Movie Review - 42

Hello, everyone. I know it's been a while since I have posted but I'm back. Everyone knows that money is pretty tight right now for everyone, especially for a recent college graduate. But, anyway,  I finally got a chance to go to the movies two weekends ago and I think I picked a good time to return to the theater.

     42: The Jackie Robinson Story or as it was billed in it's movie poster: The True Story of an American Legend. This movie didn't receive the hype I thought it deserved or could have been promoted better, considering its topic. While I have nothing wrong with the promotion and endorsement that our superhero movies are getting (see Iron Man 3), this movie told the story of not just a sports hero and legend but an American hero during a time when one was needed.

     Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) was playing for the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945, where the film starts. During that time in New York, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford)  was looking to make a change, not only with his team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, but to do something that was never thought of in baseball at the time: signing an African-American player and breaking the baseball color barrier. He discovered Jackie Robinson and signs him, with Jackie having to promise to control his temper if he wants to play because Branch and Jackie know the level of scrutiny and bigotry they will both fee from inside and outside the sport.

 
     Although the film focuses only on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers season and some of his 1946 season with the Montreal Royals and I wish it had expanded onto more of his career, this film did a great job by viewing the most important part of his career: the beginning and the challenges Jackie faced. The taunting that Jackie took from Philadelphia Phillies manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk) was a little uncomfortable to watch as an African-American and watching Jackie's struggles to make the team so far in the film. It was a true test for Jackie, who was forced to go to the dugout and smash his bat to vent his anger from the abuse. Rickey approached Jackie and encouraged him to silence Chapman and other critics by performing and he did just that. Later on in the film, Chapman and Robinson pose for newspaper and magazines with both of them holding a bat. This was Jackie's idea so they, in his words: "we won't have to touch skin." Another iconic scene is when Jackie and Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) showed solidarity in front of a hostile crowd during a game in Kentucky.

     The film is a testament of the strength of a man to challenge society's view and inspire future generations of black athletes to follow their dreams. Jackie Robinson is a true hero. He didn't have superpowers or sidekicks or looking to save the world.  All Jackie had was a bat, a team uniform, and the guts to not fight back when being harassed by those who didn't want their perfect work changed. I would recommend this movie to anyone, even if they aren't a sports fan. I hope you all go to see it.

     Also, as everyone knows, the summer movie season is upon us. I'll be covering the first tremendous month of this season soon. Until then, everyone. See you at the movies!

The Oscars - Awkward jokes, musicals, and falls.

Hello everyone!

Yes, yes. I know that it's been a while that I have posted on my blog but you know how the job search and submitting resumes can be but today, I found some time and while I was going to put up a review for my next post (that will come later), the biggest night for movies happened this past Sunday so I feel like I should cover that first.

Ladies and Gentleman...The Oscars.

The host for this year's Oscars was Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy and American Dad as well as the driving force behind the vulgar and risque movie, TED (2012). Anyone who has seen either of these shows or movies knows how Seth operates. When I first heard that he would be the host of the Oscars, I hoped that Oscars committee knew what they were doing because Seth's humor tends to rub people the wrong way...and Seth did not disappoint. There were times when I thought he was holding back (probably due to the committee talking to him before the award show started) but it didn't stop him from making jokes about Abraham Lincoln's assassination, for instance. In the beginning of the show, he did well with the musicals and great jokes; overall, he did a reasonably good job as a host. He's already tweeted that he would not host the Oscars again so who knows what will happen next year.

The tribute to James Bond was something that warmed my heart as a James Bond fan. Although my first James Bond movie was Die Another Day (2002) with Pierce Brosnan (what a way to start my Bond film life, right?), I have seen the movies of Bond's past (minus one or two from the Roger Moore era, one from the Timothy Dalton, and George Lazenby) and they made me fall more in love with the escapism of the Bond movies and appreciate the longevity of this franchise, entering its fiftieth year with Skyfall (2012). A video montage of highlights from the twenty-three Bond movies played before a performance from Shirley Bassey, singing Goldfinger. This tribute made sure that even after fifty years, everyone knows James Bond Will Return.

Beyond that, there was a lot of singing and dancing. I think Seth didn't mind that because most of his shows break out into song during random times.

Now, onto the awards. Because there are too many to go through, I'll just cover the highlights:

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz - Django Unchanined as Dr. King Schultz.
This category was a hard personal pick for me because I enjoy each actor who was nominated for this award but out of all of the movies I saw from this nomination list, I have to say that Christoph deserved this award. His performance as the good doctor/dentist/bounty hunter was superb as a character, fully embracing the eccentricities of Dr. Schultz and his determination to help Django (played by Jamie Foxx) on his journey to reclaim his wife.

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables as Fantine.
While I admit that I didn't have time to watch Les Mis (The Hobbit, Django Unchained, and Silver Linings Playbook came out around the same time so I was torn and short on money), Anne Hathaway had gotten rave reviews for her portrayal of Fantine. I have known some friends not like her performance because of her singing ability but I respect that Anne was willing to sing on her own, have her hair cut off and make someone emotionally invested in the Fantine's story and character.

Best Writing - Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained
Now this award came as a surprise to me. I am a fan of Tarantino. I've seen almost all of his movies (Jackie Brown is the exception. Thank God for Netflix). I didn't expect for Tarantino to get this award because I felt like the Academy Awards didn't really appreciate Tarantino's writing or didn't know what to make of it in comparison to the other nominees. Apparently, they might have changed or warmed up to him a bit and this award is the proof. Django is one of the best original written movie I have seen in a while and having an original script is a rarity in Hollywood now. Congrats to Tarantino.

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln as Abraham Lincoln.
Out of all of the awards, this didn't surprise me. Bradley Cooper did excellent in Silver Linings but he was not ready for that spotlight just yet. That's just my opinion. Hugh Jackman is very multi-talented as well as Joaquin Phoenix but everyone knows that the Academy Awards have a soft spot for emotional character driven stories, historical movies, or just Oscar bait films that come out at the right time. With that being said, I thought the award would come down to Denzel Washington and Daniel Day-Lewis. In the end, I wasn't shocked at Daniel's win because he is an excellent actor and played a great role as one of our most influential presidents in this country's history. This is also his third Oscar for Best Actor. Way to go, Daniel.

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook as Tiffany Maxwell
Now, THIS came as a surprise to me. Considering her competition against Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty, I didn't know if Jennifer would win. Maybe I'm bias because I loved Silver Linings Playbook and its unique love story and Jennifer gave a wonderful performance as a dark, heart-broken, and somewhat crazy widow. When her name was called, I was surprised and apparently, so was Jennifer, because she fell while climbing the stairs to take the golden man award. You can't really blame her for her fall in that beautiful dress and knowing that you won the Best Actress award. Jennifer has a few more movies on deck like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and X-men: Days of Future Past but this movie and her award proves that she is multi-talented and not just another pretty face. It also tells Hollywood that we might have our new A-List Actress for years to come.

Best Picture: Argo 
Ever since the number of pictures for this award was expanded from five to ten, it makes it much harder to pick out a winner. Personally for me, I was pulling for the dark horses such as Django Unchained, Silver Linings Playbook, and Argo against powerhouse picks like Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, and Life of Pi. Honestly, Ben Affleck was snubbed from the Best Director nominations this year but he had the last laugh in the end, taking home the biggest award of the night. He seemed flustered as he powered through his acceptance speech. Whether that was because he didn't expect it, the show was coming to a close and he had to hurry up, or he just wanted to say that he was right about his movie all along, Ben had a right to be proud. I've heard good to great things about Argo and it is definitely on my list for next movie to watch in my spare time.

All in all, this Oscars ceremony was better than in previous years, drawing in a larger audience and higher ratings. I will say that I enjoyed this ceremony and looking forward to what next year will bring with the slate of movies that are expected to come down from Hollywood for our viewing pleasure.

Until next time, take care everyone!

Top 10 of 2013

Hello, Everyone! I've been toying around with the idea of a blog for a while so I have decided to do this in my free time to see what happens and how everyone responds. This blog and combine my two passions: movies and writing (there might be another blog of my creative works coming on later).

So, for my first post, I decided to present my list of top ten movies for 2013. Per Hollywood's latest trend, we are in for a year full of sequels but it doesn't mean that it won't be any less fun to go to the movies this year!

10) Thor: The Dark World. Releases: November 8, 2013

     Our favorite Asgardian is back in the sequel to the 2011 film that introduced us to the Thunder God. In  this superhero sequel, An ancient race of Dark Elves, who are led by Malekith, that are seeking to destroy the universe and plunge it into darkness. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the only person who can stop these enemies and he must team up with his love, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and others to help defeat this enemy and save the Nine Realms. Not much has been publicly stated about Loki's (Tom Hiddleston) role in this movie but we all know that the mischievous God will play an interesting role in this movie.

9) The Great Gatsby. Releases: May 10, 2013

     This film was supposed to be released this past Christmas but was pushed back to this summer, due to conflicts in the production schedule. This move might actually work, depending on the success of Iron Man 3, which comes out a week earlier. This film is the Hollywood big-budget adaptation of the American classic novel about the mysterious Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), viewed by the protagonist and narrator, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire). I haven't had a chance to fully read the novel but here is to hoping that Hollywood doesn't mess this up.

8) The Hangover Part III. Releases May 24, 2013

     The Wolfpack is back for one more wild night. This time, there is no wedding to crash into at the last minute and no bachelor party to try and piece back together the next day. A definite change-up from the two previous movies (It worked the first time, not sure why you try a second time but, hey, I'm not directing!) Todd Phillips has brought back Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Doug (Justin Bartha), and last, but not least, Alan (Zack Galifianakis) for one more ride into Vegas. The rest of the plot is being kept under wraps but rest assured, they are going to end this trilogy with a bang...or maybe just a shot of Jager.

7) The Fast and The Furious 6. Releases May 24, 2013

     Okay, okay. I know everyone is not a fan of the Fast and the Furious film series. I mean, fast cars, beautiful women, car chases, unbelievable stunts and fast speed action. What's not to love, right? In Fast Five, the series took a hard right turn and became more than just a street-racing movie as they pulled off one last heist to lead happy lives. Unfortunately, other people have plans for the crew. Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker), and the rest of the crew are on the wrong side of the law again and try to pull another heist in Europe. All the fans want to know what this will do with the return of Letty (didn't she die in Fast and Furious?) and what part will Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) play as he chases the crew again? I can say that I'm looking forward to riding shotgun with these men and women once again this summer.

6) A Good Day to Die Hard. Releases February 14, 2013

     Now, I'm one of the biggest Bruce Willis fans and when I heard rumors earlier last year about a fifth Die Hard movie, I wasn't the biggest fan of it because I think this series has run its course. After seeing the previews for this newest installment, all I can say now is, "Welcome back, John McClane!" Bruce Willis is one of the few 80's action stars that has maintained his box office power over the years. 25 years after the first Die Hard movie that started the insane adventures of an everyday New York detective, McClane (Willis) goes to Russia to help out his son, Jack. It's not as simple as that, not for John McClane. Explosions will rock Mother Russia, bullets casings will cover the ground, and the bad guys will get rocked. Yippee Ki-Yay Mother Russia!

5) The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Releases December 13, 2013

     It was great to return to Middle-Earth this past December for the prequel to the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. I wasn't expecting to return to back so soon but I'm definitely not going to complain. In part two, Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the Dwarves (too many to name!) have escaped the Misty Mountains and move forward to the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf city, ruled now by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo has gained the One Ring from Gollum and the party is in search of more gold once they are in the mountain but defeating Smaug will not be an easy task. Part One did justice to the first third of the novel and I would say that expectations are high for this second installment.

4) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Releases November 22, 2013

     Jennifer Lawrence is a very busy, young woman these days. During 2012, it's like you couldn't get away from her (why would you, anyway) with movies like The Hunger Games, House at the End of the Street, and, the movie that has her nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, Silver Linings Playbook (If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it). This sequel and novel adaptation finds Katness Everdeen (Lawrence), safely home after winning the Hunger Games along with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), her love from the first film. Winning means that they can't enjoy the spoils of their victory as they are whisked away and embark on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts while the President (Donald Sutherland) attempts to keep the simmering rebellion in the districts by preparing the 75th Annual Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell. This sequel will definitely be burning bright and be one of the top movies of the year.

3) Man of Steel. Releases June 14, 2013

     Look up! Guess what red and blue streak is gracing our blue skies once again. That's right, Superman is back but this time around, Krypton's last son is not in a happy, chipper mood. This film brings the Superman mythology into a darker, more human light. Clark Kent just doesn't become Superman like always but this version does seem to delve into how Clark found the strength to become Earth's Greatest Hero and find his place in the world by helping to save it. Superman/Clark Kent's role is filled in by Henry Cavill (Showtime's The Tudors) and from the previews, it looks as though The Dark Knight Rises has had a profound impact on this version of Superman.

2) Star Trek Into Darkness. Releases May 17, 2013

     Time to journey again to where no man has gone before. The long-awaited sequel to 2009's Star Trek reboot shows that Starfleet is under attack by one man with incredible power. Who would you call if your world was in trouble in the Star Trek Universe? The flagship of the Federation, the U.S.S. Enterprise, commanded by the headstrong Captain Kirk (Chris Pine). The original crew is back along with a new addition, Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve). If you don't know about the good doctor not named McCoy, I recommend Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Looking at the previews, this movie could re-enact a classic scene between Kirk and Spock from the original Star Trek sequel. This is definitely an IMAX trip worth taking into the final frontier.

And last, but certainly, not least...

1) Iron Man 3. Releases May 3, 2013

     The character who started the Marvel Cinematic Universe and got the train moving for the Avengers to become a reality returns for his third flight in his hardcore suit of armor. This time around, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) does seem a lot more depressed since the Battle of New York in The Avengers and doesn't know what to do with himself in a post-Avengers world. He is faced with the challenge of The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley) who, along with others, destroy Tony's private world and threaten all that he holds dear. In this film, Tony works with "Extremis" technology that will make his suit stronger and let him have control. With the returning star power of Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, and, definitely, another cameo by Stan Lee, this darker film, looking like it is somewhat influenced by The Dark Knight Rises, is sure to take us on a ride to start off the summer movie season.

In the last three movies, it looks like The Dark Knight Rises has influenced them. One, I mean, look at the Star Trek teaser poster and, tell me it does not remind you of TDKR! Secondly, and more to the point, the last Batman look at the humanity of the leading characters or their world and focus on it. Their characters reach or start at rock bottom and work their way back up to claim their destiny. It's not a bad move at all and points movies in a different direction. All in all, I think we are in for a hell of a year in cinema.

I hope you all enjoy reading this blog. Please encourage others to read it because I would really appreciate the support. Post this link on your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or any social media site. If you want to respond to this post, make suggestions about my next post or have any questions, please e-mail me at rcoll0713@gmail.com. Enjoy the weekend everybody!