Ghost

Tonight I saw Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg.

The week this film debuted in 1990, I was at the theater, first in line. I loved all the actors, I loved the title and that was all I needed to know to buy the ticket. Luckily, it didn't disappoint. It not only became one of my all-time favorite films, it also took home two Academy Awards (Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Ms. Goldberg).

I own the film, and have watched it several times since, but haven't seen it in a theater since the year it came out. I was thrilled when a nearby indie theater said they'd present it as part of their Throwback Thursday series and settled into my favorite balcony seat tonight to enjoy it.

In so many ways the film remains timeless—the themes of love, spirituality, good vs. evil and betrayal all resonate as vividly today as they did 30 years ago. There's also many things that are dated—the black computer screens with archaic green text, the landline phones, the clip of The Arsenio Hall Show that plays as the characters watch. None of these details diminished the story for me this many years later, but I could see how someone young seeing it for the first time may deem it "old."

What still gave me goosebumps? The iconic pottery-making love scene set to "Unchained Melody." The first time the subway ghost rages at Sam. The moment Oda Mae surrenders to the ghost and yells "Sam" after he chases her around the table. The first "capture" of a bad soul to the other side.

It's also sheer pleasure to witness the chemistry between Demi Moore and Swayze and between Swayze and Goldberg. I can't begin to picture anyone else in any of their roles because they were so spot on.

Worth mentioning is the fact this film manages to dip in and out of several genres seamlessly: drama, comedy, thriller, horror, supernatural, romance. Ghost has it all, which is why it will continue to delight viewers for decades to come.

~~~

My 2020 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for tomorrow's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: PARASITE
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: JOJO RABBIT
My Pick: LITTLE WOMEN

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: THE IRISHMAN

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: JOKER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: THE NEIGHBORS' WINDOW
My Pick: NEFTA FOOTBALL CLUB

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: HAIR LOVE
My Pick: HAIR LOVE

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE IRISHMAN
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from ROCKETMAN
My Pick: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from ROCKETMAN

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: JOKER

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: BOMBSHELL
My Pick: BOMBSHELL

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: PARASITE
My Pick: PARASITE

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: JOJO RABBIT
My Pick: PARASITE

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU'RE A GIRL)
My Pick: IN THE ABSENCE

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: THE CAVE
My Pick: HONEYLAND

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Sam Mendes for 1917
My Pick: Todd Phillips for JOKER

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: LITTLE WOMEN
My Pick: LITTLE WOMEN

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: THE IRISHMAN
My Pick: 1917

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: TOY STORY 4
My Pick: TOY STORY 4

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Laura Dern for MARRIAGE STORY
My Pick: Kathy Bates for RICHARD JEWELL

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Brad Pitt for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
My Pick: Brad Pitt for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Renee Zellweger for JUDY
My Pick: Renee Zellweger for JUDY

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix for JOKER
My Pick: Joaquin Phoenix for JOKER

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

~~~

Harriet

On Wednesday, I screened Harriet, starring Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom, Jr.

Minty Ross (Erivo) was a headstrong slave in Maryland who yearned for her freedom. She decided that she would risk anything to achieve that liberty, so in 1849 she left her husband, parents and siblings behind to walk alone nearly 90 miles to reach the safety of Pennsylvania. Minty Ross would transform into Harriet Tubman.

In this film chronicling her journey and what happened beyond her arrival, we learn just how awful the family was who owned hers; how she couldn't rest until she went back for her family and so many others (she did, successfully) and how she believed the visions she saw were coming directly from God.

Cynthia Erivo is painfully convincing as this tortured soul who finds the strength not only to free slaves but to continue the fight for justice in many more ways, during the war and later during the women's suffrage movement. As an American child, I studied Mrs. Tubman, but never knew the raw details of what she actually faced.

The film is brutal during several scenes, but never gratuitous—if ever there was a time where we needed to see the effects of the violence of racism, that time is now.

Go see this film and rejoice on Oscar night when it deservingly wins some major awards.

~~~

My 2019 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for tonight's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: THE FAVOURITE
My Pick: FIRST REFORMED

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: BLACKKKLANSMAN
My Pick: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
My Pick: FIRST MAN

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: BLACK PANTHER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: A QUIET PLACE
My Pick: A QUIET PLACE

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: SKIN
My Pick: DETAINMENT

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
My Pick: BAO

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE FAVOURITE
My Pick: MARY POPPINS RETURNS

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "Shallow" from A STAR IS BORN
My Pick: "Shallow" from A STAR IS BORN

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: BLACK PANTHER
My Pick: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: VICE
My Pick: VICE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: ROMA
My Pick: COLD WAR

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: VICE

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: LIFEBOAT
My Pick: END GAME

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: FREE SOLO
My Pick: RBG

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron for ROMA
My Pick: Spike Lee for BLACKKKLANSMAN

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE FAVOURITE
My Pick: BLACK PANTHER

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: ROMA
My Pick: THE FAVOURITE

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
My Pick: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Regina King for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
My Pick: Regina King for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali for GREEN BOOK
My Pick: Richard E. Grant for CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Glenn Close for THE WIFE
My Pick: Melissa McCarthy for CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Rami Malek for BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: Christian Bale for VICE

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: BLACK PANTHER

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars 2019)

Today I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order the films were shown.

MADRE (Spain)

What begins as a mundane day for Marta (Marta Nieto) rapidly unfolds into a nightmare as her 6-year-old son Ivan (Alvaro Balas) calls to tell her he is alone on a beach in France (she and her mother, who is with her, are in Spain). His father left to retrieve a forgotten toy and he has yet to return. Concern turns to panic when Marta can't deduce exactly what beach Ivan is stranded on and the police are of no help. Did I mention Ivan's phone battery is running low?

An intense back-and-forth commences right up until the end. A well-done suspense tale that will keep your heart racing throughout.

FAUVE (Canada)

Friends Tyler (Félix Grenier) and Benjamin (Alexandre Perreault) are out exploring their surroundings as young boys often do. Benjamin "cries wolf" faking an injury, then swears he sees a fox, but Tyler doesn't believe him and they go on about their day. The end up running around a surface mine and when Benjamin gets close to the water, his feet slide into the moving earth and he yells out for help. By the time Tyler realizes he's not again crying wolf, it's too late for him to retrieve him without being sucked into the mud/sand himself, so he leaves the mine to seek help from an adult.

Grenier deserves an Oscar of his own for the way his face changes when he realizes his friend is in real danger, and his shell-shocked manner in the events that follow. Difficult to watch, but brilliantly executed.

MARGUERITE (Canada)

Marguerite (Béatrice Picard) is elderly and in poor health. She requires in-home care. Her nurse, Rachel (Sandrine Bisson), is wonderfully attentive, bathing her and administering all of her necessary tests. The two develop a lovely friendship as Marguerite nears the end of her life and begins to reflect on her younger years.

Though this is the slowest-paced film of the five, it's no less poignant as the two characters realize they share a bond they didn't know they had. Beautiful story.

DETAINMENT (IRELAND)

Based on a true story, this film recounts the questioning of the killers following the horrific kidnapping, torture and murder of toddler James Bulger (Caleb Mason) in Liverpool, England. The tragic twist? The murderers were kids themselves. The transcripts of the two ten-year-olds, Jon (Ely Solan) and Robert (Leon Hughes), confessing to the crime is how the filmmakers tell the story. It was almost unbearable to watch, so good were these young actors.

A college student when this happened in real life, I don't recall hearing about it on the news at the time, but it stands as one of the most notable murders in modern U.K. history because of the age of the killers. These images won't leave me anytime soon.

SKIN (USA)

The worst of America is represented in the small-minded, trashy community surrounding Johnny (Jonathan Tucker). The white group of friends teach their young how to be sharpshooters and how to hate people of other races.

One night when a black man makes Johnny's son laugh in a grocery checkout line, Johnny snaps, calls for "backup" and beats the man to a pulp in the parking lot as his wife and child look on in horror. They get away with it until ... it's payback time.

The audience I watched with in a Seattle theater literally clapped when Johnny got what was coming to him (which very much re-defines the Biblical "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth") — a powerful psychological exercise that should perhaps be used in schools today.

~~~

So, what's my pick to win? These were all strong contenders in their own right, but I feel as if Detained will linger in my psyche longer than the rest.

A Star Is Born

Last night I saw A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Jackson (Cooper) is a star of the stage—unfortunately he's as good at drinking as he is at singing and playing guitar. Ally (Gaga) is an amateur with an amazing voice who performs as the only "real" girl at drag shows. Jackson stumbles into one of those shows one evening and experiences love at first sight.

Soon, Ally is piggybacking her talent onto his successful music career and getting noticed in her own right. All the while, Jackson keeps drinking, keeps drugging.

Even if you've seen any of the previous versions of this story, you'll be able to predict where it's headed. Her star shines bright, his addiction worsens, etc.

At the heart of it, it's a story about the endurance of love through tough times. Anyone who has suffered from addiction, or suffered because of someone else's addiction will be able to relate. Anyone who's been so deeply in love with another soul will relate. Anyone who has struggled to reach their dreams will relate.

With the two leads having insanely strong chemistry (not to mention brilliant singing voices), it will be terribly surprising if they aren't both Oscar-nominated for their performances. It just works on so many levels.

If you can stand blinking through your tears, go see it. You won't regret it.

~~~

My 2018 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for Sunday's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: LADY BIRD
My Pick: LADY BIRD

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: CALL ME MY YOUR NAME
My Pick: MOLLY'S GAME

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: MY NEPHEW EMMETT
My Pick: DEKALB ELEMENTARY

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: LOU
My Pick: GARDEN PARTY

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "Remember Me" from COCO
My Pick: "Mighty River" from MUDBOUND

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: DARKEST HOUR
My Pick: VICTORIA & ABDUL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: THE SQUARE
My Pick: THE SQUARE

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: I, TONYA

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: EDITH+EDDIE
My Pick: HEROIN(E)

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: ICARUS
My Pick: FACES PLACES

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Guillermo del Toro for THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: Guillermo del Toro for THE SHAPE OF WATER

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: PHANTOM THREAD
My Pick: PHANTOM THREAD

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: COCO
My Pick: LOVING VINCENT

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Allison Janney for I, TONYA
My Pick: Allison Janney for I, TONYA

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Sam Rockwell for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
My Pick: Christopher Plummer for ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Frances McDormand for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
My Pick: Sally Hawkins for THE SHAPE OF WATER

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Gary Oldman for DARKEST HOUR
My Pick: Gary Oldman for DARKEST HOUR

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: GET OUT
My Pick: GET OUT

~~~

My 2017 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for tonight's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
My Pick: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: LION
My Pick: LION

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
My Pick: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
My Pick: HACKSAW RIDGE

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: SULLY

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: SILENT NIGHTS
My Pick: LA FEMME ET LE TGV

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: BORROWED TIME
My Pick: PIPER

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "How Far I'll Go" from MOANA
My Pick: "How Far I'll Go" from MOANA

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: LION

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: SUICIDE SQUAD
My Pick: SUICIDE SQUAD

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: THE SALESMAN
My Pick: THE SALESMAN

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: HACKSAW RIDGE
My Pick: HACKSAW RIDGE

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: JOE'S VIOLIN
My Pick: WATANI: MY HOMELAND

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA
My Pick: 13th

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: LION

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Damien Chazelle for LA LA LAND
My Pick: Mel Gibson for HACKSAW RIDGE

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: JACKIE
My Pick: FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: LION

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: Zootopia
My Pick: THE RED TURTLE

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Viola Davis for FENCES
My Pick: Nicole Kidman for LION

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali for MOONLIGHT
My Pick: Michael Shannon for NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Emma Stone for LA LA LAND
My Pick: Ruth Negga for LOVING

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Denzel Washington for FENCES
My Pick: Andrew Garfield for HACKSAW RIDGE

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: HIDDEN FIGURES
My Pick: LION

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars® 2016)

Last night I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

AVE MARIA (Palestine, France and Germany)

Of all the things Orthodox Jewish settlers could crash into in the West Bank, a convent of Catholic nuns is unlikely. But that's what happens here when a family trip takes a turn (literally) into one. Problem is: the nuns have taken a vow of silence and due to the Sabbath, the family is unable to use the telephone to call for help. Through a series of comedic events, the two groups together find a surprising solution. The one is light and the story is cute; I just don't think I'd consider this Oscar caliber material.

SHOK (Kosovo and UK)

Amidst the Yugoslav wars two young boys form a deep friendship that is tested repeatedly by the pressures of the time. Instead of making choices about what games to play each night, they're faced with much more grim decisions—some even a matter of life and death. The film is about war, but above all else, about love. Though hard to watch because of the subject matter (these horrors took place not long ago, after all), it's expertly done with two lead actors that deliver on every note.

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY (Germany and Austria)

A divorced couple shares custody of their young daughter. The father comes to pick the girl up for a routine weekend and the tension between the parents is evident. The father quickly takes his daughter shopping to spoil her with new toys, then makes a trip to the nearby bumper cars for additional fun. Things only go sideways when he tricks her into taking passport pictures at a nearby photo booth. The girl soon realizes they're not having a normal weekend and calls him out on it. Just how far (and how fast) this weekend goes off the rails is what makes this my pick for the Oscar. I don't think I breathed for the last 10 minutes. It was that good.

STUTTERER (UK and Ireland)

There have been six months of flirtatious Facebook bliss for a couple and now there's a chance for them to meet. The man has reservations because he suffers from a severe stuttering problem—so much that he's learned sign language to imply to strangers that he's simply deaf. As the day approaches, he at first hides, then practices his speech, hoping not to disappoint this love of his life. It's a sweet, sometimes funny story with a lot of heart.

DAY ONE (USA)

An Afghan-American interpreter is assigned to an Afghanistan tour of duty with the U.S. military, and on her first day the team is sent to investigate a report of bombs in a nearby residence. As the weapons are found and the man of the house is being arrested, his wife goes into labor—with complications. As the only woman present, the interpreter has to begin acting as a doctor to save the mother and baby. 

This was the only of the five films where people actually got up and left the theater. It was incredibly intense and touched on several sensitive subject matters (religion, birth, war, death, etc.). But I stuck it out and was glad I did, if not only for the life-affirming ending, but the photo of the real interpreter, for which the film was based, that appears at the end.

~~~

Documentary Short Film Nominees (Oscars® 2016)

Tonight I saw all five of the nominated films in the Documentary Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

BODY TEAM 12 (Liberia)

The 2014 Ebola outbreak in Liberia devastated the country, leaving nearly 5000 dead and over 10,000 infected. In the midst of the chaos, 29-year-old Garmai Sumo is the only female on a team tasked with safely removing bodies from infected locations. In this film, as we watch the horror unfold, she describes what it's like—the fears, the sadness and even the hope. Her commitment and compassion for her fellow people make this otherwise gloomy subject bearable.

A GIRL IN THE RIVER: THE PRICE OF FORGIVENESS (Pakistan)

In Pakistan, men sometimes beat or kill female relatives who they perceive to have 'disrespected' them. They call these 'honor killings,' as they are meant to restore honor to the family. One such attempted murder happened to 18-year-old Saba when she fell in love and her family told her the boy she wanted to marry wasn't rich enough. She defied them by gaining support from her future in-laws, who helped the couple elope. Her father and uncle then shot her in the face and threw her in the river to die. But ... she didn't die. She lived to tell the tale and tells it here, as she's in the midst of a legal struggle in her community. Her path toward forgiveness under pressure is hard to watch, especially considering that her attackers show no remorse, but it's so well done, I conclude that this is the strongest of the five films.

LAST DAY OF FREEDOM (USA)

A man has a younger brother. The younger brother gets hit by a car during adolescence and is never the same. With a middle school education, said brother enters the service. He goes to Vietnam. Bad things happen. He comes home, again a changed man. His PTSD gets really bad. He does a bad thing. His brother turns him in. He gets the death penalty. The brother is sick with guilt and tells his story here, but we only hear him as the entire short is animated. Though the animation is artistically brilliant, I didn't feel it was the right way to tell this story and it distracted me from the core of the emotion. Meh.

CHAU, BEYOND THE LINES (USA and Vietnam)

The effects of Agent Orange are still prevalent today, as evidenced in this documentary focusing on Chau, a disabled Vietnamese boy with a triumphant spirit. We're first introduced to him in the orphanage-like home he's living in, though he's still in touch with his family (and will go back to them briefly before setting out in the world on his own). The staff at the home, which primarily serves children affected by Agent Orange, don't recognize that Chau's a gifted artist with real potential; they discourage him from pursuing what they see as a futile dream. Thankfully, he ignores them and forges on, despite the fact he doesn't have a knee on one leg and his arms and hands are disproportionate to his body. If you're able to stop crying, this is a life-affirming gem of a film.

CLAUDE LANSMANN: SPECTRES OF THE SHOAH (USA)

In 1985, Director Claude Lansmann released a documentary that had consumed him for 12 years: Shoah. Remembered now as perhaps the most important Holocaust film ever made, the creation of it still haunts him this many years on. In this talking-head short—the most traditional documentary of the bunch—we hear from Lansmann directly as he shares stories of the horrors he drew out of various survivors. It's riveting and depressing and makes you respect the classic work all the more, even if his methods for making it weren't always noble.

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars® 2015)

Tonight I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

PARVANEH (Switzerland)

When Afghan refugee Pari (Nissa Kashani) attempts to send money home to her ailing father from Zurich, she realizes she can't because she's not of legal age for the wire transfer. A chance meeting with a local shows her that not everything in life is awful; sometimes you just need a friend. I found this story (and its actors) sweet, but I didn't feel it carried the emotional heft of the usual nominees.

BUTTER LAMP (France and China)

A photographer in a remote Tibetan Village makes lasting memories for townspeople and tourists with his inventive backdrops. Yep, that's basically it, and it's as exciting as it sounds. Short of a few charming instances, I was pretty bored throughout.

THE PHONE CALL (United Kingdom)

Most likely the one that the Academy will crown the winner, this is the most traditional of the nominees. A linear story of a sad man (Jim Broadbent) calling a crisis clinic to reach a sympathetic soul (Sally Hawkins). It's a tender conversation filled with expected tension that perhaps goes on too long (although in real life those moments admittedly feel like forever). Hawkins shines, but there's nothing new here to see.

AYA (Israel and France)

The film I'd vote for if I had a ballot, Aya, combines kidnapping and a case of mistaken identity with a happenstance road trip. Did I mention this is also a rom com? I fell for this film from the opening frame and it had me through to the very end. Well-drawn characters, unpredictable dialogue and enough action to make it feel like it was speeding by (though it was the lengthiest of the entries). I couldn't find fault with anything here, except that I wish it had been a full-length feature so I could spend more time with the characters.

BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM (Northern Ireland)

Two adorable children get baby chicks from their Dad as a gift and refuse to part with them when they grow into full chickens. Their pregnant mother is not amused, so they go to great lengths to protect their pets. This sweet scenario happens amidst the contrast of terrorism and violence that plagued Belfast in the late '70s. A tender look at the layer beneath the historic geographical unrest.

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars® 2014)

Tonight I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

HELIUM (Denmark)

I want to know where Denmark trains their child actors because I have yet to see a weak performance from any of them. In this story, a young child named Alfred is terminally ill. He has a love for balloons—hot air, blimp, etc. so the adults fill his hospital room them to cheer him up. It's not until a hospital worker develops a special bond with Alfred, and makes up a "Helium" heaven that the child is able to accept his tragic fate. Beautifully written and wonderfully acted; a tender reminder of what's important in life.

THE VOORMAN PROBLEM (United Kingdom)

Familiar actors and an unbelievable situation make this lighthearted entry one of the easiest of the nominees to digest. A psychiatrist is sent to a prison to evaluate an insane inmate who thinks he's a God and is forced to confront the fact that he may indeed be one. Brilliant "what if" that reminds us to be careful how we define "crazy."

JUST BEFORE LOSING EVERYTHING (France)

The strongest entry (and my pick for the win) comes from the lengthiest of the nominees, with a 30-minute running time that flies by. A woman is desperate to escape her abusive husband and take her children with her in this race-against-the-clock situation. If this film were a book, it would be one of the best page-turners I've ever read. It conveys the fear, the pain, the shame and the hope associated with such a plot and has you wondering if she'll pull it off right to the very last frame.

THAT WASN'T ME (Spain)

The horrific dangers of the Sierra Leone are magnified in this brutal, violent look at what can (and probably has) happened in one of the most volatile patches of the world. Two humanitarian doctors are taken hostage trying to cross a sensitive border and the torture that follows is unspeakable. The humanity that emerges from the awful situations they endure is what redeems the images in the end. Still, certain parts of this story will be forever burned into my brain and I'm not sure I'm okay with that.

DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING? (Finland)

Women everywhere will cheer and laugh along with this sweet, hilarious take on an over-scheduled family trying to get themselves ready to attend the wedding of their friends. The husband is endearing, the kids are adorable and the mom is—well—super. Delightful romp, without question.

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars 2013)

Yesterday I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

DEATH OF A SHADOW (Belgium/France)

This sci/fi head scratcher centers around a purgatory-dwelling soul who died in the war and is now tasked with photographing the shadows of death. These 'moments' he captures are then collected for a ghoulish gallery managed by a more dominant presence, who may or may not be evil. It's all very confusing, but the haunting elements and beautiful cinematography hold the audience attention well.

HENRY (Canada)

Another sad look at the progression of dementia in the elderly—this film focuses on Henry, a man who desperately misses his beloved wife Maria and can't face the fact that she is gone. The character is treated with dignity and the story is bittersweet as we see Henry's memories brought to life through his own confusion.

CURFEW (USA)

The strongest of the five, this short brings us into the life of a troubled brother and sister. They're trying to navigate their adult lives, which are littered with drugs and abuse, and find a common purpose in the sister's young daughter Sophia. This is sad, funny, poignant and unfortunately relevant in today's tumultous times.

BUZKASHI BOYS (Afghanistan/USA)

Two boys maintain a friendship and a sense of normalcy in one of the most dangerous areas of the world. What's remarkable about the film is not the plot (as we've seen this coming-of-age message time and time again), but the fact that the filmmakers shot on location in Kabul with the blessing of an international film alliance.

ASAD (South Africa/USA)

A young Somali boy has the weight of the world on his shoulders, collecting food and saving friends from armed soldiers who will kill them in the blink of an eye. It's a tender story that is made lighter by the clever screenwriting and somewhat unexpected ending.

~~~

Django Unchained

Yesterday I saw Django Unchained, starring Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx.

Django (Foxx) is a freed slave helping bounty hunter King (Waltz) search for a few select fugitives, who coincidentally are the same jerks who ripped Django and his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) apart. Django is hungry to reunite with his lost love.

In typical Tarantino fashion, the conversations (and speeches) are lengthy (yet clever); characters have catchy, memorable names; good guys and bad guys engage in ridiculous amounts of violence; and black culture plays a big part.

In this case, the main bad guy is the always-brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio (Calvin Candie), who is slimy and charismatic all the same (without chewing scenery). Sparks practically fly off the screen as he and Waltz exchange their tension-filled pleasantries and negotiate business.

In fact, everyone here is good—Waltz definitely deserves his Oscar nod (though I probably would've placed him in the Best Actor category); DiCaprio an Foxx should've received them as well.

That said, what everyone is saying is true: this is far too bloody and far too long. I like seeing where QT will take us next, but I like seeing it without losing an entire day doing so.

When I think back to the first Tarantino film I enjoyed, Reservoir Dogs, which comes in at a trim 99 minutes, I remember wanting more, not shifting in my seat or looking at my phone for the time.

That's how all films should be.

Amour

Last night I saw Amour, starring Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant.

If this wasn't a Best Picture nominee, I would never have made it through the whole film.

Georges (Trintignant) and Anne (Riva) are a happy old couple. Their adult daughter has made a life of her own abroad and they seem content in their retirement.

One morning during breakfast, Anne zones out. Not for a moment, not for a second, but for a terrifying few minutes while her husband scrambles to decide what to do next. Anne has suffered a stroke and soon she will be paralyzed on one side of her body.

In a matter of days, this vibrant couple who still attended concerts and playfully flirted with one another will become a frustrated, pained duo who survives only for the other's benefit.

Emmanuelle Riva, who is still stunning in her mid 80s, is shown deteriorating piece by piece, while every last morsel of her dignity is stripped from her being. Jean-Louis Trintignant as Georges wears each heartbreaking revelation in his expressions, as he witnesses the love of his life leaving.

There is no greater devastation, and none of us want to think of our loved ones ever reaching these stages of their lives, but sometimes it happens. And there is always someone who carries the burden of dealing with it more than any other.

The film does a phenomenal job of communicating the quiet that comes with perpetual depression. Water left running is suddenly more noticeable, as is a window left open during a rain storm. The quiet is no longer peaceful; a home once filled with music is now stale with decay.

Every part of the movie (the acting, the script, the direction) is good, but I enjoyed none of it.

Life is hard enough as it is.

~~~

Zero Dark Thirty

Today I saw Zero Dark Thirty, starring Jessica Chastain and Jason Clarke.

Most Americans remember the evening that President Obama announced we had killed Osama bin Laden, but few of us know how it happened.

This film aims to explain it.

Beginning with the attack on 9/11, we see a step-by-step progression of how 12-year CIA veteran "Maya" (Chastain) and a small team of her peers, learned where the terrorist was hiding and executed a ridiculously risky mission to find and kill him.

There's not a lot to spoil here, and if you're a fan of the NBC Nightly News, many of the clips will look familiar. In fact, the film—running time 2 hours, 37 min.—almost felt as if it was shot in real time because the pacing (until the big scene) was very slow.

Perhaps my expectations were too high because Director Kathryn Bigelow's last film, The Hurt Locker, had me riveted from start to finish, but this was far too long.

A few of the torture sequences could have been cut, as could the countless times we see Maya not getting the respect she deserves despite the fact we know she'll have the last word.

And it was fun to see cameos from folks like James Gandolfini and Mark Duplass, but if the movie was going to be that long, couldn't we have seen more of them?

The performances were all first rate, and Chastain will certainly be nominated for several awards; the writing is also strong with the dialog never veering away from realistic, even if many of the classified conversations had to be reinvented.

It just could have used a bit more editing.

Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts

Tonight I saw the Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts.

Rather than review all five, I'll just write three words to describe each of them based on my perceptions.

Pentecost (Ireland)

Funny, Relatable, Clever

Raju (Germany/India)

Depressing, Sad, Long

The Shore (Northern Ireland)

Comedic, Warm, Satisfying

Time Freak (USA)

Manic, Predictable, Exaggerated

Tuba Atlantic (Norway)

Silly, Ridiculous, Unique

~~~

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This is just an update to let you know that my Cinebanter co-host and I will be live blogging today during the Independent Spirit Awards and tomorrow during the Oscars on our Cinebanter home page.

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Join in the fun, watch the shows and comment along with us!

Dreamgirls

This morning I saw Dreamgirls, starring Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson.

What was supposed to be an energetic extravaganza nearly turned into a nap for me. How do you spell over-hyped? D.R.E.A.M.G.I.R.L.S.

First, Jennifer Hudson.

God love her, she's beautiful, she can sing and I'm incredibly proud of her for beating former American Idol winner Fantasia for this coveted part—but she's not an actress.

The only time I 'felt' Effie was during the musical numbers. I didn't think she was sassy enough, I didn't believe she was head-over-heels for Curtis and I didn't feel much empathy for her as she went on about her life without the Dreams.

The Golden Globe should have gone to Cate (or from what my friends tell me, Rinko).

Next, Eddie Murphy.

I'm sorry, but this is another Golden Globe that was not deserved. Not that Eddie can't act, because he can, but his part wasn't large enough to warrant a statue. And I'm sorry, but every time I watched him in a dramatic scene I couldn't help but picture Gumby. That ridiculous hair made it almost impossible to shake.

And as for the musical numbers featuring him, all I can say is "My girl wants to party all the time, party all the time, party all the time."

I couldn't get past Axel F. Or Mr. Robinson. Or Buckwheat, for that matter.

So what was good about the movie?

Beyonce and the underutilized Danny Glover.

I kid you not. Beyonce went from timid back-up girl to manufactured lead singer to repressed wife to independent woman seamlessly and the moments Mr. Glover was on screen, he lit it up.

It's a shame that this passionate story moved so slowly and got too much press before anyone had seen it.

Let's hope the Academy agrees with me.