TWIN CITIES LIVE- September 5, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
September 5, 2014

It was a pleasure returning to Twin Cities Live after a few weeks off. It's been a little slow at the theaters right now, so we decided to do a fall movie preview instead of reviews of the latest new releases. Here are the four movies we discussed:

1. GONE GIRL
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Sela Ward, Tyler Perry

2. INTERSTELLAR
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Michael Caine

3. INTO THE WOODS
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, Christine Baranksi

4. UNBROKEN
Director: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Jai Courtney

Here's the video:



Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP

For more on these four movies and my full Fall Movie preview, click HERE.

You can find all of my past segments HERE.

As always, thank you so much for watching and your continual support. I truly appreciate it!

FALL 2014 MOVIE PREVIEW

FALL 2014 MOVIE PREVIEW

1. INTERSTELLAR
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Michael Caine

I am a huge fan of Christopher Nolan, the visionary director of Inception and The Dark Knight Trilogy. This film may be his biggest challenge to date. It is still shrouded in secrecy, but a couple of trailers have been released.  I am stunned and awed by everything I am seeing so far. It has been in the works for the past few years and was originally inspired by physicist Kip Thorne and his theories behind using wormholes in space to time travel. Matthew McConaughey continues his hot streak by leading this ensemble cast as one of the brave few willing to travel to the far reaches of space in hopes of saving the universe. If you were moved by last year’s hit Gravity, you will want to check out Interstellar.

Release Date: November 7



2. INTO THE WOODS
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, Christine Baranksi

The latest big screen adaptation of a Broadway musical is based on Stephen Sondheim’s hit Into the Woods. Rob Marshall is no stranger to directing musicals after his work on Chicago and Nine. He has another all-star cast led by Meryl Streep as the Witch who makes an offer to a baker (Corden) and his wife (Blunt) that they can’t refuse. The two of them must face other fairy tale characters like Cinderella, the Big Bad Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel and steal some precious items for the Witch in order for her to reverse the curse of infertility that has been placed over their home. If you know the staged version, you are already familiar with the beautiful music and insanely creative word play in the lyrics. You also know how dark and grim the story can be at times. With this being a Disney property, I will be curious to see how faithful they stay to the original story. There have been rumors floating around that specific numbers and side plots have been cut from the movie that would potentially make it more family friendly. Sondheim was involved in the process so I am going to remain optimistic about it and not give those rumors too much thought.

Release Date: December 25



3. UNBROKEN
Director: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Jai Courtney

The highly anticipated film is based on the book of the same name by Laura Hillenbrand which stayed on the bestseller list for three years. I recently started reading it, and I can already tell that this will be one incredibly powerful and moving story. It tells the remarkable true story of Louis Zamperini (O’Connell), a record breaking Olympic runner who became an airman in World War II. His plane was shot down and he was left stranded on a raft in the middle of the Pacific. Forty-seven days later, he was rescued only to become a prisoner of war in the Japanese camps. The film is getting massive buzz due its story of survival and perseverance. It’s directed by Angelina Jolie with a screenplay by Joel & Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, and William Nicholson. Expect lots of Oscar buzz around this one.

Release Date: December 25



4. GONE GIRL
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Sela Ward, Tyler Perry

If you have seen any of director David Fincher’s work like Seven, The Social Network, or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you know he is the perfect choice to tackle Gillian Flynn's bestselling novel "Gone Girl", He is exceptional at capturing these dark and mysterious stories. Amy (Pike) and Nick (Affleck) Dunne seem like the perfect gorgeous couple. On their fifth anniversary, Amy goes missing and Nick becomes the number one suspect. What follows is a twisty ride of deceit, deception, and mystery that was their marriage. It should be known that author Gillian Flynn wrote the screenplay for the movie. In an article in "Entertainment Weekly", Ben Affleck mentioned how she rewrote the whole third act of the movie that takes it in a different direction than the book. Who knows if that is true or a ploy to keep the movie a mystery, but I am intrigued to see what these changes are going to be like.

Release Date: October 3



5. FOXCATCHER
Director: Bennett Miller
Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave

If you are a fan of funny man Steve Carell, like I am, you will want to take note of his latest, Foxcatcher. He received all sorts of early Oscar buzz for his role after it screened at the Cannes Film Festival. This is far different than anything we have seen from him before. The film is based on a bizarre true story with Carell playing millionaire philanthropist John du Pont. He was known for sponsoring and mentoring Olympic wrestling brothers Mark (Tatum) and Dave (Ruffalo) Schultz. It started off as promising friendship and working relationship, but tragedy strikes as du Pont’s growing paranoia, suspicion, and erratic behavior leads to murder. Don’t be surprised if Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo also receive high praise for their performances. The film is directed by Bennett Miller who has previously directed Moneyball and Capote, also based on true events.

Release Date: November 14



6. THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Connie Britton, Rose Byrne, Kathryn Hahn

It’s become a joke with my parents that I love movies about dysfunctional families. As an actor, I’m always drawn to those types of large ensemble dramas as there are rich characters for the actors to play with. I was immediately drawn to This is Where I Leave You when I first saw the cast list and a publicity photo in "Entertainment Weekly". Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Connie Britton, and Dax Shepard are just some of the fantastic actors that appear in this adaptation of the Jonathan Tropper novel of the same name. Jane Fonda stars as the matriarch of the Foxman family and insists her children (played by Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, and Adam Driver) reunite after their father passes away. As you can tell by the trailer, some of them are going through their own drama on top of the death in the family. The cast boasts quite a few actors known for their television work, and I’m excited to see them tackle a different medium. I recently finished the book and absolutely loved it!

Release Date: September 19



7. BIRDMAN
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Starring: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Amy Ryan

I grew up watching Michael Keaton in Batman and Batman Returns. Frankly, the Caped Crusader or Beetlejuice will probably be the roles he will always be remembered for. His career seemed to stall a bit after those films. He would have a few hits here or there, but none seemed to have as big of an impact on his career like Batman had. It's great to see him back in prime form in a role that seems perfectly catered toward him. In Alejandro González Iñárritu's (Babel) latest, he plays a washed up actor best known for playing an iconic superhero. He struggles to open a new Broadway play in an attempt to revitalize his career. It's been playing at some early festivals to critical acclaim, so hopefully this is the film to catapult Keaton's career back into the public eye.

Release Date: October 17, 2014



8. FURY
Director: David Ayer
Starrring: Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michale Pena, Jon Bernthal, Scott Eastwood, Jim Parrack,

After seeing 2012's End of Watch, I was fully on board the David Ayer train. I thought it was a visceral, front of the line approach to what it's like to be a police officer in the worst area of Los Angeles. His next film was Sabotage with Arnold Schwarzenegger which was released earlier this year. Talk about a complete turn of opinion as I hated that film. It will surely be on my worst of the year list. With Fury, he looks to bring his A-game back into play with the heavy handed World War II drama. Brad Pitt leads the film as Wardaddy who vows to protect his four comrades and tankers in the final days of the war. I can only assume that this will be one of the most brutal and realistic war films we have seen in years. Maybe Ayer will have films on both my best and worst of the year lists.

Release Date: October 17



9. ST. VINCENT
Director: Theodore Melfi
Starring: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O'Dowd, Terrence Howard

I've watched the trailer for St. Vincent a couple of times now, and I am naturally drawn to the feel good vibe and Bill Murray's performance. Others may find it too sappy. St. Vincent (Murray) is that cantankerous old man neighbor that we would rather not deal with on a daily basis. Single mom Maggie (McCarthy) feels no choice but to ask for his help by taking care of her young son. The budding friendship between young boy and kooky neighbor leads to all sorts of adventures that are far too risqué and dangerous for someone so young. I'll be curious to see how moviegoers and critics feel about this one. Will Murray have Oscar potential? Will McCarthy win us back after the dreadful Tammy?

Release Date: December 17



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

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. 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.

Release Date: December 17



*HONORABLE MENTIONS: THE JUDGE (Oct. 10), THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 (November 21)

Those are my picks for ten of the films I'm looking forward to in the upcoming months. I'd love to hear from you! What films are you most looking forward to as we come into the fall season?

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 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?

Movie Review: THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Rob Reiner, Kyle Chandler, Margot Robbie, Joanna Lumley, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Christine Ebersole

Who's in for a three hour ride full of drugs, debauchery, profanity, and horrible people? I do not think Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) quite knew what was in store for him when he decided to become a stockbroker. A luncheon meeting with his new boss Mark Hanna (McConaughey) becomes a lesson on what it will take to survive in this market. He recommends an excessive supply of cocaine, martinis, and prostitutes to get through the average day in the world of stocks and trading. That company folds quickly and Belfort joins another dumpy firm to keep working. He quickly becomes the best broker by making tens of thousands of dollars in a short period selling penny stocks to innocent naïve individuals.

His quick rise to wealth and riches leads him to opening his own brokerage firm, Stratton Oakmont, with his neighbor Donnie Azoff (Hill). They underwrote numerous fraudulent IPOs, and it is not long before that company makes Jordan a fortune. Millions of dollars are coming into his pocket like it’s no big deal. The office is a bed of wild antics, parties, prostitutes, drugs, alcohol, and naked marching bands to amp up their energy and power to keep the business going. Jordan and Donnie live on a constant high from the excessive lifestyle and let no one and nothing stop them from going further into the rabbit hole, not even FBI Agent Patrick Denham (Chandler) who is bound to take down Belfort.

It is shocking and disturbing that this is all based on a true story. Screenwriter Terence Winter (TV's "The Sopranos") has adapted his wordy script from the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. The end credits do state that some of it was dramatized and some of the names have been changed, but I have a feeling the majority of the film is plausible and should be noted that it is coming from Belfort's point of view. Once Belfort got in too deep his life was so extravagant and excessive, you wonder how he never died in the process with all the liquor, cocaine, and Quaaludes that were consumed. Scorsese and DiCaprio produced the film, which is their fifth collaboration together as director and actor. I still hold that The Departed is my favorite film of theirs. They have chosen to not hold back in regards to how excessive they want their film to be to match the life Belfort led. From the first ten minutes, the audience is blasted with the profanity, nudity, sex, and drugs that comprise the three hour long film. Yes, you read that correct. I do not mean a few "F" words. The Internet Movie Database states it is used 506 times, making it the most used in any Scorsese picture over Casino or Goodfellas. I warn you now as your ears will bleed if you object to that word. I am a bit desensitized after all these years so it does not affect me as much. I also find it very believable that it was the standard vernacular for Belfort and his gang of cohorts. The sex and nudity is never ending with the amount of prostitutes Belfort engages in. The abundance of all of this will inevitably turn people away. There was a group of five or six people when I saw it that left five minutes after the film started and never came back.

If you can get passed all of that, hopefully you will be as intrigued as I was. I have extreme patience for long movies. The three hour run time did not bother me, as I was fascinated by the story as I wondered how long Belfort's horrendous behavior and deceitful nature would keep going. The film does feel like three hours as it is a very extensive and thorough look into Belfort's reign as "The Wolf of Wall Street". In an interview with longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker, she revealed that the originally cut of the film was four hours long. Even though I do not mind the length, I still think it could be shorter and tightened up a bit. The film does a decent job at conveying the disturbing affect that greed, money, wealth, and power has on people. This story is solely focused on Belfort and his rise and how it affected the close-nit people around him. Scorsese and DiCaprio have received some push back regarding how the film portrays Belfort and the hurricane of debauchery that is unleashed. Some viewers are critical on how they think the two of them have glorified and glamorized the story to not show off the true nature of Belfort's actions. While I do not necessarily agree with that completely, I would have liked to have learned more about the aftermath and what happened with some of the victims that were affected by his illegal pump and dump schemes. I do not get the impression that they are condoning his actions or are trying to make him out to be some sort of hero or victim of the times. There are many scenes that portray the disturbing and disgusting sides of Belfort which are some of the harder scenes to watch as you cringe watching him destroy his family.

One thing you can always bank out of a Scorsese picture is stellar actors giving powerhouse performances. Let me just throw it out there that I am a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. I have been following his career ever since the “Growing Pains” days and have been a great admirer of his choice in projects and what he brings to each role. I think he is too often thought of as just a pretty boy actor and passed aside like your average heartthrob. I always see him giving each character his all in a fully embodied portrayal. He gives no less than that as Jordan Belfort, which I would rank as the best performance of his career. I would venture to bet that he is in 98% of the movie in a very physically, emotionally, and mentally draining role. As Jordan’s second wife, Margot Robbie (About Time, TVs “Pan Am”) gives a fierce and vulnerable performance and can easily go head to head with the cast at such a young age. Whether you want to believe it or not, Jonah Hill may just receive another Oscar nomination as Jordan’s business partner and friend. Even though much of his stuff is very Jonah at times, it completely works and he can be downright hilarious. I would venture to guess he and Leo were given liberties to ad-lib and play around at times. They make a great duo together, which I would not have expected going in. There are many great cameos and smaller roles along the way from the likes of Jean Dujardin, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, and Matthew McConaughey.

One of the best ways I can describe the latest opus from Martin Scorsese is that it is polarizing. It will leave audiences divided. There will be plenty of people who are turned off from the language and sex and disgraceful people it focuses on. There will be others like myself that dive into it and are left baffled at how people like this exist that do not seem to have any consciousness of their actions. Their lifestyle is so beyond my everyday life. It has been a few days since I saw it, and the film and its subject matter have been stuck on my mind. I went in being a hardcore Marty and Leo fan expecting it to be this grand masterpiece that would be in my top of the year list. I have mentioned it before that I should not go in with such expectations as I most likely will come out disappointed. The Wolf of Wall Street was not the masterpiece I was hoping it would be. There is a disappointment to it on that level. I would have liked to have it structured a bit differently, and it cut down a bit more in length. It opened up my knowledge of the stock market, insider trader, money laundering, and that whole world to which I am a bit naïve about. Scorsese‘s cast led by the ballsy Leonardo DiCaprio, crazy Jonah Hill, and fierce Margot Robbie sucked me into these characters which I found fascinating and disturbing. I think it requires a second, if not third, viewing soon to take it all in again. For a three hour movie, I think there are some elements and choices I may have missed. Who knows I may grow to enjoy it even more or grow frustrated with it.

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

Movie Review: DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Gardner, Denis O'Hare, Dallas Roberts, Steve Zahn, Deneen Tyler

Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) has already depleted a majority of his immune system by the copious amounts of drugs and alcohol he has ingested into his body. After a drug fueled trip to the hospital, he is diagnosed with HIV and given the standard 30 days to live. He is a racist and homophobe who recently learned of Rock Hudson's diagnosis with the disease and is quick to make it clear that he is not gay so there must be some mistake. Ron does some research on the disease and comes to the realization that his intravenous drug use and unprotected sex with other druggies are what caused it.

He learns of the recently FDA approved drug AZT being used in test trials and demands to be put on it. Dr. Eve Saks (Gardner) informs him there is no way of knowing if he would receive the drug or be a placebo patient. This uncertainty leads to smuggling the drug from the hospital. His supply is cut off, but he heads to a secret doctor (Griffin Dunne) in Mexico for a vitamin regimen that may be a healthier alternative. During another trip to the hospital, he meets Rayon (Leto), a transgender HIV patient with a severe drug problem. Ron sees an opportunity in Rayon who is making a profit off selling HIV medications to the gay community. It is illegal to sell the non-approved regimen, so they start up the Dallas Buyers Club where members can pay a monthly fee to be in the club and then receive the drugs for free.

Buzz about the film arose early on when set photos appeared showing a drastically thin McConaughey and Leto. They both excel at these transformative portrayals giving two career-defining performances. I mentioned in my review of Mud, there will always be a bit of McConaughey in his performances. While that glimmer still resides, Ron Woodroof is the furthest away he has gotten from that image he has given us in the last twenty years of his career. He has had a solid two years of fantastic performances in starring and supporting roles. His physicality and gruff attitude can be scary at times when the “old” Ron comes into play, but McConaughey finds the determination and humanity in him as he gradually opens up and finds something to fight for. Leto is no stranger to playing drug addicts after his performance in Requiem for a Dream. He perfectly embodies Rayon and lets the sweet, delicate, warm, and heartbreaking sides of her shine through. He never once crosses into caricature or does some sort of gimmicky impression of a drag queen or transgender person. Do not be surprised if he walks away with some gold come Oscar night. He will be the one to beat in the Supporting Actor category at every awards ceremony.

These two fine actors make the film recommendable despite the fact that the overall execution of the movie is quite choppy at times. Despite the fact the film tries to cover a lot of ground in the story, it feels a bit too rushed and lacks a specificity to it. I do not think director Jean-Marc Vallée and screenwriters Melisa Wallack and Craig Borten know what part of the story they want to tell. Is it about Ron's transformation from a homophobic cowboy to a caring individual? Was it about the growing clientele he helped and the impact of buyers clubs throughout the states? There is also the mini plot line about the war against the FDA. This is the first screenplay for Borten. Wallack previously penned the screenplays for Meet Bill and Mirror Mirror, which I detested. The script feels quite amateurish in the line of character development. In an attempt to tell various aspects of Ron's journey after being diagnosed and to keep it fast paced, they gloss over some needed introduction of numerous supporting characters who just pop up out of nowhere. Outside of Rayon, we never really learn about other members of the club. You see people walking in and out of the hotels to pick up their vitamins, but we never really get to know them. The characters of Denise (Tyler) and David Wayne (Roberts) just show up to start working for Ron, but we do not really know where they ever came from or what their stories are.

More importantly, it brings an awareness and attention to a very important part of history with the rise in the HIV/AIDS crisis. I was too young to know the history when it was going on, so films like this can be important teaching tools to shine a light on the impact and severity of the disease. It is a shame that the film has so much potential but does not quite know how to deliver it to its full impact. Luckily McConaughey and Leto are so moving that they draw us in and make us invested into these characters as they stand up for what they believe in.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Rewind: MUD (2013)

MUD (2013)
Director/Writer: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson, Ray McKinnon, Michael Shannon

There are always those movies you intend to see in theaters, but somehow they get passed you. Mud came out in early 2013 to critical acclaim, and I am just now getting around to it. Ellis (Sheridan) and Neckbone (Lofland) boat out to a small little island to get a closer look at this mysterious boat that is stuck in a tree. The sight of bread and beans quickly tell them that someone is living it. They soon meet Mud (McConaughey) who tries to claim the boat is his. He corrects them by saying he is either a hobo or homeless, but not a bum. The boys have a fascination with him as they go to the island the next day to bring him food. Mud tells the boys he plans on only being there a short time as he is waiting for his old girlfriend Juniper (Witherspoon).

Ellis comes face to face with the reality about love and marriage when he learns his parents are headed toward divorce which means they could be losing the houseboat they live on. When he and his mom (Paulson) drive into town they are stopped by the police who are looking for hitchhikers and other fugitives. The picture of the wanted fugitive belongs to Mud. Despite his criminal past, the boys still seem to have a trust with him by wanting to help him out.

In only his third movie, Nichols proves to be a sharp storyteller. He captures that naïve state teens go through when they are around fourteen years old without it feeling like some dopey teen flick you would see on the Disney channel. Neckbone and Ellis bring out these feelings on how it always seems to be so disappointing when you start to understand the hard truths about life that you tend to take for granted. Whenever I see these types of coming of age movies about young boys, they always bring me back to Stand By Me, which is my all-time favorite movie. The characters of Ellis and Neckbone really remind me of the Stand By Me boys. The layers of the story really start to unfold through the eyes of the two boys. The audience only finds out the truth about Mud and the men after him as the boys start to discover it themselves. Nichols still retains an honesty with them without ever painting them out to be stupid or troubled teenagers.

The look and feel of the film reminds me of Winter's Bone and Beasts of the Southern Wild where the location and nature surrounding our characters play such a vital part of the story. Nichols and cinematographer Adam Stone really capture the rough and coarse atmosphere that goes with living along the river in a small and poor town.

Nichols has a very solid cast. Sheridan and Lofland are fantastic young up-and-coming actors. This is the second film for Sheridan after his work in Terence Malick's The Tree of Life. Lofland is making his big screen debut. Matthew McConaughey has had a string of strong performances after Bernie, Magic Mike, The Paperboy, and Killer Joe. He continues to pick strong material that really shows off his strengths. While there is very much a McConaughey feel to many of his characters, Mud is a rich and dimensional role for him where he provides a sympathetic and humane quality to him despite his criminal past. You really do see his character through the eyes of the boys and not the men that are out to get him. I LOVE seeing the legendary Sam Shepard in these paternal type supporting roles. There is always so much depth and meat behind him no matter how small the role happens to be. I need to keep an eye on Jeff Nichols and go back to his previous films Shotgun Stories and Take Shelter, both starring Michael Shannon. Movies like Mud are great examples of largely unknown filmmakers and storytellers who deserve more attention.

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

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER--The 2013 Full Uncensored Actors Roundtable

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER--The 2013 Full Uncensored Actors Roundtable

It’s award season which means another set of roundtable discussions from The Hollywood Reporter with the actors, actresses, directors, producers, and writers garnering praise for their films. As an actor myself, I love watching them discuss the ups and downs of their careers, what inspires them, what excites them in a project, and what scares them. Up first is The Actors segment featuring:

Josh Brolin, Labor Day
Jake Gyllenhall, Prisoners
Michael B. Jordan, Fruitvale Station
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels’ The Butler

Don’t forget to check back in as I will continue to post these roundtables as they are released.

Movie Trailer: DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leo, Denis O'Hare, Steve Zahn, Dallas Roberts

Dallas Buyers Club has already gotten huge buzz as it is also "The Movie Where Matthew McConaughey Lost a Lot of Weight". Pictures of a very gaunt McConaughey and Jared Leto in drag surfaced while filming and it made all the headlines. The film is inspired by the true story of Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) who tests positive for HIV in 1986 and given only months to live. He takes matters into his own hands by taking alternative non-approved drugs and smuggling them from all over the country. Word spreads about his drugs and supplements and other patients seek him out for their own supply.

McConaughey has really turned his career around lately. He has distanced himself away from the the dopey rom-coms he had been cracking out. In 2012, he had strong performances across the board in Magic Mike, Bernie, The Paperboy, and Killer Joe. In 2013, he received high praise for Mud and will also be appearing in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. I am pretty sure someone is hoping for an Oscar nomination between any of his three films.

RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2013

Here's the trailer:

Movie Trailer: THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Jean Dujardin, Ethan Suplee, Rob Reiner, Spike Jonze, Joanna Lumley, Christine Ebersole

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are teaming up for their fifth collaboration. They are bringing Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name to the big screen with an adaptation by Terence Winter ("Boardwalk Empire", "The Sopranos").

The film is a biographical boiler room drama that follows the notorious Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), a Wall Street stockbroker who was flying high on drugs, money, and women. This bad business included a "pump and dump scheme" of money laundering and security fraud against Wall Street and the mob.

I am a huge fan of Martin Scorsese's work, and while some naysayers like to claim that no new film of his could ever live up to Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, or Goodfellas. While I agree that those are cinematic works of excellence, The Departed is one of my favorite movies. I may also be one of the few that has a soft spot for Leonardo DiCaprio and don't understand why the Academy continually ignores him. The first trailer for The Wolf of Wall Street definitely showcases the look of luxury and the more comedic tones the film will have. It does not have that gritty, rough feel of your traditional Scorsese film. I have read up on the life of Jordan Belfort and I have faith the film will showcase the darker or crazier sides of his life.

What are your first impressions?

In theaters: November 15, 2013

Here's the trailer:

Movie Rewind: THE PAPERBOY

THE PAPERBOY (2012)
Director: Lee Daniels
Starring: Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack


It is the summer of 1969 and it is one hell of a scorcher out there. “God must have been sweating it was so hot”, proclaims Anita Chester (Gray). Sherriff Call killed so many of the African-Americans in this small Florida town that even the white people were afraid of him. That is until the day he wound up dead. She introduces all of the key players in this tale of sweat, murder, and the wrongful imprisonment of the man accused of the murder of Sherriff Call. At the time, she was the maid to Jack Jansen (Efron) and his family. His older brother Ward (McConaughey), a reporter from the Miami Times, is back in town to investigate the crime. Charlotte Bless (Kidman) is new to town and leaves Jack quite speechless and horny. Charlotte spends her time corresponding with inmates including Hillary van Wetter (Cusack) who she believes has been wrongly convicted of killing the Sheriff. By the way, they are also engaged even though they have never actually met in person. She hands over all of her letters from Hillary to Ward. Jack is more than happy to take her to the prison to spend any amount of time with her when he is not laying around the house in his tightie whities fantasizing about her.

The investigation into Hillary plays second fiddle and becomes more of a backstory and a plot device as the movie shifts focus to Jack’s relationships with Charlotte and Ward. Take this scene for instance. A day at the beach between Charlotte and Jack leads to him getting attacked by a jellyfish after a quick dip. She comes to the rescue by peeing all over his chest and face. Since this is a small town, it makes the front page of the newspaper. That is just one of many crazy absurd scenes that follow, each one topping the previous one.

The story is so out of control and nutty that it seems like director Lee Daniels (Precious) decided to go all out on what he was going to make the actors go through to tell this story. Some of these talented actors are up for the challenge while others seem to struggle. Kidman is asked to do a variety of trashy and strange things between orgasming for Cusack in jail and peeing all over Efron. I really appreciate Efron for continuing to take on different roles in order to challenge him and distance him from his High School Musical days. I am sure it was not hard for him to stay shirtless for most of the movie or dance in the rain in his tightie whities. Do not be surprised if you think Macy Gray is one of the better actresses in the movie. She perfectly nails the Southern maid/cook attitude that comes with having to deal with too much crap in her life. Cusack plays against type but it does not seem to work in his favor as he comes across as miscast and trying way too hard to be this maniacal creep.

Daniels co-wrote the screenplay with Pete Dexter based off Dexter’s book of the same name. The script seems all over the place at times. I kept debating whose story was being told. It took some time before it fully settles into what Efron’s character is going through. As great as Macy Gray is, the use of her narrating the story is completely unnecessary. The film is given a grainy look as if to convey the southern, hot, and dirty feel and the camera takes full advantage of using hazy unfocused shots from time to time. The film has that sexually deviant, mysterious, Southern feel that reminded of Wild Things. I personally think that film was far more successful at being over-the-top absurd while having fun with the story. The Paperboy tries way too hard at attempting this feeling and is too unfocused and serious at times.

RATING: ** (2 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: MAGIC MIKE

MAGIC MIKE
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Cody Horn, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Nash, Olivia Munn

Channing Tatum uses his brief real life history as a male stripper as the idea behind his latest collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh. Mike Lane(Tatum) makes the majority of his income as a stripper in a male revue called Xquisite. During the daytime he works construction in the Tampa area and dabbles in homemade furniture. He meets Adam (Pettyfer) one morning on a new construction site. Adam seems fairly shy and introverted, but he and Mike bond throughout the day. Mike runs into Adam later at a club as he is promoting audience members for the Xquisite show. Adam is persuaded to head over to the revue by Mike and two young girls out celebrating a twenty-first birthday. Adam's eyes are wide open as he experiences a male revue for the first time. He watches as "Magic Mike" and the rest of the crew including: Tarzan (Nash), Big Dick Ritchie (Manganiello), Ken (Bomer), and Tito (Rodriquez) put on a choreographed show. He gets thrust onstage himself to have dollars bills thrown at him by the giddy drunken ladies. The easy money is all too alluring for Adam and he decides to join the show after an offer from Mike and club owner Dallas (McConaughey). Being the newbie that he is, he is given the moniker "The Kid" as his stage name.

Even though the money is pouring in, life is not always a jolly good time for our young dancers. Adam's sister Brooke (Horn) finds out about his new endeavor when she discovers the G-strings laying around and catches Adam shaving his legs with her razor. She struggles with the thought of him being a stripper but tries to put trust in Mike to keep him on the straight and narrow. Mike's flirting towards her doesn't help matters. Mike would ideally like to leave the stripping behind to start up his customized furniture business. He runs into problems with the bank as he doesn't have good credit as he primarily deals in cash tips. Adam begins to delve deep into the night life. He is making good money and hooking up with beautiful women. Sounds great except he is becoming cocky and falling deeper into drugs and alcohol.

Soderbergh is dealing with lighter material here than we have been used to seeing him do lately, but it still retains that Soderbergh feel. Using the pseudonym Peter Andrews, he is also the cinematographer on his own movies. He seems to use a lot of wide shots and natural lighting to set up the scenes. He sets the camera up and just lets it capture the scene as it unfolds. Characters come in and out of the frame without a lot of choppy editing to cover it up. I wish the studio would have promoted his name more during the marketing blitz. Who am I kidding. People are coming out for Channing Tatum and other hunks stripping, not because it is the latest Soderbergh offering.

The screenplay by Reid Carolin is pretty basic. You have the simple premise of a young naive nineteen-year old being enamored by the money and women that comes with being a stripper only to have him crash and burn when drugs and alcohol come into play. It has a simple morality story to it. Magic Mike isn't as campy as Showgirls and it isn't as gritty as Boogie Nights. It falls somwhere in the middle. The movie does not fully invest into the struggle Mike has with started his business nor do we really learn about some of the other characters like Big Dick Ritchie, Ken, and the other strippers. Am I asking for too much in the way of character and plot development? Maybe. Tatum co-produced the movie with Carolin. Along with Soderbergh, they have a great cast that perfectly fits these characters. McConaughey is impressive and gives one of the stronger performances in the movie showing more sides to Dallas than one might expect. At the end of the day, the fun of the movie is that it is about male strippers. Those scenes make the movie work. The fun choreography and behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be a stripper is interesting. I can only assume it is fairly accurate due to Tatum's past. The legions of women and gay men buying tickets are not going for gritty plot twists and stylistic film making. They are going for the rock hard abs of Joe Manganiello and chiseled Channing Tatum body. There was applause before the movie and during the movie.

RATING: ***1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

First Look: MAGIC MIKE

First Look: MAGIC MIKE
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Munn, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello, Adam Rodriguez, Matt Bomer

The Oscar winning director of Traffic, Contagion, the Ocean's Triology, and Erin Brockovich teams up with Channing Tatum again in a story loosely based on Tatum's pre-Hollywood life as a male stripper.  Tatum plays the lead character as he teaches a young newbie (Pettyfer) the ins-and-outs of the job all while struggling to have a normal life.  Matthew McConaughey portrays the club's owner.  TV stars Matt Bomer ("White Collar"), Adam Rodriguez ("CSI: Miami"), and Joe Manganiello ("True Blood") co-star as fellow workers at the club.

The trailer and poster were just released this past week.  I must admit, the feel of the movie is not at all what I thought it was going to be about.  I guess I assumed it would have this gritty, rough, drug-filled tone to it.  By the looks of the trailer, it seems lighter, funnier, and more romantic than I had imagined.  I also think they should have showed more skin in the trailer.  Maybe that's just me though.

What are your thoughts?  Are you excited to see it?  Does it look like a dud like Striptease, a cult classic like Showgirls, another Soderbergh hit like Ocean's 11, or will it just get lost in a summer of huge blockbusters ?