tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47064524614329059852024-02-19T08:10:42.969-08:00Silver Screen SurprisesSilver Screen Surprises: Seeking Out Cinema's Hidden Gems! A website about the wonderful world of film - with reviews by Chris Sabga and other features.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-56133709863872167852020-02-09T20:32:00.000-08:002020-02-09T21:22:51.010-08:00The 92nd Annual Academy Awards: Results and Reactions<b><i>Did a Parasite Make a Joker of 1917? </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>By Chris Sabga</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Another year, another Oscars...<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><u>Before the Show</u> </b><br />
<br />
<b>No Host (Again)</b><br />
<br />
For the second year in a row, there will be no one hosting the Academy Awards. Last year's ceremony moved at a much quicker pace because of it. Let's hope that holds true this year too.<br />
<br />
<b>Any Potential Surprises?</b><br />
<br />
"1917" seems like the safe bet to win Best Picture, but last-minute buzz is pegging a historic upset victory for "Parasite," which would make it the first foreign language film ever to emerge victorious in the top category. We'll see...<br />
<br />
The Wall Street Journal is <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/oscar-picks-from-the-journals-film-critic-11580917120">betting big on Scarlett Johansson</a> to win Best Actress for "Marriage Story," but very few people are buying any stock in "ScarJo" – every other pundit considers Renée Zellweger a lock for "Judy."<br />
<br />
<i>Full results are listed at the end. </i><br />
<br />
<b><u>The Oscar Ceremony</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b>Best Oscar Speeches:</b> Taika Waititi's tribute to his mother after winning Best Adapted Screenplay for "Jojo Rabbit" was sincere, heartfelt, and funny.<br />
<br />
I loved the speech for "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)." It started with Frank Capra and ended with words of encouragement.<br />
<br />
Laura Dern: "They say never meet your heroes, but if you're blessed, you get them as your parents." Beautifully stated! (Her mom and dad are, famously, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern.)<br />
<br />
<b>Best Presenters:</b> It was nice to see Shia LaBeouf and Zack Gottsagen from the wonderful – and snubbed – <a href="https://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2019/09/review-peanut-butter-falcon.html">"The Peanut Butter Falcon"</a> presenting the award for Best Live Action Short.<br />
<br />
<b>Best Moments: </b>Give Steve Martin and Chris Rock their own comedy special! They landed some great but acidic jokes about Jeff Bezos' wealth and (the lack of) black nominees.<br />
<br />
It was awesome to see Chrissy Metz – Kate from "This Is Us" – performing "I’m Standing With You" from her powerful film "Breakthrough." Toby was obviously too busy doing CrossFit to be there!<br />
<br />
<b>Best Dressed: </b>Rebel Wilson and James Corden stole the show dressed as cats from – what else? – the notorious cinematic flop "Cats."<br />
<br />
<b>Biggest Surprise: </b>According to my Oscar pool, "Ford v Ferrari" racing past "1917" in the Sound Editing category was a surprise – to me.<br />
<br />
But "Parasite's" Bong Joo Ho upsetting "1917's" Sam Mendes for Best Director was the biggest surprise of the night...<br />
<br />
...until "Parasite" won for Best Picture.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall: </b>"1917" was considered the favorite, but in a truly stunning turn of events, "Parasite" scored massive upsets in the Best Director and Best Picture categories. It now stands as the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Full Results</u></b><br />
<br />
<b>Best Picture:</b> Parasite<br />
<br />
<b>Best Actor in a Leading Role:</b> Joaquin Phoenix, Joker<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Actress in a Leading Role:</b> Renée Zellweger, Judy<br />
<br />
<b>Best Actor in a Supporting Role: </b>Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
<br />
<b>Best Actress in a Supporting Role:</b> Laura Dern, Marriage Story<br />
<br />
<b>Best Director: </b>Bong Joo Ho, Parasite<br />
<br />
<b>Best Animated Feature: </b>Toy Story 4<br />
<br />
<b>Best Adapted Screenplay: </b>Jojo Rabbit<br />
<br />
<b>Best Original Screenplay: </b>Parasite<br />
<br />
<b>Best Foreign Language Film: </b>Parasite (South Korea)<br />
<br />
<b>Best Documentary Feature:</b> American Factory<br />
<br />
<b>Best Original Song:</b> "(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again," Rocketman<br />
<br />
<b>Best Original Score:</b> Joker<br />
<br />
<b>Best Cinematography: </b>1917<br />
<br />
<b>Film Editing: </b>Ford v Ferrari<br />
<br />
<b>Costume Design: </b>Little Women<br />
<br />
<b>Makeup and Hairstyling: </b>Bombshell<br />
<br />
<b>Production Design: </b>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
<br />
<b>Sound Editing: </b>Ford v Ferrari<br />
<br />
<b>Sound Mixing:</b> 1917<br />
<br />
<b>Visual Effects: </b>1917<br />
<br />
<b>Best Documentary Short: </b>Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)<br />
<br />
<b>Best Animated Short: </b>Hair Love<br />
<br />
<b>Best Live Action Short: </b>The Neighbors’ WindowUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-15259090174281073882020-01-13T12:27:00.000-08:002020-01-13T12:27:28.609-08:00The 92nd Annual Academy Awards: Nominations, Surprises, Snubs<b><i>Joker's (Not So) Wild as #OscarsSoStale</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>By Chris Sabga</b><br />
<br />
As I've done for the past seven years, I will list the nominations, snubs, and "Silver Screen Surprises" for all of the major categories.<br />
<br />
And the Oscar goes to...<br />
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<br />
<b><u>Best Picture</u></b><br />
<br />
Ford v Ferrari<br />
The Irishman<br />
Jojo Rabbit<br />
Joker<br />
Little Women<br />
Marriage Story<br />
1917<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
Parasite<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> I'm both surprised and not surprised that Netflix's "Two Popes" – a Golden Globes nominee – was snubbed by Oscar. It is represented in both male acting categories and for Best Adapted Screenplay though.<br />
<br />
Globes nominees "Knives Out," "Rocketman," and "Dolemite Is My Name" being snubbed here in favor of "Little Women" might be considered mildly surprising, but I can't say I'm exactly shocked by any of it.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Lead Actor</u></b><br />
<br />
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory<br />
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
Adam Driver, Marriage Story<br />
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker<br />
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> There was talk of Eddie Murphy getting an Oscar nomination for "Dolemite Is His Name," but that obviously didn't happen. It's no surprise that #OscarsSoWhite is trending again on Twitter as I write this. As others have no doubt already pointed out, the only black acting nominee this year – Cynthia Erivo for "Harriet" – played a slave.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Lead Actress</u></b><br />
<br />
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet<br />
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story<br />
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women<br />
Charlize Theron, Bombshell<br />
Renée Zellweger, Judy<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> The only surprise would be if someone other than Renée Zellweger wins.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Supporting Actor</u></b><br />
<br />
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood<br />
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes<br />
Al Pacino, The Irishman<br />
Joe Pesci, The Irishman<br />
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> I guess poor Robert De Niro being shut out of the "Irishman" party in this category qualifies as a mild surprise.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Supporting Actress</u></b><br />
<br />
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell<br />
Laura Dern, Marriage Story<br />
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit<br />
Florence Pugh, Little Women<br />
Margot Robbie, Bombshell<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Am I the only one who wishes Florence Pugh had been nominated for "Fighting with My Family" instead? Yeah, probably. But the movie was great, and she was great in it!<br />
<br />
<b><u>Director</u></b><br />
<br />
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman<br />
Todd Phillips, Joker<br />
Sam Mendes, 1917<br />
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
Bong Joo Ho, Parasite<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Another Globes repeat in what is shaping up to be one of the least surprising Oscar races ever.<br />
<br />
Anyone expecting Greta Gerwig to get nominated for "Little Women" after being snubbed for "Lady Bird" two years ago clearly no longer pays attention to the Oscars or how they work. In other words, most of the world. Every year, I tell myself I'm going to stop writing about the boring, stale, stuck in the past Academy Awards. And yet – here we are. Maybe I'll stick to that New Year's Resolution next year.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Animated Feature</u></b><br />
<br />
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World<br />
I Lost My Body<br />
Klaus<br />
Missing Link<br />
Toy Story 4<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Finally, a genuine surprise! "Klaus" was unfairly snubbed by the Golden Globes but rightfully represented here. It's a delightful movie, and artistically beautiful. The same can be said for shocking Globes winner "Missing Link." Can that repeat its success here? I am expecting both to lose to "Toy Story 4," but this race is far from a sure thing.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Original Screenplay</u></b><br />
<br />
Knives Out<br />
Marriage Story<br />
1917<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
Parasite<br />
<br />
<b><u>Adapted Screenplay</u></b><br />
<br />
The Irishman<br />
Jojo Rabbit<br />
Joker<br />
Little Women<br />
The Two Popes<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> I guess I'm surprised to see "Joker" recognized in a writing category. Comic book fans finally have their day in the sun, as they've insisted for years that comic books have stories just as rich and layered as anything in literature. Oh, who am I kidding? No comic book fan is actually watching this show – "Joker" or not.<br />
_____<br />
<br />
<b>Other thoughts:</b> A dear friend of mine summed it up perfectly: "BLERG!"<br />
<br />
I had another paragraph or two written, but I just erased all of it. "BLERG!" really is the best way to describe this geriatric snoozefest. <br />
_____<br />
<br />
<b>The rest of the categories and nominees are: </b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Documentary Feature</u></b><br />
<br />
American Factory<br />
The Cave<br />
The Edge of Democracy<br />
For Sama<br />
Honeyland<br />
<br />
<b><u>Animated Short</u></b><br />
<br />
Dcera (Daughter)<br />
Hair Love<br />
Kitbull<br />
Memorable<br />
Sister<br />
<br />
<b><u>Cinematography</u></b><br />
<br />
The Irishman<br />
Joker<br />
The Lighthouse<br />
1917<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Documentary Short Subject</u></b><br />
<br />
In the Absence<br />
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)<br />
Life Overtakes Me<br />
St. Louis Superman<br />
Walk Run Cha-Cha<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Live Action Short Film</u></b><br />
<br />
Brotherhood<br />
Nefta Football Club<br />
The Neighbors’ Window<br />
Saria<br />
A Sister<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Foreign Language Film</u></b><br />
<br />
Corpus Christi (Poland)<br />
Honeyland (North Macedonia)<br />
Les Misérables (France)<br />
Pain and Glory (Spain)<br />
Parasite (South Korea)<br />
<br />
<b><u>Film Editing</u></b><br />
<br />
Ford v Ferrari<br />
The Irishman<br />
Jojo Rabbit<br />
Joker<br />
Parasite<br />
<br />
<b><u>Sound Editing</u></b><br />
<br />
Ford v Ferrari<br />
Joker<br />
1917<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker<br />
<br />
<b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b><br />
<br />
Ad Astra<br />
Ford v Ferrari<br />
Joker<br />
1917<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
<br />
<b><u>Production Design</u></b><br />
<br />
The Irishman<br />
Jojo Rabbit<br />
1917<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
Parasite<br />
<br />
<b><u>Original Score</u></b><br />
<br />
Joker<br />
Little Women<br />
Marriage Story<br />
1917<br />
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker<br />
<br />
<b><u>Original Song</u></b><br />
<br />
"I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away," Toy Story 4<br />
"(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again," Rocketman<br />
"I’m Standing With You," Breakthrough<br />
"Into the Unknown," Frozen 2<br />
"Stand Up," Harriet<br />
<br />
<b><u>Makeup and Hair</u></b><br />
<br />
Bombshell<br />
Joker<br />
Judy<br />
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil<br />
1917<br />
<br />
<b><u>Costume Design</u></b><br />
<br />
Jojo Rabbit<br />
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<br />
The Irishman<br />
Joker<br />
Little Women<br />
<br />
<b><u>Visual Effects</u></b><br />
<br />
Avengers: Endgame<br />
The Irishman<br />
The Lion King<br />
1917<br />
Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-5280295108914093682019-09-04T12:12:00.000-07:002019-09-04T12:13:49.897-07:00Review: The Peanut Butter Falcon<b><i>The Feel-Good Film of the Year</i></b><br />
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<b>By Chris Sabga</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<b>Release Date:</b> August 23, 2019 – U.S. • <b>Rating:</b> PG-13 • <b>Genre:</b> Adventure, Comedy, Drama • <b>Running Time:</b> 97 minutes • <b>Directors:</b> Tyler Nilson, Mike Schwartz • <b>Writers:</b> Tyler Nilson, Mike Schwartz • <b>Cast:</b> Zack Gottsagen, Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, John Hawkes, Thomas Haden Church, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, Yelawolf, Jake Roberts, Mick Foley</div>
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"The Peanut Butter Falcon" is a story about hopes and dreams; about the bonds of brotherhood and choosing who becomes family; about living your own life and not letting other people decide for you what you can and can't do or who you can and can't be.<br />
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Zak (Zack Gottsagen) is a young man with Down Syndrome who has no family and lives in a nursing home for the elderly because there's nowhere else to send him. His best friend there is Carl (Bruce Dern), who is his roommate and several <i>decades</i> older. Eleanor (Dakota Johnson) works at the home and genuinely cares for Zak, despite the bureaucracy and negligence she puts up with from her boss, Glen (Lee Spencer).<br />
<br />
Zak worships a professional wrestler known as The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church) and constantly watches and re-watches a worn out VHS tape featuring old wrestling matches and an advertisement for The Salt Water Redneck's wrestling school. With Carl's help, using the old tried and true method of soaping your body to squeeze through heavy metal bars, Zak plots his escape from the home to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.<br />
<br />
Along the way, Zak hides in the boat of a crab fisherman, Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), who is on the run. Their relationship at first is uneasy, but it soon blossoms into friendship, and friendship soon blossoms into brotherhood.<br />
<br />
Tyler is down on his luck, struggling to make ends meet, and grieving the loss of his older brother (played by Jon Bernthal). He is being chased by two bad guys, Duncan and Ratboy (John Hawkes and Yelawolf), who make even The Salt Water Redneck's most villainous opponents seem tame by comparison. On top of that, he has to figure out how to navigate both the waters and the unexpected stowaway on his boat, Zak, who knows where he wants to go – The Salt Water Redneck's wrestling school – but needs a little guidance to get there.<br />
<br />
Do they make it to the wrestling school? Does a blind man – helpfully named Blind Jasper John (Wayne Dehart) – baptize them in a lake? If you answered yes to both questions, you'd be correct – sort of. All of that is beside the point anyway. The heart and soul of this movie is in the relationship formed between Zak and Tyler. The most powerful parts of the film aren't in the dialogue, action, or conflict; they're in the quiet unspoken moments – a look of pride or concern, a brotherly embrace – shared between them.<br />
<br />
It's a hell of a feature film debut for Zack Gottsagen, who proves that the only limitations are the ones we create ourselves, and it's quite possibly Shia LaBeouf's finest hour as an actor. LaBeouf's immense talent has been underrated and underappreciated over the years, but make no mistake about it, he is extraordinarily exceptional at his craft – and he showcases it yet again in "The Peanut Butter Falcon."<br />
<br />
Thomas Haden Church is the <i>last</i> person I would've ever thought to cast as a wrestler, but he pulls it off beautifully – perfectly embodying the persona of a grizzled veteran whose best years in the ring may be long in the past but a spark still exists inside him. Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Mick Foley, two bona fide wrestling legends who appear in the film, know more than a thing or two about that!<br />
<br />
Dakota Johnson also shines in a very sweet and tender but determined performance as someone who fights ferociously for Zak's best interests but doesn't always necessarily know how.<br />
<br />
"The Peanut Butter Falcon" is a profound joy to watch – even if you don't like peanut butter, falcons, or professional wrestling.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-35642665801606363622019-03-07T11:57:00.001-08:002019-09-04T12:14:25.144-07:00Review: Fighting with My Family<div>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>The Strange but Charming True Story of a Professional Wrestling Family from England</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>By Chris Sabga</b></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Release Date:</b> February 22, 2019 – U.S. • <b>Rating:</b> PG-13 • <b>Genre:</b> Biography, Comedy, Drama • <b>Running Time:</b> 108 minutes • <b>Director:</b> Stephen Merchant • <b>Writer:</b> Stephen Merchant • <b>Cast:</b> Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn, Dwayne Johnson</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Based on the documentary of the same name, "Fighting with My Family" tells the stranger-than-fiction true story of professional wrestling's "Knight" family. (Like almost everything else in wrestling, "Knight" isn't their real name – "Bevis" doesn't sound quite as catchy though.) They're a ragtag group of misfits that run a small independent wrestling organization in Norwich, England called World Association of Wrestling (WAW). It is literally a mom-and-pop shop. The parents, Ricky and Julia (Nick Frost and Lena Headey), are the promoters and wrestlers. Their son Zak (Jack Lowden) also wrestles. (Another son, Roy, is a wrestler too – but he's in prison for most of the film.) Saraya (Florence Pugh) joins the family business at the ridiculously young age of 13. She would eventually attain worldwide fame as Paige in WWE, but before that, she wrestled as a child under the name Britani Knight. To show just how deeply passionate – and obsessed – wrestlers can be, Saraya was actually named after her mum's in-ring character, Sweet Saraya. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Eventually, both Saraya and Zak are invited to attend a WWE tryout. There, they memorably run into The Rock (Dwayne Johnson). Did this really happen? As The Rock might say, IT DOESN'T MATTER if it really happened! Whether the scene is factual or fabricated, it gives Johnson an excuse to cut a classic Rock promo. That's a good enough reason for me! (The Rock was instrumental in getting in this movie made and released.)</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The tryout is coached by a former wrestler named Hutch (Vince Vaughn, playing a slightly gentler version of his drill sergeant character from "Hacksaw Ridge"). Hutch was created for the movie but serves as a stand-in for various real-life coaches and wrestlers. His backstory suspiciously resembles Mick Foley, who famously threw himself off the roof of the "Hell in a Cell" cage. However, unlike Hutch, Foley actually became a star. More likely, the Hutch character is meant to represent journeymen dreamers like Jimmy Jacobs and B.J. Whitmer – who almost killed themselves in an insane cage match at a show called "Supercard of Honor II" in front of a few hundred people (I was there, and it was one of the damnedest things I've ever seen) – and many others like them.</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As wrestling fans already know, Saraya is chosen and Zak is not. This leads to resentment and a downward spiral for Zak, while Saraya deals with the culture shock of moving from England to America – specifically from drab, grey Norwich to bright, sunny Florida. At the WWE training camp, the newly christened Paige – named after her favorite character from the TV show "Charmed" – feels like a "freak" next to the other female trainees, all of whom are "Barbie doll" models and cheerleaders. While the women in the movie are fictionalized, they accurately represent WWE's hiring practices at the time. </span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though some characters and elements are fictionalized, and some aspects of what actually happened are shifted around or combined to tell a cleaner story, "Fighting with My Family" is the rare biopic that is almost entirely factual. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Florence Pugh is so good in her role that I often forgot I wasn't watching the real Paige. Jack Lowden excels at the difficult task of conveying Zak's disappointment, bitterness, and broken dreams. He's "the heavy" of the film in the way, and not always likable, but he never loses his humanity. Nick Frost and Lena Headey are precious as their parents, especially Frost, who talks about his character's prison time in such a casual, matter-of-fact way – as if it's no different or less ordinary than toasting bread for breakfast. Also look for writer-director Stephen Merchant in a small but priceless role (Julia Davis, who plays his wife, is also a standout). Thea Trinidad (WWE's Zelina Vega) plays AJ Lee in the film's climactic scene, and eagle-eyed wrestling fans will enjoy spotting other blink-and-you'll-miss-it wrestler cameos.
Rest assured that no wrestling knowledge is required to enjoy this film. (After all, did you know <i>anything</i> about Jamaican bobsleds before or after watching "Cool Runnings"?) Silver Screen Sister, who doesn't know Hulk Hogan from the Incredible Hulk, absolutely adored watching this. So did I. Paige's journey is a great underdog story, period. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"Fighting with My Family" is funny, quirky, sweet, and heartfelt. It will end up being one of the year's best films.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-63246419198511020842019-02-24T20:30:00.000-08:002019-02-24T21:00:05.619-08:00The 91st Annual Academy Awards: Results and Reactions<div>
<b><i>Black, Green, Queen, or Queens?</i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Without a host, will the Academy Awards finally be less than 4+ hours? </div>
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Spoiler: Yes! (About 3 hours and 20 minutes.)</div>
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<b><u>Before the Show</u> </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>What <i>Didn't</i> Go Wrong on the Road to the Red Carpet? </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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A pandering Popular Movies category was introduced, only to be scrapped after massive backlash.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Four categories – Cinematography, Film Editing, Live Action Short, and Makeup and Hairstyling – were going to be taken off the live show and handed out during commercial breaks. This demeaning development was met with predictable disdain from both inside and outside the film industry.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There was a host – until there wasn't. Kevin Hart was set to do the honors before old homophobic comments from a "comedy" routine resurfaced. He stepped down after initial backlash, later tried to resume the mantle again (with the endorsement of LGBTQ+ icon Ellen DeGeneres, no less), and finally bowed out for good after his rambling half-apologies were met with even more criticism. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Any Potential Surprises?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Rumor has it that Whoopi Goldberg will secretly be hosting tonight's ceremony. We'll find out.</div>
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Many predictions are citing "Roma" as the likeliest candidate for Best Picture. As much as I loved this quietly poignant and beautifully shot film about a year in the life of a maid and the family she works for in early-1970s Mexico, it doesn't feel like a sure thing to me. If it wins, it would the first foreign-language film ever to do so – and a major victory for Netflix and streaming services in general ("Roma's" theatrical distribution was limited – most viewers saw it through Netflix). </div>
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<br /></div>
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"Green Book" is also being talked about as a strong voting contender, but there has been backlash from the family of Dr. Don Shirley (played by Mahershala Ali in the film) as well as controversies surrounding director Peter Farrelly and writer Nick Vallelonga (son of Tony "Lip" Vallengona, portrayed by Viggo Mortensen in the movie). Could that then pave the way for "BlacKkKlansman," "Black Panther," or even "The Favourite" pull ahead in the polls and win the big gold? "A Star is Born" – once thought of as a heavy favorite – is now considered a longshot. "Vice" winning seems about as likely as its subject matter ever becoming President. </div>
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<br /></div>
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If "Roma" doesn't score the predicted Best Picture victory for whatever reason (voters might deem it too long, too slow, too foreign, too black and white, consider Netflix a threat to movie theaters, etc.), "BlacKkKlansman" is my outside-the-box guess. It hasn't been attacked from all sides like the divisive "Green Book" and doesn't carry a stigma with the snooty Academy of being a comic book movie like "Black Panther" – all while containing many of the same powerful themes and messages both of those films have been applauded for.</div>
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<br /></div>
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This is easily one of the most unpredictable Best Picture races in years. </div>
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Glenn Close has become the front-runner for "The Wife" in the Best Actress category after a touching speech at the Golden Globes. She has six previous nominations and zero victories. Will this be lucky #7? Academy members may be rooting for her to finally win the big one. But could Olivia Colman emerge instead as the favorite for "The Favourite"? </div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Full results are listed at the end.</i> </div>
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<b><u>The Oscar Ceremony</u></b></div>
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<b>The Host:</b> The Whoopi rumor wasn't true after all. There <i>really isn't</i> a host.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Oscar Speeches:</b> Regina King's speech after winning Best Supporting Actress for "If Beale Street Could Talk" was tearful and heartfelt. I don't know a single person who wasn't rooting for her.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Becky Neiman-Cobb of the animated short film "Bao" delivered a touching speech on making a movie about motherhood just as she was becoming a mother herself.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Rami Malek's speech was pure class. As someone who enjoyed his work and recognized his talent on the TV show "The War at Home" a decade before it seemed like anyone else knew who he was, I'm happy to see him go as far as he has. </div>
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<br /></div>
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"The Favourite" Best Actress winner Olivia Colman was precious, blowing kisses at fellow nominee Lady Gaga.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Presenters:</b> Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph kicked off the ceremony by skewering the lack of a host and other Oscar mishaps (see above) before presenting the award for Best Supporting Actress. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Helen Mirren and Jason Momoa were funny talking about their "matching" pink outfits, which they swear they didn't discuss with each other beforehand.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry coming out in outrageous outfits while cracking about the subtlety of a good costume design was an amusing visual gag.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I liked what Michelle Yeoh and Pharrell Williams said about "putting away childish things" before pointing out that we don't have to thanks to these nominees for Best Animated Feature.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I love Awkwafina and John Mulaney. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Moments:</b> The "Wayne's World" reunion with Dana Carvey and Mike Myers was nice.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The sheer adoration "A Star is Born" actors Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga showed for each other during their musical performance was infectious. </div>
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<b>Best Dressed:</b> You're on the wrong site for that, but here's a quote from Silver Screen Sister: "Even if Regina King doesn't win (I think she might), her dress already has!" And Gemma Chan's dress "looks like an upside down hot pink cupcake, but she pulls it off. She's so delicate looking." Okay, then...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Biggest Surprise:</b> Olivia Colman winning Best Actress instead of Glenn Close wasn't <i>entirely</i> unexpected – I did suggest the possibility above – but it still qualifies as a major surprise and massive upset.</div>
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<br /></div>
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"Green Book" was at least <i>somewhat</i> of a surprise for "Best Picture." It's a very nice movie. I liked it and I can understand why it would be a sentimental favorite, but I personally would've voted for "Roma" or "BlacKkKlansman" instead.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Overall:</b> While this wasn't the most dynamic ceremony over, I can forgive that because it moved along at a (relatively) speedy pace. If losing the host means shortening the length of the Oscars, I hope the show never has a host again. In future years, the Academy can focus on making the ceremony less dry. For now, I consider this a success. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Full Results</b></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Picture:</b> "Green Book" </div>
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<b>Best Actor in a Leading Role:</b> Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody" </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Actress in a Leading Role:</b> Olivia Colman, "The Favourite"</div>
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<b>Best Actor in a Supporting Role:</b> Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Actress in a Supporting Role:</b> Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"</div>
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<b>Best Director:</b> Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Animated Feature:</b> "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Adapted Screenplay:</b> "BlacKkKlansman"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Original Screenplay:</b> "Green Book"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Foreign Language Film:</b> "Roma" (Mexico)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Documentary Feature:</b> "Free Solo"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Original Song:</b> "A Star is Born"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Original Score:</b> "Black Panther"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Cinematography:</b> Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Film Editing:</b> "Bohemian Rhapsody"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Costume Design:</b> "Black Panther"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Makeup and Hairstyling:</b> "Vice"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Production Design:</b> "Black Panther"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Sound Editing:</b> "Bohemian Rhapsody"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Sound Mixing:</b> "Bohemian Rhapsody"</div>
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<b>Visual Effects:</b> "First Man"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Documentary Short:</b> "Period. End of Sentence."</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Animated Short:</b> "Bao"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Best Live Action Short:</b> "Skin"</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-21852769295676579142019-01-22T10:38:00.000-08:002019-01-22T10:38:05.266-08:00The 91st Annual Academy Awards: Nominations, Surprises, Snubs<b><i>Crazy Rich Snubs</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>By Chris Sabga</b><br />
<br />
As I've done for the past several years, I will go through the nominees and then analyze what I feel are the "Silver Screen Surprises" for each of the main categories.<br />
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Which nominations – and snubs – surprised me? <br />
<br />
And the Oscar goes to...<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><u>Best Picture</u></b><br />
<br />
"Black Panther"<br />
"BlacKkKlansman"<br />
"Bohemian Rhapsody"<br />
"The Favourite"<br />
"Green Book"<br />
"Roma"<br />
"A Star Is Born"<br />
"Vice"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> I expected "Crazy Rich Asians" to be nominated for Best Picture, but not only did it fail to make an appearance in this category, it was completely shut out of the Oscars in general. What happened?<br />
<br />
There was minor intrigue about whether "Black Panther" would actually get a Best Picture nomination after a "Most Popular Movie" Oscar was briefly considered – seemingly for this movie – only to be scrapped after massive backlash.<br />
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Will this be a three-way contest between "Black Panther," "BlacKkKlansman," and "Green Book" – or will "Roma" sweep in and spoil their chances?<br />
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"Roma's" inclusion is a huge victory for Netflix – and streaming in general – as the film received only a tiny theatrical release and was seen by most viewers at home. Theater owners have reason to be worried.<br />
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<b><u>Lead Actor</u></b><br />
<br />
Christian Bale, "Vice"<br />
Bradley Cooper, "A Star Is Born"<br />
Willem Dafoe, "At Eternity's Gate"<br />
Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody"<br />
Viggo Mortensen, "Green Book"<br />
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<b>Surprises:</b> This is possibly the least surprising of all the categories, but the actual winner might be a surprise in what is sure to be a tightly-contested race.<br />
<br />
There was no chance in hell of Steve Carell scoring a nomination for "Welcome to Marwen" – a movie disliked by both viewers and critics (except me) – but he did the impossible and turned a very strange character into a sympathetic one. I think history will judge his performance kindly.<br />
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<b><u>Lead Actress</u></b><br />
<br />
Yalitza Aparicio, "Roma"<br />
Glenn Close, "The Wife"<br />
Lady Gaga, "A Star Is Born"<br />
Olivia Colman, "The Favourite"<br />
Melissa McCarthy, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Not that I expected it, but Elsie Fisher was superb in "Eighth Grade" and more than deserved a nomination. Then again, I can understand the hang-up about not wanting to ruin a child actor's life by giving her too much too soon. That would be even worse than middle school.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Supporting Actor</u></b><br />
<br />
Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"<br />
Adam Driver, "BlackKKlansman"<br />
Sam Elliott, "A Star Is Born"<br />
Richard E. Grant, "Can You Ever Forgive Me"<br />
Sam Rockwell, "Vice"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Sam Elliott wasn't expecting to be nominated, so I wasn't expecting it either.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Supporting Actress</u></b><br />
<br />
Amy Adams, "Vice"<br />
Marina de Tavira, "Roma"<br />
Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"<br />
Emma Stone, "The Favourite"<br />
Rachel Weisz, "The Favourite"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Meryl Streep wasn't nominated for "Mary Poppins Returns." She's <i>always</i> nominated. Okay, I'm only kidding – somewhat!<br />
<br />
As I mentioned above, "Crazy Rich Asians" is <i>nowhere</i> to be found this year. At the very least, Michelle Yeoh should have had <i>this</i> category sewn up.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Director</u></b><br />
<br />
Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman"<br />
Pawel Pawlikowski, "Cold War"<br />
Yorgos Lanthimos, "The Favourite"<br />
Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"<br />
Adam McKay, "Vice"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Bradley Cooper was widely expected to be among the nominees in this category for "A Star is Born," but I guess a star <i>wasn't</i> born in this case.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Animated Feature</u></b><br />
<br />
"Incredibles 2"<br />
"Isle of Dogs"<br />
"Mirai"<br />
"Ralph Breaks the Internet"<br />
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> <i>Don't</i> be surprised when "Spider-Man" wins.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure "Welcome to Marwen" would even be eligible for this category considering that it has live action sequences too, but I personally found the animation impressive.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Original Screenplay</u></b><br />
<br />
"First Reformed"<br />
"Green Book"<br />
"Roma"<br />
"The Favourite"<br />
"Vice"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> Bo Burnham was robbed – I guess the writing in "Eighth Grade" wasn't "flashy" enough for the Academy?<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Documentary Feature</u></b><br />
<br />
"Free Solo"<br />
"Hale County This Morning, This Evening"<br />
"Minding the Gap"<br />
"Of Fathers and Sons"<br />
"RBG"<br />
<br />
<b>Surprises:</b> It's not a good day in the neighborhood, as the Mr. Rogers documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" was surprisingly snubbed.<br />
_____<br />
<br />
<b>Other thoughts:</b> Kevin Hart was originally scheduled to host the ceremony, until he stepped down after old homophobic jokes of his surfaced. No one replaced him. Why? Probably because it's a thankless job with very little upside, especially with the way ratings have steadily declined over the years. The show is a slog to watch at the best of times, so how will it work without a host to break up the monotony? Kevin Hart would have done a good job, but he botched his "apology" tour with a series of clumsy foot-in-mouth non-apologies and justifications. Not even Ellen's endorsement could save him. The question now becomes, who will save us from four-and-a-half hours of self-congratulatory mind-numbing boredom.<br />
_____<br />
<br />
<b>The rest of the categories and nominees are: </b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Adapted Screenplay</u></b><br />
<br />
"The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"<br />
"BlacKkKlansman"<br />
"Can You Ever Forgive Me?"<br />
"If Beale Street Could Talk"<br />
"A Star Is Born"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Animated Short</u></b><br />
<br />
"Animal Behaviour"<br />
"Bao"<br />
"Late Afternoon"<br />
"One Small Step"<br />
"Weekends"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Cinematography</u></b><br />
<br />
"Cold War"<br />
"The Favourite"<br />
"Never Look Away"<br />
"Roma"<br />
"A Star Is Born"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Documentary Short Subject</u></b><br />
<br />
"Black Sheep"<br />
"End Game"<br />
"Lifeboat"<br />
"A Night at the Garden"<br />
"Period. End of Sentence."<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Live Action Short Film</u></b><br />
<br />
"Detainment"<br />
"Fauve"<br />
"Marguerite"<br />
"Mother"<br />
"Skin"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Foreign Language Film</u></b><br />
<br />
"Capernaum"<br />
"Cold War"<br />
"Never Look Away"<br />
"Roma"<br />
"Shoplifters"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Film Editing</u></b><br />
<br />
"BlacKkKlansman"<br />
"Bohemian Rhapsody"<br />
"Green Book"<br />
"The Favourite"<br />
"Vice"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Sound Editing</u></b><br />
<br />
"A Quiet Place"<br />
"Black Panther"<br />
"Bohemian Rhapsody"<br />
"First Man"<br />
"Roma"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b><br />
<br />
"Black Panther"<br />
"Bohemian Rhapsody"<br />
"First Man"<br />
"Roma"<br />
"A Star Is Born"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Production Design</u></b><br />
<br />
"Black Panther"<br />
"The Favourite"<br />
"First Man"<br />
"Mary Poppins Returns"<br />
"Roma"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Original Score</u></b><br />
<br />
"Black Panther"<br />
"BlacKkKlansman"<br />
"If Beale Street Could Talk"<br />
"Isle of Dogs"<br />
"Mary Poppins Returns"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Original Song</u></b><br />
<br />
"All The Stars" from "Black Panther"<br />
"I'll Fight" from "RBG"<br />
"Shallow" from "A Star Is Born<br />
"The Place Where Lost Things Go" from "Mary Poppins Returns"<br />
"When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings" from "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Makeup and Hair</u></b><br />
<br />
"Border"<br />
"Mary Queen of Scots"<br />
"Vice"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Costume Design</u></b><br />
<br />
"The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"<br />
"Black Panther"<br />
"The Favourite"<br />
"Mary Poppins Returns"<br />
"Mary Queen of Scots"<br />
<br />
<b><u>Visual Effects</u></b><br />
<br />
"Avengers: Infinity War"<br />
"Christopher Robin"<br />
"First Man"<br />
"Ready Player One"<br />
"Solo: A Star Wars Story"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-20845916636150896442019-01-07T13:10:00.001-08:002019-09-14T18:39:56.164-07:00Review: Welcome to Marwen<div>
<b><i>The (Second) Life and Art of Mark Hogencamp</i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-daOTqYASE2w/XDO88K1op7I/AAAAAAAABqY/Pf-sOAKIQJ0zZp23nGAAhxc4bu-ZG8R6gCLcBGAs/s1600/welcometomarwen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-daOTqYASE2w/XDO88K1op7I/AAAAAAAABqY/Pf-sOAKIQJ0zZp23nGAAhxc4bu-ZG8R6gCLcBGAs/s640/welcometomarwen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Release Date:</b> December 21st, 2018 – U.S. • <b>Rating:</b> PG-13 • <b>Genre:</b> Biography, Comedy, Drama • <b>Running Time:</b> 116 minutes • <b>Director:</b> Robert Zemeckis • <b>Writers:</b> Robert Zemeckis, Caroline Thompson • <b>Cast:</b> Steve Carell, Merritt Wever, Leslie Mann, Falk Hentschel, Matt O'Leary, Patrick Roccas, Alexander Lowe, Eiza González, Leslie Zemeckis, Gwendoline Christie, Stefanie von Pfetten, Janelle Monáe, Neil Jackson</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"I decided I'm not going to lie in my second life. I always tell the truth and tell people who I am, because why should I be afraid to tell you who I am?"</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
– Mark Hogencamp (from his book <i>Welcome to Marwencol</i>)</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Welcome to Marwen" is a weird movie. Not just original (which it certainly is) and not just unique (although it also is), but <i>weird</i>. But then, art is often weird, and so too are artists. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Mark Hogencamp was a cross-dressing alcoholic nearly killed outside a bar for talking about wearing women's shoes and left brain-damaged and amnesiac after the attack. It's a role that could possibly have only been played by Steve Carell. In almost any other actor's hands, Hogencamp's odd/unique/weird/fill-in-the-blank personality traits would have dominated the performance – but Carell focuses on the humanity and sweetness inherent in the real-life Hogencamp. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As the movie begins, the viewer is thrust into the middle of a World War II dogfight. However, it quickly becomes apparent that something is amiss. It's clearly Carell flying the plane, but he looks like a doll! And the aircraft looks like something from a model kit. The background seems kind of artificial as well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Welcome to Marwen.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Marwen is a fictional WWII-era town in Belgium comprised solely of dolls and the miniature locations built to host them. It's the brainchild of artist and photographer Mark Hogencamp and the home of the heroic Hogie – the doll that serves as his alter-ego. Also residing there are several Nazi soldiers who are repeatedly killed and come back to life like characters respawning in a video game, the Women of Marwen who oppose them every step of the way, and the enigmatic Deja Thoris – the Belgian Witch of Marwen.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Are you still reading this?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yeah, it's easy to see why "Welcome to Marwen" sharply divided critics and didn't light up the box office, but certain viewers will certainly find a lot to like here. I was one of them, for reasons I'll get into later in this review.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In actuality, Hogencamp's visual art and storytelling are conveyed through stunning still photographs of the dolls he customizes and the models and sets he painstakingly builds. In the film, they're brought to life through a series of ambitious animated sequences. Interspersed throughout are scenes of Hogencamp's bleaker reality, where it becomes clear that every character in Marwen is based on someone he knows (Janelle Monáe of "Hidden Figures" appears in one such dual role, and his real-life attackers take the form of Nazi officers in Marwen).<br />
<br />
Roberta (Merritt Wever) is the owner of the hobby shop in town Mark uses to build Marwen. She has clearly taken an interest in him, but the feeling is either not noticed or mutual. Then a new neighbor moves across the street – Nicol "without the e" (Leslie Mann) – who Hogencamp is instantly smitten with. It isn't long before she becomes Marwen's newest resident.<br />
<br />
Readers of the book <i>Welcome to Marwencol</i> and viewers of the documentary "Marwencol" will notice several major changes typical of a "based on a true story" Hollywood production, but I was able experience "Welcome to Marwen" on its own terms because I saw the film first and read the book after.<br />
<br />
Director Robert Zemeckis (probably best known for "Back to the Future" and "Forrest Gump") does an outstanding job of portraying Mark Hogencamp's fictional world through animation, just as Hogencamp himself does through his artistic photography. Creative types will tell you that there's a whole world living inside their heads – which only comes out through their writing, drawing, painting, photography, or whatever their preferred art form happens to be. "Welcome to Marwen" brings that process to life. It's not a perfect movie or one I could ever blindly recommend, but if you consider yourself a creative person, "Marwen" will probably speak to you.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://marwencol.com/">Marwencol.com</a>: The Art of Mark Hogencamp</li>
</ul>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-16846795653505566932018-11-16T12:09:00.001-08:002018-11-16T12:09:51.766-08:00Review: The Samuel Project<div>
<b><i>Art. History. Life.</i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu6l8FzxhXf1mz055tBlolbWH0hSx93a9ULwA3Kk772-TvZNs4YiFZiV4EZJ2u_sWyvhMcAPHRxwzRE7pkyo5-VIb0iVJViyKdkDw74RNjIAOWYVeivxESLNtUZTRstML7mBbzg45TEHe/s1600/thesamuelproject.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu6l8FzxhXf1mz055tBlolbWH0hSx93a9ULwA3Kk772-TvZNs4YiFZiV4EZJ2u_sWyvhMcAPHRxwzRE7pkyo5-VIb0iVJViyKdkDw74RNjIAOWYVeivxESLNtUZTRstML7mBbzg45TEHe/s640/thesamuelproject.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Release Date:</b> October 5th, 2018 – U.S. • <b>Rating:</b> PG-13 • <b>Genre:</b> Drama • <b>Running Time:</b> 93 minutes • <b>Director:</b> Marc Fusco • <b>Writers:</b> Marc Fusco, Chris Neighbors, Steve Weinberger • <b>Cast:</b> Hal Linden, Ryan Ochoa, Michael B. Silver, Mateo Arias, Philippe Bowgen, Catherine Siggins, Callie Gilbert, Pia Thrasher, Trina Kaplan, Dylan James Weinberger, Malina Moye, Liza Lapira</div>
<div>
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<div>
"You're a lucky kid."</div>
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That's what Samuel Bergman (the great Hal Linden of "Barney Miller" fame) tells his 17-year-old grandson, Eli (Ryan Ochoa). </div>
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The teenager retorts that "old people" – "adults," he quickly corrects himself – always say that.</div>
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In this case, it's true. But Grandpa isn't talking.</div>
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A surprise letter leads to an unexpected meeting between Samuel and a dear old friend of his named Uma (Trina Kaplan). </div>
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<div>
Eli is full of questions:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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– Who is this woman?</div>
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<br /></div>
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– How does Samuel know German?</div>
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<br /></div>
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– What is the story behind the teenage girl and the bandaged boy in the photograph Eli saw?</div>
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Questions without answers, because Grandpa still isn't talking. </div>
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It would end up being Samuel's last meeting with Uma.</div>
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<div>
Not even Matzo Ball Soup – courtesy of a surprise nighttime visit from Eli – is enough to get the old man to open up. Some things are too tough to talk about.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The reason for the soup and the visit: Samuel doesn't show up for work that morning. He runs a successful dry-cleaning business in San Diego. One of Samuel's employees has been there eight years and says his boss has never missed a day of work in all that time. Samuel is the best in town, according to his customers – even if he can't ever seem to remove a stain from the butcher's apron. The butcher's name is Vartan (Ken Davitian), and he comes around to the store not only to have his clothes cleaned, but also to exchange constant verbal jabs with Samuel and continue their seemingly never-ending chess game on a board set up behind the counter. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Meanwhile, Eli wants to be an artist – much to the chagrin of his father, Robert (Michael B. Silver), who is still struggling to pay the bills even with a "real job." Robert's advice: go to community college, get a degree in a stable profession, and be an artist on the weekend. But Eli has to be an artist <i>now</i> because he has been assigned a "historia" project in Mr. Turner's (Philippe Bowgen) media class. The winning entry gets a scholarship to art school, which Eli desperately needs because he doesn't have his father's support – financial or otherwise. Samuel doesn't quite understand his grandson's "doodles" either, but he's fascinated that people can actually make a living doing that.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For the project, Eli pairs up with Kasim (Mateo Arias), a brooding musician who is being pressured into working at his father's butcher shop. (Free Matzo Ball soup to anyone who can figure out which character Kasim is related to.) Even Eli – reflecting his own father's dream-crushing negativity – thinks Kasim's future is as a butcher. (Another free bowl of Matzo Ball Soup if you can figure out what – and who – Eli and Kassim's project will be about.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The way to a man's heart is usually through his stomach, but as we saw with Eli's offer of Matzo Ball Soup, that doesn't work with Samuel. In this case, the way to a man's heart is through is through free employment. Eli offers to work at the dry-cleaning store before and after school without pay if Samuel will open up to him. That story – about a young boy whose entire family was torn away from him in the blink of an eye by the Nazis, the teenage girl who rescued him from a gunshot wound inflicted by her own father, and his eventual journey to America all alone – becomes the basis for both Eli's project and the movie itself. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"The Samuel Project" works because all of the characters come across as real people. Their interactions feel natural. There's a certain "lived-in" quality to everything we see in the movie. Much of that has to be credited to masterful veteran actor Hal Linden, whose "Barney Miller" is still considered one of the most realistic cop characters and shows ever put to film – but his Samuel Bergman is a worthy successor several decades later. Young Ryan Ochoa is every bit as good as his experienced co-star and has a bright future ahead of him if this movie is any indication. The teacher, Mr. Turner, is played nicely by Philippe Bowgen – with the sharp, sarcastic edge of a jaded instructor who still cares about and encourages the students willing to put in the time and effort. Ken Davitian, as the butcher, is an entertaining presence who adds just the right touch of lightness to his scenes. Mateo Arias does the same as Eli's project partner, Kasim. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are no major surprises in "The Samuel Project," but there don't need to be. It shines because it shows all of those little moments that come with living a life. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-26534747273066766222018-09-12T13:00:00.000-07:002018-09-12T13:00:06.300-07:00Review: Crazy Rich Asians<div>
<b><i>A Crazy Rich Cinematic Experience</i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4qydaf-KwEY/W5lnBpOFlzI/AAAAAAAABpc/o-xKY_I5ST43HNlk0WfGGxMwIfJu07HdwCEwYBhgL/s1600/crazyrichasians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4qydaf-KwEY/W5lnBpOFlzI/AAAAAAAABpc/o-xKY_I5ST43HNlk0WfGGxMwIfJu07HdwCEwYBhgL/s640/crazyrichasians.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
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<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Release Date:</b> August 15th, 2018 – U.S. • <b>Rating:</b> PG-13 • <b>Genre:</b> Comedy, Romance • <b>Running Time:</b> 121 minutes • <b>Director:</b> Jon M. Chu • <b>Writers:</b> Peter Chiarelli (screenplay), Adele Lim (screenplay), Kevin Kwan (novel) • <b>Cast:</b> Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Harry Shum Jr., Ken Jeong, Michelle Yeoh</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Boy takes girl to Singapore meet his parents and attend a wedding. Boy neglects to tell girl he's from one of the richest and most famous families in all of Asia. (Boy uses girl's Netflix password instead of having his own account, so how could she <i>possibly</i> know?)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's the tantalizing premise behind "Crazy Rich Asians." </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Much has been made of the fact that this is the first American film since "The Joy Luck Club" in 1993 to feature an all-Asian cast. It's a historic and long overdue development. But let's face it: anything <i>historic</i> doesn't always sound like very much fun. Rest assured, that isn't a problem here. This movie is a pure joy to watch from beginning to end.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rachel Chu (Constance Wu, "Fresh Off the Boat") has <i>no</i> idea what she's in for when her boyfriend, Nick Young (newcomer Henry Golding in his first film role), invites her to Singapore. Nick Young is a household name in Singapore. Before he even finishes telling his mother he's bringing Rachel with him, everyone in the family – and everyone in Singapore – knows her name too. That's how much status the Young family has.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
As Rachel experiences for the first time the overwhelming opulence and extreme extravagance the Youngs are accustomed to, so too does the audience. Watching "Crazy Rich Asians" is like going on an all-expenses-paid vacation to Singapore that you could otherwise never afford. You'll meet memorable characters, in breathtaking locales, wearing gorgeous outfits, eating mouth-watering food – be sure to grab a bite before the film, or you'll be ravenously hungry long before the credits roll! The Royal Wedding seems humble compared to the Young Wedding.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But if I'm making "Crazy Rich Asians" sound like a glorified travel program or reality show, nothing could be further from the truth. The movie wouldn't work if it was only a surface-level look at the glitz, glamour, and excesses of a wealthy and well-known family. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
One of the main themes in the film is the perceived differences between people who are Chinese from those who are Chinese-American. Children of immigrants from any country or culture can relate. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are also differences between the "old money" Youngs and other families in Singapore. While the Goh clan is presented as wacky and played for laughs, they are also unapologetically themselves and instantly warm, inviting, and accepting of Rachel and everyone else they meet. (Awkwafina – whose over-the-top character is described in the movie as an "Asian Ellen" – and "The Hangover's" Mr. Chow, Ken Jeong, play two members of the outrageous Goh family.) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Meanwhile, the matriarch of the Young family, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh, in an Oscar-worthy performance), is cold, distant, and critical of her "chosen one" son's American girlfriend. And she is far from the only one at the wedding who is unhappy about Rachel's presence. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, not everyone shares those views. Astrid (Gemma Chan) and Oliver ("Superstore's" Nico Santos) are happy for Nick and Rachel. Astrid is a particularly fascinating character, as she'll think nothing of dropping over a million dollars on ridiculous pearl earrings, yet isn't presented as a spoiled snob. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also interesting and perhaps unexpected: the Youngs are a Christian family – there's an early scene of a Bible Club meeting, and the wedding takes place inside a church – which is notable, because Chinese characters are usually depicted as followers of more traditionally-Eastern religions. (However, it should be noted that the characters in the Amy Tan book <i>The Joy Luck Club</i> are also Christian – they attend a Chinese-Baptist Church. I'm not sure if this carries over to the film adaptation, which I haven't seen.) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But none of that would matter if we didn't care about these people – and we <i>do</i>, thanks to stellar performances by all involved. Constance Wu admirably anchors the movie, serving as the audience's proxy into this unimaginable other world of loud luxury. Henry Golding is incredibly impressive in his first film role – no doubt an instant star-making performance. And if there's any justice in the world, Michelle Yeoh's name will be on the Oscar ballot. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Beneath a flashy veneer, "Crazy Rich Asians" expertly explores issues of family, culture, finance, and happiness. But it's still a whole lotta fun! This is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable films of the year.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-52792616659512118522018-07-13T13:42:00.003-07:002018-07-27T13:10:54.961-07:00Review: 350 Days<i><b>Pro Wrestling
from Every Angle</b></i><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9EL7d2J5nqbCJ-MElRGL74ioOXlRXKqJGfP3CW3zu7QYrkkYjUN14gRqAAvcPgXfucybre-lJO1Jfqsd-Mni_ge-A2ipStM5bkcekJxtcXVd_TwiBY7XuPHw4HwMZX86jseRjB0Wcrei/s1600/350days-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9EL7d2J5nqbCJ-MElRGL74ioOXlRXKqJGfP3CW3zu7QYrkkYjUN14gRqAAvcPgXfucybre-lJO1Jfqsd-Mni_ge-A2ipStM5bkcekJxtcXVd_TwiBY7XuPHw4HwMZX86jseRjB0Wcrei/s400/350days-m.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">"350
Days" refers to the amount of time the average professional
wrestler spen</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">t</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
on the road and away from </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">his</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
family. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Driving many miles,
working through multiple injuries, and combating loneliness, fatigue,
and problems at home, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">they
wrestled</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> every night of the
week and "twice on Sundays." </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
highlight of their day was often those few minutes inside the ring.
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">But that wasn't </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
only thing </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">they had </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">to
look forward to! After the </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">matches</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">,</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">they had</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">instant access to drugs,
alcohol, and willing women known as "ring rats." </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">This
documentary assembles a who's who </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
great names </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">to discuss the
professional wrestling lifestyle from every perspective:</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tito Santana • "Mr.
Wonderful" Paul Orndorff • Greg "The Hammer"
Valentine • Bret "The Hitman" Hart • Wendi Richter •
George "The Animal" Steele • Don Fargo • "Superstar"
Billy Graham • Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka • Bruce Allen
(Promoter) • JJ Dillon • Ox Baker • The Masked Superstar (Bill
Eadie) • Lanny Poffo • Abdullah the Butcher • "The Million
Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase • Gangrel • Angelo "King Kong"
Mosca • Farmer Pete • The Wolfman (Willie Farkas) • Howard
Jerome • "Butcher" Paul Vachon • Angelo Savoldi •
Stan Hansen • Gino Caruso • Ricky Johnson • Doink the Clown
(Ray Apollo) • Lex Luger • Paul Lazenby • Slick (Ken Johnson) •
Davey O'Hannon • "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe • Ric Drasin
• "Cowboy" Johnny Mantell • "Bushwhacker"
Luke Williams • Gene LeBell • Don Leo Jonathan • Marty Jannetty
• Nikolai Volkoff</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Filmed
over five years, a </span><i>staggering</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
number of wrestlers </span><span style="font-style: normal;">were
interviewed for "350 Days." Several of them are no longer
with us.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">movie</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
often switches from the silly to the surreal to the sublime,
sometimes in the same scene. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">One
of the highlights: footage featuring the "crazed" Ox Baker
preparing a meal in his own kitchen. Was </span><span style="font-style: normal;">it</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
entirely necessary to include </span><span style="font-style: normal;">five
full minutes of this</span><span style="font-style: normal;">?
Possibly not. But I can't lie: I wouldn't have been in the least bit
disappointed if the rest of the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">film</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
consisted of cooking lessons from Ox Baker. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Here's
a picture of Ox Baker, in case you need a visual aid:</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtuvIAaZQpzxDAymf8qMD_gl41yFJ-HAMfFZtqiIdFxaJeVH_MtHA1ZMRhuEuz-SN3e1B7s1i0ndevk_a7b18vOgXngR4J_HxoMvYWEggu6G0_twew7wcNeVAOqtHhGi8EKNEbpF7bbAV/s1600/350days-oxbaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtuvIAaZQpzxDAymf8qMD_gl41yFJ-HAMfFZtqiIdFxaJeVH_MtHA1ZMRhuEuz-SN3e1B7s1i0ndevk_a7b18vOgXngR4J_HxoMvYWEggu6G0_twew7wcNeVAOqtHhGi8EKNEbpF7bbAV/s400/350days-oxbaker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">This
alone would have make Ox Baker a star again – it's a shame he
didn't live to see it.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">On
the other end of the emotional spectrum, there's a touching segment
with "Superstar" Billy Graham (not the preacher) discussing
his health issues. Known for his outrageous catchphrases, such as
"the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be
sour," Graham puts aside the bluster of his bombastic character
to discuss his battle</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
with Hepatitis C and the young lady who died, which allowed him to
live by receiving her liver. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">However,
Abdullah the Butcher has been accused of infecting other wrestlers
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">with</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Hepatitis C (not Graham) by using an old razor blade to draw blood in
matches – a common, if barbaric, practice in wrestling – but the
movie completely ignores his irresponsible, reckless, negligent, and
potentially murderous actions. A similar blind eye is also turned to
"Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, who</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
allegedly </span><span style="font-style: normal;">beat his girlfriend
to death in 1983. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">(</span><span style="font-style: normal;">He
was arrested and indicted in 2015, 32 years later. He died in
2017.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">) </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">At
first, I was distracted by these omissions. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">The
endearing scene of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a loving,
nurturing "Superfly" feeding and petting </span><span style="font-style: normal;">adorable
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">farm animals </span><span style="font-style: normal;">takes
on an almost dreamlike quality. People are complicated! But I can
also partly understand why the filmmakers </span><span style="font-style: normal;">decided
to shy away from spotlighting such shocking stories. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">T</span><span style="font-style: normal;">he
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">darker side of these
wrestlers' personal live might have overshadowed the rest of the film
and obscured the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">overall</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
purpose of the documentary. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Despite
that, there is still plenty of bad behavior to go around.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Bret
"The Hitman" Hart spent his entire career portraying a
virtuous "Canadian hero." The revelations in "350
Days" won't be surprising to anyone who read his voluminous
almost-600-page tome, </span><i>Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon
World of Wrestling</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. But for the
average fan, this film will definitely expose a different side of
"The Hitman." Anyone who has listened to </span><span style="font-style: normal;">any
recent </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Bret Hart interview</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s
will already know that</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> he's
honest to a fault (potentially the result of a stroke he suffered in
2002). Here, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">his </span><span style="font-style: normal;">"Canadian
hero" persona is laid bare. In one startling speech, he
practically endorses cocaine by fondly reminiscing </span><span style="font-style: normal;">about
the drug while going out of his way to point out</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
that </span><span style="font-style: normal;">it did not impair him.
He claimed</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal;">to</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
retain everything he </span><span style="font-style: normal;">ever
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">learned from veteran
wrestlers during those powdery bonding sessions. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Later,
he concedes that drug testing has been good for the industry. "The
Hitman" also makes no apologies – and has no regrets – for
indulging in extramarital affairs during his career. He said he made
many friendships that way. Wrestling is indeed a hard life – as
this documentary points out – but coming from the mouth of Bret
Hart, you would think he was a combat veteran who served in two </span><span style="font-style: normal;">W</span><span style="font-style: normal;">orld
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">W</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ars.
Then again, "The Hitman" has always taken himself </span><i>very</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
seriously – as demonstrated in another excellent wrestling
documentary, 1998's "Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows."</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">W</span><span style="font-style: normal;">hat
makes the movie so fascinating is the often contradictory opinions
expressed by different wrestlers on a wide variety of topics. For
example, one common belief expressed in the film is that the
wrestling business ruins marriages. Lanny Poffo, however, is quick to
dispel that notion. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">"350
Days" is a </span><span style="font-style: normal;">revealing</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
look at the human beings behind the wrestling personas. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">"Mr.
Wonderful" Paul Orndorff expresses regrets about placing
wrestling and money ahead of his family and laments that he can
barely move his arm after years of abusing his body in the wrestling
ring. "</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Superfly"
Jimmy Snuka </span><span style="font-style: normal;">somehow come</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
across as calm, clear, and coherent – a far cry from one of his
wild "Superfly" wrestling promos </span><span style="font-style: normal;">that
were nearly impossible to decipher – while "Rocker" Marty
Jannetty is sadly almost unintelligible. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
sheer breadth of wrestlers interviewed in "350 Days" </span><span style="font-style: normal;">is
ultimately what gives this d</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ocumentary
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">its considerable</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
depth. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-15676372926218576782018-06-01T14:45:00.001-07:002018-06-08T18:40:29.725-07:00Review: Bipolar Rock 'N' Roller<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>How Mauro Ranallo
Became the Most Trusted Voice in Wrestling, Boxing, and MMA</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ddsSXBSxQR0/WxG947z6U2I/AAAAAAAABlM/eNlBZaMvxhQJcrYngJC-8L1Y5Cm4I2W7wCLcBGAs/s1600/bipolarrocknroller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ddsSXBSxQR0/WxG947z6U2I/AAAAAAAABlM/eNlBZaMvxhQJcrYngJC-8L1Y5Cm4I2W7wCLcBGAs/s640/bipolarrocknroller.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Mamma Mia!"</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is Mauro Ranallo's
catchphrase and rallying cry. When he unleashes it in the middle of a
heated wrestling match, you know he's excited about the action in the
ring. He's bouncing with energy, and taking the fans right along with
him.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Listening to Mauro's
creative commentary and infectious enthusiasm, it would be easy to
mistake him for a happy-go-lucky guy who is always smiling and full
of joy. In reality, every day is an exhausting mental and emotional
struggle for Mauro Ranallo.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Showtime's "Bipolar Rock 'N'
Roller" takes a hard look at Mauro's battle with bipolar
disorder. The documentary's depiction of the disease is as raw and
real as it gets. No attempt is made to ease the audience into it or
smooth out the rough edges. The film is <i>intentionally</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
uncomfortable.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">We've
all </span><span style="font-style: normal;">heard stories </span><span style="font-style: normal;">about
people drifting aimlessly through their 20s. Mauro Ranallo's
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">circumstances during those
years were far more serious and dire. He spent his entire </span><span style="font-style: normal;">20s
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">in and out of mental
institutions. His first breaking point came after the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">sudden
shock of his best friend's death at </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the
all-too-young age of 19. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Mauro, it was like losing a brother. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Among
the tragedies, there are also many triumphs. Early</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">footage</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
of a teenage </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Mauro as a heel
(bad guy) motormouth for </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a
local wrestling show in Vancouver</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
is great fun to watch. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">In
general, combat sports – pro wrestling, boxing, and </span><span style="font-style: normal;">mixed
martial arts</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> – would become
a safe haven for Mauro Ranallo. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Floyd
Mayweather </span><span style="font-style: normal;">vs.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Conor McGregor </span><span style="font-style: normal;">was a </span><span style="font-style: normal;">"dream
match"</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal;">between
a boxer and an MMA fighter that </span><span style="font-style: normal;">fans
of both sports clamored for and debated endlessly</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso
Ciampa was </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a slow-burning,
smoldering, bitter rivalry between former tag team partners that</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">diehard</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
wrestling fan couldn't wait to see. Mauro Ranallo was the voice of
both. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Mauro
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Ranallo</span><span style="font-style: normal;">'s
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">bombastic commentary style is
often the subject of discussion. His love of language and steady
stream of pop culture references are two of his unmistakable
trademarks. The reason: merely "calling the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">fight</span><span style="font-style: normal;">"
is anathema to Mauro, as we see in one scene where he berates himself
for </span><span style="font-style: normal;">doing too much
paint-by-numbers play-by-play during one event. His goal, he
explains, is always to be a </span><span style="font-style: normal;">storyteller
and entertainer. Through tireless research and copious notes, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">he
constantly strives to be</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>as<span style="font-style: normal;"> creative as possible. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Bipolar
disorder used to be referred to as manic depression, and it's obvious
that the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">"</span><span style="font-style: normal;">manic</span><span style="font-style: normal;">"</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
side aids his commentary at times. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">WWE
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">released</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
footage of Mauro's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F77Hp0f_nME">"priceless
reactions"</a> during the Gargano-Ciampa match. He can barely
sit still.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_E_KjAk3zNgA34gss_3a7Oj-GMhPyInvr1fRxKEBraoPs3abxVRPGVCOarTuv44H77W8EB9QD5-p1Wf6ee6yZ8TL_b8DeQJDRGJQOqP_HZVsLB7DO-7OOg9KuaVs6GWYAEapQbZW-JqnW/s1600/bipolarrocknroller1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_E_KjAk3zNgA34gss_3a7Oj-GMhPyInvr1fRxKEBraoPs3abxVRPGVCOarTuv44H77W8EB9QD5-p1Wf6ee6yZ8TL_b8DeQJDRGJQOqP_HZVsLB7DO-7OOg9KuaVs6GWYAEapQbZW-JqnW/s640/bipolarrocknroller1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Treatment
for bipolar disorder is </span><span style="font-style: normal;">covered</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
at length </span><span style="font-style: normal;">in the documentary</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
including – surprisingly – marijuana, which Mauro freely admits
is </span><span style="font-style: normal;">his medication of choice.
His reasoning make sense: When he would ask doctors how or why
certain pills, doses, and combinations worked, they were often
unsure. Because he had no way of knowing exactly what he was putting
into his body or what it would do to him, he felt more comfortable
treating his </span><span style="font-style: normal;">mental illness</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
with marijuana.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Some
would say that Mauro Ranallo s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ucceeded
</span><i>despite</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> bipolar
disorder, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">while others would
argue that h</span><span style="font-style: normal;">i</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s
greatest successes may very well be </span><i>because</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
of the disease. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">B</span><span style="font-style: normal;">oth
are true and neither are true. It's more complicated than that. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">What
cannot be debated, however, is the common denominator in both of
those statements: his success. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Because
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">"Bipolar Rock 'N Roller"</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
never sugarcoats </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Mauro
Ranallo's</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> struggles or
minimizes the realities of mental illness, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">his</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
success </span><span style="font-style: normal;">story ultimately
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">serves as </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">message of hope.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-40320234305052354002018-03-30T13:38:00.001-07:002018-03-31T06:37:36.621-07:00Review: I Can Only Imagine<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>The True Story of
the Man Behind the Music</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yN8V1KT4eTs/Wr6fyEPh2JI/AAAAAAAABk0/er9sVtPq1tYNc6oCECcRrPoDP2_UqfQKACEwYBhgL/s1600/icanonlyimagine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yN8V1KT4eTs/Wr6fyEPh2JI/AAAAAAAABk0/er9sVtPq1tYNc6oCECcRrPoDP2_UqfQKACEwYBhgL/s320/icanonlyimagine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b>
March
16th,
2018 – U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
PG</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Drama,
Family, Biography</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
110 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director</b><b>s</b><b>:
</b>Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writers:</b>
Alex Cramer (story), </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jon
Erwin, Brent McCorkle
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
J. Michael Finley, Brody Rose, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Madeline Carroll, Trace Adkins, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Cloris Leachman, Dennis
Quaid</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
"I
Can Only Imagine" by Bart Millard and his band MercyMe is the
bestselling Christian song of all-time. It attained Triple Platinum
status, with over 2.5 million in sales, and became a massive
crossover hit that reached secular audiences as well.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
film of the same name tells the true story of Bart Millard and how
the song came to be.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Growing up, Millard
(played as a boy by Brody Rose, in a heartbreaking performance) is
abused by his dad, Arthur (Dennis Quaid), whose only facial expression
is a deep scowl of disapproval and discontent. He actively
discourages his son from following his musical dreams. "Dreams
don't pay the bills," he lectures. "Nothing good comes from
them. All it does is keeping you from knowing what is real."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
His mother, Adele
(Tanya Clarke), and his "Memaw" (Cloris Leachman) try their
best to look out for him. Adele sends her son to a week-long
Christian camp, where he meets Shannon (Taegen Burns), who has been
harboring a secret crush on him. It's the best week of his life. But
everything changes for the worse when he comes back home.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Left alone to fend for
himself, Bart (J. Michael Finley) eventually abandons his music to
play football – because it's the only thing he and his father can
find common ground on. An injury leads Bart to the one
extracurricular activity in school that's still open: Glee Club.
There, he meets a teacher (Priscilla C. Shirer) who encourages and
nurtures his musical talent.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Through it all, Shannon
(now played by Madeline Carroll, who you may remember from "Swing
Vote" and "Flipped") has remained by his side.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After high school, he
leaves town and forms a band – MercyMe – whose name comes from an
expression his "Memaw" used. To get their big break, they
need to impress Brickell (the always solid Trace Adkins). Bart is
full of himself but Brickell brings him back down to earth. "I
don't think you found your song, found your soul," he cautions.
Until Bart can tap into something's real, he advises, MercyMe will
never truly succeed.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bart's troubles –
with his music <i>and</i> girlfriend – send him on a soul-searching
journey back home, back to the father who abused him. But his dad is
no longer the same man. There's now a Bible by his bedside and a
ticking clock on his lifespan.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Through
those trials and tribulations, Bart puts pen to paper and writes "I
Can Only Imagine." It eventually reaches the hands of beloved
Christian singer Amy Grant (Nicole DuPort), whose angelic voice
lifted Bart up during some very tough times in his life. What happens
next is probably unheard of in both the music and entertainment
industries at large. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Because of Bart
Millard's beliefs, "I Can Only Imagine" is considered a
Christian movie. But it doesn't make the same mistakes most religious
films do. 99% of movies that call themselves "Christian"
focus first and foremost on religion, at the expense of story and
character. They're heavy-handed, preachy, unrealistic, and
intelligence-insulting. They don't operate in the real world. "I
Can Only Imagine" works because it's about <i>people</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">who are Christian instead of
being a blunt manifesto on Christianity itself. Like the song </span><span style="font-style: normal;">that
inspired it</span><span style="font-style: normal;">, the film </span><span style="font-style: normal;">version
of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">"I Can Only Imagine"
will be able to cross over and appeal to audiences from all walks of
life. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Many</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Christian films are too narrow in scope to be enjoyed by anyone other
than priests, nuns, and pastors – and even they're probably
secretly </span><span style="font-style: normal;">rolling their eyes</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">at </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the
majority of the genre. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">I can
only imagine most of them</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
used a few unholy words to describe what cockamamie drivel "God's
Not Dead" was. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">(</span><span style="font-style: normal;">I'm
a fan of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">David A.R. White,
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">who produces and acts in
those movies, but he </span><span style="font-style: normal;">can do
so much better.) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">If their
ultimate goal is to reach more people with their message, they're
failing miserably by playing only to their own base and no one else.
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">"I Can Only Imagine"
avoids the same pitfalls. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Bart
Millard</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> claims it took him
only ten minutes to write the song that would launch his career, but
as the movie says and shows, it really took him a lifetime. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Whether
it was "God's hand," life's random but always unpredictable
circumstances, or both, the process that led to the creation of "I
Can Only Imagine" is a fascinating one to watch unfold onscreen.
</span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-8023748111212186082018-03-04T21:11:00.000-08:002018-03-04T22:19:14.562-08:00The 90th Annual Academy Awards: Results and Reactions<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>"The Shape
of Water" vs. "Three Billboards" – or Will They Have
to Get Out for "Get Out"?</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nothing
was going to top the chaos and buzz of last year's Oscars, but the
90th annual Academy Awards felt like its age.<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W03TbsNIO6Q/WpzQu1V0MXI/AAAAAAAABkQ/cQEYxeQlopAvf3G5bKWvp4cGpxydx4FTgCLcBGAs/s1600/oscars90w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W03TbsNIO6Q/WpzQu1V0MXI/AAAAAAAABkQ/cQEYxeQlopAvf3G5bKWvp4cGpxydx4FTgCLcBGAs/s640/oscars90w.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<u><b>Before the Show</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Jimmy,
Warren, Faye, and </b></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>That</b></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
Mix-Up!</b></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A
year ago, I wrote:
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>To
Jimmy Kimmel's credit, the lengthy ceremony raced by. This may be the
most fun I've had watching the Oscars in years." </i>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Part
of that was because of last year's shocking "twisting ending,"
which became </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
"water cooler</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
moment" of the broadcast. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>"La
La Land" was announced as Best Picture – and then it wasn't.
In a stunning faux pas by presenters and "Bonnie and Clyde"
stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, it turns out the wrong movie
was named. (They were somehow mistakenly handed the envelope for Best
Actress, which went to Emma Stone for "La La Land.") Their
error was acknowledged – as the world collectively held their
breath and gasped – and then the actual winner was announced:
"Moonlight" scored Best Picture in one of the most
surprising upsets in Oscar history.</i></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jimmy is back this year, and so are Warren and Faye – but I don't
expect lightning to strike twice. If anything, I'm anticipating an
even more by-the-books and controlled ceremony than usual, and that's
really saying something considering how stuffy and rigid the Oscars
normally are.</div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Any
Potential Surprises?</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The "safe
money" seems to be on "The Shape of Water" or "Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." But will the entrenched
"business-as-usual older Oscar voters split the vote between the
two projected front-runners, paving the way for another film entirely
to reap the big reward? Could the Academy's efforts to recruit a
younger and more diverse voting base end up "playing spoiler"
and pushing ahead a movie like the wonderfully creative and
buzz-worthy "Get Out" instead? </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Full
results are listed at the end.</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>The Oscar
Ceremony</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Host: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
opening </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">monologue</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
was </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">more</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
serious</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> than usual</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Only a few</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
clever jokes </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">broke up the
unusually heavy atmosphere. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Between
Parkland, #MeToo, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">#TimesUp, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">there's
not much to laugh about these days. As Kimmel said later on, "reality
can be depressing." </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Still,
Jimmy is a natural and can easily do this for another ten years like
Billy Crystal and Bob Hope before him.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Oscar Speech</b><b>es</b><b>:</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">The speech by the winners of
"Coco" about representation – people of all races,
colors, and creeds needing to see themselves on screen – was
possibly the first great one of the night.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Rachel
Shenton </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">and Chris </span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Overton</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">using sign language during
their entire speech for "The Silent Child" was amazing </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">–
and quite fitting considering both the subject matter and star of
their movie</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I loved Jordan Peele's
speech for Best Original Screenplay. He talked about wanting to give
up 20 times because he didn't think anyone would ever actually agree
to let him bring "Get Out" to the screen. I'm glad he kept
writing, because not only did he get to make his movie, he won the
Oscar for it.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Frances
McDormand</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> – long overdue
for an Oscar – made an impassioned plea for women's rights and
equality. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">She mentioned the
term "inclusion rider" in her speech. What does that mean?
According to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/what-is-an-inclusion-rider-frances-mcdormands-oscars-speech-explained-1091532">The
Hollywood Reporter</a>, she's asking for "requirements in
contracts that provide for gender and racial diversity." I
expect that to be the most talked about issue brought up at the
Academy Awards, both within the industry and by the moviegoing public
at large.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Presenters: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Eva
Marie Saint – who admitted she's older than Oscar – did such a
classy job of recapping her career and presenting the award for
Costume Design.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">araji
P. Henson positively </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">beamed</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
when</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> she revealed
that Mary J. Blige is the first person ever nominated for both Best
Song and Best Supporting Actress in the same year.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lupita
Nyong'o and Kumail Nanjiani – two names people "have trouble
pronouncing" – were funny, charming, and inspiring. They
recounted their journey to the film industry as immigrants from Kenya
(Lupita Nyong'o) and "Pakistan and Iowa (Kumail Nanjiani) –
two places people in Hollywood can't find on a map."</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tiffany
Haddish and Maya Rudolph were hilarious. I love Tiffany Haddish!
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Warren
Beatty and Faye Dunaway made the most of their second chance. Their
presentation was short but sweet.
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
was hoping they would announce a winner that wasn't even nominated –
a terrific punchline to last year's monumental mistake – but no one
was willing to be that daring this year, much to the show's detriment.</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Moments: </b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Jimmy
Kimmel announced that speeches wouldn't be interrupted by music this
year. Instead, Lakeith Stanfield ran out and re-enacted a scene from
"Get Out." Oscar winners whose speeches are too long,
Kimmel said, will have to "get out." Cute! </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Price
is Right"- like jet ski contest for shortest speech – which
was won by C</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ostume
Designer</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Mark </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Bridges</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Dressed: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
don't </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">usually</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
care about this, but the timeless Rita Moreno </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">was
in </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">the same dress tonight
that she </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">wore 55 years ago
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">when she won the Oscar for
"West Side Story" </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">in
1962</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> – and she pulled it
off spectacularly!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Biggest Surprise:
</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">None in the major categories.
Both Documentary awards and the Live Action Short Film winners went
against general projections. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Otherwise,
t</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">his was the most
predictable Academy Awards in years. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Overall: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">There
were a few good lines, and Kimmel is a comforting presence, but this
year's ceremony felt too safe and stuffy. After last year's fiasco,
it seemed everyone went out of their way to avoid making any mistakes
at all. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">There were a few</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">good zingers and moments,
but almost </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">everything</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
was too buttoned up and restrained. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">winners were </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">predictable,
and with an overabundance of musical acts, video tributes, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
skits</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
show</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> was too long. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Full Results</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Picture: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"The
Shape of Water"</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Best
Actor in a Leading Role: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Gary
Oldman, "Darkest Hour"</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Actress in a Leading Role:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Frances
McDormand, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Actor in a Supporting Role:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sam
Rockwell, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Actress in a Supporting Role:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Allison
Janney, "I, Tonya"</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Director:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Guillermo
del Toro, "The Shape of Water"</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Animated Feature:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Coco"
– Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Adapted Screenplay:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Call
Me by Your Name" – James Ivory</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Best
Original Screenplay: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Get
Out" – Jordan Peele</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Foreign Language Film: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"A
Fantastic Woman" (Chile)</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Documentary Feature: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Icarus"
– Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Original Song:</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Remember
Me" from "Coco" – Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert
Lopez</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Original Score: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"The
Shape of Water" – Alexandre Desplat</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Cinematography: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Blade
Runner 2049" – Roger Deakins</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Film
Editing: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Dunkirk" –
Lee Smith</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Costume
Design: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Phantom
Thread" – Mark Bridges</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Makeup
and Hairstyling: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Darkest
Hour" – Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Production
Design: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"The
Shape of Water" – Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin,
Shane Vieau</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Sound
Editing: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Dunkirk" –
Alex Gibson, Richard King</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Sound
Mixing: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Dunkirk"
– Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Visual
Effects: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Blade
Runner 2049" – John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover,
Gerd Nefzer</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Documentary Short: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Heaven
is a Traffic Jam on the 405" – Frank Stiefel</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Animated Short: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Dear
Basketball" – Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Best
Live Action Short: </b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"The
Silent Child" – Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-60783897762531746142018-02-23T12:00:00.000-08:002018-02-23T12:00:26.302-08:00Review: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>A Hilarious Love
Letter to Video Games</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bH4KmBAf3SE/WpBv9mPKcBI/AAAAAAAABjo/efw9a7ZsqtEnJt9s4h8D5y-8t4GvavkuwCLcBGAs/s1600/jumanjiwttj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bH4KmBAf3SE/WpBv9mPKcBI/AAAAAAAABjo/efw9a7ZsqtEnJt9s4h8D5y-8t4GvavkuwCLcBGAs/s320/jumanjiwttj.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b>
December
20th,
2017 – U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
PG-13</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Action,
Adventure, Comedy
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
119 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director: </b>Jake
Kasdan</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writers:</b>
Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
The
Rock, Kevin Hart, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jack Black, Karen Gillan, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Rhys Darby, Bobby
Cannavale, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Nick Jonas, </span><span style="font-size: small;">Alex Wolff, Ser'Darius Blain, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Madison Iseman,
Morgan Turner, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Missi Pyle, Marc Evan Jackson </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Jumanji:
Welcome to the Jungle" is
an unapologetic love letter
to video games that left me
laughing almost nonstop.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
film begins with four high school kids getting detention: shy nerd
Spencer (Alex Wolff), stocky football star Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain,
whose character seems like an obvious nod to NFL player
William "The Refrigerator" Perry), socially-awkward
loner Martha (Morgan Turner), and vapid teen queen Instagram addict
Bethany (Madison Iseman).
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
are a couple of fun adult cameos, with Marc Evan Jackson as
the principal (he's
perhaps best known for his
role as Shaun from "The Good Place," playing the same type
of dryly entertaining character here) and Missi Pyle ("Dodgeball")
as the coach.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
punishment, the children are
forced to clean the school basement. There, they discover a dusty old
video game system. The cartridge included
is, of course, "Jumanji." As
soon as they press "Start" on the controller, they're
suddenly <i>inside</i>
the game, where they
literally turn into the
characters they just
selected.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ul>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Geeky Spencer
becomes musclebound action hero Dr. Smolder Bravestone (The Rock).</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Imposing
football star Fridge shrinks into a mini-refrigerator, embodying the
much shorter and scrawnier form of zoologist Franklin "Mouse"
Finbar (Kevin Hart).</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bookish outcast
Martha morphs into buxom Lara Croft wannabe Ruby Roundhouse (Karen
Gillan), complete with a tight top and overly short pants that could
work nowhere else but in an over-the-top action movie or video game
like "Jumanji." (Luckily for them – and us – "Welcome
to the Jungle" is both.)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And – most
hilariously of all – phone-addicted queen bee Bethany transforms
into Professor Shelly Oberon (Jack Black), not realizing until it's
too late that Shelly is actually short for Sheldon.
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Jumanji:
Welcome to the Jungle" smartly spends several minutes allowing
the kids to explore their new bodies, characters,
and abilities. It's
hysterically funny watching them to react to such
an unimaginable situation.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But
the real fun comes from the way "Jumanji" inhabits the
world of a video game, with
amusing nods to all of the quirks and idiosyncrasies gamers take for
granted that are bizarre in any other context.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvrcAGr_rivpl0DNuOIW_5nHBkWu74Ue5FEYdNIiT6rgQ9UxbfdSMIJI0UUXAp_lBYUdRnxvDT5ukOVQcnmFZldTErqWX1EIa9YdmkeebDjR5ZHrzbELHMJs0yPQwYp6JjG0f1UXV0Fap/s1600/jumanjiwttj1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvrcAGr_rivpl0DNuOIW_5nHBkWu74Ue5FEYdNIiT6rgQ9UxbfdSMIJI0UUXAp_lBYUdRnxvDT5ukOVQcnmFZldTErqWX1EIa9YdmkeebDjR5ZHrzbELHMJs0yPQwYp6JjG0f1UXV0Fap/s320/jumanjiwttj1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Almost
every video game has a "life bar." So, too, does this one –
in the form of disappearing tattoos on the characters' wrists. There
are also pop-up menus in most games that display important
information. In the world of "Jumanji," a
character can press on his
or her pec like a button to
bring up a list of skills,
strengths, and weaknesses –
the funniest of which are cake (weakness) and dance fighting
(strength). Naturally,
death is never final in any game – unless you're down to your last
life. Like many video games,
dying in "Jumanji" takes the form of a quick explosion –
poof! they're gone – and then the character falls down from the sky
to play again. Real-word logic and physics don't apply here, just as
they don't in many games. There are also "NPCs" –
non-player characters – who repeat the same scripted, stilted
dialogue whether appropriate or not. The most amusing of these is
their tour guide, Nigel (Rhys Darby).
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All
of this will seem like a foreign language to anyone who has never
picked up a video game controller, but any gamer reading this will
smile in recognition.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
Rock, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black do an incredible job
of portraying confused, scared kids who are stuck in new bodies and
trapped inside a video game. They may be adults in the world of
"Jumanji" but they're still really children. That has its
benefits too, though, because Spencer can use his gaming skills to
progress from "level" to "level" with the goal of
getting everyone back home to the real world. As
much as I love The Rock and Kevin Hart (I hope they do 20 more movies
together), and as great as Karen Gillan is here, the underrated Jack
Black steals the show as a shallow teenage girl who now has to
contend with being a fat middle-aged man.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
the fearful foursome progresses, they eventually run into two other
major characters. Jefferson
"Seaplane" McDonough
(Nick Jonas) seems
like a heroic fighter pilot but he's
really another
kid named Alex who is also stuck in the game. He's down to his last
"life" and afraid to move forward because a tough "level"
has claimed his previous" lives." They all have to contend
with the villainous Van Pelt
(Bobby Cannavale), who is the "final boss" – another
video game staple.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Welcome
to the Jungle" comes 22
years after 1995's "Jumanji." but it's a standalone
"sequel" that requires no knowledge of the original.
However, there is one reference to Robin Williams' character, Alan
Parrish, from the first film. There
are also nods to The Rock's <i>other</i>
career – as a professional wrestler. In an action scene, we see The
Rock's finishing move, the Rock Bottom, and his character refers to
himself in the third person at one point like The Rock always did in
the WWE. All of that is right
in line with the clever winks provided throughout.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Jumanji:
Welcome to the Jungle" is the rare example of an action-comedy
that's smartly written, has clever characterization, and is actually
funny. It's the perfect movie to see when you need to take your mind
off your problems and simply laugh in the dark for two hours. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-49112228819761273862018-01-23T09:45:00.000-08:002018-01-23T09:51:17.087-08:00The 90th Annual Academy Awards: Nominations and Notes<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>The Oscars Turn
90 – Here are the Silver Screen Surprises of This Year's
Nominations</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just
as I did last year, I will list the nominees and then examine the
"Silver Screen Surprises" for each of the main categories.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Which
films and performers was I surprised to see on the list?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Were
there any surprising <i>omissions</i>?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And
the Oscar goes to...<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mu5mpA2M07k/WmdzBv5DumI/AAAAAAAABjM/ai1HmJZtQyEarEvKIdt6MUqQNnCf53XGwCLcBGAs/s1600/oscars90n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mu5mpA2M07k/WmdzBv5DumI/AAAAAAAABjM/ai1HmJZtQyEarEvKIdt6MUqQNnCf53XGwCLcBGAs/s640/oscars90n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Best Picture</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Call
Me by Your Name"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Darkest
Hour"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Get
Out"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Lady
Bird"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Phantom
Thread"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Post"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>With
all of the hoopla surrounding "Wonder Woman,"
I really expected it to the lead the pack –
and maybe even win. Instead,
it has been completely shut out. That's somewhat surprising in the year
of #MeToo and #TimesUp where women
are rising up and exposing widespread
systemic sexual abuse, unfair
gender wage gaps, skewed power dynamics, and many other major
problems both in and out of Hollywood.
It's long overdue. If there
was ever a movie I assumed the Academy would choose as
a "symbol" of everything that's happened, it
was this one. In the past,
phony Tinseltown has shamelessly attached itself and certain movies
to major issues going on in the world in a futile attempt to "look
progressive." While
this omission is sure to upset many, perhaps it's a sign that
everyone in Hollywood finally realizes that these women aren't going
anywhere – nor should they – and a token nomination or award
isn't going to be enough this time to solve all of the very real
problems plaguing the film industry.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However,
in the battle of "superhero movies," my heart was with the
surprisingly powerful and poignant <a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2017/03/review-logan.html">"Logan"</a>
– which stripped the iconic X-Men characters of most of their
powers and instead explored their humanity and fragility. Alas, it
too was completely omitted from most of the major categories.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another
major omission, for me, is the wonderful "The Big Sick." It
takes real artistry to turn a movie about a girl in a
medically-induced coma into one of the funniest and most heartwarming
films of the year. Combining comedy and drama is <i>never</i>
easy, and this movie does it effortlessly.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of
the current nominations, none of them are even remotely shocking to
me. They're the same movies I've seen in other awards ceremonies and
on various prediction lists for the past several weeks.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Lead Actor</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Timothée
Chalamet, "Call Me by Your Name"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Daniel
Day-Lewis, "Phantom Thread"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Daniel
Kaluuya, "Get Out"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Gary
Oldman, "Darkest Hour"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Denzel
Washington, "Roman J. Israel, Esq."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>"Roman
J. Israel, Esq." has been plagued by critical
scorn and audience
indifference, so I wasn't
necessarily expecting Denzel to show up here. He is always solid
though.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
James
Franco was predicted to be the front-runner at one point for "The
Disaster Artist," but allegations of sexual misconduct may have
put the deep freeze on his Oscar chances – and his career in
general. A far cry from just one year ago where Casey Affleck faced
similar accusations and sailed away with the Academy Award anyway.
#TimesUp indeed.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
loved Kumail Nanjiani's
semi-autobiographical performance in "The Big Sick," and
while expected, I'm still sad to see him left off this list.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKGjD2WDT_HsIVoNFCxKNYKCgJSZlo_OLibpsZkThFnQuvqCv3L5dFtRhdBBi7F98d4bszgQOEIumcxsvQrRPCmICkTSBaWpKUq_AwtHeqmb05km73RyFO6mSLwge5-93Labp6v_4t3j-/s1600/oscars-meryl.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKGjD2WDT_HsIVoNFCxKNYKCgJSZlo_OLibpsZkThFnQuvqCv3L5dFtRhdBBi7F98d4bszgQOEIumcxsvQrRPCmICkTSBaWpKUq_AwtHeqmb05km73RyFO6mSLwge5-93Labp6v_4t3j-/s320/oscars-meryl.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Lead Actress</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sally
Hawkins, "The Shape of Water"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Frances
McDormand, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Margot
Robbie, "I, Tonya"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Saoirse
Ronan, "Lady Bird"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Meryl
Streep, "The Post"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>Meryl
Streep gets an unexpected nomination. Oh, who am I kidding? There are
only three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Meryl Streep
getting nominated for an Academy Award.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Supporting Actor</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Willem
Dafoe, "The Florida Project"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Woody
Harrelson, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Richard
Jenkins, "The Shape of Water"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Christopher
Plummer, "All the Money in the World"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sam
Rockwell, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>I'm
not sure I was expecting <i>both</i>
supporting actors to be nominated for "Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,"
but you can never go wrong with Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Patrick
Stewart's heartbreaking turn in "Logan" as an elderly
superhero who can no longer control his powers was unjustly
overlooked by the Academy. Surely, we could've had <i>one</i><b>
</b>billboard
outside Ebbing, Missouri in this category to make room for the former
Captain Picard.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking
of former TV actors, Ray Romano's kicked puppy dog performance in
"The Big Sick" was quietly powerful – and unfortunately
nowhere to be found in this category.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Supporting
Actress</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mary
J. Blige, "Mudbound"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Allison
Janney, "I, Tonya"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lesley
Manville, "Phantom Thread"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Laurie
Metcalf, "Lady Bird"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Octavia
Spencer, "The Shape of Water"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>No
real surprises here. Octavia Spencer has become the new Meryl Streep
with all of the nominations she's racked up over the years – not
that I'm complaining, because she's terrific. It's also nice to see
Laurie Metcalf too.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Director</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Christopher
Nolan, "Dunkirk"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jordan
Peele, "Get Out"
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Greta
Gerwig, "Lady Bird"
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Paul
Thomas Anderson, "Phantom Thread"
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Guillermo
del Toro, "The Shape of Water"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>With
"Wonder Woman" not in the Best Picture race, its director
Patty Jenkins isn't here either. Neither is James Mangold for
"Logan."
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Animated Feature</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Boss Baby" – Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Breadwinner" – Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Coco"
– Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Ferdinand"
– Carlos Saldanha</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Loving
Vincent" – Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan
Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>I
never expected "Loving Vincent" to be recognized. Look for
a review soon!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u>Adapted
Screenplay</u></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Call
Me by Your Name" – James Ivory</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Disaster Artist" – Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Logan"
– Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Molly’s
Game" – Aaron Sorkin</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Mudbound"
– Virgil Williams and Dee Rees</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises: </b>"Logan"
gets <i>something</i>
at least – this is its one and only nomination – but can it win?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Original
Screenplay</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Big Sick" – Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Get
Out" – Jordan Peele</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Lady
Bird" – Greta Gerwig</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" – Martin McDonagh</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Surprises:</b>
No real surprises, but I'm happy to see "The Big Sick"
here. This is its lone nomination.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>_____ </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Other thoughts: </b>This
is the first Oscars of the post-Weinstein era. In addition to being a
horrible monster
accused of multiple counts of sexual assault and misconduct, he also
used his considerable power and influence to shift the awards
advantage to movies under his own banner. Ask any regular person why
they stopped taking the Oscars seriously and they'll likely point to
the year "Shakespeare in Love" upended "Saving Private
Ryan." Now, "Shakespeare" was a nice little trifle of
a movie – I enjoyed it well enough – but nothing in it comes
close to the staggering open scene of "Ryan." Let's hope
for a purer and fairer Academy Awards this year.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Note from Silver
Screen Lawyer: </b>Please
automatically assume
"alleged" or
"allegedly" are
attached to every sentence
written here about
famous and powerful men accused of sexual abuse and misconduct,
whether the words are actually present or not – even if they aren't
grammatically correct or otherwise appropriate to include. Also, add
"Mr. [Fill-in-the-Monster-Here]
unequivocally denies any allegations of non-consensual sex."
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>_____ </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
rest of the categories and nominees are:
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Animated Short</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dear
Basketball" – Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Garden
Party" – Victor Caire, Gabriel Grapperon</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Lou"
– Dave Mullins, Dana Murray</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Negative
Space" – Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Revolting
Rhymes" – Jakob Schuh, Jan Lachauer</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Cinematography</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Blade
Runner 2049" – Roger Deakins</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Darkest
Hour" – Bruno Delbonnel</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"
– Hoyte van Hoytema</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Mudbound"
– Rachel Morrison</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Dan Laustsen</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Best Documentary
Feature</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Abacus:
Small Enough to Jail" – Steve James, Mark Mitten, Julie
Goldman</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Faces
Places" – JR, Agnès Varda, Rosalie Varda</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Icarus"
– Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Last
Men in Aleppo" – Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed, Soren Steen
Jepersen</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Strong
Island" – Yance Ford, Joslyn Barnes</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Best Documentary
Short Subject</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Edith+Eddie"
– Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Heaven
is a Traffic Jam on the 405" – Frank Stiefel</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Heroin(e)"
– Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Knife
Skills" – Thomas Lennon</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Traffic
Stop" – Kate Davis, David Heilbroner</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Best Live Action
Short Film</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"DeKalb
Elementary" – Reed Van Dyk</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Eleven O’Clock" – Derin Seale, Josh Lawson</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"My
Nephew Emmett" – Kevin Wilson, Jr.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Silent Child" – Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Watu
Wote/All of Us" – Katja Benrath, Tobias Rosen</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Best Foreign
Language Film</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"A
Fantastic Woman" (Chile)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Insult" (Lebanon)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Loveless"
(Russia)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"On
Body and Soul (Hungary)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Square" (Sweden)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Film Editing</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Baby
Driver" – Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"
– Lee Smith</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"I,
Tonya" – Tatiana S. Riegel</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Sidney Wolinsky</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" – Jon Gregory</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Sound Editing</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Baby
Driver" – Julian Slater</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Blade
Runner 2049" – Mark Mangini, Theo Green</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"
– Alex Gibson, Richard King</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Star
Wars: The Last Jedi" – Ren Klyce, Matthew Wood</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Sound Mixing</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Baby
Driver" – Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Blade
Runner 2049" – Mac Ruth, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hephill</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"
– Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Glen Gauthier, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Star
Wars: The Last Jedi" – Stuart Wilson, Ren Klyce, David Parker,
Michael Semanick</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Production Design</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Beauty
and the Beast" – Sarah Greenwood; Katie Spencer</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Blade
Runner 2049" – Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Darkest
Hour" – Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"
– Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin,
Shane Vieau</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Original Score</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Dunkirk"
– Hans Zimmer</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Phantom
Thread" – Jonny Greenwood</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Alexandre Desplat</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Star
Wars: The Last Jedi" – John Williams</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" – Carter Burwell</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Original Song</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Mighty
River" from "Mudbound" – Mary J. Blige</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Mystery
of Love" from "Call Me by Your Name" – Sufjan
Stevens</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Remember
Me" from "Coco" – Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert
Lopez</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Stand
Up for Something" from "Marshall" – Diane Warren,
Common</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"This
Is Me" from "The Greatest Showman" – Benj Pasek,
Justin Paul</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Makeup and Hair</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Darkest
Hour" – Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Victoria
and Abdul" – Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Wonder"
– Arjen Tuiten</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Costume Design</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Beauty
and the Beast" – Jacqueline Durran</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Darkest
Hour" – Jacqueline Durran</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Phantom
Thread" – Mark Bridges</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Shape of Water" – Luis Sequeira</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Victoria
and Abdul" – Consolata Boyle</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Visual Effects</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Blade
Runner 2049" – John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover,
Gerd Nefzer</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Guardians
of the Galaxy Vol. 2" – Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams,
Jonathan Fawkner, Dan Sudick</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Kong:
Skull Island" – Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza,
Mike Meinardus</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Star
Wars: The Last Jedi" – Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Chris
Corbould, Neal Scanlon</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"War
for the Planet of the Apes" – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel
Barrett, Joel Whist</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-7015999326388612732017-12-24T20:08:00.001-08:002017-12-25T15:07:32.170-08:00Movies I Missed: A Charlie Brown Christmas<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i>I'm Finally
Watching the First Peanuts Special</i></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VStMlNlciR4/WkB5gHQ7azI/AAAAAAAABhY/27yN85on_mc-kbeeASXKSNb6dbRfMlPwwCLcBGAs/s1600/acharliebrownchristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VStMlNlciR4/WkB5gHQ7azI/AAAAAAAABhY/27yN85on_mc-kbeeASXKSNb6dbRfMlPwwCLcBGAs/s320/acharliebrownchristmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1965's
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" has been a classic childhood
holiday staple for over five decades.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everyone's
childhood except mine.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whenever I'd tell
people that I've never seen "A Charlie Brown Christmas,"
shock would take over their faces. Then their voices would lower.
"You've never seen it?" they would whisper in hushed tones,
clearly aghast by the mind-boggling information I've just given them.
I could see it in their eyes and read their minds: To them, I lived
the most deprived childhood possible.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Actually, my childhood
was great! I spent it watching <i>another</i>
Christmas classic: "Die Hard." Yippee Ki-yay...</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My
friend Neil from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/iwalvg">the YouTube
channel "IWALVG" (I Will Always Love Video Games)</a> found
himself in the opposite
situation. He had never seen "Die Hard." Of course, most
9-year-olds probably aren't going to be watching that like I was.
Still, it's now decades later and we both had a gaping hole to
fill in our respective pursuits of cinematic Christmastime cheer. He still hadn't seen "Die Hard" and I'd
never seen "A Charlie Brown Christmas."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well,
Neil lived up to his end of the bargain. Now it was my turn.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
found the movie in a
double-feature DVD with "The Peanuts Movie" for
$9 at Walmart. A
$5 VUDU digital movie code knocked
the price down even further in my mind.
Other than a very lucky Goodwill find, it was never going to get any
cheaper than this.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IeDhUQEEC5s/WkB5kERKFPI/AAAAAAAABhc/JomgU-u5DFAHb6M5sU9XUT4CX3S_-6J2gCLcBGAs/s1600/acharliebrownchristmas-finallyboughtit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IeDhUQEEC5s/WkB5kERKFPI/AAAAAAAABhc/JomgU-u5DFAHb6M5sU9XUT4CX3S_-6J2gCLcBGAs/s320/acharliebrownchristmas-finallyboughtit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
was either now or never.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j8SzszMvC1E/WkB5nm1warI/AAAAAAAABhg/8grksc0aK2cnIQOk_AvdSH4jD-fS62buQCLcBGAs/s1600/acharliebrownchristmas-nowitsmyturn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j8SzszMvC1E/WkB5nm1warI/AAAAAAAABhg/8grksc0aK2cnIQOk_AvdSH4jD-fS62buQCLcBGAs/s320/acharliebrownchristmas-nowitsmyturn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
soon as I pressed the "Play" button, I was instantly
charmed by "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
tells a very simple – but powerful – story. Charlie Brown has
become depressed by the over-commercialization of Christmas. Lucy
needs someone to direct the school's Christmas play. She
recognizes that Charlie Brown
needs a project to sink his teeth into. They agree to help each other
out. Will Charlie Brown rediscover the joy of Christmas?</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We
all know the answer to that, of course.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One
of Charlie Brown's tasks is finding the perfect Christmas tree for
the play. Even people who
have never seen "A Charlie Brown Christmas" – such as me,
before now – know about "the
Charlie Brown tree." It's famous outside the movie. It may
be a tiny, wilted, shedding,
pathetic little tree – but Charlie Brown sees something special in
it that nobody else does. Will everyone else eventually see the
tree the way Charlie Brown
does?</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Again,
we all know the answer to that.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's
a scene with Linus reciting a Bible passage that he says demonstrates
the true meaning of Christmas. Something like that would probably
never be allowed today. Believe it or not, it was frowned upon for
different reasons back then. According to the DVD extra "A
Christmas Miracle: The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas," it
was suggested to "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz that
comic strips were "too crass" for Biblical verses. Schulz
took offense, and rightfully so, because he was a tremendously gifted
storyteller whose medium of choice just happened to be the unique art
form of comic strips. There was <i>nothing</i>
lowbrow about what he was doing with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, and the
gang.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
beauty of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is in its stark
simplicity. In only 25 minutes, it tells a wonderful story and fills
its viewers with the cozy warmth of Christmas.</div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
__</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>It took almost three
decades for Charlie Brown </i><i>to </i><i>finally appear in another Christmas
special: 1992's "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown."
The Peanuts gang's return to Christmas is entertaining enough, but it
lacks the magic, powerful storytelling, and emotional wallop of the
original. It tends to meander on a bit, unlike the more focused "A
Charlie Brown Christmas." It works as a double feature with the
original, but it's unlikely to stand the test of the time the way the
1965 classic has. </i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-24003732850807659292017-10-20T11:10:00.000-07:002017-10-20T11:10:04.605-07:00Review: Batman vs. Two-Face<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>Adam West vs.
William Shatner</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiZHfdiluTZD8N1rEJwE-2t1DbyHfn86JY8N7e4tTz3eDF8xWy6Cod0Rr3LAXVG8jjqvry6w-fm5kSetUBFSdmIbUP-7105ruVKCDP4Zzwor0pbM8t1QqnO3AuJRQVVREwDkvNxNuK2Vz/s1600/batmanvstwoface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiZHfdiluTZD8N1rEJwE-2t1DbyHfn86JY8N7e4tTz3eDF8xWy6Cod0Rr3LAXVG8jjqvry6w-fm5kSetUBFSdmIbUP-7105ruVKCDP4Zzwor0pbM8t1QqnO3AuJRQVVREwDkvNxNuK2Vz/s320/batmanvstwoface.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b>
October 17th,
2017 – U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
PG</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b>
Animation, Action, Comedy
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
72 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director: </b>Rick
Morales
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writer</b><b>s</b><b>:</b>
Michael Jelenic, James
Tucker
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
Adam
West, Burt Ward, William Shatner, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Julie Newmar, Jeff Bergman, Sirena
Irwin, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Lennon, Lee Meriwether, William Salyers, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Lynne Marie
Stewart, Jim Ward, Steven Weber, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Wally Wingert </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
the 1960s, Adam West's Batman and William Shatner's Captain Kirk were
two of the most iconic characters in all of television. In "Batman
vs. Two-Face," a sequel to the wonderful <span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2016/10/review-batman-return-of-caped-crusaders.html">"Batman:
Return of the Caped Crusaders"</a></u></span></span>
set in the colorful "Whap! Pow! Bang!" universe of the
1960s "Batman" show, West and Shatner are
together at last – <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326725/">terrible
TV movies</a> notwithstanding – as
both best friends and archenemies. Thanks
to the powers of animation, they haven't aged a day since the '60s.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At
the beginning,
we are introduced to Dr. Hugo Strange's latest invention: a device
that sucks out and isolates the evil from Gotham's super-villains.
What could <i>possibly</i> go
wrong? With a quack like
Strange at the helm, it
doesn't take long to find out. Things go awry – because of course
they do – and undefeated lawyer Harvey Dent (who bears a striking
resemblance to a young William Shatner) is transformed against his
will into the villainous Two-Face. I was not expecting that in the
first five minutes of the film.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After rehabilitation
and plastic surgery, Dent is allowed to practice law again. However,
the former legal ace is now reduced to being the <i>assistant</i>
to the assistant district attorney. It's quite a fall from grace –
and a ready-made formula for a super-villain origin story. Or is it?
When Two-Face (Shatner) inevitably resurfaces, Batman (West) refuses
to believe his "old
chum"
Dent is the man behind the dual identity this
time – despite the repeated
protests of a jealous
Robin (Burt Ward).</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Return
of the Caped Crusaders" featured such a memorable rogues gallery
of villains – The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman –
that any sequel would be hard-pressed to top them. While Shatner's
Two-Face is a more-than-worthy adversary, he's not the only one who
makes an appearance. "Batman vs. Two-Face" dips deep into
the lore of '60s Batman show and trots out a couple of suitably corny
c-level baddies: the felonious pharaoh King Tut (Wally
Wingert) and the literary
lout The Bookworm (Jeff
Bergman). If you didn't just
smile, you've never seen the magical TV series all of this is based
on.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(And
if you're a fan of the other villains, don't worry: there are several
cameos <i>and</i> a
surprising deleted scene – hidden in plain sight on the Blu-ray –
featuring arguably the most popular criminal adversary in Gotham City
nowadays.)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XVSoUTPeQNw/Weo7zfNLPtI/AAAAAAAABgM/f9GzroI1FcAoz1tJB3YJU-SGNmT5XcJXgCLcBGAs/s1600/batmanvstwoface1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XVSoUTPeQNw/Weo7zfNLPtI/AAAAAAAABgM/f9GzroI1FcAoz1tJB3YJU-SGNmT5XcJXgCLcBGAs/s320/batmanvstwoface1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Adam
West and Burt Ward have never sounded better. Julie Newmar's Catwoman
also returns in a reduced role (along with another cat-related
surprise I won't spoil). Shatner is surprisingly <i>restrained</i>
in his voicing of Two-Face – if you were expecting his usual long
pauses and various Shatner-isms, they're not really there – but he
does a nice job of making Dent and Two-Face sound distinctive from
each other.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like
"Return of the Caped Crusaders" before it, "Batman vs.
Two-Face" feels like an extended episode of the old show – and
that's exactly how it should be.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Which
movie
is better? I slightly favor the first because I
remember feeling so so giddy with glee watching a reunion unfold
before my very eyes that I <i>never</i>
thought would be possible. But
I've heard from Bat-fans who prefer this one. Either way, you're
going to have a great time.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
one of the extras, Burt Ward revealed that he
and Adam West have been submitted to "The
Guinness Book of World
Records"
as the <i>only</i> two actors
who have worked together over
the span of 50 years. "Batman
vs. Two-Face" ended up being Adam West's final role before his
death at the age of 88. The very end of the credits features a
touching text tribute to the "Bright Knight" that is
guaranteed to make even The Joker shed a tear or two. These
are special films, and we're lucky to have them.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ul>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2016/10/review-batman-return-of-caped-crusaders.html">Review:
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders</a></div>
</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-80656951014943100722017-10-16T12:18:00.002-07:002017-10-16T12:24:09.547-07:00Review: The Babysitter<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>A Gory Good Time</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TwTerOvaNM/WeUFLCOkyTI/AAAAAAAABfo/2mSIOMSWboQqcriTkngcLefXcGfIL9-bQCLcBGAs/s1600/thebabysitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TwTerOvaNM/WeUFLCOkyTI/AAAAAAAABfo/2mSIOMSWboQqcriTkngcLefXcGfIL9-bQCLcBGAs/s320/thebabysitter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b>
October 13th, 2017 –
U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
TV-MA</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Horror,
Comedy</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
85 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director: </b>McG</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writer:</b>
Brian Duffield</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
Judah Lewis, Samara Weaving, Robbie Amell, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hana Mae Lee, Bella
Thorne, Emily Alyn Lind, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Andrew Bachelor, Leslie Bibb, Ken Marino, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Samuel Gilbert, Zachary Alexander Rice, Doc Duhame, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jean Claude
Leuyer, Miles J. Harvey</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Babysitter" is a <i>fun</i>
movie. It won't change the world. It may not contend for any awards.
It probably won't make any top ten lists (except maybe mine). But
none of that matters – because when it comes to pure unbridled
enjoyment, few films this year have been better.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
is the kind of movie where you know what the last line of dialogue
will be before it even begins, but that doesn't matter either.
There's comfort in its cliches. Even
though "The Babysitter" sticks to the same basic framework
we've seen countless times before in other horror movies, it's keenly
aware of the tropes it's
embodying and parodying.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's
a horror-comedy that's probably more comedy than horror, but blood
gets shed here by the gallon; as exaggerated as the effect is, it's
certainly not for the squeamish.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cole
(Judah Lewis) has to be the biggest baby on the block. He's the only
kid in his class who <i>still</i>
has a babysitter. But he has convinced himself to be okay with that,
because his babysitter, Bee (Samara Weaving), looks like a 1980s
pin-up model with her long flowing blonde locks and thick pink
lipstick. Why does he need a
babysitter? I assume it's because he's seemingly afraid of
everything. Cole asks his mother (the always welcome Leslie Bibb) if
he's a coward – he uses a less PG word, of course, in a funny
scene. Out of earshot, she agrees that he is. His list of fears
include spiders, needles, bullies, even driving a car. I have no idea
why his father (Ken Marino) is giving him driving lessons in the
first place, though.
That initially made me assume Cole must be close to 15 – <i>really
</i>too old for a babysitter. As it
turns out, he's only 12 – which is probably still slightly too old.
Still, the scene does build to something later on. That's one of the
strengths of the screenplay – all of the quieter early moments do
eventually pay off in big and small ways.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
On
the school bus, Cole's best friend, Melanie (Emily Alyn Lind, of the
prolific Alyn Lind family that's
all over the place), convinces him to stay up past his bedtime to see
what babysitters do after their little charges have been tucked in
for the night. The naive boy googles an "adult" word he's
just learned but he remains confused by the meaning. He doesn't know
<i>quite</i>
what to expect as he crouches down by the stairwell in his jammies to
spy on his babysitter and her friends (played by Robbie Amell, Hana
Mae Lee, Andrew Bachelor, and Bella Thorne). A game of Spin the
Bottle leads to a few racy kisses and the other usual teenage
shenanigans.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then
the murder, mayhem, and bloodshed begins!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Young
Cole is traumatized by what he has just witnessed, but he knows he
has to act fast. From this point on, "The Babysitter"
becomes a chase movie, as the little boy is forced to outrun, evade,
and somehow outsmart his suddenly twisted babysitter and her warped
cadre of cronies.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
inevitable kills are gruesome but creative. The situations
surrounding them are comical: Robbie Amell's murder-happy character
is shirtless for most of the movie, for no apparent reason, while
Bella Thorne's vapid cheerleader repeatedly laments losing a
(presumably) surgically-enhanced breast during the melee.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All
of this works because of the believable bond established between
babysitter and boy. In a sweet early scene, they discuss who would be
on their "Intergalactic Dream Team" composed of various
science-fiction characters – such as Captain Kirk, Picard, and Jeff
Goldbum from "Independence Day," among others. It's
heartwarming to see Bee channel her inner geek to make Cole feel more
at ease – she's clearly familiar with these shows and isn't just
pretending to share a common bond with the kid for the sake of a
paycheck. Therefore, despite her depraved desire to take the "blood
of an innocent," she remains oddly likable throughout the film.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Babysitter" is over-the-top in its blood-soaked violence and
wildly suggestive dialogue, but it also has an innate niceness about
it that makes it a very enjoyable – and yes, pleasant – way to
spend a dark, stormy night.<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>You can watch "The
Babysitter" <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80164456">on
Netflix</a>.</i></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-19237118403422549972017-08-31T15:30:00.000-07:002017-08-31T15:39:56.655-07:00Review: The Debt<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>The Cost of
History. The Price of Vengeance.</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Note:
"The Debt" was released on this date seven years ago.
Presented below are my thoughts from 2010, with only a few
alterations made for clarity or to interject my current perspective.</i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5GupSm7Sb68/WaiMW_t7izI/AAAAAAAABfI/rGVMPohSkqUPVFLlQ923feQxAaoNYZGzACLcBGAs/s1600/thedebt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1502" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5GupSm7Sb68/WaiMW_t7izI/AAAAAAAABfI/rGVMPohSkqUPVFLlQ923feQxAaoNYZGzACLcBGAs/s320/thedebt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b>
August 31, 2010 –
U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
R</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Drama,
Thriller</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
113 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director: </b>John
Madden</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writers:</b>
Screenplay: Matthew Vaughn,
Jane Goldman, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Peter Straughan. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Original Film ("Ha-Hov"):
Assaf Bernstein, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Ido Rosenblum</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
Helen
Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciarán Hinds, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jessica Chastain, Marton
Csokas, Sam Worthington, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jesper Christensen </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Debt" details the legend of three young Israeli agents and the
dangerous secret mission they risked their lives to complete – or
did they?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Their
names are Rachel Singer, Stephan Gold, and David Peretz. Helen
Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, and Ciaran Hinds play the older versions of
these characters, while Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam
Worthington ("Avatar") do the heavy lifting as their
younger incarnations.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
movie presents an intriguing fictional take on real-life historical
events. It begins in 1997 as a book is being presented about the
trio's exploits. Back in 1966, they were sent to capture a Nazi –
the Butcher of Birkenau – who experimented on Jews during World War
II.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mirren,
Wilkinson, and Hinds are all fine in their parts, but the film really
belongs to Chastain, Csokas, and Worthington. When "The Debt"
was first released in 2010, I don't think I had ever seen Chastain or
Csokas before. They do a tremendous job. I remember thinking that
Chastain must have been an unknown foreign talent – that's how
convincing she is in this role. Obviously, the California-born
actress has since gone on to great success. Worthington has the least
flashy part, but it's a good performance considering how different it
is from the charismatic, tough soldier he played in "Avatar."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
dreaded Butcher (portrayed by Jesper Christensen) is downright
chilling at times. At first, he lulls the audience in with a false
sense of security despite his odious character. But from time to
time, his true roots will surface out of the blue, and you won't
believe some of the truly<i> ugly</i> things he says. Even after all
these years, the Butcher remains one of the most detestable cinematic
villains of the decade – because of the root of <i>his</i> evil
comes from a very real and unfortunate place in human history.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKW1eMj9JH5zUb74p8s7e2xdDBAIFgiyYi5oEq27pcfvQ0U3VD-eMyet65E21QALC_8U1hSPDX0DqPnriT0g6cjxe1e6yDTKQDEcOk4-DzIlhk6PH8jSMBD1uWmmYixIwPjl6Bj4ZFPXJ/s1600/thedebt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1501" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKW1eMj9JH5zUb74p8s7e2xdDBAIFgiyYi5oEq27pcfvQ0U3VD-eMyet65E21QALC_8U1hSPDX0DqPnriT0g6cjxe1e6yDTKQDEcOk4-DzIlhk6PH8jSMBD1uWmmYixIwPjl6Bj4ZFPXJ/s320/thedebt1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Remade
from the 1997 Israeli movie "Ha-Hov," "The Debt's"
foreign roots are obvious right away from its feel and pacing alone.
Hollywood generally doesn't make these types of films.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If
you still haven't seen "The Debt," do yourself a favor and
avoid reading or viewing anything about it. I went into the movie
almost cold – aside from watching the trailer a few times – and
that's definitely the best way to experience it.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Debt" isn't perfect – for example, I would've switched the
roles Wilkinson and Hinds played – but it presents a number of
interesting themes.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Does
the burden of truth outweigh the legacy of history? Or as
Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman <a href="http://ew.com/article/2011/09/12/debt-3/">so
eloquently stated</a>, "In a place that’s as haunted by
history as Israel is, can a lie ever really serve to prop up a larger
truth?"
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Does
the price of justice come at too high a cost?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And
is it ever too late to seek revenge? </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-5155379732325577312017-07-17T14:45:00.000-07:002017-07-17T15:10:15.682-07:00Remembering Martin Landau<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>A Magical Career</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Martin
Landau has always been one of my all-time favorite actors. His death
at the age of 89 – on the same day as legendary horror director
George A. Romero – was a 1-2 sucker punch.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But
what a life Landau lived!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZaxEz-rztrA9xQ0l3UCKJugcj_eC8AQBmjNRq8274GgUmlCCCqSQWl3cO97lQmQyXFOrPIeQ307WpKeGD29k3YW21NgnFREia4LNJd8oO2xpX_eMBcqj_qWTqyI2hQa-W4e8C9v5mtu-/s1600/martinlandau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1550" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZaxEz-rztrA9xQ0l3UCKJugcj_eC8AQBmjNRq8274GgUmlCCCqSQWl3cO97lQmQyXFOrPIeQ307WpKeGD29k3YW21NgnFREia4LNJd8oO2xpX_eMBcqj_qWTqyI2hQa-W4e8C9v5mtu-/s640/martinlandau.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>North By Northwest</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After
several television roles, Martin Landau's first appearance on the
silver screen – as the menacing Leonard in Alfred Hitchcock's
"North by Northwest" – was quite possibly the greatest
film debut anyone could ask for.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
took a big risk in the way he portrayed Leonard in the 1959 film: "I
chose to play [him] as a homosexual – very subtly," Landau
admitted in <a href="http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2012/10/12/the-badass-interview-martin-landau-for-frankenweenie">an
interview</a> – a taboo no-no for that time period.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Landau
became an instant star.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Spock You</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
the next two decades, he crisscrossed between film and TV
appearances. His most notable work on the small screen was in
"Mission: Impossible" and "Space: 1999." He
<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/martin-landau-dead-ed-wood-811318">turned
down the role of Spock</a> in "Star Trek." That iconic
character, of course, went to Leonard Nimoy instead. Ironically,
Nimoy ended up essentially replacing Landau on "Mission:
Impossible."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The
Ups and Downs of a Great Career</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Among
Landau's many film roles during this period, he played opposite
Sidney Poitier in the unnecessary, contradictory, overrated mess of a
sequel "They Call Me Mister Tibbs!" The first film
featuring the groundbreaking Virgil Tibbs character, "In the
Heat of the Night," remains an essential classic. "They
Call Me Mister Tibbs" doesn't come close to its predecessor's
greatness, but Landau was good in it.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
1982, Landau appeared along with Jack Palance and Donald Pleasence in
"Alone in the Dark" (not to be confused with the
much-maligned version directed by Uwe Ball and starring Christian
Slater and Tara Reid). The horror thriller is about a pair of mental
patients (Landau and Palance) who break out of a hospital in order to
torment their psychiatrist (Pleasence). I have to admit: I've never
seen it – but I've always wanted to. Unfortunately, the DVD has
been out of print for years and there's seemingly no Blu-ray or
digital release on the horizon. While it surely can't match the
expectations I've built up for it in my mind, it still sounds like
nutty fun. There is (or was) a low-quality version on YouTube, but I
can't bring myself to watch it that way. Eventually, I will get my
hands on this holy grail!
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After
decades in Hollywood, Landau's greatest fame would arguably occur in
the 1990s and beyond.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Karloff Does Not
Deserve to Smell My Shit!</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bela Lugosi never
uttered those words about Boris Karloff, but Martin Landau famously
did when he played Lugosi in 1994's "Ed Wood." Tim Burton
and Johnny Depp – the director and star of "Ed Wood,"
respectively – are generally "mood" people for me. In
other words, I have to be in the mood for them – and I'm usually
not. Yet, "Ed Wood" remains one of my favorite films ever –
and Martin Landau is the main reason why. As the long-suffering and
loyal Lugosi, his incredible performance is undeniably the heart and
soul of the film. Landau was richly recognized for his work in "Wood"
by winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in what has to
be one of the most competitive categories I've ever seen: Samuel
L. Jackson for "Pulp
Fiction"
and Gary Sinise for "Forrest
Gump" were also nominated the
same year. (He also
nominated before in the same category two years in a row – but
didn't win – for 1988's "Tucker: The Man and His Dream"
and 1989's "Crimes and Misdemeanors.")</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Sal Bandini –
Wanna Wrestle!!!</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What
in the living holy hell was the great Martin Landau doing in a
professional wrestling vanity project like 2000's "Ready to
Rumble"? I still don't know! He did work with wrestler George
"The Animal" Steele a few years earlier in "Ed Wood,"
so perhaps that had something to do with it? But whatever Landau's
reasons were, like the old pro he was, he made the most of it.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
is what I wrote about his appearance and performance at the time (for
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000511032916/http://wrestling.ign.com:80/news/17540.html">IGN.com</a>):</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"As
awful as some of the material is, there is one bright spot – the
character of Sal (Martin Landau). His hilarious performance as King's
105-year-old trainer saves the movie from complete disaster. It is a
shame that he isn't used more often, but he definitely steals the
scenes he's in. He must be a huge wrestling fan. Either that or he
needs money desperately. How else can anyone explain why such a
distinguished and celebrated actor would agree to partake in such a
dud?"</blockquote>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've
warmed up to "Ready to Rumble" in the years since. No, it's
still not a good movie – or anything close to resembling one.
Woefully inaccurate and mind-numbing in its dumbness, it displays an
astounding lack of respect for wrestling – which
makes no sense to me, because what other audience was this intended
to attract? But Martin Landau – good old Martin Landau – is an
absolute treat to watch.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Magic of the
Movies</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At
best, 2001's "The Majestic" was stylish but wildly uneven. At
worst, it was artificial and sappy. Despite that, it contains one of
my favorite performances and speeches ever. Of course, both came
courtesy of the wonderful Martin Landau.</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Any man, woman, child could buy their ticket, walk right in.
Here they'd be, here we'd be. 'Yes sir, yes ma'am. Enjoy the show.'
And in they'd come entering a palace, like in a dream, like in
heaven. Maybe you had worries and problems out there, but once you
came through those doors, they didn't matter anymore. And you know
why? Chaplin, that's why. And Keaton and Lloyd. Garbo, Gable, and
Lombard, and Jimmy Stewart and Jimmy Cagney. Fred and Ginger. They
were gods. And they lived up there. That was Olympus. Would you
remember if I told you how lucky we felt just to be here? To have the
privilege of watching them. I mean, this television thing. Why would
you want to stay at home and watch a little box? Because it's
convenient? Because you don't have to get dressed up, because you
could just sit there? I mean, how can you call that entertainment,
alone in your living room? Where's the other people? Where's the
audience? Where's the magic? I'll tell you, in a place like this, the
magic is all around you. The trick is to see it."</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's such a beautiful mission statement and rallying cry for why we
all love going to the movies so much. Despite the <a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2013/01/movie-theaters-good-bad-and-ugly.html">rude
patrons, bright cell phones, and numerous other drawbacks</a>,
there's still nothing else quite like the theatrical experience.</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When Martin Landau was up on that screen, it was magic. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-6204347228437201722017-06-29T12:00:00.000-07:002017-06-29T12:40:51.852-07:00Coming to America: A Royal Anniversary Celebration<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>Coming to America
Premiered on June 29, 1988 – and Became an Instant Classic</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaIJ09fZ1awrCXFzL3V3dX8dsxZhUVIJto2WfbFAY5Mm8fly7ZtVrhSIsDfkVRxL1MiXvPaCple_RaH-EqG4w2o5Thgpc67bFn3oLdzlXvvKxtcvpSslwXY1oiBhl4EQiCm5GidxSfsLn/s1600/comingtoamerica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1469" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaIJ09fZ1awrCXFzL3V3dX8dsxZhUVIJto2WfbFAY5Mm8fly7ZtVrhSIsDfkVRxL1MiXvPaCple_RaH-EqG4w2o5Thgpc67bFn3oLdzlXvvKxtcvpSslwXY1oiBhl4EQiCm5GidxSfsLn/s320/comingtoamerica.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ready to feel old? "Coming to America" is almost 30. It
premiered nearly three decades ago, on June 29, 1988. That makes it
29 years old, to be exact, in 2017.</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was an instant classic.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everyone
knows the story by now (and if you don't, see the movie ASAP!):
Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is tired of living a lavish lifestyle of
resplendent royalty – which includes being bathed by beautiful
women and having his shoes tied for him. "I tied my own shoes
once!" the domineering King Jaffe Joffer (the great James Earl
Jones) confessed to his son. "It is an overrated experience."
(I agree!)
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But
Akeem's problems go beyond baths and shoelaces.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Being
the prince of Zumunda, Africa, also means submitting to an arranged
marriage. "I want the woman to love me for <i>who</i> I am,"
Akeem insists, "not because of <i>what</i> I am."
Therefore, the Prince of Zamunda declares that he's coming to America
to find his bride. "But where," his servant and friend
Semmi (Arsenio Hall) wonders, "can one find a woman with grace,
elegance, taste, and culture? A woman suitable for a king." The
answer, of course, is Queens.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Queens,
New York, that is.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
prince immediately finds a job in America – as a janitor. He works
at a fast food restaurant called McDowell's – not to be confused
with McDonald's, you see. "Look, me and the McDonald's people
got this little misunderstanding," his new boss, Cleo McDowell
(John Amos, "Good Times"), explains. "See, they're
McDonald's – I'm McDowell's. They got the Golden Arches, mine is
the Golden Arcs. They got the Big Mac, I got the Big Mick. We both
got two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles,
and onions, but their buns have sesame seeds. My buns have no seeds."
McDowell's, however, has something McDonald's never will: Lisa (Shari
Headley), the boss's beautiful daughter.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A_4d1ta2ra8/WVVK6nfxTmI/AAAAAAAABd8/UleErfP4gfMvVrYOUHW_x-JX_Gu7hNFagCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/comingtoamerica1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="980" height="188" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A_4d1ta2ra8/WVVK6nfxTmI/AAAAAAAABd8/UleErfP4gfMvVrYOUHW_x-JX_Gu7hNFagCPcBGAYYCw/s320/comingtoamerica1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As
good as Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are in this movie, especially
together, James Earl Jones steals every scene as the bombastic King
Jaffe Joffer. Madge Sinclair, who portrays Queen Aoleon, is every bit
as superb – especially when she stands up to her overbearing but
loving husband: "Put a sock in it, Jaffe," she chastises,
"the boy is in <i>love</i>." </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Indeed,
it's love at first sight for Akeem.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And
it was love at first sight for audiences when "Coming to
America" premiered in 1988 – and in all the decades since. Not
one single person I know dislikes the movie. It's remembered with
such great warmth, fondness, and affection. The mere mention of it
never fails to elicit a smile from a person's face. Even my own
immediate family unanimously loves the film, and we're all very
different people in every other way. That's
because there's something for everyone in "Coming to America."
The performances, characters, writing, and dialogue are all
exceptional – and exceptionally hilarious. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
the 1980s, Eddie Murphy was known primarily for his wisecracking,
blue collar, off-color roles in "Trading Places," "Beverly
Hills Cop," and "48 Hrs." While those remain cherished
classics, "Coming to America" stands out for one reason:
its inherent sweetness. Yes, the movie certainly earns its "R"
rating with several raunchy jokes and situations, but it's ultimately
nice and innocent in a way the others aren't. That is the secret of
its success.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Fun
Facts:</b></div>
<ul>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Diehard fans of "Coming to America" already know that both
Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall portray multiple characters. Their
makeup by Rick Baker was nominated for an Oscar that year.
Beetlejuice won, which I suppose is understandable, but my heart is
with "Coming to America."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Coming to America" was Cuba Gooding Jr.'s first film. He
plays the boy in the barbershop.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Look for Samuel L. Jackson in a small role as the robber who
holds-up McDowell's.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Future "E.R." standout Eric LaSalle shows up as Lisa's
boyfriend.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Comedian and future "Family Feud" host Louie Anderson is
behind the McDowell's counter as the fry cook.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Frankie Faison chomps cigars and chews scenery as Murphy and Hall's
landlord/slumlord.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Akeem's fictional homeland of Zamunda in Africa <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/78669/10-royal-facts-about-coming-america">was
named after Bob Zmuda</a>, who is best known for his association
with <a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2016/07/review-my-breakfast-with-blassie.html">Andy
Kaufman</a>.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Coming to America" contains a great reference to "Star
Wars" (Episode IV): King Jaffe Joffer commands: "Do not
alert him to my presence. I will deal with him myself." In
"Star Wars," Darth Vader orders: "No. Leave them to
me. I will deal with them myself." James Earl Jones portrayed
both characters. He played Jaffe and provided the voice of Darth
Vader.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is also a reference in "Coming to America" to Eddie
Murphy's earlier film "Trading Places": Ralph Bellamy and
Don Ameche reprise their roles as Randolph and Mortimer –
only this time, they're homeless and penniless. Akeem helps them out
by handing them a sizable chunk of cash. Would Murphy's Billy Ray
Valentine from "Trading Places" have been so generous?
Probably not.</div>
</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-61255763003246161172017-05-31T15:17:00.002-07:002017-05-31T15:54:54.891-07:00Small Screen: Why You Should Be Watching The Carmichael Show<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>Influenced by
Norman Lear and Unafraid to Tackle Bill Cosby, Jerrod Carmichael is
Creating Must-See-TV</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-64hDfkQ0FYU/WS9A3uJCg7I/AAAAAAAABdc/x6Uww1yy3N0PDUcsV7nn_GgjSp5OjeH2QCLcB/s1600/carmichaelshow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1435" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-64hDfkQ0FYU/WS9A3uJCg7I/AAAAAAAABdc/x6Uww1yy3N0PDUcsV7nn_GgjSp5OjeH2QCLcB/s320/carmichaelshow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the 1970s, screenwriting and producing legend Norman Lear ruled
the small screen – television – with groundbreaking programming
that explored politics, religion, and <i>life</i> from all angles.
Whether it was Archie and Meathead going back-and-forth about hot
topics on "All in the Family" or a middle-aged woman having
an abortion on "Maude," Lear's shows captured the gritty
reality of America the way few others ever had – or ever have
since. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However,
instead of creating a trend that lasted through the '80s and beyond,
Lear's blunt but nuanced vision of the world disappeared in favor of
more wholesome and "family-friendly" shows like "The
Cosby Show" (which I will get back to shortly), "Full
House" and everything on ABC's "TGIF" block. While I
certainly grew up loving those as well, there was nothing that could
compare to Archie Bunker or "The Jeffersons."
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
2016, I read <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/carmichael-show-season-2-preview-874445">an
article</a> about a show I'd barely heard of, NBC's "The
Carmichael Show," tackling a show we've all seen, "The
Cosby Show." Everyone knows the shocking and sordid <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hannibal-buress-reacts-to-controversial-bill-cosby-joke-2015-7">story</a>
of Cosby's downfall by now: Comedian Hannibal Buress made a "joke"
about Cosby's holier-than-thou attitude toward the young
African-American community, with the "punchline" being that
Cosby is a rapist.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Pull
your pants up black people! I was on TV in the '80s," Buress
mocked, imitating Cosby. "Yeah, but you rape women, Bill Cosby,
so turn the crazy down a couple notches."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
From
there, endless numbers of women came forward stating they'd been
drugged and raped by the '80s sitcom "role model."
Cosby went from being lauded
a hero who could do no wrong – his sterling influence tenuously
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/arts/television/08cosb.html">linked</a>
by "The New York Times" to the rise of America's first
black President, Barack Obama – to an internationally reviled
pariah who made the whole world feel disgusted and ashamed for ever
liking him in the first place.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"The
Carmichael Show" was going to <i>go there</i>. The Season 2
episode – titled "Fallen Heroes" – covered Bill Cosby
from <i>every</i> angle, including the uncomfortable ones. In one
conversation, the characters debated the guilt they felt for being
fans of "The Cosby Show" back in the '80s and the unspoken
lament that his actions had tainted their childhood memories. How do
you reconcile the same man who brought such joy to so many people
with the information we have now? Is it okay, the Carmichaels
questioned, to still be entertained by a brilliant comedian who is so
repulsive in his personal life? Every member of the family had their
own wildly differing – and sometimes taboo – take on Bill Cosby
and "The Cosby Show."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Norman
Lear would have been proud. (Actually, <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/a-conversation-friends-norman-lear-875124">he
is</a>!) The Cosby episode – and "The Carmichael Show" in
general – is <i>exactly</i> the kind of television Lear would have
been writing and producing in the 1970s. It stars comedian and actor
Jerrod Carmichael – playing a character of the same name – with
an incredible cast portraying his family: Loretta Devine and David
Alan Grier as his parents, Amber Stevens West as his biracial
girlfriend (a topic that comes up more than once during the course of
the show), and LilRel Howery and Tiffany Haddish as his brother and
ex-sister-in-law.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After
reading about the Cosby episode, I knew I had to catch up and
binge-watch "The Carmichael Show" from the beginning!
"Fallen Heroes" is but one of the many thought-provoking
topics "Carmichael" covers. In the first two seasons, the
show has memorably debated gentrification ("Gentrifying Bobby"),
depression ("The Blues"), gay and transgender issues
("Gender"), and various other trending topics.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Two
of the most memorable episodes, for me, both took place in the second
season:</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
"The Funeral," the stoic but sometimes blustery patriarch
of the Carmichael clan, Joe Carmichael, is tasked with planning his
father's funeral. Joe's breakdown at the end and admission that his
dad had abused him is powerful, heartbreaking, and absolutely
gut-wrenching. It's one of the finest moments of David Alan Grier's
long and distinguished acting career. (Bonus: Look for "Jeffersons"
alum Marla Gibbs as Joe's mom.)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When
"President Trump" aired, its episode title was both a
jarring shock to the system and apparently ironic – portending an
event that seemingly had no chance in hell of ever happening. At the
time, Trump was just another candidate – albeit one who was
steadfastly gaining momentum. Yet, here we are today: the episode
"President Trump" and President Trump himself are now a
reality.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even
though Jerrod Carmichael is the star of the show, he isn't afraid to
take the unpopular position. Whether it's supporting controversial
gentrification neighborhood overhauls or offensively trolling on
social media, Carmichael's character is okay looking like "the
bad guy." But he remains endearing – just as Archie Bunker
always did, despite his blatant bigotry – because the show always
sprinkles its tough issues with layers of warmth and tenderness.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
No
matter how heated the arguments get, "The Carmichael Show's"
family dynamic is its biggest strength. The Carmichaels are real and
relatable. They have a deep mutual love and respect for each other.
That's why I love them back, even when they're making me mad!<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>The Carmichael Show
airs on NBC. You can watch the first two seasons on Netflix.</i></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-36435883220950751492017-04-28T09:06:00.000-07:002017-04-28T09:09:18.738-07:00Review: The Disappointments Room<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>Well, The Name of
the Movie Certainly Can't be Accused of False Advertising...</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-941QLgfpCdY/WQNn07YzwKI/AAAAAAAABcQ/zNKeLkcdksM1JBDgDbDn9jZ9OEpJUweHgCLcB/s1600/thedisappointmentsroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-941QLgfpCdY/WQNn07YzwKI/AAAAAAAABcQ/zNKeLkcdksM1JBDgDbDn9jZ9OEpJUweHgCLcB/s320/thedisappointmentsroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b>
September 9th, 2016 –
U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
R</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Horror,
Drama, Thriller</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
85 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director: </b>D.J.
Caruso</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writers:</b>
D.J. Caruso, Wentworth
Miller</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
Kate
Beckinsale, Mel Raido, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Duncan Joiner, </span><span style="font-size: small;">Lucas Till, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Gerald McRaney</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
the olden days, well-to-do parents with disabled or deformed children
sometimes locked them away and hid their existence from society. A
less-than-perfect child was considered a source of "shame"
and a "disappointment." They would be imprisoned in a tiny
space – a "disappointments room" – with very little
sunlight and no social interaction outside of parents and servants.
Their lives were often – mercifully – brief.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If
that tragic practice sounds like a terrific setup for a
paint-by-numbers haunted house/ghost movie, congratulations, your
name is D.J. Caruso or Wentworth Miller. (They wrote the screenplay.)
Everyone else will lament the major missed opportunity to tell a
compelling story about one of the darkest customs in American
history.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps
it's unfair of me to fault the movie for what it was never going to
be – especially when I knew going in that it was a psychological
horror thriller, not a historical drama – but the fascinating
concept of a "disappointments room" has so much potential
that's not realized.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here's
what we do get: The movie begins idyllically, with a seemingly happy
family on a road trip – a wife, Dana (Kate Beckinsale), her
husband, David (Mel Raido), and their little boy, Lucas (Duncan
Joiner), buckled safely into his carseat – all singing "If You
Want To Know Who We Are" by Gilbert and Sullivan. As they belt
out the "We are gentlemen of Japan" portion of the song,
the husband basks in the "American" experience they're
enjoying. The wife points out that Gilbert and Sullivan are actually
English. London-born Kate Beckinsale isn't though, at least not in
this movie. That's always a disappointment to me, but she mastered
her American accent to perfection back in 1999's "Brokedown
Palace," so there's no need to shove her in a "disappointments
room" for flexing her linguistic muscles and acting chops.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
it turns out, they're moving from a cramped apartment in the city to
a giant house in the secluded countryside – never a good idea in
this type of film – because Dana lost her infant daughter only
three months after giving birth. Needless to say, she has been
suffering psychological trauma since then. Before long, she discovers
a mysterious room – a "disappointments room," of course –
and starts to see the long-dead previous owner lurking around ("This
Is Us's" Dr. K., Gerald McRaney, whose superb talents are
completely wasted here in a throwaway role) and an ominous black dog
reminiscent of "The Omen." There's also a handyman (played
by the new "MacGyver," Lucas Till) who shows up to fix a
roof leak. His presence seems to serve only one purpose, which I
won't spoil.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've
spent so much time focusing on what "The Disappointments Room"
<i>isn't</i> that I've given short thrift to what it is – a
somewhat enjoyable psychological horror thriller with a decent little
mystery driving it. I had a fair bit of fun watching it. There are
certainly worse ways to spend a couple of hours.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
problem is, though, that the narrative never quite comes together in
a completely satisfying manner. Spooky things happen, and then the
movie is over.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What's
real and what isn't? Ultimately, to the detriment of "The
Disappointments Room," it never actually matters.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-84552083271273662522017-03-03T14:30:00.001-08:002017-03-03T15:11:45.384-08:00Review: Logan<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>A Family Affair</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3k12aiZWrtwfqBE_twrYC8iferrhyRRzXKv4vaVU1OwFe5N78rN_jn2_tk5yFykf09W2aK0vasvVxTFuPRVLL2RWMQxd6feGmYM0OUK7LrtJ4G-eKpDdlOcxtcID2gTWcZ1R88SOZqK0/s1600/logan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3k12aiZWrtwfqBE_twrYC8iferrhyRRzXKv4vaVU1OwFe5N78rN_jn2_tk5yFykf09W2aK0vasvVxTFuPRVLL2RWMQxd6feGmYM0OUK7LrtJ4G-eKpDdlOcxtcID2gTWcZ1R88SOZqK0/s320/logan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="western" style="break-before: page; margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="break-before: page; margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="break-before: page; margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Release Date:</b> March
3rd, 2017 – U.S.
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b>
R</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Action,
Drama, Sci-Fi</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running Time:</b>
137 minutes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director:</b><b>
</b>James Mangold
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writers:</b>
James Mangold, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Scott Frank,
Michael Green</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b>
Hugh
Jackman, Patrick Stewart, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Stephen
Merchant, Elizabeth Rodriguez, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Richard E. Grant, Eriq La Salle, </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Elise
Neal, Quincy Fouse</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My cousin <a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/search/label/Mike%20Sabga">Mike
Sabga</a> (credited
as Michael "3D Mike" Sabga) worked on "Logan,"
which is a hell of a cool thing. IMDb.com lists him as the film's
Video and Computer Supervisor. One look at <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0754650/">his
IMDb page</a> reveals that he's had an <i>incredible</i>
career. His credits range from cinematic classics like "Catch Me
If You Can," "Ocean's Eleven," and the
wonderful <a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2013/05/review-mud.html">"Mud"</a>
to television staples such as "CSI," "CSI"
Miami," and "Brothers & Sisters" (among many
others in both mediums). But "Logan" may represent
the pinnacle of his
numerous
achievements in Hollywood. When I found out my cousin was involved, I
couldn't help but feel immensely proud – and even more excited than
ever to see the movie. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
is appropriate, then, that "Logan" is all about family.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
James
"Logan" Howlett (Hugh Jackman) is older now but not
necessarily any wiser. The ravages of time have not been kind to the
once mighty Wolverine. He has degenerated into a broken down
alcoholic who drives a limo make ends meet. Mutants like
him have become a dying
breed. But they're not totally extinct just yet.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Charles
Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is in even worse shape. He's now 90 years
old and his health is failing. What's more dangerous than a mutant
with full control of his capabilities? A mutant without any control
at all. Seizures cause the former Professor X to unleash his powers
randomly and recklessly. In their younger years, Xavier became like a
father to Logan. The X-Men were their family. That is why Logan still
tends to the old man –
with the help of Caliban (a surprisingly touching Stephen Merchant),
an "albino" allergic to sunlight. I
get the sense that he, like Logan, has become another surrogate son.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Laura
(newcomer Dafne Keen) is an 11-year-old girl in danger. Her caregiver
(played by Elizabeth Rodriguez) begs Logan to protect them both. I
don't think it's a spoiler to mention who Laura's father is. Her
trademark
claws
make that obvious. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m82GHLCWEc0/UY0K6dNQLCI/AAAAAAAAA_w/ufDQssCRnpobRiXMY29S8j8wZAFkmLx1gCPcB/s1600/3dmike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m82GHLCWEc0/UY0K6dNQLCI/AAAAAAAAA_w/ufDQssCRnpobRiXMY29S8j8wZAFkmLx1gCPcB/s200/3dmike.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike Sabga - AKA "3D Mike"<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All
of the actors in "Logan" are top-notch, but it's Patrick
Stewart, in particular, who delivers an Oscar-caliber performance.
It's a shame these types of roles are generally shunned
by the Academy. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
is a much rougher and grittier version of Wolverine. Harsh language,
gratuitous
violence, and graphic
bloodshed dominate several scenes. The
main characters spend most of the film bloody, bruised, and badly
wounded. The
kills look like something straight out of a seedy
slasher flick. "Logan"
is strictly for adults – and I love that!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But
beneath its grimy exterior beats a big (bleeding) heart.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
a series all about mutants and powers, "Logan" may be the
most <i>human</i> superhero
story ever told. Logan and Charles are no longer saving the world –
they can barely save themselves. Despite
their gifts and heroic backgrounds, it's their failings and frailties
that take center stage here. Even Wolverine and Professor X aren't
immune to the realities of aging and the traumas of the past finally
catching up to them.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Think
about the countless superhero
movies we've all seen
over the years. The good ones
have captured our
imaginations,
thrilled us to the very core, and introduced us to worlds and powers
that are quite literally beyond belief.
"Logan" has done something different and more: It caused me
to shed a tear.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2013/05/review-mud.html">Review:
Mud</a></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><a href="http://www.silverscreensurprises.com/2013/05/behind-scenes-of-mud.html">Mike
Sabga: Behind the Scenes of Mud</a></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0754650/"><b>Mike
Sabga's IMDb Profile</b></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706452461432905985.post-30596386670659080492017-02-26T21:37:00.002-08:002017-02-26T22:57:46.870-08:00The 89th Annual Academy Awards: Results and Reactions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>The Most Shocking
Ending in Oscar History?</b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Chris Sabga</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Oscar
Sunday began with the shocking news of Bill Paxton's death at the
young age of 61 after complications from surgery. He was one of my
favorite actors and the highlight of too many classics to name,
including "Weird Science," "Aliens," and my
personal favorite of his, the incredible "Frailty."</i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's
only one way to begin writing about this year's Academy Awards, and
that's at the end. "La La Land" was announced as Best
Picture – and then it wasn't. In a stunning faux pas by presenters
and "Bonnie and Clyde" stars Warren Beatty and Faye
Dunaway, it turns out the wrong movie was named. (They were somehow
mistakenly handed the envelope for Best Actress, which went to Emma
Stone for "La La Land.") Their error was acknowledged –
as the world collectively held their breath and gasped – and then
the actual winner was announced: "Moonlight" scored Best
Picture in one of the most surprising upsets in Oscar history.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInncDEm5b3SfQad5SPNp2kcVp6PrZBGSjqkx4vuoUuwOBLk7zd8xbFwHY0Tkf9D3SMqR0vrSRXMBTxdi7lxclhHoME0Xwt5Hlmh9qXC0hyphenhyphen1ldgRMUJK924RiTRTTpT-vbytVuhVsshBAF/s1600/oscars89results.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInncDEm5b3SfQad5SPNp2kcVp6PrZBGSjqkx4vuoUuwOBLk7zd8xbFwHY0Tkf9D3SMqR0vrSRXMBTxdi7lxclhHoME0Xwt5Hlmh9qXC0hyphenhyphen1ldgRMUJK924RiTRTTpT-vbytVuhVsshBAF/s640/oscars89results.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Before the Show</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
wrote (rather naively, in retrospect): "La La Land" is
expected to sweep this year's votes. With fourteen nominations and
thirteen potential wins (it's nominated twice for Best Original
Song), it certainly has all the momentum going into tonight's
ceremony. Will there be any surprises? (Oh yeah!)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Full
results are listed at the end.</i>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>The Oscar
Ceremony</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Host: </b>Jimmy
Kimmel was consistently funny and entertaining. The stunt with the
tour bus passengers getting a surprise meet and greet at the Oscars
was cute. His "feud"
with Matt Damon also led to many hysterical moments, including a
hilariously over-the-top tribute to "We Bought a Zoo."
Kimmel may have been the best Oscar host in years. He was so good
that I could see him comfortably assuming this role for the next 15
or 20 years.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Oscar Speech:</b>
Viola Davis with stirring words, so beautifully expressed, about lost
dreams and living a life. "Viola's
speeches," Silver Screen Sister gushed, "are as good as her
acting."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Presenters:
</b>According to Silver Screen
Sister, Mark Rylance's comment about women "opposing without
hatred" was the best line of the night. I concur.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
John
Cho and Leslie Mann were also warm and witty in paying respect to
film scientists and technologists – material that would have been
dull in lesser hands.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Moments: </b>The
surprise appearance of the real-life Katherine Johnson, the NASA
mathematician who was depicted by Taraji P. Henson in "Hidden
Figures." Her ovation was heartwarming and well-deserved.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another
unexpected appearance came from Michael
J. Fox as a presenter after Seth Rogen paid tribute to him and "Back
to the Future." It was really nice to see him – and the famous
DeLorean.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
winners of "White Helmets" led a rousing standing ovation in support of Syria.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best Dressed: </b>You're
on the wrong site.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Biggest Surprise:
</b>Besides the unbelievable "twist
ending"? "Hidden Figures" being shut out of every
single category was a bit of an eyebrow-raiser.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Overall: </b>To
Jimmy Kimmel's credit, the lengthy ceremony raced by. This may be the
most fun I've had watching the Oscars in years.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Full Results</b></u></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Picture: </b><strike><span style="text-decoration: none;">La
La Land</span></strike>
Moonlight</div>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Actor in a Leading Role: </b>Casey
Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Actress in a Leading Role: </b>Emma
Stone, La La Land
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Actor in a Supporting Role: </b>Mahershala
Ali, Moonlight
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Actress in a Supporting Role: </b>Viola
Davis, Fences
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Directing: </b>Damien Chazelle, La La Land
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Animated Feature: </b>Zootopia</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Adapted Screenplay: </b>Moonlight</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Original Screenplay: </b>Manchester
by the Sea
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Foreign Language Film: </b>The Salesman (Iran)
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Documentary Feature: </b>O.J.: Made in America
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Original Song:</b>
“City
of Stars,” La La Land
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Original Score: </b>La La
Land
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Cinematography: </b>La La
Land
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Film
Editing: </b>Hacksaw Ridge
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Costume
Design: </b>Fantastic Beasts
and Where to Find Them
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Makeup
and Hairstyling: </b>Suicide
Squad</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Production
Design: </b>La La Land
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Sound
Editing: </b>Arrival
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Sound
Mixing: </b>Hacksaw Ridge
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Visual
Effects: </b>The Jungle Book
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Documentary Short: </b>The
White Helmets</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Animated Short: </b>Piper</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Best
Live Action Short: </b>Sing
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0