Django Unchained

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington
Directed and Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

Set in the South two years before The Civil War, Django Unchained follows the story of a slave( Jamie Foxx) turned bounty hunter who is determine to rescue his wife Broomhilda( Kerry Washington) from the "Candyland" plantation owned by the notorious Calvin Candie( Leonardo DiCaprio). Christoph Waltz portrays the role of Dr. King Schultz the German- born bounty hunter who trains Django.

When I first learned about Django Unchained it was during the "in development" stages on IMDB pro. I watched as they went through a few casting changes and i gave a sigh of relief once it began filming. After three years of anticipation, Django Unchained was everything I dreamt it could be. It was an intense action packed thrill of a ride. There were a few moments that I had to cover my eyes because they were horrifically graphic. Those moments set the tone for the kind of world Django was living in.

Like previous Tarantino efforts the score for Django Unchained was magnificent. My favorite segment was when the theme song for Battle Royale came on. Overall this film was an extremely well written and directed film. Quentin Tarantino is just the man. There were moments you were laughing hysterically,  few WTF moments and tons of gore.

If you an actor, you will appreciate the performances in this film. I have not seen Leonardo DiCaprio portray a character quite like Calvin Candie before. He was an absolute beast, I think this could be his year come award season. Christoph Waltz was incredible as usual. It was a trip to see Samuel L. Jackson as Stephen, the trusted house slave to Master Calvin. I wanted to punch him so hard. His scenes with Leonardo were hilarious. Their banter was impeccable. Django Unchained was in my humble opinion the best film of the year 2012.

Best Picture Frontrunners

Thanks to several critic awards and the announcement of both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards nominations, clear front-runners have emerged for the 2012 Oscar race. Leading the pack is the controversial  Zero Dark Thirty. Following close behind it are the critical acclaimed Lincoln and Argo. I believe that one of these three films will win the Best Picture trophy at this years' Oscars. They are too far ahead of the competition not to have it in the bag. You never know which way the academy will vote, they could go with Les Miserables. I am predicting that this year we will have ten Best Picture nominations because of the caliber of films that came out this year. I have composed a list of clear front-runners, most likely candidates and films that have a longer shot of receiving a nomination. This year the nominations will announced on January 10 before the Golden Globes air. I will make a revised list of my final Best Picture predictions.
Front-runners

• Zero Dark Thirty
• Lincoln
• Argo
• Les Miserables
• Life of Pi
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Django Unchained
• Beasts of the Southern Wild

Most Likely

• Moonrise Kingdom
• The Master
• Amour

Longer shots

• Flight
• Dark Knight Rises
• Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Anna Karenina

Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Directed by: Joe Wright
Written by: Tom Stoppard
Rating: 3.5/5 Unicorns

Joe Wright's Anna Karenina is the bold retelling of the classic Leo Tolstoy tale. Set in the late 19th century, the Russian aristocrat Anna Karenina( Keira Knightley) enters a life altering affair with Count Vronsky( Aaron Taylor Johnson). Jude Law plays the role of Karenin, her long suffering husband.

I have not quite seen a drama quite like Anna Karenina. It was as elaborate as a musical, choreographed as if it was a ballet and as theatrical as a opera. Many ways Joe Wright's Anna Karenina felt more like a play than a motion picture. It was filmed as a continuous play and I felt that this direction choice was unique. If  anything the art direction and costume design in this film was absolutely spectacular.  By the time the Academy Awards nominations are announced I expect that Anna Karenina will pick up nominations in these two categories. At first I was hesitant about the idea of Aaron Taylor Johnson playing the part of Count Vronsky. I was thoroughly impressed with his performance but not so much impressed with his mustache. I felt that the chemistry between him and Keira Knightley was believable. It was not scorching but I was convinced that they cared for one another.  I am certain this film will not play well with everyone but if you like to watch films that are visually stimulating Anna Karenina is a great choice.

Life of Pi

Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Adil Hussain, Tabu and Gerard Deparadieu

Directed by: Ang Lee

Written by: David Magee

Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

Based on the best selling novel written by Yann Martel, Life of Pi tells the remarkable survival story of Pi Patel( Suraj Sharma). After surviving a fatal shipwreck, Pi finds himself on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with 450 pound Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. 

The first time I watched the trailer for Life of Pi it immediately was on top of my must see list. Now that we are in Award Season, I have been hearing more praise for the film. It has been picking up nominations left and right. After watching the film over the weekend it lived up to all of my expectations. Life of Pi was the most visually stimulating film I have seen since Avatar. The cinematography in this film was simply out of this world. Its cinematography alone is a great reason to check out this film. Not to mention the visual effects were astounding. I had several awe moments while watching this film. I highly recommend that you catch it in 3D if you can. It is one of the few films that were made for 3D purposes and not converted to 3D better for revenue at the box office. 

Life of Pi is more than its cinematography and visual effects, it is also great story to watch. Ang Lee did a fantastic job bringing this much loved story to life. I was thoroughly impressed with Suraj Sharma who I felt keep the audiences thoroughly engaged with his portrayal as Pi. He is a bright future ahead of him. Not too many actors can do what he did in this film. The score of the film was fantastic as well. It made the significant moments in the film even more powerful. What I loved about the film is that it makes you think about life and yourself. It makes you think about your destiny and how much you can endure. It really boils down to being a  film about faith. You are left wondering what story to believe. Personally I have always believed in the stories that were inconceivable. How they used to say it in the 90's, this movie is deep son. 

Since the majority of the film takes place on a lifeboat its running time feels longer than it actually is. I have seen several movies that were longer than Life of Pi but because there was so much going on I did not feel the duration. The reason I did not deduct points from the rating is because the film was just beautiful. The more I thought about the film, the more I loved it. It leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. In fact I look forward to watching the film for a second time. 

Moonrise Kingdom

Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Rating: 4/5 Unicorns

Two twelve years old( Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) fall in love and run away as a violent storm approaches the tiny island. A various authorities including the local sheriff(Bruce Willis), Khaki Scout Leader(Edward Norton) and the girls lawyer parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) try to track them down.

Moonrise Kingdom was one of the most original films I have seen in a longtime. I have not quite seen anything like it before. It was quirky, whimsical and endearing comedy. It  had one of the best narratives I have seen all year. The screenplay is fantastic and I truly believe Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola are the frontrunners for Best Original Screenplay. Wes Anderson directing style is purely unique in this film. I was fascinated by his directing choices. There would be a scene that at first I thought I didn't like then two seconds later I was completely enamored with it. It takes awhile to digest. The acting ensemble is out of this world. Two young leads are absolutely fantastic. They bring the innocence and intensity of first love to the screen brilliantly.

Moonrise Kingdom is not a film for everybody. The humor in the film is offbeat and the characters are quite eccentric. I admit that it is not my cup of tea but I recognize it as being a great film. It really is a rare gem of a film and I appreciate that. I think it is one of Wes Anderson's  best pictures. Once award season is over this film will be thoroughly decorated.

Silver Linings Playbook

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham and Anupam Kher
Directed and Written by: David O. Russell
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

After seeing his wife in the shower with another man Pat Solatano( Bradley Cooper) has a mental breakdown. It turns out that he has been suffering from bipolar disorder. As part of a plea bargain he spends eight months in a Baltimore mental institution and his wife receives a restraining order against him. He returns home to live with his Eagles loving father(Robert De Niro) and his devoted mother( Jackie Weaver). Pat is convinced that if he rebuilds his life that his wife will come back to him. He meets Tiffany( Jennifer Lawrence), a recent young widow who gives him much needed direction.

Silver Linings Playbook was spectacular. I absolutely loved this movie from start to finish. The entire cast gives tremendous performances. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed by Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Pat Solatano. It shows what can happen when an actor is given great material to work with. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be recognized for this groundbreaking performance. His chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence was explosive which was quite fitting for their characters. Jennifer Lawrence once again delivers a strong performance. She commands the screen, you can't keep your eyes off her. This girl will be going places, sometimes I forget she is 22 years old. She holds her own against the fabulous Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver, which is difficult to do because both of them are so incredible in this film. Robert De Niro is on top of his game in his portrayal of a father who is struggling to form a connection with his son. You see the levels of guilt, hope and frustration he has with his son's situation.  The scene when he opens up to Pat was just beautiful. It was brilliant seeing Chris Tucker on the screen again. Overall one of the best acting ensembles this year.

What I love so much about this movie is one second you are laughing your butt off and the next you are wiping tears from your eyes. The change of emotion that can occur in one single scene is unprecedented  Somehow David O. Russel makes it work. It is a smart, funny, extremely well written  and charming film. Make sure you check out this film, I thoroughly recommend that you do.