Showing posts with label films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label films. Show all posts

Saturday, 5 March 2016

Post Oscars. . .thoughts

One week on from the Oscars ceremony I am going to give my thoughts, as obviously I am now the new Claudia Winkleman! 

I have put the list that I originally posted back on here and then added the winner next to who/what actually won, plus what my own voting would have been and I will then add my thoughts at the end;

Best Picture
  • The Big Short
  • Bridge of Spies
  • Brooklyn
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant
  • Room
  • Spotlight -  WINNER
Best Director
  • The Big Short
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Revenant - WINNER
  • Room
  • Spotlight
Actor in a Leading Role
  • Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
  • Matt Damon,  The Martian
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant - WINNER
  • Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
  • Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Actress in a Leading Role
  • Cate Blanchett, Carol
  • Brie Larson, Room - WINNER
  • Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
  • Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
  • Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Actor in a Supporting Role
  • Christian Bale, The Big Short
  • Tom Hardy,  The Revenant
  • Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
  • Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies - WINNER
  • Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Actress in a Supporting Role
  • Jennifer Jason Leigh,  The Hateful Eight
  • Rooney Mara,  Carol
  • Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
  • Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl - WINNER
  • Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Where my votes would have gone;
  • Best Picture: The Revenant
  • Best Director: The Revenant
  • Actor in a Leading Role: Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
  • Actress in a Leading Role: I can't say!
  • Actor in a Supporting Role: Sylvester Stallone, Creed 
  • Actress in a Supporting Role: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
In my previous post Are you a film critic? I addressed the reasons for my votes based on what the nominations were. In this post I'm going to address some things that have come out pre and post the Oscars ceremony.

Interestingly, I do not understand how the Best Director and Best Film did not go to the same film. All I can think is that the subject of Spotlight was one that touched and may have had the academy members thinking 'it might have been me'. It was a good film, as I say the subject matter and how the film addressed the subject was very well done, but Best Film? I am unsure that it truly deserved that accolade.

The ONLY vote that I got right was for Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl. I have already expressed my adoration for The Danish Girl as a film and I won't go any further on that.

I was truly disappointed that Sylvester Stallone did not win Actor in a Supporting Role for Creed. I have watched The Bridge of Spies and although Mark Rylance did a very good job I am left with a slightly bitter taste in my mouth. 

Here is the part where I may be slightly controversial and think that some may have a point or I'll pose the question that there could be a conspiracy going on here?! The screenplay for Creed was written by and directed by the same man; Ryan Coogler, a black man. The lead role was also played by a black man.

I also think that Will Smith may have had a point to be slightly miffed for not getting a nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Dr. Bennet Omalu in Concussion. This was a great film and like SpotlightThe Revenant and Bridge of Spies was based on a true story. Will Smith did an amazing job, like Eddie Redmayne, of really making you believe in him as Bennet Omalu. He was funny, at times, and an endearing character who you totally believed in and I, after having seen this film, would definitely have had him shortlisted for Actor in a Leading Role. 

Was this year's Academy Awards exactly as Chris Rock said in his introduction to the evening, 'the white People's Choice awards'?  I am not trying to make a political statement or open up any arguments but my thoughts are that at least two actors have not been given the credit that they deserve for the work and effort that they put into their chosen profession. That does not mean that I think that Will Smith should have won but I do think that he should have at least been nominated. I do think that Sylvester Stallone was robbed but then maybe he has appeared in too many action films to be taken seriously!?

As I said, I am no film critic just someone who has enjoyed going to the cinema and being able to give my thoughts.

If I get a chance, I will try and go back and do a review of each of the films that I have seen and I will endeavour to do the same for those that I do see over the coming months.

Sunday, 21 February 2016

Are you a film critic?!

Since 5 December I have been to the cinema nearly every weekend. It's my reward, as part of my life insurance policy, for the walking that I do each week. It's also free!

As I have seen so many films over the last 9 weeks or so, I am thinking that I may be slowly turning into a bit of a film critic!? It has been suggested to me that I could blog my thoughts on the films that I have seen. You know who you are . . . so, thanks, and here goes!

So, here is the list of films that I have seen;
  • The Hunger Games; Mockingjay Part 2
  • Spectre
  • Bridge of Spies
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • The Danish Girl
  • The Revenant
  • Creed
  • The Big Short
  • Spotlight
  • Concussion
  • Triple 9
There are some BIG films here and I have my thoughts on several of them with the Oscars coming up next weekend. So here are a couple of the categories and the films nominated;

Best Picture
  • The Big Short
  • Bridge of Spies
  • Brooklyn
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant
  • Room
  • Spotlight
Best Director
  • The Big Short
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Revenant
  • Room
  • Spotlight
Actor in a Leading Role
  • Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
  • Matt Damon,  The Martian
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
  • Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
  • Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Actress in a Leading Role
  • Cate Blanchett, Carol
  • Brie Larson, Room
  • Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
  • Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
  • Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Actor in a Supporting Role
  • Christian Bale, The Big Short
  • Tom Hardy,  The Revenant
  • Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
  • Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
  • Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Actress in a Supporting Role
  • Jennifer Jason Leigh,  The Hateful Eight
  • Rooney Mara,  Carol
  • Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
  • Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
  • Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
So, I have seen 5 out of the 8 films nominated for Best Picture. 3 out of the 5 films nominated for Best Director. 3 out of 5 for Actor in a Leading Role. I'm afraid to say that I have seen none of the films that the Actress in a Leading Role have been nominated in. I have seen all 5 of the Actor in a Supporting Role and 2 out of 5 of the Actress in a Supporting Role films.

If I was to have a vote on where the awards would go this is where my votes would go;
  • Best Picture: The Revenant
  • Best Director: The Revenant
  • Actor in a Leading Role: Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
  • Actress in a Leading Role: I can't say!
  • Actor in a Supporting Role: Sylvester Stallone, Creed 
  • Actress in a Supporting Role: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Now, having done this I find my responses very interesting! I enjoyed The Revenant as a film, some of the cinematography was amazing but I felt like I had wasted two and a half hours of my life. Why then have I picked it for Best Picture and Best Director? The simple answer is that The Danish Girl is not up for Best Picture. If it was then it would get my vote.  The Danish Girl is probably the best of all the films that I have seen. I can honestly say that I was completely moved by this film; the acting was phenomenal. Totally believable, which is how I believe that acting should be. You should be immersed in the film and believe the characters. This I did not feel watching The Revenant which is why Leonardo DiCaprio does not get my vote.

Sylvester Stallone gets my vote for Actor in a Supporting Role. I am a Rocky baby; well not quite but my dad loved the Rocky films (well 1, 2 and 3!). I learnt how to play the Eye of the Tiger on my trumpet! Sylvester Stallone has done a lot of action films which have dumbed him down as an actor but in Creed he truly acts. There were so many references to Rocky and yet it wasn't a Rocky film.

Am I enjoying going to the cinema every weekend? Yes, I am! I am sure that as this year goes on there may be a weekend that I don't go as there will be nothing worthy of watching but at the moment that is not the case.