Rambling Film

I don't know if it's because I'm sick and didn't get to watch this show with my usual wine. Or that it's on a Saturday, but I just wasn't feeling the excitement of the SAGs. Which is kind of weird because a lot of great things happened tonight.  Let's get to it. My thoughts are in green, the winners are in blue. Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Bryan Cranston - Trumbo Johnny Depp - Black Mass Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl I can't believe this is Leo's first win and his ninth nomination. What the fuck is that? It's about time.  Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett - Carol Brie Larson - Room Helen Mirren - Woman in Gold Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn Sarah Silverman - I Smile Back Brie essentially has Oscar all locked up now. She gave a lovely speech. Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Support...

They're troglodytes. After his wife and two other men are kidnapped by a tribe of cave dwelling cannibals, Arthur (Patrick Wilson) sets out with the local Sheriff Hunt, (Kurt Russel) his deputy Chicory (Richard Jenkins) and a local rich man Brooder (Matthew Fox) to save them. Arthur has a busted leg, but it doesn't matter, he's hobbling right along with everyone else. Only nothing about this trip is easy. I went from never hearing about this film to lots of people raving about it when it hit DVD. It even picked up a few Independent Spirit Award nominations. While a slow burn at times, this is the type of "Western" I can get behind. Bone Tomahawk tries to give The Green Inferno a run for it's money in the gore factor. While there's not a ton of it, it's absolutely brutal to watch at times. The core cast is excellent. I expected this movie to be campy for some reason, but it's not so. Though Jenkin's character provides just the r...

This week's theme from Wandering Through the Shelves is movies that have been adapted from one language to another. (French to English, English to Chinese, etc) Since English is my first language, that's all I've got to work with here. I can't think of one American movie another country has remade. I'm going to pick one great foreign adaption, one terrible one, and one where I need to see the original. 1) Ringu to The Ring The Good. This will always be one of my favorites. It's a foreign adaptation done right.  2) Oldeuboi to Oldboy The Terrible: What the fuck were they thinking with this? The Korean Old Boy is wonderful. People need to get over their subtitle hatred and just watch it. The American version was trash, despite having a great cast. 3) Infernal Affairs to The Departed The One I need to see: The Departed is one of my favorite movies, and I've always meant to watch Infernal Affairs to see if it packs the same punch.

I finally have more than one show on that I can talk about. It's been weeks since my last confession Rambling TV. Here's what I've been watching: Agent Carter This started off with a bang, with Peggy kicking ass and capturing Dottie before the opening credits even roll. Then Jack, who is still an asshole with a superiority complex sends Peggy off to California to help out Sousa who has been relocated there. Peggy and Jarvis have the best chemistry, and we finally get to meet his wife who is nothing like I expected. Reggie Austin plays a new character and possible love interest for Peggy. He's fine as hell so hopefully he comes back as his fate was left up in the air in the final few moments. I like the tie in to Agents of SHIELD as well. This is going to be interesting. The X Files Because I'm a spaz, I didn't record the show after the X Files so half my recording was the NFL post game. I had to watch it on Hulu, which I would normally never do ...

Well, these stats are terrifying.. It starts with teenagers who are taping their reactions to reading their acceptance letters for the first time. They're happy, there's tears, then all of that happiness is gone and we're meeting with victims of sexual assault who reported their incidences and had nothing happen.  This film reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend when we were young (and stupid) teenagers. We wondered if you agree to sex, and then it gets weird and you want it to stop, is that rape? You said yes at first before it took a turn you didn't expect. That's the type of head space that makes people not report things right away, or not at all. That type of thinking makes you question yourself and plays into the "asking for it" complex that is so harmful. It's embarrassing to type this now, but I had to say it. I wish we could've had that conversation with someone who said "Yes, that's wrong and it's not you...

I'm going to try not to be completely embarrassing with these predictions like I was with the Globes. I think I hit an all time low. Here's who I think will win, and in some cases, who probably should instead. Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Bryan Cranston - Trumbo Johnny Depp - Black Mass Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl Who will and should win: Leonardo DiCaprio. This is no one else's.  Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett - Carol Brie Larson - Room Helen Mirren - Woman in Gold Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn Sarah Silverman - I Smile Back Who will win: Brie Larson Who should win: Brie or Saoirse.  Honestly, I like Saoirse's performance just a hair more, but I'm fine with either of these lovely ladies taking it. I think voters are going for "grittier" so Brie will edge Saoirse out.  Outstanding Performance by...

"New year new you" has never been more inappropriate. Nelly (Nina Hoss) is a concentration camp survivor who suffered terrible burns to her face. She gets facial reconstruction surgery, but no matter how much she wants to look the same, she doesn't. She's desperate to find her husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld) but her helpful friend Lene (Nina Kuzendorf) insists that he more than likely is the one that sold her out to the Nazis in the first place. This doesn't stop her curiosity when she actually does locate him. I was really bummed when I missed this film in theaters, it had such a limited release and mine only had it for about a week. I jumped on this right away when I saw it was on Netflix Instant. Sure, Holocaust movies are overdone, but I can appreciate them when they're different, and this one is. It's both fascinating and frustrating to watch Nelly. She's making terrible choices, but at the same time it's impossible to judge d...

This week's theme from Wandering Through the Shelves involves the best way to travel...airplanes! I love flying for the most part. Sure, strong turbulence is terrible, I was on a plane once that was caught in jet wake and the pilot literally explained the science of wake turbulence while correcting it, which was oddly calming. I was almost tempted to do this week about terrible fucking in flight movies I've see, but I'll stick to the films where planes are actually involved. 1) Red Eye This movie is a proper thriller. It has the perfect run time too, short, but intense throughout so it never gives the opportunity to drag. Cillian Murphy probably gets side eyed on every flight he's on now. 2) Airplane! Everybody is going to pick this movie. It's so stupid and fun. 3) The Aviator Unlike Red Eye, this does get the opportunity to drag but it's so well made and acted that I don't care. The cast is amazing.

What I knew going in: That it's a very popular journalism movie. Washington Post journalists Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) take on a story about the break in at the Watergate Hotel only for it to blow up into a massive conspiracy where no one wants to talk. Despite being told several times to essentially "let it go." They keep asking questions and use some very creative ways of getting people to confirm their questions. With Spotlight and Truth being so strong this year. (for me anyways) I knew I had to place this film on my Blind Spot list. So many compared both of those films to this one. I find films like this endlessly fascinating. I love watching journalists work. How they do their research, ask their questions, and put up with so much shit, I have so much respect for them. This film is brilliant all around. The pacing is great, the actors are very natural, though admittedly I'm not really sure how Jane Alexander ma...

Now you have my curiosity. Therese (Rooney Mara) is a young woman working in a department story. She doesn't care much for the job, she really wants to be a photographer instead. One day she helps a woman named Carol, (Cate Blanchett) the curious attraction is there right away. When Carol leaves her gloves and Therese returns them, they strike up a friendship that eventually leads to something more. But this is the 1950's and Carol's soon to be ex husband Harge (Kyle Chandler) prove to be road blocks. I read the novel this was based on a few months ago and just wasn't a fan. While I appreciate it for the time it was released, I thought it was dull. The film manages to be a little bit more dramatic, but the story still lacks depth. The film is shot beautifully. It absolutely deserves its cinematography Oscar nom, if it didn't look like it does, it would be much worse. Blanchett and Mara are also great in their roles. They manage to teeter on their emot...

I think this might be the earliest I've gotten my Top 10 list out. There's a few "big" films I haven't seen yet. Carol, Straight Outta Compton, Bridge of Spies, Tangerine and essentially any foreign film released this year. Here are my top 10 favorite films for 2015, in no particular order.                                     Just Missed *Yes, I know, people hated Age of Ultron. Even with two major complaints, I still enjoy watching it. Behold the field in which I grow my fucks. Lay thine eyes upon it, and thou shalt see that it is barren* Honorable Mention:  End of the Tour, Steve Jobs, The Walk, Black Mass, Ant-Man, Truth, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Mad Max: Fury Road, 99 Homes, Love & Mercy, Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl, Phoenix.  Bottom 5 1) Stockholm, Pennsylvania - For letting a fascinating premise implode in the 2nd...

Just say "no" to communes. Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel) is an 11 year old boy living in a commune. The leader, Gregori (Vincent Cassel) seems charismatic and loving enough, however what he uses the children for is anything but. As Alexander grows older, he begins to question the way he's grown up and soon Gregori notices. This film is a slow burn, but the dread it builds is quietly intense. Cults never go smoothly, and once it's shown what Gregori is training these kids to do, you get the sense that something is about to go very wrong, you just don't know when. It was shot in Georgia (though the location in the film is never mentioned) and characters speak in multiple accents. It gives a very ambiguous feel that works well. I love Cassel, I could watch this guy in anything. Chabriel, while he doesn't get the opportunity to show a lot of range, his curiosity is evident in his eyes.  Grade: B Memorable Quote: "I don't want to talk ...

My excitement for the Oscar nominations was almost nonexistent when I woke up to news that the great Alan Rickman had passed away from cancer. He was such a tremendous talent and an actor I enjoyed very much. (who criminally never had an Oscar nomination) A lot of the nominees this year made me happy, so that's at least something. Of course, there's a few snubs in my opinion. Here's a list of the nominees, my thoughts follow in green. Best Picture The Big Short Bridge of Spies Brooklyn Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Spotlight Why can't they just use their full 10 nominees? Sicario and Star Wars could've been in here too. I'm glad Mad Max didn't miss out, I was afraid it would. Other then that, these are pretty much what everyone expected. I think Carol is seen as a big snub, I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I will on Monday. Best Actress Cate Blanchett - Carol Brie Larson - Room Jennifer Lawrence - Joy Charl...

This week's theme from  Wandering Through the Shelves is about movies after the apocalypse. The disasters are (mostly) over and we see how people deal now. It's funny I would get this theme after being so underwhelmed with Z for Zachariah, a film with an interesting premise that fell flat. Here are some of my favorite post apocalyptic movies.  1) Mad Max: Fury Road What happened to the world to make it the way it is now? Who knows? Why is this in Australia when only a few people have Australian accents? Who the fuck cares, it's fun! 2) Children of Men Women can no longer have children, there's mass poverty, but Kee seems to be defying all odds. This film is so dark and wonderful it almost makes me forgive Cuaron for what he did to Prisoner of Azkaban's script. 3) 28 Days Later The film picks up a month after a massive outbreak of the "rage" virus. Cillian Murphy waking up in a hospital then walking out into a deserted London is stil...

When all else fails, let bloody revenge fuel you. Hugh Glass (Leonardio DiCaprio) is a frontiersmen on a fur trading expedition lead by the young but noble Captain Andrew Henry. (Domhnall Gleeson) They start off with about 40 men, then they are attacked by Natives and that number is down to 10. They have to stash their furs and leave. Glass is brutally attacked by a bear on their way back. At first they attempt to carry him, but they cannot do that up the mountains. So Glass's son Hawk, (Forrest Goodluck) and a very sweet and naive Bridger (Will Poulter) offer to stay behind to watch him until they can get more help. Another tracker, the doubtful John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) also stays behind when Henry offers to pay him more than what his furs work. But after some more dramatic events, Fitzgerald betrays Glass and leaves him behind for dead. Glass embraces the dark side and lets his rage flow through him to crawl back to his camp in the worst of conditions. I've been...