Oscar Predictions!

Alright, so, every year I do my Oscar predictions and this year is no different - only rather than on Facebook - I'm doing them on here...

Best Short Film, Live Action:
AS: The Door
MC: Kavi
Winner: The New Tenants

Best Short Film, Animated
AS: Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'
MC: Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'
Winner: Logorama

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
AS: China's Unnatural Disaster, The Tears of Sichuan Province
MC: The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Winner: Music by Prudence

Best Documentary, Features:
AS: Food, Inc.
MC: The Cove
Winner: The Cove

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year:
AS: Un Prophete
MC: Das Weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte
Winner: El Secreto de Sus Ojos

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year:
AS: Coraline
MC: Up
(Should win but won't - Fantastic Mr. Fox)
Winner: Up

Best Achievement in Visual Effects:
AS: Avatar
MC: Avatar
Winner: Avatar

Best Achievement in Sound Editing:
AS: Up
MC: Avatar
Winner: The Hurt Locker

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing:
AS: Avatar
MC: Star Trek
Winner: The Hurt Locker

Best Achievement in Music Written in Motion Pictures, Original Song:
AS: Nine - Take it All
MC: Crazy Heart - The Weary Kind
Winner: Crazy Heart - The Weary Kind

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score:
AS: Sherlock Holmes
MC: Up
Winner: Up

Best Achievement in Makeup:
AS: The Young Victoria
MC: Star Trek
Winner: Star Trek

Best Achievement in Costume Design:
AS: Nine
MC: The Young Victoria
Winner: The Young Victoria

Best Achievement in Art Direction:
AS: Nine
MC: Avatar
Winner: Avatar

Best Achievement in Editing:
AS: Inglorious Basterds
MC: Avatar
Winner: The Hurt Locker

Best Achievement in Cinematography:
AS: Inglorious Basterds
MC: Inglorious Basterds
Winner: Avatar

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:
AS: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
MC: Up in the Air
Winner: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:
AS: Inglorious Basterds
MC: Inglorious Basterds
Winner: The Hurt Locker

Best Achievement in Directing:
AS: Quentin Tarantine for Inglorious Basterds
MC: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
Winner: Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporitng Role:
AS: Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
MC: Mo'Nique (Precious)
Winner: Mo'Nique (Precious)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
AS: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
MC: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
(Should have been nominated: Zach Galifinakis for The Hangover)
Winner: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
AS: Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)
MC: Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)
Winner: Sandra Bullock (The Blindside)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
AS: George Clooney (Up in the Air)
MC: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
(Should have been nominated: Daniel Day Lewis for Nine)
Winner: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)

Best Motion Picture of the Year:
AS: The Hurt Locker
MC: The Hurt Locker
Winner: The Hurt Locker
Let's see how many we get right!

Final results:
AS: 4/24
MC: 13/24

Harry Brown: Review

The very opening sequences of Harry Brown may be some of the most disturbing opening sequences I have ever seen in a film. This film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2009 was impossible to get into. I tried so hard to get into the Michael Caine premiere but alas it was not to be; I ended up seeing Jane Campion's Bright Star, which was an epic disappointment... but I digress. I have always been a fan of vigilante films: Vigilante, Death Sentence, The Brave One, and one of my favourite movies of all time: The Wizard of Oz. (That 'wicked' witch of the West should have gotten her justice.

The premise of Harry Brown is a very simple one which follows the basic principles of a vigilante film. Michael Caine plays the titular Harry Brown whose wife passes away of natural causes... the only person he has left is his best friend who is being tormented by a gang of London youths (based on The Elephant and Castle) in his area of town. Taking matters into his own hands Harry Brown's best friend tries to take out the gang himself, to alleviate his problems only to be brutally murdered. Harry Brown, then with nothing to lose, goes out to avenge his best friend's death in what becomes a very bloody and fun ride for the audience. Meanwhile a police detective, played by Emily Mortimer, is trying to solve the murder of Brown's best friend and finds herself investigating the actions of Harry Brown himself.

Harry Brown is nearly perfect in its execution. Michael Caine is brilliant and it was a shame to see his acting passed over for both BAFTA's and the Oscar's in what could possibly be his best performance to date. I may have just spoken to soon though as there has been no actual theatre release in North America; I believe it's actual scheduled release is in March of 2010; but I could be wrong. Aside from Michael Caine who delivers each line with a crisp sense of emotion that draws the audience in, wanting more, Emily Mortimer provides much more than her lack-lustre performance as Rachel Solando in this month's Shutter Island.

While this movie's content draws on fears of the public; despite crime statistics actually being down; the content still manages to deliver and provides an ending that is truly satisfactory to its deliverance. This movie was the perfect length as well; any longer and I would have started to get antsy, wanting it to be done, thinking about how they could have just done everything they needed to in 100 minutes, or it could have been too short leaving unanswered questions. The 100 minute length felt perfect for this film providing the right level of intrigue, drama and suspense and not leaving us feeling winded as if we had just run a marathon.

This is director Daniel Barber's first time behind the camera for a feature and it felt refreshing. There were no expectations from him as a first time director; and he set a bar for himself that I hope he is able to attain and maybe even surpass again at some point; because it's exciting to think about what this novice director can do if Harry Brown proves to be only a launching pad. Harry Brown was penned by veteran writer Gary Young who also penned this year's straight-to-DVD 'action-bore' The Tournament. So when I realized it was Young fiddling around with Final Draft I was a little worried about how the movie's dialogue would sound; yet in comparison to the flop that was The Tournament Harry Brown's script is a masterpiece.

This movie was a lot of fun to watch; yet it maintained a serious edge to it. As much as I loved what Kevin Bacon was able to do in Death Sentence and how Clint Eastwood handled his own problems in Gran Torino Michael Caine may be my new vigilante hero.

Once this movie hits theatres it is a must-see!

4 out of 5 stars!

Shutter Island: Review

Shutter Island has been one of the most talked about films for the past 8 - 10 months and has been highly anticipated by many people. It brings about the fourth collaboration between Scorsese and Dicaprio and looked to be very promising through a marketing campaign that pegged it more along the lines of a horror movie. I was lucky to get the chance to see this film twice before it's release date; once at a press screening a month ago and another time a few days before it's release here in Ottawa. I'm glad that I was able to see it two times before writing this review because it gave me a chance to really process the movie and to be able to view it differently the second time around.

I have always been a Dennis LeHane fan. I loved Mystic River(the novel more than the film) and when I read Shutter Island about 8 years ago I literally read it all in one night. It kept me up for nights after that. I was so thoroughly engrossed and engaged by such a thrilling novel that it took me awhile to be able to find another novel that could ever live up to what Shutter Island managed to do for me as a novel. So I was so excited to find out that it was becoming a film; however, as time progressed and waiting time increased I started to have my doubts; especially since I knew how the novel ended. Then, I saw The Lovely Bones another earth-shattering and ground breaking novel and what I saw was deplorable. I started to get really scared for Shutter Island.

Finally the first viewing came; and I was actually pleasantly surprised. Shutter Island may just be the most accurate book to movie translation I have ever seen. While not being able to be called a 'horror' film per se; it definitely evokes itself upon the viewer as a psychological thriller. This film is drenched in Cold War propaganda and elements of film noire making it a Gothic horror as it was intended to be.

While not planning on over-analysing the film the plot is solid... while definitely feeling a little long as one watches the film (with all of its flashbacks) it is definitely much more comprehendable than something like the television show Lost. And while the twist-like ending is seen long before it actually comes about it doesn't seem to matter because it takes time to process the ending and allows the audience to start to process it as it's playing out. On the bus ride home after the second screening nearly 75% of the bus was talking about the ending and trying to interpret what it meant to them; or what they thought happened. While the ending is more clear in the novel I don't think there is any other way Scorsese could have ended this film than the way he did.

Dicaprio has grown so much as an actor since he broke out onto the scene over a decade ago and his portrayal of Edward Daniels, a U.S. Marshall investigating the disappearance of a psychiatric patient from an institute for the criminal insane on the aptly named Shutter Island, was phenomenal. Those leaving the movie complaining that they didn't like it because it made them think or hurt their heads have no reason to blame Dicaprio - because his performance was nearly flawless. I was surprised that Sir Ben Kingsley took the role of Doctor Cawley, the overseer for the institute, because for someone of such high acting repute it seemed like a minor character to indulge in; although I'm sure that working with Martin Scorsese was part of the draw to the role.

While I seem to be praising the movie an awful lot here the movie was far from perfect. The continuity errors, especially in the flashbacks, were so blatant and obvious that it became a giant distraction from the plot. The music, as dark and ominous as it was also seemed to be ill-fitting and actually made the movie feel slower; and when you're watching a 138 minute movie the last think you want is the movie to feel slower.

Kevin Williamson of Sun media wrote it best in his review in the Ottawa Sun when he stated that this is not Martin Scorsese's best work; but all of Martin Scorsese's works deserve to be viewed. Scorsese is a fantastic director and you can see the brilliance that is Scorsese in the way that the film was shot; and while it was no Goodfellas or Mean Streets or Raging Bull it is definitely Scorsese and that alone makes it worthy of a viewing.

This movie, like I said, while not amazing isn't a complete disappointment. It has a strong plot, strong actors, and a strong director... yet it still doesn't completely come together in the end. The second time I viewed this film I was able to watch it in a completely new-light and actually enjoyed it much more.

So give the film a shot. It deserves at least that!

3 out of 5 stars

The Wolfman: Review

Joe Johnston's latest directorial attempt The Wolfman smells just like his past films: Jurassic Park III, Hidalgo, and Jumanji, amongst others... an idea that is just too big to tackle properly. The film seemed promising with an excellent cast that includes the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Hugo Weaving and Emily Blunt - yet once the movie started it was obvious that the actors were only in the film for the paycheck. The only actor who seemed to show any heart was Reverend Frisk played by Roger Frost.

The plot is simple; a man is bitten by a werewolf, becomes a werewolf, wreaks havoc and is confronted by his own guilt for what he has become. What was needed was some sort of twist, or at least some sort of emotional connection to any of the characters. For a moment I found myself actually rooting for the villain, played by once Hannibal Lecter, Anthony Hopkins... but the moment that we watched Anthony Hopkins turn into a werewolf (the evil one) I could only think of how much he looked like a chia pet... making this 'menacing' looking beast remind me of Garfield or President Obama's haircut.

Don't get me wrong - the movie wasn't horrible... but it was less than impressive. I understand that the actual transformation to beast was CGI; yet the rest was just Hopkins or Del Toro in costume; and the costume was ridiculous... almost laughable at times. While the film didn't manage to do the plot or costuming right what was right was the set. The scenery and sets were exquisite and one actually felt like they belonged in the 19th century in a haunted English-town; but that is where the rights ended.

One thing that pissed me off more than anything was the lighting of the film; flickering candlelight is not a way to light or shoot a film and that's how the film felt that it was shot. This movie, in the long run, was more than Johnston was able to bite off. He should have left the original Wolfman alone and not messed around with it.

If you do choose to give this film a chance wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it or wait until a cheap Tuesday to see in the theatres.

2 out of 5 stars.

Valentine's Day: Review

I have to start off by saying that celebrities must love to work with Garry Marshall. If he says: ‘let’s make a movie’ almost anyone and everyone who is anyone in Hollywood is willing to give Marshall a few days and a stellar performance. I didn’t know what to expect heading into this film… so much of me hoped that it would be a horrible flop that was obviously made as a Valentine’s Day money-grab so I could rip it and every single celebrity involved in this project apart… unfortunately I can’t do that. If this movie had been directed by anyone else it would have been a complete failure; but Garry Marshall took what could have potentially been another disastrous rom-com and turned it into what could potentially become an instant classic; just like his former glory Pretty Woman.

Warner Brother’s film Valentine’s Day delivers much more than I imagined it would. Literally packed with a cast of A-list actors that include Jessica Alba, Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway and some B-list act0rs that include George Lopez, Topher Grace, Queen Latifah, Kathy Bates, amongst many others, we see a series of vignette-like stories that all connect together in the end unfold gracefully and almost flawlessly. While the acting was superb the only criticism that I can think of involved that of the two Taylor’s (Swift and Lautner). While added to definitely seduce the younger teenage girls into coming out to see the film Taylor Swift’s acting is hollow and two-dimensional making me want to beg her to stick to music and leave Hollywood to the actors… as for Taylor Lautner - well; we all know that his best acting gig was that horrible and dreadful night he spent on Saturday Night Live - so while he may be a hot commodity (for taking off his shirt) he should also leave acting to the actors. Despite the Taylor-squared problems with this film the plot actually comes off without a hitch and the rest of the actors are phenomenal. I would have to include that one of the best, and most surprising, performances in this film comes from Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy’s McSteamy) whose character not only provides some great comic moments but also brings about the theme of the movie round-about in the end. There was also a great two second cameo by Joe Mantegna that kicked the film’s laughs into gear and reminded us that Ashton Kutcher, as big of a goofball as he can be, can also play a very sweet and serious lead role. All of the actors brought something unique to their roles that helped provide a connection with the audience; I was particularly impressed by the growth that was seen in Topher Grace as an actor; from Eric Foreman, to a horrible portrayal as Venom, to now, a role that may actually define him as a serious contender in Hollywood as an actor.

This film was definitely held together by it’s stellar cast.

Despite maintaining moments of predictability that follow along a typical romantic-comedy film there are enough twists and turns to keep the audience intrigued and some great laughs along the way. The surprising thing about this film is, despite being able to be considered as a ’sappy’ romantic movie it can also be labelled as a ‘laugh-out-loud’ comedy.

While not the ‘perfect’ movie it definitely comes close; especially for a genre that I don’t care for in particular. This movie may actually be a near-perfect date movie; as it truly does encompass a very wide spread audience and will be enjoyed by all; young, old, male or female.

This movie does right everything that New Line Cinema’s He’s Just Not That Into You did wrong; which is ironic since this film was produced by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.

Definitely worth the viewing. Check it out this weekend… or this Valentine’s Day.

3.5 out of 5 stars

From Paris With Love: Review

From Paris With Love, the latest film from director Pierre Morel (District 13 and Taken) and writer Luc Besson (The Professional, Transporter Trilogy, Taken, and many more), attempts to bridge action with comedy - something that Luc Besson has yet to accomplish - and once again fails miserably at. The movie tries so hard to be funny that the humour actually made me cringe because it was so poorly written, delivered deadpanned, and at times nonsensical to the plot. Nowhere on imdb.com does it say that this is a comedy; the 3-words to describe the film are: action, crime, and thriller. I would say that it would be hard to associate the film with either the crime or thriller genre’s though as the plot seems to recklessly revolve around Reece (Rhys Meyers) who alternates between being the sad-pathetic side kick and a bad ass with no mercy way too often and the ‘crime’ or almost lack-thereof becomes a secondary plot point. When it comes to being an action flick; while yes, the audience is immediately thrown into the action that surrounds the main characters, Wax (Travolta) and Reece (Rhys Meyers) it falls dead when every action sequence is just as predictable as the one before. The pairing of Travolta and Reece is reminiscent of the pairing of Tucker and Chan in the Rush Hour trilogies - the only difference is that Tucker and Chan managed to maintain a likable chemistry amongst themselves while Travolta and Reece’s characters had no chemistry and were as likable as a shot of screech rum and motor oil. The plot twist, if you want to call it that, is predictable and can be spotted a million miles away.

The plot - surrounds a United States Ambassador’s personal assistant in Paris who wants to join a special-ops team on whatever organization he reports to. (We are never told). He is constantly turned down for a special-ops assignment until out of the blue he is assigned a position as a driver to the reckless Charlie Wax who hides guns in energy drink cans and drives around in cars that come equipped with rocket launchers. Wax is searching for a terrorist cell in Paris; although we never know how Wax seems to always know who is involved, how to reach them and where to go to afterwards. The film is just one nonsensical plot point to the next.

Where the movie really started to piss me off was the ending. An important part of any movie script that involves a villain involves a villain’s explanation of why they do what they do. And while this question is breached repeatedly by Reece there is never really a satisfactory answer for the audience, making the ending less than dramatic and ending the film on a very anti-climatic note. As the movie ended, I rolled my eyes, turned to the guy next to me and sarcastically muttered: ‘don’t you just love anti-climatic endings? I think every movie needs an anti-climatic ending.’

The movie was predictable from start to finish. If you want an action-packed plot that jumps from scene to scene like a 7 year old boy with ADD this movie is for you - if you want a movie with substance and a plot? Skip it.

Travolta - I didn’t think you could get worse than you were in Disney’s Old Dogs… I was wrong. At least you have yet to sink back to your levels of Battleship Earth. And please, pretty please, leave Pulp Fiction alone - don’t go quoting lines from Pulp Fiction in your other movies… yes we get it: you love the Royale with Cheese - it was great in Pulp Fiction... just - just - leave it alone. Four people in the entire audience laughed at that line; the rest of us groaned.

2 out of 5 stars