Django Unchained a film by the much adored Quentin Tarantino
My absolute favourite in the category for best picture, everything about this film is awesum It is great to see Tarantino’s famous western styled film actually set in a Western genre and time frame.
Strong mix and interrelation of characters really draws you into the story and I found myself eager to know the ending. Visually dynamic and has a very edgy modern feel yet still nostalgic western influences keep the film and story line moving at a fast pace. It is the longest film in the category however the drama is engaging enough to warrant sitting still for so long!
The story focus’s on a black slaves road to freedom and quest to save his wife, a theme which is used in a lot of racially stimulated films however this character Django is strong and dynamic and not in any way a victim and this makes hugely entertaining viewing!
Django has my vote for best picture and can only be described as explosive!
Feb 24
Beasts of the Southern Wild
I find this hard to write about! I as left feeling slightly lost and confused at this film, yet also happy and comforted by the feeling that the lead character was gonna be alright!
The film is full of strong performances from the father and daughter lead combination and you really want them to get somewhere or gain something good…
I liked the film a lot but it was difficult to make head or tail of… It is definitely worth a watch for the sheer factor that it is very different to the more commercialised films in the category! The young girls character is quite the inspirational leader as she grows up somewhat throughout the duration of the film, and the subtle fantasy elements are worked in excellently and effectively
Feb 24
Argo directed by Ben Affleck
This film is an example of an unimportant story told in a hugely exciting way! It’s probably my second choice to win the Oscar as towards the end you feel like your gripping the edges of your seat awaiting to see the outcome!
Different and exciting story, can’t compare it to many other stories which is perhaps why it is so entertain and exciting to watch the outcome of plus it has some relevancy to current social issues…
Brilliant and exciting! A must see!
Feb 24
Zero Dark Thirty directed by Kathryn Bigalow
Again this was another important story yet told in an un interesting way… The film feels slow and long and it is incredibly long! The adverts and teasers we excellent for the film and created a really intense and exciting storey however I wouldn’t rush to view it again… Had nowhere near the intensity and viewing capabilities of the Hurt Locker.
A very current story, perhaps too current for it to be interesting…
Jessica Chastain carries the film and you feel more entertainment and interest in her story rather than the story of the man hunt. Scripting felt very commercialised and a bit forced at times…
Feb 24
Silver linings play book directed by David O.Russell
Feel good, fabulous film.
Intense and dynamic character relationships make interesting and entertaining viewing. I do not think I would go as far as to call the story beautiful however it’s moving and sweet and somewhat easy to relate to which makes this film one of my favourite in the Oscars roll. Plus it was great to see Bradley Cooper play such a strong and more serious role.
Feb 24
Lincoln directed by Steven Spielberg
An important story told in an un interesting way…
I didn’t really get the emotive reasoning as to why Lincoln was pushing so hard for the slave amendment, I felt a lack of emotional understanding to the lead and so struggled to relate to his struggles.
Incredible performances across the board, Sally Field proves a powerhouse women role can compare to Daniel Day Lewis, however yet again DDL plays a very similar role to many of his previous performances…
The film is far too long and described as a slow burner… I’d suggest no burner
Feb 24
Les Misérables Directed by Tom Hooper
An all singing all dancing extravaganza! And I don’t just mean the genre…
Les Mis is full of periodic costumes and a vastly detailed set which makes the film a munch needed feast for the eyes as well as the ears and mind!
Written by author Victor Hugo in 1862 the story and general tone is somewhat similar and relevant to Dickens ‘Tale of Two Cities’ which also has a French revolutionary theme and setting.
My favourite aspect of the story was the very Dickensonian concept of utilising a large amount of characters as well as a lead and the importance of every character, who’s story tends to span a large portion of their lives. One who may not seem so important at the beginning of a characters life can greatly influence their expectations. This was done excellently throughout the film and makes highly interesting viewing with a fast paced film.
Although the title and setting is in France the film depicts characters with a cockney accent which greatly helps draw parallels to the time setting and social aspect of the characters. The singing for the film was recorded live, this raw approach makes the acing more effective and captivating.
Other than the very long time frame I did not have many complaints about this film, I believe it is one of the best musical film adaptations to date
Does anyone actually watch the foreign films before they win awards…?
Feb 24
Amour
Feb 22
If I was a magazine I’d wanna be @VanityFair
To begin with I shall discuss the first film from the best picture nominations list which I saw in all its 3D cinematic glory.
‘The Life of Pi’ directed by Ang Lee
*Spoiler Alert* (obvs)
The film dazzles, it is dynamic beautiful and visually captivating a cinematography masterpiece… however I felt the beautiful visual effects are wasted on a weak narrative. I felt intrigued and excited by the pace and development of the story in the beginning, Pi seemed like a pretty interesting man with a strong optimistic story to tell, however my optimism in his character greatly disappeared by the end of the film and I was left feeling unsatisfied and unsure of the general point to the film.
Pi creates an elaborate story to hide a horrible tragedy and the audience doesn’t find this out until the end, the reveal adds a wonderful complexity to the story and you really appreciate Pi as a hard wearing survivor. However I struggled to develop comparisons of what the fictional elements were supposed to represent in his ‘real’ story and so struggle to foster a real relationship to the character.
Overall the film is highly watchable good pacing, exciting different and the twist in the story adds intrigue however as I could not relate to the character of Pi and believe in the authenticity of his fictional life.
(By this I mean it felt disjointed, as if the narration didn’t quite follow the ins and outs of the world that they created.)
I didn’t really understand the magnitude of his en-devours and this was probably my lowest ranked of the lot.
