CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness.

Now playing across Hampton Roads and Northeastern North Carolina.

Star Trek Into Darkness is the sequel to the franchise reboot launched by J.J. Abrams in 2009.  The writers of Into Darkness have opted to stick with the story flow and characters of the originals, but Abrams tried to take the action up a notch.

Into Darkness finds our faithful characters quietly existing and –led by Capt Kirk — roguely bucking the intergalactic rule book much to the dismay of the rule-following Spock.

It’s not long before they have to begin battling a serious bad guy terrorist – no spoiler here!!  But, if you know the second film in the original film series –  that’s a hint.  And I’m sure if you’re a Trekkie madly awaiting this film and somehow you didn’t see it this weekend — you still already know.  (Nevertheless I won’t mention the name of the returning villain.)   Of course we have to find the bad guy in the middle of some Klingons right from the beginning!  And that leads to a massive escape scene!  (This made me question — Might this be a preview of what a new Star Wars might look like with J.J. Abrams at the helm?)

Of course the crew of the Enterprise carries out its mission as tasked to battle the villain, but along the way the story unfolds as more about the development of the characters and especially about Kirk and Spock getting to know each other than anything…which I found refreshing and interesting.  

I’ve never been a particular fan of Chris Pine as an actor, but I do find him doing an above par job as Kirk.  And Zachary Quinto as Spock continues to shine as Spock!  I love watching him; he’s always spot on, but this time he seems to have added more layers to the character.

Director J.J. Abrams manages to go bigger and relatively better in the special effects and explosions department.  I was never distracted by the CGI, and found it believable even in the middle of an unbelievable scenario.  Some of the 3D was particularly impressive.  It’s been a long time since I ducked in my seat to avoid something seemingly flying right at me… But I did.  Twice.

The 2009 writing team of Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci were joined this time around by Abrams’ pal and partner on many projects Damon Lindelof.  Not sure how they managed it as a team, but the character development seemed stronger here, and the story seemed more tightly woven than 2009. 

One interesting thing to note for me is in the casting – particularly of the bad guy (Benedict Cumberbatch), but also in the choice of Alice Eve as Carol Marcus.  I found it distracting, maybe the accents had something to do with it?  They just seemed weak choices to me.

I liked Into Darkness well enough, not as much as Star Trek 2009, but I think that’s because I was high on the newness and refreshed take on the characters then.  Now that they are settling in, you get to be a bit more nit picky.  There are things I liked better than 2009, too, namely the focus on characters.  No doubt about one thing, with Into Darkness, Abrams and crew boldly go exactly where they want it to go, and Star Trek fans are enjoying the ride. 

THREE OUT OF FIVE COOKIES

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for The Great Gatsby!  Now playing in theaters across Hampton Roads.

I have been waiting for this film to release for a year. I’ve been waiting since the first time I got wind of it April 2012.

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books of all time, and I love Baz Luhrmann and his film vision (excepting only Australia.) Moulin Rouge is on my top 10 list of favorite films of all time.  So you have to know that combining the two Baz Luhrmann directing The Great Gatsby = amazing potential!

So just in case there are a few of you that skipped reading the book in ninth grade English… The story of Jay Gatsby is historic.  Gatsby is madly in love with a girl named Daisy. Daisy loved him but needed to get out of her hometown. The only way out she could see at the time required dollar signs, and lots of them.  And Gatsby, well, he certainly had no money back then.  So she married someone else and there you have the backstory.

In the 2013 Gatsby (still taking place in the early 1920′s), we find Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) struggling with a therapist to get the story out of him.  The therapist encourages him to write it down, and so he begins… arriving in town and renting a small cottage near a mansion outside New York City.   The cottage is not far from his cousin’s house — that would be Daisy (Carey Mulligan)– who is now married to a blue blood, old money type named Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton).  Even though it’s been years of Daisy  living nearby, it’s not until Nick pays a visit that she learns who’s living across the bay.

Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) is known for throwing opulent, over-the-top, unbelievable parties at his Art Deco mansion.  People come from miles around to attend these parties and no one needs an invitation – everyone is welcome.   And soon everything is set in motion for Gatsby to meet with Daisy again after all these years — just now he has money.  Soon enough we learn that Tom — Daisy’s husband shows a whole new side of marriage and not with Daisy.

All of the story of Gatsby is there with Luhrmann’s amazing and opulent touch.  There’s love, affairs, mayhem, and murder — all of the highest caliber.   Some will find this take “over the top”, but Gatsby itself is over the top!  A perfect pairing!

Much has been made of the choice to have Mulligan playing Daisy but I found her to be just fine.   Dicaprio as Gatsby — while there are times of apparent overacting, more on this later — did an exceptional job as Jay Gatsby (throwing in just enough “old sport” tags at the end of nearly every sentence – a favorite part of the character doing what he thinks he should to fit in as a money man).   And Maguire as Carraway played right down the middle, really well done.

For me, though, this film will be remembered for its set design. There’s a lot of CGI, however, it is largely impressive with only a few exceptions. And the design of the entire set and production is gorgeous.  And a shout out to wardrobe department!  Some stunning pieces throughout!

Of course there are a few things I didn’t like about the film.  I saw it in 3-D, and while I understand it, and I feel it did magnify the opulence that the director was going for, it was actually distracting at some points.  (I am particularly thinking of some lip-synching and looping that did not pan out in some driving scenes.)  Also there are times that the literal words and the letters of the words that Nick Carraway is writing come alive on the screen and float at you in 3-D — a little distracting and I didn’t think it was necessary.  There is some overacting from many of the cast, but because of the grander scale and the larger-than-life ideal of the novel’s Gatsby, you have to believe Luhrmann did this on purpose.  At least I do.  He was going for something.  I’m sure of it. 

Even though I’m the person who has to look at the total package, and I do see its shortcomings and drawbacks, I still have to say –also being a person who just loves Gatsby and literature and film:  This Gatsby is just great, Old Sport!

FOUR AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE COOKIES

Rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying and brief language.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for OBLIVION!

The year is 2077 and Earth as we know it is gone.  Ravaged some time ago by an alien force we’re told.  A few of them remain as scavengers and likewise a few humans remain.

The bulk of all Humans are now living on Titan, with a few left on Earth minding the resource gathering (some would call depletion) for those humans on Titan.  They need the water to live.

Two of the humans still around on Earth are Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) — a one man clean-up crew who rides around earth in a fancy space copter taking on the scavengers and repairing our drones that do the same.  Also still around is Vica (Andrea Riseborough) who is Jack’s lover and fellow team member who never leaves their space needle home, but monitors his every move on the planet while effectively placating their boss on Titan.  Both have had their earth-bound memories erased allegedly so as not to complicate matters in case they’re captured.

As things are nearing completion and Jack and Vica are preparing to leave for good headed to Titan.  A crash of an aging NASA vessel and the people inside it sends everything into a tailspin — including the thought that Jack’s memory had been erased.  Has it?  This sets a new course and a second half of the film unlike the first.  The first – higher-paced, action driven and the second – Slower paced, character development driven.  A bit of a yawn stretch as we wait for details to unfold.

Tom Cruse does an okay if melodramatic-at-times job.  (Oh, and Yes!  Morgan Freeman is in it too — I wish I hadn’t seen him in the trailer, because it kind of blew some of the story for me waiting for him to appear!)

Oblivion is Directed by Joseph Kosinski (of TRON:Legacy fame) And written by Kosinski, along with William Monahan (The Departed, The Edge of Darkness), Karl Gajdusek (Trespass), and Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story, currently writing Star Wars:Episode VII).  At times it’s too focused on story – exposing some real flaws.  At other times its like a kid in a candy store with all of the effects we see whizzing by.

With Earth Day 2013 here and our focus on saving the planet front of mind, and then thinking about the Earth of the Oblivion future, you have to wonder what we are trying to tell ourselves through art.  Ultimately in Oblivion, Earth is on the brink of total irrevocable decimation due in large part to our dependence on Technology.  (Says the writer pounding out words on her iPad with the satellite TV feed droning in the background and the automatic coffee maker beginning to stir.)

Oblivion like Wall-E before it (and seemingly less effectively) shines a light on what we are doing to the planet and gives us a glimpse of where we are headed… But also gives us hope that just maybe we won’t slip into Oblivion.

 THREE OUT OF FIVE COOKIES

Rated PG-13… (There are some sexy scenes parents!)

Click HERE to watch the official trailer for THE HOST.

The Host comes to us from Stephenie Meyer — author of the “amazing” “Twilight” books.  It’s the story of Earth under siege by an alien species (called souls) that takes over the bodies of humans.  Even though they have lived in harmony with  most other species whose planets they’ve inhabited, the species is apparently upset that we kill each other, and needs to stop it by hosting.

This is the story of one woman (Melanie)  who refuses to be hosted.  She fights back from inside of her own head (mostly through voice over conversation), forcing the soul species to pay attention to her.  She finally convinces the host to take her to her family for help.

Her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt) leads a group of humans in the desert who have managed to avoid being hosted.   He seems to know what is going on with Melanie, believes her, and tries to lead the group to change their thinking of the invaders.

Of course there’s the weirdest love story ever playing out here, it’s between Wanda (the soul species in control of the body) and her love interest Ian (Jake Abel) along with Melanie (the human species fighting to survive in the suppressed areas of her own mind) and her love interest Jared (Max Irons).  She was in love with him before hosting.  It’s very strange because Wanda and Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) are fighting each other on their urges for the other one’s love.

Of course there are the Seekers trying to find Wanda… And some alien fighting and dying, and saving of earth.

This is certainly one of the worst films I’ve ever seen.  The acting is below sub par, except from Hurt. There is an interesting concept of storyline but execution was far from effective.  It frequently felt like a Saturday Night Live kind of skit that I was struggling to find the humor in, especially in scenes where Melanie is talking to Wanda inside her own head via voice over.  It really was laughable at times.

What made it all even worse was the melodramatic music throughout the film.  It was disastrous.  There was no real passion and no intensity among the acting. If this was supposed to be the second coming of a Team Jacob – Team Edward kind of thing, it fell far short of even that.  I’m not a fan of the Twilight movies and this doesn’t even come close to the love story of that series.  The passion of the relationships wasn’t there, and there weren’t enough scenes between the stars to create any on camera chemistry.

I can honestly say that the best thing about the film for me was at the end — when Radioactive by Imagine Dragons plays under the credits.  Love that song.

One cookie out of five.  (A first for me: One.  Just one.)

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence

Click here for a link to The Croods trailer!

This prehistoric tale turned animated feature is full of family fun, minor history lessons and equal parts teenage angst and colorful imagination.

The Croods gets rolling with the caveman life of Grug (voiced by Nicolas Cage), his wife Ugga (Catherine Keener) and the rest of their family are on the hunt for food.  The hunter gatherer roles we’ve learned about are blurred as the family equally participates in getting the last morsel of food in the land before retiring to their cave in fear.

Oh, yes… fear.  It’s important according to Grug — with all of the other known cave families now dead… he decides the only thing that’s kept them alive is fear.  He advises the family to fear everything.

Soon the teen daughter  Eep (Emma Stone) is on the run and discovers another human!!  Guy (Ryan Reynolds).  Guy says the end of the world is coming and after seeing this thing he has called fire…she wants to go where he is going, do what he is doing…  Lots of parental fighting and teen brooding goes by, but  Soon Grug and the family are on the run and find themselves in a land they never knew existed.

Grug’s mother in law is Granma (Cloris Leachman).  They have a bit of a stereotypical relationship which infers the problems between men and their with the mother in laws have been around since prehistoric times.  Eventually Grug has to accept that his ideas will have to change if he and his family are to survive.  But the learning process is cute and fun and entertaining along the way despite the formula of the storyline.

It’s a film by DreamWorks and the colorful-beyond-belief animation says as much.   The non-stop action is ripe with slapstick and punch lines that had kids in my theater laughing  and giggling throughout.  It’s far from an instant classic, but The Croods is the best animated movie of 2013… Even if it is only March.

Three and a half cookies out of five.

Rated PG (for some scary action).

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for Oz the Great and Powerful.

I have been so excited and highly anticipating the moment in time where I could don my 3D glasses, lean back in my seat and fall into this film in IMAX wonder to be transported back to the magical land of Oz.  And then it happened.  Nothing is what it seems both in Oz and in my dream of what this film would be.

Oz the Great and Powerful is the Disney version of the prequel to one of the most iconic MGM (now under Warner Bros.) films of all time (important distinction I will get to later).  As the film opens Director Sam Raimi uses the original Academy ratio and the black and white/sepia treatment to tell the story of Oscar (James Franco)… A con man with a traveling circus with a penchant for the ladies (including Annie who comes along to tell him she’s going to marry a man named Gale in the hopes he will tell her not to, but he doesn’t.)

Soon on the run from the strongman, Oscar jumps aboard a tethered hot air balloon to get away despite the looming storm and twister in view.  This leads to the landing in Oz foretold in the original film.  As the Land of Oz is revealed we are treated to a Great and Powerful spectacle of color and imagination… Of course meant to mirror the iconic film’s story.

Oscar soon encounters Theodora (Mila Kunis) who tells of the prophecy of a wizard who will save the land of Oz and its people from the evil witch.  Tempted by all the gold in Oz, Oscar begins to play along… Theodora’s sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz) is a little ticked off about this… And we soon learn who is wicked and who is not.

The crux of the story is that Oz must kill the witch to claim the throne.   He saves the life of a flying monkey who then dedicates his life to Oz.  The monkey (Zach Braff) soon learns what he’s in for with Oz’s lies.  Oz encounters a china doll and of course Glinda (Michelle Williams) and the munchkins along the yellow brick road.  Glinda has his number, but agrees to help him because that is what Oz needs – someone to believe in.

A royal battle of wicked proportions and man-behind-the-curtain type stuff later… And we (lovers of the original) find ourselves connecting dots and seeing where this is going.  But fear not, if you are one of the few people on earth who hasn’t see The Wizard of Oz nothing will be ruined here.

As I said I was so excited to see this film.  The only place I wasn’t let down was in the production design and the use of 3D.  Most of the land of Oz was spectacular even if overwhelming in color and scope.  But alas,  From the story itself (which had to be changed here and there for trademark reasons and only certain things alluded to), to the weak and uninspired acting (especially of Williams and Franko), to some of the weakest dialogue, and that just not good CG monkey Finley, I was utterly disappointed.

I should mention that Rachel Weisz was exceptional, but I wonder if she was merely so in comparison to the others.  I think the biggest thing missing from Oz the Great and Powerful is the magic.  It just didn’t own the sense of wonder that one would expect and fell far below expectations.  Those pesky trademark issues came into play again — even the  wicked witch’s green makeup  had to be a different shade of green due to trademarks!

I could see how some might be entertained by the smoke and mirrors, but I saw the man behind the curtain throughout.  So much of the film was shot in green screen and it was obvious.

Instead of “I laughed, I cried, I cheered”, it was more like “I yawned, I stretched, I almost nodded off”.  I was bored during much of this film.  I should have known!  Not counting The Godfather… What spectacular film has ever come out in March right after the Oscars.  In fact… According to whowonoscars.com… for more than 20 years, the months February, March and April had no nominees at all.

Please, please, please let the film version of WICKED be redeeming…

A mere TWO OUT OF FIVE COOKIES.

Rated PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language. 

Click here to watch the trailer for Jack the Giant Slayer.

Now in theaters across Hampton Roads….

We’ve all heard the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but this time it gets a fairy tale face lift with this screenplay that has a heart and a fierce taste of vengeance and humor.

As the story opens we get the tale of giants leaving above earth making thunder and lightening from two different childhood bedrooms.  A poor farmer father telling the story for the zillionth time to young Jack; and the Queen retelling the tale to the very young Princess Isabella.  Both youngsters are a bit obsessed with the story.

Fast forward about ten years and we see that Jack (Nicholas Hoult) and the Princess (Isabella Tomlinson) were destined to meet and live the story into a new chapter.  One thing leads to another and the Princess finds herself in the farmhouse stuck in the beanstalk on the edge of High-up Giantland with Jack and many of the King’s men in tow up the beanstalk to rescue her… Men including Roderick (Stanley Tucci) to whom the Princess is betrothed (much to her dismay).

The Giants can smell the humans and that poses a bit of a problem.  After lots of bad habits on display, disgusting type Giant stuff, peppered with the battling of giants, and pigs-in-a-blanket making (I’m sure you saw that in the trailer), we learn that Roderick was keeping a little secret.

He has a crown in hand that causes the Giants to bow down to him… The crown of a one-time Giant Slayer.  He is now King of the Giants. And no one knows his plan to lead them on earth to rule the land… (Because marrying the princess and living the sweet life weren’t enough.)

Isabelle is rescued and safely down the beanstalk thanks largely to Jack… It seems like a happy ending as Isabella (resigned to marry Rodick) rides with him and her father the King back to the castle…. But, there is a battle yet to be had!  The crown rolls away, and it is game on at the castle.  Lead by the King (Ian McShane) and his right hand knight (Ewan McGregor — whom I love) there are flaming trees thrown and an epic tug of war on the castle door.  It’s some really serious battling.

Jack the Giant Slayer is a Warner Bros. film directed by Bryan Singer of Xmen fame and Written by Darren Lemke (Shrek Ever After), Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) and Dan Studney (TV credits only).   The story is fairly well-crafted and entertaining and the directing has its moments.

The film is packed with action and for those taking the 3D plunge into your wallets, plenty of opportunities to duck in the theater.  For me, it’s a little disappointing that the Princess gets herself into trouble and waits for rescue.  It’s 2013 people… Let her pick a lock, shoot a giant, do something!

And then the giants.  Some are believable, others don’t make the mark.  The films release date was pushed back reportedly for the CG artists.  I kinda felt at times they could have pushed it back even more for some fine tuning.   I just suspended belief, and I was okay.

Stanley Tucci is just so spot on.  His moments of humor are excellent – he has the best lines in the film, far and away.  Hoult does a great job of propelling the story.  Nice to see him alive again after his recent turn as a zombie in Warm Bodies.  Oh, and Ewan McGregor is still handsome!

For parents – Jack the Giant Slayer is rated PG-13 for a reason.  The giants are a little scary and some frightening images.  There are also some intense fighting scenes as well as some language to be aware of… Use your judgement.  My nearly 9-year old really liked it but did have some lingering scary moments at night for a few days.

Three out of Five Cookies.

 

Alright — I’ve thought and thought, analyzed and meditated.  Here are the list of 2013 Academy Awards nominations — with my predictions for winners in BOLD RED.  Comment below and let me know how you feel!  Join the conversation during the Oscars this Sunday night on @HR_Show on twitter (with the hash tag #hrsoscars), or find us on facebook!

BEST PICTURE

 

Argo — It’s a rising tide!  I think the best thing that happened to Ben Affleck was being snubbed by the Academy in the Directing category.  The film has gone on to win so many awards.  I picked it to be in the thick of it by now when I first saw it, and I’m standing by it.  Best Picture Oscar for Affleck and Clooney.

 

 

Amour

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Django Unchained

Les Misérables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Silver Linings Playbook

Zero Dark Thirty

Actor in a Leading Role

 

Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln — Since the moment they released promotional photos of his portrayal of Lincoln, Daniel Day-Lewis has been the talk of Hollywood.  After seeing the performance, there was little doubt left that he would go home with the statuette.  Day-Lewis wins Oscar’s Best Actor award.

 

 

 

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Denzel Washington, Flight

Actor in a Supporting Role

Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln — Three major movies in 2012 featured Tommy Lee Jones.  We saw his blockbuster side as Agent K in Men in Black 3, the frustrated and confused husband opposite Meryl Streep in Hope Springs, and as the historic Congressman Thaddeus Stevens in Lincoln.  Academy voters love to see an actor show his range and Jones certainly did that in 2012.  He will go home with Oscar!

Alan Arkin, Argo

Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook

Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Actress in a Leading Role

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook — Jennifer Lawrence was also on the big screen multiple times this year, most notably for the launch of The Hunger Games franchise followed by her critical turn in Silver linings Playbook.  Second year in a role nominated for Best Actress (2011 for Winter’s Bone) and this year she will win!

 

 

 

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Actress in a Supporting Role

Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables — I can’t imagine there’s any way on Earth Anne Hathaway doesn’t win.  It’s the biggest safe bet since… ever.  In the event she doesn’t I’d hope for Helen Hunt to take it.

 

 

 

 

Amy Adams, The Master

Sally Field, Lincoln

Helen Hunt, The Sessions

Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook

Animated Feature Film

Frankenweenie — I loved this film and it’s homage to fun Hollywood horror films of old.  Even though Brave has won Best Animated Film from the BAFTA Awards and the Golden Globes, and despite the fact that many critics and prognosticators are calling Wreck-It Ralph the winner, I’m going Frankenweenie for the win!

 

 

 

Brave

ParaNorman

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Wreck-It Ralph

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Skyfall, Roger Deakins

Anna Karenina, Seamus McGarvey

Django Unchained, Robert Richardson

Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda

Lincoln, Janusz Kaminski

COSTUME DESIGN

Lincoln, Joanna Johnston

Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran

Les Misérables, Paco Delgado

Mirror Mirror, Eiko Ishioka

Snow White and the Huntsman, Colleen Atwood

DIRECTING

 

Life of Pi, Ang Lee — There is an argument for almost everyone in this category.  It really was a stellar year for directing… despite the fact that Ben Affleck isn’t nominated.  Many feel it will go to Spielberg.  I have a special place in my heart for Amour’s Haneke — beautifully directed.  And how in the world did Zeitlin pull that big performance out of a four-year-old girl!?  And Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook just did practically everything right.  But I have to go with Ang Lee.  When you stop and think about the directing and how much of it was directing actors to play off of NOTHING.  So much of this film is CG and yet, the heart of the film remains.  Bravo to Ang Lee.

 

Amour, Michael Haneke

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin

Lincoln, Steven Spielberg

Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

5 Broken Cameras, Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi

The Gatekeepers, Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon

How to Survive a Plague, David France and Howard Gertler

The Invisible War, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering

Searching for Sugar Man, Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn

Documentary Short Subject

Open Heart, Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern

Inocente, Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine

Kings Point, Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider

Mondays at Racine, Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan

Redemption, Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill

FILM EDITING

Zero Dark Thirty, Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg

Argo, William Goldenberg

Life of Pi, Tim Squyres

Lincoln, Michael Kahn

Silver Linings Playbook, Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers

Foreign Language Film

Amour, Austria — I loved this film.  It has won Best Foreign Film at the BAFTAs, Critics’ Choice, the Golden Globes, and the NY Film Critics Circle plus the Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.  So deserved.  If it doesn’t win Best Picture (second for me only to Argo) it must win Foreign Language Film.

 

 

 

Kon-Tiki, Norway

No, Chile

A Royal Affair, Denmark

War Witch, Canada

MAKEUP and hairstyling

Les Misérables, Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell — The attention to detail was exceptional.

Hitchcock, Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane

Music (Original Score)

Lincoln, John Williams

Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli

Argo, Alexandre Desplat

Life of Pi, Mychael Danna

Skyfall, Thomas Newman

Music (Original Song)

Skyfall, Skyfall, Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth

Before My Time, Chasing Ice, Music and Lyric by J. Ralph

Everybody Needs A Best Friend, Ted, Music by Walter Murphy, Lyric by Seth MacFarlane

Pi’s Lullaby, Life of Pi, Music by Mychael Danna, Lyric by Bombay Jayashri

Suddenly, Les Misérables, Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Production Design

Lincoln, Production Design: Rick Carter, Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Anna Karenina, Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Production Design: Dan Hennah, Set Decoration: Ra Vincent and Simon Bright

Les Misérables, Production Design: Eve Stewart, Set Decoration: Anna Lynch-Robinson

Life of Pi, Production Design: David Gropman, Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock

Short Film (Animated)

Paperman, John Kahrs

Adam and Dog, Minkyu Lee

Fresh Guacamole, PES

Head over Heels, Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly

Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”, David Silverman

Short Film (Live Action)

Curfew, Shawn Christensen

Asad, Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura

Buzkashi Boys, Sam French and Ariel Nasr

Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw), Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele

Henry, Yan England

SOUND EDITING

Zero Dark Thirty, Paul N.J. Ottosson

Argo, Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn

Django Unchained, Wylie Stateman

Life of Pi, Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton

Skyfall, Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers

SOUND MIXING

Les Misérables, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes

Argo, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia

Life of Pi, Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill and Drew Kunin

Lincoln, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ronald Judkins

Skyfall, Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell and Stuart Wilson

VISUAL EFFECTS

Life of Pi, Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R. Christopher White

Marvel’s The Avengers, Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick

Prometheus, Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill

Snow White and the Huntsman, Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Philip Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Lincoln, Screenplay by Tony Kushner — Another hard category to call, with each of them having their own merits!  I honestly would be happy for any of these to win.  But I have to pick one and that one will be Lincoln.  With a screenplay adapted from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s biography “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,” Lincoln brought the battle of equal rights to life and the dialogue was the freshest and most natural I’ve seen on film from that period.

Argo, Screenplay by Chris Terrio

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin

Life of Pi, Screenplay by David Magee

Silver Linings Playbook, Screenplay by David O. Russell

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Django Unchained, Written by Quentin Tarantino — This screenplay is just brilliant and thought-provoking. 

 

 

 

 

Amour, Written by Michael Haneke

Flight, Written by John Gatins

Moonrise Kingdom, Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola

Zero Dark Thirty, Written by Mark Boal

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I love watching people win, and give speeches that move me to think that dreams come true for those who pursue them.  And frankly, every film that moves you is a winner in my book.  Good luck to all the nominees.

Follow the Oscars along with me on twitter and facebook! Find The Hampton Roads Show on facebook and @HR_Show on twitter with the hash tag #hrsoscars.  I will be commenting along the way and would love to have you join the conversation!

Special to The Hampton Roads Show

By Brian Bolt

For a town known more for tricorner hats than directing caps, Williamsburg, Virginia recently enjoyed its fair share of moviemaking glitz and glamour.  This past weekend, the red carpet was rolled out for the sixth annual William and Mary Global Film Festival, an event surprisingly not lacking in celebrity.  The pint-sized star of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, Jared Gilman stopped by the historic Kimball Theater, as well as Helene Bergsholm, star of the 2011 Norwegian film Turn Me On, Dammit!  Pro skaters Tony Hawk and Mike McGill Skyped in a Q and A session about their film Bones Brigade, and Oscar-nominated director Behn Zeitlin Skyped an introduction for his widely acclaimed debut, Beasts of the Southern Wild.

However, it must be known that film festivals, like the giant, prehistoric swine Hushpuppy must contend with, are curious beasts, especially in a town like Williamsburg.  They attract local retirees who have a passion for film as well as college students with a passion for free booze (kidding, they’re cinephiles too).  This peculiar blend of generations is at first startling but somehow manages to result in glorious conversations about classic rock and obscure filmmakers from the 1940s.

Personally, though, I had the pleasure of working as an intern for the festival, performing such essential tasks as tearing tickets and dispensing wine to the festival big wigs.  Yet the most important lesson I learned was not that it is unhygienic to rip something with your teeth or impractical to use your hands to unscrew a wine cork.  No, the most important thing I learned was that kids are kids, no matter how many silver screens they’ve graced.

It took about a day and a half, but I finally mustered up the courage to stride up to Jared Gilman and say hello.  Actually, it was more like an awkward hover as other people spoke to him for a few minutes.  However, in those key seconds, I had the opportunity to plan out my greeting to the syllable.  It first struck me to use a Moonrise quote as a lead-in, but I quickly abandoned that as hackneyed, clichéd, and definitely something he’d see from a mile away.  Then I decided for a more formal approach.  Maybe something like “Prithee, good sir, have you enjoyed the marvelous films thus far?”  This idea melted away with a swift shake of the head, but, before I knew it, the conversation in front of me had ceased and the fifteen-year-old eyes behind the hipster glasses locked gazes with mine.

“How are you enjoying our fair city?” I spat out.

My world was crumbling around me.  This was far worse than my disastrous Newt Gingrich run-in where I chatted exclusively about meteorology.  This was someone from film, a medium I absolutely adore.  I had to fix it.

“I mean…there have been some cool movies, right?” I managed to sputter.

“Yeah,” he said with a nod.  “Some real cool ones.”

Despite my clumsy verbiage, Jared turned out to be a very down-to-earth guy with a friendly demeanor.  He and Helene were pros at taking a seemingly endless amount of pictures with fans (including me!) and they even took the time to talk to me about a movie I had submitted for the 24 Speed film-making contest.  It was absolutely the highlight of my adrenaline-packed weekend when Jared told me he enjoyed my hastily cobbled-together movie.  Even if it was just for a moment on Kimball’s silver screen, I had managed to capture the attention of a person who had captured the attention of millions of other people.

Click Here to watch the trailer for AMOUR.

Even though Amour has been out for awhile and is nominated for more than one Oscar at this Sunday’s Academy Awards, it only just opened in Hampton Roads this weekend… and of course I couldn’t wait to see it!

The story itself is simple. An elderly couple of, at one time, some distinction are living out the remainder of their lives in an apartment in France… alone.

((If you don’t know already, I should mention this is a French film — with subtitles.But pay it no mind… The acting is so deliberate that so much of this film doesn’t even depend on what they are saying… the subtitles become second nature to the love story.))  But this is not a love story for wimps.

In the beginning, something is going on with Anne (played bravely by Emmanuelle Riva)… George (played heroically by Jean-Louis Trintignant) can’t get a response from her.  He rushes to get dressed to get help, and then… She is amazingly fine.

They slowly come to grips with her health challenges — stroke after stroke, paralyzed right side of her body.  She refuses hospital care.  He refuses to give up caring for her, even when it comes to the point when he knows he can’t.   She wants to die….

I won’t give away the ending… but it’s brave, heroic, heartbreaking, and triumphant.  The acting is first rate, and Riva so deserves the Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of Anne.

But let me talk about the direction.  I found it just stunning.  The choices for shots, the choices in the lengths of the shots, the camera angles — all of it plays so well.  I never would have imagined a simple camera shot could make me — the viewer,  sitting in the audience half a world away from where this was filmed or supposed to have taken place – feel more like I was part of the story… I could feel the emptiness of the characters and their lives as it developed.

Amour is utterly wrenching and for a Valentine’s weekend, there wasn’t a better choice of a heart-breaking love-story to be viewed in Hampton Roads.

FIVE OUT OF FIVE COOKIES

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including a disturbing act, and for brief language.

Now playing at Naro Expanded Cinema - 1507 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, VA.