MIKE NICHOLS (1931-2014) remembered

November 20, 2014

mike nichols When a giant from the Entertainment world passes away, I take the time to read of the few of the tributes and reminisce about the person’s impact on me and the industry. Periodically, and for varying reasons, I am motivated to write my own words about the person and their career.

As one of only twelve (12) EGOT’s (a winner of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), Mike Nichols’ legacy and impact are obvious. He is not just the old guy married to Diane Sawyer. Rather, he is a visionary who impacted entertainment for more than 50 years as a performer, stage director, film director, producer and writer.

Some will recall his ground-breaking comedy work with Elaine May from the mid-50’s through the early 60’s (see the video below). Others know him as the Oscar winning director of the classic film The Graduate (1967), and other films such as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Carnal Knowledge, Silkwood, and Working Girl. He was also instrumental in the original stage productions of such well-known and long running plays as “Barefoot in the Park“, “The Odd Couple” (Art Carney and Walter Matthau), and more recently “Spamalot“. From the mid-60’s through this year, he bounced professionally and expertly between Hollywood and the stage. Mr. Nichols’ final film was Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), and he won his final Tony Award directing Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” (2012).

While the career and awards are long-lived and impressive, what’s more notable is how those in the industry refer to him. You will read and hear words like leader, mentor and visionary. Nichols was a collaborator who could inspire artists to their best work. For me personally, I always admired his ability to be funny-smart … or maybe it’s smart-funny. He made us laugh while making us think, and that’s quite something to treasure.

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

ROBIN WILLIAMS remembered

August 12, 2014

O Captain! My Captain! (Walt Whitman)

robin williams There have already been many beautiful tributes written for the immensely talented Robin Williams, so mine will be brief. Additionally, I recommend reading what his peers from the entertainment world have to say. And those fans whose lives he touched.  They speak of a very warm and generous man … even when he was mired in the darkest moments of his life.  Of course he was an inspiration to many stand-up comedians and actors, but he also worked tirelessly for the homeless and underprivileged children. He was also quite forthcoming in discussing his battles with drugs, alcohol and depression.

Williams, along with Andy Kaufman and Steve Martin, transformed stand-up comedy.  Comedy became more insightful, and not always in a positive way.  He flashed attitude at breakneck speed … sometimes he spoke so fast, he offered us little time to laugh – in fear we would miss the next cultural prod. When he took his talent to TV, it seemed only right that his character was from another planet … none of us knew anyone like this!

What really set Robin Williams apart was his ability to thrive in two worlds: the childlike and the profane.  He somehow balanced his “Sesame Street” appearances with a role as a wise-ass military disc jockey who refused to be silenced.  He balanced his effervescent vocals as a giant blue genie with a role as a somewhat rebelious, yet passionate educator of young men. Who else could pull off a cross-dressing dad so desperate to spend time with his kids; and a bitter, insightful psychologist trying to crack the shell of a young genius; and the ultimate childlike Peter Pan?

It seems too simple to say, but the words are quite heavy … Robin Williams will be missed.

Many know his stellar work from such popular movies as Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam, Mrs Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting, Aladdin, and of course the Night at the Museum franchise.  In addition to those, I have three others to recommend if you want to see just how serious he was about the art of acting. One of his early films was Moscow on the Hudson, directed by Paul Mazursky.  It’s from 1984 and his unusual character is certainly worth checking out. The Fisher King was directed by Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python fame) in 1991, and stars Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges. It’s an underappreciated gem. Finally, for a glimpse at just how dark and creepy Williams could go, see 2002’s One Hour Photo.  Those three films over an almost 20 year span will show you the depth and range of a man who could be so silly and so outrageous, while also opening our eyes.

Robin Williams from Dead Poets Society (Carpe Diem)

 

Robin Williams on “Sesame Street”

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

JAMES GARNER remembered

July 20, 2014

garner Awoke this morning to the sad, but long-expected news that actor James Garner had passed away.  Mr. Garner was 86 years old and had been mostly out of the public eye since suffering a stroke in 2008.  It’s difficult to find another performer whose work appealed to “the greatest generation” (his work in “Maverick“), the maturing flower power generation (“The Rockford Files“) and Gen X and Y (The Notebook).

Born in that state just north of Texas, Garner dropped out of high school to join the Merchant Marines … a career cut short by his sea-sickness.  He later joined the Army and served 14 months in the Korean War, earning two Purple Hearts. His acting career really took off with the 1957 series “Maverick“, where Garner played a card shark whose quick wit often got him out of the trouble that the same quick wit had gotten him into.  Garner then made the transition to movies, and during his career starred with such female leads as Doris Day (Move Over, Darling; The Thrill of it All), Julie Andrews (The Americanization of Emily, Victor Victoria) and Sally Field (Murphy’s Romance) … culminating in his teaming with Gena Rowlands to play the elder characters of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in The Notebook (2004).  Scattered in between were other memorable films such as The Great Escape (1963), Grand Prix (1966), and Space Cowboys (2000), as well as TV movies Heartsounds (1984), My Name is Bill W (1989), and Barbarians at the Gate (HBO, 1992).

Obviously the role Garner is most identified with is Private Investigator Jim Rockford in the TV series “The Rockford Files” from 1974-80.  He was the reluctant hero who was always in hot water with the police, but managed to save the day in his patented clumsy style by the end of the hour.  Garner stacked the cast with his friends Joe Santos, Stuart Margolin and Noah Beery, Jr. This group would work together again in the 1990’s on the Rockford TV movies.  Who among us didn’t want to be Rockford … living in a trailer on Malibu beach, zipping around L.A. in a Firebird and solving criminal cases for the cops!  When I spoke briefly with Mr. Margolin last year at the Little Rock Film Festival, he had nothing but fond memories of working with Garner on the show.

As if conquering TV and Movies wasn’t enough, James Garner and Mariette Hartley teamed to make more than 300 Polaroid commercials in the late 1970’s through the early 1980’s. Their sprited banter led many to believe the two were real life spouses, and had retail customers requesting “the James Garner camera”. Garner and Hartley were of course not married.  In fact, Garner and his (surviving) wife Lois had been married for 56 years at the time of his death … a long term marriage being yet another thing setting Garner apart from most others in the Hollywood world.

The words most often used to describe James Garner are amiable, likable, handsome, witty and charming.  Mostly, he was a very talented guy who made it all look pretty easy on whatever screen he happened to appear … he was a guy we could relate to and felt like we knew – or could know.  There is not another actor who found success in the rare Western Comedy genre, as well as Rom-Coms, a POW film, Race Cars, Police series, and Business drama.  With his Oakland Raiders fanatacisim and his stake in the expansion NBA Dallas Mavericks (1980), he was connected to the real world without making tabloid headlines. James Garner is to be most admired as a professional who entertained us on screen while not embarrassing himself off.   Perhaps he was so likable on screen because he brought so much of himself to his roles.

garner2

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

OAK CLIFF FILM FESTIVAL (2014)

June 24, 2014

It’s not your mother’s Oak Cliff.

ocff14 Of course with so many current Dallasites being from some other place, the odds are pretty good that your mother wasn’t originally from Oak Cliff. Mine was. In those days, Aunt Stelle’s Sno-Cones were the pinnacle of area culture. Today, Aunt Stelle’s is still serving up the syrupy frozen delights, and the OC is booming with commercial re-development, residential renovation, and an ever-expanding number of cultural options. A significant part of this is The Oak Cliff Film Festival … now in its third year!

Three years is an extremely “young” film festival (Cannes Film Festival began in 1946), however, if the age were not advertised, most attendees would never know. Full credit to the four co-founders: Barak Epstein, Eric Steele, Adam Donaghey and Jason Reimer … they also run the historic Texas Theatre (historic because it’s old and because of Lee Harvey Oswald). Recognition also goes out to Mary Katherine McElroy, the Festival Coordinator (and a whirlwind of energy). Normally, my film festival recap would not mention the people who run it, but this isn’t a “normal” film festival. It’s run by people who love all aspects and all types of film – they are obsessed with movies, not money.

Rather than reviewing specific films shown, let’s look at my 8 critical elements of Film Festivals, and how OCFF stacks up:

  1. SELECTION OF FILMS: This is the make-or-break category for festivals. The approach of OCFF is the deeper the cut, the better. The more independent, the better. A respect of film history is evident, as is the driving force of showing films that haven’t really had a shot yet. The historical element was on display with the repertory (and 35mm print) screening of Dog Day Afternoon (followed by The Dog documentary on the real life bank robber John Wojtowicz); The Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense; Director Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom and the 1975 documentary Eadweard Muybridge, Zoopraxographer. While history plays its part, the real value of this festival comes courtesy of the widely disparate selection of shorts, documentaries and narratives from extraordinarily passionate filmmakers.
  2. VENUES: My schedule limited my viewing to the Texas Theatre, the art-deco Kessler Theatre (normally a live music venue), and the new Bishop Arts Theatre Center. The first two have been restored and are a visual treat to explore, while BATC is more modern and very comfortable – though it’s “no food or drink” policy is borderline torturous for a festival. Saturday night’s screening on the Jefferson Tower rooftop offers some insight into the creativity of the OCFF group. All events and parties were held at area locales known for their unique flavor, including the historic Turner House.
  3. THE CROWDS: There is nothing more disheartening at a festival than standing in a long line and still not being admitted to a screening of interest. The number of venues and the overlapping schedule prevented this from being an issue at OCFF, though my understanding is the rooftop screening was at full capacity. The Texas Theatre lobby did get pretty tight at times as the sound/picture checks took place, but the inconveniences were brief. Another thing that helped, was that most of the attendees were there for films, not just to be seen at the scene (I’m talking to you L.A.)
  4. TRANSPORTATION: Unfortunately, the three main screening venues required driving for access, and there was no van or bus service provided. This was a minor issue as street parking was readily available most of the time. For out-of-towners, this could be a minor challenge.
  5. SPECIAL GUESTS: Given the type of films on the schedule, this category is crucial for the success of OCFF, and oh how they delivered! These deep cut film projects beg for Q&A and production backstory. A very high percentage of the screenings allowed for personal interaction with the passionate filmmakers. This is a treat for the viewer and a nice reward and opportunity for the filmmakers. Thom Anderson, the director of the 1975 Muybridge documentary spent quite a bit of time onstage, as did director AJ Edwards for his Sundance film The Better Angels. Especially interesting was PF Kluge, who wrote the original “Life Magazine” article that inspired Dog Day Afternoon. However the most fun was hearing from the first time filmmakers and learning of their inspiration and struggles. No matter where their careers lead, they will always have shown their finished project to a live audience.
  6. FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS: There was no shortage of volunteers and they were friendly and available to assist. There did seem to be some issues tracking the badges as doors opened for screenings, but that was very minor.
  7. LOCAL FLAVOR: While the perfect set up would allow for walking distance between all screening venues and sponsor restaurants and cafes, the driving distance was only a few minutes between a very wide choice of local spots … these aren’t chain restaurants, but rather the independent spirit of the Bishop Arts District, which corresponds nicely to the OCFF. This entire festival is about flavor … especially local flavor.
  8. PERKS FOR FESTIVAL ATTENDEES: Swag was non-existent, but there were creative and unique events and parties, and even an online video contest to win a bicycle. The marketing plan for OCFF is to make sure all attendees want to tell their friends about the films, the venues, the music and the parties. It’s not a festival for the masses, but this group is exceptional at what they do.

muybridge Personally, I absolutely love the odd combination of history and cutting edge offered up by the Oak Cliff Film Festival. Learning more about familiar films (Dog Day Afternoon), while having our senses challenged by new material (Yakona), is about as good as it gets for movie lovers.

As you might expect, I spent a great deal of my time with documentaries – both the shorts and feature lengths. The two stand-outs both won Grand Jury Awards: A Man without Words (doc short by Zack Godshall) and Yakona (a beautifully photographed doc feature by Paul Collins and Anlo Sepulveda). My personal connection to both of these films led to warm and colorful conversations with the filmmakers.

Director Michel Gondry’s latest visual feast Mood Indigo featured other-worldly art design and set design, and the choice of The Better Angels as the festival’s closing film was spot on. The Terrence Malick influence on director AJ Edwards is unmistakable and the artsy look at Abe Lincoln’s childhood in Indiana left me wanting more. Because of all this … I can’t wait for OCFF number 4!

If you are in the Dallas area, check out The Texas Theatre:

http://thetexastheatre.com/

Learn more about The Oak Cliff Film Festival:

http://oakclifffilmfestival.com/

texas theatre

 

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

Adm. McRaven – Commencement Address (Univ of Texas, 2014)

June 18, 2014

mcraven This is not a typical posting for my site, and I certainly would not post a 19 minute video if I did not believe these words need to be heard by as many people as possible.  In May 2014, Naval Admiral William McRaven delivered a concise speech filled with wisdom and real-world (not political) advice for the graduating class of The University of Texas in Austin.  Yes, I am a UT alum, but that has little to do with why I believe Admiral McRaven’s message is important.  In fact, a tip of the cap to reader Doug Beck (Oklahoma roots and all) for making me aware of this.  I hope you will take 19 minutes for the message, and be inspired to pass along to others.

**NOTE: If you are a subscriber, the link to the video may not show up on the email version.  You can go directly to my site  https://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/ or to YouTube and search for “University of Texas 2014 Commencement Address – Admiral McRaven”

 

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LAURA (1944) revisited

April 27, 2014

laura Greetings again from the darkness. Some movies from the 1940’s remain fun to watch for mostly nostalgia reasons. Others still hold up well today and can be enjoyed for the story, script, acting and production value. Director Otto Preminger’s Laura falls easily into the latter category. This quasi-film noir, murder mystery, creepy love story is based on the novel from Vera Caspary is probably more respected today than when it was released … 5 Oscar nominations, but not one for Best Picture.

To fully appreciate the film, it helps to know the tortured back story. This was always Otto Preminger’s baby, but Daryl Zanuck initially chose a different cast, a different director and a different ending. In the end, Preminger (Anatomy of a Murder) won all of his battles – directing Gene Tierney with the ending he wanted (thanks to Walter Winchell). TCM’s Robert Osborne correctly states that the film has one of the best opening lines: “I shall never forget the weekend Laura died“. The line is spoken by narrator Waldo Lydecker (great screen name) played by the elegant Clifton Webb.

Playing out as mostly a murder investigation led by the detective (Dana Andrews), we are treated to a stream of unusual story choices and only one scene at the police station … a terrific interrogation scene. Instead, we spend the entire movie on the turf of rich, high society types. There are at least four credible murder suspects and they are strung along by a mostly monotone detective, who only flashes personality on his date night with the dead girl’s portrait (well, that’s how it plays!) and when he is messing with a pocket baseball toy.

gene tierney Gene Tierney plays the titular Laura, and every time she appears on screen her startling beauty distracts us … just as it does the other characters in the film. Tierney was only 23 years old when this was filmed, and a couple years later she had a romance with young John F Kennedy (though she became a long time supporter of Richard Nixon). Her tragic personal story was the basis for Agatha Christie’s novel and movie The Mirror Crack’d. In the 1950’s a suicidal Tierney was treated with shock therapy in a sanatorium, and though she recovered, she struggled for the rest of her life. Her second husband was Houston oil man W Howard Lee, who had previously divorced actress Hedy Lamarr … another of the all-time screen beauties, who also turned down the lead role in Laura. Lucky guy.

The spirit of the movie comes courtesy of the magnificent performance of Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker. He is mesmerizing in his ability to take over every scene. This was Webb’s first “talkie” feature film – he left for the stage 15 years prior. The 30 year age difference between Waldo and Laura only works because Webb plays it as her society mentor, though it’s obvious he is obsessed.

Some of the best scenes and banter occurs with Webb and Vincent Price, who plays Laura’s fiancé. If you are only accustomed to Vincent Price in horror films, you will certainly get a kick out his odd role here as the virile, insecure fiancé. He also has some very good and uncomfortable scenes with the great Judith Anderson, who clearly lusts after the Price character.

The aforementioned portrait of Ms. Tierney was also used in 3 other films, and it’s interesting that Tierney and Andrews made 5 total films together. David Raskin’s haunting “Laura’s Theme” plays throughout the film in various fashions, and Joseph LaShelle won the film’s only Oscar – best black & white cinematography. This is certainly one of the best from the 1940’s and holds up very well today … enjoy the many facets of quality filmmaking.

 

**NOTE: None of the available online trailers are of acceptable quality, so I have decided not to post one

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

OSCARS recap (2014)

March 3, 2014

oscar twitter The 86th Academy Awards are over … after a mere 3 ½ hours!  Ratings and viewership were at a 10 year high, so ABC is thrilled.   Ellen DeGeneres is clearly a popular draw as host.   The nature of awards shows make them ripe for criticism, and sometimes the Oscars just makes it too easy.  But first, the good stuff.

If you follow my Oscar predictions, you know that I correctly predicted 21 of 24 winners. While that’s impressive, it’s clear that luck played a huge role. As I previously stated, many of the categories could have gone two or three or four different ways, but the  Gravity roll I was banking on did in fact happen … it finished the night with 7 Oscars, easily the most of any movie. What it couldn’t do was get past 12 Years a Slave for Best Picture, creating the rare “split” between director and picture.  The day after has been filled with much noise from the experts who felt strongly that Gravity was the best movie of the year. As I’ve said, I found it to be a visual feast in 3D IMAX, but can’t imagine it will have much staying power on home TV.

The 3 categories I missed were Costume, Live Action Short, and Animated Short.  My personal preference won two of those categories, and in quite a shocker, Disney’s Get a Horse didn’t finish as the top Animated Short.  Three of the four acting awards went to first time winners, and all acting winners gave very sincere acceptance speeches (Jared Leto and Lupita Nyongo’s were particularly terrific).  This is a good time to recognize Meryl Streep’s phenomenal 18th Oscar nomination during her 36 year career.  To put that in perspective, this was Bruce Dern’s second nomination … 35 years since his first one!  American Hustle was 0 for 10 in this year’s Oscars, narrowly missing the record of 0 for 11 held by both The Color Purple (1985) and The Turning Point (1977).  Even more startling, of the 32 nominated feature films (not counting foreign language, documentary, or shorts), only 7 films walked away with a statue.

There were many frustrating (for me) points during the ceremony. The seemingly endless gags on pizza and Twitter (picture, above) were a silly waste of time and caused many East Coast viewers to stay up much later than necessary.  Also confusing was the decision to have Bette Midler sing the tribute song AFTER the slideshow honoring those who have passed away since last year’s ceremony. Having her sing during the slideshow would have been more touching and saved 3-4 minutes.  Ellen’s cruelest joke of the evening was directed at Liza Minnelli … and inexcusable in my book. Ms. Minnelli and her sisters were invited guests for the 75th anniversary of their mother’s (Judy Garland) classic 1939 hit The Wizard of Oz.  To be hit with such a cruel comment just minutes after the show opened must have been humiliating.

The cringe-inducing moments did not stop there.  How about the parade of less-than-perfect plastic surgery results?  The most obvious and difficult to look at were John Travolta, Kim Novak, and Goldie Hawn.  And if the fake hair and face weren’t enough, Mr. Travolta botched his introduction of singer Idina Menzel by inexplicably calling her “Adele Dazeen”.  At the other end of the spectrum, 67 year old Sally Field is the poster child for aging gracefully.  For me, the most uncomfortable moments came courtesy of the rift between “Slave” director Steve McQueen and writer John Ridley.  An historic night for both of them should have allowed for a respectful sharing of the moment, rather than the icy cold shoulders and petty acceptance speeches.

The highlights of the evening helped offset the negative.  I found all of the musical moments to be really enjoyable: Pharrell Williams managed to get the stodgy crowd up on their feet, Karen O’s ballad was short and sweet, U2 unplugged added a touch of rock’s elite, and Broadway star Idina Menzel showed off her extraordinary voice singing the winning “Let it Go”. Pink elegantly performed the “Oz” tribute, and 75 year old Darlene Love brought down the house with her powerful pipes while singing her acceptance speech.

We also witnessed the youngest and newest member of EGOT, as Robert Lopez’ Best Song Oscar finished off his Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony collection.  So after all the predictions, good and bad jokes, musical interludes and pointless hero montages, the single best moment of the night for me was the speech delivered by Best Supporting Actress Lupita Nyong’o, including the inspirational final line, “No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.”  In a room full of egos, it’s that line that sticks.

lupita oscar

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

OSCAR PREDICTIONS (2014)

February 28, 2014

oscars5 Each year I publish my Oscar predictions. I do so in a most straight-forward manner. My track record is pretty impressive (if I do say so myself) and more often than not, I end up with a better record than most national movie critics.  What I never do, is mislead myself or the readers.  Sandbagging is not my thing … Lou Holtz showed me what a poor quality that can be.

I can honestly say that this year provides less clarity, more uncertainty, than any year in recent memory.  Numerous categories have no real front-runner, and some have not just two, but three or four potential winners … even in some of the high profile categories!  As you might imagine, that makes a high number of accurate predictions extremely unlikely.  That’s not sandbagging, but rather full disclosure on this year’s predictions.

My theory on the elevated uncertainty stems from what I have labeled an extraordinary year for the number of good, quality, watchable movies … and an absolute void of truly great ones. There are nine nominated for Best Picture, and I would venture to say that not one will live on as a “must-watch” for the next 10 or 20 years (like say The Godfather or Lawrence of Arabia).

Below you will find my Predictions (my expected winner), my Preferences (my personal choice were I voting), and a brief description of each category.  After the ceremony, I will post a recap, regardless of my record, and provide some insight and observations.  Here’s hoping you enjoy.

BEST PICTURE

12 years This is an incredibly tight race between 12 Years a Slave (the traditionally favored historical drama) and Gravity (the box office bonanza).  A 3D sci-fi movie has yet to win the big award (Avatar, Hugo, Life of Pi), but Gravity could be the first. Because of how tight this is and the convoluted Academy voting methods, we can’t rule out American Hustle sneaking in and taking the statue.  Gravity is the one movie that could get on a roll and rack up a big number of Oscar wins.

Prediction: 12 Years a Slave (mostly because I’m not a big fan of Gravity)

Preference: Nebraska (my #2 film of the year)

BEST DIRECTOR

cuaron No matter the Best Picture winner, I fully expect Mr. Cuaron to win this award.  He was the driving force behind a technical marvel that raised the bar for future sci-fi films.  David O Russell once again proved he is a dream director for actors, while Martin Scorcese had the most fun he’s had in years. Steve McQueen directed the most powerful film, but Cuaron was ground-breaking.

Prediction:  Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity (yes, I am predicting a rare split between Best Picture and Best Director)

Preference: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

mm Matthew McConaughey has reinvented himself as an actor and is on quite a career roll.  If you haven’t seen him in HBO’s “True Detective”, you are really missing out. He has even inspired a new word, McConassaince. This is a ridiculously strong category with five worthy nominees, especially Chiwetel Ejifor.  Christian Bale is the only one in the group who has won an Oscar. It’s been 35 years since Bruce Dern’s last nomination, and this is Leonardo DiCaprio’s 4th nomination (no wins yet).

Prediction: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Preference: Matthew McConaughey (I thought he was even better in Mud)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

cate Another very strong category, but one in which Cate Blanchett has been the favorite for months. Only a tidal wave of backlash against Woody Allen can stop her.  If that happens, 5 time nominee Amy Adams slides right in.  She is the only non-Oscar winner in the group.

Prediction: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Preference: Judi Dench, Philomena

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

jared leto This is one of the three picks closest to “a sure thing” on the ballot.  After touring with his rock band for 6 years, Jared Leto thought he would jump back into this acting thing. He delivered what is probably the year’s best overall performance from any actor.  Any other year, Barkhad Abdi or Michael Fassbender would have had my vote … they both frightened me!

Prediction: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Preference: Jaret Leto

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

lupito There is no wrong pick here (except of course, Julia Roberts). June Squibb stole every scene in Nebraska, Sally Hawkins brought humanity to Blue Jasmine, and Jennifer Lawrence was stunning in American Hustle.  Newcomer Lupito Nyong’o is the one who captured our heart in 12 Years a Slave.

Prediction: Lupito Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Preference: Jennifer Lawrence (this would be back-to-back Oscar wins for the 22 yr old)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

frozen This is another of the 3 picks closest to “a sure thing”.  It’s been 14 years since Disney has won this category, and this year they have a $1 billion box office, critical raves and many entertained families. Anything other than Frozen will be a shocker. I am abstaining since I have not seen any of the nominees, though I am a fan of animation.

Prediction:  Frozen

Preference: abstain

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

20 feet 20 Feet From Stardom is my favorite movie of the year, but it has tough competition from critic favorites The Act of Killing and The Square.  Both of these are extremely powerful and should be seen, but my pick is both insightful and crowd-pleasing. The prediction is based on the strong word-of-mouth and the all-out marketing blitz… including The Super Bowl.

Prediction: 20 Feet From Stardom

Preference: 20 Feet From Stardom

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

gravity Yet another impressive category, this time featuring the legendary John Williams with his 49th Oscar nomination.  Yes, 49!  Also on the ballot are two who are long past due for a win, Alexandre Desplat (6 nominations in 8 years) and Thomas Newman (10 nominations). Riding the expected wave of Gravity, look for Steven Price to take the win.

Prediction: Steven Price, Gravity

Preference: Alexandre Desplat, Philomena

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Neither celebrities nor pop/rock stars have a strong track record with the Oscars, so don’t expect the hot-on-the-charts Pharrell Williams or rock gods U2 to eclipse “Let it Go” from Frozen.  While I have heard all the songs, I did not see all the movies, so I am abstaining (the category is supposed to reward the best use of song within the movie)

Prediction: “Let it Go“, Frozen, sung by Idina Menzell

Preference: abstain

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Gravity is the odds-on favorite to win this award since it was so extraordinary to look at on screen, and none of us are smart enough to know how much was special effects.  My personal favorite is Roger Deakins, whose fantastic camera work elevated Prisoners from TV movie to nail-biting thriller.

Prediction: Gravity

Preference: Prisoners

PRODUCTION DESIGN

gatsby If the voters can get over the divisiveness brought on by Baz Luhrmann’s interpretation of The Great Gatsby, and not get caught up in straight-lining their ballot for Gravity, the obvious choice here is Gatsby.  However, there is no way to know if either of those things will happen.  Gravity may continue its roll and well, Old Sport, Gatsby could get shut out.

Prediction: The Great Gatsby

Preference: The Great Gatsby

COSTUME DESIGN

am hustle Another of the incredibly tough categories to predict with three worthy nominees. 12 Years a Slave could get some love here just to offset the Gravity blitz, but American Hustle and The Great Gatsby were absolutely spot on in capturing their eras.  Any of these three would make worthy winners, as would The Grandmaster.

Prediction: American Hustle

Preference: The Great Gatsby

FILM EDITING

capt phillips Oscar voters tend to favor the rapid-fire cuts of action movies, but my preference was the expert and story-enhancing editing on display during American Hustle.

Prediction: Captain Phillips

Preference: American Hustle

SHORT FILM (DOCUMENTARY)

lady in no 6 Alice Herz-Sommer was 109 during filming and passed away last week at age 110. Her story is fascinating and blends her indomitable spirit, her world class piano talent and her Holocaust survival story.  Would you vote against this lady?  I certainly won’t.  I’m not sure how, or even if, this one will get distribution, but I highly recommend you track it down.

Prediction: The Lady in Number 6

Preference: The Lady in Number 6

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

get a horse I didn’t find the nominees to be as strong as years past, but it’s pretty hard to imagine Disney’s Get a Horse not winning.  It has the advantages of retro-Mickey Mouse and showing prior to the mega box office hit Frozen.

Prediction: Get a Horse

Preference: Room on the Broom (charming bedtime story with a message)

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

Again, not as strong as other years, but I expect the Oscar voters will defer to the project featuring the well known actors, rather than the touching and hyper-sensitive story of a terminally ill boy.

Prediction: The Voorman Problem

Preference: Helium

MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING

dallas Since somehow the wig expo known as American Hustle did not receive a nomination, let’s go with the great work in Dallas Buyers Club … rumored to have a make-up budget of $250 (or a week’s worth of lipstick for Sandra Bullock)

 

Prediction: Dallas Buyers Club

Preference: Dallas Buyers Club

SOUND EDITING

The sound editor gathers the ingredients; the sound mixer makes the soup.  Gravity had very unusual sound needs … we had to believe the characters were in space.

Prediction: Gravity

Preference: Gravity

SOUND MIXING

The sound editor gathers the ingredients; the sound mixer makes the soup.  The sound of Inside Llewyn Davis perfectly captured the Greenwich Village feel for me, while I have serious doubt about how much on set sound Gravity actually used.

Prediction: Gravity

Preference: Inside Llewn Davis

VISUAL EFFECTS

The single biggest “sure thing” of the night.  This category describes the movie Gravity.  It is a unique and revolutionary viewing experience (in 3D, on a huge screen).   For those who are waiting to watch it on their home TV, I predict much disappointment.

Prediction: Gravity

Preference: Gravity

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

her This looks to be a close race between Her and American Hustle. Her seems to be the most unique, but I had zero connection to the film, the characters or the story (yes, I am the only one on the globe who feels this way).  Nebraska seems so small in comparison, but the genius is in appearing effortless while so many emotions are flying.

Prediction: Her

Preference: Nebraska (Bob Nelson’s personal project)

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

Four very powerful and personal stories: a free man turned slave, a woman’s quest to find her son, a ship captain’s horrific ordeal, and a despicable con artist on the road to ruin.  I think this comes down to a toss-up between Soloman Northrup vs Philomena Lee.

Prediction: 12 Years a Slave

Preference: 12 Years a Slave

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

great beauty Italy’s entry The Great Beauty is the most visually stylish, and the other four are pretty much downers in tone.  Still, I found The Hunt (Denmark) with Mads Mikkelsen (a great performance) to be mesmerizing.

Prediction: The Great Beauty

Preference: The Hunt

If you would like to see my “BEST of 2013” list, please visit:  https://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/annual-bests-2/best-of-2013/

As always, your feedback is welcome.  Enjoy the Oscars!

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Posted by David Ferguson

Dr. Strangelove – 50 Year Anniversary

January 30, 2014

Dr Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Fifty years ago this week (January 29, 1964), director Stanley Kubrick‘s classic black comedy/satire was released … make that UNLEASHED into theatres.  It’s place as a legendary and classic film is quite secure.  I wrote about it not too long ago, and here is the link if you’d like to get my take:

DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)

Also, just for fun, here is a rare image from the infamous filmed, but cut, pie fight that occurred in the war room (Yes, that is George C Scott).  It was an over-the-top (even for this film) slapstick scene that was deemed too tasteless so soon after the assassination of President John Kennedy.

strangelove pie fight

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

Best of 2013

January 16, 2014

My BEST OF 2013 is posted on the site.  Please check it out and let me know your favorites from last year … also, I’d very much appreciate you sharing the list with other movie lovers!  You may access from the link below or under the “Annual Best” list on the Home Page.  THANKS FOR READING!

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/annual-bests-2/best-of-2013/

 

movies7

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

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