The Plaid Silhouette: 2014

Monday, December 15, 2014

2015 Golden Globe Nominations

Best Motion Picture, Drama

Boyhood

Foxcatcher

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Birdman

Grand Budapest Hotel

Into the Woods

Pride

St. Vincent

PHOTOS: The riskiest Golden Globes looks ever

Disney

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"
Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler"
Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Jennifer Aniston, "Cake"
Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"
Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Robert Duvall, "The Judge"
Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"
Edward Norton, "Birdman"
Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"
J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"

U.S. NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS

"Actresses" / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Hersh) — The film follows the relationship between a young, aspiring actress and an established off-Broadway star.

"A.D. 1363, The End of Chivalry" / U.S.A., New Zealand (Director and screenwriter: Jake Mahaffy) — A little-known historical catastrophe leads to the definitive end of the era of chivalry and questing.

"Color Neutral" / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Reeves) — A color explosion sparkles, bubbles, and fractures in this handcrafted 16mm film. Jennifer Reeves utilizes an array of mediums and direct-on-film techniques to create this exuberant, psychedelic morsel of cinema as material.

"Dog Bowl" / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Gordy Hoffman) — A heartbroken girl spiraling through life stumbles upon the true nature of her existence after stealing the vest off of a service dog.

"Hugh the Hunter" / U.S.A. (Director: Zachary Heinzerling, Screenwriters: Zachary Heinzerling, Jesse Soursourian) — This fable, inspired by the artwork of Hugh Hayden, follows a fictitious hunter of the Scottish Highlands on a daylong quest to capture the elusive red grouse.

Premieres Lineup

"Brooklyn"
United Kingdom (Director: John Crowley, Screenwriter: Nick Hornby, based on the book by Colm Tóibín) — 1950s Ireland: Eilis must confront a terrible dilemma — a heartbreaking choice between two men and two countries, between duty and true love. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent.

"Digging for Fire"
U.S.A. (Director: Joe Swanberg, Screenwriters: Jake Johnson, Joe Swanberg) — The discovery of a bone and a gun sends a husband and wife on separate adventures over the course of a weekend. Cast: Jake Johnson, Rosemarie Dewitt, Orlando Bloom, Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick.

"Don Verdean"
U.S.A. (Director: Jared Hess, Screenwriters: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess) — Biblical archaeologist Don Verdean is hired by a local church pastor to find faith-promoting relics in the Holy Land. But after a fruitless expedition he is forced to get creative in this comedy of faith and fraud. Cast: Sam Rockwell, Jemaine Clement, Amy Ryan, Danny McBride, Leslie Bibb, Will Forte.

"The End of the Tour"
U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriter: Donald Margulies) — This story of the five-day 1996 interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace explores the tenuous yet intense relationship that develops between journalist and subject. The two men bob and weave, sharing laughs and also concealing and revealing their hidden vulnerabilities. Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Segel, Anna Chlumsky, Joan Cusack, Mamie Gummer, Ron Livingston.

New Frontier Films
"The Forbidden Room"
Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere.

"Liveforever"
Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) ¬— Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere.

"The Royal Road"
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere.

"Sam Klemke's Time Machine"
Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere.

"Station to Station"
U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere.

"Things of the Aimless Wanderer"
Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between "locals " and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere.

"1979 Revolution Game"
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.

The 2015 Sundance Film Festival today revealed the films playing in the U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Dramatic, World Documentary Competitions, in addition to its Next <=> lineup.

The U.S. Documentary Competition

"3 1/2 MINUTES"

U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. "3 1/2 MINUTES" explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.

"Being Evel"

U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.

"Best of Enemies"

U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.

"Call Me Lucky"

U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.

"Cartel Land"

U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.

"City of Gold"

U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.

"Finders Keepers"

U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.

"Hot Girls Wanted"

U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.

"How to Dance in Ohio"

U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage -- a Spring Formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills in preparation for the dance at a local nightclub.

"Larry Kramer in Love and Anger"

U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.

"Meru"

U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature's harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark's Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.

"Racing Extinction"

U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos ("The Cove") assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.

"(T)ERROR"

U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — "(T)ERROR" is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government's counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.

"Welcome to Leith"

U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota. Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.

"Western"

U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.

"The Wolfpack"

U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.

Laughing at the pain of two siblings who unknowingly attempt to kill themselves at the same time, reunite due to this tragedy after ten years of non-communication. With Kristen Wig in the movie, I was expecting to laugh, but I think the best laughs came from Bill Hader. His role as Milo, A gay actor who's life is know where near what he expected in high school, sets us on a whirlwind of emotions as he tries to cope with being back home after being away for so long.

Knowing this was a Drama with comedic talent left me hopeful but skeptical that it would not be a fish out of water (watch the film to see why I use that analogy) The movie was great. Kristin Wiig was the star she is. Bill Hader was strong in his first dramatic role and the chemistry between these two successful comedians paid off in spades. I believe Luke Wilson will not get his deserved credit in the film due to the role of the leading players, but he was fabulous.

While there isn't much slapstick excitement happening in The Skeleton Twins that would initially get fans of both stars into the theatre, the real comedy comes from the comedic genius and masterminds on the page; screenwriters Mark Heyman and Craig Johnson, who has double duty as director. Offering emotionally wrenching scenes that provide a full dose of clarity to our characters and heart-breaking scenes that could easily be a glimpse into each and every one of our lives, the writing duo opt for a more realistic and fresh look at the troubles plaguing two siblings familial life.

Having read, and enjoyed, Ron Rash's novel I am not sure what I saw on the screen. I don't know who is to blame -- the director, the editor or the screen writer. They did not stick to the book so if you liked the book, this film is not it. The story tries to focus on a seldom exposed setting of the time frame and place combination. There are quite many movies about the depression era, but most of them are movies about mobsters, bootleggers, or at least there is a significant crime and violence portion within them. There are also movies about mountainous country sides and or the logging and timber companies or industries, but none of them takes the specific depression era time setting.

Nevertheless, I think that the story's interesting starting point doesn't really give any warranty that developed story lives up to it. Although the first few minutes of the movie is nicely unpredictable, especially on how the main characters meet and marry, but the rest of the rest becomes very much so right after.

Bier's Serena is the same story boiled down into an unmemorable soap opera fluff cash-grab buddy flick oddly devoid of any chemistry. Not unlike the "expendables" franchise, one gets the impressions that the films main stars are never actually in the same room together. The "surprises" Bier plants aren't surprises if you're familiar with the novel.

Magic in the Moonlight has been largely unnoticed by majority of the general movie-going audience. Yet from the trailers it peeked my interest enough to get me to watch it in the cinema. I expected it to be a good time pass and it was exactly that. I left satisfied but I have the feeling that in time I will not remember much about this movie. It's no surprise that Colin Firth and Emma Stone were the highlight. They have proved themselves time and time again that they are excellent actors, and they continue to be so in their roles.

There is no credible tension or conflict between the leads nor any emotional contact with the cinema goer and they didn't make us laugh either. So, instead of a standard rom-com, we are hit (according to reviewers here)with the "deep question" that was so "deep" it left a bump on my head. What do you expect from a Director/Writer from a country where many consider atheism and atheists to be to be evil. Whatever Woody was saying he said it with a hammer.

Without revealing anything about the plot, the fabrication does have a purpose in the storyline, but it is not working for me. So this feels like the director (who is also the scriptwriter) and actors have been struggling with the script. They were rushing through scenes like when the one guy asks Colin Firth to come with him to unmask this medium, he's like: hey wanna do something for me? Firth: yeah sure. Guy: come to another country with me to unmask this random woman you don't know. Firth: yeah i'm so angry, i'm going to unmask her!

We always knew that "Mr Turner" would not be a conventional costume picture any more than it would be a conventional biopic. It is, after all, a Mike Leigh film and Mr Leigh doesn't do 'conventional'. Of course, he normally concerns himself with the vagaries of contemporary middle-class culture, poking fun at, and then finding the bleeding heart of, the little people who inhabit his very personal world. (Leigh is, perhaps, the only writer/director who can crack us up and break our hearts simultaneously).

"Mr Turner" isn't the first time he has looked to the past nor to real historical figures for his material. With "Topsy-Turvy" he created the world of Gilbert and Sullivan and 'The Mikado'. As musical biopics go it is, perhaps, unique. Now with "Mr Turner" he takes us deep into the life of William Turner, arguably the first great 'modern' painter and almost certainly the greatest of all English painters, and in doing so has created the least stuffy costume picture I have ever seen. Of the several masterpieces Leigh has given us "Mr Turner" may be the finest.

Again, Julianne Moore did a great job to portray a career-minded ambitious woman who suffered the fatal gene inherited from her father, a disease that nothing can be done to stop or cure the dementia, the nickname of the Alzheimer's disease. She got that, then one of her daughter got it past down from her. This year, we got two movies in the same genre, the other one; an also a very good one, "You Are Not You". Both focused on an unlucky, highly educated, very successful woman who suddenly encountered a fatal disease.

This great film has some weak and/or flawed characters development and wrong casting job. Alec Baldwin is the one that definitely a miscast. The role he played got no chemistry with his wife and their children. The role he played to those three children only gave an impression of a step father, a guy who had divorced his first wife then married Alice with three children.

This film is about a woman named Alice played by the great Julianne Moore who has spent most of her life building a successful career as a linguist professor at Columbia while also maintaining a loving marriage and raising three children. The main child that we get to know is Lydia, played very well by Kristen Stewart. She is the youngest child who has moved across the country to Los Angeles in order to pursue a career as an actress.

this movie was a big hit in Cannes maybe because they have Juliette Binoche (as much as I know she is France sweetheart) Kristen Stewart and Chloe Moretz who have their own fandom, and big big fandom. So I got this special opportunity to watch this movie on film festival last week. I was so happy since I can't wait to see it with my own eyes. As a fan of Stewart, hearing good reviews about her in this movie made me want to see it even more.

This was a good movie, to a large extent because of its lead actors. I expected Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart to make a great team, and they did; there was never a moment when I thought one of them was out-acting the other, or drawing attention from the other. They worked in perfect tandem as far as I could see. But the movie is too long. I like the cinematography, Sils Maria is such a beautiful place.

I love Juliette when plays as a desperate woman. Well she does everything great. In this movie she played as a veteran actress with her own personal problem, and then new director asked her to do a remake based on a movie that made her famous. but as the opposite character. The base is great, I mean Maria had their own problems and it would make a strong story but they add more conflict in to it that included Chloe Moretz's character, Joanne Ellis.

2014 Festival Film Indonesia Winners

Festival Film Indonesia 2014 adalah Festival Film Indonesia yang ke-36. Pada tahun ini, penyelenggaraan FFI 2014 mengambil tema Bangga Film Indonesia.Tema tersebut dipilih karena dinilai mampu mewakili semangat perubahan menuju iklim perfilman nasional yang lebih baik.

Pada tahun ini, total keseluruhan film peserta FFI 2014 mencapai angka 386 judul yang terbagi atas lima kategori yakni, Film Bioskop sebanyak 50 judul, Film Televisi sebanyak 81 judul, Film Pendek sebanyak 138 judul, Film Animasi sebanyak 32 judul, Film Dokumenter sebanyak 85 judul. Malam Puncak Festival Film Indonesia 2014 digelar pada 6 Desember 2014 di Palembang. Untuk para pemenang Piala Vidia FFI 2014 malam penganugerahan akan digelar di Palembang, Sumatra Selatan pada 5 Desember 2014, sehari sebelum penganugerahan Piala Citra.

Nominasi Festival Film Indonesia (Piala Citra) 2014 - FULL LIST

The list is hereeee, you might like it, you might now like it. this is the big and most reliable film award in Indonesia. Some are predictable, some are unpredictable. But haven't seen some of the movies. Gonna look for it later. This is the full list

1. Penulis Skrenario Asli Terbaik
- Mari Lari
- Sebelum Pagi Terulang Kembali
- Negeri Tanpa Telinga
- Selamat Pagi Malam
- Tabula Rasa

2. Film Terbaik
- 3 Nafas Likas
- Cahaya Dari Timur
- Sebelum Pagi Terulang Kembali
- Soekarno
- Sokola Rimba

3. Pemeran Pendukung Wanita Terbaik
- Jajang C Noer – 3 Nafas Likas
- Laura Basuki – Haji Backpacker
- Nirina Zubir – Silent Hero
- Jajang C Noer – Cahaya Dari Timur
- Tika Bravani – Soekarno

So this is the full list nominations. I don't understand some nominees, but it's okay. Now, you can expect what happen next after this. I mean all those awards usually similar. Don't get your hopes up if your contenders are not here. because yeah it's a peek-a-boo. and usually it will stay the same, unless something happens. Here is the list :

FEATURE

- "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" - Producers: Alejandro G. Inarritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole

- "Boyhood" - Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland

- "Love Is Strange" - Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy

- "Selma" - Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey

- "Whiplash" - Producers: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

DIRECTOR

- Damien Chazelle - "Whiplash"

- Ava DuVernay - "Selma"

- Alejandro G. Inarritu - "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"

- Richard Linklater - "Boyhood"

- David Zellner - "Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter"

SCREENPLAY

- Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski - "Big Eyes"

- J.C. Chandor - "A Most Violent Year"

- Dan Gilroy - "Nightcrawler"

- Jim Jarmusch - "Only Lovers Left Alive"

- Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias - "Love Is Strange"

FIRST FEATURE

- "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" - Director: Ana Lily Amirpour; producers: Justin Begnaud, Sina Sayyah

- "Dear White People" - Director/producer: Justin Simien; producers: Effie T. Brown, Ann Le, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Lena Waithe

- "Nightcrawler" - Director: Dan Gilroy; producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

- "Obvious Child" - Director: Gillian Robespierre; producer: Elisabeth Holm

- "She’s Lost Control" - Director/producer: Anja Marquardt; producers: Mollye Asher, Kiara C. Jones

Disappointed by this film. I am not the big fan of this franchise, I don't like seeing kids killing each other and all. But I like the first two movies.They kept my attention, with plot and performances intriguing and action-packed enough to get from one scene to the next without a dull moment. . Another movie with disgusting trend, split the last franchise to be 2 parts. WTH. I like the trailer, I was blown away by Jennifer Lawrence and Julianne Moore.

This film begins right where the previous one stopped where Katniss wakes up in District 13 where she was taken by rebels after she destroyed the Quarter Quell arena with her arrow. Katniss becomes the symbol of the rebellion by appearing in incendiary promotional advertisements, but Katniss was angry with them because they left her partner Peeta behind at the Capitol.

Jennifer Lawrence is far and away the best performer in this film. Her face is really rich in unspoken emotions. Josh Hutcherson gets to flex some of his acting muscles more in this one as the brainwashed Peeta Mellark. It was good to see old characters played by Woody Harrelson, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Jeffrey Wright and Sam Claflin, though their roles were very limited here. New to the cast, acclaimed actress Julianne Moore is rather one-note in her performance as President Coin.

As book this is one of my favorite book. But as a movie not so much. that's why not every book needs to be made a movie. because some are not. but some might like this movie tho. Kidman is a perfect choice to play Christine precisely for this reason. Christine is a battered woman who prefers being beaten to remembering anything about who she is. Her amnesia is a metaphor for the loss of self to which abused women consent by remaining with their abusers. Her life is an endless present. In this movie movie she looks dead inside. Perfect

AT first the movie was very exciting and all excellently acted by the three leads, and scripted like a riddle that you keep trying to solve; the one main plot twist is mind-blowing. The twist that Colin Firth did it was pretty obvious from the start as it seemed like the most logical direction to take. The film does what you expect and that is its main problem. But the doctor was very fishy as well, he did a great job that made you wonder he was a bad guy as well.

It gets bored easily, I don't know why. This movie had so much potential with great cast and great plot. i know not the most original plot, but could be something more. I didn't have much expectations but the trailer looked good. The film is about Nicole Kidman who wakes up everyday with no memory of the day before. From the offset you get the feeling there something creepy about the husband... There are lots of movements that I felt were spoiled by a build up a violin music

This is one of the underrated movie this year. I kinda like this movie. Bill Murray gave us a brilliant performance. This movie is a touching story. It is about a boy who befriends a crusty curmudgeon in Vincent (Bill Murray) and discovers some facts of life. But the deeper story is that family is really the friends you choose and the wide cast of misfits are brought together by a mix of circumstances and events. They are lost but then are found. The story also showcases the lost heroes of Vietnam. These veterans are dying off and as a nation we have forgotten their contributions in this senseless war.

This is Bill Murray's best role in many, many, many years. The man is considered a comedy legend and I think we all knew he had range but St. Vincent shows just how great he can be. Vincent is a truly, undeniably despicable human being. There is no way around that. He is completely flawed and that is not only the point but the reason you will love him for it. He's pathetic and the empathy you feel for this man and then by the end you actually understand him.

I was blown away by the actor who played Oliver. It was not an easy role to portray-- he had to be able to connect to the audience with his emotion, capture the character's desire to see past the exterior of a person, and he had to make it believable which he did flawlessly.

Great film. IMO Best picture contender next to Boyhood and Birdman. I was lucky to watch this movie on near movie festival near me as surprise screening. The Imitation Game has Benedict Cumberbatch playing Alan Turing. The film shows various different points of Turing's life: His difficult school life, his triumphs during the war and his conviction for his homosexuality after the war. The film drifts through these various timelines in a non linear way and paints a brilliant portrait of Turing. His conviction following the war could have been focused on more and Keira Knightly is a bit jarring, but TIG is unshaken by its flaws and emerges a triumphant and deeply moving historical drama. Like many Oscar baiting movies it's all about the acting. Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely outstanding as Turing and as far as I'm concerned he's the best actor Oscar front runner for 2014.

The film opens with some very good early scenes, that convey well the upheaval caused by the outbreak of the war. The crowd scenes are nothing new, but as time goes by, it must be harder to get the period details correct. The opening scenes, have that authenticity, as well as conveying the great social upheaval of the war. Not so much exciting, but rather impactful and panoramic.

Finally I've watched this movie, this is one of the movies I wanted to watch since the day the announced it. And the amazing Eddie Redmayne is here. The story of Stephen Hawking and his then wife Jane, apparently based on a book she wrote about it, which probability explains why there was not much science in the movie, not that I'm complaining, as it was a well played film about a difficult relationship.

he movie starts as the Cambridge student Stephen Hawking meets Jane, and although shy at first, eventually they both get close. Stephen soon learns about his illness and decides to shut Jane off from his life. But Jane insisted on him and stated her for him even though knowing the illness will progress and slowly take Stephen away from her. They get married soon after, and Stephen soon graduates his doctoral study, having more interest to cosmological physics. Jane stands by Stephen as the illness progresses, impairing his locomotion, balance, speech and even swallowing. They have two children and Stephen's work starts to gain spotlight. But little by little, Jane starts to loose her spirit, though she doesn't reveal it.

Eddie Redmayne plays Stephen Hawking brilliantly; delivering a performance that is, at times, so very delicate and at other times fueled with confidence. The wit characteristic of Hawking is presented perfectly and his disease, including the gradual loss of his ability to speak, is handled with respect. Not once is there a moment of overacting, and we are reminded that there is a fully functioning and genius mind within a debilitated body. Felicity Jones plays Jane Wilde beautifully, showing us the strong commitment and inevitable weariness faced by someone in her position.

The Lunch Box (2014)

The film is just a story about a man who is going to retire. He is aging. Due to a mistake in the lunchbox delivery system he gets the lunchbox from a woman who is trying to re-conquer her husband by cooking special lunches for him. An epistolary relation starts via the lunchbox: message to and message fro. Till a meeting becomes possible. But it is then the aging man discovers he has no right to entertain some illusion about that younger woman, nor nurture illusions in her about a rejuvenating love affair which is nothing but a compensation for her inability to have a relation with her own husband. And he has no right to flatter his ego with the idea that he might still be young, to the point of maybe not retiring after all.

The trailers were so appetizing! Who wouldn't have been hungry enough to watch one of the most awaited films around this time of the year? 'The Lunchbox' seems to have it all to be a good film: actors like Irrfan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the appeal of seeming like a well told story.

There are elements of lazy writing that the writer-director Ritesh Batra has chosen when one of the lead characters is looking for an outlet to convey her thoughts to the audience. Ila then communicates with a neighborhood Aunty (Bharati Acherekar) who is never seen on screen. Both these ladies seem to discuss everything that happens with each other the whole day. After a while, when you hear Nimrat Kaur's character say 'aunty' for the umpteenth time, you would burst into laughter.

I watched Before I Disappear when it screened at Jakarta International Film festival this past weekend and also fell in love with the short film version, Curfew, when I saw it after it won the Oscar for best live action short film.

Another fascinating movie from SXSW, one I wasn't sure I would enjoy but walked out of the room with a few tears streaming down my face, which never happens to me in cinema. Shawn Christensen's direction in this film was positively extraordinary.

Christensen plays the lead role as well as directing, and while he's good in front of the camera, it's behind the camera that's really what impresses me. The style and flow of the short was good, but he does so much more here, and there's a very strong visual presence in so many scenes that it really sticks with me. This includes not only some of the more fanciful parts, like an expanded version of the music number from the short to simple shots, like the phone on the floor at the start of the film.

Winter sleep. Finally I’ve watched this movie, this movie won Palm d’Or awards at Cannes this year. Winter Sleep is a masterpiece by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, a film shining with literary eloquence and incisive social criticism. Most of movie scenes happened inside village houses, a lot of talking between character. It tells a story, with an old actor turned into hotel owner, his young wife, other villager who are his tenants, different people have their own social character.

This is the kind of film where not much happens, but your jaw drops at every scene because Ceylan has filmed reality better than most of us live it. It is honestly quite scary. Most of our lives mutter on without us ever reflecting on it, properly anyway, because we don't really get the chance. However, when you watch Winter Sleep you can see a part of yourself in pretty much every character. You understand every person's actions in the film and there is no greater exemplification that, at least between the three main characters, the line of good and bad is ever so blurred. Everyone has their reasons, everyone has good intentions, but yet people just cannot get along harmoniously because they are naturally different.

Winter Sleep is a film that I respect massively, I probably have to say though, that I respect it more than what I actually enjoyed it. It's a huge, colossal film that nearly owns it's two hundred minutes, even if it was way too much for my numbing back and drained energy. It's a film that will surely only be appreciated by a small amount of people, Nuri Bilge Ceylan has gained in me a follower but I don't believe he will make many friendships with main audiences who will soon discard such a long, slowly paced Turkish drama. It is a challenging film that ultimately rewards its audience with some powerful images and palpable strain. The audience in the theater seemed to be in awe, me I was simply left satisfied and with a huge respect for the piece.

If I Stay - Review (2014)

I'm going to make it fast tbh. I'm extremely disappointed with this movie. i couldn't wait to watch this movie. ut when this movie couldn't make it into my theater, I was a sad potato. The movie fails to express any real, palpable emotions. In some defining parts of the movies, where you should start getting some feelings, I rather felt annoyed by awful sound effects, terrible acting and depressing transitions.

Chloe Grace Moretz is one of the best actress on her generation, she is beautiful and very talented. But in this movie she is very disappointed me. And the others acting were MEH. It's not that she didn't stay true to the book, she just didn't act very well at all. The actor who played Adam was terrible as well.

I love the book, the book is very weepy, but the movie is not that much.. It's very disappointed. The book is way better than this movie. And when they cast Chloe i thought she would be really good. and The CGI was MEh as well. Such as Adam's band not being called "Shooting Star"; a lot of Adam trying to get into the ICU to see Mia being cut; the film trying to instill a bit more hope in Mia's family surviving the car crash than there is in the book, as well as more drama in Adam and Mia's relationship; and then there are general cuts you recognize had to be done. Things like us seeing how Mia and Kim became friends; seeing Kim's mom; the lead up to Mia's grandpa taking her to her Julliard audition; and a lot of the back stories including Willow's and her grandparents.

You know awards season has started when there's already winners from awards show that is not anything MTV or Nickelodeon. And this was my first time watching Hollywood Film Awards, because it was the first time HFA aired on CBS. And i couldn't wait.

So this is the full winners of that awards

Hollywood Film Award
Gone Girl
Hollywood Actor Award
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
Hollywood Blockbuster Award
Guardians of the Galaxy
Hollywood Documentary Award
Mike Meyers (Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon)
Hollywood Actress Award
Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
Hollywood Career Achievement Award
Michael Keaton
Hollywood Animation Award
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (DreamWorks)
Hollywood Comedy Film Award
Chris Rock (Top Five)
New Hollywood Award
Jack O'Connell (Unbroken)
Hollywood Ensemble Award
Foxcatcher
Hollywood Director Award
Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)
Hollywood Song Award
Janelle Monae ("What is Love," from Rio 2)
Hollywood Screenwriter Award
Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl)
Hollywood Breakout Performance Actor Award
Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award
Jean-Marc Vallee (Wild)
Hollywood Supporting Actress Award
Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)
Hollywood Breakout Performance Actress Award
Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars)
Hollywood Supporting Actor Award
Robert Duvall (The Judge)

Nightcrawler - review (2014)

I watched this on midnight show and no regret at all. And funny story my friend thought this movie was about Marvel's character lol. Didn't know this movie was director by the first timer. But it was amazing. This was an interesting film and has tension, a slick dialogue and good pace. Jake delivers a solid performance in a character that makes you pretty uncomfortable throughout the film.

The film starts with the premise of a young man struggling to find work, following the idea: "If you want something, go get it." While that may seem trite and uninteresting, the extra mile is taken here into making a very interesting and sometimes disturbing two hours. And Jake Gyllenhaal fits this role. I always thought he had this creepy psychopath personality.

Jake Gyllenhaal absolutely amazes me in this role. You simply cannot look aways from the screen, especially while he is talking. I would not be surprised if he wins the Oscar for best Actor. There are more than a few scenes in this movie that will give you chills. The story was very good as well, very well written movie. The acting from each role was good, but Gyllenhaal stole the show for sure.

So after the very serious movie and awards contenders film I choose to watch this cute cartoon. I like this film, it's really sweet and amazing and smart movie. This film is not FROZEN... it is not filled with songs or magical snowmen, but this film has something else, it has family, friends, action , drama, and most of all a big robot named Baymax who will examine your funny bone and sense of humor . The film shows what kind of magic Disney can do with super hero's . The story is fast paced for the most part and the laughs and entertainment are high flying, that is if you like heights , but if you don't its OK because this movie knows how to get down also.

Great animation, story, characters, humor, technologies that we might as well see in the near future. It's Disney meets Marvel which produces a very good kid's movie. For me this is one of the best cartoon I have watched. It had the emotion of Finding Nemo and UP. There are a few sad parts with the climax being fairly sad for a cartoon.

Interstellar - review (2014)

Wow, just wow. Nolan did it again. confusing science movie with big stars. Right off i should say I love Nolan. I adore most of his movies, and Interstellar is no exception. It is a marvelous piece of work whose visuals will be hard to forget. Even thought it's not in my top 3 Nolan's best film list (Momento, The Dark Knight and Inception still the best). But it's Nolan's movie, we will probably understand his mind after 123 years later

I was madly waiting for Interstellar's release. And finally I have watched it, twice. It was incredibly exciting. It was a delight. It was unforgettable. he once again, amazes us with work. The fiction is on point, i mean we can really understand it's fiction, without being smart. But's it's really amazing. Some critics don't like it. but me as movie goer, really like. i watched it for entertainment purpose. but BAm he confused me and forced to watch this movie again.

The plot is original. and it was really good. i love how the characters are growing.the movie is about that time when earth is dying. it was thought-provoking. Many questions were raised. What would life on earth be like if our climate runs amok? What happens to government when we all have to live hand-to-mouth? Are "they" out there communicating with us? An yeah this movie makes Gravity looks a like a vegetable on sale.

And when people say Nolan can't do emotional scene, you are wrong dude. This movie had so many emotional scene, and the best relationship in this movie was the relationship between Copper and his daughter Murph.And once again Miss Chastain never fails us with his dramatic scene. And tell me something that McConaughey can;t do. Because he can do everything from comic to very serious man. That scene when He received a message from his son and how his son told him about everything and then he was being 23 years old was heartbreaking. the way he cried, Oh my god.

And I love how the didn't show us the take off scene, it's unnecessary, but tbh i really wanted to see that scene on this amazing camera. But lets be honest, It was not hat important. instead of doing the dramatic take off Nolan did a heartbreaking scene when Cooper left his family and his daughter cried so hard. This was very heart breaking scene. But i felt like he rushed it, like how Coop and Murph found NASA and then NASA told him a very heavy decision and how he rejected but then the next scene he was doing it and left his family behind.

This is a welcome surprise. Who would have thought Keanu could play such a cool character with that much conviction? He does a perfect job here, displaying the right attitude and making sure every shot hits its target. It's all very simple. He's a grieving widower, and one arrogant and spoiled jerk comes and messes with him. By doing so, Wick is forced out of retirement because someone has decided to ruin his late wife's legacy.

First of all, if you don't like violent, revenge driven crime dramas, this movie is not for you, so don't post about it. If you are like 80% of the rest of the world, you are going to LOVE this movie. Slick editing and direction make it beautiful to watch. Incredible choreography make it fun, and Keanu makes it real!

I am not a big Reeves fan but you do not have to be to enjoy this film. Unique fight scenes and a talented supporting cast made this film a treat. This is a film to enjoy on the big screen. Music selection also made various scenes more enjoyable. Just a well groomed picture with a load energy and smart dialog. You will not be disappointed.

The Grand Budapest hotel (2014)

Thought I have written the review for this movie since it's one of my favorite movie in this year. It's really beautiful and great film. I haven't seen many of Wes Anderson's films, I think I only watched Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr fox . I think I've seen. I don't remember much, as it's been a while since either, but the one element that remained with me was the incredibly unique style of the filmmaker.

Hilarious, thoroughly entertaining and completely enjoyable. Wes Anderson has a great eye for detail and it shows in his shots - symmetry, complimenting colors and many perspectives. It was such a refreshing movie, and I was constantly pausing the movie to look at the small details like newspapers and backdrops. This movie blew me away

Wes Anderson lays the lipstick on in buckets in his latest pastel pig featuring a cast of big names (Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Ed Norton etc) who rather than get into character simply attend this costume party long on name dropping and quite slim plot wise.

Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) , head concierge at the Grand Budapest Hotel

and member in good standing with the legion of Crossed Keys is known far and wide for his close attention to detail and the extras (gigolo) he provides to one foot in the grave dowagers who check in.. Ralph Fiennes is a big factor in the central role. Until now, he has generally been thought of as a very serious actor, with gravitas and dignity aplenty, and imo he did a really good job in this movie. and Lord he deserves Oscar nom for his role, he brings grace and more than a touch of sophistication to his charming and comic role but the rest of the cast is mass caricature that wears thin after initial contact

Rebecca is one of the world's top war photographers. She must weather a major emotional storm when her husband refuses to put up with her dangerous life any longer. He and their young daughters need Rebecca, who, however, loves both her family and her work...

The never failed and never ugly and always talented La Binoche strikes again. the great war photographer Rebecca (Juliette Binoche), living in Ireland, when she's home, that is. Because her relationship with her family is faltering due to her dangerous work, and many days away from home. She follows suicide bombers in Kabul, and rampage killers in Africa. Her husband is a marine biologist (Nicolai Coaster-Waldau), and he is very tired of her not being there, even when she's home. This is also affecting their two daughters.

Griping drama about a war photographer who is caught between choosing her family or her work. Which we learn is a lot more complicated than we initially thought. The cast did a believable portrayal of the difficulties that people encounter in life between their passion and family. What I liked especially about this film was that the lead was not portrayed as some war hero and her story was not romanticized. The story and characters all felt realistic and convincing since the characters were different shades of gray. Something that is amiss these days within film making. There is always a need to create a struggle between good and evil.

This is a beautiful animated film. Very unique in comparison to other animated films out there. I loved that it had funny parts - for adults as well as kids - but it isn't a silly comedy. It is a gorgeous, epic folkloric tale of family, tradition and finding your own way.

The Book of Life is a refreshing new animated tale about Mexican folk beliefs, especially the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), a day where families and friends gather to pray for and remember their loved ones who have died. Aside from its basic themes about love, family and friendship, The Book of Life features some mature, darker ones such as life and death, pursue your dreams, never forget those who have passed on and never stop looking forward to the future at the same time, always be yourself and never lose sight of who you are. The plot is done with enough wit, charm, humour and sincerity that makes it an enjoyable ride.

One thing that especially makes me so excited about this movie is also that it isn't based on white western culture, honestly it gets so tiring seeing the same old Disney girl falls in love with boy thing. And its really nice to see something that is so different in its visual and setting choices, and also seeing them do it in a way that isn't offensive.

The final moments of Anton Corbijn's latest film A Most Wanted Man are both gratifying and poetic. Starring an impeccable cast that includes the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, and Robin Wright, the film is based on the novel by John le Carré, and is a tension-driven and smartly paced thriller ride that makes a mark as one of the year's best rides.

Hoffman carries the film with a calm, but engaging performance. He can go from a charming man to cold hearted bastard in seconds. His German accent is very well done. Robin Wright is also good as Martha Sullivan, the American representative of the film. Willem Dafoe continues a good streak in movies this year

The story is interesting and some scenes are pretty involving and suspenseful. The directing is adequate, for a film like this, but I'm not a big fan of the genre. Like many espionage thrillers, especially those from the same writer, the movie is extremely slow paced and hard to follow (I only fully understood what was going on, in the film, after reading a detailed synopsis). I might have a bias towards this type of movie but, for me, this one is pretty boring. With that said it is well made (for this type of film) and Hoffman is outstanding in the lead (I'm really going to miss him); his German accent sucks but so do all of the fake accents in this movie. Fans of the genre will probably like it a lot more than me and it is a good tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman.

My sister has been waiting for this movie for like forever. she loves romance and zombie. She is addicted to Warm Bodies, so yeah I was curious about this movie, especially Dane Dehaan is here

The trailer for Life After Beth had me so excited. The cast alone was a treat. Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Paul Reiser, Matthew Grey Gubler and Aubry Plaza. For any offbeat comedy, that's a can't miss. Even better for me was the film they were all in was a horror comedy. The trailer came off like a rom-zom-com in the vein of Shaun of the Dead. I was all on board. It took me forever to come across the film but it didn't play out like I thought it would be.

Zombies are definitely at the point of super saturation in the horror market with The Walking Dead and numerous movies. Life After Beth is yet another entry into the zombie comedy subgenre and also into the rom com zombie subgenre similar to Warm Bodies that came out last year. However, this movie has a great cast of comedic actors so I had some solid expectations for it. Surprisingly, this movie ended up being a very mediocre zombie rom com which is very disappointing.

I seriously liked this movie. Reviews were really good, but it really was much better than I anticipated. It is filled with love, and conflict, and loss which is all portrait in a perfect combination of comedy and drama. This movie will have you laughing out loud one minute and crying the next. I think it is a beautiful film that was beautifully written and filmed.

At first it's the casual laughs and uh-huh moments that have you laughing, only then to curve ball and hit you with raw emotion. As the emotion builds, one finds themselves helplessly drawn toward the characters and the deeper the film gets the more magnetized everything becomes. from the jokes to emotions to jokes to emotions works extremely well throughout the duration of the film.