Why Did 'American Hustle' Leave Oscar Night Empty-Handed?

American Hustle released in late December last year to almost widespread critical acclaim. It also won a good number of pre-Oscar critics awards (IMDb informs me that the film won 50 awards total against 86 nominations). I liked the film but thought the film didn't deserve the thunderous hype. Even so, people were speculating that it would be a heavy contender at the Oscars

And they were right. The movie scored a whopping 10 Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress, Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Editing, Costume Design and Production Design. It scored more nominations than any other film except for Gravity, which also received 10 nominations (and seven wins).

But on Oscar Night, the film left empty-handed. I was surprised. It had the biggest chance in 2 categories: Costumes and Supporting Actress for Jennifer Lawrence. The race between Lawrence and eventual winner Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) was tighter than ever. The 70s costumes might have attracted voters. Or maybe the screenplay would have won, beating the sci-fi oddball romance Her.

In my predictions, I guessed that American Hustle would be shut out. But honestly, I figured I'd be wrong. There was a chance that the Academy would throw Hustle an obligatory win simply to justify the film's presence in all the major categories (much like how last year Lincoln randomly won Best Production Design alongside the expected Best Actor because winning two out of twelve nominations is less pathetic than one out of twelve).

American Hustle wasn't the only Best Picture nominee to lose in all its categories. Philomena, The Wolf of Wall Street, Captain Philips (all pictured above), and Nebraska all were win-less. But Hustle's losses are the most embarrassing because it emphasized that, however enjoyable and fun, Hustle is essentially a hollow film that failed to justify its own existence as a major awards contender. Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter slyly subverted the romantic-comedy and the sports melodrama respectively but Hustle plays it completely straight. Though there were a handful of inspired moments, the film does not come together as a whole.

In my opinion, American Hustle deserved about 7 of its 10 nominations. But the editing? The costumes? Production design? In my opinion, these were perfunctory nominations in a "might as well put Hustle there because we need a fifth nominee" kind of way. I don't mean to rag on Hustle too much. I liked the film. But I loved the idea of it more. It's an enjoyable film but not worthy of ten Oscar nominations, let alone any wins.

Put simply, the Academy liked American Hustle enough to nominate it for 10 categories but not enough for it to actually win anything. Hustle lacked the historical importance of 12 Years a Slave or Dallas Buyers Club, the technical achievements of Gravity, or the pure impressiveness of Her and Blue Jasmine in their winning categories. It's a film that feels somewhat slight compared to the artistic heights 2013 saw in filmmaking.

86th Academy Awards: Predictions, Surprises & Snubs

A short while ago, the nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced. To be honest, 2013 was one of the best years for movies in recent history. There are a good number of great or exceptional films out in theaters or on home video and most of them have some kind of presence on this list of nominations. I was genuinely surprised at some of these nominations so there will be some good speculation in the next few days before the ceremony in March. Let's get to it, shall we?

Best Picture:

12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena and The Wolf of Wall Street

Winner: 12 Years a Slave

The Dark Horse: Gravity

This is a pretty tight race between the historical epic and the space epic. They tied at the Producer's Guild Award but !2 Years has been winning most of the Best Picture awards (including the Golden Globe). But Gravity scored the highest number of nominations (10, tying with American Hustle). For the most part, the Academy likes historical movies so I think in the end, the award will go to 12 Years. 

Major snub: Both Saving Mr. Banks and Inside Llewyn Davis were speculated to be heavily-nominated films but neither made it to the shortlist. Also, All is Lost, The Butler or Fruitvale Station could easily have been here.

Best Actor:

Christian Bale (American Hustle), Bruce Dern (Nebraska), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street), Chiwetel Ejiofor (!2 Years a Slave) and Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

The Winner: McConaughey

The Dark Horse: DiCaps/Ejiofor

For the longest time, I had Ejiofor as the frontrunner (and he could still win) but McConaughey has been winning a good number of pre Oscar awards (including the Golden Globe and the SAG Award). Also, the Academy loves physical transformations. That McConaughey's career did a complete 180 in the last 3 years or so is what works in his favor the most. DiCaprio's win at the Golden Globe and his previous losses could spin a win for him also. 

Major snub: Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Robert Redford (All is Lost), Joaquin Phoenix (Her) and Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) were all serious contenders and could have easily gotten onto the shortlist.

Best Actress:

Amy Adams (American Hustle), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Judi Dench (Philomena) and Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

The Winner: Blanchett

The Dark Horse: Adams/Bullock

Cate Blanchett had this award in the bag all way back in July when Blue Jasmine premiered. There is absolutely no way she's not winning this award. Personally I would love if Sandra Bullock pulled a surprise win but it's not happening. There's a slight chance that Blanchett could lose because of the Dylan Farrow NYTimes article (which strangely name-dropped Blanchett) but I seriously doubt the Academy would punish Blanchett for getting dragged into that mess. 

Major snub: Most people thought Emma Thompson was a lock for her role in Saving Mr. Banks. Guess not. My guess is that Streep took her spot.

Best Supporting Actor:
Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Bradley Cooper (American Hustle), Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street) and Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
The Winner: Leto
The Dark Horse: Fassbender
Dallas Buyers Club is an Oscar favorite (scoring a surprising six nominations) and Leto's performance has been much praised. But Fassbender has also won some awards for 12 Years. It may be more of a toss-up than you think. The Academy loves 12 Years but they also love physically demanding roles. Still, in the end, I think Leto will take it.

Major snub: Tom Hanks for Saving Mr. Banks. Again, I'm surprised that movie was shut out of the major awards. Also, Daniel Bruhl for Rush could have been a surprise nomination.

Best Supporting Actress:
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County) and June Squibb (Nebraska)
The Winner: Nyong'o
The Dark Horse: Lawrence
I know J-Law is like everyone's favorite person but I have a feeling Nyong'o will win the Oscar. I could be completely wrong. But the Academy isn't as starstruck as the Golden Globes and Nyong'o won the SAG award and the Critics' Choice Award. Back-to-back Oscar wins are rare in acting categories; Tom Hanks was the last one for his one-two punch of Forrest Gump and Philadelphia. And is the Academy really prepared to put J-Law on the same level as T-Hanks? My money is on newcomer Nyong'o. In my honest opinion, her performance was just better; she owned the film and made her tragic character heroic through her suffering.

Major snub: Scarlett Johansson for Her, Oprah Winfrey for The Butler and Octavia Spencer for Fruitvale Station seem to be missing from the list.

Best Director:
Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity), Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), Alexander Payne (Nebraska), David O. Russell (American Hustle) and Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)
The Winner: Cuaron
The Dark Horse: McQueen
Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron won the Director's Guild of America award and the Golden Globe; the victories seem to suggest he is the major frontrunner for the Oscar. The Academy will want to give Gravity at least one major award and this will be the one, honoring Cuaron as the team captain for the achievement that is Gravity. However, the Academy might want to have its Best Picture/Best Director be from the same movie which might give 12 Years the edge.

Major snub: Paul Greengrass for Captain Phillips was a possible contender but for some reason the Academy chose Alexander Payne. Haven't seen Nebraska but it doesn't really seem like a Director's Movie like Phillips did. It should be noted that Greengrass was nominated for the DGA over Payne, which is interesting.

Best Animated Feature:
The Croods, Despicable Me 2, Ernest & Celestine, Frozen and The Wind Rises
The Winner: Frozen
The Dark Horse: The Wind Rises
Frozen has the edge here because it is universally beloved. I hadn't even heard of Ernest & Celestine and The Wind Rises until the awards season started. The Wind Rises, however, is respected director Miyazaki's final feature film which could give it the edge over Frozen.

Major snub: I don't know... Monsters University? Epic?

Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium), The Great Beauty (Italy), The Hunt (Denmark), The Missing Picture (Cambodia) and Omar (Palestine)
Winner: The Great Beauty
The Dark Horse: The Broken Circle Breakdown/The Hunt
I've only seen one of these nominees (The Hunt) but The Great Beauty seems to be frontrunner after its Golden Globe win last month.

My picks for the technical categories:
Best Original Screenplay: Her (pictured above)
Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Best Cinematography, Original Score, Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects: Gravity (duh)
Best Costume Design, Production Design: The Great Gatsby
Best Original Song: Let It Go from Frozen
Best Makeup & Hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club

The Academy Awards air on Sunday March 2nd on ABC. The ceremony will be hosted be Ellen DeGeneres for the second time. What are some of your picks for the wins? 

And Starring Michelle Monaghan as Everybody's Girlfriend: Hollywood's Sexism Problem

Robert Downey Jr. Jake Gyllenhaal, Woody Harrelson. Patrick Dempsey. Tom Cruise. Casey Affleck. Ben Stiller. Shia LeBeouf. Gerard Butler.

What do these guys all have in common? They all starred in films (or TV shows) in which their leading lady was the very talented, the very beautiful Michelle Monaghan. She has made a career out of being the love interest or the support system for male leads. I can only guess whether or not Monaghan is frustrated with her lack of career choices. Perhaps she's grateful that she has some sort of niche in a business that's got to be tough for anyone but especially for a woman in her late 30s. I also don't know whether Monaghan auditions for these parts or if she's the "go-to gal" for girlfriend roles.

Either way, however, Monaghan is becoming the Poster Woman for one of Hollywood's major problems: sexism.

Ellen Page, the Inception crew's lone female. All these roles are gender-specific?

Substantial, leading parts for women are rare unless they are in films marketed only towards women (or rather, not marketed to men). You'll never see a heist movie starring more women than men (unless it's a heist comedy). Political dramas, war films, thrillers--these are all genres associated with men. Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty is the obvious exception here, but only because her character is based on a real-life woman. I wouldn't be surprised if someone had suggested changing the character to a man.

Production companies believe that men won't go see a movie in one of those genres if there are predominately females in the cast. And maybe that's true (though I believe a good script and direction will transcend gender). But why is the male audience the only one being targeted? I've heard rumors that women go see movies but I haven't any scientific data to prove it.

Part of the problem is the unwillingness to see male actors in traditionally feminized roles. For a female star to headline an action film, her leading gentleman would have to be just the sidekick or love interest with zero agency of his own or, God forbid, having to be saved from some horror. The gender flip of the damsel in distress myth would be too uncomfortable for mainstream audiences. The only example I can think of is Angelina Jolie saving her kidnapped husband in Salt but that guy was played by some non-star August Diehl. You'll never see Chris Pine or Chris Hemsworh or Chris Evans get kidnapped and then rescued by the likes of, for example, Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde or Amy Adams.

J-Law being awesome in Hunger Games...

Even when a female is allowed to be an action star of her own franchise, like Jennifer Lawrence in the Hunger Games series, the reward isn't more starring roles in films in which her character is the protagonist. Lawrence gets to be Bradley Cooper's totes crazy Manic Pixie Dream Girl in Silver Linings Playbook or Christian Bale's slightly bonkers wife in American Hustle. Granted, she's getting awards attention for those films. But I think a star of Lawrence's clout should be offered something a little more substantial than girlfriend or wife roles. She may steal the movie away from her co-stars but that's only because the film never belonged to her in the first place.

...and then playing a "crazy wife" role in American Hustle.

But not everyone can be Jennifer Lawrence (or Sandra Bullock, who's had some amazing career-changing success with Gravity, The Heat and The Blind Side). Wonder why Jennifer Aniston makes so many comedies? Or why Oscar worthy actresses are clamoring to be in superhero movies? Maybe on some level they enjoy it. But maybe that's all they're being offered. Unless you're Meryl Streep, substantial leading roles in mainstream films just aren't there. Actresses have to take what they can get to pay the bills and raise their profile enough so that they can take a risk with an indie film (like Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin).

Television is usually a good place to go for women when films let them down. Actresses like Vera Farmiga, Toni Collette for a while, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Claire Danes, Kerry Washington and Lucy Liu have all successfully starred in critically-acclaimed series. I think even Halle Berry is starring in a CBS drama produced by Steven Spielberg.

American Horror Story: where 40+ actresses get some meaty roles

But television isn't infallible. Michelle Monaghan got a gig on HBO (True Detective) and she plays Woody Harrelson's long suffering wife. Literally, she has no scenes that are about something other than her marriage or her husband. I like the show a lot. And I understand it's a critique of modern American norms of masculinity. As talented as the people are behind the camera, they've really dropped the ball on fleshing out their female lead. It just hurts a little bit to see Monaghan playing the same role when she is capable of so much more.

What's the solution? Obviously, there need to be more female writers and directors who write complex starring roles for women. Perhaps men besides Woody Allen should start writing strong roles for actresses  Maybe studios shouldn't be so afraid of greenlighting a film with female characters who  actually do things. Whatever the solution, there needs to be a major change in the way Hollywood works for its many talented actresses.

Kiss the Old Sandra Goodbye, She's Defying Gravity

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Cate Blanchett is going to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Blue Jasmine. But there's a part of me deep down that wants America's Sweetheart Sandra Bullock to pull a victory in March for Gravity. Okay, I know on social media I've been championing American Hustle's Amy Adams for the win (because she's Amy Adams and we love her). And I'd be satisfied if any of these three ladies win the Oscar.

If Sandra Bullock were to win, however, I'd be inordinately excited. While all five nominated actresses (the others being Judi Dench, Philomena, and Meryl Streep, August: Osage County) are fine actresses who gave performances ranging from excellent to solid, Bullock was the only one who did something completely different. We've seen performances before from Adams, Dench, Streep and, yes, even Blanchett that were similar to ones nominated. But Bullock's is the only that was different from anything she'd done before. A totally different genre, filmmaking process, character. Five years ago, could anyone have ever imagined that Sandra Bullock, of While You Were Sleeping/The Blind Side/Miss Congeniality/Speed 2: Cruise Control fame, would be headlining a space survival thriller movie?

It all comes down to one simple question: Shouldn't Sandra Bullock be rewarded for stepping so far out of her comfort zone that she ended up in space?

I remember the days when Gravity was just a rumored project. The casting rumors for the lead actor included names like Scarlett Johansson, Marion Cotillard, Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie obviously and of course the Goddess of Acting herself, Blake Lively.  But now I can't even imagine any of these other actresses in the role.

Sandra Bullock is Gravity. She's the heart and soul of the picture; her collaboration with director Alfonso Cuaron (who probably will win the Oscar, rightfully so) made the film even better than it could have been with a more cliched choice like Jolie. She brings a certain gravity (pun totally intended) to the film. Her performance is made stronger by the fact that she's so out of her element. Her desperation is equal parts terrifying and triumphant. For an actress who's already accomplished so much (her four biggest hits happened after she turned 45), Gravity becomes a yet another success. I am curious to see where Bullock goes from here. In my eyes, her role in Gravity is becoming one of her most iconic and she'll bring the movie with her to every future performance.

As much as I want Bullock to win, even I can admit that the Oscars are ultimately meaningless because the work is its own reward. And Bullock is respected enough as an actor and beloved enough as a movie star that winning or losing won't really affect her career.

But for once I wish the Academy would attach some meaning to the award. A victory for Bullock wouldn't just be a perfect ending to an incredible year. It would show that the Academy is willing to honor the most daring performance of the group, not just the one that is most "Oscar-y." It would encourage more actresses to seek out risky roles and more directors to widen the pool of actors when casting films in male-driven genres. A win for Gravity in the acting category would be a win for serious-minded science fiction films, for the appreciation of actors in films with special effects and technological achievements. And it would just be cool to actually be surprised come Oscar night.

Amy Adams: Always an Oscar Bridesmaid?

Amy Adams has stored 5 Academy Award nominations, four for Best Supporting Actress (Junebug, 2005; Doubt, 2008; The Fighter, 2010; and The Master, 2012) and most recently one for Best Actress (American Hustle, 2013). 5 nominations in 8 years is impressive, cementing that the Academy and Hollywood in general consider Adams to be a leading actress of her generation. And each year, the 39 year old actor was a casualty of pre-Oscar juggernaut. Let's take a look.

Junebug: Adams lost to Rachel Weisz who had won the Golden Globe, the SAG award, the British Independent Film award and the critics' award in both San Diego and London for The Constant Gardener. There was no way first time nominee Amy Adams was going to beat her for an obscure, star-less indie comedy. Especially since Gardener is one of those important "prestige" pictures.

Doubt: The winner that year was Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, who had also picked up numerous awards before taking home the top prize. The Academy loves Woody Allen and loves to give the award to his supporting actresses. Cruz had the award in the bag. Also, Adams was up against Doubt co-star Viola Davis and, honestly, if anyone was going to win from Doubt it would have been Davis.

The Fighter: Adams lost to co-star Melissa Leo. With both Doubt and The Constant Gardener, I completely understand why Adams lost the Oscar; those two performances were more worthy of the win than Adams' (I hate to say that!). But if I ran the Academy, I would have given the Oscar to Adams over Leo. But Leo won out because she won most of the pre-Oscar awards and, more annoyingly, because of her relentless and (in my opinion) tasteless campaigning.

The Master: Amy Adams lost to Anne Hathaway's tragic performance in Les Miserables. Again, she was a victim to the pre-Oscar juggernaut. The loss was sadly inevitable with Hathaway pretty much winning every award (deservedly so). Even if Hathaway were to have lost, Sally Fields was the second choice for Lincoln.

American Hustle: Adams gets a nomination for Best Actress...and she's up against Cate Blanchett. The Australian actress pulled off the remarkable feat of becoming the frontrunner when Blue Jasmine premiered in all the way back in July and remained so during the entire Oscar season. Sure, there were times where Sandra Bullock (Gravity) or Adams herself seemed like they might pull a win. But this award is Blanchett's to lose. And for the fifth time, Adams will have to put on her "happy to be nominated but dying inside" professional grin.

As annoying as it is to see one of the leading actresses of her generation walk home empty-handed year after year, Amy Adams is in good company. It took Kate Winslet six tries before hitting the home run. Peter O'Toole, Annette Bening, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Pfeiffer and Brad Pitt are all multiple-nominated actors who never took home the Oscar.

But as we saw in the 2011 comedy The Muppets, Amy Adams knows how to make being a loser totally fun:

The Hot Shots of 2013

It's that time of year when I get to look at who had a successful year in 2013. So here's my list of the hot shots of 2013. The list is in alphabetical order.

Actresses over the age of 40
There are a few frontrunners for the Academy Award for Best Actress: Judi Dench (Philomena), Meryl Streep (August: Osage County), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks) and Sandra Bullock (Gravity). Know what they all have in common? They're older, seasoned actresses; 2013 is one of the few years where actresses over the age of 40 have played meaty, starring roles. Even the sixth actor on the shortlist for Best Actress is 39 year old Amy Adams (American Hustle). Outside the Oscar race, Melissa McCarthy (with co-star Bullock) and Jennifer Aniston ruled the summer box office with The Heat and We're the Millers respectively.

Michelle Ashford, creator of Showtime's Masters of Sex
Masters of Sex is not only exceptionally filmed, beautifully acted and expertly written but it has a warmth and a sense of humor missing from other period prestige dramas (namely Mad Men). Ashford has created a show about sex that isn't juvenile; the series explores how sex can be funny, heartbreaking, disappointing, satisfying and erotic. While the number of female showrunners is growing, Masters of Sex is notable because it's not exclusively about the female experience with men as love interests or villains. The characters are all pretty developed and the show is truly a delight to watch.

Andre Braugher
After years of playing in serious dramas or serio-comedies, Braugher made the unexpected move: joining Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a goofy police workplace sitcom starring SNL vet Andy Samberg. As Capt. Holt, Braugher brings major laughs with his deadpan delivery and priceless facial expressions. Instead of playing the typical by-the-book straitlaced boss, he brings in new shades to the character each episode and displays just enough of a goofy side to become the freshman series' best character.

Alfonso Cuaron and the Gravity team
Cuaron has built an impressive filmography and delivered his most spellbinding and ambitious film yet. Gravity was a colossal success both with audiences and critics. Nominated for 4 Golden Globes, Gravity is expected to be a big hit at the Academy Awards; nominations are expected for most of the major awards and the technical awards. The film is glorious to watch; it is one of the few films to make full and proper use of 3D technology. The cast and crew should be applauded for pulling off this challenging but emotionally rewarding film. I would put money on Cuaron winning the Oscar for Best Director.

Chwietel Ejiofor
Ejiofor has been a dependable actor, often shining in supporting roles or not getting enough recognition. His time has come this year with his powerhouse performance in the critically acclaimed 12 Years a Slave. As a free man captured back into slavery, Ejiofor is quietly intense, heartbreaking and resilient in the face of relentless horror. It's a great performance, rightfully bringing this actor to the limelight. He's already won numerous awards for his incredible performance and he's the actor to beat for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Scarlett Johansson
After becoming the highest paid actress for her franchise work in the Marvel films, Johansson wowwed critics with her work in two different films. In Don Jon, she played bubblegum-chewing, bossy Jersey princess to great effect, mining laughs from her accent and spot-on line readings. Then she played an operating system named Samantha on the verge of sentience and love in Her. Johansson's creation of a whole character using only her voice has been greatly appreciated by critics. She also starred in the sci-fi horror Under the Skin which had a warm reception at various film festivals. Johansson's 2013 proved to be one of her best years  and the future is looking just as bright.

Jurassic Park in IMAX 3D
There have been a lot of IMAX 3D re-releases of older films these past few years. The most successful one was the conversion of the 1993 dino-thriller Jurassic Park. The 3D was detailed and immersive, the sound is sharp and enveloping and the dinosaurs looked as menacing as ever. While most of the re-releases can seem like a cash grab banking on the nostalgia factor, Jurassic Park actually was worth the effort. It doesn't hurt that the movie has aged wonderfully. The special effects are just as cool as they were 20 years ago.

Jennifer Lawrence
After a memorable Oscar win earlier this year, JLaw continued to be the coolest actress working in Hollywood. She finds herself back in the Oscar race with her supposedly unhinged and scene-stealing performance in American Hustle. She also continued to rock the box office in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. This year Lawrence proved that she isn't just a flash in the pan, showing versatility in her film roles. She's proved that she has what it takes to be a franchise star, a role model and a critical darling all while retaining her sense of humor about it all.

Malcom D. Lee and the The Best Man Holiday team
The Best Man Holiday is the best sequel to a move you probably forgot existed. The film opened at #2, making almost twice its budget on opening weekend. The movie, which features a large number of appealing, talented actors (including Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Nathan and Nia Long), earned positive reviews and strong word of mouth. It made a smashing total of $69 million in the US and opened at #1 on its opening Friday, earning more than Thor: The Dark World, the best sequel to a movie you weren't allowed to forget existed. Of course, Thor took back the #1 spot on Saturday and Sunday but the damage had been done: The Best Man Holiday was a surefire hit.

Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey
An unlikely pair both on and off the screen, Leto and McConaughey proved a formidable team in their critically acclaimed picture Dallas Buyers Club. As HIV+ individuals in the middle of the 80s epidemic, their performances and chemistry together bring the movie alive and add in some warmth and humor to what could have been a very serious drama. Both actors do career-defining work in the film. Along with co-star Jennifer Garner, these two actors really make this difficult time in American history relatable and engrossing, providing what could have been a soapbox melodrama with some necessary gravitas.

Steve McQueen
After making two critically acclaimed films that were just on the verge of getting wide recognition, McQueen finally hit the mainstream with the unflinching !2 Years a Slave. He brings his keen eye for striking visuals to a film that is bigger in scope than his previous films (Hunger and Shame) and he really pulled it off. While his previous films were somber character studies, this film takes on a more ambitious task of telling these human stories within a larger context. It is a truly harrowing but totally necessary film experience. McQueen has been brought to national focus because of this film, garnering many award nominations and wins for it. The film is a true achievement under McQueen's confident and unwavering direction.

Mike White and Laura Dern, creators of HBO's Enlightened
Enlightened was sadly one of the most under-appreciated gems in the HBO oeuvre. Canceled after its second season, the series had a very unique and complicated heroine at the center and a knack for mining comedy out of minute and mundane social interactions. The show struggled to find an audience but in its obscurity it found creative freedom. The show explored uncomfortable themes, took chances with its narrative structure and developed its own style of gorgeous imagery. With each episode written by White, who co-stars along with Dern, the series felt intimate and real. For that it will be a true lost treasure for the HBO brand.

5 Films #8: Matthew McConaughey

For part 8 of 5 Films, I chose Mr. Southern Smiles himself, Matthew McConaughey. His career can be divided into three eras: Promising, Punchline, Powerhouse. In the 90s, he had a bright career with strong supporting roles and big parts in ensemble dramas that seemed to signify he was on the way to Big Things. Then his career took a turn into Rom-Com Junction. While some of his rom-coms are actually good, most of them lacked whatever a movie needs to be memorable and exciting. But then McConaughey reignited the fire of his career in the late 2000s and has been hitting home runs ever since. Now he's on the road to an Oscar nomination with the film Dallas Buyers Club (in theaters now).

1. Dazed and Confused (1993; Richard Linklater)
McConaughey's first movie role was as David Wooderson, the charming rascal who hits on girls several years his junior. "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age" is the kind of line only someone like McConaughey can pull off. The laidback, carefree Wooderson is what most people think of when they hear the name McConaughey. I'm sure he brought his natural charisma to the role or maybe this role was so iconic it shaped his entire offscreen persona. There are times when Wooderson shows his quiet intensity and the cool guy mask drops off. So even back then, McConaughey was showing traces of the actor he would become 20 years later.

2. A Time to Kill (1996; Joel Schumacher)
Even with a cast that includes a number of Hollywood heavyweights like Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd and Donald Sutherland, a young McConaughey manages to stand out in this popular legal drama. And I think that is because he's playing a lawyer, Jake Brigance. There's something about McConaughey's Southern drawl and winking charm which makes him perfect for playing a criminal attorney. He has the ability to stand for justice without sounding preachy. He's charisma and he has the intensity to back it up. This was the movie that brought him to the big leagues, his first adult starring role. And it's not surprising it made him a legit star.

3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003; Donald Petrie)
The McConaughey rom-com era officially started in 2001 with The Wedding Planner. But the best of the bunch is clearly 10 Days, which pairs McConaughey with a totally game Kate Hudson in a zany battle of the sexes screwball comedy. This is still early enough in McConuaghey's rom-com era so his performance is genuine and spontaneous (unlike in later movies like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past or Fool's Gold where it feels phoned-in). As Benjamin Barry, he uses his charm and good looks in fun ways and is able to keep up with Hudson's full-bodied, over-the-top comic performance. Modern rom-coms don't get a fair shake but this one shows that with the right writers, cast and director, a PG-13 mainstream studio comedy can still be have a few tricks up its sleeve.

4. Killer Joe (2011; William Friedkin)
In 2011, McConaughey bounced out of his rom-com era and into the good graces of filmgoers in the taut legal thriller The Lincoln Lawyer. Around the same time, a little trash-noir indie was being shown around festivals only to have a limited release in June 2012. That was Killer Joe, one of McConaughey's most interesting and menacing performances. He completely discards his Southern charmer persona and becomes rather frightening and creepily vulnerable as the titular Killer Joe Cooper. As a cop who moonlights as an assassin-for-hire, he abandoned his normal star charisma and truly inhabits the role of Killer Joe. It's remarkable work, the culmination of almost two decades of perfecting his craft.

5. Dallas Buyers Club (2013; Jean-Marc Vallee)
As Ron Woodroof, a homophobic, skirt-chasing Texas man who tests HIV+ after an unprotected sexual encounter, McConaughey tries to balance his movie star persona with his Killer Joe intensity. And it works. Beautifully, I should add. While most actors who play real people try to disappear into the character, McConaughey brings his whole career with him into the character. For that reason, this very Oscar-y performance feels genuine and heartfelt instead of manipulative and hollow. As much as you want to hate Woodroof for his hateful view of the world, the way he tries to correct his life is admirable as is his desire to help people in his same situation. Woodroof feels like a real person on the screen instead of just your typical soapbox-cipher character. McConaughey could very well win the Oscar for this performance (his main competition is Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave) and that would be all right, all right, all right.

Other remarkable films starring Matthew McConaughey:
1. The Lincoln Lawyer
2. Magic Mike
3. Mud
4. Two for the Money
5. Amistad

Hope you enjoyed part 8 of 5 Films. Stay tuned for Part 9, starring Oscar winner Natalie Portman.