So last night was the 84th Annual Academy Awards and I could not have been more elated. For some one who lives and breathes movies, the Academy Awards are the highlight of the year for me. From the glitz and glamour of the red carpet to the joy of watching your favorites take home the golden boy, there is a lot to look forward. I was looking forward to what the veteran host Billy Crystal would bring to this year's show. My favorite hosts have been Jon Stewart and Chris Rock but I admit that they are both a little crazy which makes some good TV. With that being said I thought Billy did a great job but I was not floored by his performance. The best red carpet moment was The Dictator pouring ashes on Ryan Seacrest. I still can't believe that happened. It was a great TV moment but terrible at the same time. My favorite presenters by far were Emma Stone( could she be any more adorable) and Angelina Jolie( Bad Ass). I think I died a little bit when Jim Rash struck the same pose as Angelina. I remember thinking I would never had the confidence to strike a pose like that on TV and loving Angelina for doing it. Then Jim Rash just goes up and does the same thing, it was hilarious. Congrats to him, Nat Faxon and Alexander Payne on their well deserved win for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Descendants.
For the most part there were not too many surprises last night which is always a bummer. I still miss the days when Adrien Brody won Best Actor(wasn't that a magical moment?) and when Crash won instead of the favorite Brokeback Mountain. I like there to be a little mystery when it comes to the Oscars. As expected The Artist won big last night as well as Hugo. I was a little disappointed that Viola Davis did not take home Best Actress this year. Honestly, I had a feeling that it would be Meryl Streep this year. She just had a bigger momentum coming into the awards this year, so it was not such a big surprise. Congratulations are in order to the incredible Christopher Plummer for winning his first Academy Award( can't believe he has never won) , Gary Oldman on his first nomination.(yes he has never been nominated) and the lovely Octavia Spencer on her well deserved Best Supporting Actress win. In all it was a good night but was not a spectacular night.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
The Descendants
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller and Nick Krause
Director: Alexander Payne
Written By: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns
As apart of my Pre-Oscar ritual I like to watch as many Best Picture nominees as possible. I have been hearing a lot about The Descendants and from watching the previews the film didn't strike me as a film that I would love. I am glad to say that looks can be ever so deceiving.What I came to find out on Friday evening was The Descendants is a funny film with a dynamic group of characters and a whole lot of heart. If I had watched the film earlier it would have made it on top of my list of my ten favorite films of 2011.
The Descendants tells the story of Matthew King (George Clooney) a Hawaiian land baron who tries to reconnect with his two daughters(Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller) when his wife is put on life support after a boating accident. Early on in the film Matthew learns that his distant relationship with his wife was in a worse state than he previously believed. Using the backdrop of "paradise" Alexander Payne tells a great human story; a story about loss, betrayal, connection and most importantly love. It is a film that everyone who has had experienced the heartbreak of life will be able to relate to. I am not someone who cries at the movies but this film made me teary eyed. The entire cast gave outstanding performances which was fueled by an excellent script. One of my favorite moments in the film was Matt looking at the pictures of his descendants. One of his relatives was named Cecil King( My father's name) and another was named Edward King(my brother's middle name).
If you have to see one movie that was nominated for an Academy Award this year I recommend you check out The Descendants. I really hope that they pick up some trophies on Sunday night because it deserves that level of recognition.
Director: Alexander Payne
Written By: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns
As apart of my Pre-Oscar ritual I like to watch as many Best Picture nominees as possible. I have been hearing a lot about The Descendants and from watching the previews the film didn't strike me as a film that I would love. I am glad to say that looks can be ever so deceiving.What I came to find out on Friday evening was The Descendants is a funny film with a dynamic group of characters and a whole lot of heart. If I had watched the film earlier it would have made it on top of my list of my ten favorite films of 2011.
The Descendants tells the story of Matthew King (George Clooney) a Hawaiian land baron who tries to reconnect with his two daughters(Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller) when his wife is put on life support after a boating accident. Early on in the film Matthew learns that his distant relationship with his wife was in a worse state than he previously believed. Using the backdrop of "paradise" Alexander Payne tells a great human story; a story about loss, betrayal, connection and most importantly love. It is a film that everyone who has had experienced the heartbreak of life will be able to relate to. I am not someone who cries at the movies but this film made me teary eyed. The entire cast gave outstanding performances which was fueled by an excellent script. One of my favorite moments in the film was Matt looking at the pictures of his descendants. One of his relatives was named Cecil King( My father's name) and another was named Edward King(my brother's middle name).
If you have to see one movie that was nominated for an Academy Award this year I recommend you check out The Descendants. I really hope that they pick up some trophies on Sunday night because it deserves that level of recognition.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
King's Guide Top Ten Films of 2011
We are officially two months into the year 2012 and the fresh crop of films arriving in multiplexes have left very little to the imagination. Seriously, I have been feeling disappointed during the previews these days. It seems like the same old recycled garbage. Hopefully as the months go by, better films will arrive. Even a lot of the movies that came out last year were disappointing with a capital D. There were a few bright spots and I have composed a list of my ten favorite films of the year 2011. I know its a little late but better late than never.
- Jane Eyre
- Bridesmaids
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
- Super 8
- 50/50
- Attack The Block
- Mission:Impossible- Ghost Protocol
- The Help
- Real Steel
- Thor
Movies I think I would love that I have yet to see: Drive, Moneyball, Midnight in Paris, The Artist, Shame, Pariah, Hugo, War Horse, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and Tomboy
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