CATCH UP OF 2015 FILMS

4/24/2016

As mentioned in my blog, I was busy finishing my Masters during 2015 and then was hard at work on one of my novels. But I did see easily dozens of films as a member of the SAG Nominating Committee. During that time, I wasn’t allowed to mention I was on that committee, and it wouldn’t have been kosher posting reviews of films that weren’t released yet.

Some of the highlights of the year include the outstanding performances in Beasts of No Nation. Needless to say it was astoundingly strange to see Idris Elba ignored for his best supporting role in this film about child soldiers. SAG, on the other hand, called it.

I appreciated the beautifully lensed The Danish Girl and Brooklyn and their outstanding performers. Trumbo had it all, capturing an earlier McCarthy-era Hollywood with humor.

Indie The Diary of a Teenage Girl is a must see and Learning to Drive with Ben Kingsley as a New York Sikh (?) cabbie giving driving lessons to a woman on the edge was pleasurable.

There were excellent films with grand dames of the screen. Maggie Smith in the satisfying comedy The Lady in the Van; Blythe Danner’s subtle performance in I’ll See You in My Dreams; Helen Mirren in Woman in Gold; Charlotte Rampling in 45 years exploring the reality of long-term commitment to marriage. And for the gents: Ian McKellen did a quiet and moving turn in Mr. Holmes.

There was a wow factor in the editing of The Big Short.

The huge risk and fascinating Youth was one of my favorites, a gorgeous metaphoric art film that ponders the journey to find that “fountain of youth” in old age by Paolo Sorrentino with knockout Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and Rachel Weisz performances. And the outstanding Sicario, lensed, edited, and directed to capture the horrors of our war on terror, was a compelling bit of filmmaking.

The edge-of-your seat Room and Sarah Silverman’s disturbing and breakout acting turn in I Smile Back were two surprises.

The passion and career-making performances of all the fellas in Straight OUtta Compton (and it educated me on West Coat Gangsta Rap) deserved more kudos than Oscar gave them, and as well the gals in the ambitious Suffragette.

The hard to watch foreign holocaust film...but exceptional...Son of Saul out of Hungary, was outstanding.

There were so many more great films this year.

Misses for me included the anemically performed and directed Macbeth (passionless and annoying) and Steve Jobs, both starring Michael Fassbender who I’ve admired for his enormous talent in better conceived pictures. I think he may take on projects that pose huge risk, that are stretches by directors, certainly for both these films, so I do blame their failures on these directors. Steve Jobs does hold some interest in a few extremely entertaining performances (Seth Rogen certainly won me over and seems to do so in everything he’s in), I just felt the director’s vision was a bit all over the place and the film didn’t ultimately hold together.

ANNIE

2/1/2015

Just saw Annie at half price before noon at my local movie theater.

For all of you refusing to see this film because you can't deal with a deconstructed, new Annie, you're missing one of the great feel-good movies of the season. This is a classic film musical and will be around a long time. Don't listen to anyone, go see it.

It is a "kids" musical but it's fun for the grown-ups too with just enough sophistication. It does tongue-in-cheek play off the cartoonish aspects of its predecessor in this re-imagining.

Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) are a dream combination, Cameron Diaz is over the top but fun as a Mrs. Hannigan as a failed rock star taking care of orphaned kids in Harlem.

The Harlem they create seems to have a bit of its locations shot in the Village, but no matter.

If you want a feel-good film for the New Year this is light fluff but surprisingly moving and Quvenzhane is an AWESOME child actress and carries this film superbly. I want to add kudos to the fine cinematography, direction, and score (and yes EVERYONE sings just fine!)