming qualities in the smart direction, sharp screenplay, and talented actors.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B

FIlm Review -- Saving Mr. Banks

Directed by John Lee Hancock, the film stars Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Bradley Whitford, and Paul Giamatti. For twenty years, Walt Disney (Hanks) has tried to acquire the rights to the children's' book Mary Poppins, but thr headstrong author, P.L. Travers (Thompson), refuses to sell it, until she finally agrees to a visit to Walt Disney studios in Los Angeles in 1961. Conflict and disagreements arise between Travers and the film's creative team, threatening to shut down the project for good. Throughout the film, flashbacks transport the viewer to Travers's childhood in Australia, illustrating the author's close relationship with her father and the inspiration behind her iconic character. Although rated PG-13, the film is absolutely appropriate for older kids (I watched with my ten-year-old brother). Although its great that an intelligent family film is contending this awards season, the film sometimes comes off as a little too sweet and likable; I'm sure the actual filmmaking process wasn't so sugarcoated. Nevertheless, the film is boosted by Thompson's outstanding performance. Hanks, Whitford, Giamatti, and Farrell are also wonderful in supporting roles. Other positives include the lovely and humorous screenplay, catchy musical sequences (although its not a musical!), and romantic scenery of 1960s Los Angeles and the Australian outback. It's the feel good movie of the year.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+

Film Review -- Dallas Buyers Club

Based on a true story, the film is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and stars Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, and Jennifer Garner. In 1985, Dallas electrician Ron Woodroof (McConaughey), after a life of smoking and partying, is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In the hospital, he learns that one of the only FDA-approved treatments for the virus is AZT, an unproven drug. Dissatisfied with his options, Woodroof takes his treatment into his own hands and begins smuggling FDA-unapproved (but quite effective) drugs from all over the world, including Mexico, Japan, and Israel. With the help of his business partner, the HIV-positive transgender Rayon (Leto), Woodroof establishes a buyer's club, where patients receive the medication through monthly subscriptions. Caught in the middle is Dr. Eve Saks (Garner), Woodroof's physician at the hospital, who wants to adhere to medical ethics but also sympathizes with the plight of Woodroof, Rayon and others in their situation. First and most importantly, McConaughey and Leto are absolutely fantastic in the film. Both had to lose excessive amounts of weight to play HIV-afflicted patients, and their transformation is remarkable to watch. In a year with less competition, I would easily give both men Oscars (although Leto actually has a pretty good chance). The film is also very well done. The screenwriters and director take a very interesting and relevant topic and weave it into a captivating film; I was engrossed throughout. In all, it is one of the better films of 2013, and definitely deserves a look.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+

Film Review -- August: Osage County

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts, and adapted to the screen by the same, the film is directed by John Wells and stars Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Dylan McDermott, Abigail Breslin, Margo Martindale, and Ewan McGregor. Set in Osage County, Oklahoma, the film takes a look at the complicated relationships within a dysfunctional family.When Weston family patriarch Beverly (Sam Shepard) commits suicide by drowning, his widow, the drug-addicted cancer patient Violet (Streep), beckons for a family reunion. Tensions run high as family members whose paths have diverged come together to confront their grievances. The greatest aspect of this film is the acting. Both the leads and the supporting cast are really great. Meryl Streep is absolutely phenomenal (as always; we've come to expect as much from her), in a hopefully Oscar-nominated (even Oscar-worthy) turn as the troubled matriarch. Julia Roberts is also excellent as one of her daughters, Barbara, whose facing her own crisis within her family unit. The acting, however, is one of the only positives of this film. I liked the intent of the film -- examining a family in a single environment, in the span of only a few days -- but it was simply too unrealistic. Everything that could possibly be wrong in a family was wrong with the Westons: there was adultery, betrayal, addiction, terminal illness, incest, suicide, pedophillia....just absolutely everything. It was too overwhelming, and detracted from what could have been a really powerful story. Maybe it works better as a play, and I hope to get a chance to see it someday.While it is not a great film, it is worth watching for the performances.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B-