Category
|
Nominees
|
Prediction
|
My Vote
|
Best Picture
|
Ford v Ferrari
|
||
The Irishman
|
✔
|
||
Jojo Rabbit
|
|||
Joker
|
|||
Little Women
|
|||
Marriage Story
|
|||
1917
|
✔
|
||
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
|
|||
Parasite
|
|||
Directing
|
The Irishman
|
✔
|
|
Joker
|
|||
1917
|
✔
|
||
Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood
|
|||
Parasite
|
|||
Best Actor
|
Antonio Banderas
|
||
Leonardo DiCaprio
|
|||
Adam Driver
|
|||
Joaquin Phoenix
|
✔
|
✔
|
|
Jonathan Pryce
|
|||
Best Actress
|
Cynthia Erivo
|
||
Scarlett Johansson
|
|||
Saoirse Ronan
|
|||
Charlize Theron
|
✔
|
||
Renee Zellweger
|
✔
|
||
Best Supporting
Actor
|
Tom Hanks
|
||
Anthony Hopkins
|
|||
Al Pacino
|
|||
Joe Pesci
|
|||
Brad Pitt
|
✔
|
✔
|
|
Best Supporting
Actress
|
Kathy Bates
|
||
Laura Dern
|
✔
|
||
Scarlett Johansson
|
✔
|
||
Florence Pugh
|
|||
Margot Robbie
|
|||
Best Original
Screenplay
|
Knives Out
|
||
Marriage Story
|
|||
1917
|
|||
Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood
|
✔
|
✔
|
|
Parasite
|
|||
Best Adapted
Screenplay
|
The Irishman
|
||
Jojo Rabbit
|
✔
|
||
Joker
|
|||
Little Women
|
✔
|
||
The Two Popes
|
|||
Best Original Score
|
Joker
|
✔
|
|
Little Women
|
|||
Marriage Story
|
|||
1917
|
|||
Star Wars
|
✔
|
||
Best Original Song
|
Toy Story 4
|
||
Rocketman
|
✔
|
✔
|
|
Breakthrough
|
|||
Frozen II
|
|||
Harriet
|
|||
Best Cinematography
|
The Irishman
|
||
Joker
|
|||
The Lighthouse
|
|||
1917
|
✔
|
✔
|
|
Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood
|
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Oscar Predictions (2020)
Having seen a good majority of nominees this year, I'd like to predict what films will end up with the highest award of the season tomorrow.
Friday, February 7, 2020
Oscar Nominees (2019) - Review Roundup
I fell behind on reviewing the Oscar nominated movies, so instead of having rather long-form opinion pieces, I'll try to present a roundup of the best picture nominees and nominees from a few other categories in a few sentences.
Best Picture Nominees:
Ford V Ferrari: Fantastic acting, practical effects, a true story that is stranger than fiction. One of the best movies of the year hands down. But not on top of the podium. Sure worth a watch in the theatres.
The Irishman: One of the best movies of the decade, and hands down the best movie of the year. Detailed review is available here.
JoJo Rabbit: Taika Waititi (director of Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows) is one of the most creative minds in Hollywood. A satirical take on World War 2's German culture and a very realistic take on what makes us human. I take my hat off to Taika for his brilliance.
Joker: A masterpiece that I don't want to see more than once. Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix present a nuanced take on one of the most troubled fictional characters in history. Seeing it (only once) is a must! A detailed review is available here.
Little Women: A feminist story that was revolutionary in 1860's. Luckily, we have progressed much farther than that today, and seeing three sisters fighting for the affections of one rich pretty boy is not as empowering today as it might have been two centuries before. Besides the dated story, Greta Gerwig (the director)'s decision to make time jumps back and forth only hurt the movie. Despite the general apprehension to criticize the movie for the fear of being called a misogynist, it was one of the worst movies of the last decade.
Marriage Story: Noah Baumbach's (director, screenwriter, producer) real life divorce from his ex-wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was depicted in this melodrama. One cannot comment Baumbach on his creativity (as he just retold what had happened to him), but still he told a compelling, relatable, and moving story. It sure is worth your time and emotional investment.
1917: A technical marvel of cinematography. Unless you have ancestors who fought in the great war, you may not feel a direct connection to any of the protagonists. But still, for the technical achievements, it certainly is worth a watch.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood: A love letter to Hollywood and filmmaking. Tarantino the director is at his very best in constructing beautiful long shots and getting the best performance from his actors. Tarantino the writer, however, has written a fan fiction with inconsistencies, non organic tonal changes, and unearned subversion of expectations. Brad Pitt certainly deserves a best supporting actor Oscar! Full review is available here.
Parasite: Bong Joon Ho (the director and screen writer) criticized the western audience for their fear of reading subtitles. I, personally, am not afraid of reading, but still believe reading subtitles takes away some of the attention that you should have given to performances and other visuals that the filmmakers wanted to present. Regardless of how much attention I managed to give to Parasite visually, I found it a role model in character development. The less you know, the more you would enjoy the movie, so I will refrain from any plot summaries or synopses. What I would is say is that Bong Joon Ho plays with your emotions like no other. He makes you care, despise, care, and then despise those characters over and over again. It is also a very fresh and realistic take on the culture in developing countries where there is no middle class. It did not stick the landing in my opinion, but still, it certainly is an accomplishment in creative story-telling.
Other Nominees:
The Two Popes (Best Leading and Supporting Actor): Based on real life events, Anthony Hopkins delivers a nuanced performance that is despising yet heartwarming at the same time. Jonathan Pryce also portrays Pope Francis unlike any of Pryce's previous roles. The movie is boring whenever it does a flashback (which is almost 40% of the screen time), but when those two actors are on the screen, it's hard to think about anything else!
Bombshell (Best Leading Actress): I have been a fan of Megyn Kelly for the better half of the decade. Charlize Theron had a Herculean task of portraying her. Adam McKay (the director) also had a difficult job of presenting an event that was fresh in everyone's memory. Theron did a magnificent job at portraying an influential character in the recent pop culture. McKay had some inconsistencies though. The characters break the fourth wall in the first 10 minutes of the movie and directly talk to the audience, but then they forget the audience for the rest of the movie. Even the cinematography changes from more hand-held present-in-the-moment style to a third-person omniscient invisible observer. Still, worth a watch.
Judy (Best Leading Actress): Rene Zellweger portrays Judy Garland - a former child actor who suffers from substance abuse - masterfully. Besides the acting showcase of Zellweger, the rest of the movie is a let down.
Toy Story 4 (Best Animated Feature): Still a good animated movie, but far from Pixar's best. It did not ruin the legacy of the franchise (unlike Game of Thrones, Star Wars Rise of Skywalker, or Terminator Dark Fate), but it was certainly far from what the franchise had delivered in the past.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Music - Original Score): An underwhelming effort that left audience neither shaken nor stirred. Full review here.
Rocketman (Original Song): A fun sing-along experience. Bohemian Rhapsody was more nuanced, but still, Taron Egerton should be commended for his portrayal of Elton John.
Frozen II (Original Song): Paint by the number sequel, with some impressive visuals (water and jungle animated in hyper realistic 3D models), but the title song, "Into the Unknown" was nowhere close to what "Let It Go" did culturally.
Avengers: Endgame (Visual Effects): A marvel (pun intended) of story telling and universe building as the culmination of a 22-movie saga. Particularly, when you see how the other franchises (Star Wars, Terminator, Game of Thrones) failed in concluding their stories, you'll appreciate Avengers even more. Far from a transformative experience for the uninitiated, but still a major achievement. Full review here.
Knives Out (Original Screenplay): A classic whodunnit reminiscent of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle's work. Great acting, smart plot twists, and good pacing. I wouldn't consider it ground-breaking by any means, but worth streaming it from the comfort of your couch at home.
Best Picture Nominees:
Ford V Ferrari: Fantastic acting, practical effects, a true story that is stranger than fiction. One of the best movies of the year hands down. But not on top of the podium. Sure worth a watch in the theatres.
The Irishman: One of the best movies of the decade, and hands down the best movie of the year. Detailed review is available here.
JoJo Rabbit: Taika Waititi (director of Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows) is one of the most creative minds in Hollywood. A satirical take on World War 2's German culture and a very realistic take on what makes us human. I take my hat off to Taika for his brilliance.
Joker: A masterpiece that I don't want to see more than once. Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix present a nuanced take on one of the most troubled fictional characters in history. Seeing it (only once) is a must! A detailed review is available here.
Little Women: A feminist story that was revolutionary in 1860's. Luckily, we have progressed much farther than that today, and seeing three sisters fighting for the affections of one rich pretty boy is not as empowering today as it might have been two centuries before. Besides the dated story, Greta Gerwig (the director)'s decision to make time jumps back and forth only hurt the movie. Despite the general apprehension to criticize the movie for the fear of being called a misogynist, it was one of the worst movies of the last decade.
Marriage Story: Noah Baumbach's (director, screenwriter, producer) real life divorce from his ex-wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was depicted in this melodrama. One cannot comment Baumbach on his creativity (as he just retold what had happened to him), but still he told a compelling, relatable, and moving story. It sure is worth your time and emotional investment.
1917: A technical marvel of cinematography. Unless you have ancestors who fought in the great war, you may not feel a direct connection to any of the protagonists. But still, for the technical achievements, it certainly is worth a watch.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood: A love letter to Hollywood and filmmaking. Tarantino the director is at his very best in constructing beautiful long shots and getting the best performance from his actors. Tarantino the writer, however, has written a fan fiction with inconsistencies, non organic tonal changes, and unearned subversion of expectations. Brad Pitt certainly deserves a best supporting actor Oscar! Full review is available here.
Parasite: Bong Joon Ho (the director and screen writer) criticized the western audience for their fear of reading subtitles. I, personally, am not afraid of reading, but still believe reading subtitles takes away some of the attention that you should have given to performances and other visuals that the filmmakers wanted to present. Regardless of how much attention I managed to give to Parasite visually, I found it a role model in character development. The less you know, the more you would enjoy the movie, so I will refrain from any plot summaries or synopses. What I would is say is that Bong Joon Ho plays with your emotions like no other. He makes you care, despise, care, and then despise those characters over and over again. It is also a very fresh and realistic take on the culture in developing countries where there is no middle class. It did not stick the landing in my opinion, but still, it certainly is an accomplishment in creative story-telling.
Other Nominees:
The Two Popes (Best Leading and Supporting Actor): Based on real life events, Anthony Hopkins delivers a nuanced performance that is despising yet heartwarming at the same time. Jonathan Pryce also portrays Pope Francis unlike any of Pryce's previous roles. The movie is boring whenever it does a flashback (which is almost 40% of the screen time), but when those two actors are on the screen, it's hard to think about anything else!
Bombshell (Best Leading Actress): I have been a fan of Megyn Kelly for the better half of the decade. Charlize Theron had a Herculean task of portraying her. Adam McKay (the director) also had a difficult job of presenting an event that was fresh in everyone's memory. Theron did a magnificent job at portraying an influential character in the recent pop culture. McKay had some inconsistencies though. The characters break the fourth wall in the first 10 minutes of the movie and directly talk to the audience, but then they forget the audience for the rest of the movie. Even the cinematography changes from more hand-held present-in-the-moment style to a third-person omniscient invisible observer. Still, worth a watch.
Judy (Best Leading Actress): Rene Zellweger portrays Judy Garland - a former child actor who suffers from substance abuse - masterfully. Besides the acting showcase of Zellweger, the rest of the movie is a let down.
Toy Story 4 (Best Animated Feature): Still a good animated movie, but far from Pixar's best. It did not ruin the legacy of the franchise (unlike Game of Thrones, Star Wars Rise of Skywalker, or Terminator Dark Fate), but it was certainly far from what the franchise had delivered in the past.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Music - Original Score): An underwhelming effort that left audience neither shaken nor stirred. Full review here.
Rocketman (Original Song): A fun sing-along experience. Bohemian Rhapsody was more nuanced, but still, Taron Egerton should be commended for his portrayal of Elton John.
Frozen II (Original Song): Paint by the number sequel, with some impressive visuals (water and jungle animated in hyper realistic 3D models), but the title song, "Into the Unknown" was nowhere close to what "Let It Go" did culturally.
Avengers: Endgame (Visual Effects): A marvel (pun intended) of story telling and universe building as the culmination of a 22-movie saga. Particularly, when you see how the other franchises (Star Wars, Terminator, Game of Thrones) failed in concluding their stories, you'll appreciate Avengers even more. Far from a transformative experience for the uninitiated, but still a major achievement. Full review here.
Knives Out (Original Screenplay): A classic whodunnit reminiscent of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle's work. Great acting, smart plot twists, and good pacing. I wouldn't consider it ground-breaking by any means, but worth streaming it from the comfort of your couch at home.
Birds of Prey (2020) - Review
As a direct sequel to Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey does a soft reboot of the franchise and presents an experience that can be best described as a teenage girl's acid trip. Is it a fun ride? Yeah, it could be... But as much as it tries, it sure does not redefine the genre.
The movie starts with an animated recap of Harley Quinn's background as an orphan who becomes a psychiatrist, falls in love with her most dangerous patient - the infamous Joker - and then breaks bad. For fans of the character who have followed her development since her first appearance in the Batman The Animated Series in 1992 - co-created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini - this Harley is a post #MeToo reincarnation of the character who demands reparation from everyone for all the bad things that her ex-boyfriend has done to her. She is still a uniquely complex comic book character who can be best described as a female Joker-Deadpool hybrid.
Birds of Prey is produced by Margot Robbie, and as the boss, of course it is her show! She is probably in more than 80% of the scenes and to be fair, she does a great job at presenting a fresh take on the character. As cartoony as Harley is, she is still a three-dimensional character. The other players in the game (Huntress, Rene Montoya, Orphan, and Black Canary) are just there to support Harley - even though the movie's title is named after them.
I don't have much to say, except that it is a high-octane, action-packed movie that does not push the envelop of neither action movies nor comic book adaptations by any means. But it is worth a viewing when it hits the streaming services. For me, Birds of Prey was a 6/10.
The movie starts with an animated recap of Harley Quinn's background as an orphan who becomes a psychiatrist, falls in love with her most dangerous patient - the infamous Joker - and then breaks bad. For fans of the character who have followed her development since her first appearance in the Batman The Animated Series in 1992 - co-created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini - this Harley is a post #MeToo reincarnation of the character who demands reparation from everyone for all the bad things that her ex-boyfriend has done to her. She is still a uniquely complex comic book character who can be best described as a female Joker-Deadpool hybrid.
Birds of Prey is produced by Margot Robbie, and as the boss, of course it is her show! She is probably in more than 80% of the scenes and to be fair, she does a great job at presenting a fresh take on the character. As cartoony as Harley is, she is still a three-dimensional character. The other players in the game (Huntress, Rene Montoya, Orphan, and Black Canary) are just there to support Harley - even though the movie's title is named after them.
I don't have much to say, except that it is a high-octane, action-packed movie that does not push the envelop of neither action movies nor comic book adaptations by any means. But it is worth a viewing when it hits the streaming services. For me, Birds of Prey was a 6/10.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - Review
Offering a satisfying conclusion to a nine-episode saga is a difficult and unenviable task that Rise of Skywalker had to undertake. With a lot of corporate oversight - classic example of too many cooks spoiling the broth - the writers and director delivered a product that did not resonate with the majority of Star Wars fans.
Steering clear of spoilers is almost impossible, but I will do my best to review this movie in abstract terms:
Rise of Skywalker is two movies crammed into one. It's fast-paced, yet feels slow. After the fan backlash on Episode 8: Return of the Jedi, Disney tried to undo some of the developments from that movie. Hence, the first half of Rise of Skywalker is course correction. I myself did not like Return of the Jedi at all, but it at least had a handful of spectacular nerd-gasmic scenes. Rise of Skywalker, unfortunately, doesn't even have that silver lining.
My biggest problem with this movie, and all the other sequels (e.g., the new Terminator movie), is that they tarnish childhood nostalgia and good memories that we had by rewriting the past. In the particular case of Episode 9: Rise of Skywalker, we see (spoiled in the trailers) the return of Emperor Palpatine. The fact that Palpatine is still alive, means that Anakin Skywalker (the redeemed Darth Vader) was NOT the promised Chosen One... His sacrifice did NOT bring balance to the force - the balance did not even last for a full generation... He did NOT end the Sith... Hence, there is no end to the struggle between Jedi and Sith. It is an inevitable fate that is going to repeat itself over and over and over again. There is no finality to the story, which negates the significance of any victory or conclusion.
Jenny Nicholson, a Youtube personality, has listed all the flaws of Episode 9 masterfully. Therefore, instead of repeating a subset of those points, I'll just embed her analysis below:
I understand why Hollywood doesn't take risk in new intellectual properties (IP) and wants to invest in what is proven to sell. I wish they rebooted the Star Wars or Terminator IP - like how we have a new Batman every decade, and it does not affect what the previous ones meant. Or if they made these movie franchises procedural like James Bond movies where every movie is just a new standalone mission.
All said, Rise of Skywalker has to be seen by everyone who has followed the franchise. It is just an Okay movie worthy of a 6/10.
Steering clear of spoilers is almost impossible, but I will do my best to review this movie in abstract terms:
Rise of Skywalker is two movies crammed into one. It's fast-paced, yet feels slow. After the fan backlash on Episode 8: Return of the Jedi, Disney tried to undo some of the developments from that movie. Hence, the first half of Rise of Skywalker is course correction. I myself did not like Return of the Jedi at all, but it at least had a handful of spectacular nerd-gasmic scenes. Rise of Skywalker, unfortunately, doesn't even have that silver lining.
My biggest problem with this movie, and all the other sequels (e.g., the new Terminator movie), is that they tarnish childhood nostalgia and good memories that we had by rewriting the past. In the particular case of Episode 9: Rise of Skywalker, we see (spoiled in the trailers) the return of Emperor Palpatine. The fact that Palpatine is still alive, means that Anakin Skywalker (the redeemed Darth Vader) was NOT the promised Chosen One... His sacrifice did NOT bring balance to the force - the balance did not even last for a full generation... He did NOT end the Sith... Hence, there is no end to the struggle between Jedi and Sith. It is an inevitable fate that is going to repeat itself over and over and over again. There is no finality to the story, which negates the significance of any victory or conclusion.
Jenny Nicholson, a Youtube personality, has listed all the flaws of Episode 9 masterfully. Therefore, instead of repeating a subset of those points, I'll just embed her analysis below:
I understand why Hollywood doesn't take risk in new intellectual properties (IP) and wants to invest in what is proven to sell. I wish they rebooted the Star Wars or Terminator IP - like how we have a new Batman every decade, and it does not affect what the previous ones meant. Or if they made these movie franchises procedural like James Bond movies where every movie is just a new standalone mission.
All said, Rise of Skywalker has to be seen by everyone who has followed the franchise. It is just an Okay movie worthy of a 6/10.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
6 Underground (2019) - Review
6 Underground is a bombastic Bay-hem born out of Michael Bay's creatively bankrupt brain that violates your visual and auditory sensors to the point of numbness.
I can't call 6 Underground the worst movie of the year, but certainly the worst utilization of talent and budget. The cast could have led or supported any other movie much better, but in 6 Underground, people just yell and quip (lamely) for two hours straight. The plot is thinner than a strand of hair, with the only saving grace of the production being its stunts department. They did their best to use practical driving and parkour effects, but Michael Bay's 10 cuts/second made me dizzy and somewhat nauseous.
In the age of good blockbusters (e.g., all the Marvel movies), 6 Underground has a much harder time meeting anyone's expectations. Maybe 25 years ago, the Bay-hem was fresh and appealing, but in 2019, Netflix's 6 Underground is a 2/10 at best.
I can't call 6 Underground the worst movie of the year, but certainly the worst utilization of talent and budget. The cast could have led or supported any other movie much better, but in 6 Underground, people just yell and quip (lamely) for two hours straight. The plot is thinner than a strand of hair, with the only saving grace of the production being its stunts department. They did their best to use practical driving and parkour effects, but Michael Bay's 10 cuts/second made me dizzy and somewhat nauseous.
In the age of good blockbusters (e.g., all the Marvel movies), 6 Underground has a much harder time meeting anyone's expectations. Maybe 25 years ago, the Bay-hem was fresh and appealing, but in 2019, Netflix's 6 Underground is a 2/10 at best.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Irishman (2019) - Review
Martin Scorsese came under a lot of scrutiny for claiming that Marvel (and all the other comic book) movies are not cinema. I myself found it impossible to find a definition of, let alone make one up for cinema. But I'm quite certain about one thing; Martin Scorsese has been delivering masterpieces one after another since early 1970's. Human creativity and ingenuity is finite and everybody reaches their plateau at some point, but the quality of Scorsese's work hasn't dropped yet. Irishman might even be his best work to date!
Irishman tells the life story of Frank Sheeran (the narrator) from late 1950's to early 2000's. The movie is based on a book written by Frank's lawyer who documented his retelling of his life and interactions with real people who played somewhat significant roles in American history. Whether this narration is reliable or not is beyond anybody's comprehension. The historians have not reached a consensus on what actually transpired with regards to this story, and there is no objective truth. What we see, however, is a deeply grounded story of an outsider's journey in a foreign land: an Irish man who works at the front line of Italian Mafia in New York and Philadelphia and his dealings with a political figure of Dutch and German origin.
How much of it is true? I really don't care! I care that I witnessed 50 years of one person's life in a span of 3.5 hours. I had the privilege of spending time with fascinating characters who I could understand, sympathize, and sometimes despise. The acting, music, visuals (even the de-aging effects), cinematography, and the edits were top-notch! I highly doubt if anybody could have done a better job (even by the smallest margins).
I just have high praise for a magnificent viewing experience that made me care about the characters, with a story that made sense, and pacing that was a joy from beginning to end. Building up expectations is only going to lead to disappointments, but in all honesty, Irishman was the best movie of the decade for me. I would happily give it a 15/10!
Irishman tells the life story of Frank Sheeran (the narrator) from late 1950's to early 2000's. The movie is based on a book written by Frank's lawyer who documented his retelling of his life and interactions with real people who played somewhat significant roles in American history. Whether this narration is reliable or not is beyond anybody's comprehension. The historians have not reached a consensus on what actually transpired with regards to this story, and there is no objective truth. What we see, however, is a deeply grounded story of an outsider's journey in a foreign land: an Irish man who works at the front line of Italian Mafia in New York and Philadelphia and his dealings with a political figure of Dutch and German origin.
How much of it is true? I really don't care! I care that I witnessed 50 years of one person's life in a span of 3.5 hours. I had the privilege of spending time with fascinating characters who I could understand, sympathize, and sometimes despise. The acting, music, visuals (even the de-aging effects), cinematography, and the edits were top-notch! I highly doubt if anybody could have done a better job (even by the smallest margins).
I just have high praise for a magnificent viewing experience that made me care about the characters, with a story that made sense, and pacing that was a joy from beginning to end. Building up expectations is only going to lead to disappointments, but in all honesty, Irishman was the best movie of the decade for me. I would happily give it a 15/10!
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