January 30th, 2013
MEOW!
Welcome to my first post of STORY SUMMARIES! Let's get write to it!
USHER: The Musical tells the beautiful story of a man named...well, I don't know what his actual name is given that his nametag just says Usher, but moving on. He seems to enjoy what he does best; his managers and employees seem to like him, and he does have some awesome writing skills. But one day, the Angry Theatre Critic comes to town and demands that Justin Bieber becomes a part of the season's line-up. If he doesn't perform at the theatre in three days time, the A.T.C (Hehe, if you re-arrange the letters, it spells out C.A.T.) will write a scathing review about the theater and its staff, which would have business go all the way down the drain. The manager then demands the Usher to immediately fly down to California, teen-nap Justin Bieber (with possibly a few of his fans), and convince him to perform for one night in order to avoid critical melodrama.
Eventually, he does teen-nap Justin Bieber...even though he...isn't Justin Bieber? It appears that he accidentally teen-napped Jessica Beaver, a stand-in for Justin Bieber who is, uh, a girl? Why is she a--never mind. Jessica is a wanna-be singer/actress that never gets a chance to shine because Justin gets all the glory. So the Usher hatches a plan: if Jessica can perfectly impersonate Justin's look, movement and style by the time the A.T.C. arrives to see her(his) performance, then his job would be safe, and Jessica would finally get her three minutes of (non-profitable) fame. During the process of this brilliant plan, the two start to form a friendship and learn some interesting facts about both of their lives.
When they arrive back in town, JessicahemJustin is fully prepared to take the stage in front of his fans, and especially the A.T.C.. Justin (wink) performs his memorable tunes such as "Baby" and "Never Say Whatever" until he, oh dear, I knew this day would come, throws up on stage. It is then revealed to everyone that 'Justin Bieber' is, in fact, a girl. Everyone walks out of the theater in disbelief, and the A.T.C. is so angry to the point of changing the name to just T.C.. The manager fires the Usher from the theatre, which unfortunately leaves him with no name. As for Jessica, she now has no career of any kind, and lives with NoName for a couple of days at his apartment.
During those couple of days, both Jessica and NoName become uncertain about their lives in the future. When NoName writes away his feelings on Facebook, a lightbulb turns on his head. A voice then asks NoName "What if you both made a musical inspired by your silly-yet-insightful journey? And what if that musical becomes a Tony-Award winning smash that'll run on Broadway for years...and years...and years...and years...and years...and yeah, you get the drift." NoName then asks Jessica to team up and write a musical based on their journey together, in which she agrees to write and perform in. NoName then creates a name for himself; his new name is TBD*.
* = We'll see where this story goes in the future.
Three years later, USHER: The Musical becomes a smash hit on broadway, and wins a record-breaking number of Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actress in a Musical. At the after-party, both TBD and Jessica meets the real-life Justin Bieber, and he thanks them for creating the musical. Both of them are amazed that an extremely popular celebirty like Justin Bieber can have a sense of humor.
Hope you all enjoyed it! More to come!
Until next time,
MEOW!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
MEOW! Presents: The Best Films of 2012!
January 27th, 2013
MEOW!
Well, this is about a month late. Let's get right to it. Here are the best films of 2012 in the order of their release dates!
21 Jump Street (March 16th, 2012)--I've got two words for you: exploding. chickens. If you were able to crack at least a smile at those words, then you are in for one of the funniest comedies to be made in quite some time.
Bernie (April 27th, 2012)--What an impressive gem by Richard Linklater, with a truly underappreciated performance by Jack Black, also known as the Dragon Warrior. It's on Netflix instant right now, so if you have that, give it a go.
ParaNorman (August 17th, 2012)--From the clever usage of horror-movie stereotypes as Norman's team, to the WONDERFUL messages of acceptance and tolerance for children of all ages, this film is among the best of the stop-motion animation genre. Hopefully this film finds more of an audience soon.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (September 21st, 2012)--This film has it all and more in spades: bittersweet cinematography, a pitch-perfect ensemble led by Logan Lerman, and an eye-opening direction and script written by Stephen Chbosky, who also wrote the 1999 novel of the same title. If you ever come across this film in your life, watch it, and I swear, you will feel infinite. Magic.
Looper (September 28th, 2012)--With a brilliant imagination by Rian Johnson, and two outstanding performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt (his best film to date) and Bruce Willis (YIPPIE KAY YAY!), this is a fantastic film of the sci-fi genre. How this film got snubbed for a Best Original Screenplay nomination is beyond me.
Cloud Atlas (October 26th, 2012)--One of the most underappreciated films of all-time, let alone decade, this is an amazing experiment of ambitious, imaginative filmmaking. You know you love a film so much when you listen to most of the score's compositions on Spotify.
Skyfall (November 9th, 2012)--Coming from someone who has only seen Quantum of Solace out of the 22 Bond films created at the time (crucify me now if you must), I was extremely impressed with Bond #23. Under the excellent direction of Sam Mendes, containing moments that will make you proud to be a moviegoer, Skyfall is a terrific tribute to a 50-year-old film icon.
Rise of the Guardians (November 23rd, 2012)--I will never walk in as a skeptic to a Dreamworks film ever again. This is a roller coaster ride of breathtaking visual imagination, while also being a poignant tribute to the child in all of us. And choose caution: if you are a 90's kid, and/or are able to let the moments of your own childhood flow right into your memory, you could very well tear up during the end credits. Bring a friend so that he/she can hug you. Your welcome.
Silver Linings Playbook (November 23rd, 2012)--Who knew that a film about two people with mental illnesses falling in love with each other can be fresh, wonderful, and genuinely romantic? David O. Russell scores another touchdown by writing and directing an involving (albeit predictable) romantic comedy, with by a fantastic ensemble led by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.
And now we cue my love letter to the best film of 2012....
Wreck-It Ralph (November 2nd, 2012)--Even though the rest of the films on this list have given me hope for the future of cinema (no pun intended when it comes to LOOPER), no other film in 2012 had made me happier to be who I am today than Wreck-It Ralph. Exploding with brilliance and creativity in nearly every frame, with an unapologetic heart of happiness and melancholy, I now understand how people felt back in 1939 when they saw The Wizard of Oz for the first time (ironically, there's a reference to that film, and it will blind-side you with its genius). It's as good as The Hunchback of Notre Dame when it comes to being the best thing Disney has ever produced, and it's up there with some of the best (animated) films that I've ever seen. I can't think of anything bad to say about it. It's truly a perfect film.
Honorable Mentions: Chronicle, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, The Hunger Games, The Pirates: Band of Misfits, Moonrise Kingdom, Prometheus, Ted, Hope Springs
Until next time,
MEOW!
MEOW!
Well, this is about a month late. Let's get right to it. Here are the best films of 2012 in the order of their release dates!
21 Jump Street (March 16th, 2012)--I've got two words for you: exploding. chickens. If you were able to crack at least a smile at those words, then you are in for one of the funniest comedies to be made in quite some time.
Bernie (April 27th, 2012)--What an impressive gem by Richard Linklater, with a truly underappreciated performance by Jack Black, also known as the Dragon Warrior. It's on Netflix instant right now, so if you have that, give it a go.
ParaNorman (August 17th, 2012)--From the clever usage of horror-movie stereotypes as Norman's team, to the WONDERFUL messages of acceptance and tolerance for children of all ages, this film is among the best of the stop-motion animation genre. Hopefully this film finds more of an audience soon.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (September 21st, 2012)--This film has it all and more in spades: bittersweet cinematography, a pitch-perfect ensemble led by Logan Lerman, and an eye-opening direction and script written by Stephen Chbosky, who also wrote the 1999 novel of the same title. If you ever come across this film in your life, watch it, and I swear, you will feel infinite. Magic.
Looper (September 28th, 2012)--With a brilliant imagination by Rian Johnson, and two outstanding performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt (his best film to date) and Bruce Willis (YIPPIE KAY YAY!), this is a fantastic film of the sci-fi genre. How this film got snubbed for a Best Original Screenplay nomination is beyond me.
Cloud Atlas (October 26th, 2012)--One of the most underappreciated films of all-time, let alone decade, this is an amazing experiment of ambitious, imaginative filmmaking. You know you love a film so much when you listen to most of the score's compositions on Spotify.
Skyfall (November 9th, 2012)--Coming from someone who has only seen Quantum of Solace out of the 22 Bond films created at the time (crucify me now if you must), I was extremely impressed with Bond #23. Under the excellent direction of Sam Mendes, containing moments that will make you proud to be a moviegoer, Skyfall is a terrific tribute to a 50-year-old film icon.
Rise of the Guardians (November 23rd, 2012)--I will never walk in as a skeptic to a Dreamworks film ever again. This is a roller coaster ride of breathtaking visual imagination, while also being a poignant tribute to the child in all of us. And choose caution: if you are a 90's kid, and/or are able to let the moments of your own childhood flow right into your memory, you could very well tear up during the end credits. Bring a friend so that he/she can hug you. Your welcome.
Silver Linings Playbook (November 23rd, 2012)--Who knew that a film about two people with mental illnesses falling in love with each other can be fresh, wonderful, and genuinely romantic? David O. Russell scores another touchdown by writing and directing an involving (albeit predictable) romantic comedy, with by a fantastic ensemble led by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.
And now we cue my love letter to the best film of 2012....
Wreck-It Ralph (November 2nd, 2012)--Even though the rest of the films on this list have given me hope for the future of cinema (no pun intended when it comes to LOOPER), no other film in 2012 had made me happier to be who I am today than Wreck-It Ralph. Exploding with brilliance and creativity in nearly every frame, with an unapologetic heart of happiness and melancholy, I now understand how people felt back in 1939 when they saw The Wizard of Oz for the first time (ironically, there's a reference to that film, and it will blind-side you with its genius). It's as good as The Hunchback of Notre Dame when it comes to being the best thing Disney has ever produced, and it's up there with some of the best (animated) films that I've ever seen. I can't think of anything bad to say about it. It's truly a perfect film.
Honorable Mentions: Chronicle, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, The Hunger Games, The Pirates: Band of Misfits, Moonrise Kingdom, Prometheus, Ted, Hope Springs
Until next time,
MEOW!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
MEOW! Presents: MAMA who did not bore me, but did, in fact, scare and frustrate the DICKENS out of me--My Review of MAMA here!
January 19th, 2013
Mama...
Er, I mean..
MEOW!
Up to a point, MAMA is a fun moviegoing experience. There's a reason why horror films should truly be experienced in the comfort of a cold, dark, creaky movie theater (with, of course, a yellow light up above in order to see the notes that you take while watching the film).
It's refreshing to see a horror film that not only doesn't use the shaky cam as a filmmaking gimmick; it's also refreshing to see a horror film that doesn't follow the found-footage formula that began with The Blair Witch Project. That doesn't mean anything, however, if the film doesn't succeed on its own, pretending she's beside it (I will stop creating Les Miserables references for the remainder of my reviews). For the most part, it does stand on its own two creepy feet. Even if the film does have a fair amount of horror-movie cliches, there's still some room left open for a couple of genuinely surprising moments. For instance, the character of Annabel (Jessica Chastain) notices a closet that is slightly opened. This leads to the ever-so-popular phrase shouted by an audience, simply titled, "DON'T YOU DAAAAARE OPEN THAT CLOSET!" But a couple of seconds later, nope; she actually closes the closet instead. Well-played. At times, the film can be very well-crafted. There's one shot with Lily (Isabella Nalisse) playing with the Mama herself in the bedroom, while Annabel is out in the hallway attempting to do laundry, and it's a terrific use of the one shot; it shows what you can get away with when it comes to filmmaking. As with all of the horror films being released today, the use of sound is quite impressive here, and while it follows the traditional jump-scare formula, it's still a formula that works wonders to scare the dickens out of us. There's also a nice homage to a short of the same name that this film is based on, which can be found in the parentheses here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRqS6pBC42w see if you notice any similarities). So, the first two-thirds follow horror-movie cliches, but they work well to its advantage. The acting is fine by all involved, and whatdoyaknow? No gore at all! How excellent is that?
Then we get to the last third. This is a trend that I've been noticing with a couple of horror films lately, namely with something like The Last Exorcism. It starts off relatively strong and does what it can to the genre's audience, but once it gets to the last act, it's almost as if another writer has taken over and screwed everything up. MAMA is one of those films, only this time, the writer is trying too hard to make the ending both ambiguous and satisfying at the same time. The result is something out of what I like to call a confusing stew of stew-pidness. Also, are we supposed to feel emotional at the end? It certainly would've toyed with my emotions brilliantly had there been more development between the characters and more sense in its storytelling. I guess you can't have every film be like that, no matter how hard you believe it to be.
MAMA is a predictable-yet-fun horror film almost entirely spoiled by a confused ending. Come on, guys. How hard is it to craft a satisfying ending for a horror film nowadays, huh? Still, if you're going to boo at such a dismal ending, at least boo with an audience. And let me tell you, along with The Woman in Black, this IS an audience film. See it with a scared audience, and at night if you can. Without an audience, it's a high rental at best.
Until next time,
Mama...
Er, I mean, MEOW!
P.S. Guillermo, I eagerly await Pacific Rim with enthusiastic anticipation.
Mama...
Er, I mean..
MEOW!
Up to a point, MAMA is a fun moviegoing experience. There's a reason why horror films should truly be experienced in the comfort of a cold, dark, creaky movie theater (with, of course, a yellow light up above in order to see the notes that you take while watching the film).
It's refreshing to see a horror film that not only doesn't use the shaky cam as a filmmaking gimmick; it's also refreshing to see a horror film that doesn't follow the found-footage formula that began with The Blair Witch Project. That doesn't mean anything, however, if the film doesn't succeed on its own, pretending she's beside it (I will stop creating Les Miserables references for the remainder of my reviews). For the most part, it does stand on its own two creepy feet. Even if the film does have a fair amount of horror-movie cliches, there's still some room left open for a couple of genuinely surprising moments. For instance, the character of Annabel (Jessica Chastain) notices a closet that is slightly opened. This leads to the ever-so-popular phrase shouted by an audience, simply titled, "DON'T YOU DAAAAARE OPEN THAT CLOSET!" But a couple of seconds later, nope; she actually closes the closet instead. Well-played. At times, the film can be very well-crafted. There's one shot with Lily (Isabella Nalisse) playing with the Mama herself in the bedroom, while Annabel is out in the hallway attempting to do laundry, and it's a terrific use of the one shot; it shows what you can get away with when it comes to filmmaking. As with all of the horror films being released today, the use of sound is quite impressive here, and while it follows the traditional jump-scare formula, it's still a formula that works wonders to scare the dickens out of us. There's also a nice homage to a short of the same name that this film is based on, which can be found in the parentheses here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRqS6pBC42w see if you notice any similarities). So, the first two-thirds follow horror-movie cliches, but they work well to its advantage. The acting is fine by all involved, and whatdoyaknow? No gore at all! How excellent is that?
Then we get to the last third. This is a trend that I've been noticing with a couple of horror films lately, namely with something like The Last Exorcism. It starts off relatively strong and does what it can to the genre's audience, but once it gets to the last act, it's almost as if another writer has taken over and screwed everything up. MAMA is one of those films, only this time, the writer is trying too hard to make the ending both ambiguous and satisfying at the same time. The result is something out of what I like to call a confusing stew of stew-pidness. Also, are we supposed to feel emotional at the end? It certainly would've toyed with my emotions brilliantly had there been more development between the characters and more sense in its storytelling. I guess you can't have every film be like that, no matter how hard you believe it to be.
MAMA is a predictable-yet-fun horror film almost entirely spoiled by a confused ending. Come on, guys. How hard is it to craft a satisfying ending for a horror film nowadays, huh? Still, if you're going to boo at such a dismal ending, at least boo with an audience. And let me tell you, along with The Woman in Black, this IS an audience film. See it with a scared audience, and at night if you can. Without an audience, it's a high rental at best.
Until next time,
Mama...
Er, I mean, MEOW!
P.S. Guillermo, I eagerly await Pacific Rim with enthusiastic anticipation.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
MEOW! Presents: Ooh-rah?: My Brief One-Long-Paragraph Review of ZERO DARK FORTY..ahem..THIRTY!
January 13th, 2012
MEOW!
Zero Dark Thirty made me feel like a jerk. I guess that was the intention of Kathryn Bigelow, who also directed The Hurt Locker; her moral in that film was "war is a drug." This time, the drug seems to be how terrorism poisons the human mind, and while they seem to break out of that habit at times, there's no turning back on what had occurred, for it has happened. What is 100% accurate remains in questioning; what can be said is that this is a very admirable work by Bigelow and crew. While this is yet ANOTHER one of these films that could've used a little more development in our characters (We get to know NONE of the U.S. Navy Seal members), and it's also ANOTHER film that doesn't need to be more than two-and-a-half hours long (kind of hypocritical, but we'll get to that later), the film does address how twisted our society has become in a relatively honest and thoughtful way. It's also exceptional in its filmmaking; the opening couple of minutes is just a dark screen while hearing the unfortunate cries of those suffering on 9/11, and the result is incredibly effective to the ears. And while we're on the subject of sound, I don't think I've ever jumped more than once at the sound of explosions before; if there's one thing this film needs an Oscar for, it's in the sound department. The use of editing during the raid at Bin Laden's house is also outstanding, especially when it switches from the P.O.V. of night-vision goggles to the P.O.V. of Maya watching what's going on {SIDE-NOTE: Good thing this film wasn't shot in 3-D, because we wouldn't tell what was happening at all when the raid occurs.}. Speaking of Maya, Jessica Chastain gives a solid performance throughout, and she sells that final scene without any dialogue like a true actress should. Still, despite this being a realistic account of a historical event, it does, at times, seem to be a bit Hollywood-ized. There's one scene where someone asks Maya "Who are you supposed to be?," and she answers with "I'm the motherf**ker who runs this place." That doesn't sound like a realistic response; it sounds more like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LnRMsXFHa4. And...man, how many films need to be more than two-and-a-half hours nowadays? I understand that this story is set during an eight-year period, but there are some moments that did not need to be stretched out at all, especially during the middle section of the film. Either fill those minutes with some fascinating information, or just make it shorter. Simple as that. It just felt too repetitive as if they were discussing the same dilemma over and over again. {ANOTHER SIDE-NOTE: May I draw your attention to something that managed to tell a heartbreaking story that spanned five decades in under five minutes?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh7kVYYBNyk} So overall, this is yet ANOTHER Oscar-nominated film that I consider to be a mixed bag, though I do feel more optimistic about this one because it is well-crafted filmmaking, and, as it is intended, it will make you question your morality as you walk out of the theater. I'd say give it a go as a one-time viewing, and maybe you'll like it more than I did. Who knows? Just how 'miserable' are you?
Wait, that's another film. Don't mind me.
Until next time,
MEOW!
MEOW!
Zero Dark Thirty made me feel like a jerk. I guess that was the intention of Kathryn Bigelow, who also directed The Hurt Locker; her moral in that film was "war is a drug." This time, the drug seems to be how terrorism poisons the human mind, and while they seem to break out of that habit at times, there's no turning back on what had occurred, for it has happened. What is 100% accurate remains in questioning; what can be said is that this is a very admirable work by Bigelow and crew. While this is yet ANOTHER one of these films that could've used a little more development in our characters (We get to know NONE of the U.S. Navy Seal members), and it's also ANOTHER film that doesn't need to be more than two-and-a-half hours long (kind of hypocritical, but we'll get to that later), the film does address how twisted our society has become in a relatively honest and thoughtful way. It's also exceptional in its filmmaking; the opening couple of minutes is just a dark screen while hearing the unfortunate cries of those suffering on 9/11, and the result is incredibly effective to the ears. And while we're on the subject of sound, I don't think I've ever jumped more than once at the sound of explosions before; if there's one thing this film needs an Oscar for, it's in the sound department. The use of editing during the raid at Bin Laden's house is also outstanding, especially when it switches from the P.O.V. of night-vision goggles to the P.O.V. of Maya watching what's going on {SIDE-NOTE: Good thing this film wasn't shot in 3-D, because we wouldn't tell what was happening at all when the raid occurs.}. Speaking of Maya, Jessica Chastain gives a solid performance throughout, and she sells that final scene without any dialogue like a true actress should. Still, despite this being a realistic account of a historical event, it does, at times, seem to be a bit Hollywood-ized. There's one scene where someone asks Maya "Who are you supposed to be?," and she answers with "I'm the motherf**ker who runs this place." That doesn't sound like a realistic response; it sounds more like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LnRMsXFHa4. And...man, how many films need to be more than two-and-a-half hours nowadays? I understand that this story is set during an eight-year period, but there are some moments that did not need to be stretched out at all, especially during the middle section of the film. Either fill those minutes with some fascinating information, or just make it shorter. Simple as that. It just felt too repetitive as if they were discussing the same dilemma over and over again. {ANOTHER SIDE-NOTE: May I draw your attention to something that managed to tell a heartbreaking story that spanned five decades in under five minutes?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh7kVYYBNyk} So overall, this is yet ANOTHER Oscar-nominated film that I consider to be a mixed bag, though I do feel more optimistic about this one because it is well-crafted filmmaking, and, as it is intended, it will make you question your morality as you walk out of the theater. I'd say give it a go as a one-time viewing, and maybe you'll like it more than I did. Who knows? Just how 'miserable' are you?
Wait, that's another film. Don't mind me.
Until next time,
MEOW!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
MEOW! Presents: My brief little insights on this year's OSCAR nominations!
January 10th, 2013
MEOW!
Well...it is time once again...
Best Picture:
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
What shouldn't have been in here: Beasts of the Southern Wild and Django Unchained
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas and The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Best Director:
Michael Haneke, Amour
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Who shouldn't have been in here: Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Who got snubbed REAL hard: Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Rian Johnson, Looper
Who I'm glad NOT to see nominated: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Best Actor:
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight
Who shouldn't have been in here: None
Who got snubbed REAL hard: Logan Lerman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Looper
Best Actress:
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Who shouldn't have been in here: None
Who got snubbed REAL hard: None
Best Supporting Actor:
Alan Arkin, Argo
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Who shouldn't have been in here: None
Who got snubbed REAL hard: Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Andy Serkis, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
Who shouldn't have been in here: None
Who got snubbed REAL hard: Samantha Barks, Les Miserables and Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Best Original Screenplay:
Amour, Michael Haneke
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Flight, John Gatins
Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal
What shouldn't have been in here: Django Unchained
What got snubbed REAL (and I mean REAL) hard: Looper and Wreck-It Ralph
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Argo, Chris Terrio
Beasts of the Southern Wild, Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin,
Life of Pi, David Magee
Lincoln, Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell
What shouldn't have been in here: Beasts of the Southern Wild (THAT had a script?)
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas and The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Best Animated Feature:
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
What shouldn't have been in here: Brave
What got snubbed PAINFULLY hard: Rise of the Guardians (I mean...really. Just for the visuals alone. They also helped support the theme of imagination and wonder. What a mistake the Academy made. Bloody Academy.)
What should win: Wreck-It Ralph. WRECK-IT RALPH. WRECK. IT. RALPH
Nice surprise: The Pirates! Band of Misfits. What a fun film that is.
Best Cinematography:
Anna Karenina, Seamus McGarvey
Django Unchained, Robert Richardson
Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda
Lincoln, Janusz Kaminski
Skyfall, Roger Deakins
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas and The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Best Costume Design:
Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran
Les Misérables, Paco Delgado
Lincoln, Joanna Johnston
Mirror Mirror, Eiko Ishioka
Snow White and the Huntsman, Colleen Atwood
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas and Moonrise Kingdom
Interesting choice: Mirror Mirror
Best Film Editing:
Argo, William Goldenberg
Life of Pi, Tim Squyres
Lincoln, Michael Kahn
Silver Linings Playbook, Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
Zero Dark Thirty, Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL heard: Cloud Atlas and Les Miserables (Just for the "One Day More" sequence alone. That must've been hell to edit.)
Best Make-Up and Hairstyling:
Hitchcock, Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
Les Misérables, Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas (What else can I say? It got unjustly disqualified for some stupid controversy. The Academy made a SEVERE mistake here.) and Lincoln (Really? No recognition for the make-up on Daniel Day-Lewis? Another mistake by the Academy.)
Best Production Design:
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
Lincoln, Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas
Best Original Score:
Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Life of Pi, Mychael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams
Skyfall, Thomas Newman
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed oh-so-PAINFULLY hard: Cloud Atlas (I spit at the Academy's ignorance.), The Hunger Games, Moonrise Kingdom, Rise of the Guardians (Better than Argo's score.), and Wreck-It Ralph (ADOI!)
Best Original Song:
“Before My Time” from Chasing Ice, music and lyric by J. Ralph
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from Ted, music by Walter Murphy; lyric by Seth MacFarlane
“Pi’s Lullaby” from Life of Pi, music by Mychael Danna; lyric by Bombay Jayashri
“Skyfall” from Skyfall, music and lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
“Suddenly” from Les Misérables, music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: "Safe and Sound" from The Hunger Games, "Song of the Lonely Mountain" from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and "When Can I See You Again?" from Wreck-It Ralph
Best Sound Editing:
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
Zero Dark Thirty, Paul N.J. Ottosson
What shouldn't have been in here: Django Unchained
What got snubbed REAL hard: Les Miserables
Best Sound Mixing:
Argo, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia
Les Misérables, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
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
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: None.
Best Visual Effects:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R. Christopher White
Life of Pi, Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott
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
What shouldn't have been in here: None.
What got snubbed REAL hard: Cloud Atlas
What didn't get nominated for anything even though I really could care less: The Dark Knight Rises
Until next time,
MEOW!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
MEOW! Presents: My Most Anticipated Films List for 2013!
January 8th, 2013
MEOW!
10.) The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug--Even though The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey wasn't flawless, it ended on a satisfactory note, and made me curious as to how it would continue on as a trilogy. I can't wait to see Smaug. Bring him/it on.
9.) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire--I found The Hunger Games to be one of the better films of 2012, and even though it's Francis Lawrence directing this time--the director of I Am Legend...oh joy--I'm remaining positive that this will be a satisfactory sequel to what is already becoming a very successful franchise, and rightfully so.
8.) Only God Forgives--Nicolas Winding Refn was responsible for directing Drive, which was one of my favorite films of 2011. This film looks to be something special as well. Hopefully it comes out in the U.S. real soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THhRSJC5FX8
7.) Monsters University--Even though Cars 2 and Brave were underwhelming by PIXAR's standards, I've got a feeling that this will be a step back in the right direction (if that makes sense) thanks to unsurprisingly brilliant animation and a fun concept that will certainly appeal to the College folk.
6.) Ender's Game--Hugo Cabret and George Meiles teaming up to stop an alien invasion? Shouldn't that question stop an alien invasion all by itself?
^^Don't be fooled. Those cards are part of the master-plan.
5.) Frozen--After seeing Wreck-It Ralph, I can safely say that Disney is back with an appropriate vengeance! I mean, my lord, Idina Menzel as the Snow Queen? This shall be something for my Mickey-Mouse ears! Still, I'll wait for more pictures and advertisements to show up for me to confirm that this will be my most anticipated animated film of the year. In the meantime, that honor belongs to #4.
4.) The Croods--Chris Sanders is one of the directors. John Cleese is one of the writers (MONTY PYTHON/SHREK 2 REPRESENT!). The animation looks unbelievably beautiful. The concept seems wonderfully imaginative. I cannot believe that a Dreamworks animated film would be placed in my most anticipated list above a Disney and/or PIXAR animated film instead. This is one that I will certainly not miss in theaters.
3.) OZ: The Great and Powerful--One word: goregous. The change of aspect ratios and color schemes from one world to the next is a brilliant homage to the 1939 classic. If the story and its characters can live up to the wonderful visuals, we could have a classic on our hands, folks. A different classic from The Wizard of Oz, yes, but a classic regardless.
2.) Star Trek Into Darkness--Leaving aside the terrific act of kindness J.J. Abrams performed a few days ago, this sequel looks to be as ridiculously exhilarating as the first one was back in 2009. And from the way it is obviously titled, it seems to be heading in a darker direction this time around. Who knows? We may have another Dark Knight on our hands.
^^....oh my god.
1.) Pacific Rim--There's something about this concept that tickles my inner-movie-geek. Guillermo Del Toro being involved in an original concept, monsters and robots fighting against each other, those trying to cancel the apoclaypse for good...yeah, I don't know if skipping this one is an option, in my opinion. This seems to be a moviegoing experience for the ages--one that is also going to be in IMAX 3D. Must. Resist. Inner-Nerd to flee.
Well, that's my list. Let me know what you're excited about the most this year, if you want.
Until next time,
MEOW!
MEOW!
10.) The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug--Even though The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey wasn't flawless, it ended on a satisfactory note, and made me curious as to how it would continue on as a trilogy. I can't wait to see Smaug. Bring him/it on.
9.) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire--I found The Hunger Games to be one of the better films of 2012, and even though it's Francis Lawrence directing this time--the director of I Am Legend...oh joy--I'm remaining positive that this will be a satisfactory sequel to what is already becoming a very successful franchise, and rightfully so.
8.) Only God Forgives--Nicolas Winding Refn was responsible for directing Drive, which was one of my favorite films of 2011. This film looks to be something special as well. Hopefully it comes out in the U.S. real soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THhRSJC5FX8
7.) Monsters University--Even though Cars 2 and Brave were underwhelming by PIXAR's standards, I've got a feeling that this will be a step back in the right direction (if that makes sense) thanks to unsurprisingly brilliant animation and a fun concept that will certainly appeal to the College folk.
6.) Ender's Game--Hugo Cabret and George Meiles teaming up to stop an alien invasion? Shouldn't that question stop an alien invasion all by itself?
^^Don't be fooled. Those cards are part of the master-plan.
5.) Frozen--After seeing Wreck-It Ralph, I can safely say that Disney is back with an appropriate vengeance! I mean, my lord, Idina Menzel as the Snow Queen? This shall be something for my Mickey-Mouse ears! Still, I'll wait for more pictures and advertisements to show up for me to confirm that this will be my most anticipated animated film of the year. In the meantime, that honor belongs to #4.
4.) The Croods--Chris Sanders is one of the directors. John Cleese is one of the writers (MONTY PYTHON/SHREK 2 REPRESENT!). The animation looks unbelievably beautiful. The concept seems wonderfully imaginative. I cannot believe that a Dreamworks animated film would be placed in my most anticipated list above a Disney and/or PIXAR animated film instead. This is one that I will certainly not miss in theaters.
3.) OZ: The Great and Powerful--One word: goregous. The change of aspect ratios and color schemes from one world to the next is a brilliant homage to the 1939 classic. If the story and its characters can live up to the wonderful visuals, we could have a classic on our hands, folks. A different classic from The Wizard of Oz, yes, but a classic regardless.
2.) Star Trek Into Darkness--Leaving aside the terrific act of kindness J.J. Abrams performed a few days ago, this sequel looks to be as ridiculously exhilarating as the first one was back in 2009. And from the way it is obviously titled, it seems to be heading in a darker direction this time around. Who knows? We may have another Dark Knight on our hands.
^^....oh my god.
1.) Pacific Rim--There's something about this concept that tickles my inner-movie-geek. Guillermo Del Toro being involved in an original concept, monsters and robots fighting against each other, those trying to cancel the apoclaypse for good...yeah, I don't know if skipping this one is an option, in my opinion. This seems to be a moviegoing experience for the ages--one that is also going to be in IMAX 3D. Must. Resist. Inner-Nerd to flee.
Well, that's my list. Let me know what you're excited about the most this year, if you want.
Until next time,
MEOW!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
MEOW! Presents: Music is Art
January 3rd, 2012
Maybe if everyone came together, and
Unconditionally felt blessed to be alive while
Standing up for what they believe to be true,
It would become a day of joy and jubilation.
Can you possibly imagine,
I ask you this,
Something as wonderful
And as enchanting as
Reality becoming an everlasting dream?
That's what music can do, my friend.
For music
Oh, the wonders of music
It is art.
Until next time,
MEOW!
Maybe if everyone came together, and
Unconditionally felt blessed to be alive while
Standing up for what they believe to be true,
It would become a day of joy and jubilation.
Can you possibly imagine,
I ask you this,
Something as wonderful
And as enchanting as
Reality becoming an everlasting dream?
That's what music can do, my friend.
For music
Oh, the wonders of music
It is art.
Until next time,
MEOW!
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