Now Playing: Zero Dark Thirty

This weekend, Jadek and I decided to try and catch up on our Oscar noms. So, on Saturday, we did a double feature. It’s not like we planned to do this, but we ended up seeing the two polar opposites of the lineup back-to-back.

First up: Zero Dark Thirty.

So, I have a soft spot for Kathryn Bigelow ever since she wrested the Academy award away from James Cameron that one time. Also: Point Break; need I say more? Maybe it’s not fair, but there you have it.

Cinematically, 0D30 was good. It had a great cast, excellent plotting and Ms. Bigelow has something that many directors (even the greats) can sometimes screw up: a knack for pacing. Clocking in at 157 minutes, this is no short movie; it’s also got a lot of waiting around, something that can get very boring. But it never does. It’s a deserved member of the Best Picture club this year, for sure.

Politically, I’m a uncomfortable with the implied pro-torture stance. Let me be clear: no one ever actually says “yay torture!” but they do say that without the detainee program, they would have no evidence. Many people are asking whether torture works or not; I think Rula Jabreal said it best (I’m paraphrasing): “the question should not be ‘does torture work?’; the question is ‘should you use torture?’” I’m not sure if that’s the kind of question Hollywood is equipped to answer.

Great film – worthy of discussion. 4 out of 5 stars.

2013 oscar noms

I know, I know - the nominations were announced like days ago.  Honestly, it's been a busy week in what is, let's face it, a disappointing promotion.  Maybe more on this later.  Actually, probably not.

Anyway.

Oscars! 

For Best Picture, we did really well this year, already having watched almost two-thirds of the list:

• Amour
• Argo
• Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Django Unchained
• Les Misérables
• Life of Pi
• Lincoln
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Zero Dark Thirty

0d30 really just came out this weekend; Beasts I think is available on video (but where does one rent these things any more?); Silver Linings is already on its way out, so maybe that should be ingested first (though I do not believe it to be a contender); and Amour is only at the Varsity.  
 ...In in order to cover Actors/Actresses, I also have to watch The Master, Flight, The Impossible, and The Sessions.

A good crop of movies this year, must say.  Needless to say, I'll be busy for a bit.  Want to play along?  Here's a handy dandy ballot.  And check back here mid-Feb for my predictions... I know, you wait every with bated breath for them.

Now Playing: Les Misérables

T.O. 2012. NYE. 1745.
After (excellent) AYCE Sushi.
Before the big 5-4-3-2-1.

Settled down to watch one of my most anticipated movies of the year (fitting that it was done last): Les Misérables, starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried (and Eddie Redmayne and Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter and and and…)

I did not worry about the singing chops on this cast, especially since I had seen Mr. Jackman in concert last year. I did not worry about the acting chops either (so many Oscar contenders, present and past). I certainly did not worry about plot or casting. I did worry about directing (this was the guy who did The King’s Speech (after all). I needn’t have. All of it was so brilliantly put together.

I think my favourite part was near the end, with Jean and Fantine. It was poignant and beautiful. In fact, Ms. Hathaway was really quite excellent. Her version of “I dreamed a dream” is the way I think it should have always been sung – without bravado and full of the deepest heartache possible, not controlled at all. Whisper-soft and still so powerful. I have heard many versions of this song over the years – I think this is the one I like the best.

Of course, you should go see it. It’s sure to be an Academy favourite and it seems a puzzle-perfect fit for a bitingly cold January. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

#2

(countdown of LilBro's biggest fans - as ranked by Facebook)

YAY! You made it! FIREWORKS AND STREAMERS! Now could you just please stop pestering about this, okay? Look, I know you're my sister, and your interest in my stuff is always welcome, but you got to give me some slack here! 25 people to gush over is a daunting task. I mean, I had to somehow compress the importance of A and L's work, and then expand on the importance of drinking with the twins, and make them seem equal, which they aren't! Clearly A saving lives far outweighs how many shots K and I can do in one sitting (no offence buddy). I realize the irony of giving myself a task that I am now complaining about, trust me. Can I move on now? Thank you.

But I wouldn't be her brother if I didn't come in kicking and screaming. And really, that must have been her first memory of me, kicking and screaming.

I'm not going to bore you with our life story, it would be unfitting for such a large and dense story to be made here on a Facebook status. So instead of trying to get into it, I'll speak in metaphor as best I can.

Once, there were two people. One was older, smarter, logical, with an appetite for knowledge, and who would not be stopped by flaws or social trends. The younger one was more rowdy, reckless, humorous and would not be stopped by reason and social law. They were forced to somehow relate and feed off each other's strengths. In the beginning, they most certainly did not get along. It was not until years later that the finally found true kinship and complimented each other's life.

M--- is definitely the archetype for "Older Sister". If there was Oscar for who played the part the best, M--- would win. She's kind when she has to be, she's strict when she needs to be. She's saved my life about 4 times now, and real-life saving, not that bullshit "Oh she got me out of a rut, she's my emotional rock" thing, I mean saved my life from the possibility of Jail, Drug Addiction, being Seriously Injured for doing something dumb, and yes, Death. That's a big four. And yeah, she'll probably take all the kudos and praise she can for it, maybe a little cocky about it too, but that's okay, because deep down, M--- does these things because it's her reflex to do so. It's in her bones to save people. This is a girl who grew up on Thundercats, Batman, Buffy and Star Trek TNG. And that's just TV, I won't even count the books. So now you understand why it's in her.

It's her nature, it's a sense of duty that she carries through all aspects of life. I seent it, y'all. She is my number one fan of all my hard work, she recognizes when I've put work into something. I have tried my best to be a good little brother. That means washing her car from time to time (because I borrow it a lot), painting her house (because I crash on the couch), and whatever little favours she asks of me (because I was, and still can be, an annoying little shit). But really, I can't repay all the times I got ice cream money from her as a kid, it's impossible. And that really is a microcosm of our relationship: M--- rewards me with ice cream if I've been good and haven't annoyed her that day. Sweet deal, I say.

So Cheers to the #2 spot, my sister. I love you THIS much.
<--------------------------------------------------------->

Now Playing: Django Unchained

Trying to squeeze in as many movies as possible before going back to work.  Today, as a family bonding exercise, we watched Django Unchained - that's, Mom, Dad, LilBro, Jadek, and myself.  Good thing we got there 45 minutes early too - the theatre was sold out. 

Anyway, Django  (the D is silent).  I'm a fan of the QT's work, and am a great fan of Christoph Waltz (even when I don't care for the movie). I love Waltz so much, I've chosen his poster over the conventional one.  Not saying everyone else sucked - far from.  Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mr. Samuel L. Jackson pretty much rocked it  Rawked. It.  And what about Don Johnson?  I did not see that awesomeness coming from him.  While a potential lynching should never be funny, watching a bunch of bagheads complain about the size of their eye-holes is nothing short of hilarious ("it's not that we don't appreciate Jenny's hard work, but these could have been done better"). 

Of course, the plausible historicity of Django is sometimes a bit stretched; and that's okay.  It's honestly nothing like you'd think it was.  And you can learn interesting facts too.  Sure, an abolitionist German risking his life reunite a runaway slave with his wife pretty much never existed - but no one really cares.  There's plenty of blood, laughs, suspense, and horror to make up for that.  Totally, totally worth watching.  4 out of 5 stars.

Now Playing: Jack Reacher

Poppets, I am not a fan of Tom Cruise. I think he’s more than just crazy, I think he’s a dangerous influence on people. Many of his previous movies for which he gets much praise (Jerry Maguire, I’m looking at you), I easily dismiss as boring or trite. It hasn’t been until recently that we’re seeing a real change in his movie roles/choices. And even the last Mission Impossible movie was, well, good. Honestly, he must have the hardest working agent in Hollywood because even though everyone know he’s crazy, he doesn’t make bad movies (Battlefield Earth, I’m trying really hard to forget you ever existed*).

Enter: Jack Reacher.

This could have easily become a Bourne or Die Hard rip-off, it could’ve degenerated into a Cruise-pandering vehicle that became vacuous and shallow. And it wasn’t. What the heck? Jack Reacher, as a character, is the best example of a badass hero. He’s mean, crude, and poor but all his actions are driven by a core or justice that most of us can understand (but do nothing about). Best of all, he’s funny: “if he died, it’s from shame, cuz I was bein’ gentle”. This is the beginning of franchise, no doubt. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(I wanted to see Killing Them Softly, but it’s already out of the theatre. If you, too, are looking for a break from the holiday crazy, but can’t wait until Christmas Day, this could be a good distraction.)

*Edit: it has been pointed out to me that perhaps I didn't realise that Tom Cruise wasn't in Battlefield Earth.  I know this; as I said, he doesn't really make bad movies, like his friend and fellow Scientologist, John Travolta.  Who was in Battlefield Earth.  Which was a very bad movie.)

Now Playing: The Hobbit (an unexpected journey)

Caught The Hobbit: an unexpected journey at a noon showing on opening day (pre-ordered tickets and everything; needn’t have bothered as the theatre was far from full). I’m going to be up front: I didn’t like it. I mean, the acting was good and the story is classic, but everything else was just… overkill.

First of all, I was a little wary of the fact that a single book would get more screen time than all of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. That sounded counter-intuitive to me. Once I understood that there were going to be scenes from other Middle Earth books as well, I was ready for much more content and a much slower pace (I mean, there’s a reason no one reads the Silmarillion. I guess I just wasn’t ready enough. Jadek said it best: it felt like a Director’s Cut. Indeed – like a pampered director who has made too much money for his own good.

The next thing I heard was that this was going to be filmed and presented in 48 fps (or HFR) format. What does that mean, you ask? Basically, it’s super-high-tech. I already knew what this looked like – I had seen this treatment first for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in a big-box store. I hated it. It looked unfinished and cheap. In fact, I distinctly remember saying “if this is what Blu-Rays are going to look like, I’ll stick to DVDs.” Thankfully, Blu-Rays continue to have a cinematic feel to them. Jadek warned me that I might not like it; even suggested we see a traditional 2D version. But I didn’t want to be a luddite, so I said no. I should have avoided it completely. The 3D added almost nothing to the story (heck, the Star Trek trailer used 3D more effectively!) and it meant having to sit perfectly upright for three hours in order to avoid blurring. I mean, sure, the action scenes were really crisp but since when is that realistic? Having a worg streak by you at close-range should be a blurry disorienting experience… that’s realistic.

Finally, there’s singing. And I mean an unnecessary, Disney-movie-esque, ditty about dishes. Seriously? This may be the first movie in history that offers an abridged version for the home release, once that will actually tell only the story of the Hobbit.

I don’t know if I didn’t like it because it was badly edited or because I’m uncomfortable with the technical treatment or because it was just boring. Either way, it’s my blog and someone has to pay for my keen disappointment. So: 2.5 out of stars.