"Brooklyn" Is Old School Hollywood Magic

Author Colin Toibin wrote in his novel, "Brooklyn" that his protagonist Ellis Lacey and her family could, "do everything except say out loud what they were thinking." In the film adaptation of that same novel, Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan makes this aspect of her character incredibly clear through her incredibly textured performance. Over the course of the movie's near two hour running time, we see the evolution and growth of a young woman in an unfamiliar land play out beautifully across her expressive face.

"Carol" Is A Gorgeous, Quietly Intense Love Story

"Carol," is a lot of things. It's an adaptation of the brilliant Patricia Highsmith novel "The Price of Salt." It's masterpiece in the purest sense of the word; It's Todd Haynes most handsome, affecting work to date. It's a showcase for Cate Blanchett, and evidence that she is truly the best actress working today. How she manages to still surprise us all film after film is a thrilling mystery. More important than all of that, is that it is one of the greatest love stories ever committed to film.

"Room" Review

Life for 5-year-old Jack (newcomer Jacob Tremblay) and his ‘Ma’ (Brie Larson from “United States of Tara” and “21 Jump Street”) doesn’t extend outside of the 11-by-11 foot interior of a sealed, sound proof shed. They’ve been held captive for several years by a man only named as ‘Old Nick’. To Jack, this shed (aptly named, Room) is the whole world— at least that’s what his Ma has raised him to think. The truth of the situation is too much for anyone to bear, let alone a young child. 

Saorsie Ronan Stuns in the Gorgeous, Affecting First Trailer for "Brooklyn"

I have to admit, as intrigued as Saorsie Ronan's involvement in director John Crowley's film "Brooklyn" made me, I wasn't that excited about the film to put it on my must see list. Ronan, Oscar-nominated for her understated work in 2007's "Atonement", hasn't really had a great film since "Hanna", but as an actress, she's a knockout. Even in mixed bags like "The Lovely Bones" she finds ways to elevate dull material with her expressive eyes.

However, watching the first trailer, the ecstatic reaction the film received after its bow at Sundance makes me need to see the film. This might be the gold Ronan needed to ascend to true leading lady status, and an Oscar doesn't seem too far out of her reach.

Based on the novel by Colom Tóbín, Ronan plays Ellis, a young woman who immigrates from Ireland to New York City during the 1950s in search of work, and a better life. After finding a job and a home (run by a strict landlady, played by Julie Walters, she meets Tony, a young Italian plumber. The two are instantly smitten, but when her sister passes away, she's called back to Ireland to help her family. Her past life disrupts the beautiful dream she's made for herself in America, and suddenly, Ellis is torn between her love in America, and her love back home.

Ronan, being front and center, spells good things for the film's awards chances. It seems like a very naturalistic, yet complex, role, and after last season being so male-dominated, it's refreshing to see a woman's story at the front of the awards contenders, and handled with such sensitivity.

Distributed by Fox Searchlight, the film will be released on November 6, aka, the perfect time for Oscar contenders.

Watch the trailer below.

Meryl Streep Enlists Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham-Carter in "Suffragette" Trailer

After the very short teaser we received a few months ago, team "Suffragette" is back with an undeniably powerful trailer.

The trailer does an amazing job at introducing the main players (Bonham-Carter, Mulligan, Annie Marie Duff, among others) while hinting at Streep's turn as Feminist legend Emmeline Pankhurst. There's a gorgeous reworking of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" towards the end, and a very affecting line by Carey's character: "War is the only language men listen to."

If you were underestimating the potential of "Suffragette" in the Oscar race, think again. Methinks this will be a very strong play for Mulligan, Bonham-Carter, Streep and the film itself.

Watch the trailer below. "Suffragette" will open the London Film Festival and will be released in the states on October 23.

Producer's Guild and Screen Actor's Guild: The Race is Wide Open

Move aside "Boyhood", we have a new frontrunner on our hands. 

If you thought that this year's Oscar race was getting a little boring (like me), then this weekend was exactly what you needed. After winning nearly every critic's prize and the Golden Globe, it seemed "Boyhood" was getting ready to steamroll its way to the Oscars. But with announcements from the Producer's Guild and the Screen Actor's Guild, its path just got a little more obscure.

Into the Woods: A Serious Oscar Threat

"Into the Woods" has been a question mark in the awards race throughout the season. Though I have fearlessly (and a bit prematurely, I will admit) predicted the film to appear in categories such as Best Picture and Supporting Actress, most prognosticators have steered clear of placing their chips in Woods' favor. Though there have been film musicals such as "Chicago" and "Les Miserables" have had strong awards recognition, there have been those ("Hairspray", "Nine", "Grease", etc.) that have been largely ignored by the Academy. However, it's clear that after last night's DGA screening of Rob Marshall's adaptation that Into the Woods is coming to crash the party come December 25th. 

The Calm Before the Storm: Where are we in the Oscar Race?

"Boyhood", "The Imitation Game", "The Theory of Everything", "Birdman", "Foxcatcher" and "Gone Girl" all look like Best Picture nominees, but who is leading?

The Oscar race is a fickle thing; the slightest bit of negative buzz can all but deter a film on the winning track to implosion. Your buzz can never peak too early, and your release date can't be too far away from the end of the year. Sure, you can skip the festivals (New York, Cannes, Venice, Telluride) but you better have a hell of a box office success story, or Meryl Streep playing a Holocaust victim in a film backed by Harvey Weinstein if you want to secure some major nominations.


At this point last year, we had "Gravity" breaking box office records, and "12 Years A Slave" had won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival; these were undisputed frontrunners. It was going to come down to these 2 (and it did, with some heat from "American Hustle"). I can honestly say that as of right now, I have no idea what film will win Best Picture; we don't really have a front runner.

Gone Girl Review (SPOILER HEAVY)

For those of you who haven't already read the book or seen the movie, I encourage you stay away from this review until you do both. However, if you can't help yourself, then at least I can say you were warned.

Oscar Race: Turning Up the Heat

The end of the summer is upon us, and with the Venice Film Festival just around the corner (starting on the 27th and ending on the 6th of September), we're really about to get in the thick of Oscar season.

Of course, the summer has been dominated (mainly) by buzz; none of the films that are being predicted to be heavyweights in the season have premiered to the masses yet, except for Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" (more on that later). Of the films predicted to do well this season, even fewer have had premieres at all ("Whiplash" had Sundance, "Foxcatcher" had Cannes, "Birdman" will open Venice in a week's time); we've mainly been restricted to pictures, hearsay and trailers.

So, where does that leave us now?

Boyhood: A Film 12 Years in the Making

Our eponymous "boy" played by Eller Coltrane as he ages through the film's 164 minute duration. 

By now, I'm sure everyone has heard of Richard Linklater's "Boyhood"; its the film that took literally 12 years to make. Over this period of 12 years, for a few days, Linklater (serving not only as the film's director, but writer as well) and his cast and crew would assemble for a few days or so every year to revisit the characters, slowly inching towards its emotional conclusion.

Boyhood is a strangely simple title given the laundry list of themes the film explores. Sure, at the center is Mason (Coltrane) who we are watching literally age and grow up. But besides that, Linklater tackles abusive relationships, coming of age, falling in love, absent parents, and (briefly) sex, drugs and alcohol; with Boyhood, Linklater has taken snapshots in time and assembled them into the human experience.

Meryl Streep's Song Reportedly "Cut" From Into the Woods & Unbroken Test Screens

Meryl Streep as The Witch and Mackenzie Mauzy as Rapunzel in Disney's "Into the Woods".

Remember that wonderful news that composer Stephen Soundheim wrote a new song just for Meryl Streep for the onscreen adaptation of "Into the Woods"? Remember how excited she was? Remember how excited we were? Well unfortunately, director Rob Marshall ("Chicago") tells us that the song has been cut from the film.

First Official Images from Disney's "Into the Woods"

The promotion for the upcoming musical adaptation "Into the Woods" has been strangely very quiet... though it's not due out until Christmas Day, you'd think there would be at least a teaser trailer out at this point (Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken", which also is opening on Christmas Day, has released 2 trailers thus far). The musical is increasingly popular, however, so I guess Disney is relying a lot on the core, die hard audience (in the same way "Les Miseerables" did back in 2012). I'm sure they're waiting to strike, and with such a starry cast, there's no doubt in my mind that box office success will elude the film.

That being said, Disney has released some really gorgeous looking stills from the film, never seen before featuring Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Christine Baranski and a glimpse of Johnny Depp as The Wolf.

Take a look below at the stills.

Interstellar Could Be Christopher Nolan's (Oscar) Breakthrough

"The Dark Knight snub" is a term that many Oscar pundits and fanboys alike have attributed to the expansion of the Best Picture field; when "The Reader" was nominated over The Dark Knight in 2008, many took it as a flat out snub. It was one of the most (if not the most critically acclaimed film of the year), and received 8 other nominations, including a win for Heath Ledger's now iconic performance as the Joker. Nolan himself was also left out of the Best Director lineup, even though he received a nomination from the Director's Guild, and other major critical precursors.

After the expansion of the Best Picture category (from 5 to 10 films), his follow up film "Inception" received a nomination, but Nolan was once again snubbed from the directors in the Academy, despite once again being recognized by his fellow directors at the DGA.

Based on the early reports and first trailer, it seems that Nolan is bringing a level of A-game we haven't yet seen from him; Interstellar looks to be Nolan's most visually, and thematically cohesive project yet, and a the new trailer confirms that this is going to be the film that may just finally get him that elusive Oscar nomination.

BAFTA Voter Speaks Up: Hope For American Hustle?

If you thought that American Hustle's chances in the Best Picture race were slim to none against PGA winners 12 Years A Slave and Gravity, you were wrong; it is still very much the 3 way race it's kind of been for the last month or so.

Where Are We in the Oscar Race?

Gravity, American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave are duking it out for the title of Best Picture of the Year. Who will the DGA pick? 

In the last month, we've heard from numerous critic's groups (including the BFCA), the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild. The Directors Guild will announce their winner on Sunday, and ultimately decide the new frontrunner.

But throughout the announcements and the seemingly endless awards shows, there are 3 films that have consistently come out on top each time. These are the 3 films that are currently duking it out for the win, the big prize.

Each film has its own band of supporters, its own narrative and reason for winning; it's going to be a photo finish.

American Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years A Slave have built and maintained substantial heat in the past few months, but which film has enough gas in the tank to make it to the finish line?