TWIN CITIES LIVE

TWIN CITIES LIVE
April 16, 2014

As I mentioned in last week's Dear Readers column, I am the new movie critic on "Twin Cities Live". Today marked my fourth appearance and it has been a complete joy. Today's movies include:

- Draft Day starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary
- Philomena starring Judi Dench, Steve Coogan
- The Sixth Annual Minneapolis Hitchcock Festival presented by Take-Up Productions

Here's the video for my appearance this week:

ENJOY!




video courtesy of "Twin Cities Live"/ABC

Movie Review: PHILOMENA

PHILOMENA
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham, Peter Hermann, Sean Mahon

It was this same time last year that I was enamored with Judi Dench in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Skyfall. The grand dame is at it again with another exceptional performance to add to her long resume. I am hoping her role as Philomena Lee nabs her another Oscar nomination. Philomena (Clark) gets pregnant at a young age and is forced to deliver the baby at a Catholic abbey in Roscrea, Ireland. She is forced to live and work at the abbey with limited contact with her son, Anthony. When Anthony is three years old, he is sold with another girl to a young couple in the United States. Philomena is heartbroken at the loss of her child not knowing if she will ever see him again.

For the past fifty years, Philomena (Dench) has not stopped looking for her son. She opens up to her daughter Jane (Martin) about the son she was forced to give up as a young girl which she has kept a secret all these years. At a party Jane meets Martin Sixsmith (Coogan), a former BBC correspondent who was recently fired from his position in the Civil Service under Tony Blair. Martin is now a freelance writer who cannot seem to decide on his next project. Jane tells Martin about Philomena's story and the never-ending search for her son. Feeling pressured for work from his editor, he decides to take on this "human interest" story. Martin's interest in her story grows as their journey for her son continues and takes them from the Roscrea to Washington, DC.

When you have a movie like this that is based on a true story, the tone of the film is vital. Stephen Frears' (The Queen, Dangerous Liasons) sharp direction knows how to keep this story on point without ever reaching a sappy Lifetime "Made for TV Movie of the Week" feel to it. Coogan penned the screenplay which is adapted from Sixsmith's novel "The Lost Child of Philomena Lee". The script is poignant, heartfelt, and funny as it explores not only Philomena's search for her son, but the relationship between her and Martin. They are both two very different people with very different outlooks on life. He is an atheist who has become a tad bitter and pessimistic about life. Despite her hardships, she has a slightly naive, positive, cheery outlook on life. You can tell her past has made her a stronger person who still has faith in God and the church, which is hard for Martin to understand. There is a patience that Martin has to have with her when their journey first begins but they both have so much to learn from each other.

The words "Inspired by a true story" are mentioned at the beginning of the movie which usually means it is loosely taken from true events but the majority of the movie is made up for dramatic purposes. From what I have read and heard about this story, the film stays very close to what actually happened. Both Dench and Coogan were able to meet the real Philomena Lee and Martin Sixsmith so there is a care and truthfulness that is told to the story. Rumors of Dame Judi Dench retiring from acting made headlines last year when she announced she had macular degeneration. She has noted that she is no longer able to read scripts but balks at the idea of her retirement. Thank God! From what she has stated in interviews, Coogan read his entire script to her, and she accepted the part right after he was done reading it. There is a sweeter, more innocent side to Dench that comes across here. Since she is the master that she is, she makes it all look so effortless. Doing an Irish accent is not easy, and it flows beautifully from her. This is a departure for Coogan as he is known more for his comedy, yet he seems quite comfortable taking on a dramatic role especially opposite Dench.

I knew after I first saw the trailer that I was going to love this movie. I know I should not go into a movie with such grand expectations, but this is Judi Dench we are talking about. She is one of my acting goddesses. Throw in some Catholic nuns and Ireland and it felt like I was thrown right back into my childhood at a Catholic school. The nuns at my school did not seem nearly as harsh as these nuns as the era of cruel nun abuse at schools was over by the time I entered grade school. Philomena's story is fascinating and heartbreaking at times. It is hard not to get frustrated at the Catholic Church for their continual lies and deception. You hope that other families and mothers are able to find their children who were forced from them at an early age. Philomena Lee, who despite all of that, is able to show forgiveness and hold onto her faith. She is one hell of an inspiration.

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

Unleash Your Inner Foodie: THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL

I missed The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel while it was in theaters, but now that it is on DVD/Blu-Ray I thought it would be the perfect movie for DeeAnn McArdle and Unleash Your Inner Foodie. DeeAnn has graciously posted my review on the blog section of her website. Here is the beginning of it:

It’s Foodie Movie night at the McArdle’s and we can hardly wait to watch tonight’s feature – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel! A big thank you to our favorite movie critic; Paul McGuire for this recommendation and review. I’m off to the grocery store to buy some ingredients to make some Indian spiced nuts, Chutney and Naan to nibble on as we watch the great Judi Dench and Maggie Smith in their adventure! Enjoy!

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Director: John Madden
Starring: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson
Evelyn (Dench) is a recent widow and is going outside her comfort zone. She is traveling to India to spend some time at an exotic hotel specifically designed or the elderly and beautiful. Her son comments on how she has never done anything without his dad in her life. She is joined by a group of others that are
also taking this pilgrimage for their own specific reasons. Graham (Wilkinson) is retiring from being a judge and is moving back to India. Jean (Downton Abbey’s Penelope Wilton) and Doug (Nighy) are looking for a less expensive place to retire. Muriel (Smith) needs to have hip surgery and a surgeon in India happens to be the cheaper solution for her. Madge and Norman are two singles looking for adventure.

To read the rest click: HERE

Or

http://unleashyourinnerfoodie.com/uncategorized/foodie-movie-night-the-best-exotic-marigold-hotel/

Have you seen this Judi Dench and Maggie Smith adventure? I would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to leave them below or comment on DeeAnn’s website! I highly recommend checking out her entire website while you are there. There are so many delicious recipes and dining guides for any occasion or holiday!

Reflections on Bond. James Bond.

Over the past few months I challenged myself to watch and review every Bond film leading up to the release of Skyfall. You can find reviews of the first 22 Bond films here. You can find the review of Skyfall here. I had watched quite of few of them in the past, but I had never taken the time to watch them all in order. I fell in love with Bond when I was in high school. I would randomly pop them in and watch them at the video store where I used to work. My friend Jenny gave me a DVD box set that had six of the movies in there for my birthday one year. Naturally, the studio did not put them in order so you were forced to buy all three sets.

It has been a pleasure watching the movies in order. It is fascinating to watch them and and see how the films change depending on the decade, the budget, and what is popular at the time. The movies are an interesting reflection on film culture at the time they were made. They usual seem to be inspired by whatever the latest trend at the time happened to be. You cannot help to watch Live and Let Die and not think about all of the other blaxploitation movies of the time period. Moonraker was not scheduled to be the next Bond film when it was released, but the studio rushed to make that story to capitalize on the sci-fi trend of the late '70s.

If you are a Bond enthusiast, you know what you like out of your Bond movies. Do you like sultry theme songs like the Shirley Bassey numbers? Do you like your Bond girls tough and smart like Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore? Do you like the gadgets gimmicky or more realistic? Do you like the plot lines to be more realistic or far fetched? Are you a purist that thinks Connery will be always be the best Bond or do you prefer Daniel Craig or Pierce Brosnan? My ideal Bond movie has a realistic plot and villain, a henchman that won't seem to die, tough kick-ass Bond girl, sexual tension between Bond and the Bond girl, gadgets (but not too many), a dry sense of humor, and a sultry theme song. Do not get me started on the absurdly silly final Roger Moore movies. I feel like the series seem to revitalize itself whenever a new actor came in to play Bond. On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of the better movies and that was the first one to not feature Sean Connery. The Timothy Dalton movies felt fresh and action packed compared to the final Moore movies. The movies tend to feel stale and boring the longer an actor stayed in the role. A View to a Kill is the worst of the Moore movies. Die Another Day is the worst of the Brosnan movies.

Here are my picks for the best and worst regarding some of the classic elements of a Bond movie

The Movies (from Best to Worst)

1. Skyfall (2012)
2. GoldenEye (1995)
3. Casino Royale (2006)
4. Goldfinger (1964)
5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
6. From Russia With Love (1963)
7. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
8. Live and Let Die (1973)
9. The Living Daylights (1987)
10. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
11. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
12. Licence to Kill (1989)
13. You Only Live Twice (1967)
14. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
15. Dr. No (1962)
16. Octopussy (1983)
17. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
18. Die Another Day (2002)
19. Quantum of Solace (2008)
20. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
21. Thunderball (1965)
22. A View to a Kill (1985)
23. Moonraker (1979)

Best Bond: Daniel Craig
Worst Bond: Sean Connery.
Close second goes to Moore because he played the role for far too long

Best Bond Girl: Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger
Worst Bond Girl: Denise Richards as Dr. Christmas Jones in The World Is Not Enough

Best Villain: Gert Forbe as Auric Goldfinger in Goldfinger.
Close second goes to Lotte Lenye as Rosa Klebb in From Russia with Love.
Worst Villain: Charles Gray as Blofeld in Diamonds are Forever

Best Henchman: Richard Kiel as Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker.
Close second goes to Harold Sakata as Oddjob in Goldfinger
Worst Henchman: Grace Jones as May Day in A View to a Kill

Best Gadget: the infamous Aston Martin D85 in Goldfinger
Worst Gadget: the crocodile submarine in Octopussy

Best Theme Song: "Goldfinger" by Shirley Bassey
Close second goes to "GoldenEye" by Tina Turner
Worst Thee Song: "All Time High" by Rita Coolidge from Octopussy
Close second goes to "Another Way to Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys from Quantum of Solace

Feel free to leave your comments below regarding all things Bond. I'd love to hear you thoughts some of your favorite Bond movies! What are some of your favorite gadgets or theme songs? Who is your top villain?

Here are some other Bond related posts I have written recently
The "Bond. James Bond." Challenge
My Review of SKYFALL
The Top 5 Worst Bond Girls

Movie Review: SKYFALL

SKYFALL
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe

Every great Bond movie starts with an action packed opening before the credits start. If it is exquisitely executed, it should give you a taste of what the rest of the movie is going to be like. Sometimes it involves the rest of the plot, and sometimes it stands on its own. Skyfall may have the best opening sequence to date. Bond (Craig) discovers a coveted hard drive has been stolen and a fellow MI6 agent has been shot. He informs M (Dench) over headset and she orders him to go after the killer, Patrice. Bond joins Eve (Harris), another MI6 agent, as they chase after him. After taking a bullet in the shoulder and numerous food stands and train cars are destroyed, Bond and our thief are in combat on top of a moving train. Eve is off in the distance reporting the action to M. She is close enough to take a shot at Patrice, but the risk of hitting Bond is too great for her to go along with the shot. M orders her to "take the bloody shot". Bond is hit and falls down into the river. He is presumed missing in action and possibly dead.

M is devastated after making a call that ended in the possible death of coveted MI6 Agent 007 James Bond. Gareth Mallory (Fiennes) is the new head of Intelligence and Security Committee. He calls a meeting with M informing her that she is being forced into early retirement. She learns that her computer has been hacked into on the way back to MI6 headquarters. As they pull up to headquarters, an explosion goes off in the offices and six employees are killed.

Bond used his supposed death to retire himself. He learns of the attacks at MI6 and heads back to London. He shows up at M's flat and informs her that 007 is reporting back to duty. M agrees, but informs him that he must go through numerous evaluations to make sure he is fit for duty. The time off has made Bond weak and unsteady. Even though he fails his evaluations, M officially hires him back on. Bond uses the shrapnel from his shoulder to trace the bullet back to Patrice to find out who he is employed by. The stolen hard drive contains the names and identities to various undercover MI6 agents. M discovers that the identities are being leaked. Bond heads to Shanghai to find Patrice. Further investigation leads Bond to Silva (Bardem), a sadistic terrorist. Silva is a former MI6 agent who worked with M and blames her for his capture and torture by the Chinese.

In various articles I have read, Sam Mendes has mentioned that he was very inspired by Christopher Nolan and The Dark Knight when shaping his approach to directing a Bond film. The inspiration is very evident when watching the film. The story involving a terrorist and revenge is a very realistic approach that you don't see in a lot of the older Bond films. Mendes and screenwriters John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade flesh out these characters we've come to love by giving them a back story this time around. The movie is not really an origins story, but you learn more about the relationship between Bond and M as well as about Bond's childhood. Daniel Craig and Judi Dench are masters at both of these characters. They bring a depth to the characters that we never saw in earlier Bond movies. The audience really understands that Bond is a flawed character. He is a lot more than some strapping hunk of a hero that will come rescue you and defeat the bad guys.

The film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Roger Deakins. The nine time Oscar nominee has previously worked on previous films by Sam Mendes and consistently shoots all of the Coen Brothers movies. His way of shooting the action sequences, especially the opening train scene, keep you on the edge of your seat. The mix of close ups and wide shots make you feel like you are on top of the train with Bond and Patrice, and the wide shots give you the scope of how crazy the stunt work is. The other fight between Patrice and Bond in Shanghai is very intricately shot and lit with them in darkness against the neon blue background lights.

This is Daniel Craig's third time playing Bond after starting his run off with a bang in Casino Royale which then was followed up by the dismal Quantum of Solace. I know there may be some Connery purists out there, but Daniel Craig is James Bond. He is sexy and suave whether he's in a suit or a tiny swimsuit. He brings the dry wit that other Bond actors failed to do. He can tackle any action scene and stunt work thrown at him. He has a natural chemistry with many of his leading ladies. Judi Dench commands the screen as M like nobody else could. She brings out the maternal side of M and gives her a sense of humor that works well with Craig's Bond. I have loved watching her work as M over the years, especially as the story in Skyfall centers around her. Javier Bardem won an Oscar for playing bad guy Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men. He sure knows how to play sinister men. Silva is one of the best Bond villains. He is completely sadistic and psychotic without feeling too campy or over-the-top.

Mendes' love of the Bond franchise shows as he incorporates all of those elements we love about the series into Skyfall while making them feel fresh and current in today's society. You have your Bond girls, an evil villain, gadgets, a sultry theme song written and performed by Adele, and intense action sequences without any of it feeling hokey and gimmicky. If you know your history, you will pick up on little nods to the past. These homages are done subtly without feeling too "wink wink-nudge nudge". If you are a die-hard Bond fan, you will love the 23rd outing. If you are new to the series, hopefully you will become a new fan. Is this the best Bond movie to date? Yes, as a matter of fact, I think I would rank it that way.

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

First Listen: "SKYFALL" by Adele

"SKYFALL" by Adele

Multi-Grammy Award winner Adele is the PERFECT choice to sing the latest Bond theme. Named after the title of the film, Adele and Paul Epworth have written the perfect title track for the new Bond movie. She infuses a sultry, smoky, mysterious sound to the song that fits right along the list of previous Bond theme singers including: Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner, Carly Simon, and Sheena Easton. The release of Skyfall cannot come soon enough!

Take a listen to the song below. What are your first impressions?

Movie Trailer: SKYFALL

SKYFALL
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw

After some studio issues a couple of years ago, it seemed like a new Bond movie was dead and buried. I'm SO glad they got their act together. Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench are back for another Bond adventure with Sam Mendes at the helm. By the looks of the trailers so far, it will definitely be a winner. The latest trailer released finally shows us Javier Bardem as the villain as well as the return of gadget master Q!

Be sure to check out my Bond Challenge where Ryan and I try to watch all of the Bond movies before the release of Skyfall.


The Cast
Daniel Craig- James Bond 007
Dame Judi Dench- M
Ben Whishaw- Q
Javier Bardem- Silva
Ralph Fiennes-Gareth Mallory
Helen McCrory-Clair Dowar
Naomie Harries-Eve

Unleash Your Inner Foodie: CHOCOLAT

One of my many food vices is chocolate. I blame my mother for our family sweet tooth. I’ve been severely craving chocolate lately, so I thought what better time for a new article for DeeAnn McArdle and “Unleash Your Inner Foodie”. This month’s foodie movie is devoted to Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche in Chocolat. Don’t worry, I devoured a glass of red wine and a piece of chocolate during the movie to satistfy my craving. Chocolat is a perfect movie for a rainy day or to accompany a chocolate tasting party with friends. DeeAnn has posted the review, and it is up on her site.

Here’s the beginning of it:

"Some things are just made to go together. Just like chocolate and wine, Paul McGuire and Movie Reviews are perfectly matched for each other! I know you’re going to love Paul’s review of the classic foodie movie; Chocolat. I hope it inspire’s you to throw a Chocolat Party!..."

To read the rest click here

Or

http://unleashyourinnerfoodie.com/entertaining-articles/foodie-movie-night/