It seems that I am the only person in the world who didn’t enjoy Kate Winslet’s performance in Steve Jobs. Perhaps I need to re-watch the film, considering my lukewarm response to it as a whole. Regardless of my favor, Winslet appears to be the category favorite. Winning the Golden Globe only helped her chances.
The rest of the category is up in the air. If it isn’t Winslet, it could be anybody. It is nice to see Continue reading 2016 Academy Award Predictions – Best Supporting Actress
In film, a score is the mood. It is the suspense in a horror or thriller. It is the lightness of a feel-good period piece. It is the driving pulse of a drama.
The category of Best Original Score is always hard to narrow down. Similar names pop up through the years, but that doesn’t mean these usual suspects have an upper hand on any given award season. Following trends in other award shows is usually the best way to see who is going to win the Academy Award.
This year, there is a clear favorite, and his chances have been raised by Continue reading 2016 Academy Awards Predictions – Original Score
This is one of my personal favorite categories. Cinematography is the infrastructure of the art of cinema. When a film is beautiful you just know. There’s just something about it that strikes you. That’s probably cinematography awing you with miraculous shots.
2015 was no slouch when it came to cinematography. Lush films dominated the year. Every film in this category is beautiful. But, of course, there can be only one.
That one is Continue reading 2016 Academy Awards Predictions – Best Cinematography
The Academy released their list of Oscar nominees this morning, and, as per usual, it is cause for many a reactionary blog post. This post is not unlike the rest.
Here are my reactions to some of the nominations (and notable absences from them).
Lists are always difficult. I find it nearly impossible to whittle down a large body of films into a list of ten. An honorable mention addendum would be longer than the top ten itself.
Additionally, I haven’t seen all the films I want/need to see from 2015. For example, as it stands now, The Revenant is in limited release, and won’t be widely available until after the New Year. It very likely could wind up being one of my top ten favorites of the year, but it can’t show up on this list.
Here are my top ten movies of 2015.
The gritty crime drama Sicario was completely Continue reading Top Ten Movies of 2015
The “Roadshow” 70mm exhibition of Quentin Tarantino’s eighth film, The Hateful Eight, begins with a three minute overture. It is a haunting piano, string, and xylophone melody that plays over a red splash screen. This overture, and the films full score, are handled by master film composer Ennio Morricone.
Morricone’s career spans decades, and his work has included iconic scores in Sergio Leone Westerns. It is thus apropos that he tackles this films soundtrack, which is at times the dominant attraction, crescendoing into Hellish tremolos from thunderous strings. It is a brilliant score that mixes Western and Gothic motifs.
Tarantino begins The Hateful Eight by Continue reading The Hateful Eight (2015) Movie Review
It’s a long way to Academy Award night, but there are plenty of films already vying for Hollywood’s top honor. As it stands now, Spotlight might be the film to beat, but many films could make a viable run for the award in the coming months.
Nominees: Continue reading Academy Awards 2016: Best Picture Nominee Predictions
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