Movie Review: X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Halle Berry, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore

The fans rejoiced when it was announced that Bryan Singer signed on to direct the latest outing in this series. He got the series going with X-Men and then upped the ante with the stellar X2 in 2003. Unfortunately he departed the series and we were left with Brett Ratner directing X-Men: The Last Stand, which still leaves a sour note in moviegoers’ memories. Since the original trilogy, we have had two terrible stand-alone Wolverine films and a prequel called X-Men: First Class. I really enjoyed X-Men: First Class despite the horrendous casting of January Jones. Call me a purist, but I really think this series is best served under the hands of Bryan Singer. In X-Men: Days of Future Past, not only do we get Singer, but we get the best of both worlds as it reunites the original trilogy cast members plus the new actors that played their younger selves in X-Men: First Class.

A war carries on between the humans and the mutants. The humans have unleashed massive robotic killing machines called the Sentinels as their weapon. They were created in 1973 by Dr. Boliver Trask (Dinklage) who at the time was assassinated by the mutant Mystique (Lawrence). She believed if she killed him it would stop the Sentinels from being mass produced and given clearance to be used by the government. Her plan backfired as the assassination caused the mutants to become thought of as an even larger danger and threat to the public than before.

In the future as the mutant population continues to decline, Professor Charles Xavier (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellen) devise a plan to travel back in time in 1973 to stop Mystique from killing Dr. Trask. They seek the help of fellow mutant Kitty Pryde (Page) who uses her powers to send Wolverine’s (Jackman) consciousness back to 1973. When he arrives, he needs to find the Professor (now played by McAvoy) and Magneto (now played by Fassbender) to locate Mystique’s whereabouts.

Time travel movies can be tricky if the story goes back and forth numerous times throughout a movie. The story can become convoluted and confusing to the audience. When they work, the payoff is thrilling and it makes the movie all the more accessible. X-Men: Days of Future Past falls into the second category. Screenwriter Simon Kinberg keeps a majority of the story in the 1973 timeline. This helps enhance the character development that was started in X-Men: First Class as we learn more of where these characters are coming from and how their relationships have changed in the decades in between both settings. There is a clear shift in the relationship between Professor X and Magneto from where they started out in terms of their friendship or lack thereof. In this film, we see a very different version of Professor X. James McAvoy gets to play out the disheveled, addicted, and depressed side of him which is a far cry from the stoic leader we know of him through Patrick Stewart’s performance. The only downside to having a majority of the film set in the past is that we don’t see a lot of Stewart and Ian McKellen who are such fantastic actors. I’m sure their busy theater schedules and McKellen’s work in The Hobbit films made their availability limited or maybe that was always the intention of how the structure of the story was plotted out.

One of the great characteristics about the X-Men is how universally relatable they can be compared to some of the other Marvel Comics heroes. You may be thinking that idea is a stretch as no one has the ability to teleport, control the weather, or have claws come shooting out of their hands, but there is the underlying message of not being accepted for the way you were born. Many of these characters face adversity and discrimination due to their powers and fight for their voice to be heard or be accepted like any other human being. I think many people can relate to that concept in one way or another. Plus, who hasn’t once thought about what superpower they wish they had. Bryan Singer has a deep understanding of this theme and is able to bring it out with these characters while making it a fun, exciting, action filled comic book movie. With a majority of the story set in the past, the film poses a general reminder on how far our society has come in the last few decades regarding the acceptance and tolerance of others. We can look back, learn, and grow from history.

I think if people are hesitant about comic book movies, I would recommend the X-Men films to help them get on the bandwagon. X-Men: Days of Future Past is a fantastic return to form that has won the fan base over again. I get that giddy feeling seeing this huge ensemble of actors step away from the stage or other indie movies to play against a green screen and return to characters the audience has invested in over the years. Sometimes reunion type movies can feel hokey and contrived, but I never got that impression here. One of the highlights of the movie was new cast member Evan Peters (American Horror Story) as Quicksilver who has a funny slow-motion action sequence with a bunch of armed guards. The ending of the film will get fans excited for X-Men: Apocalypse, the third entry in this new trilogy, as there are cameos galore that pop up that further tie it into the timeline of the original trilogy. Good news, Bryan Singer is set to helm that one as well.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? The X-Men are my favorite in the Marvel Comics canon, and the return of director Bryan Singer has made it the best one since X2.

RATING: 4 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Trailer: X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Evan Peters

Of all of the Stan Lee/Marvel creations, the X-Men rank as my #1 favorite. My inner geekdom dates back to my childhood watching the cartoons, deciding which super power I would want, and which X-Men was my favorite. Director Bryan Singer is returning to the X-Men franchise after departing after X2 in 2003. I have been geeking out over this movie ever since it was announced that the casts from both the original trilogy and X-Men: First Class would be coming together for one movie. I have been loving all of the set photos and productions stills that have been released as well as the two posters that have been released. The morphed images of Stewart/McAvoy and McKellen/Fassbender look fantastic. I'll just let the trailer speak for its self.

RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2014

Here's the trailer:

Movie Review: PRISONERS

PRISONERS
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Paul Dano, Melissa Leo

This twisty ethical child abduction mystery thriller will have people pretty divided. I can tell you that I was engrossed from the very first frame and did not check the watch in the entire two and a half hour run-time. No, this is not even my Jake Gyllenhaal bias showing through. Thanksgiving should be this joyful day spent with family and friends stuffing your face and having a peaceful time. For the Dover and Birch families, it will go down as the Thanksgiving they will never forget.

After their joint celebration Keller and Grace Dover (Jackman and Bello) and Nancy and Franklin Birch (Davis and Howard) settle down for a little wine and music only to realize their daughters are missing. The girls’ older teenage siblings have not seen them since dinner when they went to play outside. Earlier in the day, the girls came across a mysterious van parked on the street that they wanted to play on. Keller’s son informs them about the van and the search begins for the owner and the girls. Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) quickly discovers the van outside a gas station and arrests the disturbed driver, Alex Jones (Dano). Alex is a quiet, almost mute, man who seems to have severe mental issues. Detective Loki rules him out as a suspect after discovering he has the IQ of a ten year old and his van is completely clear of prints, blood, and other evidence.

Loki continues on with the case by following various leads and theories. He is not about to let this go away as the girls’ parents grow more and more concerned. Keller is adamant that Alex is guilty and that the police have let the wrong guy go free. He decides to take matters into his own hands. His drastic measures could have severe consequences for his family and for the Birchs. If you have seen the trailers or think I may be giving away too much, just you wait! This all happens within the first thirty minutes or so and the mystery twists and turns as the days pass by and the girls remain missing.

I knew by the opening shots and the distinct care put into capturing the weather, nature, and atmosphere that a master cinematographer was behind the camera. Ten time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins (Skyfall, Fargo, The Shawshank Redemption) works his magic by framing so many of the shots into stunning visuals that tell their own stories as well as shape the story we are watching before us. Can we get this genius an Oscar already? What does it take? It is a shame that these artists are typically left unnoticed and very under appreciated.

The film centers around mazes which play a big part into the investigation and the journey Loki takes to solving the crime and the one Keller takes in dealing with the disappearance of his little girl. When you start adding in twists and turns into any mystery, you will inevitably leave the audience divided. I know some people are giving the film flack for having said twists and debate the logistics and reality of them, but I think they work. They are the roadblocks and walls in this maze Loki and Keller are dealing with throughout the story. The Detective Loki character remains a bit of a mystery as well. He is seen with a fully buttoned shirt, slicked back hair, neck and knuckle tattoos, and remains fairly stoic throughout. He never shows a deep empathy or emotion toward the parents, but you know he is determined to find the girls. Much of his inner thoughts and discoveries are kept bottled up inside. Gyllenhaal excels at keeping much of this character unknown.

Gyllenhaal is just one part of the strong ensemble that make the core of the film work so well. Viola Davis is always touching and strong. I’ll watch her cry her eyes out any day of the week. Maria Bello redeems herself from the lackluster “Prime Suspect” remake that aired two seasons ago. Howard and Jackman are very hit or miss for me. Often times, they are a bit over-the-top and showy, but here they show such restraint and control knowing when to unleash their inner anger. I seem to be in a minority with Jackman in Les Miserables. I thought he just screamed and shouted far too much for the character of Jean Valjean. He does quite a bit of that here, but it is far more appropriate and comes when needed for the character. This is by far the best performance of his career. Then we have Paul Dano. We have seen him in numerous indie hits, but he is absolutely stunning here. His physicality speaks volumes and adds so many complex layers to this mysterious character. He does this all with the very minor dialogue he is given. I would LOVE to see him acknowledged by the Academy or other critics, but will most likely go unnoticed with Jackman and Gyllenhaal doing captivating work in the starring roles.

This is a heavy hitter that will not sit well with many moviegoers. It asks those ethical and moral questions of what you would do if you were in the same situation. Would you stop at nothing like Jackman's character when it comes to the safety of your child? The twists and turns will divide the audience and so will the ending. I am obviously not going to spoil that here, but I do not see what the fuss is all about. I think it fits in perfectly with the style and tone of the rest of the film. Director Denis Villeneuve and screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski try to cover quite a bit ground by taking the story on numerous routes much like an investigator would. I was left with some minor questions afterwards, but none that outweighed the emotional punch I was given throughout by this strong ensemble of actors many of which give some of their best performances.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THE WOLVERINE

THE WOLVERINE
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Famke Janssen, Haruhiko Yamanouchi

Hugh Jackman is back in familiar territory as he straps on the claws for his sixth outing as the infamous mutant Logan, aka Wolverine. During the bombing of Nagasaki, Logan saves the life of Officer Yashida from the blast and in turn reveals his secret powers of healing and immortality in the process. Logan is severely burned by shielding Yashida from the blast but instantly heals in front of him. Time passes and in present day Japan, a very old Yashida (Yamanouchi) is dying and wants to find Logan to repay his lifelong debt to him.

Yashida sends fellow mutant Yukio (Fukushima) to hunt down Logan and bring him to his death bed. Logan agrees after seeing the effects of Yukio’s abilities. Logan finds out that Yashida’s plan of gratitude is not as simple as it seems. Through the use of his technology company, Yashida wants to transfer Logan’s healing power to himself in order to live forever and rid Logan of the crippling idea of immortality that has plagued him. Logan refuses the offer and Yashida dies the next day. At the funeral, Yashida’s granddaughter Mariko (Okamoto) is the target of a kidnapping plot by a bunch of gangsters as part of a bigger plan involving Yashida’s estate and the future of his company. Logan is able to rescue her only after taking a brutal beating and rounds of bullets to his body. He notices his healing powers are not working as quickly as they normally do. Yukio tries to warn him as she continues to get visions of his death. Yashida’s doctor, Dr. Green (Khodchenkova), is not to be trusted as she is also a mutant known as Viper with a wicked tongue and lethal toxic that she seductively blows into her victims’ bodies, Logan being one of them.

There is a lot riding on The Wolverine as the second solo X-Men related movie. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was considered a massive dud by many fans of the series. Hugh Jackman knew that special care was going to have to be placed in the story and characters if another solo Wolverine movie were to get made. You have to win back the trust of a loyal fan base now that you pissed them off with the horrible origins movie. It is easy to say that The Wolverine is better than X-Men Origins: Wolverine but it does not take much to reach that level. Even with that being said, it still does not live up to the quality of other films in the comic book turned movie genre. It is further proof that this character may not have what it takes for a solo movie. We have seen that many of Marvel’s Avengers can have their stand-alone movies. In theory one would think the character of Logan/Wolverine could work outside of the other X-Men, but like The Hulk, two movies have proven something is amiss.

It is easy to dislike a movie when it has cheesy dialogue, terrible characters, or fake special effects. I sometimes find it more problematic when a movie falls flat and feels boring. Viper, played by Svetlana Khodchenkova, is the main mutant villain but bears a striking resemblance to Poison Ivy in Batman and Robin. Like Poison Ivy, she makes for a weak, forgettable villain. Same goes for the gangsters that are after Mariko. The Japanese setting provides for some nice samurai style fight choreography, but most of the fights scenes are nothing special. I’m a sucker for fights on top of moving trains, so that chase was the only fight of the movie to leave a lasting impression and it came early on in the movie. As the semi-punk mutant fighter Yukio, Rila Fukushima is making her big screen debut. She has the best of the three main female characters, but again, I did not feel anything special about her.

The story touches upon Logan’s struggles with his immortality and the constant fact that everyone will die around him. He is constantly haunted by his former lover and fellow mutant Jean Grey (Janssen) who he had to kill in X-Men: The Last Stand. I found this sub-plot and themes between Logan’s identity crisis much more appealing than the Japanese gangsters and the kidnapping plot. I suppose the film would get too bogged down and droopy if it was all about a depressed and mopey Wolverine.

After six movies, I am glad Hugh Jackman continues to play Wolverine. I cannot imagine another actor in this role and after so many outings Jackman knows how to give him a life and dimension that other characters in the genre do not always have. The Japanese setting is a nice departure for the character and gives the film a very different look and feel from any of the others in the series. Along with the samurai style fighting, the cinematography and costume design is also enriched by the Japanese culture. Director James Mangold has had some career hits (Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line) and some misses (Kate & Leopold, Knight and Day). While there are some nice touches along the way, I’d chuck this one in the misses pile. Mangold plays it far too safe the majority of the time. Is it bad that the best part of the movie came after the movie during the middle of the credits? Marvel always adds in a little mid-credit tease to their movies. I do not want to give too much away, but I was grinning ear-to-ear as it is a lead up to next year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. I just wish I would have had that sensation during the actual movie.

RATING: ** (2 out of 5 stars)

AND THE OSCAR FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG GOES TO...

AND THE OSCAR FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG GOES TO...

Unlike last year with only two nominees, this year we have a full category with five composers and lyricists vying out for the Best Original Song Oscar. All five songs are vastly different which makes for some interesting voting. My vote is pretty obvious if you read my blog. I would love to see the sultry songstress Adele win for "Skyfall". I know some people may be on Adele overload, but I think it is one of the best Bond themes ever written. I think the Academy will feel the same way I do. It has already been announced that Adele and Norah Jones will perform at the ceremony. Here are all five nominees for your listening:

"Skyfall"
from Skyfall
Music and Lyrics: Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
Peformed by: Adele



"Before My Time"
from Chasing Ice
Music/Lyrics: J.Ralph
Performed by: Scarlett Johansson and Joshua Bell



"Everybody Needs A Best Friend"
from Ted
Music by Walter Murphy
Lyrics by Seth MacFarlane
Performer: Norah Jones



"Pi's Lullaby"
from Life of Pi
Music by Mychael Danna
Lyric by Bombay Jayashri
Performer: Bombay Jayashri



"Suddenly"
from Les Miserables
Music: Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics: Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil
Performer: Hugh Jackman

THE 70th GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD WINNERS

THE 70th GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD WINNERS

It was a big night in Hollywood as the 2013 Golden Globes were handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. While it usually is a precursor to the Oscars, there is no overlap in members of the Academy and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Ben Affleck won for Best Director and he was completely left off the Oscar nomination list.

Here are the winners of the Motion Picture portion of the evening:

Best Motion Picture-Drama
ARGO

Best Motion Picture-Musical/Comedy
LES MISERABLES

Best Director
BEN AFFLECK

Best Actor-Drama
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS, Lincoln

Best Actress-Drama
JESSICA CHASTAIN, Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actor-Musical/Comedy
HUGH JACKMAN, Les Miserables

Best Actress-Musical/Comedy
JENNIFER LAWRENCE, Silver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actor
CHRISTOPH WALTZ, Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actor
ANNE HATHAWAY, Les Miserables

Best Screenplay
QUENTIN TARANTINO, Django Unchained

Best Animated Feature
BRAVE

Best Foreign Film
AMOUR, Austria

Best Original Score
MYCHAEL DANNA, Life of Pi

Best Original Song
"Skyfall" by Adele and Paul Epworth, Skyfall

Do you agree with the choice of winners? Any surprises for you?

Movie Review: LES MISERABLES

LES MISERABLES
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter

The big screen adaptation of the beloved musical by Alain Boublil and
Claude-Michel Schönberg has finally made it to the big screen, and it has left the die-hard fans in an uproar. Did they do justice with their beloved musical? Did they cast the right actors? Are the voices good enough? Can they get the cast recording out of their head for three hours to appreciate new voices or interpretations of the songs? I have seen the stage version a couple of times and have listened to the cast recording countless times. I will try to keep my comparisons of the two to a minimal, but it will be hard.

Prisoner 24601 Jean Valjean (Jackman) has been released on parole from his guard Javert (Crowe). He stole a loaf of bread and has since been in the arms of the lawful Javert. Valjean is taken in by the Bishop of Digne (original stage Valjean Colm Wilkinson) and given food and shelter. He has a revelation after the generosity the Bishop has given him. He breaks his parole and vows to live a just life helping others. Javert's hunt to capture Valjean once and for all has begun.

Eight years pass and Valjean has taken a new identity to become a factory owner and mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. A fight between the female workers breaks out as they discover Fantine (Hathaway) is sending money to her daughter Cosette. Cosette is living with the Thénardiers (Bonham Carter and Cohen) and their daughter Eponine. The Thénardiers are innkeepers that pick pocket and steal from anyone entering their establishment. Fantine is kicked out of the factory and turns to prostitution in a desperate attempt to make money for her daughter. Valjean promises to Fantine that he will take care of Cosette. He approaches the Thénardiers and gives them enough money to take her.

Nine years pass and life has only gotten worse for the French. Marius (Redmayne) and Enjolras (Aaron Tveit) decide to start a revolution as the war wages on. Marius spots Cosette (Seyfried) amongst the crowd one day and instantly falls in love. This does not bode well for Eponine (Barks) who has long been in love with Marius. Gunfight and turmoil separate Cosette and Marius while it brings together Javert and Valjean to finish their duel that started many years ago.

One of the best choices director Tom Hooper made was to have the actors sing live on set instead of having the music prerecorded. Many movie musicals have all of the music prerecorded first and then have the actors lip-synch during filming. From what I have read, each actor had an ear piece that played the piano part so they could stay with the music. It is a pretty daring move that I found quite effective. I feel like it allowed the actors to really delve into the acting of the songs while singing them at the same time. Some of the actors were better at this than others. Hathaway's showstopping "I Dreamed a Dream" is so heartbreaking to hear and watch. She is sobbing her way through it and makes the lyrics so gut-wrenching. You will forget about any other time you've heard it, especially if it was done for some reality show that made the woman a huge star now. I won't mention names as I cannot stand that weak rendition. Back to the topic at hand. Eddie Redmayne is another actor that made the live singing look effortless. His song "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" is another weeper. This concept does lead to the music to sound a little less refined and pretty than you may expect it to. There is a rough and raw quality to it that may be a little jarring for the die-hard musical lovers.

Crowe and Seyfried are getting the most flack for their performances, but they did not bother me as much as I would have thought. Their voices are very different than how fans have heard their characters sung before. Crowe has more of a rock/pop sound to his tone. He does not have the trained musical theater sound to it. I think he is the one actor that is working the most outside their comfort zone which does show at times. We've heard Seyfried sing in Mamma Mia so her voice come as no surprise. Shockingly enough, Jackman came as a surprise in a different way. I have heard him sing numerous times, so I was excited by his casting. There were moments when he sounded just beautiful while other times his tone really jarred with me. Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne were just phenomenal in every regard. Hathaway will most likely walk away with her first Oscar which will be well deserved. I would love to see Redmayne get some more recognition. Samantha Barks stands out as well as she returns to the role of Eponine after playing in on stage in London.

Another aspect of the movie that will stick out at you is the cinematography. Much of the movie is done in close-up shots, especially during any of the more serious solos. It works with the live singing to help bring out the raw emotion of the song if all you are focused in is the actor delivering the powerful lyrics. To contrast that, the camera uses sharp angles whenever it pans out on the deslote streets of Paris.

Like I have previously stated, it is hard to watch the movie and not compare it to the stage musical. This happens anytime you see a musical adapted for the big screen. Sometimes the material does not transfer well from stage to screen. It takes a supremely talented director, cast, and crew to make the adaptation faithful to the stage version while making it work for the camera. Musical numbers may be cut, characters may reduced from how they appear on stage. It comes with the territory. Not everything that works on stage will work on film. Hooper and his talented cast deliver a top-notch movie musical that stays faithful to the original material. The musical has an amazing score from the solos to the larger group numbers like "One Day More" and "Do You Hear the People Sing?". Some of the musical numbers will have you sobbing in your seats, and you will most likely come out with the music stuck in your head. It is the best stage to screen musical adaptation since 2002's Chicago.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars)

THE 70th GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NOMINATIONS

THE 70th GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NOMINATIONS

The Golden Globes are another great night of rewarding the best of the silver screen over the past year. The awards are handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and are typically the "party" awards. All of the nominees and presenters are basically drinking around their dinner tables all night long. It's even better when a presenter has had too much and slurs the names he/she is reading off the teleprompter. Clink on any of the links to read my reviews of the nominated movies. Here's a look at this year's nominees:

BEST MOTION PICTURE-DRAMA
1. ARGO
2. DJANGO UNCHAINED
3. LIFE OF PI
4. LINCOLN
5. ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST MOTION PICTURE-MUSICAL/COMEDY
1. THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
2. LES MISERABLES
3. MOONRISE KINGDOM
4. SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
5. SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

BEST DIRECTOR
1. Ben Affleck--Argo
2. Kathryn Bigelow--Zero Dark Thirty
3. Ang Lee--Life of Pi
4. Steven Spielberg--Lincoln
5. Quentin Tarantino--Django Unchained

BEST ACTOR-DRAMA
1. Daniel Day-Lewis--Lincoln
2. Richard Gere-Arbitrage
3. John Hawkes--The Sessions
4. Joaquin Phoenix--The Master
5. Denzel Washington--Flight

BEST ACTOR-MUSICAL/COMEDY
1. Jack Black--Bernie
2. Bradley Cooper--Silver Linings Playbook
3. Hugh Jackman--Les Miserables
4. Ewan McGregor--Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
5. Bill Murray--Hyde Park on Hudson

BEST ACTRESS-DRAMA
1. Jessica Chastain--Zero Dark Thirty
2. Marion Cotillard--Rust and Bone
3. Helen Mirren--Hitchcock
4. Naomi Watts--The Impossible
5. Rachel Weisz--The Deep Blue Sea

BEST ACTRESS-MUSICAL/COMEDY
1. Emily Blunt--Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
2. Judi Dench--The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
3. Jennifer Lawrence--Silver Linings Playbook
4. Maggie Smith--Quartet
5. Meryl Streep--Hope Springs

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Alan Arkin--Argo
2. Leonardo DiCaprio--Django Unchained
3. Phillip Seymour Hoffman--The Master
4. Tommy Lee Jones--Lincoln
5. Christoph Waltz--Django Unchained

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Amy Adams--The Master
2. Sally Field--Lincoln
3. Anne Hathaway--Les Miserables
4. Helen Hunt--The Sessions
5. Nicole Kidman--The Paperboy

BEST SCREENPLAY
1. Michael Haneke--Amour
2. Quentin Tarantino--Django Unchained
3. Tony Kushner--Lincoln
4. David O. Russell--Silver Linings Playbook
5. Mark Boal--Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
1. Daria Marianelli--Anna Karenina
2. Alexandre Desplat--Argo
3. Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek--Cloud Atlas
4. Mychael Danna--Life of Pi
5. John Williams--Lincoln

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
1. "For You"--Act of Valor
2. "Safe and Sound"--The Hunger Games
3. "Suddenly"--Les Miserables
4. "Skyfall"--Skyfall
5. "Not Running Anymore"--Stand Up Guys

BEST ANIMATED FILM
1. BRAVE
2. FRANKENWEENIE
3. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
4. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
5. WRECK-IT RALPH

BEST FORGEIN FILM
1. AMOUR
2. KON-TIKI
3. THE INTOUCHABLES
4. A ROYAL AFFAIR
5. RUST AND BONE

SURPRISES? Nicole Kidman seems to be getting more praise for her work in Lee Daniel's The Paperboy. The movie came and out with mixed reviews, so it is surprising that she is getting nomations from SAG and the Golden Globes. I was surprised Maggie Smith was nominated for Quartet over The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

SNUBS? No Best Picture for Silver Linings Playbook is the biggest snub in my opinion along with them ignoring Robert DeNiro's work. Anthony Hopkins and Beasts of the Southern Wild were also snubbed.

Here is a complete list of the SAG Awards Nominations

Here is my Oscar Watch 2013 page with all the latest updates leading up the big evening.

The awards air on NBC on January 13th, 2013

THE 19th ANNUAL SAG AWARD NOMINATIONS

THE 19th ANNUAL SAG AWARD NOMINATIONS

The Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations have been announced! They are usually the strongest indicators of who will be nominated for an Oscar. The SAG winners often times walk away with the coveted Oscar as well. There are always exceptions to that as well. There are only a couple of surprises here. Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman received nominations beating out the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Adams, or Jacki Weaver. No actors from Django Unchained received any recognition. The cast of Zero Dark Thirty was not recognized even though Jessica Chastain received a Best Actress nomination.

I’ve added links to my reviews of any of the movies I have seen thus far. Make sure to check out my Oscar Watch 2013 page for the latest updates leading up to the announcement of the nominations and through Oscar Day!

Best Performance By a Cast in a Motion Picture
ARGO
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
LES MISERABLES
LINCOLN
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Outstanding Performance by in Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Denzel Washington, Flight

Outstanding Performance by in Actress in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Outstanding Performance by in Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin, Argo
Javier Bardem, Skyfall
Robert DeNiro, Silver Linings Playbook
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Outstanding Performance by in Actress in a Supporting Role
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Who are you excited to see nominated? Any of these surprised for you?

The SAG Awards air on TBS and TNT on January 27, 2012

New Trailer: LES MISERABLES

LES MISERABLES
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring:
Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean
Russell Crowe as Javert
Anne Hathaway as Fantine
Amanda Seyfried as Cosette
Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thenardier
Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier
Eddie Redmayne as Marius
Samantha Barks as Eponine
Aaron Tveit as Enjolras

Special Appearances by Original Broadway Cast Members
Colm Wilkinson
Frances Ruffelle

Some might say that a film adaptation of the huge beloved musical Les Miserables is LONG OVER. Purists may feel it is meant for the stage and should stay that way. Lord only knows when a big screen musical comes along producers and studio heads are bound to cast some A-Lister who can’t sing or a pop singer who can’t act. I’ve seen the stage version and a couple of the “dream cast” anniversary concerts. I feel pretty confident with the cast Tom Hooper as aligned. Jackman and Hathway have proven they can sing. Seyfried, Carter, and Cohen have all previously starred in movie musical adaptations. Redmayne, Barks, and Tveit are all veteran stage actors. Could Les Miserable be the next movie musical to win Best Picture?

Release Date: December 14, 2012