Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Movies I am looking forward to in 2014

February 7th: The Monuments Men
February 12th: RoboCop
March 21st:

  • Divergent
  • Muppets Most Wanted

March 28th: Cesar Chavez
April 18th: Transcendence directed by Wally Pfister
May 9th: Chef directed by Jon Favreau, starring Robert Downey Jr
May 16th: Godzilla directed by Monsters director Gareth Edwards starring Elizabeth Olsen
May 23rd: X-Men: Days of Future Past starring James MacAvoy and Michael Fassbender
May 30th: Maleficient
June 13th: How to Train Your Dragon 2
July 18th: Jupiter Ascending
August 1st: Guardians of the Galaxy
August 22nd: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For directed by Robert Rodriguez and 
October 3rd: Gone Girl directed by David Fincher
November 7th: Interstellar directed by Christopher Nolan
December 12th: Exodus directed by Ridley Scott
December 25th: Unbroken directed by Angelina Jolie, written by the Coen Bros

My memorable Christmas films

  1. Eyes Wide Shut
  2. A Christmas Carol
  3. A Muppet Christmas Carol
  4. Santa Claus is Coming To Town
  5. A Charlie Brown Christmas
  6. Frosty the Snowman
  7. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
  8. It's Christmas Time, Charlie Brown
  9. The Santa Clause 2
  10. Die Hard
  11. The Magic Paintbrush
  12. Home Alone 2: Lost in NY
  13. Batman Returns
  14. The Santa Clause
  15. The Santa Clause 3

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Top 15 Worst Blockbusters of 2013

  1. A Madea Christmas
  2. Anchorman 2
  3. A Good Time to Die Hard
  4. Top Gun 3D
  5. A Haunted House
  6. Star Trek: Into Darkness/
  7. The Man of Steel
  8. Movie 43
  9. Iron Man 3
  10. GI Joe: Retaliation
  11. Fast & The Furious 6
  12. The Hangover Part III
  13. RIPD
  14. Thor: The Dark World
  15. Planes

Sunday, December 15, 2013

VGX I/2013 was a con in more than one sense of the word

VGX I/2013 was a lie.

  • The Game of the Year was awarded half way in the middle of the show
  • Those games and awards were barely talked about.
  • They pretended to empathize and portray internet culture while horribly failing and making them look horrible.
  • The guests were cheap. The set was cheap. Everything this year was cheap. They did not try. Especially Joel McHale. (I never liked Community anyway.)
  • They instead heavily promoted future games


    Another form of Con that VGX and the Video Game Awards have been trying to be for a while: a video game convention. They demonstrated future games at something that implied previous games of the year! How backwards (or not) is that?
    They can hire booth babes.
    They can charge people to go.
    They can make some money and have people going.
    Why don't they do that?

    Friday, December 13, 2013

    The 2013 ArthouseConverter Video Game Hall of Fame

    1961 SpaceWar!
    1972 Pong
    1974 Oregon Trail 
    1988 Super Mario Bros 3
    1990 Mega Man 3
    1994
    • Final Fantasy VI
    • Policenauts
    1996 Super Mario 64
    1999 Shenmue
    2001 
    • Deus Ex 
    • Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
    2002
    • Metroid Prime
    • ICO
    • Shinobi
     2004 Ninja Gaiden
     2005 Shadow of the Colossus
    2010
    • Mass Effect 2
    • Minecraft
    2012 Retrograde
    2013 Antichamber

    Thursday, December 12, 2013

    My Predictions: 12 Years a Slave major winner for the 71st/2014 Golden Globe Awards

    The Wind Rises was shafted for Best Animated Feature, although it could win for Best Foreign Language Film.
    Best Animated Feature:
    Does not matter
    Best Foreign Language Film:
    Blue is the Warmest Color will take that prize.

    Best Screenplay:
    Spike Jonze, for his infamous in previous films, finally getting awarded for Her.

    Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave and Spike Jonze's Her are the top candidates for the Academy Awards, so I choose them as their respective winner for Best Picture category.
    Steve McQueen would unanimously get the Best Director nod.
    Best Picture-Drama:
    12 Years a Slave
    Best Picture-Musical or Comedy:
    Her
    Best Director:
    Steve McQueen

    Best Actor-Drama/Comedy:
    Everyone wins, since they are such good candidates.

    Best Actress:
    Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

    Best Supporting Actor:
    Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
    My personal choice: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave

    Best Supporting Actress:
    June Squibb, Nebraska
    My personal choice: Lupita Nyong'o: 12 Years a Slave

    Academy Award Updates 12/10/2013

    Want to know the top leaders in the Oscar race? Check the leaders in bold.

    Best Film, Director

    1. Her, Spike Jonze, National Board of Review, LAFCS
    2. 12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen NYFCC, BFCS
    3. Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron, BFCS, LAFCA
    4. Fruitvale Station, Ryan Coogler, Many Breakthrough Director Awards
    5. Inside Llewyn Davis, Gotham
    6. Nebraska, BFCS
    7. Wadjda, BFCS
    8. Wolf of Wall Street, BFCS Runner Up
    9. The Act of Killing, BFCS Runner Up


    Best Animated Film
    The Wind Rises, Almost Everything, LAFCA Runner Up
    Ernest and Celestine, LAFCA
    Frozen, BFCS Runner Up

    Best Documentary
    Act of Killing, Almost everything, LAFCA Runner Up
    Stories We Tell, LAFCA
    Black Fish, BFCS Runner Up

    Best Foreign Language Film
    Blue is the Warmest Color, Almost Everything
    The Great Beauty (Italy), LAFCA Runner Up

    Lists:
    National Board of Review
    Top 10 Films (in alphabetical order):
    • 12 Years a Slave
    • Fruitvale Station
    • Gravity
    • Inside Llewyn Davis
    • Lone Survivor
    • Nebraska
    • Prisoners
    • Saving Mr. Banks
    • The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
    • The Wolf of Wall Street

    Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order):
    • Beyond the Hills
    • Gloria
    • The Grandmaster
    • A Hijacking
    • The Hunt
    Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):
    • Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
    • Dallas Buyers Club
    • In a World…
    • Mother of George
    • Much Ado About Nothing
    • Mud
    • The Place Beyond the Pines
    • Short Term 12
    • Sightseers
    • The Spectacular Now
    American Film Institute Top 10

    • 12 Years a Slave
    • American Hustle
    • Captain Phillips
    • Fruitvale Station
    • Gravity
    • Her
    • Inside Llewyn Davis
    • Nebraska
    • Saving Mr. Banks
    • The Wolf of Wall Street

    Best Screenplay:
    Enough Said, BFCS
    The Wolf of Wall Street, BFCS Runner Up
    Richard Linklater, Before Midnight, LAFCS
    Spike Jonze, Her, LAFCA Runner Up

    Best Cinematography:
    Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity, BFCS, LAFCA
    Phillipe le Sourd, The Grandmaster, BFCS Runner Up

    Best Editing:
    Rush, BFCS
    Thelma Schoonmaker – The Wolf of Wall Street, BFCS Runner-up: 
    Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger – Gravity, LAFCA
    Shane Carruth and David Lowery – Upstream Color, LAFCA Runner-up

    Best Actor

    1. Bruce Dern, Nebraska, NBR, LAFCS
    2. Michael B. Jordan, Gotham, NBR
    3. Robert Redford, All is Lost, NYFC
    4. Chiwetel Eijofor, BFCS, LAFCS Runner Up
    5. Leonardo DiCaprio, BFCS Runner Up


    Best Actress

    1. Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine, NYFC, BFCS, LAFCS
    2. Adèle Exarchopoulos – Blue Is the Warmest Colour, NBR, LAFCS
    3. Emma Thompson, Saving Ms. Banks, NBR
    4. Brie Lawson, Short Term 12, Gotham
    5. Judi Dench, Philomena, BFCS Runner Up


    Best Supporting Actor

    1. Jared Leto, NYFC, BFCS Runner Up, LAFCA
    2. Will Forte, Nebraska, NBR
    3. James Gandolfini, Enough Said, BFCS
    4. James Franco, LAFCA
    5. Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips, BFCS Runner Up


    Best Supporting Actress

    1. June Squibb, Nebraska, Gotham, BFCS, LAFCA
    2. Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave, BFCS Runner Up, LAFCA
    3. Jennifer Lawrence, NYFC
    4. Octavia Spencer, NBR



    Monday, December 9, 2013

    The American Film Institute names their top 10 films of the year.

    Yuck, Captain Phillips and Saving Mr. Banks.
    Yay 12 Years a Slave, Her and Inside Llewyn Davis.
    I don't even want to talk about the television segment.

    12 Years a Slave
    American Hustle
    Captain Phillips
    Fruitvale Station
    Gravity
    Her
    Inside Llewyn Davis
    Nebraska
    Saving Mr. Banks
    The Wolf of Wall Street

    Los Angeles Film Critics Association has a lot of ties

    Gravity and Her won a ton of awards including tying for Best Picture and placing 1st and 2nd for director. The Wind Rises finally got dethroned from unanimous Best Animated Feature.

    Best Picture (tie):
    Gravity
    Her

    Best Director:
    Alfonso Cuarón – Gravity
    Runner-up: Spike Jonze – Her

    Best Actor:
    Bruce Dern – Nebraska
    Runner-up: Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave

    Best Actress (tie):
    Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine/Adèle Exarchopoulos – Blue Is the Warmest Colour

    Best Supporting Actor (tie):
    James Franco – Spring Breakers/Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club

    Best Supporting Actress:
    Lupita Nyong'o – 12 Years a Slave
    Runner-up: June Squibb – Nebraska

    Best Screenplay:
    Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke – Before Midnight
    Runner-up: Spike Jonze – Her

    Best Cinematography:
    Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity
    Runner-up: Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis

    Best Editing:
    Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger – Gravity
    Runner-up: Shane Carruth and David Lowery – Upstream Color

    Best Production Design:
    K. K. Barrett – Her
    Runner-up: Jess Gonchor – Inside Llewyn Davis

    Best Music Score:
    T Bone Burnett – Inside Llewyn Davis
    Runner-up: Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett – Her

    Best Foreign Language Film:
    Blue Is the Warmest Colour • France
    Runner-up: The Great Beauty • Italy

    Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film:
    Stories We Tell
    Runner-up: The Act of Killing

    Best Animation:
    Ernest & Celestine
    Runner-up: The Wind Rises

    New Generation Award:
    Megan Ellison
    Career Achievement Award:
    The Douglas Edwards Experimental/Independent Film/Video Award:
    Charlotte Pryce – Cabinets Of Wonder: Films and a Performance by Charlotte Pryce

    Sunday, December 8, 2013

    12 Years a Slave wins big from the Boston Society of Film Critics

    Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave won award for Best Actor, Film and Director from the Boston Society of Film Critics. Lupita Nyong'o had runner up. It was great to see after seeing McQueen's snub for 2011's Shame, which I chose as film of the year. 
    Other big wins I saw were for Alexander Payne's Nebraska, winning for Ensemble Cast, and Best Supporting Actress. Other no big deals, but still sortas were The Wind Rises for Animated Film, Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station, for Best New Filmmaker, Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine for Best Actress, and Best Documentary (as well as a Best New Filmmaker nom), the Art of Killing. The Wolf of Wall Street also had 4 Runner Ups: Actor, Editing, Screenplay and Director

    • Best Film:
    • 12 Years a Slave
    • Runner-up: The Wolf of Wall Street

    • Best Actor:
    • Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
    • Runner-up: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

    • Best Actress:
    • Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
    • Runner-up: Judi Dench – Philomena

    • Best Supporting Actor:
    • James Gandolfini – Enough Said
    • Runners-up: Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips, Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club

    • Best Supporting Actress:
    • June Squibb – Nebraska
    • Runner-up: Lupita Nyong'o – 12 Years a Slave

    • Best Director:
    • Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave
    • Runner-up: Martin Scorsese – The Wolf of Wall Street

    • Best Screenplay:
    • Nicole Holofcener – Enough Said
    • Runner-up: Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street

    • Best Cinematography:
    • Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity
    • Runner-up: Phillipe le Sourd – The Grandmaster

    • Best Documentary:
    • The Act of Killing
    • Runner-up: Blackfish

    • Best Animated Film:
    • The Wind Rises
    • Runner-up: Frozen

    • Best Editing:
    • Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill – Rush
    • Runner-up: Thelma Schoonmaker – The Wolf of Wall Street

    • Best New Filmmaker:
    • Ryan Coogler – Fruitvale Station
    • Runner-up: Josh Oppenheimer – The Act of Killing

    • Best Ensemble Cast:
    • Nebraska

    • Best Use of Music in a Film:
    • Inside Llewyn Davis
    • Runner-up: Nebraska

    Saturday, December 7, 2013

    2013 VGX: South Park Presenter of Game of the Year has game where you throw farts at people

    Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of that terrible show South Park, have created a video game where you throw farts at people. At least, that was their first impression of their game at the 2013 VGX.

    VGX 2013: The preview of Thief was done really professionally

    Square-Enix had a very good review with music, etc..
    I played the game during New York Comic Con. The stealth and short ranged combat is a lot of fun.
    I do not know if it will win any game awards, but should be fun.

    VGX 2013: WTF did they do to Gabe Newell?

    Smosh, go back to There Will Be Blood parodies. Please.

    Friday, December 6, 2013

    My nominations for Best Game of 2013


    1. Antichamber
    2. The Last of Us
    3. The Walking Dead: Season Two
    4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution: The Director's Cut
    5. The Wonderful 101
    6. Retro/Grade
    7. Mario & Luigi's Dream Team
    8. Ni No Kuni
    9. Sonic: Lost World
    10. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
    11. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Duel Destinies

    Thursday, December 5, 2013

    Boring review of There Will Be Blood

    Daniel Day-Lewis deserves the Academy Award as this is his best work outside of maybe My Left Foot. Paul Dano did not get the Oscar that years as Javier Bardem won for No Country For Old Men, but would have won it on another year.
    The two key memed scenes are the church baptism scene aka "I've Abandoned My Child" and the bowling alley scene aka "I drink your milkshake."
    Themes of greed and family and American sin. Blah blah blah.

    Good job Paul Thomas Anderson good job!
    I recommend Darren Foley (foleyd87's) review if you want to get analysis but do not know where to get started in the film and have resorted to having it spelled out to you how to approach the film.
    Now enjoy it on Netflix, while Hulu Plus has a two week free subscription! So many choices! A Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

    Breaking Bad Season 3: Episode 3: IFT Analysis

    Great episode: it covers the drug trade in the background, while keeping all the family tension in the front. Walt wants to be back inside the house, Skyler does all she can to prevent him from getting in and we see what happens as a result of the catalyst Walt does by not cooperating with Skyler. He soon may regret what he got back into the house for by the time of the end of the episode.
    A lot of people hate Skyler, but let's be honest. Shouldn't a lot of us hate Walt too? Sure, he has cancer, but he also does things without consulting his wife or family that could very well affect their lives as mentioned by Skyler's lawyer this episode.
    I really liked how this episode was an episode about the subtle chess Walt and Skyler play with each other to an extreme that leads to the ending of the episode. I thought Skyler and Walt were going to join up as a drug dealing partners or something to help their family in the end.
    I was surprised.
    Good job, Breaking Bad.

    2013 National Board of Review: Her and Nebraska win big

    Best Film:
    Her
    Best Director:
    Spike Jonze, Her
    Best Directorial Debut:
    Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station

    Best Actor:
    Bruce Dern, Nebraska
    Best Supporting Actor: Will Forte, Nebraska

    Best Actress:
    Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
    Best Supporting Actress:
    Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station
    Breakthrough Performance: Michael B. Jordan, Fruitvale Station
    Breakthrough Performance: Adele Exarchopoulos, Blue Is The Warmest Color

    Best Original Screenplay:
    Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis, in addition to its Best Film win from the Gotham Awards
    Best Adapted Screenplay:
    Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street

    Best Animated Feature:
    The Wind Rises

    Best Ensemble:
    Prisoners

    Spotlight Award:
    Career Collaboration of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, in addition to their screenplay and Top 10 Films win.

    NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Wadjda

    Creative Innovation in Filmmaking Award: Gravity

    Top 10 Films (in alphabetical order):

    • 12 Years a Slave
    • Fruitvale Station
    • Gravity
    • Inside Llewyn Davis
    • Lone Survivor
    • Nebraska
    • Prisoners
    • Saving Mr. Banks
    • The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
    • The Wolf of Wall Street

    Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order):

    • Beyond the Hills
    • Gloria
    • The Grandmaster
    • A Hijacking
    • The Hunt

    Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):

    • Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
    • Dallas Buyers Club
    • In a World…
    • Mother of George
    • Much Ado About Nothing
    • Mud
    • The Place Beyond the Pines
    • Short Term 12
    • Sightseers
    • The Spectacular Now

    Tuesday, December 3, 2013

    Luigi Dies in Year of Luigi

    Actor Danny Wells of the Super Mario Super Show died today at the age of 72.

    I have fond memories of him as I swung my arms 5 years ago at the University at Buffalo with my friends. Such 90s cheese. So much for that reunion.

    Oh well, hopefully Video Games Awesome will recreate a show in homage to him. Please!

    Altogether now! Swing your arms from side to side!
    Come on, it's time to do the Luigi now!

    Just like that!

    American Hustle Wins Key Awards from 2013 NYFCC, Announcing Frontrunners

    American Hustle won awards for Best Film, Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence) and Best Screenplay. In contrast, Gotham Award winner, Inside Llewyn Davis only for Choreography. I expect both to be nominated and American Hustle to be the current frontrunner for the Oscars, especially with director David O. Russell's, Silver Linings Playbook's snub last year.

    Best Director (Oscar Frontunner)
    Steve McQueen, Twelve Years a Slave

    Best Animated Film: (Oscar Frontrunner)
    The Wind Rises

    Best Foreign Language Film: (Oscar Frontrunner)
    Blue is the Warmest Color

    Best First Film:
    Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station

    Best Screenplay: (Oscar Frontrunner)
    Eric Singer, American Hustle

    Best Actor: (Oscar Frontrunner)
    Robert Redford, All is Lost

    Best Actress:
    Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

    Best Supporting Actor: (Oscar Frontrunner)
    Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

    Best Supporting Actress: (Oscar Frontrunner)
    Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

    Monday, December 2, 2013

    2013 Gotham Awards: Not bad

    Best Film
    Inside Llewyn Davis

    Best Documentary
    The Act of Killing

    Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
    Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station

    Breakthrough Actor
    Michael B. Jordan, Frutivale Station

    Best Actress
    Brie Lawson, Short Term 12

    Best Actor
    Matthew McConnaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

    I thought everything was ok. Haven't watched Short Term 12. The Coens worked hard on Llewyn Davis. They deserve the nom again.

    Sunday, December 1, 2013

    My Essential 80's Films

    With Hulu Plus's recent free Black Friday two week trial, I decided to make my own Essential 80's list, since Hulu made theirs including:

    • Scarface
    • The Breakfast Club
    • WarGames
    • A Fish Called Wanda
    • Platoon
    • Easy Money
    • Girls Just Want to Have Fun
    • The Last Metro
    • A Room With A View
    • All Dogs Want To Go To Heaven
    • Highlander
    • Evil Dead 2
    • Hopscotch
    • Midnight Run
    • Babette's Feast
    • Au Revoir Les Infants
    • American Pop
    • My Life as a Dog
    • Wings of Desire
    • The Vanishing

    Mine include intelligent pop films, which I will write about in another article called Cormania. These include:
    1. Back to the Future
    2. The Terminator
    3. The Empire Strikes Back
    4. Raiders of the Lost Ark
    5. Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade
    6. Rocky IV
    7. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
    8. RoboCop
    9. Scarface
    10. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan
    11. Aliens
    12. Masters of the Universe
    13. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
    14. Commando
    15. Mad Max 2
    16. The Thing
    17. Ran
    18. Clue
    19. As Tears Go By
    20. In the Line of Duty Part IV
    21. The Decalogue
    22. Grave of the Fireflies
    Intellectual films that may include Cormania include:

    1. The Shining
    2. Blade Runner
    3. The Life of the Marionettes
    4. Heaven's Gate
    5. Videodrome
    6. RoboCop
    7. Full Metal Jacket
    8. The Thing
    9. The Terminator
    10. Ragin Bull
    11. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
    12. The Empire Strikes Back
    13. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
    14. Grave of the Fireflies
    15. Betty Blue
    16. The Fly
    17. Raiders of the Lost Ark
    18. Back to the Future
    19. Born on the Fourth of July
    20. Platoon
    21. Scarface
    22. The Fox and the Hound
    23. Wings of Desire
    24. Love Unto Waste
    25. Rendez-vous
    26. My Life as a Dog
    27. Kagemusha
    28. Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade
    29. Masters of the Universe
    30. The Elephant Man

    X Box One will win the Next Gen race.

    Forget that the PS4 is cheaper and does everything essentially gamer better than the X Box One.
    The games are not out yet.
    Dead Rising 3 is coming out and most of the games coming out are for both next gen consoles.
    ZOMBIES!
    X Box One wins the race.

    Saturday, November 30, 2013

    Reasons to watch the 2013 Oscars: September 16th, 2013


    1. It's still too early in the race to start complaining about who is favorable.
    2. Seth McFarlene is not coming back. Seriously, Family Guy? In 2012? At the Academy Awards? Of course, Ben Affleck wins that year!
    3. King's Speech and Argo won audience awards at Toronto International Film Festival and snagged the Oscar win. Maybe, Chiwetol Eijifor and Twelve Years A Slave can too, although Steve McQueen (the director) is not a mainstream name yet. A good film with a good cast and director are winning at the moment. Capitalize!

    Wednesday, November 27, 2013

    Top 10 Disney Princesses

    Bonus: Princess Aurora: Pretty helpless, but has a kickass dress.
    10. Cinderella: Nice, but has a bad perception of time.
    9. Snow White: A classic with the voice of Adriana. Very nice. Unfortunately she started the entire damsels trend.
    8. Princess Ariel: A bit of an out of place 80s teen. At least she kicked butt in Kingdom Hearts!
    7. Belle: Well read.
    6. Mulan: She gets points off because she dressed as a man instead of just sticking it out as a girl.
    5. Tiana: A hardworker who has the worst possible boyfriend.
    4. Jasmine. She kicks butt.
    3. Nala: Sort of a Queen, but still ferocious.
    2. Rapunzel: Deadly with a frying pan.
    1. Megara: A goddess.

    Tuesday, November 26, 2013

    PS4 vs X Box One: Who is winning? Plus, Dead Rising 3

    PS4 had the start.
    X Box One claimed it sold more copies.
    (We do not really know if that is true or not.) They do have a Finance.Yahoo.Com supporter. The increase in price.
    Could Dead Rising 3 be the strategic system seller that makes people wait one week, pay $100 more to play in a time of "video game drought?"

    What do you think?
    Comment below.

    2013 Independent Spirit Awards Preview

    Best Feature
    “All is Lost”
    “Frances Ha”
    “Inside Llewyn Davis”
    “Nebraska”
    “12 Years a Slave”
    Should go to the Coens, although Steve McQueen is the actor's director and Davis did not get a director's nomination.
    Best Director
    J.C. Chandor, “All is Lost”
    Jeff Nichols, “Mud”
    Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”
    Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”
    Shane Carruth, “Upstream Color”
    Again, should go to Carruth, but McQueen's been listed.
    Best First Feature
    “Blue Caprice”
    “Concussion”
    “Fruitvale Station”
    “Una Noche”
    “Wadjda”
    I like Wadjda, but Fruitvale makes the most of a statement.
    Best Screenplay
    “Before Midnight”
    “Blue Jasmine”
    “Enough Said”
    “The Spectacular Now”
    “12 Years a Slave"
    Best First Screenplay
    “Afternoon Delight”
    “Don Jon”
    “In a World”
    “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete”
    “Nebraska”
    Best Female Lead
    Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”

    Gaby Hoffman, “Crystal Fairy”
    Brie Larson, “Short Term 12″
    Shailene Woodley, “The Spectacular Now”
    Best Male Lead
    Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
    Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”
    Michael B. Jordan, “Fruitvale Station”
    Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
    Robert Redford, “All is Lost”
    Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
    Redford is hard to go wrong with, Eijofor was a great historical figure, but Michael B. Jordan is the most breakout and topical, especially with the revelation of the Zimmerman case.
    Best Supporting Female
    Melonie Diaz, “Fruitvale Station”
    Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”
    Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
    Yolonda Ross, “Go For Sisters”
    June Squibb, “Nebraska”
    Best Supporting Male
    Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
    Will Forte, “Nebraska”
    James Gandolfini, “Enough Said”
    Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
    Keith Stanfield, “Short Term 12″
    Gandolfini might steal it from his grave, but Fassbender is always hard to deny his menace a great award.
    Best Cinematography
    “All is Lost”
    “Computer Chess”
    “Inside Llewyn Davis”
    “Spring Breakers”
    “12 Years a Slave”
    Best Editing
    “Frances Ha”
    “Museum Hours”
    “Short Term 12″
    “Una Noche”
    “Upstream Color”
    Best Documentary
    “The Act of Killing”
    “After Tiller”
    “Gideon’s Army”
    “The Square”
    “20 Feet from Stardom”
    Best International Film
    “Blue is the Warmest Color”
    “Gloria”
    “The Great Beauty”
    “The Hunt”
    “A Touch of Sin”
    A Touch of Sin is probably the best direction, but Blue is the Warmest Color is going to get the most sympathy votes like in did in Cannes.
    Robert Altman Award
    “Mud”
    John Cassavetes Award
    “Computer Chess”
    “Crystal Fairy”
    “Museum Hours”
    “Pit Stop”
    “This is Martin Bonner”
    Piaget Producers Award
    Toby Halbrooks & James M. Johnston
    Jacob Jaffke
    Andrea Roa
    Frederick Thornton
    Someone to Watch Award
    Aaron Douglas Johnston, “My Sisters Quinceañera”
    Shaka King, “Newlyweeds”
    Madeline Olnek, “The Foxy Merkins”
    Truer Than Fiction Award
    Kalyanee Mam, “A River Changes Course”
    Jason Osder, “Let the Fire Burn”
    Stephanie Spray & Pacho Valez, “Manakamana”

    Spring Breakers, Gravity in Cahiers du Cinema's Top 10 of 2013

    According to IndieWire, the Top 10 for 2013 of the prestigious French film journalism website is:

    1. Stranger By the Lake, Alain Guiraudie
    2. Spring Breakers, Harmony Korine
    3. Blue is the Warmest Color, Abdellatif Kechiche
    4. Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron
    5. A Touch of Sin, Jia Zhang Ke
    6. Lincoln, Steven Spielberg
    7. La Jalousie, Philippe Garrel
    8. Nobody's Daughter Haewon, Hong Sang-soo
    9. You and the Night, Yann Gonzalez
    10. La Bataille de Solferino, Justine Triet
    Out of the top 10, I am most familiar with the first five sans Stranger by the Lake and highly recommend them.

    Monday, November 18, 2013

    The Oscar Race (November 18th 2013)


    In chronological order, the nominations for Best Film are:
    • Spring Breakers
    • Upstream Color
    • Blue is the Warmest Color
    • Fruitvale Station
    • Rush
    • 12 Years A Slave
    • Dallas Buyers Club
    • Gravity
    • The Wind Rises
    • Inside Llewyn Davis
    Director:
    Harmony Korine
    Shane Carruth
    Steve McQueen
    Alfonso Cuaron
    The Coen Brothers

    Sunday, November 3, 2013

    Natalie Portman lead candidate for Worst Actress of the Year AGAIN!

    A lot of her convincing to make me care for the film or her character: FAILED
    She is not unattractive, but her lack of conviction on the screen makes her ugly. Her taking of a contract for the Marvel franchise a sign of child stardom and .
    She is the friggin Bella Swan of the Thor franchise, a lackluster looking and acting woman who plays the everywoman who falls in love with a man who is not all that great either in a movie that reflects our times of MTV Jersey Shore horror-bledom.
    In Thor, I laughed at the built up stereotypical joke by a terrible phoned in Natalie Portman's inability to drive. In Thor: The Dark World, I laughed a few more times.
    There is a cut where all we see is Natalie Portman's boobs bounce. (Seriously, I did not figure out what was the point of that cut over than that!)
    She actually had lines to read in this film, unlike Thor. Too bad the director chose bad takes of her to put in the film.
    They even teased Thor to be with warrior woman in the film. HE DOESN'T GO WITH HER and the option is IGNORED through the rest of the film! Why would you do that, if it is not going to go anywhere, especially if it would have been a better choice to begin with!

    Taiwan-based Thor: The Dark World Product Placement

    There is an Apple Sidra Thor: The Dark World commercial in Taiwan.

    At least it wasn't in my Xiao Chi.

    Thor: The Dark World: 1. The Characters

    Normally when you write a character in a Hero's Journey situation, you do not want to stray far from this formula, and in this analysis of Thor: The Dark World, I analyze how the movie failed.was of him.

    Thor is strong and beats up people. He concocts an interesting plan that was probably written by the strongest of the Marvel scribes for the film. He does not really have an arc for the film, but I guess you would consider that an arc for the franchise, albeit who really wants an idiot superhero protagonist when you cannot play up the fact? At least it was something subtle that the franchise needed and works. Probably, they should have broken the fourth wall and played up how uncharacteristically smart that Or perhaps, they should have noted that there is more to Thor after all than his brawling. In the words of Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka, "You lose! You get NOTHING! Good day sir!"

    Odin has a tirade about human lives being insignificant compared to the Norse Gods, which he never expressed in the first film. He does not trust Thor either. He is "killed off" or at least taken off screen during the film.

    Loki hates father, hates brother, pretends not to hate mother. (We do not figure out whether he does or does not.) Usurps throne in a swerve on that storyline which is really unfulfilling.

    They introduce Jane Foster without us really getting to know her other than her job and that she likes Thor. She is essentially a Mary Sue for the Chris Hemsworth smitten audience.

    Stellan Skaarsgaard was completeley wasted in this film, appealing to the lowest common denominator, who makes fun of mental illness.

    Where did the dark elf go for friggin forever? Why is it that these villains have nothing to do other than to war and do nothing the rest of their lives?

    Tom Hiddleston is a lot better in other films, so I do not see what fans see in him, especially since how poorly inconsistent his character his written. His characters in War Horse and the Deep Blue Sea were a lot more interesting, conflicted and most ironically of all, were protagonists. He is not even fun in a Superfriends Myxtyplk kind of way. Just annoying.
    This is not Taxi Driver, where you want to write about a living contradiction. It is a friggin kids movie that we probably will not watch after the first time. The film is not a mystery: If so, we'd be looking for the clues, behind why he does why he does. He does not have an anarchacial spirit. There is a difference between being unpredictable and not knowing what you're doing! Loki belongs in the second category. It is not a film where so much is going on with each of the characters. Unlike the Joker, we cannot put Loki in a mental asylum after the film is over.

    Family
    This film did not make sense in certain scenes where characters are interacting with each other.
    For example, when talking about Thor not liking Loki, you might want to include THOR in the dialogue.
    I suppose they wanted to build up when Thor and Loki met each other, without having the scene where they were like "Oh no! Thor and Loki met each other!"

    Supporting characters
    In Thor, there were three supporting "characters." AKA all they did was fight and we knew nothing about them. In this movie, we have the same issue, except with more supporting characters entering the fray.
    The only purpose I see for this is for fan speculation and merchandise product placement from studios and their lazy efforts to sell the named toys. I think it is a bad idea to do, as it costs money and it is not even like an anime where the character designs are interesting.
    These are not storm or clone troopers. They are human beings with faces (or at least or represented so visually, more so than the numerous nameless guards.) It is more of a nitpick than a criticism, but again, this film does a lot of questionable uneasy choices for a film that will probably make $1 billion.

    Thor: The Dark World Analysis Intro

    Avengers was a marketing success by Marvel, and an overly hyped critical success from the era where anybody can be hired to become a journalist. Not very philosophical. Talking fun vs having action, in an ACTION movie. Not properly pacing the film or fighting. There must have been some sort of propaganda brainwashing involved in this process.
    Iron Man was a great film. Top of 2008. Probably why everybody was so excited to hear about a Samuel L. Jackson Nick Fury team up with a Robert Downey Jr, Tony Stark.
    If you want to hear a really good analysis of the first Thor film, I highly recommend Kristen Stewart Wants It's criticism aptly titled, Thor sucks.
    Whereas people enjoyed the campy un Tarantino-like conversations of the Avengers, I would have enjoyed more action, being it was an action film. There was not the tension or philosophy or style there was in Die Hard or Terminator 2.
    Whereas Thor had a nonsensical screenplay, the Dark World was just not a good screenplay if you have been to film school. Both main protagonists learn nothing, albeit The Dark World was done more tastefullly.
    In the words of RedLetterMedia, there are two things wrong with this film.

    1. The Characters
    2. The Story

    Normally when you write a character in a Hero's Journey situation, you do not want to stray far from this formula, and in this analysis of Thor: The Dark World, I analyze how the movie failed.

    Saturday, November 2, 2013

    Star Wars: Episode VII:: Thor: The Dark World

    There was a lot of speculation what Disney would do with the Star Wars franchise after purchasing it from George Lucas recently. Would Mickey Mouse show up in the Star Wars franchise? Would it become more kid friendly? I honestly do not think people would notice after watching Thor: The Dark World.
    Ever since Patton Oswalt made his overhyped tandem about a Star Wars-Marvel crossover that anybody easily could have made, fans have been clamoring for a franchise crossover like this from Disney.
    It looks like Disney will give it to them.

    In Thor: The Dark World, there are numerous Star Wars easter eggs throughout.
    Forget the fact that Disney owns Marvel, Star Wars and ILM. These are things that would have been noticed in spite of that.

    • The beginning begins with a futuristic sci fi, laser fest that would make any Star Wars fan drool despite Thor being about fantastical Norse mythology.
    • Sword and laser battles.
    • Humanoids driving odd looking spaceships.
    • Chopped off hand of the protagonist

    And of course:

    • Natalie Portman love interest in ancient space ware.


    The Dark Elves resemble General Grievous. The leader even does a Darth Vader force choke in the movie!

    4 things that are wrong with the Thor franchise


    • Natalie Portman does not try. 

    She simply does not. She is the Bella Swan of the Thor franchise, in it for the billion dollar paycheck she is getting signed for being as terrible and lackluster as possible. I do not even see the point of her character being in the franchise. Sure, Kat Dennings is ok, but all she did was kiss her intern in The Dark World. We get amateur, lowest common denominator, non-nerd fanservice for this franchise from this film that really destroys it from becoming a Lord of the Rings classic. Speaking of which,

    • It should be like Lord of the Rings

    Remember that awesome scene where the Dark Elves and Norse Gods were fighting? That should be the entire franchise. Hack and slash action. You can appeal to everybody by just having people beat the crap out of each other. They should be playing a game of Norse Risk.

    • Loki

    He's the main protagonist and we have no idea where they are going with him. More on that in further analysis.

    • Misusing old dudes

    Stellan Skaarsgaard and Anthony Hopkins are two of the most scariest badass old dudes in the business today. They should be mother fucking villains with Alex DeLarge in RED, not this farty old comic book film. Skaarsgaard naked. I guess that's a check? Making fun of mentally ill people? Very tasteful!
    Heck, Rene Russo actually got some combat in this movie, but got killed off as a result!

    WTF was that?

    Wednesday, October 23, 2013

    Major success in visual media 2014: Carl Icahn

    Carl Icahn is a major figure in how one should handle ones money this year.
    Carl Icahn is a major owner of Take-Two Interactive, publisher of Grand Theft Auto V, which recieved $1 billion in revenue on opening day.
    The most infamous move he made in 2013 was selling his significant shares of Netflix stock for $895 million PROFIT.
    He has really made himself a marketing brand, purchasing significant growth stocks such as Netflix, which had a 495% profit.

    Netflix's House of Cards has recieved a Webby Award for Kevin Spacey as well as awards for directing and cinematography for episode 1, as well as casting for the whole series. The first web streamed television show for Netflix has recieved 9 nominations from the Emmys.
    The web show revival of Arrested Development has generated nominations as well.

    With Icahn out though, one has to speculate that Netflix may be going into trading range instead of growth.

    Saturday, October 19, 2013

    Top 10 ideal directors for a Neon Genesis Evangelion reboot

    With the recent release of Evangelion 3.0/3.33 at New York Comic Con and the backlash fans from Japan AND the US are having now, I have a list of ten directors that could make a reboot of the franchise work.
    (Boo! Reboots! Consider it though with this list...)

    10. David Fincher He can get the emotions right between the underage characters having sex. He can make that controversy and fan service raciness work, while hopefully making a masterpiece on terms of Fight Club. Makes you wonder how 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea will be.

    9. John Hughes Breaking the fourth wall, Shinji or a narrator can bring a real dynamic to the storyline.

    8. Alfred Hitchcock
    It can be a psychoanalytic film of course. It can be a silent film. It can be black and white. It can be color. Rei will have dopplegangers. It will be a technical achievement and masterpiece.

    7 &6. F.W. Munrau and Fritz Lang
    Imagine what they did back then and what they can do now.

    5. Carl Theodor Dreyer
    No one can do religious imagery and relevance like Carl Theodor Dreyer except maybe..

    4. Ingmar Bergman
    Imagine Ingmar Bergman's direction of Death as a being in the Seventh Seal with his ability to work with actors in Scenes From a Marriage. The dynamic he can bring to the characters and see as their characters in Evangelion.

    3. David Lynch Some have compared End of Evangelion with a David Lynch film. Imagine if he actually directing it. Rei Ayanami probably inspired the blonde wig used in Mulholland Drive.

    2. Paul Thomas Anderson A film about religion starring Paul Dano with Daniel Day-Lewis playing his father with the psychadelicness of Punch-Drunk Love.

    1. Stanley Kubrick It would be interesting to see Evangelion have a double narrative to the point of a Stanley Kubrick narrative. He directed Space epic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Anno was obviously inspired by the Shining and 2001's Blue Danube sequence creating the twins. The pyramid is an Illuminati image.

    Films I am looking forward to Fall and Winter

    It is the year of the Spikes. The final dethroning of Disney in animation again. Remakes. One of the finest portrayals of humanity and of course the Coen Brothers. All of these films have great directors and some of have dream casts. I hope you enjoy this list.

    7. Her directed by Spike Jonze: A film with Joaquin Phoenix where he dates robots. If you're not interested, I don't know what film planet you're on.

    6. The Wind Rises directed by Hayao Miyazaki A film about the creation of World War II planes as a passion with no intended malice that really brings about a philosophical and moral debate of creation.

    5. Carrie If you're going to remake the Brian De Palma classic, why not use the director from Boys Don't Cry to deal with a teenager's agonizing growing experience?

    4. Oldboy directed by Spike Lee, starring Josh Brolin, Sharlto Copley, Elizabeth Olsen and Samuel L. Jackson. Is this the year of great remakes?

    3. 12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen An avenger A-list actors' cast with an A-list director. It is a visceral film that makes you think about humanity a la a Stanley Kubrick film without the code.

    2. The Counselor directed by Ridley Scott, written by Cormac McCarthy (his first original screenplay for film.) A great cast.

    1. Inside Llewyn Davis directed by the Coen Brothers. A film about the NYC 1960s folk music scene that has been compared to a sad Alice in Wonderland.

    Daniel Day-Lewis' best portrayals

    With recent reportings of Daniel Day-Lewis' supposed retirement, prior to taking a supposed casting in Star Wars: Episode VII (Imperial officer? Sith?!)
    Anyway, here is the top films of Daniel Day-Lewis
    1. There Will Be Blood Daniel Plainview is a liar, a salesman, a bad father, a corrupt businessman, the epitome of all American evil.
    2. In the Name of the Father He suffers greatly in this film from the corrupt UK government against Irish Republicans.
    3. My Left Foot His first really kick ass character and a breakthrough in indie films.
    4. Gangs of New York He sort of portrays this really nasty killer in the Five Points district who throws these anime-like tomahawks.
    5. Lincoln Daniel Day-Lewis who? I only saw the Kansas-born President of the United States!

    Thursday, October 10, 2013

    2013 New York Comic Con content

    These are some pics from New York Comic Con













     If you wish for me to take the content down, please contact me at the bottom link.

    Thursday, October 3, 2013

    More about Elizabeth Olsen so far

    With Samuel L. Jackson's news of Elizabeth Olsen portraying the Scarlet Witch in the Avengers' second film, I have decided to give some information about her.

    Yes, she is Mary Kate and Ashley Olson's not twin sister, but she is also a very talented actress.
    She was labeled by indie film media as the Queen of Sundance (2011) for her portrayal of the titular character in Sean Durkin's Martha Marcy May Marlene. I gave her the Best Actress Award for 2011 for that role where she portrays a teenager without parental guidance who ends up risking her life joining a cult, having the illusion of power, before colliding with the reality of vulnerability.

    She held her own in a basically monologue performance in Silent House, playing a performance that may need to be seen multiple times. Even hard-to-please movie makers Red Letter Media noted her performance, in what they thought was a peculiarly edited film.

    Finally, she was in How I Met Your Mother protagonist Josh Radnor's Liberal Arts, where she portrayed a young woman in love with a middle aged man, looking for her soulmate.

    Although I do not expect this character to ever reach M4 greatness, I do expect a really noteworthy performance by her that will impress mainstream audiences better than the overrated Tom Hiddleston Thor or Benedict Cumberbach Khan. Either that or I will curse a studio destroyed Whedon again.

    Seriously,
    Martha Marcy May Marlene, 
    Silent House, 
    Liberal Arts,
    In all three films, she portrayed vulnerable adolescent easily impressionable women looking for guidance. Magneto anyone? I know Marvel may want to avoid combinations with the X films, but her talent is just too good to waste.

    Best space films


    With Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity coming out, I would like to list the top films taking place in space. There is notably a quite big difference between the top 11's critical acclaim with the bottom 11.
    1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
    2. Starship Troopers
    3. Solaris
    4. Starship Troopers 3: Marauder
    5. Alien
    6. Alien 3
    7. The Empire Strikes Back
    8. Star Wars
    9. WALL-E
    10. Star Trek: The Motion Picture 
    11. The Right Stuff
    12. Apollo 13
    13. Spaceballs 
    14. Space Battleship Yamato
    15. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan
    16. Transformers: The Movie (1986)
    17. Ultraman Galaxy
    18. Avatar
    19. Galaxy Quest
    20. The Black Hole
    21. Star Trek (2009)
    22. Independence Day

    Sunday, September 29, 2013

    The Pros and Cons of Breaking Bad: Season 2

    Pros:
    Tucco: Everything was unpredictable when he was still around. His performances were amazing in a 70s New Hollywood type of way. The Emmys and Golden Globes sucked by not nominating him.
    The writing was amazing. We had no idea how Walt was going to strike against him.
    Jesse Pinkman really got to evolve: He was not a sidekick to Walt anymore. He was made more human than he was having a girlfriend, a family of his own he manages to destroy at the same time as Walt.
    Saul and new business plans have been introduced: The new characters really shook up what seemed slow and uninteresting this season.
    Season 2, Episode 10: This seemed to be a standout episode for the season. Everything seemed to be crumbling around the protagonists.
    The finale got us wanting more. Walt got his money, missed his baby, and his family got separated.

    Cons:
    The bad economy: Wow, what a terrible thing to happen to a great series in the middle of its seasons. The 2008 writer's strike happened in the middle of Season 2, and as a result a lot of the following happened.
    Predictability (What happened to the chemistry from the chemistry teacher?!): The only thing that was unpredictable about this season was how predictable it was going to be. The first season was an intricate chess game between Tucco and Walter White. This season all of that seemed to be shoved out of there for nothing particularly riveting done with the franchise.
    Jesse and White trying to kill each other: This made no sense this season. Sure, Jesse took drugs, but there was no reason for Mr. White to believe that he was horribly incompetent, besides being all chemistry teacher-like. Later on, it makes sense that the distributor does not like Jesse, because he noticed that he was high in the middle of a public meeting, making him look like a fool to deal with them. He does anyway for whatever reason, but it was still one of the highlights of the season.

    Matt Damon's Top 11 Performances

    With Matt Damon's recent performance in Elysium, here come Matt Damon's Top 11 performances
    1. Good Will Hunting
    2. We Bought A Zoo
    3. Margaret
    4. Saving Private Ryan
    5. The Talented Mr. Ripley
    6. Dogma
    7. The Good Sheperd
    8. Invictus
    9. Hereafter
    10. True Grit
    11. Syriana

    Top actors who should play Spawn


    1. Carl Weathers
    2. Ving Rhames
    3. Tom Lister, Jr. The President in Fifth Element should play Spawn. He intimidated a police officer in the Dark Knight to stop a ship from blowing up.
    4. Idris Elba
    5. Terrence Howard
    6. Don Cheadle
    7. Michael Jai White
    Seriously, why not pick this guy? Sure, the script in the original Spawn film was flawed. But that was not his fault. He was great in the Dark Knight, great in Mortal Kombat: Legacy. He has not lost his fame. Pick him.

    Sunday, September 22, 2013

    Skyler wins a Emmy, but not Walter

    Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul and the producers won Emmys for Breaking Bad, but not Bryan Cranston who has had two previous wins before, but especially in this season.

    I find it appalling especially because in the second season of the Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin shows signs of writing about events he does not know about anymore i.e. Occupy Wall Street, buying into the "facts" that Occupy Wall Street is "nothing but a directionless cause" that was not at all mistreated by media due to the influences of a dictator-like Michael Bloomberg. The same Bloomberg that let people outside of Manhattan die during the snow storms of 2012, the same Michael Bloomberg that does not care about rent price or the racial profiling permitted by the NYPD that the Supreme Court stated was unconstitutional and is unconstitutional and still wants to fight.

    Once again, the Emmys are a joke.

    Hey, I know I know...
    At least Seth McFarlene didn't host...

    2013 65th Emmys Overview

    Julia Louis-Dreyfus Actress Comedy Veep
    Merritt Wever Supporting Actress Comedy Nurse Jackie

    Tony Hale Supporting Actor Veep

    Jim Parsons Actor Comedy

    Tina Fey and Tracy Wigfield 30 Rock "Last Lunch"

    Neil Patrick Harris sang for a show he produced.
    Why is Nathan Fillion not Nathan Drake?

    Bobby Canavale Supporting Actor Boardwalk Empire

    Homeland won for writing and Claire Danes
    Modern Family got awards.

    Laura Linney Big C

    Carrie Preston

    David Fincher, House of Cards, "Chapter 1"

    Abi Morgan, Writer, The Hour, Miniseries

    Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra

    The show was way too long. Who cares what comedies win nowadays? Frasier, Roseanne and Seinfeld are gone. All we wanted was Breaking Bad to get key wins and you gave one only to Anna Gunn? F*** this show! Many complaints on my facebook. If you want an add, I will share.

    Breaking Bad will win a ton of awards this 2013 Emmys

    It is official.
    Anna Gunn won her award for Best Actress in a Drama. That means:
    Bryan Cranston will win for Walter White
    Aaron Paul will win for Jesse Pinkman
    Breaking Bad will win for Best Drama.
    Can they beat David Fincher for best director though?
    Not to mention, Homeland's writing award?

    Saturday, September 21, 2013

    Early 2013 Academy Award predictions (September 14th, 2013)

    SAG Cast award
    Twelve Years a Slave
    Stoker
    The Grandmaster(s)
    Spring Breakers
    The Butler

    Actor
    Michael B. Jordan
    Chiwetel Ejiofor
    Oscar Isaac
    Robert Redford
    Christian Bale

    Supporting Actor
    Michael Fassbender
    Paul Dano
    Joel Edgerton
    James Franco
    Javier Bardem
    Possibly Dwight Henry as well

    Actress
    Vanessa Hudgens
    Mia Wasikowska
    Adele Exarchopoulos
    Lea Seydoux
    Ashley Benson

    Supporting Actress
    Rachel Korine
    Selena Gomez
    Nicole Kidman
    Quvenzhane Wallis

    Animated
    Despicable Me 2
    Monsters University
    The Wind Rises
    Epic

    Film
    12 Years A Slave
    Spring Breakers
    The Butler
    Inside Llewyn Davis
    The Wind Rises Hayao Miyazaki
    Stoker Park Chan-wook
    The Grandmaster/s Blue is the Warmest Color will probably actually take this film's place as it won the Palme D'or and people have heard about it.
    Spring Breakers Harmony Korine
    The Great Gatsby Baz Luhrman; I enjoyed it quite well although the film's reviews were not that favorable, compared to "Like a Virgin" Moulin Rouge.
    The Counselor Ridley Scott Cormac McCarthy

    Director
    Harmony Korine
    Steve McQueen
    The Coen Brothers
    Ridley Scott
    All of which are taking risks, doing something new, and/or being in your face with their material.
    The 5th is quite a question mark. I like Stoker and The Grandmasters, but have not analyzed them enough to predict them as best film of the year nomination. Hayao Miyazaki might get it just because it is his last film and it may be his deepest. We will see.
    Dark Horse: Harmony Korine, but not totally unlikely. The performance in that film were great and the Academy loves acting, not the the direction, writing or directing were bad either.
    Favorite: Steve McQueen has the great character interactions, but The Coen Bros can never go wrong with direction.

    My choices for the 2013 Emmys

    Outstanding Comedy: Louis
    Outstanding Drama: Breaking Bad

    Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy: Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)
    Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy: Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation)

    Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama: Bryan Cranston as Walter White (Breaking Bad)
    Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Robin Wright as Claire Underwood (House of Cards)

    Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries: Tough: Al Pacino (Phil Spector) over Toby Jones as Alfred Hitchcock in the Girl
    Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries: Jessica Lange in American Horror Story

    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Modern Family friggin rigs this category every time, despite not being funny. Jane Lynch from Glee should probably win.

    Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad
    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama: Anna Gunn as Skyler White from Breaking Bad

    Outstanding Supporting Actor in a miniseries/movie: Zachary Quinto (American Horror Story)
    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a miniseries/movie: Imelda Staunton (Alma Hitchcock in the Girl)

    Outstanding Directing in a Drama: David Fincher, House of Cards: "Chapter 1"
    Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries: Jane Campion, Top of the Lake

    Outstanding Writing in a Drama: "Say My Name," Breaking Bad
    Outstanding Writing in a Variety Show: The Colbert Report
    Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries: Jane Campion, Top of the Lake



    Monday, September 16, 2013

    Despicable Me sequel beats Monsters University sequel 2013

    On the surface, it seems to be a story of a man trying to keep his family together and more, while saving the world. However, if I were to re-view it, there were probably messages like that of Rob Ager's interpretation of E.T., where E.T. was Elliot's imaginary friend; in this film's case, it may be the lost mother on Mother's Day and supervillains ruining their tight knit family that are the imaginary invaders to a young Agnes built from her imagination or one of her sisters.' I do not have enough evidence for it yet, but it is definitely worth exploring.
    Despicable Me 2 had the 60s themes straight on, from
    the bright 2010 CGed 60s bright colors,
    to the contemporarily connected family like that of Happy Days,
    the Russians and their secret laboratories in James Bond,
    the lucha films of the New Hollywood era,
    the 60s gangsters.

    Shouldn't the third film be finished off directed by Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez?
    It is a film covered in homage and cinephilia.

    The film has simpler ideas than Monsters University, but was able to execute it more properly. Sure, the dynamics of family and relationships are explored in more terms of Sweet Valley High rather than from Ingmar Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage. However, everybody gave their best effort. The action and pacing were fast (I felt I was watching a season of Mission Impossible mixed with the Brady Bunch), but it shows the possibility of the show as a franchise. There are parallels from when Gru gets Lily to date him and dump him when Margot is dated and dumped. At times, I was unsure where the film was going, albeit some times were unpredictable with the Mother's Day speech, the X-ray googles, and of course the supposed spy save the world plot, which is really a MacGuffin subplot (a 60s Hitchcock reference?) for the themes of contemporary 60s families, such as motherless children and parent-teenager relationship dramas. The entrance for the supervillain is a pure homage to the beginning of Return of the Jedi/The Wizard of Oz, as is the beginning of the film's homage to the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back.

    The con about this simplicity however is simple minded most common denominator appeal: pop culture (Mexican and Asian) racism, awkwardness, lack of depth for the characters. (Some claimed that Star Trek had cartoon characters; I claim that this film has cartoon characters and Star Trek has no characters)
    I also did not find the jokes funny. It did not pander to the Saban II Power Rangers crowd, but it did appeal to the 90s Nickelodeon kid, who watched Weinerville because it has the word weiner in it. (Seriously... FART GUNS that seem to be stolen right after the Muppets got FART FLOPS.)

    P.S. that is a terrible Al Pacino impersonation and no wonder he did not want to be connected to the character.

    The film had two directors and two writers and I give credit for the writers for developing such a great script, while at least one of the directors probably screwed up the seriousness of the script.

    C'mon Miyazaki! Why settle when you can blow away?

    Meanwhile, congrats to Universal for being #2.

    Sunday, September 8, 2013

    Hate me. I like World War Z (film)

    I am not a fan of gore.
    I am a fan of action.
    World War Z is almost a G rated type film, but it is very entertaining. It's sort of comical how the zombies combine into a tower in that commercial to the point where it knocks off a helicopter. At least it is not a sequel or prequel or reboot or panders to the lowest common denominator.
    They could probably get another actress to play the daughter who yells "mai blank-ut!" so many times in the beginning.
    It does not build characters, but Brad Pitt does what he can with the material, including his own stunts.
    It sort of reminds me of an anime Contagion.
    Sure, it would be nice to curse or do a crazy attack, but that is not what this film is about.
    Sure, it sucks, but it is not like the commercial lied.

    Saturday, September 7, 2013

    Men In Black I> III> II

    Really the only saving grace of Men In Black III is Josh Brolin's performance as Young Agent K (he's a 50 year old man playing a 29 year old man!) and Jemaine Clemente playing Boris "don't call him the Animal."
    The film for the most part misses with its "jokes." Why bring up the race issues of the 60s unless you plan on making it a dark film? Instead of being in touch with society, it comes off as being out of touch and into stereotypes. It's barely mentioned after the dark time of the 60s and after Agent J stole a car to try and find Boris. The Chinese restaurant being a location where a Men In Black fight just does not seem to go anywhere. Agent J goes to drink chocolate milk for time displacement headaches. Ha. Ha.
    The ending of the film just seems to be a parody of the first one rather than a bad knock on it like the second film was.
    Why does Will Smith have a job when he is obviously not funny? Maybe he has never been funny and caters to the Bad Boys Michael Bay vision of film audiences. Especially when the film revolves around him and Tommy Lee Jones is not in the film!
    There could have been a moment where J feels bad K is gone. However, instead they insert this random scene about J's watch that was never mentioned before.
    Why did everything revert back to normal after
    Also, there is a certain aspect of Agent morality when it comes to killing Boris instead of capturing him that is never explored.
    Also, time devices seem to be under explored. Why doesn't everybody go to this guy to go back in time?

    There are two main elements that make Men In Black work.
    1) The interactions between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Will Smith sucks in this film.
    2) The witty comical observations of culture. Even the Andy Warhol joke makes it seem that Men In Black is just out of touch with art, because it is trying to be entertainment.
    Oh well. As I said before. I hate summer blockbusters, especially in 2013. I wish neuralizers were real so I could forget this franchise. Oh well. Hopefully, they can bring back that darker toned cartoon.