Suite Française (2014)

The movie tells the story of a french girl with a strict mother in law who falls in love with a Nazi officer. Well, the movie is not the cheesy love story between two people who simply cant and mustn't be together. Is way more than this. It's about the cruelty of the war and how everyone copes in the end, even if that means they have to give up on love or love the wrong people. The moral battle between the two main characters, who are stuck between their love and their loyalty to their country and people.

This is a rare thing nowadays and brings to mind the great heyday of romance in the Seventies. 'Suite Française' is set in Nazi occupied France during the start of World War II. You will therefore be crying with powerful and furious emotion. Michelle Williams is at the fore front of this film; gladly she does not fail or let the production team down in any respect. She plays a French Villager  called Lucile Angellier. I say this statement with doubt as last time I checked French people did not speak English as their first language. Her overbearing mother is played with severity by Kristin Scott Thomas. She outright leads her daughter's life for her and plays a prominent role in all of her decisions, whether they be little or large. Their village becomes ruled and dictated by German soldiers, some much more brutal than others. There are different personalities and beliefs to each of them. This is great to see, because it paints a broader and larger painting. It shows us that not everyone can be placed definitively into a category.

Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)

The fourth film adaptation of author Thomas Hardy's classic 1874 book, of the same name. This one was directed by Thomas Vinterberg  and it was written by David Nicholls. The film stars Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge and Juno Temple. It tells the story of an independent woman, living in Victorian England, that juggles romantic relationships with three different men. I think it's a well made film, but it's also (somewhat) emotionally shallow.

Bathsheba Everdene is an independent farm owner, living in Victorian England. She first attracts the attention of a sheep farmer, Gabriel Oak (Schoenaerts), who proposes to her, before she inherits her farm. Although Bathsheba likes Gabriel, she doesn't wan't a husband, so she turns him down; breaking his heart. After Bathsheba inherits her land, and Gabriel's life takes a turn for the worse, she employs him at her farm. She later attracts the interest of two more suitors; a wealthy, but older, bachelor, named William Boldwood (Sheen), and a military Sergeant, named Frank Troy (Sturridge).

Lost River (2015)

Lost River marks the directorial and writing debut of Ryan Gosling and stars Christina Hendricks, Iain De Caestecker, Matt Smith and Ben Mendelsohn. This is one of the weirdest film I've ever experienced in my life. It's introduced as a Fantasy but some aspect of this film such as the setting: this fictional Detroit feels so real. This movie doesn't make any sens; for the most part it is not cohesive, the narrative structure is flawed and broken but the images, the cinematography and the score are all great and thoughts provoking.

Ryan Gosling directing in the movie was meh, and the whole time I noticed he worked on the visuals and the look of the movie which by the looks great but still I felt the focus was only on that and not the whole film, I might be wrong or not. Being an actor that many people like the easiest thing for Gosling would've been to direct a mainstream film, but I give him credit for trying to make an artistic film that will be appreciated by a select group of people.

Black Sea (2015)

After 11 years of working for the marine salvage company Agora, Captain Robinson (Jude Law) is unceremoniously dismissed. The corporation claims they don't need a submarine pilot anymore – let alone a submarine. Having worked on U-boats for 30 years (and in the navy for 15), Robinson has no other skills and isn't content scraping by at the likes of a fast food restaurant. He's even lost his wife (Jodie Whittaker) and son to his demanding career. Several of his coworkers, including the perpetually tipsy Kurston (Daniel Ryan), have also been fired.

Black Sea is an independently funded British thriller, about a submarine with a hull full of gold and the captain who wants to reclaim it. You can tell where Black Sea plans to go from the outset, there is something clandestine about Roberson, his destiny is written in the stars and ultimately the film is about him. It's about his thirst for gold, his decisions and his want for redemption, all of which is perfectly articulated by Jude Law, who seems to be getting more talented with every film he makes.

2015 Academy Awards Winners

ITS HERE FINALLY!!!!

See below a full list of winners from the 87th Academy Awards, announced Sunday at the Dolby Theater. The show, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, aired live on ABC. “Birdman,” “Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Whiplash” came out of the event as big winners.

Best Picture
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole, Producers (WINNER)
“American Sniper” Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan, Producers
“Boyhood” Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland, Producers
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, Producers
“The Imitation Game” Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman, Producers
“Selma” Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
“The Theory of Everything” Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten, Producers
“Whiplash” Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster, Producers

2015 Writers Guild Awards Winners Announced

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK – The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) tonight announced the winners of the 2015 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio, promotional, and graphic animation categories at simultaneous ceremonies at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City.

FILM WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness; Fox Searchlight

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Imitation Game, Written by Graham Moore; Based on the book Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges; The Weinstein Company

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, Written by Brian Knappenberger; FilmBuff

Citizen Four (2014)

Approached by CITIZENFOUR, journalists Glenn Greenwald and Ewen MacAskill along with documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras fly to Hong Kong in the summer of 2013 to meet with the man who ended up being Edward Snowden to discuss and divulge secret information regarding covert surveillance programs run by the NSA and other intelligence programs of American and international citizens.

The documentary is a thrilling and terrifying account of the actions that transpired before, during and after the groundbreaking reports were leaked and the turn of events by the American government. This review of CITIZENFOUR is not going to be a debate regarding the right or wrong of whistle-blowing or the government collection of data. That discussion can be saved for when someone mentions that they have seen CITIZENFOUR and an debate-like argument will indubitably ensue. This review will try to focus, as much as it can, on the scope of its impact and effectiveness of the film as a documentary.

The Last Five Year (2015)

Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan do the best they can with this film. It's not a bad film per se, but it jumps around a lot in the story which can make it hard to follow at times. I get why they did it. To show contrast between the high points in their relationship vs the low points. However, as I said it isn't always easy to follow, plus some of them don't make sense.

I am going to be honest in general avoid films that are 95% singing .At all costs. I started watching the last five years without the knowledge it was mostly singing and almost turned it off when Anna Kendrick started singing the opening song. and I am glad I didn't turn it off. although the film had its flaws I did enjoy watching it.

The Wedding Ringer (2015)

My Thoughts: From the moment I saw the trailer I knew I wanted to see this movie. Though I will admit I was a little worried. Kevin Hart has been pumping out movies like crazy and sadly not all of them have been good or all that funny. Sometimes he seems to focus to much on height jokes and it gets overused.

But that is not the case in The Wedding Ringer, yes there are a few height jokes in there but only a few and then we move onto other jokes and gimmicks. I was also worried because I was not the first one of my friends to screen this movie and all I kept hearing was how great this movie was, how funny it is, and that they couldn't stop laughing. .

Kevin Hart is Kevin Hart in this movie. And frankly, that's exactly who we want him to be. He's an intelligent, talented man who seems pretty grounded in real life. And let's give him credit as the hottest crossover comedian around. I went to an afternoon matinée and every patron in the theater was White. I have to admit that at some point I would like to see Kevin Hart do a straight dramatic role. It's clear he could handle it.

Beyond and Light (2014)

You might think this is just another love story. Although it has every aspect of one in it the main theme here is much more sophisticated. This movie is about living a lie. Being somebody you don't want to be and about meeting the one that can help you to find yourself. The real you. Beyond the lights shows the sociological and psychological tricks in the showbiz and how fake it actually is.

The story focuses on Noni, an British female R&B singer of mixed race parents who struggled against a heavier burden of competition with the racial prejudice on her. Now all grown up, she has made it in the USA, a famous and successful singer, now the girlfriend of a famous rapper. But she feels she's only being taken advantages of and not being considered as a person. After winning an award one night, she instead tries to commit suicide by jumping from her apartment balcony. A police officer Kaz, who was replacing a friend for a bodyguard detail, steps in and helps her from falling. Although Kaz initially avoids Noni because he was forced to lie at a subsequent press conference, they eventually become close. Kaz convinces Noni to be more courageous and stand up for herself, to have her boyfriend treat her better, and to insist that her songs be included in her next album. She musters up courage and softly breaks up with the rapper. Noni and Kaz then hook up and become a couple.

Cake (2014)

I was completely engrossed by Jennifer Aniston's performance. Like many I am a huge fan of friends and Aniston is barely recognisable in comparison. The story is gritty and compelling. In spite of Claire's character not being very nice you can't help but like her, even before you find out about the tragedy she has suffered.

Heard a lot about Jennifer Aniston's performance before I watched the movie and I didn't really trust on what people said. She always had the same type of roles and I honestly thought she could only be funny. I couldn't be so wrong. This is definitely the best role she has played. In every moment she was feeling pain, she acted it so real that I felt I was feeling pain as well. The movie itself is pretty good too. I personally love movies that don't show a journey or a very specific beginning, plot and end, but just a moment in the character's life where nothing gets fixed, like portrait.

Song One (2014)

Fresh off her Oscar winning performance and infamous on screen haircut in Les Miserables, Anne Hathaway stars in this infinitely smaller film from writer/director Kate Barker-Froyland. A Sundance Film Festival entry, the movie winds through the clubs, coffee shops and second hand stores that make up the indie music scene in northern Brooklyn.

Ben Rosenfield ("Boardwalk Empire") plays Henry, the kind of musician so enamored with his own folk sound that he is willing to play for pocket change in the subway tunnels. Failing to adhere to mother rule #1, Henry pays the price for not looking both ways prior to crossing a street in front of a New York cabbie. Next thing we know, he is comatose in a hospital bed. Henry's mom (Mary Steenburgen) beckons wayward daughter Franny (Anne Hathaway) home from her worldly pursuit of a Ph.d in Anthropology.

The Nicholas Sparks-like teary tropes are there: For instance, her folk singing brother, Henry (Ben Rosenfield), is in a coma while her mother (Mary Steenburgen) is eccentric and Franny (Hathaway) has been estranged from her and her brother . Enter heartthrob folksinger James Forester (Johnny Flynn), who sings sexy naturalistic songs and wins doctoral candidate Franny's heart.

Top Five (2014)

"Top Five" is the latest film from funnyman Chris Rock. Rock, who pulls quadruple-duty here as writer, producer, lead actor and director, assembles an all-star cast in this subversively insightful tale about a comedic actor having a midlife crisis on the eve of the debut of his latest film.

The film concerns Andre Allen (Chris Rock), one of the most famous comedy actors in the business today after doing three consecutive comedies revolving around the character of "Hammy the Bear," which had Allen dressed in a large, realistic bear outfit. At this point in his career, Allen wants to forget about "Hammy the Bear" and focus on his new film "Uprize," concerning the slave rebellion in Haiti, which is proving to be an uphill battle to market and convince audiences this is a new direction for the actor.

"Top Five" reminds one of "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)," another film released this year about an actor trying to disregard his previous film roles as a superhero in favor of a more grounded, serious project, in this case, a play he desperately wanted people to see, connect with, and positively receive. "Top Five," like "Birdman," is also a film about dealing with one's critics, regardless of whether or not they are professional or everyday individuals that comment on your work positively or negatively.

A Most Violent Year (2014)

This is going to be one of those films that a lot of people aren't going to like. Not because it's a bad movie, but because the title and the trailer make it sound like it's going to be violent and action filled, that its not. J.C. Chandor (All Is Lost) directs a movie that would be better suited to the decade that the film takes place, as I fear it will be lost in the instant gratification era that we live.

J.C. Chandor seems to be evolving into a filmmaker to be reckoned with now that he has three fantastic movies under his belt that are all very different from each other. Chandor now tackles the gangster crime genre with this tale about the pursuit of the American Dream and the sacrifices we have to make to make it become a reality that concludes in churning out a fantastic crime thriller that echoes classic films like Casino and Goodfellas, but with a very grounded touch.

The acting in this film is excellent all around. Oscar Isaac plays a likable lead as he tries to remain legitimate in the heating oil industry. His plight is fascinating so I rooted for him to see him succeed. Jessica Chastain is amazing as well as Isaac's mob connected wife as she delivers a powerful performance while not going into stereotype. Albert Brooks is great as well as the dare I say it intimidating lawyer and David Oyelowo as the DEA trying to take Isaac down and thankfully does not fall into a stereotype.

Dear White People (2014)

This social satire is about being a black face in a white world. It follows four black Ivy League students and what they go through day to day to either fit in or just be noticed without it dealing with race. They deal with their own demons and dealing with the color of their skin, not only with their white classmates.

The film goes as fair as a militant who is mixed and trying to find herself and where she fits in, her white side or her black side, the token black guy, who happens to be gay, the daddy's boy, doing everything his father wants him to do and not what he wants to do for himself and the bougie black girl who wants to be white and not accepting her blackness because she would be consider ratchet if she would be loud and cuss people out. Justin Simien, the director hit the end of the film with a full on black face, hip-hop party.

The film was very thought-provoking and quite entertaining. I felt very connected with a few of the characters and had a growing discontent feeling with some as well. I really enjoyed Lynol's character and his development through the first and how his voice become stronger. I didn't quite care for Sam and her radical news, and same goes for Reggie. I felt bad and sympathetic towards Troy and even Kurt, but there are so many in that position.

Inherent Vice (2014)

After such masterpieces like Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and There Will Be Blood, it's hard not to expect A LOT from every film coming from the mind of Paul Thomas Anderson. So obviously the standards were pretty damn high going into his newest film Inherent Vice, an adaptation of the Thomas Pynchon novel of the same name about a stoner private investigator who is investigating the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, as well as a slew of other mysteries and disappearances that coincide with one another amid a cavalcade of characters whose names, careers, and orientations get a little bit tough to keep up with.

Inherent Vice isn't a bad movie by any means. I can only think of 3 reasons why some speak ill of this drug-fueled comedy/mystery/crime film. 1. The Characters: While main characters Doc, played by Joaquin Phoenix and Bigfoot, played by Josh Brolin, give award worthy performances, some might say that the supporting cast is too all over the place. While some people like Martin Short give scene- stealing performances, others like Reese Witherspoon have little to offer. 2. The Plot: The plot not only carries the movie, but even I think that it has flaws. New plot points keep getting added throughout and some don't go anywhere. Even the main plot seems to get lost in a sea of other issues leading to many unanswered questions. 3: Paul Thomas Anderson: No no no. I'm not saying he didn't do a good job with this movie. It's just that when audiences saw that his name was attached, it seems that their expectations went through the roof.

Unbroken (2014)

Greetings again from the darkness. Louis Zamperini was a true American hero and his life story is epic and legendary. The son of Italian immigrants, young Louie easily found trouble, and only the efforts of his older brother and a local police officer allowed him to discover inner strength through his talent for distance running. As a 19 year old, Louie ran in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and later enlisted in the Air Force and served as a bombardier during WWII. After a horrible plane crash, he spent a grueling 47 days adrift at sea in a life raft, until rescued/captured by the Japanese. Zamperini served as a Prisoner of War, where he was subjected to immense physical and psychological torture, until the war finally ended.

Given the true life inspirational story and the truly heroic events of its featured character, the film can best be labeled a mild disappointment. It is extremely impressive to look at, but somehow lacking in emotion … despite some excruciatingly uncomfortable moments. The film strives for the level of historic epic, yet its conventional tone and approach leave us wondering what's missing. The single most effective and emotional moment occurs in a short clip of the real Louis Zamperini running as an Olympic torch bearer at age 80 for the 1998 Olympics (in Japan!).

Selma (2014)

This movie had a great cast, great story, and was very entertaining and well written. David Oyelowo, although a tad inconsistent early on, elevated to another level when he transformed before your eyes to a dynamic and vulnerable Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. Toward the end of the movie, his performance was so strong, if he was not actually shown on the screen, you couldn't tell if if was an old recording of MLK or David Oyelowo himself.

It's probably hard for young people to believe that segregation and race hatred were the norm in our nation just 50 years ago. (Yes, the South was worse than other parts of the country, but segregation was everywhere.) We now take it for granted that everyone has the right to vote, and that we can have an African-American President.

"Selma" shows us how this progress came about. It came about because of the incredible bravery of African-American people, and because of the astute tactics of the leaders of the civil rights movement.

Birdman (2014)

Where should I begin? Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will go down as one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live. Birdman is one of the most creative films I've ever seen.

The plot involves a washed up actor named Riggan(Michael Keaton) trying to put on a stage play, in an attempt to revive his career. This is the most impeccable casting I've ever seen. Keaton, of course has a career that parallels Riggan's, playing a superhero and becoming more obscure once that ended over 20 years ago. The characters we meet along the way are equally interesting. There's Mike Shiner(Edward Norton), an actor who is perfect on the stage and anything but off it. Riggan's daughter Sammy(Emma Stone), who was neglected by her father and became addicted to drugs. Riggan's ex-wife(Amy Ryan) is also interesting in the way she so easily lets him manipulate her.

Its also a bit like watching a Quentin Tarantino production. The support characters are very strong, and creates a series of tense moments and scenes. You start to wonder... What's going to happen in this scene? Whats going to happen in the next few seconds? The subtext about advantage of ignorance is also good, and works at several layers. As are the outrageous scenes, most of which are confined in the tunnels of a Broadway theater. Its fast paced in many parts, with fast dialogue. So it can a bit hard to catch, for those not familiar with English. Which is interesting considering the writer/director's first language is Spanish.

2014/2015 Awards Season Calender

October 2014

23 - Gotham Award nominations announced
30 -  Britannia Awards (BAFTA LA)

November 2014

3 - British Independent Film Award nominations
15 - Governors Awards
19 - Screen Actors Guild Award nomination ballots mailed
25 - Independent Spirit Award nominations announced

December 2014

1 - Gotham Awards2- National Board of Review vote and announce winners
3 - Directors Guild Award nomination voting opens
7 - British Independent Film Awards
8 - AFI Awards announced8 - Screen Actors Guild nomination ballots due
10 - Screen Actors Guild Award nominations announced
11 - Golden Globe Award nominations announced
13 - European Film Awards
29 - Academy Award nomination voting opens

January 2015

2 - ACE Eddie Award nominations announced
5 - Producers Guild Award nominations announced
5 - Art Directors Guild nominations announced
6 - National Board of Review Awards Gala
7 - BAFTA nominations announced
8 - Academy Award nomination ballots close
11 - Golden Globe Awards
12 - Directors Guild of America voting deadline
13 - Directors Guild of America nominations announced
15 - Academy Award nominations announced
23- Final Screen Actors Guild ballots due
24 - Producers Guild Awards25 - Screen Actors Guild Awards
30 - American Cinema Editors' ACE Eddie Awards31 - Art Directors Guild Awards

February 2015

2 - Academy Nominations luncheon 
6 - Academy Award final voting begins 
6 - Directors Guild of America final ballot deadline
7 - Directors Guild of America dinner, winner announced8 - BAFTA Awards
14 - Writers Guild Awards
21 - Independent Spirit Awards
22 - Academy Awards ceremony