Film Review -- Foxcatcher

Directed by Bennett Miller, the film stars Steve Carrell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo. In the late 1980s, Olympic gold medal-winning wrestlers and brothers Mark (Tatum) and Dave (Ruffalo) move to Foxcatcher Farms in Pennsylvania to train in its wrestling facility for the 1988 Seoul Olympics under the tutelage of owner John Du Pont (Carrell), the eccentric heir to the Du Pont family fortune. What starts out as a partnership between two athletes hoping to achieve success as a means to provide a stable future for themselves and their families and a wrestling enthusiast with resources to invest in it soon turns dangerous as Du Pont's mental state deteriorates, culminating in a tragic outcome. The first praiseworthy element of the film is the acting. The three leads all give excellent performances, but Steve Carrell, who sheds his comedic roots to completely transform into the mysterious, deranged Du Pont, is particularly outstanding, and will hopefully receive recognition for it come awards season. The script and direction were also strong, and the story itself is fascinating. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel underwhelmed by Foxcatcher. With such an exciting story to work with, I hoped that the film would have had more energy, more suspense, and a more gripping climax (the end was almost anti-climatic). The film, therefore, didn't hold my attention the way I thought it would. It's hard to put into words exactly what didn't work with Foxcatcher, because it wasn't a specific factor. For me, it had more to do with the style and tone chosen for the film, and the result was a story that had all the potential to be extremely tense and suspenseful but instead was quite subdued. It's still a good film, however, and is worth a watch.

Should you see it: Yes

Grade: B

Film Review -- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Directed by Francis Lawrence, the film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson. After the dramatic end to her second Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) is taken in, along with the other survivors of the now-decimated District 12, by District 13 and its charismatic president, Alma Coin (Moore). Soon, she finds herself as the reluctant symbol of a mounting rebellion by the districts against the Capitol, and represents their only hope for unity and any chance of succeeding. As she progressively embraces the cause and the role she is given in it, Katniss must confront the reality that her participation in this war possibly means sacrificing Peeta's life, as he was taken hostage and tortured by the Capitol as a means to deter Katniss from assuming the role of the Mockingjay. The film is an adaptation of the first part of the final book in a trilogy; a ploy, undoubtedly, designed to maximize the profit of a highly successful franchise. This, however, created significant problems in storytelling and plot development. When I read the third book, I thought it could have easily been adapted into a single film, so the material had to be stretched pretty thin in order to produce two two-hour films, and the result is an action film with not much action in it. The far too many shots of scenery and facial expressions, obviously included just to fill time, created an overall pace and tone to the film that wasn't exciting or suspenseful, but just pretty boring. The problem, for me, wasn't with the script - I thought it was well done, just as in the first two films, as it remained reasonably faithful to its source material - but rather with the need to have divided the third book into two separate films. What could have been an excellent concluding chapter was instead unnecessarily split into two weak pieces in the name of monetary profit. Was the film still an above average young adult sci-fi film? Yes. Could it have been significantly better? Absolutely.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B-

Film Review -- Boyhood

Directed and co-written by Richard Linklater, the film stars Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and Lorelai Linklater. Filmed over a span of twelve years - a little was filmed every summer - it tells the story of Mason (Coltrane) and his family from when he was five until he leaves for college. This film has been universally praised by critics (99% on Rotten Tomatoes!) and viewers alike. It is therefore needless to say that this film really sparked my interest, and I was honestly expecting to be blown away by it, just like everyone else was. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. This film is unquestionably epic from a cinematic standpoint, as it remained consistent in tone and seamless in transition in its entirety, something I can imagine to be extremely tricky to pull off when you're filming it for more than a decade. That tone, however, is the problem with Boyhood. The film attempts to depict "real life" as closely as possible, and succeeds - to a fault, even. Watching the same actors grow up on screen as opposed to different actors playing different ages adds a "realness" to the film that I've never seen in another, and I certainly appreciate the magnitude of this achievement. The problem is that the "real life" of most typical American middle-class families does not translate into interesting subject matter for a film. Watching it feels like watching a report of the most important events of each year in the life of a boy in whom I am never given any real reason to be invested in. With no conventional plot development, this format gets tired REALLY quickly, and at three hours (!), the film long overstayed its welcome. Sadly I have to disagree with everybody and say that I found the film to be boring, boring, boring. It could have been half as long and still made its point effectively, and by that third hour, I was not only not interested anymore, but felt tempted to shut the film off several times. Watch it for its technical achievements, which truly are spectacular, but be prepared to watch three hours of nothing - really, nothing - happen. 

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B-

2015 Golden Globe Nominations

Here is the full list of nominees of the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards. Winners will be announced via live ceremony on Sunday, January 11.

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything

Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
David Oyelowo – Selma
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

Lead Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Into the Woods
Pride
St. Vincent

Lead Actor in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
Ralph Fiennes – Grand Budapest Hotel
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Bill Murray – St. Vincent
Joaquin Phoenix – Inherent Vice
Christoph Waltz – Big Eyes

Lead Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams – Big Eyes
Emily Blunt – Into the Woods
Helen Mirren – The Hundred-Foot Journey
Julianne Moore – Maps to the Stars
Quvenzhané Wallis – Annie

Director
Wes Anderson – Grand Budapest Hotel
David Fincher – Gone Girl
Ava DuVernay – Selma
Alejandro G. Inarritu – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Robert Duvall – The Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Supporting Actress  in a Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

Screenplay
Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Graham Moore – The Imitation Game

Animated Feature
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie

Foreign Film
Force Majeure (Turist), Sweden
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Gett, Israel
Ida, Poland/Denmark
Leviathan, Russia
Tangerines (Mandariinid), Estonia

Original Song – Motion Picture
Big Eyes – Big Eyes (Lana Del Rey)
Glory – Selma (John Legend, Common)
Mercy Is – Noah (Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye)
Opportunity – Annie (Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck)
Yellow Flicker Beat – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 (Lorde)

Original Score – Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game
Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – Gone Girl
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar

Best TV Drama
The Affair
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
House of Cards

Lead Actor – TV Drama
Clive Owen – The Knick
Liev Schreiber – Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards
James Spader – The Blacklist
Dominic West – The Affair

Lead Actress – TV Drama
Claire Danes – Homeland
Viola Davis – How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife
Ruth Wilson – The Affair
Robin Wright – House of Cards

TV Miniseries or Movie
Fargo
The Missing
True Detective
The Normal Heart
Olive Kitteridge

Actor – TV Miniseries or Movie
Martin Freeman – Fargo
Woody Harrelson – True Detective
Matthew McConaughey – True Detective
Mark Ruffalo – The Normal Heart
Billy Bob Thornton – Fargo

Actress – TV Miniseries or Movie
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Honorable Woman
Jessica Lange – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Frances McDormand – Olive Kitteridge
Frances O’Connor – The Missing
Alison Tolman – Fargo

Best TV Comedy
Girls
Jane the Virgin
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Transparent

Lead Actor – TV Comedy
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Ricky Gervais – Derek
Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent
Louis C.K. – Louie
William H. Macy – Shameless

Lead Actress – TV Comedy
Lena Dunham – Girls
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Gina Rodriguez – Jane the Virgin
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Taylor Schilling – Orange Is the New Black

Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or TV movie
Matt Bomer – The Normal Heart
Alan Cumming – The Good Wife
Colin Hanks – Fargo
Bill Murray – Olive Kitteridge
Jon Voight – Ray Donovan

Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or TV movie
Uzo Aduba – Orange Is the New Black
Kathy Bates – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey
Allison Janney – Mom
Michelle Monaghan – True Detective

2015 SAG Awards Nominations

Awards Season is officially in full swing with today's 2015 SAG Awards nominations announcement! The winners will be announced live on January 25. Here is a full list of the nominees:

FILM

Best Ensemble Cast

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

The Theory of Everything

Best Actor

Steve Carell- Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game

Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton  - Birdman

Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything

Best Actress

Jennifer Aniston - Cake

Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore - Still Alice

Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon - Wild

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall - The Judge

Ethan Hawke - Boyhood

Edward Norton - Birdman

Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher

JK Simmons - Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette - Boyhood

Keira Knightley - The Imitation Game

Emma Stone - Birdman

Meryl Streep - Into the Woods

Naomi Watts - St. Vincent

TELEVISION

Best Ensemble Cast (Drama)

Boardwalk Empire

Downton Abbey

Game of Thrones

Homeland

House of Cards

Best Ensemble Cast (Comedy)

The Big Bang Theory

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Modern Family

Orange Is The New Black

Veep

Best Actor (Drama)

Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire

Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones

Woody Harrelson - True Detective

Matthew McConaughey - True Detective

Kevin Spacey - House of Cards

Best Actress (Drama)

Claire Danes - Homeland

Viola Davis - How To Get Away With Murder

Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife

Tatiane Maslany - Orphan Black

Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey

Robin Wright - House of Cards

Best Actor (Comedy)

Ty Burrell - Modern Family

Louis CK - Louie

William H Macy - Shameless

Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory

Eric Stonestreet - Modern Family

Best Actress (Comedy)

Uzo Aduba - Orange Is The New Black

Julie Bowen - Modern Family

Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep

Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation

Best Actor (TV movie or miniseries)

Adrien Brody - Houdini

Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock: His Last Vow

Richard Jenkins - Oliver Kitteridge

Mark Ruffalo - The Normal Heart

Billy Bob Thornton - Fargo

Best Actress (TV movie or miniseries)

Ellen Burstyn - Flowers In The Attic

Maggie Gyllenhaal - The Honorable Woman

Frances McDormand - Olive Kitteridge

Julia Roberts - The Normal Heart

Cicely Tyson - The Trip To Bountiful