2014 Oscar Predictions by Matt Harrison

2013 was a great year for movies, with some tremendous filmmaking talent on display, particularly in the latter third of the year. While the Academy may have snubbed a lot of movies I loved personally (mainly Rush, Prisoners, Saving Mr Banks etc.) the list of nominees this year is pretty darn good. That being said, here is my predictions for who's going to win in all 24 categories.

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)


Best Actress in a Leading Role - Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)


Best Supporting Actor - Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)


Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)


Best Director - Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)


Best Documentary Feature - The Act of Killing


Best Documentary Short - The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved my Life


Best Foreign Language Film - The Great Beauty


Best Live Action Short Film - The Voorman Problem


Best Animated Short Film - Get a Horse!


Best Animation - Frozen


Best Music Original Song - "Let it Go!" (Frozen)


Best Music Original Score - Gravity


Best Film Editing - 12 Years a Slave


Best Costume Design - American Hustle


Best Makeup & Hairstyling - Dallas Buyers Club


Best Production Design - The Great Gatsby


Best Cinematography - Gravity


Best Visual Effects - Gravity


Best Sound Editing - Gravity


Best Sound Mixing - Gravity


Best Adapted Screenplay - The Wolf of Wall Street


Best Original Screenplay - Her



and finally...


Best Picture - 12 Years a Slave



Some of those categories are really close, but I went with what I feel at this current moment in time. Anybody agree/disagree with my choices? If so please comment away.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the Oscars,
Matt

My Top 10 Best Movies of 2013 - List by Matt Harrison

After finally seeing enough films, I can now make my list of my Top 10 best movies of 2013. Before I begin, I have a couple disclaimers. One, this is my list and my opinion will be different to yours meaning, so please respect my opinion as I would respect yours. Two, I didn't see every movie to come out this year but I did see all of the ones I was desperate to see. Three, this list will also be different to my preliminary list I made on New Year's Eve as I have seen more movies and my opinion on a couple of movies may have changed.

One last thing, the honourable mentions. These are movies I thought were great but I can't put them on my Top 10 list because I enjoyed other movies more. They are:


12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

Elysium

Frozen

Mud

Saving Mr Banks


I know right? 12 Years a Slave didn't make the list? That just shows you how much I love these 10 great movies below. Without further ado, let's begin the list:



#10 Prisoners

Despite having an unsettling subject matter, Prisoners is masterfully shot by the genius Roger Deakins and acted beautifully by Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano in particular. Prisoners will keep you guessing throughout and is one that really gets under you skin when you've finished watching it, much like David Fincher's Se7en.




#9 The Place Beyond the Pines

I gave this great movie an A+ but it has moved down the list in the last couple of weeks. Despite not enjoying the movie as much as others on the list, I found myself in awe of it's beauty and completely captivated by the characters on screen. The acting is fantastic, the script emotionally engaging and what I loved so much about it was it's unique handle on storytelling, which allowed this clear three-part drama to unfold.




#8 Star Trek Into Darkness

JJ Abrams yet again provides us with a stunning and entertaining Star Trek movie, only this time it really is meant for Star Trek fans. Despite not knowing a thing about Star Trek lore, I enjoyed this movie so much. I thought the relationship between Kirk and Spok was as dynamic as ever without it ever re-hashing the first film and Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain was incredibly captivating and menacing, as expected.




#7 Man of Steel

Some people love it and some people hate it. I love it. I know it has many flaws and I can understand them, but I walked out of Man of Steel with what I wanted, a gateway to a DC Cinematic Universe, which they are now expanding. Hans Zimmer's score was the best of the year, Cavill was a perfect Superman and watching Superman use his powers causing utter chaos and destruction was entertaining as hell, and fine by me.




#6 Her

I don't like romance movies but I love Her. Spike Jonze's love story is brought to realisation through an award-worthy screenplay and characters that the actor's realise to their full potential. Joaquin Phoenix is mesmerising as ever, Scarlett Johansson's voice work brought her character (a computer) to life as it's own being, and I found myself really wanting this relationship to work. Heavily emotionally invested within the story and in awe about the care and detail put into the world building, Her really got under my skin.




#5 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

This is more like it. This was one of the most fun movie experiences of the year because this movie did exactly what the Lord of the Rings did, it made you feel as if you were going on the quest. The Desolation of Smaug was non-stop excitement and thrills throughout. Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen were perfect as Bilbo and Gandalf respectively, plus the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) is the best dragon ever put on screen. Jaw-droppingly beautiful and menacing as hell, he was a great asset to the story and the movie as a whole. I have to wait a whole year for the last movie, which is way too long.




#4 American Hustle

David O'Russell's latest effort has received critical acclaim from award-giving associations so nowadays it is the cool thing to say that it's overrated. I disagree. The writing is fantastic, the music is kick-ass, and the characters are so layered and so interesting that I could literally sit down and watch them interact with each other all day long. The performances are all amazing, plus it's a movie with such a clever plot that it demands repeat viewings. I can't wait to watch it a second time.




#3 Gravity

As a 90 minute thriller, Gravity is perfection. Sat there with my heart-pounding and my fists clenched, all I wanted was for Sandra Bullock to bloody grab on to something! Gravity is the best visual experience I've ever had with a movie. The visual effects are the best I've ever seen and the sound editing was used effectively. The cinematography was also the best of the year as it gave the emptiness and isolation of space it's own character, contributing more to the thrills. Alfonso Cuaron deserves a Best Director award at the Oscar's as this "Director's film" had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Like Avatar, people think it's the cool thing to hate on it but I honestly loved the thing to pieces.





#2 The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Scorsese is back and this time the 71 year old is producing a super-charged movie like the Wolf of Wall Street. Directed with flair and energy, this movie is also the funniest of the entire year. I spent a lot of the 3 hour run time laughing my ass off or being seriously entertained by everything that was happening on screen. Di Caprio finally got an Oscar nod for this performance in which he is on fire, Jonah Hill also scored a much-deserved nomination as well. As said before, this movie is 3 hours long and not one single second of it was dull. I love the debauchery and hilarity of this movie, but it's only number 2.




#1 Rush

I walked out of Rush with a beaming smile on my face. I was so thankful that such a great movie had been made about the sport I love, and handled with such accuracy and care. The amount of detail that went into re-creating one of the best rivalries in F1 history was staggering. The music, the editing, the cinematography, the phenomenally-handled race sequences added to this atmosphere of high-octane drama and danger. However, Chris Hemsworth's portrayal of James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl's Oscar-snubbed performance as Niki Lauda were stand-out. The rivalry was handled with amazing perspective and maturity and I was constantly switching back and forth between the 2 without ever having to chose which one to route for. Despite knowing the outcome of the story (being a massive F1 nerd) I still found myself on the edge of my seat clenching my fists at what was going happening on screen. It's honestly one of my favourite movies of all time, I love Rush. It's my favourite movie of 2013.







Thank you to anyone who viewed this list and I can't wait to start reviewing 2014 releases in the future. 2013 was an amazing year for movies, so comment below your top 10/favourite movie of the year and share your opinions with the world.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Inside Llewyn Davis Movie Review

I was surprised that the Coen Brother's latest effort was snubbed for a Best Picture nomination, having heard nothing but positivity from film critics. Here's my take on it...

Inside Llewyn Davis is directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and stars Oscar Isaac in the title role. Following one week in the life of struggling folk singer Llewyn Davis, the movie has a lot to say about pursuing your dreams and finding belief in yourself in order to succeed. Although I found it to be more impressive than enjoyable, Inside Llewyn Davis is still a movie for all film fans to see.

As with every movie directed by the Coen's, the actors on screen all look laid back and comfortable with what they are doing. Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan and the legend that is John Goodman all do well with their allocated screen time, John Goodman producing exceptional acting despite being on screen for only 10 minutes or so.

However it is Oscar Isaac who is fantastic at centre stage as the man Llewyn Davis. Perfectly cast in the role, Isaac does brilliantly at portraying a man who is always down on his luck. Also, he adds the right mixture of likeability and genuine personality to a man who isn't exactly a Saint himself.

Another thing that impressed me was just how well the story of this man was told. The movie had a surprisingly large grasp on the story it wanted to tell on the surface as well as loads of other small details/metaphors which could spark debate amongst critics and avid film goers alike. Also with all of the misfortune Llewyn Davis is experiencing it would be easy to make the bad luck he receives far-fetched and unbelievable. Fortunately, it's realistic and believable.

Never really hugely emotionally attached to Llewyn Davis, I was more interested to see where this man's journey would take him. Granted it isn't exactly a feel-good movie with a lot of depressing stuff happening, but it is intriguing to watch the character of Llewyn Davis experience these things and develop his ideas about show-business and what he wants to do in life.

The story is at it's strongest when it is just him sat there in front of a microphone plucking away at his guitar, singing his heart out. This is where the Coen Brother's directing really shines. Also, despite missing Roger Deakins, the cinematography is fantastic. There's one category at least the Academy didn't overlook. The blurred visual style of the movie offered a welcome variation to the film and while initially it did bother me, I slowly warmed to it.

At times though the movie seems to overload itself with metaphors to the point where there really isn't a point in them being there, rather it is just the Coen's having fun by creating things that could be interpreted too deeply by film lovers. Infamous for having dividing ending's, Inside Llewyn Davis further proves this point. To me, the ending didn't seem right. It felt unfulfilled and inconclusive in my opinion.

Ultimately it is a movie that movie fans should see, and is very good movie at it's surface. I was impressed with what I saw:


Rating - B+


1 sentence summary - More impressive than it is enjoyable, this movie has some excellent story-telling minus a few confusing metaphors!


We're done. The Oscar nominations are out, I've seen all the movies that I need to and I can finally release my final Top 10 Movies of 2013 list. That is coming very soon.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Nebraska Movie Review

The AFI have released their official top 10 movie list of the year, and Alexander Payne's Nebraska is on that list. Here's my take on it...

Nebraska is directed by Alexander Payne and stars Bruce Dern and Will Forte. The film follows a character called Woody Grant (Dern), a damaged, delusional old man who believes he has won a million dollars from an online competition. His son David (Forte) agrees to drive him from Montana to Lincoln Nebraska so Woody can collect his winnings, despite David knowing his father has been scammed.

I had heard some good buzz surrounding Nebraska and I was hoping that this could be one of the better movies to come out in recent months. With Nebraska my experience was quite a weird one. For two thirds of this film I was sat there not knowing what to think about it. Fortunately, during the last third of the movie I finally understood what it was all about, and thus had a decent time with it.

Ultimately this film is not for all audiences. Some people would probably leave this movie because they could find all the scenes to be a little boring and to some extent, pointless. At times, the patience and tranquillity of Nebraska did bore before getting to the final third of the film. But when that light bulb finally went off in my head, I started to appreciate it.

As said previously, some of the scenes where characters are simply talking are quite dull. But, if you realise that those scenes are only put there to flesh-out and develop our understanding of the characters, you finally understand that those scenes all contribute to the films underlying message and the greater picture it's trying to show.

Alexander Payne does have good movies in his filmography and the key strength in them is usually the script. However, for Nebraska he did not write it. For me this wasn't an issue because I thought Nebraska's writing was actually it's strongest feature.

Nebraska excels at creating characters who feel like real people (characters who you can easily relate to) and the basis of that is a clever script that balances drama and comedy with a huge sense of reality.

Bruce Dern absolutely knocks it out of the park playing Woody Grant. As his character develops and shows his layers during this movie's natural progression, we finally understand why Woody does the things he does. At first you can't relate to him at all, but events unfold where by the movie's conclusion he is a changed man, and a relatable one.

I thought that his back and forth with his son, played by Will Forte, was also very realistically handled even if the old man really doesn't say much. As for Forte, he does a fine job in his quiet and emotionally connectable role.

The rest of the supporting cast never really steal the show and Bob Odenkirk does an ok job. But sometimes I couldn't help but think to myself "Better call Saul" every time he did that signature look of his. I watch too much Breaking Bad...

The movie does suffer with a fair few pacing issues in that I thought that the movie did take a very long time to wrap up. It also did slow down in the middle for about 20 minutes. Nebraska could have been better if it had a chunk of time chopped of the final cut.

As for the movie's visual style I have absolutely no complaints. The entire movie is shot in black, white and shades of grey which could come across as unnecessary, but trust me it isn't. The visual look just makes the movie feel old and secluded, much like the character of Woody Grant. The soundtrack is also relevant to the settings the characters find themselves in, plus has some real good things going for it behind the camera. Camera placement is precise and the shots builds themselves up patiently.

That's what Nebraska is, a patient story which is unique to anything else I've seen in 2013. Despite it's flaws it still left a reasonable impression on me, even if I'm not going to remember most of the scenes in it:


Rating - B


1 sentence summary - A quiet, patient and unique story with a great visual style, despite some issues with pacing and scene progression!


Best Picture nomination? Maybe. Best Picture Winner? Not a chance!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Saving Mr Banks Movie Review

Heed me words, this movie is getting nominated...

Saving Mr Banks is the almost certain Oscar contender directed by John Lee Hancock and starring Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell and a whole host of other talented actors/actresses. The film follows the creation of Disney's classic movie Mary Poppins, based on the work of author P.L.Travers. The story arcs beautifully into the young life of this famous author plus shows us the influences in her life that she put into her classic book, and also the 1964 feature length film.

Before walking into the theatre I had heard great things about Saving Mr Banks, mainly due to the performances the main actors give. Sometimes I feel it necessary just to walk into a movie theatre and block out all the hype I hear about certain films and just judge it based on what I see. What I saw from Saving Mr Banks was a great movie, which balanced feel-good moments with some touching emotional tones.

The Academy is going to flat out love this movie, and for good reason. The performances given in this movie are so intricate yet beautiful, making it that little bit easier to seriously connect with the story and the characters.

Ultimately, this is Emma Thompson's movie. She plays famous author P.L.Travers in a way where she does come across as a bit of a bitch, but a likeable bitch! A tight, engaging and funny script allows her to deliver some well timed comedic moments, but it is during the emotional scenes where her acting ability is required where she shines. And shine she does. A nomination will be coming her way very shortly indeed, I'm positive.

Tom Hanks is great as Walt Disney because he captures everything we have come to know about the eccentric and imaginative man who created the world's most famous film making coorporations. However, he is not the best male performer, despite being really good.

That accolade goes to Colin Farrell. I didn't rate him much as an actor before this but my word does he deliver a fantastic performance in this movie. This guy steals every single scene he was in. Every time he was on screen I was so engaged in every single word that came out of his mouth.

Admittedly, it is Emma Thompson's movie and a lot does hinge on her performance. Thankfully John Lee Hancock's good direction and some masterful script writing help her succeed.

Her character develops very nicely as the movie progresses leading to a changed person during the last few scenes. A selection of well-timed flashbacks provide a lot of the development that happens and all of the events that made her the person she is, plus the things that influenced her writing. By the end of the movie, you come to realise just how important Mary Poppins (and Mr Banks) are to her.

At times the movie does become a little bit too heavy handed but thankfully it doesn't for long as some beautifully edited and shot scenes allow your emotional dominoes to fall. Trust me, there was a knot in my throat at many points during Saving Mr Banks. Either you'll cry, or you'll want to!

Most of these emotional scenes do work and often hit home. However, a lot of the time I did feel really happy while watching Saving Mr Banks. When a movie can pull of both ends of the emotional spectrum well that is never a bad thing. Saving Mr Banks offers up some clever subtle comedy as well to keep you entertained throughout.

It was really cool to see all the details that led up to Mary Poppin's creation, but at times the elements were either forced or predictable. More than a few times did I notice something and then make a mental note to remember that for something inevitably about that later on in the film. Unfortuanetely, this did detract from my experience.

Overall, Saving Mr Banks delivers well with it's emotional tones and is pioneered by some really mature, well handled performances and had some really cool, three-dimensional characters.

I loved my time watching Saving Mr Banks. I would rate it like this:


Rating - A-


1 sentence summary - A well toned movie with a well developed story, but is ultimately led by some stand out performances.

Best picture winner? We may have a dark horse.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

12 Years a Slave Movie Review

If you ever want to feel like a massive dick inside, then definitely go out and watch 12 Years a Slave. All I did was watch it and now I feel like the world's biggest douchebag..

12 Years A Slave is a true story which is directed by Steve McQueen and has a huge cast to boast about; the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano and Michael Fassbender join Chiwetel Ejiofor in a tale set in one of the darkest times of recent history.

It documents the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in upstate New York, who is sold into slavery. The film then shows the harsh and brutal events that follow during Northup's 12 year period as a slave. Along the way, you meet a whole host of different people and numerous events begin to happen, events that make you feel horrible and guilty inside.

This is a movie that effects you deeply in ways that it should do. This film is brutally honest and takes an un-flinching look at slavery in the 1800s. It shows us just how satanic and barbaric people were and how awfully these people were treated.

12 Years a Slave was at times a very difficult watch because at times it would show the brutal extent of the suffering of these slaves, in camera shots that seemed  to last a lifetime.

The direction from Steve McQueen is seamless and impressive as every single shot is framed and lit to absolute perfection. Some of the takes in this movie are so good because they shows us the extent of the brutality of slavery by simply lasting forever. They stick with you, I can't get the images out of my head..

For example, one shot sees a barbaric event continuously happening in the foreground of the shot and the background just sees people ignoring the event and getting on with what they have to do. Not only is it excellently thought-out and delivered with precision, it is also impressive because it visually
gives audience members the true extent of the suffering of these people.

Also, the quiet yet effective soundtrack reminded me of the last song from the Inception soundtrack. Am I the only one who noticed that? It doesn't matter, it worked perfectly for this movie..

Slavery is a very delicate topic and still happens in the world today and it was a very bold choice of McQueen and the rest of the team behind the screenplay to display the harsh reality of it. I am happy that they did do it, even if it does have such a depressing effect on you.

The performances in this movie were all great. With such a huge cast it was difficult for everybody to stand out but I think it's fair to say that everyone really does deliver.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is perfect as the main character as it only takes you 5 minutes into the movie before you are full on routing for this guy to succeed. It isn't a performance that screams "Look at me! Look at me!", it is perfect for the role he is trying to play. Excellent job.

Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch are 2 other stand-out performers in this movie and some of my favourite scenes were when Solomon Northup is simply talking to Pitt and Cumberbatch's characters. They played 2 very sympathetic characters and I thought they did well. Mind you, they probably looked like even better people when you look at this next character..

Michael Fassbender is truly excellent in 12 Years a Slave. His character is the most barbaric, twisted and evil soul in the world and boy does Fassbender live it up when playing him. You can tell he really enjoyed playing this guy and I enjoyed his performance.

12 Years a Slave is an excellent film, there is no denying it. Critics all over the world will give it their highest possible praise, that is inevitable and fully justified.  However, I felt that 12 Years a Slave let itself down as an experience..

This movie is 2 hours long and boy does it show. I have nothing against long films, but when you pack in so much emotional weight and eye-opening brutality into 2 hours like 12 Years a Slave does, it will ultimately detract from the experience.

I ended this movie admiring the performances, the technical ingenuity and the brutal, eye-opening honesty it showed, but I also left feeling horrible about myself. Some scenes in this movie are difficult to watch because they are just so horrible, so depressing. In the end, I can't give 12 Years a Slave my highest possible praise because I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

That being said, I still think 12 Years a Slave is one of the year's best and deserves all of the credit it gets from fans and critics alike. People may disagree with my rating but I stand by it:


Rating - A-


1 sentence summary - A well made, honest and brutal look at one of the darkest times in recent history, an emotional and sometimes a difficult watch!


I expect this one to be up for either Best Picture of Best Adapted Screenplay on Oscar night, it's a terrific movie.


Thanks for reading,
Matt

Gravity Movie Review

This year's highest rated film on IMDb has received practically unanimous praise from critics and fans for numerous reasons. My one fear was that the hype would ruin this movie for me. However, I was fortunately proved wrong..

Gravity is directed by Alfonso Cuaron and stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in a 90 minute thrill ride set in the dark recesses of space. A group of astronauts, while performing a spacewalk, encounter a dangerously large amount of space debris coming from another exploding satellite near to their position. The following scenes show the events which happen prior to that and thus here we have Gravity..

I can safely say that Gravity is one of my favourite films of the year. When I was thinking about the movie before reviewing it I realised that I had absolutely no problems at all with any aspect of this film. Gravity sets out to do job and does it with aplomb!

One of the largest complaints I have heard from people is that at times the script attempts to be more emotional than need be, due to Gravity being a straight up thriller. However, I have to completely disagree with you and say that the emotional tone is 100% necessary. What is the point in placing a load of characters in danger if you aren't going to feel nervous for them when "shit hits the fan"? Exactly..

The characters are established well form the offset during an incredible scene which lasts for well over 7 minutes, with only 1 take necessary to capture it. There, Clooney's character Matt Kowalski and Sandra Bullock's character Ryan Stone share interesting and believable dialogue that sets them up as people you can care about.

George Clooney is good in Gravity but has a lot less screen time than Sandra Bullock and is thus overshadowed by her mesmerizingly good performance. This is probably the best I have ever seen her, it wouldn't surprise me if an Oscar nomination came her way..

Good characters and good dialogue established, now on to the meaty stuff. Gravity as a thriller is exceptional, the pulsating events that occur are so well realised and do excellently well at escalating the tension. There were points where I felt like shouting "For God sake Sandra Bullock, grab on to something now!!". Thriller's should affect you which Gravity does!

Gravity will win numerous awards in the technical categories come Oscar night. This movie is a technical phenomenon!

During the 90 minutes of this movie I saw some of the best special effects ever achieved in filmmaking. The people behind this movie spent such a long time at refining the visuals and I am so grateful for their time and effort. Practically all you see on screen is fake but never was I taken out of the movie. They are clean and beautiful. Actually that is understating it. They are BREATHTAKING!

The movie also does an amazing job at sucking you in due to the masterful work going on behind the camera. The cinematography, as it always is in a Cuaron movie, is outstandingly brilliant. POV shots, wide shots, long and swooping takes are all used to perfection to envisage this setting of awe, wonder and admittedly danger! I can't describe to you how good they really are. Let's just say, they make you feel as if you are weightless, as if you are up there floating around in space.

The musical score is as chilling as it is memorable. Sound, or the absence of it, is used exceptionally well. For example, there is one shot in particular with Sandra Bullock in the foreground trying to fix something and all you can see in the background is space debris obliterating the space shuttle. And not a single sound is to be heard.

That shit was terrifying!

Gravity has good characters and is a good thriller, but is made exponentially better by it's technical superiority. Expect to see this one up for numerous awards! I have no complaints, Gravity deserves my highest possible praise:


Rating - A+


1 sentence summary - A technical phenomenon, a master class of a thriller!


Gravity could well become a space classic like Alien and 2001: A Space Odyssey in the future. Top notch film..

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Captain Phillips Movie Review

This is what I am talking about people! This is what a fall movie should be like, and to Captain Phillips I say well done..

Captain Phillips is directed by Paul Greengrass, the man behind the Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum, and he pairs with Tom Hanks to deliver us this movie which is based on real life events. In 2009, Captain Phillips and his crew sail from Ohio to deliver goods via the East African coast. However, they encounter difficulties when a group of Somalian pirates board their ship. Captain Phillips then shows the thrilling events which happen afterwards. I have to say, this movie is one of the best of this year.

It's a movie that has such terrific emotional weight yet dishes up thrills throughout!

The first and final acts of this movie are nailbiting to say the least! The tension and drama escalates supremely during the last few scenes of the film and I also believe that it is equally impressive during the first act, when it lays the foundations and introduces us to the characters.

The middle part of the movie however was one that I found to be fairly slow in all honesty. The quality of filming seemed to take a dip during the middle part of the movie and events seemed to be slow and drawn out in my opinion.

Captain Phillips is also a film which can not boast about the spread of talent involving all of its actors. However, it makes the most of what it has got and the main cast all deliver excellence through their performances.

Tom Hanks felt like a real person, to me he WAS Captain Phillips in this movie. I've heard large amounts of praise for his performance and many have stated it to be his best work to date. That is an exceptionally bold statement considering he has 2 Oscar's to his name already, through his work on films such as Forrest Gump and Castaway. For his work in Captain Phillips, he will receive a nomination.

He is consistently good throughout the movie but really shines in one scene in particular towards the very end of the movie. Without spoiling anything, he handles the feeling of "shock" excellently to a point where I almost felt like crying. Hanks is amazing!

As a straight up thriller Captain Phillips works well, even if a 2 hour run time slows the pace down a fair amount. It is also a movie which works well as an emotional experience. You will experience the full spectrum of emotions during Captain Phillips which will emotionally drain you whether you like it or not!

Also, the men who played the pirates were very impressive and shone through their performances. The few lines they did speak in English meant something, plus the dialogue they had written for them via a very good script, was delivered well. I have to say I was impressed by them, imagine being asked on your first movie to do these tense and emotional scenes with such a fantastic actor like Tom Hanks? That must surely be commended...

The movie builds up well and is directed beautifully by Paul Greengrass, who uses the techniques at his disposal to create a thrilling and tense atmosphere throughout. Also, he is very good at using "shaky-cam" action sequences to his advantage. Nowadays, shaky-cam is a severe annoyance and is used horribly in action movies, which at times have given me slight motion sickness! In Captain Phillips, Greengrass uses this technique to enhance the tension and give the viewer that feeling of being out at sea, with the characters, in this sick and horrible situation.

The musical score was at times eerie, at others emotional. This surprised me as well!

Despite a middle act that was not as good as the beginning and end, I thought Captain Phillips was a great movie, and I would rate it like this:


Rating - A-


1 sentence summary - A thriller and an emotional drama, executed well through good direction and some note-worthy performances!


Finally got to see it! I am so glad it didn't let me down!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

2013 Fall Movie Season Preview

The Summer has ended, September has drawn to a close. However, do not be sad. The best few months of the year in terms of movie are dawning at the moment and the films coming out have got me very excited indeed. So, I figured I would write a post about all of the movies that I'm looking forward to before New Year's Day 2014.  That being said, let's start..




The Fifth Estate

I really don't know much about the plot or the story of the film but I think that's a good thing, because hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised by what this movie has to offer. Hopefully, the movie is well shot and also I really hope it isn't one of those movies that drags on for half an hour more than it needs to. However, this movie's cast is really something. Benedict Cumberbatch, who delivered a stellar performance as villain Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, is playing the lead and we all know how much of a phenomenal actor he is. Also, Daniel Bruhl looks like he is going to have a major role in this movie. After his stunningly perfect portrayal of Niki Lauda in Rush, I hope this is a movie where he delivers another good performance!










Captain Phillips


This movie is being directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Tom Hanks in the lead role. Now for me, it has a good director (Greengrass directed one of my favourite action movies The Bourne Ultimatum) and a phenomenal actor. He knows how to shoot a movie well and use shaky cam in a way that isn't ridiculous. My main concern is with the story element; my fear being that it could drag on and be a bore fest. However, it could well be the other way around but we shall see..





Enders Game


This movie has an awesome cast in Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley and it looks like there could be some stunning use of visuals and special effects. But, will the cast be able to save this movie? I'm not sure because at the moment I am under the impression that this is going to be nothing more than a mediocre science fiction film. But, I've been wrong before..







Thor: The Dark World


There is only one reason I am looking forward to Thor the Dark World and that is because it is a Thor movie. The Marvel movies nowadays have that added layer of depth because you know all the movies are inter-connected, which allows these movies to continue to build upon the story and the universe all the Marvel characters are in. The first Thor movie I found had a lot of potential yet just fell short of my expectations, hopefully the different director can build upon that and create a really good Thor movie that's a fun time in the cinema!












Gravity


From what I have heard, this movie is awesome! Many critics are heralding all aspects of this movie and I'm a little surprised as I saw the movie trailer first in May/June time and didn't really think much of it. George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are in this movie and hopefully they portray their characters well and are relatable. Plus, this movie better blow me away! The visuals and the cinematography in Alfonso Cuaron's movies are always spectacular and I hope it is the same with Gravity. I just want a good space movie that makes me feel like I am actually there with the characters, feeling all of the tension. It's one of my most anticipated movies of the year, can you not tell?..






Don Jon

A movie that is starring, written and directed by Joseph Gordon - Levitt, a movie that tackles the issue of porn. I'm interested, plus Scarlett Johansson is in this movie. Yeah, that is all I need to know. All jokes aside, I'm interested to see the directing style of Gordon Levitt and also how well he integrates the social commentary into this movie. I have high expectations for this one..













The Counsellor

On the same weekend as Don Jon comes Ridley Scott's new movie The Counseller. I must admit that I really know nothing about the premise or plot of this movie. All I know is that the cast looks incredible and that when Ridley Scott makes a good movie, he absolutely nails it on the head! Gladiator, being my example. Anyway, The Counseller should be an interesting movie..









Escape Plan


Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger together in a movie where they both have to work together in order to escape from prison. That should be enough to explain why I am looking forward to this one..

In all seriousness though, hopefully this movie recognises that it is corny as hell and that its a fun time in the movie theatre. Mindless entertainment is all I'm after, completely lower my expectations is the plan!








The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug


I really enjoyed the Hobbit when I first saw it last year and when I saw it a second time a few months later. There is a lot that goes right in this movie but there are many things wrong. The story was too drawn out which brought about awful pacing plus  a few scenes could have been taken out which weren't actually necessary. I hope that this time they stay the same in terms of all that is good with the movie but also do a few little tweaks to make it a little bit better. The scene between Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) will be one to remember..






Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues


I have never seen Anchorman. There I said it. I will do though before December 20th. I'm looking forward to this movie as people I know always say that Anchorman is one of the funniest movies they have ever seen, they endlessly quote things from the movie as well. People tell me its hilarious. However, this movie will let me down if its like the Hangover Part 2 and is just a re-hashed cash-grab piece of crap..












The Secret Life of Walter Mitty


This movie looks fantastic. Ben Stiller looks like he is playing a more shy character, which is very refreshing indeed as characters like that are the ones you can easily relate to. Plus, this movie can make for some absolutely stunning imagery and I really hope they get this movie right. Hopefully the imagery will be backed up by good charcaters and a solid script because I am really looking forward to this one..












And that is all. What is your most anticipated movie of Fall 2013? Leave a comment, I want to hear your thoughts..

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Prisoners Movie Review

The Fall Movie season is well under way at the minute and its clear that, if all movies are like this one, we are going to be blessed with some excellent content for the rest of the year. Here is my review of the critically acclaimed drama Prisoners..

Prisoners assembles a great cast of many Hollywood A-list actors and is a drama/mystery thriller. 2 families are sharing Thanksgiving together at one of their houses when dark events begin to happen. When nobody is looking, the young daughters from each family are mysteriously taken from their family. A suspect is found but there is no incriminating evidence against him. The story then proceeds with the main theme being, "how far will you go in order to find your lost daughter". Prisoners is a top-notch movie for so many different reasons.

The story itself is well paced and well balanced. Never is it obvious what is going to happen, it was a movie where I found myself in shock at some of the twists and turns the plot takes. It is certainly unpredictable. Also, it is very intense indeed. This movie screams intensity. When a movie like this is touching on such a delicate matter, then all of the movies elements have to add up well to create this effect. Thankfully, it does.

This movie has a certain edge to it no matter what is happening on screen, which is testament to the excellent direction the director took with this film. Some of the choices made were brilliant. Particular scenes were cut short in a way which didn't feel like an abrupt pause but rather a cliff-hanger, engaging you to make you want to know what will happen next. The tension in this movie escalates and escalates within every single scene. I was constantly flipping back and forth on many issues in this movie; "will he really do that?", "did he really abduct the children?". Throughout this whole movie, questions!

The musical score for this movie is exactly what it needs to be; chilling, haunting and memorable. It is perfect in that sense!

The movie also has great uses of imagery and lighting to escalate the tension as well as portray some of the conflict within certain characters. Behind the camera, it is nothing revolutionary yet still comes across as very clever indeed. The cinematography is impressive as much as it is varied, with specific camera angles and swooping shots used cleverly as a means to tell the story and build up the intensity..

Special effects aren't used at all, making the movie feel as gritty and realistic as it sets out to be. The use of setting, like Mud and Place Beyond the Pines, is impressive also. Nearly 100% of the time, the setting is either pouring with rain or pitch black. The rain gives you that dismal, depressing feeling and the dark that sense of fear and mystery!

This movie has great technical stuff going for it plus has a certain sense of unpredictability to its story. However, the highlight of this movie, as it should be for any, was the characters and the performances.

Hugh Jackman in this movie is just phenomenal. Truly epic, Oscar worthy for sure. You can tell he's really going for it in this movie, using a mixed bag of emotion to deliver an outstanding performance. He is awesome when he is getting angry in this movie. Believe me, he gets mad! It is very entertaining to watch for sure, but I much preferred it when he was breaking down into tears as opposed to smacking things in rage! That is just a personal preference of mine and would have liked to have seen more of that if I'm honest. Too many rage scenes.. But, if I were put into the situation Hugh Jackman's character was in, I would react in the exact same way!

The plot of the movie itself is interesting yet seems to lose a little bit of its momentum towards the middle act of the movie. Nothing much seems to happen in comparison to the beginning and ending of the movie and it just seemed to slow it down a little bit for me.

However, going back to some positives, the emotional connection you get to the characters is done very well. The dialogue is carefully and cleverly written and makes you feel like the people you are watching are real people going through a real traumatic experience. Characters interact with each other in a realistic way as well which also adds to the realistic, dark and gritty tone the movie is trying to set up..

Speaking of other characters, the rest of the cast all did sufficient jobs but didn't top Hugh Jackman in my opinion! Jake Gyllenhaal played the detective leading the investigation to find the missing daughters in this movie and he did a great job. He was the guy I was rooting for during this movie while Jackman's character was off doing his evil activities the circumstance had forced him into. His performance isn't perfect however, I probably had expectations that were too high. That being said, more emotional gravity wouldn't have hindered his cause..

Paul Dano played the main suspect in this movie and he did well in the role as he forced you into thinking different things about him. One minute you think he's a creepy murderer, the next an innocent and troubled soul.

Terrence Howard is probably the next best thing in this movie in terms of acting performances. The rest do a sound job at what they are given..

So, Prisoners is a well made movie centred around some terrific acting performances, clever technical aspects and a vibe of mystery and tension, which leaves you engrossed in all that is happening on screen but at the same time you are flipping your opinions in your head back and forth and back and forth. Its intense and creepy as hell also, it has that haunting effect on you when you think about it. Its a great movie, and really deserves the following rating:


Rating - A

1 sentence summary - An all-round terrific movie, one that escalates tension and makes you change your thoughts on the characters constantly throughout!


We actually have such a good line up of films from now until New Years Eve. I hope to review as many of them as I can and I look forward to, hopefully, dishing out some very high ratings!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Mud Movie Review

Another Art-house/drama movie that a few people recommended I check out. The Place Beyond the Pines scored an A+, but does Mud even compare?

Mud is directed and written by Jeff Nichols and is the story of 2 boys who run across a fugitive named Mud on an island out on a river. The plot of the film unravels from there and that's our movie. I'm not going to tell you why Mud is out on this island as well as many other things in this movie for a very good reason..

The plot of this movie is most effective if you know as little as possible. I knew nothing about this movie before I watched it, I was very surprised when a movie called Mud was recommended to me. However, I did know that Mud received a very limited release in April 2013 and the DVD hit stores in my town recently. I got it and it was truly worth the watch.

I'll try and talk about this movie in as little detail as possible because the movie is much more effective at surprising you when the plot takes certain direction changes that you weren't expecting. It seems a basic plot when you think about it while watching the movie but after watching it you realise how much was really going on with each of the characters involved. That's another thing I like about this movie; all of the characters are relevant to the plot.

Also, this movie has a very impressive script. The dialogue between the characters is basic on the surface yet so cleverly written when you start to think about it afterwards. Each of the characters have Southern accents (the movie is based in Arkansas) which helps add to the overall tone of the movie.

That's another thing that this movie does much like The Place Beyond the Pines. I'm sorry I keep on making these comparisons but I have to in order to illustrate my point. In The Place Beyond the Pines, small details in the movie help gave it an overall dark feel of suspense and drama. Mud uses small details plus some good filmmaking to give the area the story is set in character as well as making it feel suspenseful and dramatic!

I do have a few major gripes about this movie though. The movie itself is probably a little drawn out in all honesty and doesn't really have that same re-watch value that other great movies seem to have. Also, its a movie that is very hard to be appreciated by all audiences. It is also a long film that requires time investment. The weakest link in the story involves Tye Sheridan's character, which I'll talk about in a minute. There is a certain story arc involved with him which I didn't think was that well done. I know why its in the movie but I'm just not the biggest fan of it..

This movie is however visually stunning. Some clever use of focus and camera angles add to the pleasant viewing experience this movie is. It's visually beautiful. Some shots used in this movie just ooze style! It's immersive and impressive!

But the best part of the movie are the characters involved. Movie makers should probably learn this, if you're movie has good characters audiences can care about then you can build off of that and create a very successful movie..

Matthew McConaughey is the title role in this movie and he is seriously fantastic as Mud. He completely nails all of the characteristics required of his character in such a cool way. His performance is very professional indeed plus his lines were delivered with the right amount of enthusiasm; they weren't lacklustre but also weren't overacted. Great job Mr McConaughey, can't wait to see you in Interstellar!.

Tye Sheridan plays one of the kid actors in this movie. The other one does a good job in this movie it has to be said but this guy is truly fantastic. Dane DeHaan is probably my favourite young actor of the year due to his performance in The Place Beyond the Pines but as an out-and-out child, Sheridan gets it for me. He is superb! He was a brilliant choice for the role as you could sympathize with him as well as relate to his character, which has a layer of depth to it making him much more relatable as a character to the audience!

The supporting cast are all good just like they were The Place Beyond the Pines. But in that film all of the actors were trying to deliver the performance of their lives! Its not as good in this movie but the supporting cast are all very good indeed. Michael Shannon does enough with the screen time you get with him. The same can be said of Reese Witherspoon.

The best part of this movie is of course the characters but also the way that interact with each other is fantastic. The way they talk with one another is so convincing and so well done. Its grounded in realism which makes the movie much less fantastical and more dark and gritty. All of the actors, young or old, have great chemistry between one another plus have the right amount of depth to them so the audience can relate and care about them.

Mud is a beautiful piece of film making and I would give it this rating:


Rating - A

1 sentence summary - A very realistic, dark and gritty movie with some stand out acting performances and fantastic chemistry between characters!


I think Mud is a fine movie but it isn't as good as The Place Beyond the Pines. It is still one of the best movies I've seen all year. And yes, its a 2013 movie.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

The Place Beyond the Pines Movie Review

This movie was recommended to me by many different people. Today, on my last day before restarting school, I saw Place Beyond the Pines. I don't really tend to watch art-house movies (which I'm sure this one is), but after viewing this I may give a few others a try..

This movie is probably best if you go in watching it knowing as little as possible. Obviously, it would be hard for me to review this without giving away a few plot-points within the movie. I won't spoil anything- you know that's not what I do. But I will try and summarise the plot for you.

The Place Beyond the Pines is a story that intertwines between a handful of people and begins with Ryan Gosling's character being reunited with a former lover. In order to help provide for his new-born son, he finds the necessary funds by performing several bank robberies. His story links in with Bradley Cooper's character; a rookie cop who's trying to work his way up in the police force. That's the basic premise of what is a pretty awesome movie.

The plot itself is well pieced together and is quite obviously split up into 3 segments. In a way, it feels like you could be watching 3 45 minute movies but it doesn't because the stories all link in perfectly with each other. The accolades have to go to the editing team for this, fantastic job.

I think  the best way to talk about this movie is if I talk about the 3 segments of it individually. Starting with the first one.

The first segment of this movie follows Ryan Gosling's character who happens to be a stunt motorcyclist. I've already said that his motive for doing the things that he does is for his family. Automatically, that makes his character very relatable to most of the movie audience. He is a fantastic actor no doubt about it. In this movie he solidifies that claim. Not only does he nail the calm and cold side of his visibly damaged character but he also nails the emotional side to his character. Whatever he did, no matter how illegal, I would always route for him.

The first segment of the movie is perhaps the most exciting. This is because all of the bank robberies and the bike chase scenes are within this act of the film. The bank robberies are realistic and intense. The same can be said about the bike chases. This is where I have to say that the cinematography in this movie is just stunning. There are so many unique panning shots during the bike chase scenes! Also, there are some cameras positioned in the front of the police cars so you can view the chase scenes from an officer's perspective! Yes it's shaky, but it excites you and fully engrosses you in what's going on. It's well shot, well edited plus is unique.

The visuals in this movie are absolutely beautiful and were achieved using minimal special effects. Its so clear and concise, fully involving.

The second part of this movie follows Bradley Cooper's character. The first and second parts of the movie transition very effectively and does in no way feel forced. Now, I know Cooper can act because of Silver Linings Playbook. But, this movie came out last September at TIFF before Silver Linings Playbook. Imagine being sat in that audience and witnessing "the guy from The Hangover" deliver a stellar performance like he does in this movie. He is truly incredible in this film.

Also, Cooper's character is the one I was most emotionally connected to, even more than Gosling's. I felt for the guy, sympathized with him. When his character was treated unfairly even I felt hard done by. That is just testament to how good and convincing a performance he delivers.

The third and final part of the movie is by far the most intense part of the movie. At centre stage are the children of Ryan Gosling's character and Bradley Cooper's character. They are played brilliantly by 2 kid actors. Rarely I say that about kids/teenagers in a movie but these 2 were fantastic! The conclusion of this film, let me tell you, is so intense! The reason I felt that is because the acting and the script allow me to easily form an emotional connection to all of the characters in the movie. It's truly marvellous.

The rest of the supporting cast, including Eva Mendes, all bring their "A games" to the table. All are great with not a single weak link.

This movie is well written, well acted, well spoken, well shot plus has such a realistic emotional tone within it. The characters, whether it was through their speech or posture, were so convincing I genuinely thought they were real people. The movie does such a fine job at making it so engrossing because it is very realistic.

I also like how this movie illustrates that actions you do can have consequences for many people other than just yourself, even years after the event actually happened..

I haven't felt so connected with a group of characters or been so intense towards a movie's conclusion for a very long time!

My only complaint about this movie has to be that it is a very long ride. I really have to gear myself up to watch it. However, that isn't a real complaint towards the movie is just I'm not a huge fan of really long movies.

The Place Beyond the Pines is in my eyes a modern day masterpiece of cinema. It's also probably my favourite movie of 2013. Which is why I would rate Place Beyond the Pines like this:


Rating - A+

1 sentence summary - A modern day art-house classic, with some masterful acting performances, a realistic script and beautiful cinematography.


My first ever A+!!! It was worth it though. If any movie deserves it its this one! Also, I am aware this movie came out in September 2012 at TIFF, but it came out in cinemas in March 2013 so I'm counting it as a 2013 movie. It is my favourite 2013 movie!

How did you find Place Beyond the Pines? Are you going to pick it up on DVD or Blu-ray? I would love to hear back from someone...

Thanks for reading,
Matt