Film Review - Wild

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Nick Hornby based on the autobiographical book by Cheryl Strayed, the film stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. Witherspoon plays Strayed, a woman who loses control of her life after her divorce and the death of her mother (Dern). Determined to find herself again, she decides to hike the Pacific Crest trail, which is over one thousand miles in length and runs from Mexico to Canada. I think that Witherspoon did a fantastic job in an unglamorous and physically demanding role. She was in practically every frame of the film and she held it together very well. Laura Dern was an odd choice to play the mother, since she is only nine years older than Witherspoon, and I didn't think there was anything remarkable about her performance. Her nomination should have gone to a number of more deserving performances (off the top of my head, I single out Carmen Ejogo in Selma). The film itself is technically outstanding because a film about a woman alone in the wilderness for months could have gotten repetitive and boring, and it was none of those. The fundamental problem with the film, however, is that the main character just isn't likable. Frankly, Cheryl comes off as unsympathetic, and so I wasn't emotionally invested in her journey at all, and so that negated the entire point of the film for me. I found it to be just a decent, average film.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B

Film Review - Still Alice

Written and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland and based on the novel of the same name by Lisa Genova, the film stars Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kate Bosworth, and Kristen Stewart. Alice Howland (Moore) is a world-renowned linguistics expert and professor at Columbia University. In addition to a successful professional life, she also has a supportive husband, John (Baldwin) and three great children (Bosworth, Hunter Parrish, Stewart). Her world is turned upside down when her seemingly small lapses of memory turn into a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimers. At only fifty years old, Alice must cope with the reality that her mind will rapidly slip away from her, and her ordeal profoundly affects her family as well. Julianne Moore is a shoo-in to win Best Actress at tonight's Academy Awards, and although this Oscar will be as much a lifetime achievement award (this is her fifth nomination) as an individual performance prize, I do believe that she is the most deserving among the five nominees. Although I'm not sure this is her best performance of all time (she is a phenomenal actress, after all), her portrayal of Alice is nuanced but completely heartbreaking. Her transformation as Alice's condition deteriorates is remarkable, and even though hers is a transformation of the mind, not the body (such as Eddie Redmayne's in The Theory of Everything), that doesn't make it any less challenging, and thus a huge feat to accomplish. As for the film itself, its a real tearjerker, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was well-written and very believable, though I probably wouldn't watch it again because it's too sad. It wasn't an unforgettable masterpiece, something you've never seen before that just blows you away, but it's a very poignant and moving film.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+

Camila Velloso's Oscar Predictions!

Here's my sister Camila's guest post telling you how she plans to win our Oscar pool (let's see!) and how you could win yours!

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My family and I – self-proclaimed movie experts – have competed in Oscar pools for the last several years and I’m once again determined to win this year. In preparation for the 87^th Academy Awards tonight, I offer my picks for who deserves to win and who is most likely to win.

Best Picture

While all movies in this category are extremely worthy, the field has been narrowed down to a tight race between Boyhood and Birdman. Richard Linklater’s twelve-years-in-the-making Boyhood chronicles the life of a boy from a broken home, whose mother struggles to make the most of tough situations.  While critics and viewers alike have praised the film, I don’t share the sentiment. I applaud the concept of the movie but I just feel it missed the mark in its execution.

Birdman, on the other hand, did everything right – from directing, to acting, to writing. I may be slightly biased, having done a 9^th grade film project on director Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu. He delivered a truly ambitious movie, with seamless takes, exceptional performances, original writing, and fantastic score. The film should revel in its glory and take home the best picture title.  

On a side note, I believe The Grand Budapest Hotel was exceedingly better than Boyhood and should have been a top contender in this category along with Birdman.

Should win: Birdman

Will win: Birdman

Best Director

Ideally, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Wes Anderson would be favorites to win best director. As aforementioned, I think Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel were the best movies of the year and should be recognized in major categories. However, Inarritu ‘s most pressing challenger is Richard Linklater for his cinematic achievement with Boyhood. However, Inarritu’s creative genius compels me to place him as this year’s top director.

Should win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman) or Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Will win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

With the plethora of stellar performances from male actors this year, this category is perhaps the most difficult to predict. Let me start by saying that while Bradley Cooper delivered a solid performance in his portrayal of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, David Oyelowo (Selma), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler), and Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel) were far more deserving of that spot.

However, the real front-runners in this category are Michael Keaton and Eddie Redmayne, both outstanding performances. There are several advantages for both actors. Keaton, on the one hand, interprets an almost biographical figure in Riggan Thompson. The Academy has been particularly generous in the past few years to actors who portray real-life individuals – Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club).  Eddie Redmayne’s stunning physical transformation and embodiment of Stephen Hawking is also something the Academy has been known to award. Both actors won a Golden Globe in leading roles, but Redmayne is fresh off both BAFTA and SAG wins. With his current momentum, I feel like Redmayne will be the likely on the stage receiving the statuette.

Should win: Honestly, both Keaton (Birdman) and Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) deserve the win and I would be happy to see either of them accept the honor.

Will win: Slight edge to Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything).

Best Actress in a Leading Role

A quick look at this year’s nominees: Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) was the highlight of an otherwise mediocre film. Reese Witherspoon (Wild) delivers a beautifully emotional portrayal of a woman on a journey to find herself again. Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) was adorably delightful and charming as Jane Hawking. Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night) is spectacular in pretty much everything she does, and this year is no exception.  Although I wasn’t blown away by all the nominees in this category, Julianne Moore stands out for her work in Still Alice as a college professor suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. She is also overdue for an Academy Award and is up against two former winners (Cotillard and Witherspoon) and two newcomers (Pike and Jones), so her chances of winning are not only likely but practically certain.

Should win: Julianne Moore (Still Alice) or Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night)

Will win: Julianne Moore (Still Alice) 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Much like the Best Actress category, this one is essentially guaranteed. Robert Duvall (The Judge), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), and Ethan Hawke (Boyhood) are all admirable actors but pose no real threat to J.K. Simmons (Whiplash). Edward Norton (Birdman), however, is the only one capable of surprising us with a win. Norton gives a fantastic performance in a supporting role, differing from Simmons, who is the lead of Whiplash. I dare say Simmons performance was my favorite among all this season. In any case, Simmons has won all major awards leading up to the Oscars and it is highly unlikely there will be an upset.

Should win: In a perfect world, both Norton (Birdman) and Simmons (Whiplash) could win.

Will win: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Let me start by saying that I feel Laura Dern (Wild) shouldn’t have been nominated. Her role as Reese Witherspoon’s mother is very forgettable. I think I could make a stronger case for Selma’s Carmen Ejogo or even Nightcrawler’s Rene Russo. I also find myself wondering why was Meryl Streep nominated for a film like Into the Woods. Because she’s Meryl Streep and the Academy finds any excuse to invite her to the ceremony. Not that I’m complaining. Keira Knightley rightly deserves a nomination for her role in The Imitation Game.

But, who provided the most surprising and electrifying performance in a supporting role? That would be Emma Stone (Birdman).

But unfortunately, Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) faces no real challenge and will likely win the Oscar. While I don’t particularly dislike Arquette’s performance, I don’t share the critic’s adoration for it.

Should win: Emma Stone (Birdman)

Will win: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) 

Best Original Screenplay

The Grand Budapest Hotel, nominated for 9 Oscars, will probably receive recognition in this category. Birdman is also deserving of this award and won the Golden Globe for best Original Screenplay. The Grand Budapest Hotel, on the other hand, won the BAFTA and the WGA.

Should win: Close call, but I would give it to Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Will win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Whiplash doesn’t belong in this category – it belongs in the Original Screenplay. However, due to Academy rules it was placed here. I have great respect for Damien Chazelle, for he is the writer and the director at a mere 30 years of age. I will place The Imitation Game above Whiplash in this category only because it won the WGA.

Should win: Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)

Will win: Graham Moore (The Imitation Game)

Best Foreign Movie

Should win: Wild Tales (Argentina)

Will win: Ida (Poland)

Best Animated Movie

Will win: How To Train Your Dragon 2

Runner-up: Big Hero 6

Best Documentary

Will win: Citizenfour

Runner-up: Virunga

Best Cinematography

Should win: Emmanuel Lubezki (Birdman) or Robert Yeoman (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Will win: Emmanuel Lubezki (Birdman)

Best Costume Design

Should win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Will win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Film Editing

Should win: Whiplash

Will win: Boyhood

Best Original Score

Should win: Hans Zimmer (Interstellar)

Will win: Johann Johannsson (The Theory of Everything)

Best Original Song

Should win: Glory (Selma)

Will win: Glory (Selma)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Should win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Will win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Production Design 

Should win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Will win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Visual Effects 

Should win: Interstellar

Will win: Interstellar

Best Sound Editing 

Should win: Interstellar

Will win: American Sniper

Best Sound Mixing 

Should win: Whiplash

Will win: American Sniper

Best Animated Short 

Will win: The Dam Keeper

Best Documentary Short 

Will win: Joanna

Best Live-Action Short 

Will win: Parvaneh

Ranking the 2015 Best Picture Oscar Nominees!

Here is my ranking, based on the grades I gave each film, of the eight Best Picture Oscar nominees!

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel: A+

2. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Innocence): A

3. Selma: A

4. Whiplash: A

5. The Imitation Game: A-

6: The Theory of Everything: B+

7. Boyhood: B-

8. American Sniper: C+

Film Review - American Sniper

Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film stars Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. It is based on the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (Cooper), the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history. Originally a cowboy from Texas, Kyle is profoundly affected by American efforts in the Middle East and vows to protect his country, even if it means going to unimaginable lengths. Back home, his wife, Taya (Miller), and his two children suffer during his long periods of absence, wondering if he'll make it back home, and if he does, in his right mind. I was reluctant to see this film (my seeing a Best Picture nominee for the first time the day before the Oscars is extremely rare) because I wasn't sure I condoned what it represented. Upon reading many reviews and commentaries assuring that the film did not take an overly patriotic stance and instead painted a complex picture of war, I decided to see it, because I always look to see all Best Picture nominees. However, I still found the film very biased and one-sided. In the film, Kyle is portrayed as an American hero who made very few mistakes and was, and felt, completely justified in his actions. I'm certain that in real life, he felt more morally conflicted (as he should). I was very disappointed about the film's very clear hero-villain characterization of the two sides, because the reality is that nothing is ever that black and white. This is why war films, especially about the Middle East, are so tricky; I understand that an American film may have a certain (maybe even subconscious) agenda, but I didn't feel like this film portrayed reality. It wasn't completely the fault of the filmmakers, who based the film on Kyle's autobiography, so it was bound to be skewed. But I just wish that this sort of film was made more responsibly, with more reflection and self-criticism about the U.S.'s own involvement and decisions. While not a bad film - I liked Eastwood's uniform direction and thought that the story had a good pace to it - I can't back it in good conscience. On another note: Bradley Cooper gives a decent performance, but it is nowhere near in caliber to David Oyelowo's (Selma), Ralph Fiennes' (The Grand Budapest Hotel) and Jake Gylenhaal's (Nightcrawler). It seems as though popularity is becoming a more and more important factor to getting a nomination, which is a shame, because that last spot should have definitely gone to one of those three (preferably Oyelowo, who was just remarkable). 

Should you see it: I'll leave it up to you.
Grade: C+

Film Review -- Selma

Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film stars David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, and Tim Roth. It is centered on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s fight to secure voting rights for African-Americans in the South by organizing a historic march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, the state capital. The film also examines MLK's sometimes strained relationship with his wife, Coretta Scott King (Ejogo), President Lyndon B. Johnson's (Wilkinson) concerns about politically i ntervening in the voting rights matter, and Alabama Governor George Wallace's (Tim Roth) often violent resistance to the activists' efforts. The film, while initially touted as the one to beat for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, eventually fell somewhat from grace and only managed to muster two nominations, for Best Song and Best Picture. It's really shocking how hard and fast Selma fell, and I can't quite understand why. One possible explanation was the controversy generated around what some felt to be an inaccurate portrayal of LBJ (they maintain that the President was in fact very open and more willing to be involved in civil rights legislation than the film depicts), but it's hard to believe that that alone could have caused such across-the-table snubs. Is it inherent racism still present in the Academy, whose voters are overwhelmingly male, old, and white? Maybe. No actor in the four acting races is anything other than Caucasian for only the second time in nearly two decades. That's not to say that the Academy should nominate ethnic actors solely for the purpose of diversity, but in this case, a very worthy contender was ignored: I was blown away by David Oyelowo's outstanding performance as the late Reverend. He was so good I forgot he was English (by the way, its curious that these four main actors, playing Americans, were all British!) and so, so moving. If he were in the Best Actor race, I'd even be tempted to tip his as the best performance among a very strong field this year. But he's not in the race. At all. It's shameful and disappointing, surely one of the biggest Oscar snubs in recent memory. DuVernay should have been recognized for her directing as well. It was masterful but subtle, letting the subject matter be the main focus. She's also a pioneer, paving the way for other African-American female directors (heck, even just female directors) to prove once and for all that they are just as capable of directing thoughtful, well-crafted films, and she absolutely should have been recognized for her ground-breaking work. While many criticized Selma fort taking too many creative liberties at the expense of historical accuracy, I nevertheless found it to be a very compelling and respectful account of this particular chapter in MLK's storied crusade. It was also felt incredibly relevant half a century removed from those events in light of the recent racial conflicts in the U.S. This is a film that, with a crucial boost from the Academy, could have helped bring awareness to a very real problem still plaguing the country, but instead was inexplicably denied recognition, while a film about - what else? - American involvement in the Middle East got six nominations. I am ashamed for the Academy, but only hope that the film continues to work toward the higher purpose of continuing the important dialogue about race relations in the U.S.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A

Film Review - Citizenfour

This documentary is essentially a compilation of eight days of footage shot by Laura Poitras (the director) of Edward Snowden immediately before, during, and immediately after he exposed secret NSA documents revealing that the U.S. government, in association with other intelligence agencies worldwide, was conducting illegal mass surveillance of U.S. residents as well as certain foreign targets. Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald travel to Hong Kong, where Snowden has fled, and interview him about various points, including his motives for choosing to leak classified information and his expectations of the aftermath of his actions. Sprinkled throughout the film is also footage of several court proceedings, in the U.S. and abroad, of matters pertaining to illegal government surveillance. The film was fascinating in the sense that it provided an exclusive look at the critical moments of one of the most significant scandals in recent history and tapped into the mindset of the divisive figure behind it. However, the documentary didn't really reveal anything new or original that we hadn't already read in the papers; its uniqueness comes from that exclusive access that the director had to Snowden in June 2013. While it is certainly an interesting documentary, profiling a very polarizing topic, it didn't blow me away. 

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B