Manchester by the Sea

The most magical time of the year has arrived yet again- some call it the holiday season, I call it pre-Oscar season. I recently saw potentially the best movie released thus far in 2016, titled "Manchester by the Sea". I've seen plenty of incredibly moving and glorious films this year, but in my eyes none compete with "Manchester by the Sea". This recently released film, directed by Kenneth Lonergan, is an exceptionally emotional drama showcasing the acting abilities of Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams. "Manchester by the Sea" depicts the familial tragedies faced by Casey Affleck's character, Lee Chandler. If you're looking for a joyous film for the holidays, this is not the one for you. However, if you are looking to see a beautiful snapshot of the human spirit, please make the trip to catch this movie in theaters.

This deeply moving film depicts the fragility of life. The protagonist, Lee Chandler, faces a tragedy that causes many heartbreaks of his past to resurface. The subject material of the film is very dark, telling the story of a blue collar Boston man summoned back to his hometown, Manchester-by-the-Sea, due to the loss of his brother. Upon arrival, he quickly learns that he was appointed guardian of his 16-year-old nephew. Once there, he's forced to face the demons he thought he left in the past.

What I most admired about "Manchester by the Sea" was that it didn't fall into the trap most emotionally charged movies fall into- unbelievability. It is common for movies about tragedy to shift gears along the way and provide a happy resolution for the audience. This film broke away from this format. I think this was a crucial component that sets "Manchester by the Sea" apart from other great films- it told a story closer to real life. In life, there aren't always rainbows after the storm.

In a truly mesmerizing fashion, humor was subtly incorporated into the script, which is a difficult task in an emotional film. This sense of humor is dark, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the rest of the script, while still throwing a punch at just the right moments.

Casey Affleck gave an absolutely stellar performance as the lead role, consistently staying true to character from the first to last scene. It is rare to see such perfectly imperfect characters in film these days. Affleck's character, Lee Chandler, is consistently brutally honest and solitary. Never once was I able to question the legitimacy of this character. The character was beautifully crafted and flawlessly portrayed. Every detail reminded us of Lee's troubled past, from the way he walked around with his hands in his pockets, to the way he avoided the most basic small talk with strangers.

I have been a huge Michelle Williams for years, and my admiration for her work grew exponentially in this film. Williams plays Randi, Lee Chandler's ex-wife. While Williams is great throughout the whole film, there is a final scene between Lee and Randi that is bone-chilling and heartbreaking. This scene further demonstrates the pain that people experience in life- while difficult to watch, there is immense beauty in this pain.

Over all, though it is emotionally taxing, try not to miss "Manchester by the Sea" this season. The emotional nature of this movie leaves you thinking. Everything about this film was beautiful and sobering.

Before Sunrise

You know those movies that inspire you, that make you inquisitive about your own life? The ones that make you think about your choices, your future? One of the leading criteria I set separating the good movies from the bad judges how much they can get the gears of my mind turning. One film that passed this test was "Before Sunrise". Typically, I roll my eyes at romantic movies, hating the unrealistic plot and the airy dialogue. However, the script of this movie kept me on the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting the next line. It would be easy to dismiss this film as a run-of-the-mill, boy meets girl, they run around Europe hand in hand love story. But there is something about this movie that makes you believe these characters. They are human beings, not generically crafted characters that fit into the traditional mold of leading man and his love interest. 

I always adored the work of Ethan Hawke. He has excelled in films such as "Boyhood" (another Linklater film), along with many more. He flawlessly transitioned into the role of Jesse, an American escaping his last failed relationship by running about Europe. He runs into Celine on a train, and the two of them spontaneously decide to get off together and spend one night in Vienna. They each know their encounter will be brief, as each has a different point of destination the next day. While sharing the plot line, it would be easy to categorize this film as a gooey romance with no substance. But it's the convincing dialogue about the intricacies of human life that set the bar so high for this film. There is a sharp wit between Jesse and Celeste, which is a nice change of pace from typical romance scripts. This allows for an assumed intelligent audience on Linklater's part. In this sense, it is reminiscent of a Woody Allen film, swapping his frequented neurotic New Yorkers for two curious young people mindful of the details of daily life, and their larger implications. 

It was fascinating watching this 1995 film over two decades after its release. It demonstrates the beauty in a world before technology. Celine and Jesse have one night together, and that is that. While they have the option of remaining in contact through expensive long-distance phone calls, infrequent visits, or handwritten letters, they decide against these options. It would have been entirely different in the modern age, where there is no mystery in the lives of people we have come into contact with. There is no texting, facetiming, snapchatting, or Facebook messaging. 

I also tend to love films with a concise consideration of time. It is apparent that this movie spans over the course of one day. One of my favorite things is when a movie looks as if it could just be a portrayal of someone's life for a day. Long takes also add to the believability of the movie. While this movie doesn't have a lot of plot going on, I felt as if I were walking around with two people falling in love, consumed in discussion about human nature. Major life themes, such as hope, fear, and death, are considered normal topics of discussion between two strangers. This apparent sudden romance is made entirely more believable when two individuals can openly discuss such weighty topics. No aspect of their romance seems forced or unnatural. The acting, in combination with the unbelievable script, allows me to wholeheartedly tip my hat to this film. It is honest, and that is something we need more of in the world of cinema. 

Thelma and Louise

What better way to ring in a new month than with a badass film like "Thelma and Louise"? This movie, released in 1991, is dripping with feminism. While this is a more commonly practiced cinematic theme twenty years later, this was fairly groundbreaking for its time. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon are iconic actresses, starring in films such as "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "A League of Their Own" While nowadays they periodically take on a stereotypical mom role of the eternally adolescent young adult, it is important to recognize their mark in history in "Thelma and Louise". Thelma and Louise start their weekend road trip getaway to escape their tireless lives as a housewife and a waitress. Immediately I identified with Sarandon as Louise, whose independence often translates as her being uptight. She takes Thelma along for the ride of her life, who is in a toxic marriage and desperately needs to escape her current situation.

This may be the understatement of the century, but Thelma and Louise get themselves in a bit of trouble that sends them on the run from the cops. Along the way, they run into cowboy Brad Pitt, who adds to the drama. I don't want to spoil what happens in the movie, but I do what to comment on how it promotes feminism. Women are not traditionally shown on screen as road tripping criminals who know how to work a loaded gun, and don't have any problem doing so. It is important to show women portray all sorts of roles, not only those previously predominantly prescribed to them. It was great to see the housewife and waitress evolve to much more than just those roles. Thelma and Louise break free from the traditional mold of women. That being said, it doesn't hurt to throw in a super ripped 90's shirtless Brad Pitt into the mix. Whether you're a feminist, shirtless BP fan, or enjoy a criminal road trip, you''re sure to get a kick out of "Thelma and Louise".

The Shallows

Ah, summer. The time of year where I am terribly let down by the seemingly endless releases of horror movies and superhero movies. However, being the movie buff that I am, I cannot realistically shy away from a theater for three months. Last week, I ventured out to see a recent summer release, "The Shallows", starring Blake Lively. I went into the theater expecting to be amused by the sheer incompetence of the film. While Blake Lively seems like a lovely person with a beautiful family (who WOULDN'T want to be married to Ryan Reynolds?), I never considered her a serious actor. She spent most of her career starring as a Upper East Side princess in the teen soap opera, "Gossip Girl". If you have ever seen this show, Lively's portrayal of her character is painfully dry. Her remaining roles in films have always left me wanting more- she recently starred in "The Age of Adeline", and has appeared in great films, such as "The Town", with smaller, unimpressive roles. This left me doubtful of her ability to portray a character fighting for their life in a film such as "The Shallows".

The premise of this movie caught my attention right off the bat. I have always had an odd intrigue into movies with people in perilous situations, encountering dangerous animals and being left to make difficult decisions in order to save their lives (some of my personal favorites that fall into this category are "The Revenant", "127 Hours", "Into the Wild, and "Open Water"). In "The Shallows", the main character, Nancy, is stranded on a rock fairly close to shore, yet a great white shark prevents her from getting back to safety. One of my major concerns going into this film was how an entire movie could be created around such a plot line. How could a movie about a girl versus a shark possibly hold my attention for more than an hour? "The Shallows" was a brief film, clocking in at less than an hour and a half. To my shock, I managed to be thoroughly engaged throughout the entire movie.

Several components of this film pleasantly surprised me. I thought the overarching storyline was set up well- frequently when watching these sorts of films, the audience remains puzzled to why a character is alone in this sort of scenario. "The Shallows" gives a thorough, though maybe a little too sappy, backstory on the protagonist. The juxtaposition between the beginning of the film to when chaos starts brewing was exceptional. In the opening, the audience is exposed to gorgeous shots of this beach. Nancy is having a blast surfing the waves, and upbeat music is paired with this scene to further accentuate the fun times. The theme of the film sharply changes when danger encroaches on the main character. The lighting darkens, the music intensifies. This tactic can usually be gimmicky and feel very forced- I thought it was done very well in this film, however.

Another feature of this film that impressed me was the fact that it did not shy away from showing some fairly graphic, gory scenes. While this film is rated PG-13, the audience is still exposed to some painful moments. For example, in one scene, Lively's character sews up her own wound using jewelry. "The Shallows" impressed me by going as full-force as it could with its brutality. Lively's acting also impressed me. I believed the pain she was feeling. Props to her for taking part in this sort of role.

I was doubtful as this movies' ability to stand out among the countless other movies made to villainize sharks. While I think this is a far-from-perfect film, the producers did create some scenes that truly captured me. This film was far from dull. Sometimes movies like these can just drag on, but the pace of this film was impressive. This sort of portrayal of sharks has been time and time again in Hollywood. Sharks are stereotypically portrayed as these bloodthirsty creatures, eager to tear surfers limb from limb. In reality, there is on average only one American shark fatality every two years. It always upsets me to see animals cast with unfair stereotypes, creating fear and anxiety where it doesn't need to dwell.

While I was overall pleased with this film, there were certain aspects that I could have done without. On several occasions, graphics pop up on the screen- most of the time this subtracts from the quality of a film in my opinion. This is designed to allow the audience to see text messages, photos, and other shots from a cell phone or camera. While in some cases the visual aids the audience, most of the time I found it to be distracting.

The main downfall of this film for me was the last half hour. The drama quickly escalated into a desperate action film, which from there morphed into a sappy heroic tale. I don't want to spoil the ending for the movie, but I can say that tactics of survival and desperation rapidly turned from realistic and thought-out, to completely sporadic and unrealistic. The authenticity of the film seemed to greatly diminish by the end. The closing scene also felt very surface-level, showcasing Lively reverting into her old lackluster acting methods.

As a whole, I was overall impressed with this film. While it is very far from one of the greatest, it surprised me positively on many occasions. To viewers less critical than I, this should be a must-watch on your summer list- just maybe don't watch it the night before your surfing trip.

Blackfish

Documentary is the most underrated category of film by far. These films tend to generate less buzz than blockbusters, therefore great films often go unnoticed. However if done right, these films can be exceptionally powerful, because they are able to do something that narrative films do not- tell true stories through the eyes of people that have lived them.

I may have been exceptionally late to the "Blackfish" viewing party, but at last I have seen it, and my viewpoints on the treatment of wildlife will never be the same again. This 2013 documentary, by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, chronicled the story of Tilikum, a SeaWorld orca whale responsible for taking the lives of three people.

This film serves as an exposé on the underlying manipulative corporate side of SeaWorld. I have never been keen on going to places such as aquariums or zoos. I have the distinct memory of going to the zoo as a child, where I experienced my first heartbreak about the mistreatment of animals. My smile quickly turned to a frown as I investigated the polar bear exhibit. I saw an environment with little ice, containing a too-skinny polar bear with eyes full of sorrow. It was a hot summer day, and this poor bear looked miserable under the sun. It was at this young age that I recognized the importance of not providing business to zoos, and other attractions like SeaWorld. I remember reading books about the mistreatment of animals in zoos when they first came to America. Since my youth, I have resisted trips to these facilities.

I saw this film almost a week ago, and the material has been haunting my mind ever since. "Blackfish" is a very powerful movie that is not for the weak-of-heart- that being said it is a film that everyone should experience. It emphasizes the importance of leaving animals as nature intended. This film tackles many important subjects, and effectively develops each point fully. It not only outlines the horrific incidences of human deaths, but the psychological and physical pain underwent by the animals.

I learned a lot from this film. Marine life is very interesting, though I must admit I knew little about the habits of orca whales before viewing this documentary. I learned that orcas are very social creatures. Studies have shown that the part of their brain encompassing emotion have further developments than human brains. They are extremely sympathetic animals. Orcas are arranged into matriarchal societies. This film provided a nice foundation of basic information before getting into the nitty gritty of their story.

The film then uncovered the unfortunate reality of the mistreatment of orcas at SeaWorld. This mistreatment eventually led to psychological damage, which promoted the deaths of multiple SeaWorld trainers. Since SeaWorld is a popular tourist attraction, footage of these occurrences was readily available. The video documentation may be painful to watch, however strongly supports the points addressed in the film. I don't want to explain every aspect of this film, as it is very important to watch firsthand (it's on Netflix- check it out!) This was a very powerful film that brought my attention to issues that can easily be overlooked by those not directly involved.

Across The Universe

While "Across the Universe" only got a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, it remains one of my all-time favorites. This 2007 film tells the story of characters Jude and Lucy, among others, in a psychedelic 1970s anti-war Greenwich Village. The most mesmerizing component of this film is the seamless incorporation of Beatles songs. The film director/writer Julie Taymor pulled a Mamma Mia, creating a storyline around preexisting music. This is a risky maneuver, and very tricky to do correctly. While the plots created in this movie reveal overdone romances that would normally make me roll my eyes, the fact that these are constructed around Beatles songs make me smile. Aspects of the movie that could be viewed as corny, such as naming all of the characters after Beatles songs, I find endearing.

This film takes the viewer on a complex journey through historical events of the 1960s. The storylines of several different characters are woven together through music. The characters are what would be expected out of a movie about the politics of the 1960s- Max, the college dropout who gets shipped off to war; Lucy, a naive girl who moves from middle America to New York; Jude, an Englishman finding himself as an artist in the city- but I can't see the film being done any other way. The plot expands between different cities and even different countries, demonstrating different mentalities found in the sixties. The story unfolds not through plot and dialogue, but through music. Nearly everything expressed in the movie is expressed through a Beatles song. While many critics think this is a cheesy and nearly artificial way of telling a story, I think it is exceptionally unique and beautiful.

One significant component of the film are the daring atypical visual effects. Channeling the psychedelic aspects of the sixties, certain parts of the film are designed to feel like an acid trip. There are underwater dance-like scenes. Jude creates art with bleeding strawberries. Soldiers are designed to look like G.I. Joes. These scenes may be a lot for a viewer to process, yet they are exceptionally powerful. Not only do they add to the film, but they demonstrate certain elements of the Beatles' music that we know were influenced by drugs.

I can certainly understand why this film is not appealing to everyone. It is fairly avant-garde and a lot of the romances and plotpoints are fairly predictable. I may be biased because the Beatles are my favorite band in the entire world, I adore Greenwich Village, and the sixties are my favorite time period- scratch that, I am undoubtably biased. It would have been really, really easy for this movie to be atrociously bad. Nothing frustrates me more than visual effects that make the film seem like it's trying too hard. Also, bad covers of Beatles songs really break my heart. The saving grace of this movie, without a doubt my favorite component, is the incredible soundtrack. I listen to it practically daily and just can't get enough. The arrangements and the vocals of the covers are astonishing. The set design and costumes are fitting for the time period. While this film may not be for everyone, I highly recommend it for Beatles fans and people interested the sixties.

My Belated Commentary on the Academy Awards

Although this is long overdue, I cannot NOT give my feedback on the Academy Awards. I will start by saying that I am still on cloud nine because LEO GOT HIS OSCAR. It is about time. The only people that should be disappointed by this fact are the "Leo wants his Oscar" meme creators. But I will get back to that later.

To start, I have to comment on Chris Rock's hosting job. I was really curious and excited to see what he would do this year, considering so many people boycotted the Oscar's due to the lack of racial diversity. Of course, Chris Rock used this as the launching pad of his performance. I adored his opening monologue. I thought it was brilliant. His comments were very pointed and direct, yet funny. This was a great way to open the show, as it addressed the elephant in the room right away. However, this commentary continued throughout the entire program. While many people thought he did a wonderful hosting job, I think he relied far too much on the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. Frequently when the camera panned the audience, people looked super uncomfortable. Nobody quite knew how to properly respond to Rock's remarks. This tone of hosting was continuos throughout the entire show. For example, Rock interviewed black moviegoers on the films they saw this year. It was sort of funny, but once again, mostly uncomfortable.

As for my random commentary that I care to touch upon, I really appreciated some of the newer tactics used for the presentation of the awards this year. For example, in the past, when nominees are announced the screen is full of tiny boxes showcasing each nominee- I always thought this looked a little tacky. This year, elegant shots of the nominees were projected on the actual stage rather than a different screen. This kept the attention on the presenter as well as the nominees, and looked very elegant.

I won't discuss every single win of the evening, as that would be a mighty feat. The most unpredictable win of the night was "Spotlight", which one Best Picture. There are years in which the winner of best picture is highly predictable- 2016 was not one of those years. It basically boiled down to a toss-up between "Spotlight" and "The Revenant". As stated in my previous blog post, I fully expected "The Revenant" to win due to the nature of its subject matter as well as the astounding cinematography and direction. That being said, I really genuinely hoped "Spotlight" would win, as I think it is the more important film. Once again, I wrote a separate post on my opinions about the two films, but ultimately "Spotlight" won best picture, and I could not be more pleased with the results. 

Also, just look how cute the cast of Spotlight were: 

I may have absolutely adored "The Revenant", but I am not at all disappointed that it didn't win Best Picture. It took home other awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Director (making Inarritu the first director to win this award two years in a row!), and Best Actor with Leonardo DiCaprio... which brings this post back to my boy Leo! I could honestly rant about why Leo deserves every award ever for hours, but for now I will stick to commenting on his amazing speech. While I'm sure he's been rehearsing an Oscar speech in his head for years now, his acceptance speech was truly incredible. For a man with this much talent to give such a humbling speech would make any publicists' dreams come true. Leonardo titles himself as an "actor and environmentalist", and brilliantly tied the film "The Revenant" to his mission to save the planet. He talked about the significance of climate change, and truly projected his philosophies effectively without sounding arrogant. Perhaps my favorite part of the speech was when Leo thanked Martin Scorsese- they have been my favorite actor/director duo for years. His speech melted my heart, and I certainly hope it is not the last acceptance speech we hear from him.

One of the more awkward moments of the night was Sam Smith's acceptance speech for the song "'Til It Happens To You", where he mistakenly referred to himself as the first openly gay man to win an Oscar (when in fact several have before). It's okay, Sam, that Oscar in your hand will shine bright for years to come regardless of your speech. One of the most surprising parts of the Academy Awards for me was the colossal volume of awards received by "Mad Max: Fury Road". This was one of the few nominees that I had not seen, and I have come to regret this decision. It swept up award after award. The final shock of the evening was when Chris Rock sold Girl Scout cookies to audience members to help out his daughter. This ultimately raised over $60,000, which was a smart move on Rock's part. Just look at how happy these celebrities are to get their cookies:

Mindy Kaling's Twitter Post of her cookies

There are many aspects of the Academy Awards from this year that could be touched upon, but these are the parts that stood out to me most. I was initially pleased by the hosting job of Chris Rock, yet ultimately disappointed (still an improvement over Neil Patrick Harris). Over all, I am very pleased with the outcome of the 2016 Academy Awards. Now time to patiently await next year!

Why I Think "The Revenant" Will Win Best Picture, But "Spotlight" Should, and Other Oscar Predictions

TOMORROW IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN CHRISTMAS. With the Academy Awards only one day away, it is time for me to address my predictions for the winners this year. Unfortunately, I have not seen every single film nominated for every single category. Believe me, I am as disappointed by this fact as you are.

I have written blogs on a few of the films I've seen that are nominated for the Oscars this year. I wrote independently on both "Spotlight" and "The Revenant". In my opinion these were the two standout films of the year. It is no secret that I am absolutely in love with Leonardo DiCaprio, and "The Revenant" completely blew me away. However, I wholeheartedly think that "Spotlight" was the more important film. It beautifully captured the importance of journalism, a field that is underrepresented in Hollywood. I won't go into depth on either of these films, since I previously reviewed them. Over all, I think the spot for best picture will come down to these two films. While both are spectacular, I think "The Revenant" will win best picture, but "Spotlight" should win. "Spotlight" not only tells the story of the scandal of priests sexual abusing children, but why journalism matters. "Spotlight" was able to go steps beyond demonstrating the importance of journalism- after the movie was released, many other people came forward with reports of sexual abuse conducted by priests. It was an exceptionally impressive and eye-opening film. "The Revenant" has many of the bells and whistles the academy looks for, though, that I think will lead it to ultimately beat out "Spotlight". The extreme tactics of Inarritu will likely place it on a higher ranking with the Academy, just at his film "Birdman" won best picture last year.

As for best actor, Leo better finally get his Oscar. While I can argue why "The Revenant" shouldn't necessarily win best picture, I think it will beat out competitors in several other categories. Unfortunately I haven't seen the other films that were nominated for actor in a leading role (curse the busy and broke life of a college student), I can wholeheartedly say that Leonardo DiCaprio finally deserves to get his Oscar. I have seen most of the films he's been in, and he honestly amazes me more with every role he takes on.

I think Inarritu's daring decisions as a director will set him apart once again in the eyes of the Academy, leading him to deservingly win best director. The choices of Inarritu, in combination with the choices of cinematographer Lubezki, will also beat out other films and win best cinematography.

For best actress, I think Brie Larson should and will win for her stellar performance in "Room". She has received spectacular reviews across the board. Her moving performance definitely stood out in comparison to the other actresses nominated for the category.

Actor in a supporting role seems like a bit of a toss-up to me. I thought Christian Bale did an unbelievable job portraying Michael Burry in "The Big Short" and should win for his performance. I doubt that Mark Ruffalo will win for his performance in "Spotlight", but he also did a spectacular job. I am never ever disappointed by Mark Ruffalo. He's just a lovable teddy bear.

I have heard wonderful things about Alicia Vikander's role in "The Danish Girl", and think she is a strong contender in the category of best supporting actress. Unfortunately I haven't seen this film so I can't validate this. I honestly don't understand the hype over Rooney Mara's performance in "Carol"- I was highly disappointed by most aspects of this film, with the exception of set design and costume design."

This leads me to my next prediction, that "Mad Max: Fury Road" will win best costume design. I always am impressed by all of the costumes nominated for this category. I haven't seen "Mad Max: Fury Road", but it received lots of positive feedback as well.

To quickly finish up (I won't list every single prediction I have), best adapted screenplay should go to "The Big Short" and best original screenplay should go to "Spotlight". "Amy" entirely deserves to win best documentary, as this was one of the best films I've seen all year.

I hope you all enjoy this year's Academy Awards as much as I will, and I will be giving my feedback on the event shortly!

A League of Their Own

I have to start this blog post by saying that my initial decision to watch A League of Their Own was out of obligation. I've heard great things about this movie and it was on Netflix, so I felt it was my cinematic duty to watch it. All I knew before watching the film was that Tom Hanks was in it, and it was about a women's baseball team. Although I adore Tom Hanks, the idea of watching a women's baseball team for two hours did not appeal to me. However, my negative bias had little impact on my overall opinion of the film after seeing it.

Since I knew very little about the premise of A League of Their Own before watching it, I was extremely pleased by the storyline. This movie unveils the true story of the Rockford Peaches, one of the first all-women professional baseball teams. The women's baseball league was formed during World War II, since many professional baseball players left to join the military. The main character, Dottie Hinson, is played by Geena Davis. Unfortunately, my only knowledge of her before seeing this movie was her role in Grey's Anatomy (I'm the movie buff who shamefully has yet to see Thelma and Louise). However, she is easily the best actor in the film. Tom Hanks portrays their alcoholic manager, Jimmy Dugan. He also does a great job, but this role cannot possibly compare to the other roles he has taken on. While the cast as a whole is phenomenal- surprisingly including Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell- Davis is the one that truly shines.

Besides Davis's standout performance, there were other aspects of the film that really drew me in. First of all, I tend to gravitate towards movies that tell true stories. My inner history nerd lives for them. The film was able to effectively demonstrate how the creation of a women's team was a significant reality in these women's lives that impacted their futures. Since in modern society there is such a strong push for gender equality, it was great to see how, even in the 1940s, women could demonstrate their equal worth. Although the team was created simply because men weren't around to play baseball, the all-women's team showed the world that they can be just as valuable athletes as men.

I do think, however, that this movie tried a little hard to, no pun intended, cover all the bases. It wanted to make you laugh. It wanted to make you cry. It wanted you to believe Madonna could've been a professional ball player. This is all too much for this type of film to take on. While there are funny moments, and the storyline is heartfelt and moving, a movie who tried to excel in all of these areas is rarely done seamlessly. The cinematography was nothing special. I can understand that this is not one of the greatest movies I've ever seen, but it did entertain me. Sometimes even the toughest critics have to stop overanalyzing and just base their critiques on the enjoyment factor of a film.

Amy

Ever since I was young I have had a fascination with Amy Winehouse. I was ten years old when she came out with her second album Back to Black. My parents would play Rehab and Me & Mr. Jones on a loop as they were preparing dinner. I remember waiting in line at the grocery store and seeing her face all over tabloid magazines. Eating disorders, drunken performances, drug use... her world was unlike anything I've ever encountered. This extreme and troubling lifestyle piqued by interest. I was fifteen years old when Amy Winehouse died. She was only twenty seven years old, and this seemed impossibly young to me. Even though Amy Winehouse's album has continuously played on my iPod for nearly a decade, I never took the time to thoroughly learn about her life, as I had routinely done with my other favorite musicians. This last summer, the documentary Amy, directed by Asif Kapadia, was released. Amy is one of the most impactful and emotional documentaries I've seen. It is now rightfully in the running for the Academy Award of Best Documentary.

What was most chilling about the documentary was the clarity of Amy Winehouse's pain. Archived footage was used for the film, so we were able to hear Amy tell her story. Although her friends and family were interviewed throughout the movie, Amy's voice and viewpoint are dominant. The entire film is beautifully entwined with Amy's music. The placement of Amy's songs clearly demonstrated the emotional significance that they had to her. The viewer is able to understand how each song stemmed from Amy's personal life. She allowed music to be an expressive outlet for her experiences.
It is heartbreaking watching Amy experience seemingly endless hardships in her life. Yet the film is able to reinforce that Amy's songs were drawn from her pain. Each song was deeply personal to her, and the film was able to tell the stories surrounding them through Amy's eyes. There was nothing forced about this documentary. Things aren't being spun by journalists or the media, which was the case during her life, as the story is kept close to Amy's perspective.

I was amazed that this documentary was able to go so far beyond Amy's music and a basic timeline of her life. It was truly able to demonstrate the dangers of addiction and drug use- which were brought on by the toxicity of a relationship. The crippling effects of the paparazzi and the media were another well-addressed aspect of Amy's life. Fame completely derailed Amy. She is shown in countless interviews expressing since the early stages of her career that it would not be something she could handle. Sure enough, she was right.

There were very few elements of Amy that I would criticize. There were minor things that I didn't find necessary, such as text on the screen displaying song lyrics. I see how this may have been done intentionally, meant to clarify wording that may be hard to accurately detect through the song. However I found it slightly distracting and took away from the raw emotion seen in Amy's face on screen. Over all though, there are very few elements that I found to be flawed.

The film Amy beautifully showcases Amy Winehouse's incredible talent as a singer/songwriter. There have been several documentaries done on Amy Winehouse, but Amy feels raw. It takes the viewer on a journey of her suffering, which led her to her magnificent creations. It is sad to think that Amy Winehouse lived only long enough to grace us with two albums. This film is a great tribute to the woman with a mesmerizing voice that left the world too soon.

The Big Short

I can only imagine how difficult it would be to successfully create a comical yet serious film about economics. As a student at a school of the arts and communications, I have expressed little interest in economics in the past. However, the film The Big Short was effectively able to capture my attention through humor, as well as creatively telling the story of the 2008 housing crisis in a lighthearted yet crucial manner. I walked away from the film not only blown away by cast performances, but with a newfound understanding and interest in this national phenomenon.

One of the biggest names in Hollywood is Brad Pitt. If his name is attached to a project, it is placed with high expectations. Although Brad Pitt has blessed audience members with this appearances on the big screen for decades, in the past ten years Pitt has been showing off his skills behind the scenes as a producer. His phenomenal work is evident in films such as The Departed, Moneyball, and 12 Years a Slave. In 2015 he demonstrated his knack for producing in the film The Big Short, nominated for 2016 Best Picture at the Academy Awards. While this film may have had several producers, the fact that Pitt attached himself to it demonstrates the level of importance it must have held for him. Pitt has been known to take small roles in the films he has produced, and The Big Short was no exception. No matter the size of the role Pitt takes on, he puts everything he has into the performance. The performances, combined with production value, places The Big Short as a contender for the most prestigious film award of the year.

Now when I first heard about the release of the film The Big Short, I knew two things about it: it had an incredible cast, and it was about the housing crisis of 2008. These two pieces of information held different weights to me- for years I have been obsessing over the works of actors such as Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, and Ryan Gosling. However, I was 12 years old when the housing crisis took place, and knew very little about it. Therefore, I didn't have an overwhelming initial interest in an economic situation, however I knew that viewing this film could potentially be a good way to learn about it.

This film was based off of a book by Michael Lewis. The brilliance behind the film is that the director, Adam McKay, understands the convoluted nature of the financial crisis. It would be so easy to make this film either far too dense, in which terminology goes over people's heads, or to oversimplify the economic issues and not deliver a realistic representation of what actually happened. However, the density of Wall Street was not compromised for the sake of audience understanding. Instead, McKay took a unique approach to connect to the audience and explain the sequence of  events in ways they can understand. First, the film is narrated by Ryan Gosling's character, Jared Vennett, breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience. In the opening, we are given some background information on the start of the film, explaining the shift in banking in the 1970s. In addition to helpful narration, McKay decided to include celebrity cameos throughout the film to explain terminology. In so many words the narrator would say, "Now here's Margot Robbie in a bathtub sipping champagne to explain sub-prime loans..." This strategy was brilliantly used to break down financial concepts to the viewer.

It would be excessive to explain every single storyline and go through the entire plot of the film. I find it more important to analyze the performances of the cast. It can sometimes be a red flag to see such a big-name cast. In some cases, films rely on casting A-list celebrities to carry out a subpar film (ex. Bradley Cooper in The Words). However the casting of The Big Short was impeccable. Each actor delivered a spectacular performance. The standout performance in the film was that of Christian Bale. He played Michael Burry, a nerdy Birkenstocks-and-oversized-tee-shirt-wearing hedge fund manager from Silicon Valley. in fact- Bale asked the real Michael Burry for his shirt and cargo shorts, which he wore in the film. Burry was one of the first people to predict the housing crisis. Bale convincingly portrayed a metalhead who blasts music at work and plays the drums. What impresses me most is not exclusive to Bale's performance, but extends to other cast members- they are all portraying real people. This is always a feat that amazes me when done well (this is the same reason for my praise of Spotlight).

I was impressed by every performance. Ryan Gosling has always been one of my favorite actors. He has been in great films in the past, including The Place Beyond the Pines and Drive. However, my world stopped and my heart broke when he announced his break from acting in 2013. This has been his first major role since his break- there is no better way to make a comeback. His character comes closest to DiCaprio's portrayal of a Wall Street man in The Wolf of Wall Street. However is character felt much more natural. For example, classically handsome Gosling drastically changed his appearance- frankly, looking creepy- in order to demonstrate that not everyone on Wall Street is perfectly groomed and polished. Brad Pitt took a similar approach and altered his appearance as well. The commitments actors made to their roles payed off.

In general, I think it would be in anyone's best interest to see the film The Big Short. You will learn a lot. You will laugh. You will be amazed by the acting. It is not simply by chance that this film is nominated for Best Picture. CHECK. IT. OUT.

The Revenant

Oh Leo. The man is flawless. Someone give him an Oscar please. Leonardo DiCaprio is probably my favorite actor, so clearly I have to see every single film he is in. This man has been depriving the world of his incredible talent for two whole years. The last film he was in was The Wolf of Wall Street. However this year he reappeared on the big screen in Inarritu's The Revenant.

To be fair, I first decided to go see The Revenant simply due to Leo's starring role. I personally don't think the trailer was cut that well, and initially the film did not appeal to me. Not only did I want to see this film due to casting, but I wanted to see it beacause Inarritu is a phenomenal director. His film Birdman rightfully won Best Picture at the Academy Awards last year. His directing style is also beautifully demonstrated in one of my favorite films, Babel. Just for a point of comparison for The Revenant, I want to say a few words on Inarritu's directing style. In every movie I've seen by Inarritu, the casting is incredible, the storyline is rich, and the cinematography is breathtaking and unique. This filmmaker is exceptionally meticulous. His attention to detail is known to frustrate his coworkers (some crew members left the set), yet yields phenomenal results. In fact, many people initially attached to the film were known to drop out due to the extreme filming conditions Inarritu insisted on pursuing. Inarritu is a Mexican filmmaker who has directed countless marvelous foreign films, such as Amores Perros and 21 Grams. I am so glad that he has crossed from foreign films into films that attract much wider audiences, because everyone should be exposed to the stylings of Inarritu. In short, I am very pleased by Inarritu's choices in the film The Revenant.

The most impactful part of this film was Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman on a trading expedition in the 1820s. In order to make sense of my analysis of DiCaprio's portrayal, a brief synopsis of the film is necessary. Glass is on a fur trading expedition with his half-Native American son, who stirs a lot of controversy along the way. Essentially, early on in the film Glass is horrifically mauled by a bear and left to his own devices for survival. The Revenant, based on a true story, is entirely about survival. This further emphasizes my praise of Inarritu's meticulous directing style. His choices make DiCaprio's on-screen survival tactics seem unbelievably real. DiCaprio himself stated that this was the most challenging role of his career. He went to extremes to accurately represent his character's struggle. For example, DiCaprio, a vegetarian, actually ate a raw slab of bison liver. He also actually slept in a horse carcass for his role. Another aspect of DiCaprio's performance that makes him great was his facial expressions and body language. Throughout much of the film, Glass is by himself, and doesn't need verbal communication. DiCaprio is able to not only effectively, but impeccably tell a story through his actions.

The acting and directing is unbelievable in this movie, but the movie is raised to new heights due to its cinematography. It is beautifully done and the shots of nature are breathtaking. This film was shot only in natural light. This must have been an extremely challenging task, but was done to make the film as realistic as possible. This reinforces the notion that Inarritu's controlling tactics, while agonizing, are worth it in the end. Inarritu also insisted on not using computer-generated imagery. This film was shot in twelve different locations and in three countries. Also, it was meant to be shot chronologically. Ultimately, this couldn't be done due to weather conditions. Nonetheless, the extreme efforts made to shoot a beautiful film payed off.

Over all, I was highly impressed by The Revenant. It is difficult for a two hour and thirty six minute movie to fully capture an audience member's attention throughout its entirety, yet this film accomplished that. I barely even noticed that I was sandwiched between two fairly large old men at the movie theater! This film could easily attract a wide array of audience members. It depicts scenes of war, brutality, and survival for the gore-seekers. It projects a fascinating and often overlooked period of time in American history for history buffs. Beautiful scenery, fabulous performances, the list goes on and on. Go. See. This. Film. You won't regret it. If anything, see it for Leo. He deserves it.

Spotlight

It is officially my favorite time of year- Oscar season. The nominations were officially announced by the Academy earlier this week. Over all, I am less drawn to the nominations this year than I was last year. Nearly every 2015 Best Picture nomination blew me away. As a self-proclaimed movie buff, however, it is still my mission to see as many nominations as possible. Last night, I saw the highly-praised Boston-based film, Spotlight. This film, directed by Tom McCarthy, starred Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams, told the story of how the Boston Globe uncovered widespread child molestation within the Catholic Church. The story was based off of true events that occurred in 2001. I was five years old at the time, and had little recollection of this. I was amazed at how McCarthy was able to capture the methods of journalism and how it can be used to uncover a major scandal. There was so much information to fit into a film, and I can understand how daunting of a task this could be for a filmmaker. However, the brilliant strategy behind Spotlight was to focus primarily on the journalism. In short, the film depicts a group of journalists, the "spotlight" journalists, who are in charge of and dedicated to working on a confidential project for an extended period of time. These journalists spent months uncovering the reality of sexual abuse among Catholic priests in Boston.

The reality of sexual abuse is an exceptionally challenging concept to portray respectfully on-screen. This was done very gracefully in Spotlight and the actors demonstrated that the journalists involved were doing their jobs, not trying to be heroes. It was clear that the reveal of truth was necessary for justice. The scale of the coverup of this scandal by the Catholic church was unbelievable. For decades, the church got away with abuse. People's lives were forever changed for the worse. The film was effectively able to demonstrate just how widespread and impactful this exceptionally well-hidden scandal was. This phenomenon of child abuse within the Catholic church went on undetected for decades, while the investigative reporting was ongoing for years. It would be hard to capture every detail of this in one film, which is why I believe Spotlight was so successful. It focused entirely on the journalism aspect. Victims as well as priests were interviewed by the spotlight journalists, which gave the viewer a unique look into the scandal. Everything that is uncovered is seen through the eyes of journalists. It takes a lot of talent to portray real people in a film, but the acting in Spotlight was exceptionally done.  Although the subject matter of this movie is intense, I think it is an important film to see. The viewer will be exposed to a moving storyline, impressive performances, and carefully done artistic decisions. This was one of the best films I've seen this year, and would gladly go see it again.