Take it easy, Urvashi: LION and Cultural Displacement/Connection

There's a Hindi phrase that kept popping into my head while watching Lion: "na idhar ke, na udhar ke." Literally it means neither here nor there. But colloquially it suggests a sense of constant displacement. A lack of belonging in any place. The phrase came to mind during a scene where Saroo (Dev Patel) is walking to a party with his white girlfriend Lucy (Rooney Mara). The sequence is very Bollywood especially with the song "Urvashi Urvashi." The party is hosted by some Indian friends' house. And these friends are immigrants from India. There is Bollywood music playing and a Hindi movie on the TV. Lucy does some Indian dancing, Saroo struggles to eat with his hands. Through his facial expressions and body language, Saroo is visibly uncomfortable. This isn't his culture, his life, even if he is surrounded by people who share his skin tone. In another parry scene--this time, with mostly white people--Saroo is even more uncomfortable and sticks to the wall while Lucy dances with her friends. Saroo seems out of place wherever he goes.

Lion is the directorial debut of Garth Davis, who worked on the acclaimed miniseries Top of the Lake. The film is based on the autobiography A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierly. Adapted by novelist Luke Davies, Lion stars Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, Priyanka Bose, David Wenham, and Nicole Kidman along with debut child actor Sunny Pawar. The cinematography was handled by Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty), with editing by Alexandre de Franceschi (The Painted Veil).

Oscar Notes: LOVING and ARRIVAL

In part 2 of my Oscar Notes series, I look at two Oscar hopefuls: the civil rights romance biopic Loving and the sci-fi mind-bender Arrival.

Loving
The buzz: Jeff Nichols' film had its world premiere at the Canned Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme D'or. The film is based on the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, who were persecuted under anti-miscegenation laws. Forced to leave their home in Virginia, the couple settled in DC to raise their children. Unable to live far from their family, they decided to fight the laws and took their case to the Supreme Court. The fim stars Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga.

Possible nominations: Ideally, this movie could get nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Original Screenplay, and Cinematography. I think that is not going to happen. At best, this movie could be nominated for Picture, Actress, and Screenplay. Joel Edgerton could get a nomination because the Best Actor category is rather light this year. Ruth Negga should be a shoo-in, but Best Actress is more crowded than ever in recent memory. Jeff Nichols will probably get lost in the busy Best Director list.

What Will the Oscars Look Like Under the (Barf) Trump Administration?

I'm still processing how Donald Trump--liar, fraud, racist, misogynist, hysterical, under-qualified--won the presidency. There are a million reasons why, and others better suited than I have some hypotheses. But I am a pop culture blogger so I am curious what's gonna happen with Trump being in (barf) Oval Office. I think Hollywood and the media as a whole is going to have a strong reaction to the Trump presidency; he's too much a forceful presence to be ignored. But there are a few ways the Academy Awards could play out under these dark new times.

I don't mean to minimize the problems our nation and our world face with that man as President. However, this is a pop culture blog--and until March, mostly an awards blog--so that's where I want to focus. Hollywood has an effect on politics and obviously vice versa. Now, there are four major Best Picture contenders (among many hopefuls and long shots). And I think each of the four represent different reactions the Oscars could have next year regarding the 2016 election and the upcoming (barf) four years.

ARRIVAL is the Feminist Sci-Fi Mind-Bender We've Been Waiting For (Review)

Amy Adams is one of the best actors of our times. She plays the conflicted nun in Doubt, a displaced princess in Enchanted, the creative but silenced painter in Big Eyes, the scheming matriarch in The Master, and a searching soul in Her with equal conviction, empathy, and inner strength. Recently, the five time Academy Award nominee has been a superb character actress in a large number of diverse films, but has yet to carry a film completely on her shoulders since Enchanted. (Even in Big Eyes, her restrained performance had to compete with Christoph Waltz's obnoxious showboating.) However, that film has arrived with Arrival, a ponderous, sublime science fiction drama from current hot commodity filmmaker Denis Villenueve. Much like with his previous films Prisoners and Sicario, Villenueve takes on a genre movie and invokes it with intelligence and questions about humanity.

Arrival stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Tzi Ma. Adapted from the acclaimed short story "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, the screenplay was written by Eric Heisserer (this summer's surprise horror hit Lights Out).  The cinematography was handled by Bradford Young (Selma), with editing by Oscar nominee Joe Walker (Sicario, 12 Years a Slave). The haunting score is by Oscar nominee Johann Johannsson (Sicario, The Theory of Everything).

Oscar Notes: MOONLIGHT

I am starting a new series where I take some notes on the potential Oscar heavy hitters. This week I'm looking at Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins. The film stars Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex Hibbert, Andre Holland, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monae, and Naomi Harris. The film is scripted by Jenkins, from the unproduced play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McRaney. The film is about a young man (played by Rhodes, Sanders, and Hibbert) at different stages in his life as he comes to terms with his sexuality and masculinity culture in the black community.

The buzz: Moonlight opened to widespread critical acclaim. It earned rave reviews during festival season ever since its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in September. The film has received several nominations at the Gotham Awards, including a win for a Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Performance. Also, the movie is doing well at the box office in limited release. However,when the movie releases wide this weekend, we'll see if it clicks with mainstream audiences. Moonlight is expected to make a big splash at the Spirit Awards as well as the Academy Awards.

But can it go the distance?

DENIAL and the 2016 Presidential Campaign

There's a small movie playing in select theaters called Denial, directed by Mick Jackson. The film stars Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz, alongside Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall, and Andrew Scott. The film is about acclaimed historian Deborah Lipstadt (Wesiz) and her legal battle with infamous Holocaust denier David Irving (Spall). The film is small scale --I doubt you've even heard of it--but it's very significant. The film is essentially a courtroom drama, with impassioned speeches and suspenseful "waiting for the verdict" scenes. It's the kind of movie that warrants an iTunes rental. I definitely think people should see it, but you don't need to rush out to the megaplex.

While the film will mostly be known as a period piece about the Holocaust, I think it does have some unintentional relevance to politics today. I say unintentional because I don't think the filmmaker Mick Jackson had any goal other than to tell this specific story. And maybe I'm just too immersed in election coverage. This election is drowning our national conversation and it's quite probable I'm seeing it in places where it isn't. But the film Denial is about trying to prove something that doesn't need to be proved by physical evidence and I see a lot of that in this election.

THE BIRTH OF A NATION is the 5th Grade Thanksgiving Pageant of Slavery Epics (Review)

I really wrestled with going to see The Birth of a Nation. Its director Nate Parker and co-writer Jean Celestin are rapists, who escaped conviction thanks to the failings of the justice system and 1990s slut-shaming. Nate Parker is also homophobic (saying he'd never play a gay character because he doesn't want to take away from black masculinity or something). I don't really know much about Nate Parker except I liked him in Gina Prince Bythewood's sublime Beyond the Lights (but he was outshined by his co-stars Gugu Mbatha Raw and Minnie Driver). Ultimately I decided to go see it because I wanted to write about it, just to see if it was good enough that I can separate the art from the artist.

Sadly, The Birth of a Nation is a garbage movie that is barely worth its running time let alone the pretzel I had to turn my crazy liberal mind into in order to justify spending money on it. I am not happy to report that the movie is an artistic failure, despite the air of prestige Oscar movie it has carried with it for the last nine months.  The film stars Parker as slave rebellion leader  Nat Turner, along with Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, and Penelope Ann Miller.

Let's Talk About the Best Actor Race (Spoiler alert: it's not that interesting)

Ryan Gosling, La La Land

Does anyone even care about men these days?! When it comes to the Academy Awards this season, it looks like the answer is "oh, right, they give awards to men too..." While Viola Davis and Amy Adams and Emma Stone and Ruth Negga and Natalie Portman and many, many more are duking it out, it looks like the Best Actor category is without a frontrunner. A few frontrunners could pop up at any time; the Oscar season is long and fickle enough that things can change at any moment.

And I don't want to imply that this year's Oscar race is completely devoid of possible nominees and winners. Despite Bryce Dallas Howard not being forced to wear high heels in Jurassic World 2, Hollywood sexism isn't over so the majority of the films being talked about are heavily male-driven. It's just that no one has really stood out with an "it's his year" film like Emma Stone or Viola Davis.

Could Amy Adams Win an Oscar This Year? Can She?! Please?!?!

Five time Academy Award nominee Amy Adams is once again in the Oscar conversation this year. She has two well-received films working their way around the various festivals: Arrival, directed by Denis Villenueve (Sicario), and Nocturnal Animals, by Tom Ford (A Single Man). Though each film has their set of detractors--and Nocturnal Animals is turning out to be quite polarizing--I think Adams has obviously been praised to high heaven. Of the two films, most Oscar pundits are putting their Amy Adams eggs in the Arrival basket. Adams is on many lists of probably Oscar nominees for Best Actress, especially regarding her Arrival performance. I could see a nomination for either film (or perhaps some category fraud if they put her in Supporting Actress for Nocturnal Animals). But for now, let's pretend that Arrival will be the big Oscar movie for her.

But can she win? That's the question. For one thing, Amy Adams is well-liked enough in the industry that murmurs of "it's her year" are probably being heard around Hollywood. I'm not sure the murmurs will morph into the banshee call that preceded Leonardo DiCaprio's Oscar win earlier this year. Amy Adams is talented obviously, and she's on the border of "oh yeah that girl" and true blue household name. However, Amy Adams has had the bad luck of being nominated alongside surefire winners, at least most of the time. Please read Amy Adams: Always the Oscar Bridesmaid, which further explores that idea.

My Top 10 Greatest Bollywood Films from the 21st Century

While writing my Top 10 Greatest Films from the 21st Century list, I realized I hadn't put any Indian films on it. Rather than try to restructure that list, I decided to give Bollywood its own top 10 list. I tried to include films of different genres, styles, and directors. Like the last list, I looked at both artistic merit and historical impact. So please enjoy! 

10. Band Baaja Baaraat (Maneesh Sharma; 2010)
On paper, this wedding rom-com might seem like a forgettably pleasant diversion. Thanks to Habib Faisal's script, Namrata Rao's editing, stars Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh, and Aseem Mishra's camerawork, the execution is an incisive and glamorous look at young Delhi residents following their goals. Band Baaja Baaraat is an excellent expression of how the typical Bollywood formula can come to life through innovative filmmaking.

My Top 10 Greatest Films from the 21st Century

For some unknown reason, I wasn't asked to join the BBC that compiled the 100 greatest films of the 21st century. So I decided to write my own list. This list is pretty Hollywood centric, and maybe that's a bad thing. But I really wanted it to reflect films that are important to me. Thee films maybe aren't my most favorite movies (though some of them are), but they are what I consider to be important in showcasing the best in terms of visual storytelling, themes, and historical relevance.

10. Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)
This melancholy, understated romance explores themes of isolation, human connection, and the effects of technology on human life. Boosted by expert performances, the script is warm and affectionate and the cinematography is striking. Spike Jonze is an incredibly heartfelt director, milking outlandish scenarios for what they say about modern human life.

Rose Byrne is Hollywood's Secret MVP

Rose Byrne may not be a household name, but she's certainly a household face. The Australian actress has been in a lot of mainstream movies, ranging from horror to comedies to superhero movies to musicals. Byrne made herself into a reliable character actor, often being cast in versatile projects and being comfortable in all of them. Did you see X-Men: First Class? Or Insidious? Or Bridesmaids? Yup, she was in them. Or maybe you know her from five seasons of Damages with Glenn Close. Rose Byrne seems to be bursting under the surface, ready for A-list. And considering she's of major value to all her projects, Byrne has become Hollywood's secret MVP.

Rose Byrne made her name in Australia, in several well-regarded Australian movies. FYI I have not seen any of her movies from down under but according to Wikipedia she was good in them. Byrne's first major Hollywood role was in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. She played Dorme, handmaiden to Senator Amidala (Natalie Portman). She did more Hollywood movies, such as Troy, Wicker Park, Sunshine directed by Danny Boyle, Adam, and her pre-breakout movies Insidious and Get Him to the Greek. All Rose Byrne needed was a major breakout movie.

The Calm Defiance in VEER ZAARA

Legendary Bollywood director Yash Chopra's penultimate film is the romantic epic drama Veer Zaara. Released in 2004, the film starred major Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukherji, with supporting turns from Kirron Kher, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Boman Irani, Manoj Bajpai, Divya Dutta, and Anupam Kher. At the time, Veer-Zaara was one of the most anticipated films for a few reasons. First of all, that stacked cast. Second, it was Chopra's return to directing after seven years. Finally, its soundtrack consisted of unused tunes from the esteemed late composer Madan Mohan. Yash Chopra, who passed away in 2012, is one of my favorite directors. His filmmaking is lush and romantic in Veer-Zaara, often using the camera to bridge the gap between the traditional and the modern.

Veer-Zaara is a story of romantic rebellion curtailed by honor and duty. Zaara Haayat Khan (Zinta) is a Pakistani young woman who defies her parents to travel to India to spread the ashes of the woman who raised her. In India, she meets Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh (Khan) and over the next few days Veer and Zaara fall in love, as he helps complete her task. However, Zaara is facing an arranged marriage back in Pakistan, so the two separate. Back in Pakistan, however, Zaara's mind keeps going back to Veer. I wanted to deconstruct my favorite scene in the film where Zaara tells her mother Miriam (Kirron Kher) about Veer. This scene uses tracking shots, different angles, and editing to complement the dialogue and thematic elements.

Why I'm Glad the New GHOSTBUSTERS Isn't a "Passing the Torch" Sequel

People who follow entertainment news are probably familiar with all the nonsense going on with the Ghostbusters reboot coming out in July. Basically, the Paul Feig directed comedy stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. Some people, mostly men who aren't used to the world not catering and pandering to their tastes, are upset that their beloved franchise is being turned into a gimmick. Articles upon articles are being written about this Internet controversy. Just a simple google search will deliver some great essays on why the vitriol against the new film is inherently sexist, with one guy even posting a six minute video on YouTube about why he won't even see the new movie. Click here for the best one from Birth.Movies.Death.'s Devin Faraci.

Granted, the trailers for Ghostbusters 2016 have not been that great. But I have to mention that trailers for Feig's previous films--especially Spy and Bridesmaids--were pretty uninspiring. The films themselves have been total treasures. Paul Feig uses his privilege as a white male director to tell stories about women friendships and struggles women face in becoming the best versions of themselves. His previous three films, including the action comedy The Heat, gave women (especially in their late 30s and early 40s) the space to be funny and slapsticky. It's awesome that the new Ghostbusters has an all-women cast. The movie is guaranteed to pass the Bechdel Test several times over, and considering the talent involved, it's sure to be funny all heck.

The CAPTAIN AMERICA Trilogy is Near Perfect

Back in April, AMC Theaters was advertising its Marvel Cinematic Universe marathon. They do this pretty much every year, letting superfans enjoy a marathon of the previous movies in the franchise. Then the last movie in the marathon is a special screening of the newest entry. The movie theater chain offers some fun prizes for trivia questions, and they give each audience member some minor merchandise. Last year, I saw The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron double feature. I got a poster and an Avengers lanyard. It was a fun time; everyone was excited and clapping and laughing.

This year, I was surprised to find out that the marathon leading up Captain America: Civil War would include not only Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier but also The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. That's five movies and just under 12 hours of movie. I could do that at home (and have done so, albeit spread out over a weekend). But 12 hours in a movie theater, with nothing but popcorn or pizza for eating. That does not seem pleasurable. But I was annoyed with the inclusion of Avengers and Age of Ultron for the Captain America marathon for a different reason. The Captain America trilogy is near perfect, and it deserves to be recognized as a standalone series of films.

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: A Box Office Question Mark

Let's take a trip down memory lane. It's early 2010. After making a killing at the box office--and winning 3 Oscars off 9 nominations for its troubles--Avatar's power at the box office is slowly waning. Avatar had completely redefined the 3D experience for movie goers, leaving audiences wanting more. Now that 3D movies were back in fashion thanks to James Cameron's sci-fi epic, it was only natural that movie studios would cash in on the trend.

In March 2010, Disney released Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton. The film starred relative neewcomer Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, with a host of well-known actors in voice roles. The film went on to gross over $1 billion dollars back in 2010, so now we're getting a sequel. Most of the cast is returning, but Tim Burton is being replaced by James Bobin (The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted). Alice Through the Looking Glass is a big question mark box office wise. I mean, did anyone want a sequel to Alice in Wonderland?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Sticks the Landing in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (Review)

The idea of pitting Iron Man and Captain America against each other is distressing. This was especially true back in October 2014, when the movie was announced. As characters both familiar and new were being announced for the project, the film was looking harder and harder to pull off. Expectations were high after the stellar Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but the (unfairly) lukewarm response to Avengers: Age of Ultron made Captain America: Civil War seem like a large gamble. I am happy to report that I really enjoyed the third Captain America movie. And the film very much feels like a grand finale to a long-standing movie series.

Captain America: Civil War stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Chadwick Boseman, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Tom Holland, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Bruhl, and William Hurt. The film reunites directors Joe and Anthony Russo with screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, cinematographer Trent Opaloch, and composer Henry Jackman who all worked on The Winter Soldier. Longtime MCU editors Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt also worked on the film.

9 (More) Great Movies to Enjoy on Mother's Day

Apparently there's a movie called Mother's Day out in theaters. I heard it's bad, like bad-bad. So instead I decided to list some better flicks to check out with your mom (or to watch and think of your mother if you can't be with her like me). Please check the first part of this list from back in 2014.

Aliens (1986)
This sequel to the 1979 classic is a landmark movie for several reasons. It was one of the first science fiction movies to get an acting award nomination (for star Sigourney Weaver). But it also leaned into its feminist instincts, with star Ripley facing against the alien. Also Ripley taps into her maternal side by protecting the little kid Newt. This movie is pretty bonkers, and great for those sci-fi loving moms.

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT: A Motherfudging Dark Show

You wouldn't be wrong to think that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a live-action cartoon joke machine. The bright colors, the radiant/goofy Ellie Kemper as the star, the co-creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the laugh-a-minute setup. The Netflix series is Internet meme-friendly, with a catchy theme song and a "single gal in the big city" premise. On a superficial level, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is perfect for our pop culture landscape, especially with its nostalgia heavy references. But underneath the bubblegum pink veneer is a grim story about trauma, abuse, and survival.

Ellie Kemper stars in the title role, playing a girl who spent 15 years under a bunker after getting kidnapped by an insane "Reverend." After an interview on the Today show, Kimmy decides to start her life over in Manhattan, since she has no life to go back to in Indiana. Kimmy gets a job, a roommate, and a whole new life. Season 1 explored Kimmy's "unbreakable" attributes--her optimism, her determination, and her attempts to regain control. Season 2 takes a different turn, with the hororr of Kimmy's life in the bunker coming up to the surface. Kimmy might be unbreakable, but she isn't quite past her trauma.

9 Summer Movies I'm Most Excited For

SUMMER MOVIE SEASON IS UPON US! Guys, Summer 2015 was so fun to write about, and I get to do it again this year! Nobody really knows when Summer Movie Season begins and ends, but it's usually when the first big movie is released. So here are some movies to look out for when you want to escape the scorching heat and the possibility of a Donal Trump presidency. The movies are in order of release date. FYI I'm skipping Captain America: Civil War because come on. You don't need me to tell you to go see that.

The Nice Guys (May 20)
Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling star in this action comedy, from ace writer/director Shane Black (Iron Man 3). Hopefully this movie will have Black's off-kilter wit and physical gags.

THE JUNGLE BOOK is a Visual Wonder (Review)

I was really looking forward to The Jungle Book. Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Chef) is one of the few white male directors actually worth his bloated budgets and opportunities. The 1967 Disney animated film is a childhood classic. After Cinderella, I have faith in the new trend of bringing old animated classics back to the big screen. And its star-cast is full of talented folks. Then the reviews starting pouring in, and the 77 on Metacritic was really promising. So all in all, yes, this movie was on my "please watch ASAP" list.

The Jungle Book stars newcomer Neel Sethi, Bill Murray (St. Vincent), Idris Elba (Thor), Ben Kinglsey (Selfless), Lupita Nyong'o (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Scarlett Johansson (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Giancarlo Esposito (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials), and Christopher Walken (Jersey Boys). Based on both the Rudyard Kipling novel and the animated film, the script was written by Justin Marks, who apparently is writing a Top Gun sequel unfortunately. The Jungle Book made $103 million in the US, and has already made about $190 million overseas.

Melissa McCarthy Shines in Disappointing THE BOSS (Review)

Melissa McCarthy is one of my favorite comedy actors working today. Her brand of humor works for me. McCarthy has made a movie career out of lady-centric physical comedy, creative insults, and the importance of women bonding with other women. Her comedies usually aim to explore experiences that are often invisible in most mainstream media. Undoubtedly her best film is Spy, which took great care in exposing the severe underestimation of women over 40. McCarthy is a major "face on the poster" movie star, and she uses her clout to tell the stories she wants to tell.

Her latest film is The Boss, directed by her husband Ben Falcone. McCarthy and Falcone wrote the screenplay together along with Steve Mallory. Falcone and McCarthy previously made Tammy, which grossed $100 million even with bad reviews. Similarly, The Boss is getting trashed by the critics. However, I decided to check it out since I like Melissa McCarthy and most of the cast members. The Boss co-stars Kristen Bell (Frozen), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Ella Anderson, Tyler Labine (Monsters University), Timothy Simons (Veep), and Kathy Bates.

Live Die Reteam: Some Thoughts on the Upcoming EDGE OF TOMORROW Sequel

One of my favorite movies from 2014 was the Tom Cruise/Emily Blunt sci-fi action movie Edge of Tomorrow (retitled Live Die Repeat for home video, which is annoying). The film was a critical hit, but audiences were slow to catch up to how great it was. The film made about $370 million at the worldwide box office, which is low in the face of its $175 million budget. However, because the movie attained a lot of goodwill with critics and audiences, the idea of a sequel has been floating around. Everyone seemed to be into it, including screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie (who has worked with Cruise on MI 5 and Jack Reacher). Stars Cruise and Blunt and director Doug Liman seem to be on board as well.

Edge of Tomorrow is a great film, one that deserves to have a proper legacy in sci-fi action. The story is based on a Japanese mange called All You Need is Kill. The narrative was interesting, with an interesting world around it. Cruise and Blunt are electric. Considering how crowded the summer blockbuster season usually, it's not hard to imagine why this movie seemingly slipped under the radar. The movie didn't come from an established property, and Tom Cruise has a hard time selling his non-Mission: Impossible stuff. Truth be told, it's more important that movie exists and people see it. Even if that means after the fact.

ALIAS Was So Influential, We Forgot It

Last week, I started rewatching Alias (naturally I'm already on season 3). The show was one of my major favorites in high school. I devoured the first two seasons on DVD, then somehow caught up on season 3 before watching live. It was perhaps one of the most breathtaking shows my little unformed mind had ever seen. Twists, cliffhangers, wigs, gadgets--it was too much for me. The show was a cult favorite, always just bubbling up to the surface. It seemed everyone knew about it--and knew that its star Jennifer Garner was the hottest thing ever--but did people even watch it?

It's funny to think how much Alias anticipated the current era of TV. Had the show premiered in 2015 on one of the streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon, it would have been the talk of the town. And more so than it was in 2004 or even in 2001 when it debuted. The cliffhanger-happy format was made for our "Are you still watching?" pop culture landscape. The season finales, which always offered a game-changing final twist, would land even better on Netflix than they did on network TV.

BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE is Incompetent, Reactive, and Hateful (Review)

At this point, hating on Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice seems unfair. When critics were allowed to release their opinions, the movie took a heavy beating in the media and on social media. The film has a 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, and its reputation was tarnished way before its public release on Thursday evening. I'm sorry to say the movie is as bad as you've heard. BVS stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Holly Hunter, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Gal Gadot. The film was written by David Goyer and Chris Terrio. And Zack Snyder returns to the directing chair after his controversial Man of Steel.

Normally this is the part where I give a brief synopsis of the story, but honestly I have no idea what happened in the movie. The storytelling is so incompetent, where plot points are implied without laying any foundation at all. Even something as basic as "why are Batman (Affleck) and Superman (Cavill) even at odds in the first place?" is never really discussed except in abstract. I don't need my hands to be held, but the film offers zero foundation for anything. Potentially I can imagine that Batman saw the destruction of Metropolis and was like HELL NO. And maybe Superman doesn't like Batman because IDK there's only room for one costumed hunk in the area. And then there's Lex Luthor (Eisenberg) who seems to instigate all this drama and murder for no other reason than he's Superman's nemesis.

SPOILERS BELOW, FYI (but honestly it doesn't matter)

7 Things I Want from BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

As I am sure you are all aware, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice comes out this Friday. My excitement level is at a solid medium. The movie is a big question mark regarding quality, box office potential, and longevity within the pop culture landscape. Man of Steel doesn't have the best reputation so the DC Extended Universe is really riding on this movie to be what The Avengers was for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (but without the groundwork laid by the MCU's Phase 1). All in all, there are 7 things I want from BvS, but I'm not quite sure if I'll get them.

1. Some humor, perhaps?
Would it hurt this movie too much to offer some genuine levity, some quippy character moments, and real laughs? Considering the melodramatic title, there's a chance this movie could be oppressively grim but I hope the film finds time to have some fun. Because then the movie will have a longer shelf life.

88th Academy Awards: Predictions, Surprises & Snubs

Wow, people. This year's Oscar race is heated. Like, 400 degrees in the oven heated. While there are some frontrunners, the race is wide open. Unfortunately, we have another year of #OscarsSoWhite, but with 2015 being a stellar year in film there are a lot of good options in each category. So let's get to it!

Best Picture:
The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, and Spotlight
Winner: The Big Short, The Revenant, Spotlight (pictured above)
The Dark Horse: Mad Max: Fury Road
Guys. Come sit down for a bit. I have no idea what's going to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Producer's Guild chose The Big Short. The Director's Guild chose The Revenant. The Screen Actor's Guild chose Spotlight. So the race is up in the air. My heart wants Spotlight, my brain says The Big Short, but my gut has money on The Revenant (with wins at BAFTA and Golden Globes and box office glory). I have to say this is an incredible list of Best Picture nominees, even though I hated The Revenant

Major snub: Creed and Carol could have been the 9th and 10th nominees.

Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett (Carol), Brie Larson (Room), Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Charlotte Rampling (45 Years), and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
Winner: Larson
The Dark Horse: Ronan
Brie Larson has won most of the pre-Oscar awards so I'm confident to say she has the award in the bag. For a while, it seemed like she was going head to head with Saoirse Ronan, but I think this race is over. I like the other nominees, but they are of the "happy to be here" variety.

Major snub: Charlize Theron for Mad Max: Fury Road.

My Masculine Jacket: Blockbusters and the Modern Man

Clothes make the man. Look good, feel good. Dress for success. What we wear is a physical representation of our inner lives, how we feel--or how we want to feel--can be demonstrated by what we put on our bodies. That's why costume design is such an important part of filmmaking. You can't just put your characters in anything What they wear has to be a conscious choice to signify their place in the story and their emotional arc. Two of the years best blockbusters Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, feature key scenes where men exchange jackets. And both of these exchanges highlight differing views on manhood, as seen in the blockbuster era.

"That's my jacket." 
In Mad Max: Fury Road, Max (Tom Hardy) gets captured. A malnourished, anemic War Boy named Nux uses him as a "blood bag," rigging him up in a bizarre blood giving contraption and fixing MAx up to the hood of his car. Max is being violated and abused, seen as property rather than an actual human being. This is paralleled with the Wives of dictator Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). These women are refereed to as "breeders," raped in order to bring healthy boys to Joe's army. Nux takes Max's jacket, as a trophy. The jacket is the property of his property, a symbol of his presumption of ownership over Max.

9 Great Films to Enjoy on Valentine's Day

I'm not the biggest fan of Valentine's Day. But I do enjoy sitting down with some chocolate, some chardonnay, and a good romance movie. Here are some good romantic films to enjoy this long weekend.

Beyond the Lights
It's a simple story, told with elegance and care. Gugu Mbatha Raw stars as Noni, a pop star whose life is getting out of her control. When she meets the sweet police officer Kaz, played by Nate Parker, she starts to come together. As directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the film glows. The romance is understated and natural. Gugu Mbatha Raw is a radiant star, and her chemistry with Parker is infectious.

HAIL, CAESAR!: A Broad, Smart Hollywood Farce (Review)

Joel and Ethan Coen are two of my favorite directors working today. They have a remarkable batting average, with only two films that are questionable. They are the masters of precise imagery, delightful irony, and characters who don't always learn the lessons presented to them. Joel and Ethan Coen are known for making both intense dramas and goofy comedies, but their thematic insights are always present. Their latest film is Hail, Caesar!, a broad Hollywood farce.

Hail Caesar! stars Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Channing Tatum, and Tilda Swinton, with Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Alison Pill, and Frances McDormand in supporting roles. The film marks the return of "always the Oscar bridesmaid, never the bride" cinematographer Roger Deakins as the Coens' go-to cameraman since True Grit, after sitting out Inside Llewyn Davis. Oscar nominee Carter Burwell (Carol) provides the score, and editing was handled by the Coens, under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes.

Success is Redefined In LUCK BY CHANCE and BEGIN AGAIN

There are two films, which feature a couple torn apart by their differing definitions of success. The first is Zoya Akhtar's 2009 satire Luck By Chance starring Konkona Sensharma and Farhan Akhtar. The other is John Carney's sophomore film Begin Again, with Keira Knightley and Adam Levine. I recently saw both films, and I thought how each film puts two artists in a relationship only for fame, success, and ambition to steer them in different directions. Luck By Chance is set in the Indian film industry, while Begin Again takes on the music industry.

In Luck By Chance, Sona (Sensharma) is a struggling actress. She meets Vikram (Akhtar), another struggling actor. By chance, Sona leaves Vikram's photos on the desk of a producer who's been cheating her and he gives the photos to another producer. This guy (Rishi Kapoor) is looking for a new actor in his next production to star alongside an actress named Nikki Walia (Isha Sharavani), daughter of veteran actress Neena Walia (Dimple Kapadia). Sona, meanwhile struggles to get film roles and has to watch Vikram reach superstardom when his debut film is a big hit.

JOY: Jennifer Lawrence Overcomes Everything, Including Her Own Director (Review)

Since 2010, director David O. Russell has reinvented himself into an Oscar frontrunner, making prestigious ensemble comedies/dramas. He's attracted big stars like Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Jennifer Lawrence. His earlier films, including I Heart Huckabees and Flirting with Disaster, were oddball, quirky comedies--a lot weirder than his recent Oscar fare. With Joy, his fourth film in five years, Russell tries to bring some of those surreal elements into his prestige new phase, with mixed results.

Starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence, Academy Award winner Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez, Isabellla Rossellini, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, and Bradley Cooper, Joy tells the story of creative, independent Joy and her attempts to break out of her crazy, dysfunctional upbringing. The script was written by David O. Russell, from a story by Russell and Oscar nominee Annie Mumolo. The film is loosely based on inventor Joy Magano. Rather than be a straight biopic, it focuses more on the idea of woman inventors and the struggles of the working mother.

2016 Golden Globes Predictions

So now that the Oscar race is fully underway, let's take a look at the 73rd Golden Globe nominations and predict the winners! As I've said before, the governing body behind the Globes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association or HFPA, are not that credible since they love stars. But it's always interesting to see what and who wins.

Spotlight

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Carol (could win)
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight (will/should win)
Not only is the Boston journalism drama my top film of 2015, Spotlight is also the frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar. So I think a victory at the Globes is almost a sure thing. Carol is probably the 2nd likely winner, but each of the nominees (though I haven't seen The Revenant yet) seems like it could be a surprise win. Seeing MM:FR here is great.
What's missing? Brooklyn, Ex Machina, Creed--all worthy films.

Brie Larson, Room

Best Actress - Drama
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room (will win, should win)
Rooney Mara, Carol (could win)
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn (should win)
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
I find this category hard to predict. My gut says Brie Larson, but I have a feeling that the Globes might go for the more simple period romances Brooklyn or Carol. Having the two Carol stars in the leading category feels appropriate for their screen time (they're both leads) but might cause a split vote. So for now I'm going to say Larson since she had the more complicated role.
Who's missing? Charlize Theron for Mad Max: Fury Road.

Predicting the Best Actress/Supporting Actress Oscars (What a Mess!)

2015 was a really interesting year for films. The Oscars are shaping up to be a fascinating competition. Sure we have some frontrunners, and some vague ideas about what could/should win. This year, the Academy Award for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories are chaos. We have two examples of possible category fraud, two frontrunners, and a whole bunch of wild cards. Prepare yourself for a looooong post, kids!

The curious case of Rooney Mara & Alicia Vikander
Rooney Mara stars in the acclaimed romance Carol, along with Cate Blanchett. If this film were about a heterosexual romance, both actors would be campaigning for Best Actor/Actress. However, since the film stars two women, the Weinstein Company, which is distributing the film, doesn't want its two stars to cancel each other out. So they made the decision to campaign Rooney Mara as Supporting (probably because Blanchett is the title character).