Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

I had the luck to catch this historically important classic on TV the other day.   It is notable for being Katharine Hepburn's last collaboration with Spencer Tracy.  Both received Oscar nominations, with Hepburn winning. And I was pleased to see a shout out to Hopkins,  Sidney Poitier's character's Alma mater. Having been released in the sixties, the issue of race was highly controversial.   But I think this movie is still very relevant today, for interracial coupling is more common now than ever before.  It is interesting that much of the debate in the film seemed to not be over prejudice.   Based on merit, Poitier's Prentice is perfect.  Their only objection is based on color, but not because of bigotry.  The Drayton family is rather progressive, but they acknowledge that in 1960s America, such a marriage would face obstacles.  

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Some people don't get puppets.   But these are not just ordinary puppets.   The Muppets are special.   I am a fan of the Muppets.   The songs and dance, clever jokes with cultural references (Shawshank  Redemption!) ,  and oodles of cameos are pure fun.  Right from the start, they lower the bar from its fantastic predecessor, though they didn't have to, with the opening song "Everybody's knows the sequel is not quite as good."  It's actually a very catchy song as is the rest of the soundtrack.  As usual Tina Fey is hilarious as a Siberian gulag guard.   I'll admit,  puppets aren't for everyone,  but I can't resist the Muppets. 

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

A big improvement over its predecessor, but not quite as good as the original trilogy.  I'm still a little miffed that the very thin Hobbit was split into three movies.   This middle movie takes us almost to the end of the book.  And yet, I bet the third installment will be another three hour saga.  For the amount of plot that occurred,  the movie was just too long.

That being said,  there were some exhilarating scenes such as the one in which the dwarves and Bilbo are "barreling" down the river with the orcs and elves in pursuit.  Of course,  what we have all been waiting for was Smaug,  the fire-breathing Sherlock-voiced dragon.   He is certainly an incredible sight to see.   Peter Jackson's higher, realer frame rate shines in these scenes.   The visuals are enough to hold us over till the big Battle of the Five Armies. 

True Detective: Season 1 (2014)

True Detective is not just an average mystery.  It is half detective gothic, half rich character development, and its the latter half that really lets Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson shine.  McConaughey is widely considered a front-runner (along with Bryan Cranston) in the Emmy race and rightly so, but Harrelson holds his own and does not let his costar overshadow him one bit.  If it had not been for McConaughey's momentum fresh off his Oscar win, I think Harrelson would be right up there with him.  His character might not be as mysterious or philosophical, but he has equal depth and range.  Together, their brilliant dialogue reinforces the intense atmosphere and dark style set by the Louisiana bayou.  T Bone Burnett backs that up with a fittingly ominous and gorgeous soundtrack.

We watch the characters evolve as well as the mystery unfold over a twelve year period.  In terms of storytelling, the format of the show allows for the story to unfold slowly, keeping the viewer transfixed.  Multiple timelines reveal different stages of the detective-work sometimes out of order, letting the viewer piece it together.  

Lone Survivor (2013)

Mark Wahlberg's war drama shows a mission gone wrong in Afghanistan.   This is a profile of modern warfare,  which is strikingly different from traditional war.   To be totally honest,  the setup seemed a little slow,  but such is modern war in which you must be patient.  Once the action starts,  it is unrelenting--fitting for such a brutal war.

The character development is a bit weak.   Why do we care about what happens to these characters?  Because they are servicemen who sacrifice their lives.  Their bravery and courage is inherent.   The opening sequence gives us a general sense of comradery and brotherhood.   We can characterize them stereotypically by what we know about the military,  but we don't really get to know any of these characters as individuals,  not even Mark Wahlberg's protagonist.

     

20 Feet From Stardom (2013)

This Oscar winning documentary profiles the lives of background singers,  including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darlene Love.  If you like listening to some of the best singers in the industry belt out some good music,  well then you can't go wrong with this movie.   But moreover,  the movie really moves us into their shoes.   It begins at the start of their careers and the audience lives their ups and downs as they relive them. 

Locke (2013)

Locke is an experimental film, taking place completely within the tight confines of a car over the course of long drive to London.  This requires some creative camera work,  which was quite impressive.  The entire narrative is told over a series of phone calls.  On one end of the line is Tom Hardy's character,  whose smooth voice and captivating accent amazingly remains calm and collected as his life falls apart.  He is literally talking about of cement drying, no joke.

The Normal Heart (2014)

Unfortunately, I missed the Tony-winning production of The Normal Heart a couple of years back.  In the movie adaptation, Jim Parsons reprises his role, while Mark Ruffalo takes over the lead from Joe Mantello, demoted from his Tony-nominated performance as Ned Weeks to a supporting role.  Julia Roberts plays the role that won Ellen Barkin a Tony, and Matt Bomer plays the role that won John Benjain Hickey a Tony.  As with all of HBO's annual Emmy contenders, the acting is superb, scoring six well-deserved acting nominations.

The Normal Heart tells a very important story about the lack of attention the AIDS epidemic was receiving in the early eighties and I am surprised it had not been adapted for film earlier.  In any case, the issues are still relevant today.

The transition from stage to screen is evident.  There is a lot of grandstanding, soapbox speeches, and furious monologues.  It is very theatrical and though I did not see the play, I'm sure it worked well on stage.  But these theatrical elements are slightly awkward on screen.          

Non-Stop (2014)

Liam Neeson's latest action flick takes place within the confines of a plane.  The premise is intense, it's actually near-genius.  The possibility of the plane coming down constantly looms over Neeson.  The first half of the film is exhilarating, exciting.  But then it starts to go downhill into absurdity.  Without giving away too much, the resolution is unsatisfactory.

Perhaps the film's most egregious error is its waste of very fine actors.  Oscar winner Lupita Nyongo might just be the biggest actress of the year.  And yet, she has no more than 5 lines in the entire film.         

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)

Idris Elba plays one of the most important figures of the twentieth century.  He is given lots of monologues to showcase his acting chops, including the very famous "It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die" speech.  Elba is very good, but, in my opinion, not as good as Morgan Freeman in Invictus.

U2 redeems itself with an Oscar-nominated original song, after the disaster that was Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark.  Ordinary Love has the authentic U2 sound that we know and love.  Had it not been for the infectious Let It Go, U2 likely would have won.

Mandela lived a very full and eventful life.  The fight against apartheid was very long.  Consequently, the movie tries to squeeze in too much, moving very quickly without going into much depth or explanation.    In that respect, the film does not strike an appropriate balance.  The movie already runs nearly two and a half hours and it still moves too fast.        

Emmy Nominations 2014: Who Is Missing and Who Stole Their Nominations?

Aside from reviewing movies, I will also offer my commentary on other media and entertainment. Here is who was left out of the Emmy nominations, and who took their place instead.

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
I, along with everyone else, expect this to be a close race between Bryan Cranston and Matthew McConaughey, fresh off an Oscar win.  I do not imagine Jeff Daniels will pull off another upset.  James Spader carries his show and he's devilishly good, but does not score a nomination.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Thank goodness Juliana Margulies broke back into this category after a stellar season.  Unexpected was Lizzy Caplan, sneaking into a very crowded category for a performance that is allegedly worthy.  However, I would have expected (preferred) to see Elisabeth Moss return with her dance to "My Way" or Tatiana Maslany, who is getting all the buzz on the internet.  It was excusable to overlook Maslany once, but two years in a row just tells us that the Emmys might be out of touch.

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Ricky Gervais managed to fill Jason Bateman's spot for Netflix, who scored 31 nominations (more than double its nominations last year, and more than perennial stalwart AMC).  William H. Macy successfully made the transition from Drama to Comedy for the same show.  Andy Samberg fails to convert his Golden Globe win into a nomination here.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Taylor Schilling scores a nomination here as she should.  No big surprises here.  Perhaps Amy Poehler will finally win her much-deserved Emmy, riding a win at the Golden Globes and a brilliant finale.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Silicon Valley is a big surprise in this category, stealing a spot from Golden Globe winners Girls and this year's Brooklyn Nine Nine.  And of course Parks and Recreation is often unjustly left out.  Modern Family is going for five in a row, repeating the feat that only Frasier has achieved.

Outstanding Drama Series
Downton Abbey managed to somehow keep its spot in a rather nothing-special season, a far cry from its brilliant first season.   Instead I was hoping for, praying for, and really believed The Good Wife would break back into the category for the Big Four networks after a long campaign.  Game of Thrones leads the way with 19 nominations, but in the end, it will come down to Breaking Bad's final season and newcomer True Detective, which bravely chose to enter into the Drama category instead of miniseries, where it surely would have dominated.  

Other Notables

• As usual, Survivor is inexplicably left out of the Reality Competition category. Jeff Probst, the only host on reality television that isn't just reading a teleprompter or cue cards, somehow loses out to the likes of Betty White's Off Their Rockers.
• Emmy voters pass on Emilia Clarke in favor of her costar Lena Headey in the Supporting Actress in a Drama category, rightfully so.
• Modern Family does not steal all of the Supporting spots with only three nominations, notably leaving two-time winner Eric Stonestreet out.  Though his replacements deadpan Andre Braugher and SNL alum Fred Armisen are worthy.  On the other side, Kate McKinnon picks up the SNL slack with a nomination; she is in almost every sketch.  
• Orange is the New Black scores three guest acting nominations.  They will likely fight it out.  If they split Emmy voters, an SNL host could sneak a win.  
• Miniseries and Movie are split into two categories, so Fargo does not have to compete with The Normal Heart.  Consequently, no one is forgotten.    
• The new Tonight Show gets a nomination and actually stands a serious chance against favorites The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.  But in the future, the variety category needs to be split up to allow room for brilliant shows like Key & Peele, Inside Amy Schumer, Conan, and Portlandia.  Because really Real Time and SNL do not belong in the same category.

I will post my predictions as we get closer to awards night!

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Right from the beginning as the film opens with a yodel, you can tell that this film is something special.  Wes Anderson must be one of the most stylish directors out there and his storytelling ability is superb.  From his use of miniatures for wide shots, to the colorful costumes and ornate sets, Anderson gives this triumphantly fun adventure his distinctive signature stamp.  He presents an intriguing whodunnit that builds layers of mystery in a unique world of his own creation.

Ralph Fiennes is perfectly cast as the mustachioed concierge.  He delivers Anderson's trademark fast-paced, witty humor effortlessly.  Newcomer Tony Revolori shines as the dutiful young lobby boy Zero among a fantastic ensemble cast.  This movie has serious Oscar potential.  Maybe Wes Anderson will even land his first nomination for Best Picture.        

Smurfs 2 (2013)

Katy Perry's singing voice isn't the best, but her speaking voice as Smurfette is just unbearably annoying.  There were lots of recognizable voices behind the little blue creatures.  The only one that really made me laugh was George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf.  Jayma Mays has a funny bit disguised as Audrey Hepburn.  Hank Azaria's awkward gargantuan villain did not make me laugh either, but he gave a valiant effort as he always does. Usually, Neil Patrick Harris makes things better, but he really isn't given much to work with.  For the record, I have never really been a fan of the Smurfs cartoon.  They were creepy and they still are.  

Short Term 12 (2013)

Brie Larson plays a line facilitator at a group home for troubled teenagers in an incredibly moving and emotional performance.  The film does not shy away from the inherently heavy subject matter, rather Short Term 12 embraces it quite frankly without any sugarcoating.  The beautiful camerawork brings the audience the perspective of these kids far too often neglected.  Yet somehow, this story manages to be uplifting.  This is thanks to an exceptionally strong screenplay.

The teens, too, give excellent, believable performances.  Particularly, the actors who played Jayden, Marcus and Luis stood out.  Personally, my favorite scene is Marcus's brutally honest rap "So You Know What It's Like," which many Oscar pundits had predicted would score a nomination (It certainly should have found a spot over "Alone Yet Not Alone").  

The Pianist (2002)

As a classical pianist myself, Roman Polanski's depiction of a Jewish musician struggling to survive through the Holocaust really resonated me.  The film prominently features Chopin's Ballade No. 1, a favorite of mine that I have performed in the past.  Adrien Brody plays (or pretends to play) the piece, along with other pieces by the Polish virtuoso, convincingly.

I would like to compare this film with The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, the Oscar-winning documentary short.  The documentary depicts the beauty of music amid the horrors of the Holocaust.  It was music that helped the victims persevere.  The Pianist, historically accurate, is based on Wladyslaw Szpilman's autobiography.  On the contrary, he hides in quiet, denied the healing power of music even when he sits right in front of a piano.  When he plays for the patrons of a cafe, his music is ignored.  The movie is heartbreakingly powerful--but don't mistaken it for a movie about music, it is a movie about a musician, a survivor.  

How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

The sequel to the children's favorite from 2010 does not disappoint.  In fact, it builds on the intriguing world created in the first film, including a new game of Quidditch on dragons.  The Vikings of the fictional town of Berk, much like those of the real world, begin to explore and consequently encounter new lands and peoples.  This movie takes a slightly darker, more mature turn than its predecessor, appropriately growing up with its audience.  With Pixar taking a break this year, Dreamworks picks up the slack with Pixar-level emotion.  It is highly imaginative film and the animators keep up with incredible artwork.  Who knew dragons could be drawn in so many different ways?  And the image of the giant Bewilderbeast is a brush stroke of brilliance.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

The latest installment in the Jack Ryan series features Chris Pine as the titular spy.  It appears that Pine is the go-to young actor for Hollywood reboots after two films playing Captain Kirk as well.  Quite frankly, Kirk is better.  Keira Knightley's performance is not her best work either.  A far cry from her much anticipated role in the upcoming Begin Again.  She did not seem very comfortable with the American accent.  Kenneth Branagh, on the other hand, nailed his accent and role as the Russian villain (just listen to how he says the word 'hotel').

The plot moves very quickly and as it unravels, it becomes a little ridiculous just how fast the questions are answered.  They go from having nothing to having all of the answers in three minutes.  However, I will give them points for one unusual plot point for a spy movie.  Jack Ryan works in finance and having taken a course this past semester on international macroeconomics, I was able to appreciate that the plot was advanced by Ryan entering the action after noticing financial inconsistencies.