Time of the Season

OSCAR SEASON!

We've seen ALL NINE of the nominees for Best Picture.  PHEW.  It was a beautiful and stressful time.  We traveled some distance to see them all, but it was worth it.  What I have experienced over all nine movies is struggle, is growth, is human.  Hollywood, I'm super impressed.  I can't think of a better list to round out the best of the year.  

So, in my last post, we still had three to go!  Let's review!



PHILOMENA

 

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  A woman reveals after 50 years that she had given birth in a convent when she was younger and teams up with a cranky journalist to try and find her lost baby.

This was a very sweet movie that leaves you with a very depressing taste in your mouth.  Some parts were very funny, other parts were innocent, other parts made you angry, other parts made you cry.  It was the whole range, here.  It was pretty much the classic story of two very different people put together in an extreme circumstance and the evolution of the two of them working towards a common goal.  In this case the common goal was trying to find Philomena's lost baby, who was taken away from her when he was very little.  

You see, Philomena grew up in Ireland and wound up pregnant.  She was sent to live in a convent where her baby was born, then put up for adoption and she could do nothing about it.  It's a true story!  So finally after all these years, she goes on a mission to try and find her son.  And this journalist, Martin, has recently been fired from a very well-off job and is trying to get back in the swing of things... so he decides he wants to do a human interest piece, and the two set off together.  Really beautiful story.  Very well done.  Very enjoyable to watch, also very enjoyable to discuss afterwards.  It gets you talking about religion, morals, family, etc, and you get a glimpse into this woman's life that has been so painful for her, and in time, also becomes painful for you.  

After seeing this movie you'll have a pretty serious discussion on forgiveness and acceptance.  It will be very moving.  And in time, we will all have to determine whether or not we're a "Martin" or a "Philomena."  I'm a Martin.  Ben's a Philomena.  Watch it to figure that one out.



12 YEARS A SLAVE

 So.  I did not want to see this one.  

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  Soloman, a free, well-off, family man living in 1840's Saratoga, NY, is drugged, kidnapped, sold into slavery and is not free again for 12 years.

Okay.  Where do I begin?  I think this movie is going to do real well at the Oscars.  It definitely has a shot at Best Picture.  But, I knew it was going to do well before I even saw it.  

Did I mention this is also a true story?  Soloman's book, '12 Years A Slave,' was published in 1853.  I find this absolutely incredible.  I LOVE this fact.  I love it.  I guess I just feel like so many movies are based on books that were written like, 10 years ago.  It's not like, "oh this was a bestseller, now let's make it into a movie," type deal.  It's like, someone read this book, thought, "wow, what an amazing story... this would make a good screenplay," and went from there.  Nicely done, folks.

Having said that... I have never considered walking out of a movie theater before, until I was sitting watching 12 Years A Slave.  "Watching," is a loose term here, as I had to turn my head away many times.  Not even just close my eyes, but physically turn my head away.  

Also, crying.  I think the last time I cried so hard during a movie was Dancer in the Dark.  It was one of those, 'I don't think I'm ever going to stop crying' movies.  And not just once, not just at the end, or in the middle, but EVERYWHERE.  I think three separate times during the movie, on the way home, and at least once about an hour after it was finished.  It was just SHAMEFUL.  It HURT to watch this movie.  It hurt to watch the brutal violation of every human right over and over and over.  It wasn't even the violence, it wasn't even that graphic, it was the treatment.  I could not stand watching humans being treated so wrongly.  SO WRONG.  What a hard slap in the face, humanity, for allowing this to go on.  Embarrassing, America, real embarrassing.  

If you plan on seeing 12 Years A Slave, please know this it is not a movie to see for entertainment.  There is nothing light about this movie.  And still, the fight for civil rights and equality would continue for over 100 years after this movie ends.  Heck, the fight is still going on.  

Also, viewers tip:  After the movie ended the whole audience just sat.  It was as though no one could fully process what we had just seen.  Everyone just sat.  For awhile.  It probably took a good two hours after the movie ended to feel like I had transitioned back into real life.  Probably a good two hours.  Good thing we caught the 6:30p show and not the 9p, because I probably wouldn't have been able to sleep that night.  Don't expect to be okay after watching this.  


That being said... let's talk about THIS LADY:

 

This lady is Lupita Nyong'o and not only is she nominated for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years A Slave, but SHE... is a Hampshire grad!!!  Kerianne informed me IN THIS VERY BLOG of her status as a Hampshire alum and I was in awe.  I had ALREADY been in awe of her every time I have seen her in an awards dress, such as this one pictured above.  Um, this is pretty much the EXACT dress I would pick out if it were on the rack in front of me.  Of course, they don't put dresses like this on a rack.  

And, not only is she a Hampshire alum, but she was there when I was there!  She was the year above me!  DAT SHIT CRAY!  I mean, right?    That link takes you to the Hampshire page congratulating her on her nomination!  And there's a pretty kick-ass video where she talks about her time at Hampshire!  It's SO COOL.  Oh, I think it's so cool.  I love Hampshire and I love everyone who went there.  I will TOTALLY be rooting for her on Sunday night!  

:)

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

 (I made this photo the biggest size because.. well.... ahem... no reason I guess.... hehe.)

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  New-to-the-game stockbroker Jordan works his way from the very bottom to the very top, but not without scandals, swindling, sex, and lots and lots of illegal substances.  

I'm not sure if this will be categorized "a drug movie," but.. it's got a PRETTY GOOD shot.  If you're not thinking at least three times during this movie, "man, how are these guys still alive?" then something is wrong.  

First of all, this is a three-hour movie, so once you're in, you're IN.  It's fast, it's loose, it's intoxicating, it's LEO.  OOOOOHHHHHHH LEO.  If we didn't already know how good he looks in suits, we do now.  And, what a great performance.  I don't know why I was feeling surprised at how well the acting was, considering it's Leo... I guess I was just kind of assuming it was a role that anyone could have played.  An "American Hustle J-Law" type role.. but it wasn't.  Ben put it real well when he said something like, "the character grows so much over the movie, and probably a lot of actors would have played it all in separate parts, but Leo made him grow while still keeping all the other parts."  And I was like, ".... YEP."  

And this - ALSO based on a true story!  Crazy!  We've been learning all sorts of stuff about real people without having to read books!  :)  ha, JK.

It was a crazy movie.  It was a bro movie.  Leo and the Bros.  Alternate title.  But for real, things were happening and they were just insane.  There was so much money being thrown around everywhere.  These bros were LAVISH.  They treated themselves and did not feel bad about it.  They broke the law, they broke people's trust, they cheated on their wives, they were high in front of their children and they did not feel bad about it.  

The writing was phenom.  There were some pretty long, dialogue heavy scenes that did not feel long and dialogue heavy because it just felt like you were watching normal people talk to each other.  I suppose that speaks to the writing and the acting.  I would say it has a GREAT chance at Best Adapted Screenplay.  

Yeah, great movie.  I think we all enjoyed it.  I just can't wrap my head around Leo winning an Oscar.  It seems too good to be true and the Academy as let me down OH so many times.

We'll just have to wait and see!  (Go Leo!)

Alright, we've seen all the movies, now let's just wait for the show.  I'm very excited, very nervous and I really feel that with all these movies, it's anyone's game.  Yeah, pretty much anyone's.  All the movies were just spectacular and I really enjoyed watching them all.  I would definitely recommend in future years that everyone see all the nominated films.  I feel like I'm going into the Oscars with a much better handle on things than in years past.  And, not only have we seen all the Best Picture nominees, but in those lies the Best Actor nominees.  I think that's pretty cool.  

Now, all we gotta do is wait for Sunday night!!!!  Tune in!  I won't be live-blogging or anything (although that's a good idea for the future!), but we'll all be there in spirit.  And I'll prob do a recap post, although possibly not as complex as in years past.  Those posts would LITERALLY take me a whole day.  

So, take care, lovelies!  Enjoy the Oscars!  Go out this weekend and see any last minute shows!!  Go rent Dallas Buyers Club next week when it comes out on video!  Rent Captain Phillips this weekend!  I hear Gravity is OnDemand!  Educate yourselves on the best films of the year.  You'll find yourself transported by every scene, empathetic to every character and enriched by every story.  This year is not to be missed.

Enjoy!

<3,

Captain Julie

Guess what season it is?!!!!?

If you guessed, "Olympic Season," please leave right now.  

NO!  It's AWARDS SEASON!  And I felt I needed to send an update, since this season was made for me.  Also coincides with BIRTHDAY SEASON.  

So, after we watched the Golden Globes, Ben had the idea that we needed to see every single nominee for Best Picture in preparation for the Academy Awards.  I was fine with this idea.  

We had already seen Gravity a while back...... Only eight more to go!!  It was a challenge we were both willing to take on.  

We haven't seen them all yet... I think we have three more to go, but we've seen a good chunk of them, and I thought you all might appreciate some little reviews.  :)  


GRAVITY

This picture pretty much sums it up.  No, I'm kidding.  

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  A medical engineer is sent into space on her first mission to help repair parts of a space shuttle, but ends up on a mission for survival when something goes horribly wrong and she finds herself completely alone.

So, this movie was directed by one of the greats, Alfonso Cuaron.  We ALL know he's one of my faves.  Has directed such classics as: Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Little Princess, Children of Men, Great Expectations and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  He's just an amazing director.  He knows what's going on.

He wrote Gravity with his son, which is pretty cool.  I DEFINITELY appreciated the special effects.  And, it was a pretty bad-ass movie.  I mean, it was a action movie, set it space, with a woman leading the entire thing.  Which, I thought was awesome.  

It was scary.  It was every emotion.  Sandra Bullock gave a great performance.  It was literally a one-woman action movie.  And it succeeded at being that.  I could NEVER have handled this movie in 3D or Imax or any of those fancy things.  It was dizzying just the normal way.  

I had been picking this one to win all the sound awards, but after seeing Captain Phillips, I think they might take those.

My Gravity Picks:

- Best Director
- Best Cinematography
- Visual Effects

 Go see it!



DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
 

 
That's Jared Leto and Matty McConaughey.

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  A carefree man finds out he's got HIV and ends up in a legal battle with the FDA as he tries to legally and illegally procure the necessary drugs to help keep himself and his new HIV+ friends alive.

So, wow.  This movie was great.  It was great.  Matthew McC was a powerhouse.  He truly gave a great performance.  

This was a very emotional movie.  It was also a scary movie.  Not like jumpy scary, but like scary because nobody really knew much about HIV and AIDS.  The movie started out in 1985, so it was pretty early on.  

And, this guy, the main guy, you were with him every step on his journey.  He also experienced every emotion.  I would describe this movie as, 'raw.'  

Man.  Definitely a movie not to be missed.  

My Dallas Buyers Club picks:

- Best Supporting Actor - Jared Leto.  (Hey, isn't that the guy from 30 Seconds to Mars?!?!  Yes.  Yes it is.  And he's very pretty.)

The academy loves a comeback and this is his.  Go get it!



 AMERICAN HUSTLE

 
 Directed by David O. Russell, also known for Silver Linings Playbook and I Heart Huckabees.  Fun Fact:  He's an Amherst College grad!  Not that I am, but I took classes (more specifically FILM CLASSES) at Amherst College.  So, not to brag, but I could prob do his job.  

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  A seasoned con man and his lady partner might be in over their heads when, together with the FBI, they try and con the governor of New Jersey who has ties with the mob.  

I'm just gonna be honest with you:  This one has been my least favorite.  It has a lot of hype behind it.  It has an all-star cast.  Literally, they're all stars.  ;)  No breakout performances here.  

I definitely enjoyed this movie, it was a captivating storyline mixed with over the top costumes and hairdos.  And Christian Bale really is a spectacular actor.  He deserves all the praise in the world.  

I thought J.Law's performance was a tad lackluster.  She earned herself a nomination for best supporting actress, so she must have been doing something right.  But for me, EH.  I mean, she was kind of a wild card, over the top character and I think anybody else could have played it just as well as she did.  But they didn't, and that's why she got the nomination, I guess.  I thought she was better in Silver Linings Playbook.  

Let's talk about Amy Adams.  I feel like I've seen her in 100 movies this year, am I right?  HER PERFORMANCE was great.  Yeah she was great.  Her and Christian Bale could be in every movie together and I would see them all.  That's probably a fact.  I mean, The Fighter?  Come on!  That movie and those performances are crazy-good.  

Which brings me to my next segment, entitled,

CAN AMY ADAMS GET AWAY WITH NOT WEARING A BRA?

You know when you're coming home from a long day at work and you're just DYING to take your bra off?  I do.  It's like, the bra comes off and you can relax, the world gets better, the sun shines brighter, it's a beautiful thing.  So, in American Hustle, Amy Adams pretty much goes through the ENTIRE movie bra-less!  And, I will be honest, I'M JEALOUS.  

I was watching this movie, watching scene after scene after scene of bra-less Amy Adams, and just sitting in amazement.  Can she get away with it?

You be the judge!

Girl looks good. 


OK AMY, you got away with it!  And the WHOLE world is jealous.  I wouldn't be surprised if they gave the Best Actress statue to her.  I mean, look at her in all those photos!!!!  She's TAKING CHARGE!!  Any woman who can take charge like that all while going bra commando deserves an Oscar to me.  

My American Hustle picks:

- Best Actress - Amy Adams
- Best Costume Design (or lack thereof...)



NEBRASKA

 
 Yep, that's Will Forte!  And Bruce Dern!  Where have you seen him before?  Big Love.  He was Frank!  Bill Paxton's mean old scary father.  I was sure scared of him.  I was scared of a lot of people on that show.  

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  An aging, alcoholic father believes he's won 1,000,000 sweepstakes prize so he and his son travel to Nebraska to claim the winnings.  

Everyone needs to see this movie.  I thought it was absolutely fantastic.  Everything about it, I loved.  The story was so real, so human, it was recognizable yet somehow extraordinary.  I simply loved it.  

Now, I pretty much knew that I was going to enjoy the movie, but it really exceeded my expectations.  And the music was beautiful.  

The movie was shot in black and white which I totally appreciated and I thought to be a really interesting film choice.  So, the film is pretty much a road trip movie.  It's set against all these beautiful landscapes.  I feel like normally, having these landscapes in color just adds to the beauty and vibrance of everything, but it did the opposite here.  It totally stripped the movie down.  This movie was raw, but in a different way than Dallas Buyers Club.  There was nothing flashy, nothing spectacular so all you were focusing on was the story.  I thought it was brilliant.  It almost made everything feel more epic.  

Oh, I loved Nebraska.  I think you will, too.  And after seeing it, I'm surprised Will Forte wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actor.  I think he stood a really good chance.  

My picks here are a little torn.  MAINLY due to the fact that Bruce Dern is nominated for best actor against Leo.  MY Leo.  And I said before that the Academy loves a comeback, which could work in his favor.  

BUT LEO!  I haven't seen Wolf of Wall Street yet, so I can't give my picks for sure.  

I think it stands a good chance at Best Original Screenplay.... but it's up against....



HER

  

 

 This movie stands a great chance at Best Picture.  

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  Lonely guy living in near-future Los Angeles develops a romantic relationship with his new, personalized computer operating system.  

If Instagram made a movie - it would be HER.  Spike Jonze must have invented a new Instagram filming camera because I swear every scene in this movie had the perfect filter.  It was beautiful!!!

This is a movie where color made ALL the difference!  It was a STATEMENT.  This color shirt that Joaquin is wearing, kind of like an orange-red, was featured all over the place.  And, man, he looks GREAT in that color!  It was full of bright, warm, friendly colors just like it.  

Like one scene, there was this group of people walking past Joaquin and one of them was wearing a yellow blazer and burgundy pants and the other person was wearing yellow tights and a burgundy dress!  They were matched together perfectly.  It felt very organized.  Like every detail of this movie was placed together just perfectly to create every beautiful scene.  I applaud you, Spike.  

The soundtrack was wonderful.  Joaquin was wonderful.  Another great actor who deserves all the praise in the world.  And... Amy Adams!  Yep!  She's in two of the best picture nominees this year!  Her and Joaquin must be old pals after also having worked together in The Master.  She had a pretty small role in this one.  It felt like they gave her all the 'tagline dialogue.'  This is a phrase I just made up for all the dialogue that is in the trailer, or dialogue that "sums up the movie without the character realizing that she's summing up the movie."  Ya know, old tricks like that.  

It was such an innocent storyline that could probably have been pretty weird and creepy if done wrong.  We all know that Scar Jo is the voice of the computer system (except Ben, who exclaimed, "That's who that was!" after reading her name in the credits) and she most certainly adds the sex appeal to Joaquin's scenes when it's pretty much himself through the whole thing.  

 It was so enjoyable, so easy to sit through, so sweet.  It was amazing at how much you didn't notice that it was only a voice and not a real person he was talking to.  I guess because it wasn't.  She definitely had a personality and held her own as a character.  And it was like watching a real relationship unfold throughout the whole thing.  Beautiful. 

Yeah, we both loved this one.  Ben was quoted in saying after we saw it, "This is the first one we've seen that I think actually stands a chance at Best Picture."  

Well said.



CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

 

I was a little nervous about seeing this movie because of how scary it looked.  And, all those feelings were pretty much validated!  

ONE SENTENCE PLOT:  The crew of a cargo tanker is hijacked by Somali pirates and the ship's captain taken hostage for five days.  

Did I mention this is a true story?  And the real Captain Phillips lives in Vermont!  That's probably as close to Tom Hanks as I'll ever get. 

So, this movie was directed by Paul Greengrass, who directed the Bourne movies.  If not all of them, at least The Bourne Ultimatium. So, this guy knows action movies.  

And whoa - this movie was INTENSE.  There was a lot of yelling.  Yelling all over the place.  It was scary.  Not like Dallas Buyers Club scary, but ACTUALLY SCARY.  I think pirates are terrifying.  They were.  They are.  

It was a good movie.  Very well-done.  Very emotional.  The ending of the movie was probably the most emotional sequence of all of the movies we've seen so far.  WELL, I guess Gravity gives it a good run for its money.  But still.  Wow.  Tom Hanks gives a great performance, but I don't think anyone's surprised by it.  The Somali actors playing the pirates were found in Minneapolis, which apparently has the largest Somali population in the country, and man, they really took charge.  Not just because it was their role, but because they were doing it right.  These guys totally 'Amy Adams'd' their way onto the Hollywood scene.  



 - - - - -


And there you have it!!!  We've still got Philomena, 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street to see.  I'm really excited about Philomena, that just looks incredible.  I'll post my reviews of those once we see 'em.  

All in all, I can't believe how HUMAN all of these movies are.  There are some great characters and some great writing this year and it makes me so excited.  I feel like I've been privy to enter the lives of these real people and experience the whole realm of their emotion.  It's really beautiful.  

Ben and I were talking about movies where the characters lead the story rather than the story leading the characters, and I would say the overwhelming majority this year have been the characters leading the story.  With exception to Captain Phillips and maybe Gravity.  But Gravity only had one character in it and she fought back to whatever the story threw at her, so that one is kinda tough.  

BUT WOW.  It's a great year for movies, guys.  You should go out and see all of these.  Let me know what you think!  Really!  You know I love hearing from you.  

Talk to you all soon!  Enjoy the beauty of awards season!  


Love your friend,
Julie