"The Mindy Project" may not have been the funniest pilot I've ever seen, nor does it necessarily set up a plot line that I think will lead to something original or worthwhile. Within minutes anybody with even the slightest knowledge of classic TV cliches can tell where this series is going to go. Yet, I was completely absorbed into the story. Why? Mindy Kaling, who's extremely intelligent script embraced the classic romantic comedy formula and added a whole lot of personality.
By using Mindy's obsession with romantic comedies as a starting off point for the series, I was immediately absorbed into the series. Granted, meta humor can only be taken so far. Eventually, the sort of self aware humor can become condescending, annoying or just "too meta." And, unfortunately, that could happen to "The Mindy Project."But, as far as the pilot is concerned, this is an impressive and considerably enjoyable genre deconstruction that isn't afraid to embrace the very formula it mocks.
Right from the opening scene, it becomes clear: narrator Mindy is obsessed with romantic comedies and finding her Mr. Right, even though virtually every guy she meets seems completely wrong for her. And, of course, there are the men in her office including the "guy she has no chance in hell with getting together with...just kidding" and a womanizing British hunk that is either "Hugh Grant in About a Boy" or "Huge Grant in real life." Obviously, a love triangle will begin to form eventually but for now I'm fine with the three trading witty one liners and allowing the chemistry to speak for itself.
There is also something to be said about the cast of this series. It might be a bit too early to tell for sure, but the cast seems to have fantastic chemistry and play well off each other. Kaling is a movie star in the making. She may be an unconventional leading lady, but she radiates charisma and is incredibly likable, even if her actions are not always the wisest. She also has a great sense of humor and wonderful comedic timing. The pilot also features some wonderful supporting players- Chris Messina and Ed Weeks are perfect foils to each other and their scenes with Kaling are, by far, the highlights of the pilot, while the pilot also showcases the fantastic Anna Camp who really impressed me with her work in "The Good Wife" and "True Blood" and has (hopefully) found a show worth sticking with.
"The Mindy Project" is my favorite pilot to premiere so far this fall, and is considerably more enjoyable than the other comedy pilots I've seen this year. It's certainly worth checking out and will make a great companion series with "New Girl" this year.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Master: A Feast of Food for Thought
Writing a review for The Master is one of the most difficult tasks I've ever faced. The truth is, while I know what I saw was great, I'm not quite sure what my opinion of it is. I'm not sure how much I truly "love" the film, and I'm not even sure if I do love it and ever will. I'm not sure if I'll ever even feel the urge to watch it again, and not because I was bored or disappointed. The truth is, I was exhilarated by The Master and astonished by what Paul Thomas Anderson accomplishes with this film. But, the movie has so many complex themes and I'm still processing all that PTA is saying through it. All I know is, The Master was disturbing, difficult to interpret, beautifully filmed and directed and, by far, the most complex film of the year. But with so much to think about, it's difficult to really have a sound opinion on the movie.
What you take away from The Master really depends on what you bring to it. I think your religious beliefs will certainly have an impact on what you think of the film, and the movie will probably play the best with those who don't believe in anything or have very complicated feelings about religion, such as myself. Those who are completely convinced that there own religion is entirely true may not be able to relate to the film, and those that are ignorant to any real spirituality will probably feel nothing while watching. Regardless of what the press may want you to think, the truth is this film is not about Scientology, even if the cult in the film seems heavily inspired by it. This is a film about religion in general. It is about why we believe what we believe, the lengths we will go to believe in it, and how our beliefs will impact our thoughts and actions. It interprets the behavior of the believer (Joaquin Phoenix's Freddie Quell) and the preacher (Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd). The film is an examination of faith, and not a lighthearted one for that matter.
Watching this film was a powerful experience for multiple reasons. For one thing, I was astounded by PTA's directing abilities, as I always am. Paul Thomas Anderson's style is incredibly unique and never fails to completely captivate me. As all his films have been, The Master is beautifully filmed and features absolutely gorgeous cinematography. The power of his direction can be felt regardless of what is happening on screen, and there is no denying that PTA is one of the best directors working today. If you haven't seen any of his films before, I wholly recommend you seek them out. There isn't a bad film in the bunch. But the movie was powerful for a different reason, and a reason I did not expect- I was deeply disturbed by the film. As captivated as I was by the film, I couldn't help but feel uneasy, uncomfortable and eventually just disturbed by the happenings on screen. There is something very bizarre and deeply troubling about the characters, their actions, and what their actions mean for us. What is PTA saying about society though this film? Is it true? What are his thoughts on religion, and are all religions this damaging to their members? I've been thinking about this film since I saw it Friday night, and am still not quite sure about what he thinks.
That's the best part of the film- that I still don't know. There are so few films in general that are as thought provoking as this film is, and even fewer released in the past ten years. This is a film made for analyzation and intelligent discussion. So while I didn't "enjoy" watching The Master in the way I enjoyed PTA's other films or some other movies released this year, I've certainly enjoyed discussing the film with my family and friends that have seen the film. To not discuss The Master is like only watching half a film and then forming an opinion on it. It's a movie that demands to be remembered.
On the more basic sense, The Master is still a monumental achievement. I simply can't imagine a world where Joaquin Phoenix does not win Best Actor in a Leading Role. His performance is a true transformation and absolutely phenomenal. Everything from his posture to his facial expressions and, more obviously, his physicalization and line delivery seem thought out and truly leave an impact on the audience. Phoenix is one of the most recognizable faces in the business simply due to how diverse of an actor he is, but here he completely disappears into the role. "In character" is an understatement. Not to be upstaged, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is also fantastic, while Amy Adams delivers, what I believe to be the best performance in her already stellar career. The film, as I mentioned above, also features the best cinematography of the year and a chilling score.
Don't just watch The Master and expect to have an opinion on it the moment the lights come up. It's a movie that must be processed and thought about for quite some time. Once the film is available on Bluray I plan on picking up a copy and pausing after each scene to really think about what Paul Thomas Anderson is trying to say and what it means to me. But, there is no denying that The Master is a powerful viewing experience and a film that will stick with me for quite some time.
OVERALL GRADE: A
What you take away from The Master really depends on what you bring to it. I think your religious beliefs will certainly have an impact on what you think of the film, and the movie will probably play the best with those who don't believe in anything or have very complicated feelings about religion, such as myself. Those who are completely convinced that there own religion is entirely true may not be able to relate to the film, and those that are ignorant to any real spirituality will probably feel nothing while watching. Regardless of what the press may want you to think, the truth is this film is not about Scientology, even if the cult in the film seems heavily inspired by it. This is a film about religion in general. It is about why we believe what we believe, the lengths we will go to believe in it, and how our beliefs will impact our thoughts and actions. It interprets the behavior of the believer (Joaquin Phoenix's Freddie Quell) and the preacher (Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd). The film is an examination of faith, and not a lighthearted one for that matter.
Watching this film was a powerful experience for multiple reasons. For one thing, I was astounded by PTA's directing abilities, as I always am. Paul Thomas Anderson's style is incredibly unique and never fails to completely captivate me. As all his films have been, The Master is beautifully filmed and features absolutely gorgeous cinematography. The power of his direction can be felt regardless of what is happening on screen, and there is no denying that PTA is one of the best directors working today. If you haven't seen any of his films before, I wholly recommend you seek them out. There isn't a bad film in the bunch. But the movie was powerful for a different reason, and a reason I did not expect- I was deeply disturbed by the film. As captivated as I was by the film, I couldn't help but feel uneasy, uncomfortable and eventually just disturbed by the happenings on screen. There is something very bizarre and deeply troubling about the characters, their actions, and what their actions mean for us. What is PTA saying about society though this film? Is it true? What are his thoughts on religion, and are all religions this damaging to their members? I've been thinking about this film since I saw it Friday night, and am still not quite sure about what he thinks.
That's the best part of the film- that I still don't know. There are so few films in general that are as thought provoking as this film is, and even fewer released in the past ten years. This is a film made for analyzation and intelligent discussion. So while I didn't "enjoy" watching The Master in the way I enjoyed PTA's other films or some other movies released this year, I've certainly enjoyed discussing the film with my family and friends that have seen the film. To not discuss The Master is like only watching half a film and then forming an opinion on it. It's a movie that demands to be remembered.
On the more basic sense, The Master is still a monumental achievement. I simply can't imagine a world where Joaquin Phoenix does not win Best Actor in a Leading Role. His performance is a true transformation and absolutely phenomenal. Everything from his posture to his facial expressions and, more obviously, his physicalization and line delivery seem thought out and truly leave an impact on the audience. Phoenix is one of the most recognizable faces in the business simply due to how diverse of an actor he is, but here he completely disappears into the role. "In character" is an understatement. Not to be upstaged, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is also fantastic, while Amy Adams delivers, what I believe to be the best performance in her already stellar career. The film, as I mentioned above, also features the best cinematography of the year and a chilling score.
Don't just watch The Master and expect to have an opinion on it the moment the lights come up. It's a movie that must be processed and thought about for quite some time. Once the film is available on Bluray I plan on picking up a copy and pausing after each scene to really think about what Paul Thomas Anderson is trying to say and what it means to me. But, there is no denying that The Master is a powerful viewing experience and a film that will stick with me for quite some time.
OVERALL GRADE: A
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Pilot Talk: The New Normal
I may be three episodes late, but I have finally found the time to sit down and talk about Ryan Murphy's new NBC comedy, The New Normal.
I should start out by saying this: I have watched quite a bit of Murphy's work through the years. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of American Horror Story and am quite excited for the second season. I loved the first three seasons of Nip/Tuck, and can still find some guilty pleasure enjoyment from the later episodes. And I stand by my opinion that the first season of Glee is fantastic... before it became, frankly, complete shit. The simple truth is: I think Ryan Murphy comes up with great ideas and I really enjoy how much shocking content he puts out there, but eventually it gets tiresome.
So far, I've enjoyed what I've seen of The New Normal. The first three episodes of the series were quite funny, a bit mean spirited but with a heaping dose of sweetness to help even it out. The characters are all lovable and the show is fast paced, without feeling rushed. These are qualities that many of Murphy's other products either do share or shared at one point, so we're off to a good start.
Murphy also has a real eye for talent in the casting department. Each actor in this series feels perfectly cast and, as a whole, have chemistry to spare. Justin Bartha and Andrew Rannells are wonderful and completely believable as a couple, playing off each other nicely in both their comedic scenes and more serious ones. In supporting roles, NeNe Leakes and Ellen Barkin are hilarious, even if their characters are far too one dimensional (more on that later). As somebody who's easily annoyed by child actors, I'm impressed with how talented young Bebe Wood is. She's much more than just a cute little kid but shows many different sides to her character, and is also a natural talent. But the real scene stealer is the wonderful Georgia King, who wins the audience completely within her first few minutes on camera. I only hope she continues to pick great projects after The New Normal ends, she could be a real star.
Also, for the most part, the writing has been strong. The plot lines are interesting and realistic, while the dialogue is snappy, witty and every so often, surprisingly edgy. I also appreciate the way Murphy & co. depict David and Bryan as a couple. As much as I love Modern Family, the lack of affection between Cam and Mitchell in most of the episodes is quite noticeable. I'm not trying to compare the two series, and I do believe that Modern Family is a much more well done show, but The New Normal definitely gets points for depicting a gay couple in a realistic way, and with just as much affection as a straight couple would share on camera. That being said, there are a couple of things I want to address regarding the, shall we say, not so good aspects of the writing.
Watch any of his series and you will know that Ryan Murphy is not the type of write to be subtle. In fact, I'm pretty sure the word is not in his vocabulary. And that's not a bad thing! But on The New Normal, the lack of subtly is annoying and obnoxious. I'm a passionate advocate for gay rights and love the way the series depicts the obstacles a gay couple might face in today's world, but the series (in particular the last episode to air, "Baby Clothes") shoves the messages down a viewers throat. The message itself is wonderful and deserves to be shared with audiences nationwide, but not when it's being put up on screen like propaganda. The way the series repeats the message over and over and over again, coupled with the fact that anybody with the fact that every homophobic character is seen as a complete bigot with not a single redemptive quality is just sloppy writing. That leads me to the characters of Rocky (Leakes) and Jane (Barkin). Rocky is very much the "sassy black girl" character that most comedy series seem to have nowadays, but her character is almost entirely paper thin. In fact, Leakes serves virtually no purpose but to show up every few minutes and say something sassy, which is only funny because of the words she uses and her overall attitude. Even more troubling is how Jane is characterized. Obviously, Jane is supposed to represent the bigots in society, and Murphy has even likened her to the woman from One Million Moms. And, for the most part, her bigotry leads to some of the biggest laughs so far. A particular quip about sending a "congratulations card to Satan" had me chucking for days. But sometimes her behavior feels like a cartoon. A rant about slavery she has in the second episode isn't funny, it's just plain ridiculous. And when she drags two young children to Planned Parenthood, it feels too over the top. I see what Murphy is trying to do with the character, but he has to tone it down before it just gets too ridiculous.
With any luck, The New Normal could be a solid comedy on the very crowded Tuesday lineup. The cast is strong and, if certain problems are fixed up, the series could become even better. I just hope Murphy doesn't fall back into the trap which Glee stumbled upon two years ago. That series displays some of the worst writing on any series I've seen. The New Normal deserves better.
Also, a quick side note: Despite what critics and commercials may try and make you think, this series has virtually nothing in common with Modern Family other than the fact that they both depict a gay couple and involve families. The series are both tonally different, have very different comedy stylings, and are trying to say very different things to their viewers. While I did compare the depiction of gay relationships on both programs, I do not mean to make viewers believe that the series are worth comparing in any way.
I should start out by saying this: I have watched quite a bit of Murphy's work through the years. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of American Horror Story and am quite excited for the second season. I loved the first three seasons of Nip/Tuck, and can still find some guilty pleasure enjoyment from the later episodes. And I stand by my opinion that the first season of Glee is fantastic... before it became, frankly, complete shit. The simple truth is: I think Ryan Murphy comes up with great ideas and I really enjoy how much shocking content he puts out there, but eventually it gets tiresome.
So far, I've enjoyed what I've seen of The New Normal. The first three episodes of the series were quite funny, a bit mean spirited but with a heaping dose of sweetness to help even it out. The characters are all lovable and the show is fast paced, without feeling rushed. These are qualities that many of Murphy's other products either do share or shared at one point, so we're off to a good start.
Murphy also has a real eye for talent in the casting department. Each actor in this series feels perfectly cast and, as a whole, have chemistry to spare. Justin Bartha and Andrew Rannells are wonderful and completely believable as a couple, playing off each other nicely in both their comedic scenes and more serious ones. In supporting roles, NeNe Leakes and Ellen Barkin are hilarious, even if their characters are far too one dimensional (more on that later). As somebody who's easily annoyed by child actors, I'm impressed with how talented young Bebe Wood is. She's much more than just a cute little kid but shows many different sides to her character, and is also a natural talent. But the real scene stealer is the wonderful Georgia King, who wins the audience completely within her first few minutes on camera. I only hope she continues to pick great projects after The New Normal ends, she could be a real star.
Also, for the most part, the writing has been strong. The plot lines are interesting and realistic, while the dialogue is snappy, witty and every so often, surprisingly edgy. I also appreciate the way Murphy & co. depict David and Bryan as a couple. As much as I love Modern Family, the lack of affection between Cam and Mitchell in most of the episodes is quite noticeable. I'm not trying to compare the two series, and I do believe that Modern Family is a much more well done show, but The New Normal definitely gets points for depicting a gay couple in a realistic way, and with just as much affection as a straight couple would share on camera. That being said, there are a couple of things I want to address regarding the, shall we say, not so good aspects of the writing.
Watch any of his series and you will know that Ryan Murphy is not the type of write to be subtle. In fact, I'm pretty sure the word is not in his vocabulary. And that's not a bad thing! But on The New Normal, the lack of subtly is annoying and obnoxious. I'm a passionate advocate for gay rights and love the way the series depicts the obstacles a gay couple might face in today's world, but the series (in particular the last episode to air, "Baby Clothes") shoves the messages down a viewers throat. The message itself is wonderful and deserves to be shared with audiences nationwide, but not when it's being put up on screen like propaganda. The way the series repeats the message over and over and over again, coupled with the fact that anybody with the fact that every homophobic character is seen as a complete bigot with not a single redemptive quality is just sloppy writing. That leads me to the characters of Rocky (Leakes) and Jane (Barkin). Rocky is very much the "sassy black girl" character that most comedy series seem to have nowadays, but her character is almost entirely paper thin. In fact, Leakes serves virtually no purpose but to show up every few minutes and say something sassy, which is only funny because of the words she uses and her overall attitude. Even more troubling is how Jane is characterized. Obviously, Jane is supposed to represent the bigots in society, and Murphy has even likened her to the woman from One Million Moms. And, for the most part, her bigotry leads to some of the biggest laughs so far. A particular quip about sending a "congratulations card to Satan" had me chucking for days. But sometimes her behavior feels like a cartoon. A rant about slavery she has in the second episode isn't funny, it's just plain ridiculous. And when she drags two young children to Planned Parenthood, it feels too over the top. I see what Murphy is trying to do with the character, but he has to tone it down before it just gets too ridiculous.
With any luck, The New Normal could be a solid comedy on the very crowded Tuesday lineup. The cast is strong and, if certain problems are fixed up, the series could become even better. I just hope Murphy doesn't fall back into the trap which Glee stumbled upon two years ago. That series displays some of the worst writing on any series I've seen. The New Normal deserves better.
Also, a quick side note: Despite what critics and commercials may try and make you think, this series has virtually nothing in common with Modern Family other than the fact that they both depict a gay couple and involve families. The series are both tonally different, have very different comedy stylings, and are trying to say very different things to their viewers. While I did compare the depiction of gay relationships on both programs, I do not mean to make viewers believe that the series are worth comparing in any way.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Pilot Talk: NBC's REVOLUTION
PILOT TALK is a new column I'll be writing about the many new pilots I'll be checking out throughout the fall TV season. I'll also be writing SEASON PREMIERE TALK for returning series I watch.
I had low expectations for Revolution, which is the first new series I'll be reviewing for this segment (though I also have been watching The New Normal, which I might be writing something about.) To me, Revolution seemed like a cheesy concoction of the past few years in pop culture, like a blend of The Walking Dead andThe Hunger Games. And the first few minutes of the pilot certainly didn't help. But, by the end of the pilot, I was convinced that Revolution could, if handled intelligently, end up an exciting action series with a captivating plot line.
What impresses me the most about Revolution is how much I enjoyed the action in this episode. From an intense shootout to a wonderfully staged and very exciting sword-fight that closes the episode, the action was effective and exciting. Maybe I'm just starved for great action after so many disappointing films this summer, but the action sequences in Revolution felt like something out of a summer movie.
The plot also feels like something out of a summer blockbuster. Nothing too serious, nothing too thought provoking, but filled with possibilities. We may be in a second 'Golden Age of Television" with intense, extremely dramatic dramas like Breaking Bad and Mad Men, to name a few of the fantastic series available to anybody with a television and a basic cable package. And I love shows like that, don't get me wrong. And, as far as I can see, Revolution won't ever touch that level of quality. But let's not completely disregard the age olden action drama, filled with familiar archetype, the age old 'good vs. evil' theme and fantastic cliffhangers that wet our appetite for the next week. That's what I look forward to in Revolution, assuming that the quality doesn't dip in coming weeks. The final moments of this episode, as all good pilots do, raises questions and allows for much speculation about what will happen in the coming weeks. That being said, do not watch the full promo for the series if you are at all interested in watching this pilot. It completely spoils many of the big reveals from this episode, which makes absolutely no sense to me.
As to what needs to be changed, some of the acting simply must improve. Series lead Tracy Spiridakos is quite wooden in this episode, and amongst the many interesting characters in the series, is incredibly boring in comparison. Her fellow young actor, Graham Rogers, is just as one note and fails to make an impression in this episode. Much of the series will, apparently, rest on their shoulders. An improvement in charisma is a must. The characters themselves also feel quite underdeveloped. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to see all the different shades of each and every character in such a plot heavy pilot, but the characters are certainly cliches and need to be further expanded to maintain my interest. Also, as with all sci-fi/fantasy series on TV, this show must maintain consistently strong story telling. Remember Heroes? Flash Forward? It's very easy for a series like this to become unwatchable.
One last thing: I want to give special notice to series regulars Billy Burke and Giancarlo Esposito, who completely steal the show. Billy Burke, frankly, exudes 'badassery' and has all the makings to be a wonderful action hero. Esposito, meanwhile, is incredibly threatening and a wonderful villain that, as all good villains are, is more appealing than the heroes.
So, I'll be sticking with Revolution for the next few weeks with the hope that the series delivers on what it promises in the pilot. I see a lot of potential in this series, and I could definitely see myself becoming addicted to it... if it lives up to all of it's potential.
I had low expectations for Revolution, which is the first new series I'll be reviewing for this segment (though I also have been watching The New Normal, which I might be writing something about.) To me, Revolution seemed like a cheesy concoction of the past few years in pop culture, like a blend of The Walking Dead andThe Hunger Games. And the first few minutes of the pilot certainly didn't help. But, by the end of the pilot, I was convinced that Revolution could, if handled intelligently, end up an exciting action series with a captivating plot line.
What impresses me the most about Revolution is how much I enjoyed the action in this episode. From an intense shootout to a wonderfully staged and very exciting sword-fight that closes the episode, the action was effective and exciting. Maybe I'm just starved for great action after so many disappointing films this summer, but the action sequences in Revolution felt like something out of a summer movie.
The plot also feels like something out of a summer blockbuster. Nothing too serious, nothing too thought provoking, but filled with possibilities. We may be in a second 'Golden Age of Television" with intense, extremely dramatic dramas like Breaking Bad and Mad Men, to name a few of the fantastic series available to anybody with a television and a basic cable package. And I love shows like that, don't get me wrong. And, as far as I can see, Revolution won't ever touch that level of quality. But let's not completely disregard the age olden action drama, filled with familiar archetype, the age old 'good vs. evil' theme and fantastic cliffhangers that wet our appetite for the next week. That's what I look forward to in Revolution, assuming that the quality doesn't dip in coming weeks. The final moments of this episode, as all good pilots do, raises questions and allows for much speculation about what will happen in the coming weeks. That being said, do not watch the full promo for the series if you are at all interested in watching this pilot. It completely spoils many of the big reveals from this episode, which makes absolutely no sense to me.
As to what needs to be changed, some of the acting simply must improve. Series lead Tracy Spiridakos is quite wooden in this episode, and amongst the many interesting characters in the series, is incredibly boring in comparison. Her fellow young actor, Graham Rogers, is just as one note and fails to make an impression in this episode. Much of the series will, apparently, rest on their shoulders. An improvement in charisma is a must. The characters themselves also feel quite underdeveloped. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to see all the different shades of each and every character in such a plot heavy pilot, but the characters are certainly cliches and need to be further expanded to maintain my interest. Also, as with all sci-fi/fantasy series on TV, this show must maintain consistently strong story telling. Remember Heroes? Flash Forward? It's very easy for a series like this to become unwatchable.
One last thing: I want to give special notice to series regulars Billy Burke and Giancarlo Esposito, who completely steal the show. Billy Burke, frankly, exudes 'badassery' and has all the makings to be a wonderful action hero. Esposito, meanwhile, is incredibly threatening and a wonderful villain that, as all good villains are, is more appealing than the heroes.
So, I'll be sticking with Revolution for the next few weeks with the hope that the series delivers on what it promises in the pilot. I see a lot of potential in this series, and I could definitely see myself becoming addicted to it... if it lives up to all of it's potential.
Post TIFF Oscar Brackets!
With Venice, Telluride and the Toronto Film Festival out of the way, Oscar season has become significantly easier to predict, but still remains a bit of a challenge. We won't know what the Academy will eat up and what the Academy won't care about until the films hit theaters and we see just how much of a dent they'll make. Everything from box office numbers to mainstream critic reviews could have a say. Some films on these rosters will be deleted, and maybe a few will be added. Not to mention that three of the biggest Oscar films of the year, Les Miserables, Lincoln and Life of Pi have yet to be seen by anybody! And their are some dark horses out their, as well as independent films where a lot will depend on just how much of a marketing push they'll receive. So while I stand by these predictions, and feel that a few of them are locks at this point, it's still a very rough draft of what will eventually become a final roster. More categories will be added as the year goes on.
Just remember- the potential nominees are listed in order of which I believe they'll receive a nomination (1 being most likely, and the last number being the least likely.) I also stopped the ranking at 15 per category. Obviously, the top five are my predictions for what will be nominated at this point, with the exception of Best Picture which, for now, stops at 10. Leave some comments as to what you expect will rule this Oscar season!
BEST PICTURE:
- Argo (Glowing reviews out of Telluride and TIFF have made this film quite the frontrunner for early Oscar season, in a neck and neck race with...)
- Silver Linings Playbook (The film won the TIFF People Choice Award, the same award which The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionare received before winning Best Picture. That put this critical darling in good company.)
- Les Miserables (This looks like the biggest and best of this year's Oscar pictures, even if it seems doubtful that a Tom Hopper film will win again after The King's Speech two years ago.)
- Lincoln (It's Spielberg and a biopic, it's obviously going to generate Oscar buzz, but it's overall quality may cost it a nomination much like J. Edgar.)
- The Master (It's being called challenging and dark, which are qualities the Academy don't usually like in a movie, but the extremely positive reviews from some critics seems too loud to ignore)
- Life of Pi (Based on the trailer, Life of Pi could be quite the contender, reminding me of Hugo from last year. But, the film also looks like it could be too ambitious, which could hurt it's chances.)
- Django Unchained (This could be one of Tarantino's biggest hits with the Academy, but it's also destined to be surrounded by controversy, which could hurt it.)
- Beasts of the Southern Wild (The indie hit of the year, Beasts of the Southern Wild should be locked for a nomination, assuming it maintains this momentum throughout awards season.)
- The Impossible (It's positive reviews are extremely positive, and it's negative reviews are vicious. It looks like a major 'Oscar movie' though, and if Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close received a nomination, this could too.)
- Zero Dark Thirty (We, simply, know too little about this film to form a solid opinion on it's Oscar chances.)
- Amour (Foreign films are always tricky to predict, regardless of how positive the reviews are.)
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (I sense the Academy is over the LOTR franchise, and the movie doesn't seem as epic as it's predecessor's based upon the trailer.)
- Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson has never had much sway amongst Academy voters, but if any film is going to change that, this movie will.)
- Trouble with the Curve (This film will either be too mainstream for voters, or this year's Moneyball. Only time will tell.)
- Anna Karenina (Reviews are to divisive, but the talent involved is too great to dismiss outright.)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Butter- Intelligent, Funny, and with a Stellar Cast
Dark comedies, especially political dark comedies, are a tricky sub genre. A film could be hilarious and edgy for 3/4 of it's running time, and then pull back during the home stretch and hurt the overall film. With politics added to the mix, it's even more challenging to pull it off as a film can appear one sided, or just plain preachy. Butter manages to avoid falling prey to any of these challenges, and manages to be a very funny, smart, no-holds-barred commentary on modern politics. While it certainly might seem a little "left" for a majority of it's runtime, writer Jason A. Micallef and direcor Jim Field Smith make sure to highlight both sides of the political spectrum and still make the film entertaining for anyone, regardless of which political party they vote for.
Shaping the 2008 primaries into a butter carving contest, Butter follows the dutiful and loyal housewife Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), who's hurt and embarrassed when her butter carving champion husband, Bob (Ty Burrell), is caught up in a scandalous affair with a trampy stripper (Olivia Wilde). Desperate to prove her own ability and self worth, Laura sets out to compete in the butter carving contest with her heart set on the gold. A wrench is thrown into her plans when, seemingly out of nowhere, foster child and butter carving prodigy Destiny (Yara Shahadi) emerges as major competition. Hm...sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?
The film doesn't try to hide it's political allegory status. In fact, it almost flaunts it. Jennifer Garner seems to be doing her best Sarah Palin imitation, while the comparisons between her character and Hilary Clinton are also quite clear. Destiny, meanwhile, delivers speeches about change and hope not unlike Obama did during his original campaign. But that's what makes Butter so much fun. The film brings to light just how ridiculous elections can become, how much people will do to secure votes, the strategies that they use to secure sympathy, and how different political parties, and the people in them, view each other. The script is, thankfully, never preachy about it's political beliefs and displays both Laura and Destiny in a fair light. They may have flaws, but the film doesn't necessarily depict one to be a villain and the other to be a hero. It also allows the film to be taken on two separate levels: a laugh out loud, shockingly edgy comedy, or an intelligent political satire. Either way, you'll end up satisfied.
A few problems do, unfortunately, arrive thanks primarily to the film's length. At a brisk 90 minutes, the film flies by without giving time for the supporting characters to grow. Ashely Greene, who plays Laura's rebellious step-daughter who enjoys doing drugs and experimenting with lesbianism, remains underdeveloped and is never given any real motivation for what she does. Destiny's foster mom, played by Alicia Silverstone, has very few scenes and is never really given much of importance to do. The movie also side steps some subplots, most notably the story of Destiny's biological mother, which is brought up only once or twice despite being a very important plot point.
These mistakes are forgivable, however, due to how funny the film is and how fantastic the performances from the entire ensemble are. Jennifer Garner gives the performance of her career as Laura Pickler, completely transforming herself into a woman that manages to be more than just a recreation of Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachman. Everything from her voice to her body language are funny, and Garner completely disappears into the role. Newcomer Yara Shahadi also delivers a stellar breakthrough performance. Her comedic timing, while subtle, is impeccable and she carries the film easily and wins the hearts of the audience quickly. In terms of the supporting roles, Rob Corddry plays against type as Destiny's caring foster dad, but still allows for his sense of humor to shine through at just the right time. Stealing the film, surprisingly, is Olivia Wilde. After a number of attempts to break into blockbusters, I was ready to give up on Wilde. To me, she just seemed like a charismatic actress, but one that couldn't carry the movie. She just seemed like another pretty face. Her transformation into the foul mouthed, highly sexual Tokyo Rose is outstanding. Wilde doesn't have the best lines, and doesn't have much screen time compared to Garner, Shahadi or even Ty Burrell, but Wilde is who you will think of after finishing the movie. It's not that she has the best lines, it's that she delivers them perfectly and is obviously having the time of her life playing the character.
Butter, while not a perfect film, is a charming one and one of the smartest political satires in years. Thanks to it's impressive cast and an intelligent script, Butter overcomes it's flaws and manages to be one of the year's must sees. It is available on Video on Demand right now and will play in select theaters in October.
OVERALL GRADE: B+
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Oscar Update: Helen Hunt Shifted to Supporting...
While Oscar season may be starting, I haven't had the chance to see a movie in almost a month... a rarity for me. Still, with the Toronto Film Festival starting this week I'm sure I'll be updating my Oscar predictions more frequently. The next films I intend to see in theaters are The Master and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but I also plan to watch Butter and Liberal Arts via VOD.
The reason for this post, however, is that a change in category consideration has been brought to my attention. Apparently, Helen Hunt is being placed in the Best Supporting Actress category instead of the Best Leading Actress. Based on the trailers I've seen and the reviews that I've read, I don't really see how this placement makes sense, but I suppose that it's similar to Berenice Bejo being considered a 'Supporting Actress' for her work in the artist, even though she was essentially the female lead. Regardless to my thoughts on the lead/supporting debate, this lead to an update in my Best Leading Actress and Best Supporting Actress brackets.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
This is, by far, one of the dullest Best Actress races I've seen in a long time. The only surefire nominees seem to be Knightely and Wallis, with many early reviews saying Linney's role in Hudson isn't all that crucial to the film, Winstead seeming like a wild card, and Streep just sneaking in due to her legendary status, but she could easily be replaced with Davis. Hopefully after TIFF we'll have more concrete rankings.
EDIT: I completely forgot to add Marion Cotillard to the brackets! Her performance is receiving a lot of buzz.
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
I see Hathaway, Adams and Hunt as surefire contenders in this category but we'll have to wait the year out to see who else is a heavy weight.
The reason for this post, however, is that a change in category consideration has been brought to my attention. Apparently, Helen Hunt is being placed in the Best Supporting Actress category instead of the Best Leading Actress. Based on the trailers I've seen and the reviews that I've read, I don't really see how this placement makes sense, but I suppose that it's similar to Berenice Bejo being considered a 'Supporting Actress' for her work in the artist, even though she was essentially the female lead. Regardless to my thoughts on the lead/supporting debate, this lead to an update in my Best Leading Actress and Best Supporting Actress brackets.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
- Keira Knightely, Anna Karenina
- Quevenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
- Laura Linney, Hyde Park on Hudson
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Smashed
This is, by far, one of the dullest Best Actress races I've seen in a long time. The only surefire nominees seem to be Knightely and Wallis, with many early reviews saying Linney's role in Hudson isn't all that crucial to the film, Winstead seeming like a wild card, and Streep just sneaking in due to her legendary status, but she could easily be replaced with Davis. Hopefully after TIFF we'll have more concrete rankings.
EDIT: I completely forgot to add Marion Cotillard to the brackets! Her performance is receiving a lot of buzz.
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
- Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
- Amy Adams, The Master
- Helen Hunt, The Master
- Sally Field, Lincoln
- Olivia Williams, Hyde Park on Hudson
I see Hathaway, Adams and Hunt as surefire contenders in this category but we'll have to wait the year out to see who else is a heavy weight.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Oscar Updates: "Argo" Kicks off the Oscar Race!
This weekend, Ben Affleck's period thriller Argo premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, to rave reviews and immediate Oscar buzz. While I certainly expected the film to generate some buzz, the film has unofficially kicked off the Oscar race and seems to be a formidable foe for the other films. While I won't be able to see the film until October, when it's released nationwide, I can update my Oscar predictions for a few categories:
First off all, I'm moving Argo up on my Best Picture rankings, right into the Big Leagues. Here's my current rankings:
First off all, I'm moving Argo up on my Best Picture rankings, right into the Big Leagues. Here's my current rankings:
- The Master
- Lincoln
- Argo
- Les Miserables
- Life of Pi
- Anna Karenina
- Django Unchained
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Moonrise Kingdom
I've also updated the Best Supporting Actor brackets, due to the feedback towards Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston. Here are my current rankings:
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
- Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
- Alan Arkin, Argo
- Russell Crowe, Les Miserables
- Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild
ALTERNATES: Bryan Cranston, Argo ; William H. Macy, The Sessions
I'm maintaining my rankings for Best Director, however, I feel confident that Affleck will remain in contention and could even rise in the rankings as the year goes on. Lastly, while I haven't started my rankings for Best Original or Adapted Screenplay, I feel confident that Argo will be a part of the conversation for quite some time. That's all for my Oscar updates today. I'll be keeping you posted as the year goes on!
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