Movie Trailer: THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, Lee Pace, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett

Fans have been a bit hesitant when it comes to The Hobbit movies. I can understand the frustration as Peter Jackson and his writing team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens took one book and turned it into three movies by adding characters and taking details from the appendices. So far, they are nowhere near as good as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I feel like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was heading in the right direction.

It's Comic-Con time which means we get the first glimpse at the new "teaser" trailer for the final installment, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. I have a strong inclination that this will be the best of this trilogy. Jackson may redeem himself from how the series started. I haven't read the book yet which I am embarrassed to admit, but I think that makes it a bit easier to judge the movies without any preconceived notions of what Tolkien's story originally had in store.

For all the LOTR and Hobbit fans out there, what are your thoughts? Does this third one have promise?

RELEASE DATE: December 17, 2014

Here's the trailer

Movie Review: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Writer/Director: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington

Dreamworks Animation has made some fantastic animated franchises like Madagascar, Shrek, and Kung Fu Panda. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel to Chicken Run. They have another successful one under their belt with How to Train Your Dragon 2. In the Viking land Berk, the Vikings and dragons are friendly and peaceful. For many of the characters, their dragons are their best friends. Our favorite Viking Hiccup (Baruchel) has grown up a bit since the first film. He is eager to explore new and uncharted territories with his dragon pal, Toothless. He is joined by his friend Astrid (Ferrera) on his adventures, and they uncover an area covered in ice. They are captured by Eret (Harington) who tries to steal their dragons for the evil conqueror Drago (Hounsou). Before Hiccup and Astrid are too deep into danger, they are rescued by Hiccup’s dad Stoick (Butler) and are warned of Drago’s twenty war history of capturing dragons for his personal army. Hiccup will always try to play the peacemaker and in turn heads out to confront Drago. Along his way, he meets the mysterious Valka (Blanchett), a dragon rider who has spent the last twenty years trying to rescue dragons from Drago. She also has a familial connection to Hiccup.

One of the first things you will notice with this series is the stunning animation. There are so many creative and distinct choices made with the design of the dragons and the Viking world. It is a visual feast that often kept me focused on its execution. Numerous times I caught myself watching the animation over listening to the dialogue. If you have seen the first film, you will realize the animators have wisely aged some of the characters like Hiccup and Astrid to show the passing of time. I’m glad they chose to keep Toothless as a non-talking creature. They bring so much personality into his character that you don’t need a voice added to it. There is a dragon race that opens and ends the film that definitely feels like you are on an action ride at some theme park. I normally shy away from 3D films, but I think it is worth it for animated films. The 3D enriches the already striking animated visuals in a way that typically ruins many live action films.

Many of the actors from the first film lend their voices again for the sequel including: Jay Baruchel (This is the End), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), and Jonah Hill (22 Jump Street). Heavy hitters Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Kit Harington (Game of Thrones), and Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) join the cast. This is Blanchett’s second animated film after doing a voice in the English version of Miyazaki’s Ponyo. I found that the voice over work is subtle compared to your standard kids movie. Usually you have someone being this loud mouthed obnoxious sidekick playing for laughs like Eddie Murphy in Shrek. I never once felt like these characters were written for shtick and comedy purposes. While I recognized the voices of Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, or Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Neighbors), they never overpowered their scenes or distracted from the story.

Even if you haven’t seen the first film, you will still be able to understand and have fun with this one. If you do have the opportunity, go and Redbox or Netflix the first one just to have a better understanding of the background of these characters and how the land of Berk has changed between both movies. Again, it’s not imperative as this story does stand on its own but certain specific details will make more sense. Parents will appreciate the themes of family loyalty, acceptance of others, and the responsibilities that come with having a pet. This is a perfect movie for kids that may still be a bit young for the Harry Potter series. The dragon race game that opens the fim is very similar to Quidditch. If you’ve enjoyed both films, you will be happy to know that writer/director Dean DeBlois has announced that How to Train Your Dragon 3 is in the works. He stated that he sees the story as a trilogy and that the third part is not some quick and easy way to make more money.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? There’s a lot of charm and heart with this sequel that is equally enjoyable for any member of the family.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: THE MONUMENTS MEN

THE MONUMENTS MEN
Director: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, Dimitri Leonidas, Cate Blanchett

As we all know George Clooney is a man of many talents. He has won Oscars for acting (Syriana) and producing (Argo) and has been nominated for his writing and directing efforts (Good Night, and Good Luck). These are just some of the high caliber credits under his belt. Plus, he is pretty darn good to look at on any given day of the week. His latest project, The Monuments Men, has him wearing many hats again as he acts, directs, writes, and produces the film. He enlisted the help of an all-star cast with Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, and his good pal Matt Damon. This all sounds like a winning combination for this little known lesson in art history.

Lieutenant Frank Stokes (Clooney) has been granted permission from President Roosevelt to form a troop of men to rescue precious buildings, monuments, and art that could be lost and damaged in the war or stolen by Hitler’s men for the Fuhrer museum. The group known as “The Monuments Men” consists of various architects, art historians, and curators who are not fit for war by any means. The physical aspects of boot camp pose a challenge for some of the men.  Their experience with firing a gun and knowing how to survive in the battlefield is minimal at best. Stokes and his men haven’t a clue as to where the Nazi party is keeping their stolen goods, so they split off into pairs to track down the various pieces and collections that have gone missing.

Like I mentioned previously, Clooney co-wrote and produced the film with his partner Grant Heslov. I think Clooney may have bitten off more than he can chew here. There is a lack of specificity that plays throughout the film that is quite apparent early on. They have this general layout for the story but they don’t infuse it with anything meaty to grab onto. The group of guys are written quite generic at best and are not given anything juicy for the actors to play with regarding character development. Clooney casts these great character actors that are probably all his friends, but no one is playing outside their comfort zone. Yes, they each have fun little moments here and there. Bill Murray has a touching scene listening to a recording of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, but that’s just one scene. Are we supposed to take away that by casting all of these comedic actors that can also do drama that it’s funny and ironic that they are the ones going into war to save the art? Clooney and Heslov didn’t write the comedy strong enough to make it that apparent. Cate Blanchett is thrown into the mix but her beginning scenes feel a bit off kilter as well. She plays a French art curator that is also working to save and protect certain pieces from being captured by the Nazis. Her scenes seem to flow better once Matt Damon’s character enters the picture. There is a fun joke about the Damon character not speaking French properly. Again, it’s a decent gag like some others, but the thread that runs between them is not very strong or supportive.

A really great musical score composed for any given movie can elevate the story by bringing out the suspense and tension in any given scene. Sometimes if a score is mediocre it fades into the background and you don’t notice it. I normally love the work of Alexandre Desplat (Philomena, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). There can be these beautiful and melodic choices in his work that carry us through certain scenes. His score for The Monuments Men is quite jarring. It often times doesn’t match the tone of the film or of the action going on in each scene. I partly blame Clooney and Heslov for not having a clear voice and structure in the film. Desplat’s score makes that even more apparent. It often feels like it is used as a crutch to carry scenes along and cover transitions where dialogue seems to be lacking.

The film was originally set to be released in December 2013. It was naturally thought of as being a heavy Oscar contender with Clooney and Heslov attached to it.  After news broke that the release was being pushed to February, it was a clear sign that the film was in rough shape. The "official" wording was that it wouldn't be ready in time. I think it's evident that the studio knew that there was no way it could compete with the other films released around that time. Clooney brings forth an important story about the importance of art in our culture and how tragic it would have been to have lost all of these pieces. I am by no means an art historian, but I was able to stay engaged as someone that has been to his fair share of art museums. The bigger problem is that they don't really know how to tell this story with a precise and distinct vision to it. The writing is a general wash without any careful eye on character choices or what tone they want the film to have. My husband loves history and has been reading about Truman's life recently, so he was able to connect more dots and have a better understanding of the war details that I missed out on. I wouldn't consider myself bored by the movie as the basic premise is intriguing. There are some nice moments here and there, but they don't add up to a great movie.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? No. Clooney, Damon, Murray, and Blanchett have far better movies out there to chose from. On the other hand, you may find the film enlightening if you are a big history buff.

RATING: 2 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

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THE 86th ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS

THE 86th ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS

BEST PICTURE

12 YEARS A SLAVE

BEST DIRECTOR

Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

BEST ACTOR

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Great Beauty, Italy

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Spike Jonze, Her

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Frozen

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Catherine Martin and Beverly Dunn, The Great Gatsby

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity

BEST SOUND MIXING

Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead, and Chris Munro, Gravity

BEST SOUND EDITING

Glenn Freemantle, Gravity

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Steven Price, Gravity

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Let It Go", Frozen

Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

20 Feet from Stardom

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

The Lady In Number 6: Music Saved My Life

BEST FILM EDITING

Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger, Gravity

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews, Dallas Buyers Club

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Mr. Hublot

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

Helium

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Timothy Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, and Neil Corbould, Gravity

I don't think there were too many surprises from last night. My final outcome on predictions was 19 out of 24, which wasn't too bad. I should have stuck to my initial guesses on Best Picture and Best Costume Design, but I thought I would throw out some surprises. 20 Feet from Stardom took the award home for Best Documentary when many thought The Act of Killing had it in the bag. Ellen Degeneres completely nailed the opening monologue and brought an informal approach to her hosting duties, often times delivering bits from the audience. The selfie that broke Twitter was a fantastic idea and takes a bit of the stuffiness out of the room. I'm sure there will be some curmudgeons that will balk at her casual ways, but I found it entertaining. I will say that some of the bits took too long. The Oscars are always far longer than they need to be. I read many negative comments regarding some of the performances. I really enjoyed Bette Midler, Pink, and Idina Menzel. My biggest beef of the evening came with one of their presenters. Can I just throw it out there that John Travolta should not present again? Why does he always have to present one of the Best Song nominees? He completely butchered Idina Menzel's name. Don't they have rehearsals and pronunciation cards or something to ensure names are pronounced correctly? Travolta and his hair piece were two of the lowest moments of the evening. Some highlights of the evening include Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong'o and Cate Blachett who had wonderful and inspiring speeches. While Gravity took home the most with seven wins, 12 Years a Slave took home the final award for Best Picture.

THE ANNUAL BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS AWARDS WINNERS

THE ANNUAL BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS AWARDS WINNERS

The countdown to the Oscars continue as the winners of The BAFTAs were announced Sunday night. There were not too many surprises here, but the equal love for 12 Years a Slave and Gravity still makes your Oscar ballot a bit tricky to fill out.  Despite the win for Jennifer Lawrence, I still think Lupita Nyong'o will take home the Oscar.

 Let's take a take at the BAFTA winners...

BEST FILM
12 Years a Slave

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Gravity

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Kieran Evans (Director/Writer) Kelly + Victor

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Great Beauty

DOCUMENTARY
The Act of Killing

ANIMATED FILM
Frozen

DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell, American Hustle

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, Philomena

LEADING ACTOR
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave

LEADING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Steven Price, Gravity

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity

EDITING
Dan Hanley and Mike Hill, Rush

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn, The Great Gatsby

COSTUME DESIGN
Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

MAKE UP AND HAIR
Evelyne Noraz and Lori McCoy-Bell, American Hustle

SOUND
Glenn Freemantle, Skip Lievsay, Christopher Benstead, Niv Adiri, and Chris Munro, Gravity

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould, and Nikki Penny, Gravity

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
Sleeping with the Fishes

BRITISH SHORT FILM
Room 8

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
Will Poulter

The 20th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS WINNERS

The 20th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS WINNERS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

THE WINNER: American Hustle

OTHER NOMINEES:
12 Years a Slave
August: Osage County
Dallas Buyers Club
Lee Daniels' The Butler

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

THE WINNER: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

OTHER NOMINEES:
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels' The Butler

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

THE WINNER: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

OTHER NOMINEES:
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

THE WINNER: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

OTHER NOMINESS:
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl, Rush
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
James Gandolfini, Enough Said

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

THE WINNER: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave

OTHER NOMINEES:
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska
Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels' The Butler

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

THE WINNER: Lone Survivor

OTHER NOMINEES:
All is Lost
Fast & Furious 6
Rush
The Wolverine

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Rita Moreno!

THE 71st GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS WINNERS

THE 71st GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS WINNERS

Here are the winners for the 71st Golden Globe Awards brought to you by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association

BEST MOTION PICTURE-DRAMA

THE WINNER: 12 Years a Slave

OTHER NOMINESS:
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena
Rush

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS-DRAMA

THE WINNER: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

OTHER NOMINEES:
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Kate Winslet, Labor Day

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR-DRAMA

THE WINNER: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

OTHER NOMINESS:
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Idris Elba, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Robert Redford, All is Lost

BEST MOTION PICTURE-COMEDY/MUSICAL

THE WINNER: American Hustle

OTHER NOMINESS:
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS-COMEDY/MUSICAL

THE WINNER: Amy Adams, American Hustle

OTHER NOMINEES:
Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR-COMEDY/MUSICAL

THE WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

OTHER NOMINEES:
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Joaquin Phoenix, Her

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

THE WINNER: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

OTHER NOMINEES:
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

THE WINNER: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

OTHER NOMINEES:
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl, Rush
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave

BEST DIRECTOR
THE WINNER: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

OTHER NOMINEES:
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
David O. Russell, American Hustle

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
THE WINNER:   Frozen

OTHER NOMINEES:
The Croods
Despicable Me 2

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE WINNER: The Great Beauty, Italy

OTHER NOMINEES:
Blue is the Warmest Color, France
The Hunt, Denmark
The Past, Iran
The Wind Rises, Japan

BEST SCREENPLAY
THE WINNER: Spike Jonze, Her

OTHER NOMINEES:
Bob Nelson, Nebraska
Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, Philomena
John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell, American Hustle

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
THE WINNER: Alex Ebert, All is Lost

OTHER NOMINEES:
Steven Price, Gravity
John Williams, The Book Thief
Hans Zimmer, 12 Years a Slave
Alex Heffes, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
THE WINNER: "Ordinary Love", Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

OTHER NOMINEES:
"Atlas", The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
"Let It Go", Frozen
"Please Mr. Kennedy", Inside Llewyn Davis
"Sweeter than Fiction", Once Chance

The 2014 Cecil B. DeMille Awards was presented to Woody Allen who, naturally, was not present so Diane Keaton accepted the awards upon his behalf.

What are your thoughts? Did the right people win? Any surprises or snubs?

PAUL'S YEAR AT THE MOVIES: 2013 EDITION

PAUL'S YEAR AT THE MOVIES: 2013 EDITION

It has come to that time where I look back at my trip to the movies in 2013. Every year, I track all of the movies I saw for the first time. Whether they were the new 2013 releases or older films I was just discovering for the first time, I like to jot them down to see how I fare year to year. Before I go any further, I must give a special acknowledgment to my friend and fellow cinephile Max who I stole this idea from many years ago. I looked back at the 2012 Edition in this series where I noted that I had seen 113 new movies in that year. I am surprised to say that I beat that number with 119 new films under my belt in 2013, 81 of which were 2013 releases. As many of you know I got married in June, so my movie going went on the back burner the first half of the year as wedding planning and counting down to that special day was my priority in the first half of 2013. Each year I try to see more and more films, so I am pleasantly surprised to see I beat last year's numbers despite the slow start. I would love to get to every movie out there, but time and money plays a big factor into it.

As far as the blog is concerned, I created some new content including "The Snapshot Trivia of the Day", the "Halloween" Retrospective, Oscar Watch 2014, The Archives plus the traditional trailers, reviews, rewinds, and other articles. I have some new ideas and exciting things coming in 2014 so keep checking back! It has been an exciting year in the networking front as I got to interact with new readers and followers of the blog. In June, I was honored to become LAMB #1588 when I joined the Large Association of Movie Blogs. 2013 also marked my first trip to the Twin Cities Film Festival where I met some other bloggers and critics in the Minneapolis film scene. I love getting to know new people and discussing the films we either loved or hated.

Here is the list, plus My Top 10 of 2013 and the Worst of 2013, some noteworthy performances, and some other tidbits:

The List

The Sessions
Promised Land
Broken City
Side Effects
Amour
Take This Waltz
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Oz, The Great and Powerful
Side By Side
A Separation
Wreck-It Ralph
Compliance
Admission
The Silence
The Prodigal Son
Evil Dead
Flashdance
Days of Heaven
Jurassic Park 3D
Double Indemnity
Room 237
To the Wonder
The Place Beyond the Pines
ParaNorman
Iron Man 3
The Paperboy
The Great Gatsby
Bernie
Star Trek Into Darkness
Oblivion
Now You Seen Me
All Good Things
End of Watch
Lars and the Real Girl
The Way Way Back
Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil
Behind the Candelabra
Man of Steel
Beautiful Creatures
Stoker
Not Fade Away
Identity Thief
Mama
This is the End
V/H/S
The Heat
White House Down
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
World War Z
The Blue Umbrella
Monsters University
Despicable Me
Modern Times
The Conjuring
Red
Pacific Rim
The Wolverine
We're the Millers
Fruitvale Station
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Seven Psychopaths
Bachelorette
Blue Jasmine
Chronicle
Like Crazy
The Spectacular Now
Austenland
Hot Fuzz
The World's End
Best Worst Movie
The Possession
Isidious: Chapter 2
Prisoners
Anna Karenina
Don Jon
Enough Said
V/H/S/2
The Ward
Gravity
Captain Phillips
Nebraska
Honeymoon Suite
We Are What We Are
Winter in the Blood
Truth or Blood
The Search for Simon
Ghost Light
They Will Outlive Us All
Hot 'n Bothered
Casual Encounters
A Better Life
Mud
12 Years a Slave
Much Ado About Nothing (2013)
About Time
Thor: The Dark World
Only God Forgives
Frances Ha
Salinger
Dallas Buyers Club
JFK
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Frozen
Philomena
Parkland
Delivery Man
Prince Avalanche
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Upstream Color
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
What Maisie Knew
The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza)
Lovelace
Saving Mr. Banks
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
August: Osage County
The Wolf of Wall Street
American Hustle

Paul's Top 10 of 2013

These are the films that had the biggest impact on me. There may be some different choices on here than you may find on other Top 10 lists out there, but that is what makes each film critic a little different. Please note I have not seen Inside Llewyn Davis (seeing it today!), Her , All is Lost, or Labor Day at this time, so those unfortunately will not be found here.

1. The Way Way Back

This indie hit from the summer just hit that part of my inner soul that spoke to so many of the feelings and emotions I went through when I was the age of the main character. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash wrote a hilarious and touching script that garnered fantastic performances from Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney, Steve Carell, and Toni Collette.

2. Gravity

Alfonso Cuarón's epic 3D masterpiece was an intense, breathtaking, and magical ride. It is one of those movies that is the true definition of why people go to the movies. As years and decades pass, I hope it is remembered as one of the genre's great films like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

3. Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station did not get the audience response it deserved. It hit theaters, but did not seem to last long which is quite unfortunate as it is one of the most important films audiences should have seen this year. It was an emotional kick to the gut with Michael B. Jordan giving one of my favorite performances of the year.

4. Nebraska

Alexander Payne's latest took me by surprise and is another film that touches numerous parts of the soul. Bruce Dern gives one hell of a performance as an cantankerous old man who is determined that he won a sweepstakes in the mail. The scenes between Dern and June Squibb as his feisty wife are hysterical. Payne perfectly captures that small Midwestern town vibe that is all too familiar.

5. American Hustle

David O. Russell has another hit on his hands with this con story somewhat based on the ABSCAM operation in the 1970s. It should come has no surprise that he as created some over-the-top characters brought to life by frequent collaborations Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bradley Cooper.

6. 12 Years a Slave

Not since Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List has a film so vividly captured a horrifying chapter in history. Steve McQueen’s latest left me quite speechless afterwards as I tried to process everything that was thrown at me. Lupita Nyong’o is a revelation who was vulnerable and heartbreaking in every way. Chiwetel Ejiofor is another standout actor of the year who conveys so much emotion and range without it being a flashy or showy performance.

7. Philomena

Dame Judi Dench gives another stellar performance to add to her long resume. She proves yet again why she is one of the greats. Director Stephen Frears precisely executes this film that is based on a true story with the right tone without ever gearing toward Lifetime Movie of the Week status.

8. The Conjuring

I LOVE horror films, so it was refreshing to see James Wan's latest completely hit it out of the ballpark. It was suspenseful and scary without using copious amounts of gore and body parts. The Conjuring is an homage to the horror films of the 1970s that had the slow burn leading up to an insane edge of your seat finale. I think it is one of the genre's best in years.

9. Prisoners

This twisty ethical child abduction mystery thriller left audiences 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. Hugh Jackman was a bit over lauded for his work in Les Miserables, but I think his best performance comes here as a father who will stop at nothing as he searches for his missing daughter. Another high point is the work of ten time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins for his cinematography . He 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.

10. Saving Mr. Banks

Emma Thompson is practically perfect in every way as P.L. Travers who had no interest in bringing her novel "Mary Poppins" to the big screen. The supporting cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Paul Giamatti, and Colin Farrell, should be noted for their work in the story. If you grew up watching Mary Poppins like I did, it will be hard to think back to your childhood and the memories you have of that film. Don't be surprised if you start humming along the songs in your seat.

**HONORABLE MENTIONS: Blue Jasmine, Frances Ha, Much Ado About Nothing, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Place Beyond the Pines

The Worst of 2013

Truth be told, I do not end up seeing a lot of bad movies throughout the year. I do not mean for that to come out snobbish as I really do love a good bad movie that is just dreadful. Frankly, it can be easier to write about those God awful movies over a film that is just middle of the road average. It is just hard for me to justify spending money at the theater and wasting my free time on a movie that I know will be bad. Four of the movies below I did see in theaters and wasted some money on them. I had such hopes to only to be highly disappointed.

1. Truth or Dare
2. Evil Dead
3. Oz, The Great and Powerful
4. Only God Forgives
5. The Wolverine
**honorable mention--Pacific Rim

Noteworthy Performances
Barkhad Abdi- Captain Phillips
Amy Adams- American Hustle
Christian Bale- American Hustle
Cate Blanchett- Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock- Gravity
Bruce Dern- Nebraska
Judi Dench- Philomena
Leonardo DiCaprio- The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor- 12 Years a Slave
Greta Gerwig- Frances Ha
Ryan Gosling- The Place Beyond the Pines
Jake Gyllenhaal- Prisoners
Tom Hanks- Captain Phillips, Saving Mr. Banks
Sally Hawkins- Blue Jasmine
Hugh Jackman- Prisoners
Michael B. Jordan- Fruitvale Station
Jennifer Lawrence- American Hustle
Lili Taylor- The Conjuring
Jared Leto- Dallas Buyers Club
Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Buyers Club, Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street
Lupita Nyong'o- 12 Years a Slave
Simon Pegg- The World's End
Sam Rockwell- The Way Way Back
June Squibb- Nebraska
Meryl Streep- August: Osage County

2013 has been a terrific year at the movies, and there are still a few high profile films I have not seen yet. I am really looking forward to a big 2014 and I have some exciting things coming for the blog, so stay tuned! As always, thank you so much for reading, commenting, and sharing the movies that you love. A big thank you to all of those following me on Twitter. Feel free to comment below on all of your favorites from 2013. What films touched your inner soul? What films did you want to run away from? Here's to a great 2013!

Movie Review: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Richard Armitage, Lee Pace, Cate
Blanchett, Luke Evans, Ken Scott, Aidan Turner, Stephen Hunter

It was around this time last year that we were introduced to Peter Jackson's version of "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.  The first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, was hit with some hesitation and disapproval. The second part in this new trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, should hopefully bring some uptight fans back for more. Our fearless gang led by Gandalf the Wizard (McKellen), head dwarf Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage), twelve more dwarves, and their "burglar" hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) are still on their adventure to the Lonely Mountain to obtain the white gem known as the Arkenstone and for Thorin to reclaim his position as the king of Erebor.

What stands in their way at the Lonely Mountain is the fire breathing dragon Smaug (voiced by Cumberbatch) who destroyed Erebor from the dwarves that called it home. It is their time to reclaim their kingdom. Their journey takes them through Milkwood and Esgaroth as they come face to face with the Orcs as well as being captured by the Elvenking Thranduil (Pace), who the dwarves have had a long feud with when he merely stood by and watched the destruction of their kingdom without offering help. Let us not forget that Bilbo is still in possession of the magical One Ring that he stole from the creature Gollum.

Let me just say first and foremost that this second part is a vast improvement from the first in The Hobbit trilogy. I should also state that I am a avid lover of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. They rank as #6 in My Top 20 list. I think my passion for those films made me appreciate the new trilogy more so than your average moviegoer or someone that is not as invested in Tolkien's story. I can agree with some of the negative feedback and grumblings that the first one received. Jackson and fellow screenwriters Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro have expanded one story and made three movies out of it while The Lord of the Rings trilogy consisted of three movies from three separate books. I must admit that I have not read the book of "The Hobbit", so I go in not necessarily knowing where the film diverges from the story unless I have read rumblings from other fans. The character of the female elf Tauriel (Lilly) is completely made up for the movies.  While Legolas is a Tolkien character, he does not appear in this book. Even without having read the book, it is apparent that this aspect of the story is more fleshed out by Jackson and his writing team. I place no blame on Bloom or Lilly as they are quite good, but many of their segments make the film drag on at times. Lee Pace is fantastic as Elvenking Thranduil, but I am not quite sure we needed Legolas and Tauriel as well.

Despite some of the more meandering moments in the story, the writing team succeeds at raising the stakes a bit and letting the audience in on who some of these characters are. While the gang of dwarves seemed to blend in together in the first movie, their individualistic qualities come out to play here especially for Bombur (Hunter), Balin (Scott), and Kili (Turner) and we get to know what their roles are as part of the gang. Some may scoff at the romantic flirting that occurs between Kili and Tauriel. The film boasts some heightened actions sequences which is another plus as it brings the pace back up for the almost three hour movie. I am warning you now if you have a fear of spiders, but that sequence is one of the best in the movie.

The hype surrounding the film involves the creation and execution of Smaug. We get glimpses of him from the first film, but I sat eagerly anticipating his arrival throughout this movie. I am not really ruining anything by stating that Bilbo makes it to the Lonely Mountain and faces the diabolical dragon. Leave it to in demand actor Benedict Cumberbatch to breathe some life into him with the perfect maniacal tone. Peter Jackson had huge success with bringing Gollum to life, and he has done it again here with Smaug. The special effects and CGI animation for the character is stunning like so many other aspects of Jackson's attempt at bringing Tolkien's tale to the bring screen. The grandiose scale of Smaug and menancing fear he adds to the story brought me right back to that feeling I had when the T-Rex shows up in Jurassic Park. If you feel at all like the middle drags, you will perk right up with the arrival of Smaug as it kicks the story into high gear.

Jackson proves again what a visually stunning director he can be. The whole design of Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain in particular is stunning and a feast for anyone that loves the Tolkien universe. I appreciate that it seems he has built massive sets and sound stages for filming without feeling the need to over-CGI the movie to death, like certain Sam Raimi and Baz Luhrman films from earlier this year. Jackson has once again shot the film using the High Frame Rate of 48 frames per second. Not every theater can show it in this format, but you can definitely notice a difference in the picture quality. I do not know if I am more accustomed to it after viewing the first film in HFR, but it did not seem nearly as distracting this time around. Maybe Jackson and his crew knew how to work with it better on their second attempt with it. I will say that the 3D is quite gimmicky at times with arrows, bees, fire balls, and other objects that are constantly popping out of the screen. I am far too old for that cheap thrill. I would rather have the 3D enhance the world and picture by giving it dimension, not by cheap thrills. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hopefully will bring naysayers from the first film right back into the series. We are getting back to some of that feeling of what made The Lord of the Rings trilogy so special.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: BLUE JASMINE

BLUE JASMINE
Writer/Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay, Louis C.K., Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg

Cate Blanchett. Cate Blanchett. Cate Blanchett. She has portrayed Elizabeth I, Katherine Hepburn, Bob Dylan, Galadriel the Elf, and was the object of Judi Dench's affection. All fantastic performances, yet one of the most riveting portrayals comes in Woody Allen's latest, Blue Jasmine. Jasmine (Blanchett) is trying to start a new life. She leaves New York and moves to San Francisco to live with her sister, Ginger (Hawkins). They are both adopted and could not be any more different. Ginger believes Jasmine was always the favorite daughter as she was the pretty one.

Jasmine's life has been turned upside down. Her husband Hal (Baldwin) was a wealthy businessman who was caught in embezzlement and fraud. Hal and Jasmine had more money than they knew what to do with, but it was dirty money that was not really theirs in the first place. Jasmine, of course, was oblivious to what was really going on. She was a socialite that had all of the designer clothes, numerous houses, and had all the time in the world for dinner parties, yoga, and pilates classes. It all came crashing down leaving Hal in jail and Jasmine left with “nothing” so she claims. Ginger quickly points out the fact that she still has her collection of Louis Vitton luggage and somehow flew first class to get to San Francisco.

Ginger lives a much simpler and cheaper life. She bags groceries for a living and has two sons from her ex-husband Augie (Dice Clay). Always one to be dating and flirting, she is now dating a younger brutish guy named Chili (Cannavale). It doesn't take long for Chili to come to Ginger's defense and question Jasmine's motives. She had practically ignored her sister and now that she is broke she swoops in to live with her and ask for her help. Jasmine needs all the help she can get as she has suffered a nervous breakdown and has begun talking to herself due to the fall of her marriage and lifestyle.

I would like to think of myself as a pretty big Woody Allen fan. I own a majority of his work and Annie Hall sits at #7 on my Top 10 list. Not many writer/directors, outside of say Tyler Perry, pop out a new film every year. I do admit that he does have his faults and some of his movies are not great. That’s what happens after fifty years in the business. Not all of them can be cinematic masterpieces. When you meet a Woody Allen fan, they will have their favorite decade or set of themes. I am more likely to pop in one of his more physical comedies of the ‘70s any day of the week before the majority of the ones that came in the 2000s era. Some love his more existential films of the ‘80s. Lately when his movies work, they really work like Midnight in Paris. If they flop, they really flop. Blue Jasmine really works on so many levels.

Allen’s script is one of the most well-rounded, dimensional, thought-proving pieces he has written in quite some time. There is no denying that there are parallels between this and “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the fall of Bernie Madoff. Many of his films lately have only seen the characters as they are in the short time frame of that story. We see the characters of Blue Jasmine throughout an extended period of time as the film shifts between Jasmine’s current life in San Francisco and the extravagant life she led in New York. It reminded me of Annie Hall in its non-linear approach. We get inside the turmoil and frustration that the fall of Hal had on all of our characters, not just Jasmine. How long can you stay happy in a delusional world? What happens when the truth is exposed and it all comes crashing down on you?

Allen has created some fantastic characters over the years leading to great material for many of his actors. Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Mira Sorvino, Diane Keaton, and Penelope Cruz have all won Oscars playing some of Woody's characters. Blue Jasmine is no exception. The whole cast is fantastic. I have heard that his direction is simple with very few takes, but he gets such rich performances out of his actors. Is that the writing, directing, or the actors giving it all their own on their own doing? I guess it is a mix of each. There is not one phoned in performance with each actor giving their A-game. Allen has given each one of them moments to shine. Andrew Dice Clay is known more for his stand-up routine, but I hope he is given more acting opportunities after this. He gives a very real and honest performance that is completely reigned in and far different than you would expect from his comedic persona. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I have not seen enough of Sally Hawkins' work before. Cate Blanchett may be getting all of the attention for her performance, but Hawkins is just as heartbreaking, genuine, and flawed. Can we start mentioning how great Hawkins is at the same time we talk about how great Blanchett is?

I would be highly surprised if Blanchett is not nominated for an Oscar for her work here. I've been throwing around the "O" word quite a bit lately in my reviews. I guess we are getting into that season. Every moment Blanchett is on screen, she is captivating. I could not stop watching every little move or vocal choice she made. I was enamored whenever Jasmine would talk out loud to herself or carry on conversations with full strangers. I have witnessed many people doing this throughout my years of working downtown. She makes so many specific and intricate choices to showcase the wide range of Jasmine between high socialite to post nervous breakdown to her trying to get better and make better choices. The film has another "A Streetcar Named Desire" connection as Blanchett has played Blanche DuBois on stage. You know how they always show a scene from a movie when they announce each nominee? There are plenty of scenes to choose from as the "Oscar telecast" scene to show off her brilliant performance.

There are plenty of people who have written off Woody Allen saying he is past his prime or they cannot put aside his personal life. I think the naysayers would be surprised and pleased with his latest. It is one of his strongest films in quite some time. It is not a straight up comedy with the typically Woody Allen neurotic banter, but the film is still funny at times at how shockingly delusional these characters can be. The humor is mixed in to off-set the sadness and uncomfortable moments that come with Jasmine's pain. Blue Jasmine has the depth that many Allen films of late have been missing.

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