Monday, March 31, 2014

Noah (2014) review


One of the most controversial films of this past decade, if not of all time, was 2004’s ‘Passion of the Christ’, directed by Mel Gibson. The tale of the final 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life sparked much debate due to its extremely violent content; regardless, it was actually a big hit commercially as it grossed over 600 million worldwide. This year we have ourselves another religious-based film that has also caused some controversy; ‘Noah’, an adaptation of the ‘Noah’s Ark’ narrative from the Old Testament. This film has already been banned in a few countries such as Pakistan and Indonesia. However, in the case of ‘Noah’, the controversy is not on the violence, but on the ‘creative liberties’ that were taken by director Darren Aronofsky in regards to his vision of the story; bottom line, it is a very bold take on the story of Noah’s Ark but controversy aside, this is still a pretty damn good film that is not only visually stunning but one that also gives us a fascinating different take on the story. It may not be completely accurate when compared to the original story but it is much more character driven than what some people might expect.

The titular Noah (Russell Crowe), the descendent of Seth, one of Adam and Eve’s offspring, receives a prophetic vision that God (referred to in this film as ‘the Creator’) plans to destroy the world by way of a massive flood in order to rid the world of the many misdeeds that mankind has committed over the years since Earth was first created. Noah realizes that the Creator had chosen him specifically to be the one who would save those who were innocent and so, with the help of his family; his wife Naameh (Jennifer Connelly), their three sons Shem (Douglas Booth), Ham (Logan Lerman), and Japheth (Leo McHugh Carroll), and their adopted daughter Ila (Emma Watson), Noah begins to build an ark in order for them to survive the storm. However, he soon finds himself dealing with his nemesis, Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone), the same man who killed Noah’s father years ago who poses a threat to the safety of both him and his family both before and after the flood begins.

Like I said, there definitely are some creative liberties taken in telling this story. Probably the most notable aspect of these liberties is the portrayal of this group of characters known as ‘Watchers’ who help Noah and his family (these characters have been absent from the marketing). But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this adaptation of the story is how it is much more character driven than what one might expect. I mean, religious or not, we all know the story of Noah; he builds an ark, two of each kind of animal get on it, then Noah, his family, and the animals spend 40 days and 40 nights on the boat before the waters recede. But there’s much more to the story in this version, like how much burden is placed on Noah to perform this deed that the Creator has given to him or how sometimes he doubts whether or not he and his family are worth keeping alive. The latter dilemma especially becomes relevant during the final half hour of the film. I won’t spoil what the scenario is, but it does involve another ‘task’ that the Creator wants Noah to do and a pretty damn dark one at that. That’s another thing about this movie; it may be PG-13 but it can get pretty brutal at times. Regardless, it’s a fascinating character study showing how no one’s perfect and that there is darkness in all of us.

Religious aspects aside, this movie is very visually stunning and that’s mainly for two reasons; both the visual effects done by Industrial Light and Magic and the cinematography by Matthew Libatique. This film also benefits from a strong cast from top to bottom. Russell Crowe gives one of the best performances of his career as Noah, really capturing the personal struggles and sometimes anguish that the character goes through. Just like how the movie itself can get dark, this is not the Noah that some might expect but even with that in mind, Crowe is fantastic here. Equally terrific here is Emma Watson who, like Crowe, also gives one of the best performances of her career here, as she provides quite a bit of the emotion that arises during the final half of the film. Everyone is very good as well; Jennifer Connelly, despite sort of being stuck in a role that just has her stand around, works well alongside Crowe and Ray Winstone is quite intimidating at Tubal-Cain, a role that is actually a bit more substantial than what one might expect from watching the trailer.   

‘Noah’ is no doubt going to be one of the most controversial films of the year, but I get the feeling it won’t just be for the religious aspects of the film. For many, this will not be the Noah that they are familiar with. In fact, the trailers aren’t really conveying the real nature of the film at all. At times, this film can be very dark mainly in regards to some of the moral dilemmas that Noah faces during the course of this film, particularly the one he struggles to deal with right at the end of the film. But at the same time, these darker moments in the story make it a fascinating character study of how one man dealt with the monumental task of protecting the innocent while also questioning whether or not he is among those worthy to live. This is sort of a hard film to recommend because if you are a very religious person, you may find yourself not liking the way this story is told here. However, from a film perspective, ‘Noah’ is visually beautiful, well-acted, and well-directed. Again though, it won't be for everyone.


Rating: 4/5

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Pixar: Sequel or Not?


In recent news, Pixar announced two sequels that were in development; one was the long-awaited sequel to 2004’s ‘The Incredibles’, with Brad Bird returning to write the film (no confirmation yet on whether or not he’ll direct it). The other sequel was ‘Cars 3’… which, simply put, was not as anticipated given the negative critical reaction to its immediate predecessor. This has all raised a few questions, and some worries, about the path that Pixar is currently taking with their animated movies. They do have two original films coming out next year in ‘The Good Dinosaur’ and ‘Inside Out’. However, after that, they have not only a ‘Cars’ and ‘Incredibles’ sequel in the works, but a ‘Finding Nemo’ sequel as well. Now, I’m not that worried about Pixar when it comes to them announcing ‘sequels’. But this did get me thinking about whether or not the films in Pixar’s filmography could possibly get a sequel because many of them have a real sense of finality, meaning that there’s really no need to continue the story through another film. But there are some possibilities here and there.

This was something I was going to do some time ago most likely around the time ‘Monsters University’ was released. Ultimately though I never published it on here, so with this recent news in mind, I decided to finally finish it. This is what I like to call ‘Pixar: Sequel or Not?’

TOY STORY FRANCHISE


Possible Sequel: It’s possible, but I don’t want it to happen

This has been somewhat of a developing rumor in regards to the possibility of Pixar doing a ‘Toy Story 4’, which might even lead into a whole new trilogy. Overall, I think it could be done seeing how at the end of ‘Toy Story 3’ Woody, Buzz, and the gang were left in the care of a new owner, Bonnie, meaning that there can possibly be some new stories for this franchise to explore. However, I really don’t want a ‘Toy Story 4’, or new trilogy for that matter, to happen. Why? Well, it’s quite simple… why should Pixar even attempt to follow up on one of the greatest film trilogies of all time; one where every film in the trilogy is fantastic. I don’t want to see the legacy of this franchise tarnished if this supposed fourth film doesn’t turn out to be that good. Quite frankly, I’m more of a fan of what Pixar is currently doing with the franchise right now in regards to the short films that they have been making. This currently includes ‘Hawaiian Vacation’, ‘Small Fry’, and ‘Partysaurus Rex’. There’s also the half-hour long special that they released this past Halloween, ‘Toy Story of Terror!’, and there’s another one coming out this winter, ‘Toy Story that Time Forgot’. I think that this is a nice simple way of keeping this franchise relevant without having to do another movie. Like I said, it could happen but that doesn’t mean I would want Pixar to do another ‘Toy Story’ film. Just leave the film franchise where it is.

A BUG’S LIFE


Possible Sequel: Can’t see it

It has been almost two decades since ‘A Bug’s Life’ was released in 1998… so I doubt if Pixar currently has, or ever will have, plans to do a sequel to this film. Nothing really screams ‘sequel’ with this one anyway.

MONSTERS’ INC/UNIVERSITY


Possible Sequel: Unnecessary

Pixar, you’ve already done a prequel and despite my, and many others’, initial hesitation towards it, ‘Monsters University’ turned out to be really good… in fact, considering how it was not nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, apparently now kind of underrated. I mean sure, it still wasn’t up to par with Pixar’s best films but it was still a very entertaining, heartwarming, and well-made prequel to ‘Monsters’ Inc.’, which has actually sort of become one of my all-time favorites from Pixar. But in regards to this franchise, the only step now would be to do a sequel and I don’t really see a possibility here for a follow-up to the first film. There is the whole scenario about the Monsters switching from scare energy to laugh energy but I can’t really see them doing another film just based around that. The only way I can see them continuing this franchise is by going the ‘Toy Story’ route and do short films instead. They just released a new short, ‘Party Central’, which ran in front of ‘Muppets Most Wanted’, and that one was pretty good.

FINDING NEMO


Possible Sequel: Confirmed- We’ll see where it goes

This was the first of the upcoming three sequels to be confirmed; ‘Finding Dory’. Currently set for a 2016 release date, this film will follow the amnesiac Dory (once again voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) as she reunites with her family… this one could go either way. There is the chance that it could be a very solid follow-up. Andrew Stanton returns to direct this film and they do have a few of the other members of ‘Finding Nemo’s cast returning, including Albert Brooks and Willem Dafoe. However, I’m fearing that this one could potentially go the route of films like ‘Taken 2’ or ‘Hangover 2’ and just do a retread of the first film’s plot. I mean, it doesn’t actually look like it will be that way, but regardless of that I’m going to be rather cautious about this one.

THE INCREDIBLES


Possible Sequel: Confirmed- Finally!

Out of all of Pixar’s films that have come out as of now, ‘The Incredibles’ is the only film in their filmography that truly demands a sequel; I mean, the film ended by basically setting up a potential future film. Thankfully, we are getting one, and Brad Bird will be back to write it. However, there’s no word yet on whether or not he’ll direct it. Also, it will probably be a few years for this film to come out seeing how Bird is currently busy with 2015’s ‘Tomorrowland’. I hope that Bird will be back in full capacity; not just as a writer, but as its director as well. Regardless, I’m very much psyched to hear this news and eagerly await this long-awaited sequel.

CARS FRANCHISE


Possible Sequel: Confirmed- But does anyone really want it?

‘Cars 3’ has been announced to be in development alongside ‘The Incredibles but the question here is… does anyone really want to see it? The first ‘Cars’ film did not exactly get the same amount of critical acclaim as previous Pixar films but it still got solid reviews from critics. ‘Cars 2’ on the other hand, while a success at the box office, got slammed by critics. I’ve only seen ‘Cars 2’ once and at the time, I didn’t think it was that bad but at the same time it wasn’t a ‘great’ film either. It had a solid idea for a ‘Cars’ sequel being that it followed the characters of Lightning McQueen and Mater on a world tour but the execution of it was where things went wrong; namely for focusing too much on Mater to the point where Lightning became a side character. So if they are doing a ‘Cars’ sequel, they should make sure that give these two equal roles in the film. I’m not entirely looking forward to ‘Cars 3’, but at the same time I’m not dreading it either.

RATATOUILLE


Possible Sequel: Not really

Just like ‘A Bug’s Life’, nothing about ‘Ratatouille’ screams sequel to me. I mean, the only way I can possibly see a sequel to this would require the filmmakers to have to revert back to square one seeing how at the end of the film, Remy the rat had become a successful cook in his own right. There’s nothing they can do to follow up on that.

WALL-E


Possible Sequel: I can kind of see it happening

Now here’s a Pixar film that could potentially be followed up on. After all, the plot of ‘Wall-E’ revolved around us humans leaving the Earth after it had become so polluted due to mass consumerism. At the end of the film, the humans began to return to the planet and that’s where there could be a sequel to this; we could see how they attempt to inhabit the Earth again and try to return it back to the way it once was. I have no idea how the characters of Wall-E and EVE would fit into this story, but as a whole, a sequel to ‘Wall-E’ is possible.

UP


Possible Sequel: Nah, not really…

While this film was based around the idea of adventuring to new places, I’m not sure how they can follow up to 2009’s ‘Up’. I mean even if they did, it’s unlikely that the character of Carl would be in it seeing how he’s, well, old. Besides, his relationship with Ellie, along with his future relationship to his new friend Russell, was the heart of the film. I hate to say it, but if they do decide to do a sequel to ‘Up’, which would probably take place a few years after the events of the film, it’s rather likely Carl would be dead by this point meaning that we would lose one of the great characters from its predecessor. Quite frankly, I don’t think it’s worth it to do an ‘Up 2’ for that exact reason.

BRAVE


Possible Sequel: If so, please do it better...

‘Brave’ was a rather disappointing effort from Pixar. I’m not saying that it was a bad film by any means; it’s just that the film starts off with an incredible first half before veering into ‘Kids film territory’ for the rest of the film and these two halves of the film didn’t particularly mix well. I’m not even sure that there’s potential for a sequel. I wouldn’t be too bothered if they did do a ‘Brave 2’ but if they did, I hope that it will turn out better than the first one.


For the record, I’m not trying to say that Pixar should absolutely do sequels to their film because as I’ve pointed out, many of these films have a great finality to them. There’s not much of a need to follow up on some of these stories, like ‘Ratatouille’ or ‘Up’ because they end at the right time. There is some potential for future stories with films like ‘Toy Story’ or ‘Wall-E’ but overall, ‘The Incredibles’ is the only Pixar film right now that deserves a sequel and thankfully, we will be getting one. I’m not saying that I want to see some of these films to get sequels but I wouldn’t mind if they did. However I hope that Pixar will continue to make more original films like the upcoming ‘Good Dinosaur’ or ‘Inside Out’. After all, that’s exactly how they became the company we all know and love today; through their original stories.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Muppets Most Wanted (2014) review


One of the most pleasant surprises of 2011 was Disney’s reboot of ‘The Muppets’, the first ‘Muppets’ film to be released theatrically in more than a decade. It was clear that with this film, writers Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller had a lot of respect for the franchise, and that really showed in the final product. It was a film that was not only both charming and funny, but also one that had a lot of heart to it as well, resulting in what was definitely one of the best films of that year. Now, the Muppets are back again with ‘Muppets Most Wanted’. Most of the members of the previous film’s behind-the-scenes crew return for this one, including director James Bobin, writer Nicholas Stoller, and songwriter/music supervisor Bret McKenzie. This one, however, features a new cast of leads (not counting any of its cameos) in place of Jason Segel (who also does not return as one of the writers) and Amy Adams. How does this one hold up? Well, it may not exactly have the same amount of heart as its predecessor, but it’s still a very fun and zany film, one that pretty much captures the essence of why the Muppets are as memorable as they are.

‘Muppets Most Wanted’ literally opens right at the end of the last film, as the Muppets now look ahead wondering what to do for a ‘sequel’ now that they are famous again. A new opportunity arises when ‘tour manager’ Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) suggests that they go on a world tour. Despite Kermit’s hesitations, the Muppets agree to go on this world tour. What they don’t know is that this is actually a ruse set up by Dominic and his partner Constantine, the world’s number one criminal, who plan to steal the Crown Jewels of Britain and frame the Muppets for the crime. Constantine just so happens to be a dead ringer for Kermit, so part of the plan consists of Constantine taking Kermit’s place in the group while Kermit is sent to jail. Constantine manages to fool most of the other Muppets, including Miss Piggy, into believing that he is Kermit. However, Walter, Fozzie, and Animal figure out he isn’t and try to help Kermit get out of jail before Dominic and Constantine can succeed with their plan.

While this film is just as charming as its 2011 predecessor, it doesn’t really have the same heart that ‘The Muppets’ had. That film was, in every sense of the term, an open love letter to the franchise with the intent of making the franchise prominent again, which it did. As for this one, though, it’s basically just your average sequel. It goes through most of the motions that most sequels go through when they get made. However, that’s not really a bad film in regards to the film itself. This is really more of a case of the way that the film is executed. This is, as advertised, an international road trip/farce that’s more in line with a film like ‘The Great Muppet Caper’ or ‘Muppets Take Manhattan’. This is an old school ‘Muppets’ film and it’s a pretty solid representation of the franchise in general. There still are a few good morals and touching moments in this film, but I can’t say it’s as heartwarming as the previous film, a film that appealed to both the young newcomers to the franchise and those who grew up with it to begin with. This one is still a solid family film, though it kind of feels like this one is just a little bit more geared to kids.

With that said though, this is still a very fun movie full of pop culture references, zany humor, and cameos galore. And I do mean ‘cameos galore’ because there are a ton of them in here, probably even more so than in the original. There are appearances from people like Tom Hiddleston, Ray Liotta, Danny Trejo, and Lady Gaga just to name a few. All of them seem to be having a lot of fun doing this film keeping in line with the film’s silly atmosphere. The same can be said for the 3 three main leads; Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, who plays a Russian guard at the prison Kermit gets locked up in, and Ty Burrell, who plays an Interpol inspector who works with Sam the Eagle as the two investigate the robberies being committed by Dominic and Constantine. If I had to choose a standout from the three, it would have to be Burrell. He and Sam the Eagle work off each other really well and a lot of the film’s funniest lines come from those two, like the one that has been shown in the trailer where they show off their badges, trying to one up each other in regards to how big their badges are.

All in all, ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ is a pretty solid representation of the Muppets franchise as a whole; fun, zany, but also charming at the same time. However, I can’t quite say that this one was as heartwarming as its predecessor. That’s not entirely a problem here because in execution, this is very much a farce and as such, it’s still a very entertaining family film in that regard. It’s clear that everyone involved had a lot of fun making this film and it does show in the final product. Overall, if you really liked 2011’s ‘The Muppets’, than you will probably enjoy this film; if you didn’t, then you probably won’t like this one either. In the end though, I do think that ‘The Muppets’ was the better film because, from the bottom up, it was an open love letter to the franchise and as a result was a lot more heartwarming and sweet because of this. This film on the other hand, while still a charming and goofy family film, doesn’t really have that same benefit. Still, it’s a fun film that the whole family can enjoy; that includes both general newcomers and long-time fans.


Rating: 4/5

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Veronica Mars (2004-2007): TV Series Review


When it comes to television show, not every series can enjoy a run as long as shows like ‘The Simpsons’, ‘South Park’, or ‘CSI’ have enjoyed. Some shows can get canceled only a few seasons in. It can be for a few reasons, but it’s usually a case of the show not getting as big of an audience as the networks want. It could mean that the show itself wasn’t that good, which can certainly apply to a lot of shows that get cancelled each year. However, there have been a few notable examples of great TV shows that were cancelled way too early, like ‘Arrested Development’, ‘Pushing Daisies’, and ‘Firefly’. Another show that got the unfortunate axe way too soon was ‘Veronica Mars’, created by Rob Thomas (not to be confused with Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas). The show originally aired on UPN for two seasons before moving to the network’s successor, The CW. However, after just one season there, the show ended up getting canceled, finishing after only three seasons on the air. However, like those aforementioned shows, while ‘Veronica Mars’ didn’t fare so well in regards to ratings, it amassed a very loyal fan base. In the end, it was this fan base and their love of the show that allowed Thomas and his cast and crew to make a ‘Veronica Mars’ movie, which just hit theaters last weekend. For now, let’s look back at this now cult classic TV series.

The show follows the titular Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell), a young high school student living with her father Keith (Enrico Colantoni) in the town of Neptune, California, home of the rich and famous. One year before the show begins, Veronica was one of the most popular kids at her school, Neptune High, because while she wasn’t as rich as some of her fellow students (who are referred to as ‘09ers’), she was dating Duncan Kane (Teddy Dunn), the son of popular software entrepreneur Jake Kane, and Keith was the local sheriff at the time. However, everything begins to change when Veronica’s best friend, and Duncan’s sister, Lily (Amanda Seyfried) is found murdered. When Keith frames Jake Kane, he then finds himself kicked out of office by the residents of Neptune; at the same time, Veronica becomes an outcast amongst her old friends for sticking by her dad. In the wake of all this, Keith opens up a private investigator office and Veronica begins to take on some cases of her own while at school. As she begins to get her life back on track through the help of some new friends, including Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III) and Cindy ‘Mac’ Mackenzie (Tina Majorino), Veronica also begins to uncover some truths about what really happened the night Lily died.


On the surface, one might see this as just your average ‘teen show’ and while it technically sort of is given the fact that the main character is in high school for the first two seasons, it’s a lot more than that. This show really benefits from some top-notch writing that can be both edgy and witty at the same time. The cases that Veronica deals with from episode to episode are very engaging but of course, a show can’t get by on just its writing. It needs a great lead character to back it all up and this show has one of the best female television leads ever in Veronica. She’s smart, charming, and has a very sharp wit which she very much uses to her advantage while dealing with the bad guys. But at the same time, there’s also a vulnerability to her that was no doubt formed as a result of the things that she has been through; losing her best friend, being dumped by her boyfriend, becoming a social outcast (alongside her father), and much more. Because of this, we sympathize with her full-heartedly because she’s not like any of the stuck-up, spoiled, and sometimes corrupt people of Neptune. Sure, she might always do the ‘right thing’ when it comes to solving her cases, but she’s someone who firmly believes in justice being served.

At the end of the day, this show belongs to Kristen Bell, who does a fantastic job as Veronica. She is the one who infuses the character with her spunk, charm, and strength in the face of adversity. Also, if you want one of the best father-daughter duos ever put on television, look no further than Veronica and Keith Mars. Bell and Colantoni have excellent camaraderie, making their bond as father and daughter feel very natural. Aside from them, this show features an excellent cast of characters top to bottom; Veronica’s best friend Wallace, computer genius ‘Mac’, bad boy/future love interest Logan (Jason Dohring), good guy/second future love interest Piz (Chris Lowell), and much more. This show’s even had its fair share of excellent cameos, including Aaron Paul, Jessica Chastain, Paul Rudd, and even Joss Whedon… yes, you’ve heard that right. The director of ‘The Avengers’ guest starred in an episode of ‘Veronica Mars’… that is just awesome.


Now let’s talk about the ‘epic’ romance between Logan and Veronica, which has sort of become the defining element of the show. I’m just going to put this out there… I was very mixed on their relationship. Bell and Dohring do have excellent chemistry, and I can see how these two characters could be a match for each other given the fact that both have been through a lot. In the case of Logan, that includes not only Lily’s death (he was her boyfriend at the time) but also dealing with an abusive father as well. But for the first few episodes of the show, I was not the biggest fan of Logan as a character. To quote Veronica from the first episode, he was the show’s ‘obligatory psychotic jackass’ and I was left wondering just how the hell these two would ever get together considering how he treated her in those first few episodes. Somehow, someway, as the show progressed, Logan began to grow on me. He went from being an ‘obligatory psychotic jackass’ to a ‘somewhat charming jackass’. However, as for how he was written in the third season… well, we’ll get to that in a bit.

The first season of the show is easily its best. It has the best overarching mystery of the entire series in Veronica finding out who really killed Lily, resulting in the mystery that’s she’s perhaps connected to the most on a personal level being that Lily was her best friend and it was that event that drastically changed her whole life as a result of it. The season finale, ‘Leave it to Beaver’, is the episode that I would have to label as my favorite episode of the whole series. It’s well paced and I really like how it was during this episode when they finally revealed who Lily’s killer was, effectively keeping us at the edge of our seat for the entire season. The second season is also great as well; it has another solid mystery for Veronica to deal with; a bus crash that resulted in the death of some of her classmates. Like with Lily’s murder, Veronica was also connected to this case on a personal level as well because she almost was one of the victims of the accident. However, sometimes things got a little bit complicated in regards to all of the characters and storylines that were being juggled that season.

So then we come to the third season; the one that most fans are not the biggest fans of. And yeah, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand why that was. Season 3 is definitely the weakest of the three seasons. For the record, I don’t think it’s that bad of a season. The witty dialogue and great performances were still there. It’s just that there are a few changes made to the show from a creative perspective that sort of didn’t work out as well as one might think. Instead of a single case that would span across the whole season, this one had two and two rather weak ones at that; the first was solved barely halfway through the season and the second one just a few episodes later. Also Logan became a bit too whiny this season, meaning that the on-again, off-again relationship between him and Veronica became a bit too tiresome. They literally break up in one episode, get back together the next, and break up again two episodes later. In other words, I was relieved when they brought Piz in as Veronica’s second love interest, which was a breath of fresh air for the series.
And you know what... I actually think the season 3 finale is a pretty good one, mainly because I admire them taking a bold route with it and not ending the season on the most happiest of notes. This could have had a huge impact on the rest of the series… unfortunately, it’s now the ‘series finale’ and that is what holds this season finale back because as is, it leaves a lot of things open that were left unanswered when the show got cancelled. Thankfully, in March 2013, 91,585 fans decided that this wouldn’t be the end for ‘Veronica Mars’ and so we now have the ‘Veronica Mars’ movie. But of course, we cannot forget how great of a show ‘Veronica Mars’ was; a show that could have just ended up being your average ‘teen show’ but turned out to be much more than that thanks to engaging mysteries, compelling characters, witty dialogue, and of course, one of the best female TV leads ever in Veronica Mars in both character and performance. It’s truly sad, though, that ‘Veronica Mars’ ended up getting cancelled so early because it truly was a fantastic show.
Ratings:

Season 1: 5/5!

Season 2: 4/5

Season 3: 3/5



Monday, March 17, 2014

Veronica Mars (2014) review


Never underestimate a fan base, because they might have the power to get something that had previously been canceled running again. That was exactly the case with the film adaptation of ‘Veronica Mars’, which follows in the footsteps of the TV show of the same name created by Rob Thomas. The show, which first aired in 2004, sadly only lasted three seasons before it was cancelled in 2007. However, like other prematurely canceled shows like ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Firefly’, ‘Veronica Mars’ had a very loyal fan base, collectively known as ‘Marshmallows’ in relation to a line from the show’s pilot episode and it was these ‘Marshmallows’ who were responsible for making this film adaptation possible. In March 2013, Thomas and leading lady Kristen Bell started a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of $2 million in order for the film to get made. By the end of the campaign, the fans had raised nearly three times that amount; $5,702,153 to be exact. That, my friends, is the story of how one of the best shows that got cancelled way too early was brought back to life in a film that is not only a love letter to that loyal group of fans that had a hand in getting it made, but a continuing representation of why this show was so great in the first place.

9 years after the events of the series finale, Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) has moved away from not only her hometown of Neptune, California, but also her days as a teenage private eye working with her father Keith (Enrico Colantoni), Neptune’s former sheriff. Now, she’s living in New York with her college boyfriend Stosh ‘Piz’ Piznarski (Chris Lowell) and is about to land a job at a prestigious law firm. However, the past begins to come calling for her when her old boyfriend Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring) is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Carrie Bishop (Andrea Estella, taking over the role that was originally played by Leighton Meester in the TV series). At the risk of throwing her new life away, Veronica heads back to Neptune in order to help Logan out. At first, it’s just to help him find a good lawyer, but soon Veronica finds herself getting back into the swing of things as she begins to investigate further into the case in order to prove Logan’s innocence; just like the way she did so on other cases nine years earlier.

As mentioned earlier, this was a fan-funded project and as such, this movie is tailor made for them. It’s clear that the cast and crew wanted to make the best ‘Veronica Mars’ movie that they could and that really shows in the final product. Whether it’s getting to catch up with some of our favorite characters or reignite the sparks of the iconic romance between Logan and Veronica that has basically become the most notable aspect of the entire show, I have the feeling ‘Marshmallows’ should be satisfied with this film. But what about those people who aren’t fans of the show? Well, on its own, the film perfectly represents the things that made the series so great in the first place. Like the show, this film really benefits from terrific writing; it features an engaging plot/mystery, compelling characters, and most importantly, one of the best female leads to ever grace a TV show in Veronica herself. The times may have changed, and she may have grown up a bit since we last saw her, but she’s still as smart, charming, and witty as she was during the events of the show. Her morals haven’t changed; she’s still someone who believes in proper justice and is willing to stand up against the corrupt, many of whom inhabit her hometown of Neptune.

But of course, Veronica wouldn’t be as great of a character as she is without the terrific performance from the lead actress portraying her. Kristen Bell returns to her role with ease seven years after the end of the series and is just as phenomenal here as she was back then. That can also be said for every other returning member of the cast; Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Ryan Hansen, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell, etc. They all do a great job once again. And of course, all of you ‘LoVe’ fans will no doubt be excited to see the continuation of, to quote Logan from Season 2, Episode 20, ‘Look Who’s Stalking’, the ‘epic’ romance between him and Veronica. While I’ll admit I was never that big a fan of their relationship because of how Logan acted like a real jerk in the first few episodes of season 1 (so yes, I guess you can consider me to be on the ‘Team Piz’ side of this debate, which will no doubt be settled by what happens in this film), Bell and Dohring have exceptional chemistry and I’ll also admit that Logan has sort of grown on me as a character since his days as the show’s ‘obligatory psychotic jackass’.

91,585 fans of ‘Veronica Mars’ contributed to the film’s budget via its Kickstarter campaign, showing how much they craved a continuation of a show that they loved and one that got cancelled way too early. As such, the cast and crew went out and made a film that is an open love letter to their loyal fans, which very much shows in regards to the film. For fans of the show, this is an absolute must-see; it brings back all of the characters that you love and should very much provide closure after the show’s premature cancellation. But even if you aren’t fans of the show, this is still a very good film that benefits from terrific writing, great performances from its cast, and most importantly, a great female lead in both the character of Veronica Mars herself and Kristen Bell’s performance in the role. I do recommend watching the show first so that you can enjoy this film to the fullest but as is this movie still holds up quite well on its own and hopefully it might turn you on to the show itself.

Rating: 5/5!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

300: Rise of An Empire (2014) review


‘300’ may not have been Zack Snyder’s first film, but it was thanks to that film’s huge success that made Snyder as famous as he is today, whereas 2004’s ‘Dawn of the Dead’ was basically a good ‘first impression’. Since that film came out in 2007, other films have tried to copy the film’s unique visual style but none have really achieved the same level of success of Snyder’s film. Now, 7 years after the original came out, the fictionalized world of Frank Miller’s ‘300’ continues with ‘300: Rise of An Empire’. This one, like its predecessor, is also based on one of Miller’s graphic novels, ‘Xerxes’. However, at the time I am writing this, it has yet to be published and there is currently no word on when it will be released. Also, for this film, Snyder does not return to direct seeing how he has been busy with ‘Man of Steel’ and its upcoming sequel. So, in his place is director Noam Murro, whose only film to date is the 2008 dramedy ‘Smart People’. Yeah, you have to admit that’s kind of an ‘out of left field’ choice to take over this franchise but Murro succeeds in continuing the franchise the same way Snyder started it with the original ‘300’. Sure, it may not be the best written film ever but it is still very much entertaining to watch.

While it may seem like a sequel, ‘Rise of An Empire’ is actually more of an interquel, taking place during the events of the original ‘300’ although some scenes do take place before and after that film. This film begins during the Battle of Marathon, 10 years before the events of the first film, between the Athenians and the Persians. There, Greek general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) kills Persian King Darius I. However, this event soon begins to set the groundwork for the war to come as Darius’ son Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) takes his father’s advice and becomes ‘the god king’ because it is the only way the Greeks can truly be defeated. As Xerxes begins his invasion on the people of Greece, Themistocles begins to rally the Athenian fleet as they begin their fight against the Persian naval fleet, led by Xerxes’ vengeful commander Artemisia (Eva Green), who seeks vengeance against Greece after her family was killed when she was younger (she herself actually being born a Greek).

Even with the change in direction, this film maintains the same highly stylized look of the original. However, Murro’s film is also noticeably much grittier in tone than Snyder’s film. For one thing, it doesn’t have the same exact level of mysticism as the original had during certain scenes. It’s clear that the original ‘300’ was more of a historical fantasy while this one feels just a bit more grounded in reality… though keep in mind, we’re still talking about a film with a king that’s eight feet tall and covered in piercings, amongst some other things, so it’s still very much an historical fantasy.  As such, in execution, this movie is just as awesomely entertaining as the original with all of its stylized action scenes that are full of slow-motion shots and digitized blood whenever someone is killed in battle. Yes, that admittedly does come at the expense of quality writing but then again, the original ‘300’ was also technically not that well-written either. But again like that film, this film’s not completely empty-minded. There are still the themes of honor and unity and as such, the movie’s not a total case of ‘style over substance’.

Still, many of the characters do fall rather flat, save for one character; Artemisia. Not only is she the standout character of the whole film, but Eva Green absolutely steals the show with her performance. She really gets into the role of this fierce and sexy commander of the Persian Naval Fleet and in a movie full of characters that don’t really get much character development, her character is easily the most fleshed out given her rather tragic backstory. She outshines everyone else in the cast, though that’s not to say some don’t give solid performances. Lead Sullivan Stapleton may not have the tenacity or bold attitude that Gerard Butler had as Leonidas, but he still does a rock solid job in the role for what he is given. The same can be said for the other members of the cast, including both returning characters (like Lena Headey as Leonidas’ widow, Queen Gorgo) and even some of the new characters (like Jack O’Connell as the son of one of Themistocles’ soldiers). Still, this movie belongs to Eva Green.

If you were a fan of the original ‘300’, I have the feeling that this film will very much satisfy you just as much as that film did. It’s just as entertaining and awesome as the original film and even though Zack Snyder does not direct this film, director Noam Murro still makes the movie feel very much like Snyder’s ‘300’. Yes, it’s not the best-written film ever and, when compared to the original, this suffers a bit more in regards to quality story and character development. Still, the film manages to be entertaining enough to the point where you can still have a good time with it while watching it. These ‘300’ films are some of the most perfect examples of ‘popcorn flicks’. Don’t get into this film expecting some quality writing because by the end of it, you’re going to leave pretty disappointed. This is just a fun and simple fantasy ‘swords and sandals’ flick and for some, that’s exactly what they came to see.


Rating: 3.5/5

Friday, March 7, 2014

Sucker Punch (2011) review


In the world of film, nothing is perfect. There are films that many of us regard as some of the greatest films ever made, but that doesn’t mean that a movie will always be universally loved. There will be some people who don’t like a certain film and that could be for various reasons. But at the end of the day, it’s all really just a matter of opinion. The same can be said in regard to directors and their filmographies. I believe that directors like Christopher Nolan, J.J. Abrams, and Martin Scorcese have yet to make a bad film but that’s really just my own opinion. Every filmmaker in Hollywood will most likely end up with one bad film on their resume, but it shouldn’t completely overshadow the good films they have made. That’s exactly the case with Zack Snyder, a director who has made some very good movies over the last few years, including ‘300’, ‘Watchmen’, and ‘Man of Steel’. Most of his films to date have been adaptations of preexisting material, except for one film. Released in 2011, ‘Sucker Punch’ was an original story written by Snyder and was a project that he had been working on for years… now, we’re about to see what went wrong with what I believe to be one of the worst films I have ever seen.

The film begins with the death of the mother of the main character Baby Doll (Emily Browning), which leaves her and her sister in the care of their greedy stepfather. When he finds out that, in her will, the mother had left all of her possessions to Baby Doll and her sister, the stepfather attempts to ‘take advantage’ of them. When Baby Doll tries to kill him, she accidentally kills her sister instead. Using this to his advantage, the stepfather has her sent to a mental asylum and, with the help of one of the asylum’s orderlies, Blue (Oscar Issac), plans to have her lobotomized so that she won’t notify the authorities about what really happened. With her lobotomy set to occur in five days, Baby Doll retreats into a fantasy world where she and the other inmates are dancers in a brothel. While in this fantasy, she plans to escape with the help of fellow inmates Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), and Amber (Jamie Chung). In order to do so, they must collect five items; a key, a map, fire, a knife, and a fifth ‘mystery item’. While all of this is going on, Baby Doll begins to imagine adventures involving the five of them that directly parallel their actual escape efforts.

If all of that sounds a bit confusing, then you can see what the problem is with the writing; it’s an absolute mess. The ironic thing though is that it’s sort of a simple story; a girl gets put into a mental institution and tries to escape with the help of some of her fellow inmates. It’s sort of your basic ‘Get from Point A to Point B’ premise. Sounds simple, right? Well, then you add in the whole thing about these five characters going in and out of different fantasy worlds and yet most of the time is spent in the fantasy world. The film doesn’t return to the real world until the end of the film, and in the process leaves the viewer with a lot of questions, like; if most of the film takes place in Baby Doll’s mind, does that mean it’s really happening in real life? Who is this strange old man (Scott Glenn) that keeps appearing in Baby Doll’s fantasies giving out some of the oddest bits of motivational speeches ever to be put on film? If one of them dies in the fantasy world, wouldn’t they be okay in the real world? Those are just some of the many questions that I had while watching this movie again. It’s truly something how a plot this simple can become so damn convoluted. But then again, the writing is terrible anyway because it’s clear the main focus of this film is on its effects.

And that’s really the main problem with the movie; it’s pure style over substance. I do want to point out that, for the record, I have liked a few films, like the ‘Transformers’ movies and even Snyder’s ‘300’, that are exactly the same way but this is just an onslaught of visuals while those other films, while not having the best screenplays in the world, were not completely empty-minded. This on the other hand has a script so terrible that the visuals do most of the work for them. Sure, they do look nice but they keep coming at you so much that it sort of becomes really tiring on the eyes. In fact, there is one scene where Baby Doll is fighting robot samurais that I swear nearly gave me a seizure… and I’m someone who’s not at all prone to this kind of thing so I can’t even imagine what this would be like to someone who is. There may be a lot of cool things in this film, like WWI trench battles, dragons, and robots but it comes off more as a convoluted mish-mash of genres rather than being a cohesive narrative. This film’s soundtrack is also equally blaring on the senses. I’m not saying that it’s bad music, but it’s played so damn loud that for the most of the time, it’s hard to think straight when watching this film.

The weak screenplay also means a noticeable lack of character development. This film has five leads and yet the only one who gets any real backstory is Baby Doll just because she’s the main character but even then her backstory is rushed through in five minutes flat just so that they can get to the action sequences quicker. There’s some dialogue regarding the characters of Sweet Pea and Rocket (who are sisters, by the way) and their family but it’s such a minor thing that you’ll probably not notice it. The other two characters, Blondie and Amber, are there just… because the filmmakers needed some extra sex appeal… and that’s another thing about this film in that while it is trying to be ‘empowering to women’, it fails so hard at doing it. I mean, how is this film supposed to be ‘empowering to women’ when the lead characters are dressed in sexy, revealing outfits and most of the film takes place in a brothel. Seriously, if I went into this film not knowing anything about it, I’d swear that this was a frigging exploitation film because there ain’t anything subtle about this film in the slightest. Talk about a way to waste a cast who, for the record, isn’t bad but it’s a case where they have absolutely nothing to work with.

I’ll admit that when I first saw this film in March 2011, I wasn’t as negative towards it as I am now; I felt that while the film was both strange and flawed, it was still an entertaining movie. However, over the next few months, as I thought about it more and more, my opinion on it drastically changed to the point where I ultimately labeled it as the worst film of 2011. After a second viewing, my opinion still stands. Now, I’ve liked some dumb films from time to time but even then I do have my limits, and ‘Sucker Punch’ continuously pushes them. It’s an extreme case of style over substance where the visuals are so in your face that it comes at the cost of any proper story elements and character development. It’s a film that an absolute mess from top to bottom and I cannot even think of any saving graces that this film has. In fact, the only good thing about this film isn’t even in the film itself. It was more of a personal development in that it helped my taste in film improve. I was no longer just impressed by a film for only having pretty visuals and nothing else. Zack Snyder is someone who has made good films but if this film proves anything, it is that Snyder should never be in charge of writing a film’s plot, which makes me kind of worried considering that he apparently has a story credit for ‘Batman vs. Superman’. Sigh… well, fingers crossed then.

Rating: 0/5!

(It is that bad, folks!)

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Director Retrospective: Zack Snyder


‘300: Rise of An Empire’, the sequel to 2007’s smash hit ‘300’, hits theaters this weekend. However, instead of doing a full review of the previous film, I decided to do something a little different. Instead, I decided to do a retrospective of the films of its director, Zack Snyder. Snyder may not be directing this new ‘300’ but is still very much involved with the project, serving as both a producer and co-writer. Snyder’s come a long way since the original ‘300’, which at the time was only his second film. Now, he’s right in the middle of the developing DC Comics Cinematic Universe after getting it started last year with ‘Man of Steel’. His directorial filmography is rather small (only 6 films to date that have currently been released) but these films cover a fairly wide variety of genres, from horror films to superhero films. Those are the films we’ll be looking at today. However, I’ll saving one of the films for a full review that will be coming out in the next few days. Why? Well, because I have a bit of a history with this film as I once called it the ‘Worst’ film of its year. I didn’t want to watch it again, but I’m willing to do it just for you guys.

DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004)


For what was Zack Snyder’s first film, it was one that could have possibly ended his career right then and there. Why? Well, that’s because his first film was a remake of one of the most famous horror films of all time, George Romero’s 1978 classic ‘Dawn of the Dead’. As we all know, remakes are usually frowned upon, especially if they are remakes of classic horror films. But in the case of Snyder’s ‘Dawn of the Dead’, it turned out to be one of the better horror remakes to have ever come out, especially in recent years. Now first let me start by saying that I haven’t seen the original ‘Dawn of the Dead’ so I’m unable to compare it to the original, something I don’t really like to do anyway when talking about remakes unless it’s really necessary. As far as I can tell, it retains the same general plot of the original (a group of survivors hiding in a mall during a zombie outbreak) but Snyder manages to do enough to make it its own film, like by having fast zombies instead of slow ones. In the end, I’m sure that the original is still the better film as admittedly this one does drags at times and there are a few too many characters to follow. Still, Snyder manages to give us a horror film that is entertaining and sometimes even very suspenseful. Simply put, it’s one of the few good horror remakes.

Rating: 3.5/5

300 (2007)


While ‘Dawn of the Dead’ received some pretty good reviews, it was really ‘300’ that made Snyder as famous as he is now and why not? ‘300’ is, to put it bluntly, just awesome. It’s a visually stunning and downright fun popcorn flick, and one that’s also pretty dang quotable. I mean come on, who hasn’t at least once yelled ‘THIS… IS… SPARTA!!!’ (It’s such a memorable moment). Yes, the movie can sometimes be a bit cheesy as a lot of dialogue consists of the characters just yelling everything (that aforementioned ‘SPARTA’ included). It’s also clear that, while this is technically based on a ‘true event’, this film isn’t exactly historically accurate. After all, this is primarily based off of the graphic novel of the same name by Frank Miller and while I haven’t read it (which is actually a pattern I’m starting to notice in regards to Snyder’s films), it feels Snyder kept the film as faithful to the graphic novel as he possibly could. Also, while the movie is admittedly a case of ‘style over substance’, that’s not to say that it’s completely empty-minded. There are still some pretty strong themes here and there, like honor and the will to stand up for your people against all odds, which was the exact situation King Leonidas and his men faced when they went up against the much larger Persian army. ‘300’ is epic and awesome and we wouldn’t take it any other way.

Rating: 4/5

WATCHMEN (2009)


(Note: The following review is for the ‘Director’s Cut’ of the film. I had seen the film before on TV and if I’m right, I was watching the theatrical cut. However, my friend Matt recommended that I watch the Director’s Cut, which he feels is the superior version… so here we go.)


After the massive success of ‘300’, Snyder moved on to another graphic novel adaptation, though I think it’s safe to say that this one was clearly more notable than Frank Miller’s story… Alan Moore’s ‘Watchmen’, regarded by many as the greatest graphic novel of all-time; film adaptations were attempted before by directors like Terry Gilliam, Paul Greengrass, and Darren Aronofsky, but many deemed the story to be ‘unfilmable’. Lo and Behold, it was Snyder who finally solved the problem with his take on the story. Now, for the record… I have not read the graphic novel… I know, trust me, I’ll get onto that. But as for the film itself, ‘Watchmen’ is one damn good movie. Like ‘300’ it’s visually beautiful and incredibly entertaining. However, unlike ‘300’, this one benefits from far better writing, case in point being the graphic novel itself.

For someone who is rather unfamiliar with the source material it’s a quite fascinating story of superheroes where only one of them actually has superpowers while the others are more like vigilantes… and they don’t always do the ‘right things’. For example, you have a character named ‘The Comedian’ (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is perhaps the biggest standout of the film even though most of his scenes are just flashbacks as his character is killed at the beginning of the film) who is pretty darn unsympathetic and yet that’s mainly because he is someone who had basically become disillusioned with the ideas of life and the American Dream. It isn’t until the end of his life when he finally expresses remorse for what he’s done; and that’s just one of a whole group of interesting characters. Is it completely faithful to the graphic novel? Not really, but Snyder did his best to make this story work on film and some of the liberties that he took with it (like showing the death of the Comedian or not using the ‘alien invasion’ at the end of the film) actually do work out for the better. I agree with my friend Matt in that the ‘Director’s Cut’ is the superior version of the film as the scenes that were added into this version help the movie as a whole flow much better. The theatrical cut is still a pretty good movie, but this is the version that I mainly recommend.

Rating (Director’s Cut): 4.5/5

LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE (2010)


Next up we have ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’, based off of the ‘Guardians of Ga’Hoole’ book series by author Kathryn Lasky. I do remember reading these books when I was younger, although I don’t recall actually finishing any of them. But anyway, our focus is one the film adaptation which, from what I can tell, covers the plot of the first three books in the series (‘The Capture’, ‘The Journey’, and ‘The Rescue’). I have to say that I was surprised when I first heard that Snyder was directing this film, primarily because this was after he had come off of two R-rated films in ‘300’ and ‘Watchmen’, films that certainly garnered that high rating. To date, this is the only film he has made that has been given a rating lower than ‘PG-13’, and it’s an animated movie at that… this animated film is also one of the most underrated films of its genre. It features some incredibly beautiful animation, especially during the flight scenes. Snyder’s trademark slow-motion style is perfect for this kind of film. This aspect of his filmmaking has never really bothered me, except when it’s overused (see next film for proof of that). But in the case of this film, it really works and, well, is also rather necessary seeing how it would be kind of hard to tell what was going on without the use of slow-motion during the owl fight scenes. The story may be just a BIT standard, but the animation is outstanding and this film also boasts an impressive voice cast, including the likes of Helen Mirren, Joel Edgerton, Hugo Weaving, and Geoffrey Rush. Bottom line, this is one animated film that I feel has gotten overlooked. It is really worth checking out.

Rating: 4/5

SUCKER PUNCH (2011)


...Full Review Coming Soon…

MAN OF STEEL (2013)


Originally, I actually wasn’t going to cover this film in this retrospective because I already had just a few weeks ago when I did my ‘Top 12 Films of the Year’ posts and I didn’t want to repeat myself too much. But, upon request, I decided to include it after all. The following is basically serving as a quick sum-up of what I’ve said before.

‘Man of Steel’, probably the most polarizing film of 2013. People either loved it or hated it and after two viewings, I found myself firmly fitting into the former group. This was a fresh new take on the character of Superman and his lore; one that was pretty much the first film to treat him more than just an icon. That’s nothing against the Christopher Reeve films or the character of Superman as a whole. But let’s be honest, a character that is pretty much invincible can get a little boring after a while. That is why I really liked how this film did an excellent job of showing Clark Kent’s struggles trying to fit in on Earth even though he’s from another world. Henry Cavill, while not given much to say in the role of Superman, is fantastic and the first actor that can really stand toe to toe with Reeve’s iconic turn in the role as far as performances are concerned. The whole cast is terrific from Superman’s two fathers (Jonathan Kent (played by Kevin Costner) and Jor-El (played by Russell Crowe)) to Michael Shannon as General Zod. While Terrence Stamp’s Zod from ‘Superman II’ is still the most memorable interpretation of the character, Shannon’s Zod is far-better written as a ‘misguided villain’ who thinks he’s doing what is right when it really isn’t.

As for the ‘collateral damage’ that has perhaps been the most controversial aspect of this film, I’m not too bothered by it. I mean yes, the city of Metropolis pretty much gets annihilated during the finale and most of the damage does come from Superman flying around and fighting Zod and his soldiers. But at the same time, you don’t see someone actually dying as a result of Superman. It’s Zod who’s responsible for most of the ‘death and destruction’ that occurs during those scenes. At the same time though, maybe the sequel will do something that can address this, maybe through the introduction of this universe’s Lex Luthor (to be played by Jesse Eisenberg). I can definitely see Lex using this event as part of his plan to get rid of Superman. Then we come to that controversial neck-snapping committed by Superman against Zod… again, I’m not bothered by it because while I am aware that in the comics Superman does not kill, this scene can serve as the catalyst that results in him never doing that again… and for the record you do see him show remorse for doing it afterwards.

So, in the end, I realize this new Superman is not for everyone and I understand. It was a new take on the character and I can see how some of the things in this movie might turn some people off. But at the same time, you do have to appreciate that the filmmakers did do something new instead of retreading familiar territory (looking at you, ‘Superman Returns’). That is why I view ‘Man of Steel’ as one of the best superhero films of 2013 alongside ‘Iron Man 3’. At the same time though, I’m kind of worried about the route they’re currently taking with the sequel which, until an official title is confirmed, I’m referring to as ‘Batman vs. Superman Featuring Wonder Woman and whoever else they want to add into it’.


Rating: 4.5/5

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

86th Academy Awards: Results and Quick Thoughts


WINNERS:

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: GRAVITY



BEST EDITING: GRAVITY



BEST COSTUME DESIGN: THE GREAT GATSBY

BEST MAKEUP/HAIRSTYLING: DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: GRAVITY

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: THE GREAT GATSBY

BEST SOUND MIXING AND BEST SOUND EDITING: GRAVITY

BEST SONG: LET IT GO (‘FROZEN’)

BEST SCORE: STEVEN PRICE (‘GRAVITY’)

BEST ANIMATED SHORT: MR. HUBLOT

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT: HELIUM

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY: THE LADY IN NUMBER 6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE

BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY: 20 FEET FROM STARDOM

BEST FOREIGN FILM: THE GREAT BEAUTY

BEST ANIMATED FILM: FROZEN

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: 12 YEARS A SLAVE

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: HER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: LUPITA NYONG’O

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: JARED LETO

BEST ACTRESS: CATE BLANCHETT

BEST ACTOR: MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY

BEST DIRECTOR: ALFONSO CUARON

BEST PICTURE: 12 YEARS A SLAVE

THOUGHTS ON THE SHOW:

Ellen DeGeneres is one very funny woman, and last night’s Oscars were further proof of that. She did a fantastic job hosting; her opening monologue was great, and I loved a lot of her bits, like when she did that celebrity group picture that briefly broke Twitter or when she actually ordered pizza. I thought that just a joke until that pizza guy actually showed up on stage. Also, on that note, that guy has to be one of the luckiest people on Earth right now considering the night he had on Sunday. I was one of those people who did like Seth MacFarlane’s job as host for last year’s show, but I do think that this year, Ellen was the superior host. Yes, this was obviously a ‘safe choice’ for the Academy after the controversy surrounding MacFarlane’s performance last year but at the same time, Ellen still did an excellent job. I did sort of like that this year’s show felt a little more casual than past years; may not always the best thing when talking about the Oscars, but this year it just worked out really well. Thankfully, the opening monologue wasn’t as long as last year’s but there were times where the show itself sort of dragged a bit, specifically in the middle.

All of the performances during Sunday’s show were very good. Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ is still as catchy as ever and that was one of the most entertaining performances of the night. Pink’s rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ in memory of Judy Garland was also fantastic, as was Idina Menzel’s performance of ‘Let it Go’, despite the strange introduction she got (more on that in a bit). Of course, the ‘In Memoriam’ segment was, as always, well-handled (it was even more sad during this year’s show considering the greats we lost in the past year, like Harold Ramis (by the way, kudos to Bill Murray for the very classy nod to him when he was presenting the award for ‘Best Cinematography) and Phillip Seymour Hoffman). I’m guessing I’m going to be in the minority on this, but I thought Bette Midler’s performance of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ was really good. I remember seeing everyone reacting very, very negatively towards this on Twitter when she first came out and I don’t really know why.

As for the awards, I have no complaints about any of the winners. However though, there is something about this year’s show that disappointed me. That was the fact that all of the winners… were kind of obvious. For the record, I’m not criticizing any of those who won an award on Sunday. They were all very much deserving of their awards. However, before the show, I think many people (including myself) sort of knew who was going to win each of the awards, specifically the four acting awards. As you could see from my Predictions post a couple of days ago…


…I very much crashed and burned when it came to predicting the winners… and I knew who the frontrunners were, by the way. I just gave my personal picks, mainly because I did not see either ‘Blue Jasmine’ or ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ at the time I posted it. Again, it’s nothing against those who won; in reality, it’s actually sort of my fault for reading all of the ‘Oscar Predictions’ that were everywhere online. I just wish that there was at least ONE upset because as is, it was sort of a predictable outcome.

And now here are my Top 5 Favorite Moments from last night’s show…

5. Ellen Orders Pizza

Was anyone else suddenly in the mood for some pizza when this happened? I most definitely was…

4. When Jennifer Lawrence was presenting Best Actor

(UPDATE: So this mysterious 'laugher' turned out to be Ellen.)
I want to know… just who was it who was apparently laughing when J-Law went onstage to present the nominees for ‘Best Actor’. In fact, that’s a bit of a missed opportunity there for the producers of the Oscars… they didn’t cut to whoever that person was. Also, Jennifer’s response to it was priceless…

3. John Travolta’s strange gaffe

(UPDATE 2: Travolta has recently responded saying that this was just a 'slip-up'. No problem there; happens to all of us. Still this is easily one of the most memorable moments of Sunday's show.)

For the record, not exactly a ‘great’ moment, but boy is it memorable. John Travolta was onstage to introduce Idina Menzel’s performance of ‘Let it Go’ which seemed to go well… until the end, leaving us with one question. Who is ‘Adele Dazeem’? I don’t know what happened here; was it a slipup of the teleprompter or of Travolta himself (from what I’m hearing online, most likely the latter)? Either way, it certainly was… interesting, and now thanks to Slate.com…


 …you can all have your name ‘Travoltified’.

Sincerely, ‘Struan Suzzivan’.

2. The epic group pic that briefly broke Twitter

Yes, I retweeted it… so I probably had a hand in Twitter’s brief break-down. Sorry, Twitter!

And my number 1 moment didn’t actually happen during the show, but during the Red Carpet.

1. Benedict Cumberbatch Photobombs U2

Best Photobomb Ever!!!

And that’s my recap of the 86th annual Academy Awards. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you at next year’s Oscars.