Academy Awards 2018

The 90th Academy Awards opened with a subdued black-and-white reel mimicking the Old Hollywood era, flashing to stars walking the red carpet and sitting in the auditorium, before transforming into full color.

Jimmy Kimmel returned to host the the 90th Academy Awards.  After the' Envelopegate' last year where “La La Land” was incorrectly announced as the Best Picture winner instead of “Moonlight,” Kimmel cautioned that if you're announced as the winner, it would be best to wait and give the presenters a minute (just to be sure you're indeed the winner).

This year is as a year of standouts with a number of first-time nominees, box office hits led by a woman and a minority (“Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther”), movements like MeToo, Time's Up, NeverAgain, Equal Pay and Dreamers.  Speeches called for for breaking down barriers and message about diversity, representation and inclusion.  There's also a tribute to those who serve our country.

Kimmel sneaked in a joke that it's been so bad these days we now have a woman fall in love with a fish (“The Shape of Water”).  He praised the Oscar statue for being a gentleman, “He keeps his hands where you can see them, never says a rude word.  And most importantly, no penis at all.  He is literally a statue of limitations.”

It's not an award ceremony without political jabs.  "If the last two years have taught us anything it's that reality can be depressing, but tonight's documentaries show us where there is darkness there is hope, except at the White House, Hope quit on Wednesday,” Kimmel pointed out, referring to Hope Hicks' resignation.  The communication director has been with the Trump administration since the presidential campaign.  Vice President Mike Pence got a serving of zinger too, “We don't make films like 'Call Me By Your Name' (a gay coming-of-age story) for money; we make them to upset Mike Pence.”

For the musical component, Mary J. Blige soulfully sang “Mighty River” in front of a choir.  Gael Garcia, Miguel and Natalia LaFourcade performed “Remember Me” song from “Coco,” against a glowing neon stage and dancers in Mexican costume.  The audience stood when “Stand Up for Something” was belted out by rapper Common and singer Andra Day.  Keela Settle brought the audience to their feet with a rousing “This is Me.”

Being a milestone year, 90th, there's a montage of numerous film clips going back to 90 years, thanking viewers for going to the movies.

Kimmel and select stars surprised those at the TCL theater next door by bringing  in goodies, showing appreciation for moviegoers.  Attending a screening of “A Wrinkle in Time,” they waved and cheered.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/academy-awards-2018-recap/

And the Academy Award goes to...

Best Picture

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Guillermo del Toro and J. Miles Dale, Producers

Actress in a Leading Role

FRANCES MCDORMAND

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Actor in a Leading Role

GARY OLDMAN

Darkest Hour

Directing

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Guillermo del Toro

Music (Original Song)

REMEMBER ME

from Coco; Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Music (Original Score)

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Alexandre Desplat

Cinematography

BLADE RUNNER 2049

Roger A. Deakins

Writing (Original Screenplay)

GET OUT

Written by Jordan Peele

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

Screenplay by James Ivory

Short Film (Live Action)

THE SILENT CHILD

Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton

Documentary (Short Subject)

HEAVEN IS A TRAFFIC JAM ON THE 405

Frank Stiefel

Film Editing

DUNKIRK

Lee Smith

Visual Effects

BLADE RUNNER 2049

John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover

Animated Feature Film

COCO

Lee Unkrich and Darla K. Anderson

Short Film (Animated)

DEAR BASKETBALL

Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant

Actress in a Supporting Role

ALLISON JANNEY

I, Tonya

Foreign Language Film

A FANTASTIC WOMAN

Chile

Production Design

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin

Sound Mixing

DUNKIRK

Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker and Gary A. Rizzo

Sound Editing

DUNKIRK

Richard King and Alex Gibson

Documentary (Feature)

ICARUS

Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan

Costume Design

PHANTOM THREAD

Mark Bridges

Makeup and Hair Styling

DARKEST HOUR

Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick

Actor in a Supporting Role

SAM ROCKWELL

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

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Golden Globes 2018

[Originally posted on 01/07/18]

A sea of black awash the 75th Golden Globes tonight.  While it didn't dim the glitz, it's an unusual sight.  Stars were wearing black as a symbol of solidarity following the watershed, #MeToo movement in the wake of sexual misconduct news that have toppled powerful men in entertainment, news and politics, and tremendous push for change.  Several activists were invited to the red carpet event.  The blackout movement was part of Time's Up, an organization founded by Hollywood's most famous women, which also has initiated a legal defense fund. 

Seth Meyers, first-time host for the show, went straight the point opening the show, “Good evening, ladies and remaining gentlemen... It's 2018, marijuana is finally allowed and sexual harassment finally isn't.”  He mentioned this was the first time in three months a white man wasn't terrified to have his name read out loud (i.e., a nomination for award instead of being accused of misconduct).  He addressed the elephant in the room, “Time to address the elephant not in the room: Harvey Weinstein isn’t in the room… he’ll be back in 20 years when he’s the first person booed in the in memoriam.”  He went on to mock Kevin Spacey, asking if Christopher Plummer (who replaced him in "All the Money in the World" at the last minute) would also be available for the TV show "House of Cards."

Meyers appeared to be self-aware of his awkward position as a straight white guy hosting this year's award show.  He quipped, “If it’s any consolation, I’m a man with absolutely no power in Hollywood. I’m not even the most powerful Seth in the room tonight."  The camera cut to Seth Rogen.

Meyers took a jab at President Trump when introducing the President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) as the real 'stable genius.'  The HFPA President announced two grants in the amount of $1 million each to journalism groups, in a year of undersieged media.

Beyond the usual thank yous, stars' speeches were sprinkled with support for women and encouragement for victims of sexual harassment, assault or abuse to not be silenced and to speak up.  There's also a mention about gender inequality and call for more women to be nominated for directing great films.

Oprah Winfrey received the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award for her outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment, the first black woman to receive the award.  She expressed, “I value the press more than ever before as we try to navigate these complicated times... speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.  I’m especially proud and inspired by all the woman who felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories.”  Winfrey closed her impassioned speech with a message to young girls, “A new day is on the horizon.  And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women... and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure they are the leaders to take us to the time where nobody has to say ‘me too’ again.”

It's a somber affair by awards event standard, and coincidentally, a lackluster year for movies.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/entertainment-events/golden-globes-2018/

And the Golden Globe goes to...

Best motion picture, drama: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best motion picture, musical or comedy: “Lady Bird”
Best motion picture, animated: “Coco”

Best director, motion picture: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture, drama: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy: Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy: James Franco, “The Disaster Artist”

Best performance by an actress in a supporting role in any motion picture: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Best performance by an actor in a supporting role in any motion picture: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best screenplay, motion picture: Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best original score, motion picture: Alexandre Desplat, “The Shape of Water”
Best original song, motion picture: “This Is Me” — “The Greatest Showman”

For a list of all the winners, check out the Golden Globes website here.

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Academy Awards 2017

The 89th Academy Awards show opened with a rousing entrance from Justin Timberlake, walking through the aisles, dancing and singing “Can’t Stop This Feeling.”

By the time Jimmy Kimmel showed up on the black-and-gold stage as host, he had got a captive audience, on their feet and having a good time, in which he humorously took credit for.  Despite hosting the Oscars for the first time, Kimmel looked like he was right at home, as if the comedian was there for his late night show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Diving right into politics, Kimmel commented that the Oscars would be watched by 225 countries who hate us.  He pointed out that we could almost guarantee we would see some of the speeches from tonight appear on the 5 a.m. tweets by President Trump.  He also asked if there was anyone in the room working for CNN, L.A. Times, New York Times or any publication ending with the word ‘Times’ (such as Medieval Times) to leave the building, as we would not tolerate “fake news.”

Kimmel went on to invite Meryl Streep, whose political-laden speech at the recent Golden Globe Awards was both praised and lambasted by different parties, to stand up and for everyone to give her an “undeserved applause.”  Mimicking Trump, he called her “overrated.”  He even went further by taunting Trump with a tweet, #Merylsayhi.

Referring to last year’s controversies #OscarSoWhite, Kimmel noted that things had changed this year.  “Black people saved NASA, white people saved jazz” (in reference to “Hidden Figures” and “La La Land”).  On a serious note, it was great to see Katherine Johnson (age 98), one of the pioneers from the NASA Space Program in 1960s brought onto the stage on a wheelchair as the guest of honor.  Her historic accomplishments can be seen in “Hidden Figures,” one of the best films of the year.

With Kimmel as host, the sarcastic jab about long-time frenemy Matt Damon was to be expected and quite funny.  Among the jabs, he remarked that Damon, who was typically selfish, did an unselfish thing with “Manchester by the Sea.”  He remained as producer and let the brother of his childhood friend, Casey Affleck, did the acting.

The first award of the night, Best Supporting Actor, went to Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight”).  “Moonlight” also scored Best Original Screenplay.  Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress (“Fences.”).  Davis gave a tearful speech and a nod to the profession as one that celebrates what it means to have a life.  Casey Affleck’s heartbreaking performance in “Manchester by the Sea” earned him BestActor award.  Emma Stone, who tapped and twirled through “La La Land” and was fittingly dressed in gold here, brought home the gold statue as Best Actress.

The Academy spread the love across the board, awarding awards in various categories to multiple films; Best Original Screenplay to “Manchester by the Sea,” Best Makeup and Hairstyling to “Suicide Squad,” Best Costume Design to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Best Sound Editing to “Arrival,” and Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing to “Hackshaw Ridge.”  The winners looked incredibly surprised, as most expected Hollywood favorite “La La Land” to sweep the awards.  Best Visual Effects was given to “The Jungle Book,” besting sci-fi and superhero movies vying for the award.

“La La Land” did win a number of awards; Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Original Song, including the prestigious Best Directing award for its director, Damien Chazelle.  Chazelle, at age 32, became the youngest director winning the award in Oscars history.

The brilliant “Zootopia” deservingly won Best Animated Feature.  The acceptance speech mentioned it being a story of tolerance, which is more powerful than fear of the other.  The other animation, “Moana,” had its song, “How Far I’ll Go,” beautifully sung by Auli’I Cravlho, the voice behind the brave teenage girl in the movie.

Stunts on the show involved candies, cookies and donuts, as well as tourists.  Candies, cookies and donuts wrapped inside tiny parachute packages were dropped gently from the ceilings.  Lucky, thrilled tourists from a tour bus, thinking they were walking into an exhibit, were ushered into the front of the room, coming face to face with the stars. The show also had a bunch of stars hilariously read a series of “mean tweets” sent to them.

A dreamlike segment on the show was performed by John Legend, playing the piano and singing, “City of Stars,” against the backdrop of starry skies and surrounded by graceful dancers.

The show ended with a shocker, never-before-happened in the history of the Oscars. “La La Land” was mistakenly announced as winner of Best Picture, by presenters Warren Betty and Faye Dunaway. The whole cast of the romantic musical already gathered onstage when the error had to be corrected. Not fake news or alternative fact, folks, “Moonlight” was the real winner.

Kimmel lightheartedly concluded the show by blurting out that he knew he would screw up the show and that he promised never to come back. What a night!

For a full list of the winners, check out the Academy Awards website here.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/academy-awards-2017/

And the Oscar goes to...

Best Film - Moonlight

Best Animated Film - Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer (Zootopia)

Best Director - Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Best Actor - Casey Affleck (Manchester By The Sea)

Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Best Actress - Emma Stone (La La Land)

Best Supporting Actress - Viola Davis (Fences)

Best Original Screenplay - Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By The Sea)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight)

Best Original Score - Justin Hurwitz (La La Land)

Best Original Song - Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land)

Best Sound Editing - Sylvain Bellemare (Arrival)

Best Sound Mixing - Kevin O'Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace (Hacksaw Ridge)

Best Cinematography - Linus Sandgren (La La Land)

Best Film Editing - John Gilbert (Hacksaw Ridge)

Best Production Design - David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds Wasco (La La Land)

Best Visual Effects - Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon (The Jungle Book)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling - Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson (Suicide Squad)

Best Costume Design - Colleen Atwood (Fantastic Beast and Where To Find Them)

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2017 Awards Season: Feature Film Highlights

Get ready for the Oscars! (February 26, 2017)  Check your local theaters to see if they run a viewing package for films that are nominated for best picture. 

Here are some of the films nominated in various categories: (best picture, leading actor, leading actress, supporting actor, supporting actress,  directing, writing, cinematography, costume design, film editing, production design, sound design/editing/mixing, music and visual effects)

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/2017-awards-season-feature-film-highlights/

Below are some of the highlights:

"Allied"

Old-fashioned espionage, romance and Casablanca.  In 1942, Canadian intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") locks eyes and lips with a  French resistance fighter, Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard; "The Dark Knight Rises," "Inception").  Their mission is to attain an invitation to an event where a Nazi ambassador will be attending.  A ticking clock counts down to a diversion, the duo executes the assassination with precision and make their exit.  Max and Marianne move to London, get married and have a baby daughter.   It's domestic bliss until Max is notified by his superiors that Marianne might be a German spy.  Max refuses to believe that Marianne is not who she says she is and goes to great length outside of the official channel to prove her innocence.  It's a conflict between duty to his country and love for his family.  "Allied" plays like a beautiful montage with sumptuous sets, luxe lighting, impeccable costumes and glamorous stars.  It's a glossy spies-in-love war drama, old-Hollywood style.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Arrival"

A dozen alien spaceships have descended on various locations around the world.  Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams, "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," "American Hustle," "Leap Year") is an expert linguist recruited to help decode the language of aliens.  Language is the basis of civilization.  It's how we understand and communicate with the world around us.  And therefore, our brain is wired to comprehend certain elements of life in definite ways, such as the notion of time.  However, since we may not be alone in this universe, our understanding may not necessarily be-all and end-all.  It would behoove us to keep an open mind, observe, listen, learn to seek meaning and understanding, including a principle or practice that may differ from our normal perception, and do our best to communicate with one another.  The ingenuity of the film lies in the overarching premise, pieces that come in the form of the past, present and future that connect a life story to the overall theme.  An enlightening tale about the human mind, communication and perception, "Arrival" is thoughtful and thought-provoking.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Doctor Strange"

Superhero meets sorcery.  Dr.  Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game") is a brilliant neurosurgeon, who is also self-centered and an all-around jerk.  His glorious career ends when he suffers nerve damage from a car wreck.  He discovers the existence of the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton, "Hail, Caesar!"), the guru of mystical and martial arts.  Dr. Strange magically transforms into a master sorcerer; from forming a glowing weapon with his disfigured hands to floating from one dimension portal to another, casting spells and manipulating energy, space and time.  He violates the natural law of time in order to gain the upper hand and preserve humanity.  Everything is not in the clear, however. There's an inherent order of things, including life and death, and they balance humanity.  It's a visually impressive spectacle.  Skyscrapers, walls and floors are twisting, turning, shifting, shaping, folding and collapsing.  Ruins rebuilt.  The parallel realms are a kaleidoscope of colors, fire, light and darkness.  Blending fantasy and magic with superhero action and humor, "Doctor Strange" is a fresh, entrancing entrance into the ever-expanding Marvel Universe.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Hidden Figures"

“Hidden Figures” is a remarkable story about three African-American women who worked at NASA in the age of space race as the 'human computers.'  While it tells a weighty story, it is filmed with a lighthearted tone and has a breezy pace.  Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) work at a segregated research center.  Racism and sexism permeate every fabric of the severely prejudiced society.  Not only relegated to the back of the bus, there are 'colored' sections for everything - work area, restroom, cafetaria.  Memorable scenes pack emotional and inspirational punch, powered by great acting.   These women march on every day with dedication, diligence, persistence, resilience and determination.  It's a fine balance between knowing their place, stepping back and showing deference to their peers and supervisors, and at the same time, being resourceful, assertive and confident in themselves in seizing opportunities, moving towards achieving their dreams, and being a part of history.  And if history has taught us anything, there's always a first in everything.  "Hidden Figures" is phenomenally uplifting and life-affirming.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"La La Land"

An aspiring actress (Emma Stone, "The Amazing Spider-Man") and an idealist jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling; "The Big Short," "The Ides of March," "Drive") fall in love and work through their ambitions to make it in the city of dreamers and movie stars.  The charming leads sing, tap and twirl through their meet-cutes and rocky relationship.  The road to achieve one's dreams is not without crushed hopes and personal sacrifice.  Los Angeles is aesthetically filmed, awash with a pastel palette and accentuated with pops of bright colors.  Dreamlike cityscapes and streets in daylight, twilight and illuminated night.  Flared dresses in blood red, royal blue, emerald green and canary yellow.  Melodious song-and-dance numbers include memorable sequences such as a real freeway traffic jam, whimsical tap-dancing on the hill in the dusk, magical floating among the stars in the planetarium, among others.  There's also a melancholic duet on the original song for the movie, "City of Stars."  A romantic musical that blends Old Hollywood fantasy with modern reality, it's a lovely movie to end or start the year.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Manchester by the Sea"

A mournful loner, handyman named Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck; "The Finest Hours," "Gone Baby Gone") rushes to his hometown upon hearing the news about his brother's condition in the hospital.  After his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler; "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Argo"), dies, he is appointed guardian of Joe's teenage son, Patrick (Lucas Hedges).  Returning home is one of the hardest things for Lee, who faces reminders of his painful past, including his ex-wife, Randi (Michelle Williams; "My Week with Marilyn," "Shutter Island"), and the working class community that whispers behind his back.  Lee was a happy-go-lucky guy with a loving family and friends.  An unfathomable tragedy broke him and drove him out of town.  "Manchester by the Sea" is exquisitely shot, with the winter seaside town as an integral part of the film.  Snowy streets, gray skies, cold seas and fishing trips.  It pulls you in gently and it's soberly absorbing.  It feels like real life, with messiness and setbacks.  Not everything broken can be made whole again.  A simple slice of life story, yet a complicated one.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Passangers"

Jim Preston (Chris Pratt, "Jurassic World," "Guardians of the Galaxy"), is aboard a spaceship transporting over 5,000 passengers to a new planet.  All passengers are in cyrosleep during the planned 120-year interstellar trip.  Jim's pod has malfunctioned, awakening him 90 years too soon.  A second passenger, Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence; "The Hunger Games" series, "X-Men" series, "American Hustle"), is also awakened later.  Eventually Jim and Aurora realize they are onboard of a sinking spaceship.  The movie's got very cool visual effects.  A super sleek spacecraft with expansive exterior and interior design that looks futuristically real.  A viewing deck for a luminous cosmic show.  An infinity pool at the edge of deep space.  While it's easy to judge Jim's morally questionable actions, none of us will likely never know what it truly feels like being the last person alive.  The movie touches on an existential and morality issues.  It may be easy to dismiss "Passengers" as a Titanic in space with a Hollywood ending, but it's more than that.  "Passengers" offers a sci-fi romance with a thought-provoking twist.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Sully"

On January 15, 2009, a flight took off to the clear winter skies under the command of Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger (Tom Hanks; "Bridge of Spies," "Saving Mr. Banks," "Captain Phillips," "Cloud Atlas").  Shortly after, bird strikes damaged both engines and disabled the aircraft.  After a distressed exchange with the air traffic controller and rapidly evaluating his options, the veteran captain made a split-second decision to glide his plane onto the Hudson River.  That decision proved to be crucial in saving the lives of all 155 people onboard.  Sully is heralded as a hero by the press and public, yet facing intense investigations from NTSB.  Clint Eastwood successfully stages realistic-looking crash and rescue scenes. Chills fill the air when passengers shiver out in the open, sliding down the rafts, lining up the wings or plunging into the frigid river.  Flying may be a routine experience these days.  Until it isn't.  You'll come out with a greater respect and appreciation for the fine men and women that help keep our skies friendly.  "Sully" is an unassumingly riveting docudrama with a heart and a touch of miracle.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Zootopia"

It's not another animation.  "Zootopia" zestily deals with complex issues, such as racism, sexism, discrimination, segregation, bullying, stereotyping, nature vs. nurture.  It cleverly camouflages them behind cute animation mirrors, making them are surprisingly engaging and entertaining. Not to mention shrewdly humorous.  An ambitious little bunny grows up a in farm, becomes a cop, and moves to Zootopia.  In this vibrantly rendered, diverse utopia, preys and predators exist harmoniously.  But reality is complicated.  Through a series of unfortunate incidents, the bunny reluctantly teams up with a sly fox with a traumatic past.  They work on an intricate investigation, uncovering the whereabouts of missing mammals. City hall politics are involved, fear campaigns and peace rallies.  Blame game and misdirection abound.   In the end, there is no perfect world.  We all make mistakes.  We don't always get along.  But we also can try to do our best to make a difference, and in the process, we can make the world a better place.  Imaginatively fresh and very grown-up, "Zootopia" is quite possibly the most brilliant, best animation of all time!  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

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Golden Globes 2017

Jimmy Fallon came swinging as the host of the 74^th Golden Globe Awards.  The opening act was fantastic, mirroring the Los Angeles jammed freeway song-and-dance number from “La La Land,” only with celebrities in their cars lining up on the red carpet to get to the awards show.  It transitioned seamlessly to a modified “City of Stars” piano-playing and gliding-into-the stars dancing scene with Justin Timberlake. 

Unlike previous hosts – Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler –  Fallon didn’t make much of an impression.  He did get one political zinger out.  Golden Globes show is the one place where Americans still honor the popular vote.

The first award of the evening, Best Supporting Actor in the motion picture drama category, went to Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Nocturnal Animals”).  Best Supporting Actress went to Viola Davis (“Fences”).  Frontrunner Casey Affleck scored Best Actor (“Manchesterby the Sea”).  French actress Isabelle Huppert surprisingly earned Best Actress award (“Elle”), besting Hollywood A-listers Amy Adams, Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain. 

“Zootopia,” quite possibly the most brilliant animation of all time, won Best Animation. 

As expected, “La La Land” racked up the most wins in the musical/comedy category, including Best Original Score and Best Original Song to begin with.  Ryan Gosling was awarded Best Actor.  He quipped that it wasn’t the first time he was mistaken for Ryan Reynolds.  Singing and dancing his way through the movie was one of the best filming experiences he had.  Emma Stone, Gosling’s co-star, predictably won Best Actress.  Stone cited hope and creativity as the two most important things and that she shared the statue with other working artists. She moved 13 years ago to Los Angeles this week as an aspiring actress.  

Damien Chazelle took home two awards for Best Screenplay and Best Director.   He thanked the producers for taking on a gamble on his proposition for the modern, Los Angeles-set musical, which was not easy to put together.  The movie capped it all by winning Best Picture in the same category. 

Viola Davis presented Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award to arguably the most revered actress in Hollywood today, Meryl Streep.  She stated that Streep made her feel proud for being an artist and that what she had in her – her body, her face, her age – was enough. 

Streep took the stage and made a political joke about Hollywood Foreign Press being the most vilified party, Hollywood – Foreigners – Press.  She went on to reveal which foreign countries where some actors and actresses were born or raised in and sarcastically noted, "Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners, and if you kick us all out, you’ll have nothing to watch except for football and mixed martial arts, which are not arts." 

Streep asked the press to stand up to President-elect Donald Trump, “We need the principled press to hold power to account, to call them on the carpet for every outrage,” after she called out Trump for mocking a disabled reporter during his campaign.  "Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence.  When the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose."  

Streep stirringly ended her speech by quoting the belated Carrie Fisher, "Take your broken heart, make it into art."  

And the Golden Globe goes to…

Best Picture, Drama: “Moonlight”

Best Picture, Comedy or Musical: “La La Land”

Actress, Drama: Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”

Actor, Drama: Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”

Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, “Fences”

Supporting Actor: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, “Nocturnal Animals”

Actress, Comedy or Musical: Emma Stone, “La La Land”

Actor, Comedy or Musical: Ryan Gosling, “La La Land”

Director: Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”

Screenplay: Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”

Original Score: Justin Hurwitz, “La La Land”

Original Song: “City of Stars,” “La La Land”

Animated Film: “Zootopia”

For a complete list of winners, check out the Golden Globes website here. 

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Academy Awards 2016

[For reviews of some of the nominated films, click here].

#OscarsSoWhite.  The Oscars have seen its share of controversies, but this year kicks it up a notch.  2016 marks the second year in a row where no one in color has been nominated for acting, spurring boycotts, racial talks, diversity discussions, and call for institutional change.

For his part, Chris Rock, the host of the 88th Academy Awards, tweeted a cryptic message, #Blackout, ahead of the show, fueling speculations that the comedian would not be deterred from digging into the highly charged topic.

Rock rocked the room from the start, calling the Oscars the “White People’s Choice Awards.”   Had hosts been nominated, he quipped he would not have got the job. He said that while he was encouraged to back out, he would not quit because only unemployed people would do it.  He plainly remarked that decades ago when there were no black nominations, they were not protesting… because they had real issues to protest about (than fussing about an award show).  If we would like to guarantee blacks getting nominated, we should have a black nominees category every year.  In all seriousness, he concluded that black people would just like to receive the same opportunities.  

On sexism in Hollywood, it’s simply common sense. Rock pointed out that actors did not get asked about what they’re wearing because they all essentially wore the same clothing, unlike actresses with varied (and sometimes outlandish) styles.   

Following the black vs. white theme, a black actor was inserted in clips of several nominated movies, eliciting hilarious reactions from fellow actors in those movies.  Also celebrating Black History Month (February), there were mocking snippets, such as showcasing Jack Black (with “Black” being his real last name).

Writers received the first honors of the night, with “Spotlight” winning Best Original Screenplay and “The Big Short” Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Best Supporting Actress award went to rising newcomer Alicia Vikander for “The Danish Girl,” who also gave a terrific performance in “Ex Machina.” “Ex Machina” pulled an upset win (although well-deserved) by winning Best Visual Effects.  Brie Larson, frontrunner for Best Actress, nabbed the statue for her emotional performance in “Room.”  Another first-time nominee, Mark Rylance, won Best Supporting Actor for “Bridge of Spies,” besting nostalgic-favorite Sylvester Stallone.

Something new this year, some of the costumes and set decors from nominated films were displayed on stage, which is a nice touch.  Sci-fi “Mad Max: Fury Road” cleaned up with a half dozen awards, Best Costume Design, Production Design, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Makeup and Hairstyling. 

Best Original Score award went to "The Hateful Eight" and Best Original Song to "Spectre."

Emmanuel Lubezki became the first cinematographer to have won Best Cinematography award three consecutive years; for “The Revenant” this year, “Birdman” last year and “Gravity” two years ago.  Its director, Alejandro G. Innaritu, also earned a win for the film.  He won last year for “Birdman.”  And it’s finally Leo DiCaprio’s year.  Having been nominated several times and lost each time, he was locked in this time for Best Actor and scored the prize for his extreme role in “The Revenant.”  He gave an eloquent speech and took the time to vocalize environmental concerns, a cause close to his heart.

To mix thing up a bit, Star Wars and Toy Story characters, and Despicable Me minions took part on stage for animated skits and awards announcement.  Like clockwork, Pixar’s “Inside Out” took home Best Animated Feature.

Vice President Joe Biden made an appearance to put a spotlight on sexual abuse awareness and asked everyone to pledge intervention.  He introduced Lady Gaga, who then performed a piano piece and song, "Til It Happens to You."  The performance was capped with dozens of sexual abuse survivors joining her on stage and held hands together, a moving sight received with a standing ovation.

Best Picture award was a three-pronged wild card (“The Revenant,” “Spotlight,” “The Big Short”) and it came down to “Spotlight," an important story that needs to be seen.  

For a complete list of winners, check out the official site here.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/academy-awards-2016-recap/

And the Oscar goes to...

Best Picture
"Spotlight"

Best Leading Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"

Best Leading Actress
Brie Larson, "Room"

Best Director
Alejandro González Iñárritu, "The Revenant"

Best Original Score
"The Hateful Eight," Ennio Morricone

Best Original Song
'Writings on the Wall,' "Spectre," Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Rylance, "Bridge of Spies"

Best Animated Feature Film
"Inside Out," Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

Best Visual Effects
"Ex Machina," Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett

Best Sound Mixing
"Mad Max: Fury Road," Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo

Best Sound Editing
"Mad Max: Fury Road," Mark Mangini and David White

Best Film Editing
"Mad Max: Fury Road," Margaret Sixel

Best Cinematography
"The Revenant," Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
"Mad Max: Fury Road," Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

Best Production Design
"Mad Max: Fury Road," Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson

Best Costume Design
"Mad Max: Fury Road," Jenny Beavan

Best Supporting Actress
Alicia Vikander, "The Danish Girl"

Best Adapted Screenplay
"The Big Short," Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Best Original Screenplay
"Spotlight," Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy

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2016 Awards Season: Feature Film Highlights

The 2016 Academy Awards will be held on February 28, 2016.  Take some time out to catch up on some of the nominated films up for awards! (best picture, directing, acting, editing, writing, music, visual effects, sound editing and mixing, production and/or costume design).  A number of these movies are still playing on extended run at your local theaters. 

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/2016-awards-season-feature-film-highlights/

Here are some of the highlights:

"The Big Short"

Mortgage-backed securities.  Subprime loans.  Adjustable rate mortgage.  Credit default swaps.  Collateralized debt obligation.  How do you think a movie tackling such dry and difficult topics fare?  Dull?  Cumbersome?  Incomprehensible?  Not even close.  The filmmakers craftily executes the film.  To avoid monotone exposition, concepts and occasions are illustrated in a variety of ways.  Songs and news and characters facing and speaking directly to viewers.  And most ingeniously, comically utilizing actress Margot Robbie, chef Anthony Bourdain and singer Selena Gomez, who all make cameos as themselves.  With such serious subject, surprisingly, "The Big Short" is not short on jocularity.  The madcap pace, akin to the award-nominated "The Wolf of Wall Street" (albeit without the gratuitous shots or glamorous sheen), helps make it entertaining.  The film is an enlightening companion piece to the award-winning documentary, "Inside Job."   The ending will make you think about whether the whole economic apocalypse could happen all over again.  Ingloriously funny, fiery and frightening, "The Big Short" is no small feat.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Bridge of Spies"

In 1957, a New York insurance lawyer, James Donovan (Tom Hanks, "Saving Mr. Banks"), gets pulled back into criminal law, called to represent an accused Soviet spy, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance).  James, an honest, principled man finds that justice can be relative, even as America showing to the world that we provide due process and capable defense for everyone.  A skilled negotiator, James intuitively understands his opponents and pushes the right buttons to make things happen in tricky political waters and hostile climate.  This is a story about doing the right thing even when it doesn't suit your purpose and having respect for people for doing their job honorably for their country even when you don't agree with what they do.  Not as tension-filled as one might think, it's a serious slow-burn, surprisingly sprinkled with mordant humor. Based on real events and helmed by Steven Spielberg ("Lincoln"), "Bridge of Spies" is classily crafted, directed and acted.  Steady, measured and assured historical Cold War drama.  Check out the full review and trailer here.

***

"Cinderella"

It's every little girl's fantasy. Being a princess. And among all the princesses, Cinderella is arguably the fairest of them all.  Unlike the reinvention of the last several adaptations, which edges on the darker side or leans towards modern feminism, "Cinderella” is a straightforward retelling of the classic, although it's not without surprising gems.  The fairy magic does wonders. It's magical to see Cinderella transform, twirl and glow in the shimmery ball gown and sparkling glass slippers. And the rest is a delightful treat because of the gradual transmutations where you can still see partial semblance to the original forms. From pumpkin turning carriage, mice into horses, goose into coachman, lizards into footmen, and back to their origins.  For an old-fashioned story, it ends with an empowering message to speak your mind, stay true to yourself and have the courage to do the right thing.  Lushly gorgeous and opulently vibrant, “Cinderella” is so earnest and charming that you'll be swept away in the dreamy fairy-tale romance and magic of happily ever-after.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"The Danish Girl"

Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe (Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything," "Les Miserables," "My Week with Marilyn") is documented as one of the first persons to receive a sex reassignment surgery.  In 1920, Copenhagen, Einar and Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander, "Ex-Machina," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E") are like any other young, married couple.  Einar is a successful landscape artist and Gerda a portrait painter.  When a model fails to show up for painting, Gerda jovially persuades her husband to stand in with a women's clothing.  It is at this moment that Einar feels... something.  Something indescribable that makes him feel closer to his true self, which he believes that he's woman.  The film has a soft-focus feel with colorful palette, postcard-perfect scenery, impeccable interior and luxurious costume design.  While Redmayne bravely steps into a unique role, it is Gerda's perpective and Vikander's acting that stand out.   Perchance "The Danish Girl" is not about Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe, but a story about the 'other' Danish girl, Gerda Wegener.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Ex-Machina"

A young coder, Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), wins an office prize for a weeklong retreat with Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the company's reclusive CEO and inventor of the world's most popular search engine. Nathan has been working on a secret project, artificial intelligence in the form of humanoid-robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander).  You'd feel things are not what they seem and something sinister is going to surface, but you don't know what, when or how. It's tantalizingly thrilling. Vikander is a wonder, walking a fine line between human and machine. Her Ava, partially translucent with wires and circuits and partially covered in human skin, is both mechanically perfect and surrealistically human. The reveals come in pieces and they boggle the mind. Ethical quandaries of identity, humanity, freedom, life and mortality. If you could create a machine with human consciousness, would you... just because you could? What if artificial intelligence goes beyond artificial? Does it have the right to exist? How would it be integrated to society? What are the implications? What will become of mankind?  Strikingly compelling, cerebrally cool and eerily suspenseful, “Ex Machina” delivers on the futuristic visual and philosophical level and ceases with an ending that lingers in your mind.  Check out the full review and trailer here.  

***

"The Martian"

During an exploration in Mars, a fierce sandstorm forces a team of astronauts, led by commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty," "The Debt") to abort their mission and evacuate the base.  Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon, "Elysium," "The Adjustment Bureau") is impaled by a satellite antenna, left stranded and presumed dead.  In a hostile, arid planet and encased in solitude, Mark uses his expertise as a botanist and resourcefulness to generate oxygen, create heat, produce water, grow crops and ration his limited food.  And perhaps just as important, not losing his sense of optimism and wry humor to keep his sanity and spirit alive.  On Earth, a lively group of really smart, passionate people working together tirelessly to develop solutions to rescue Mark.  Drawing upon science, intelligence, collaboration and imagination, it shows how the brightest minds can accomplish great things together.  "The Martian" is a crowdpleaser, hopefully one that may inspire the next generation of space explorations.  Check out the full review and trailer here.

***

"Spotlight"

The film takes us back to 2001 for a behind-the-scene look at "Spotlight, " a team of professional journalists working tirelessly to uncover the truth, unravel and assemble information piece by piece, yielding chilling revelations that rock one of the oldest and most esteemed institutions, the Catholic Church.  Their year-long investigative work and news story won them a Pulitzer award.  This is more than chasing a story,  making a mark or generating money for the publication.  While it's an explosive expose, it is not sensationalized.  This is a hard-hitting storytelling, conducted with sensibility and acted with remarkable realism.  The film also shows the power of the press.  That when a focus of a story is carefully selected, thoroughly investigated, responsibly corroborated, persistently followed through and timed well for publishing can make a far-reaching and lasting difference.  "Spotlight" not only demonstrates investigative journalism at its finest, but perhaps more importantly, it shines a spotlight on a previously untouchable story.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Steve Jobs"

"Musicians play the instruments.  I play the orchestra," said Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender, "X-Men" series, "Prometheus") in response to a question why he gets all the glory since he's not an engineer or designer, and that he takes all the credit for the brilliant and tireless work from the people who devote themselves to him.  The Danny Boyle-directed "Steve Jobs" is uniquely structured like a play, a three-act play before three key product launches; Macintosh, NeXT and iMac.  A paradox, Steve Jobs is out-of-the-box thinker, yet out-of-touch with human connection.  The backstage drama is a cacophony filled with farcical facades about product features, room preparations, and intense confrontations about relationships where each act ends with a phenomenal, cult-like mania when the man of the hour seizes the stage.  The rapid-fire dialogue, razor-sharp script, deft direction and fast-paced editing will keep you fixated onto the screen.  The stakes are elevated and emotions are running at a fever pitch.  "Steve Jobs" is masterfully orchestrated like a spectacular theatrical play in a grand opera house, complete with orchestral music.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

***

"Trumbo"

"Trumbo" chronicles the life of Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston), one of Tinseltown's most successful and highest paid screenwriters in the 1940s and 1950s.  It's a dark time in Hollywood and American history; the Red Scare period post-World War II where thousands and thousands of people suspected for or believed in communism are targeted unjustly.  Even branded as a traitor, Dalton never lets darkness dims his survivor spirit.  Dalton starts ghostwriting for other writers, working for a fraction of his fees for B-rated producers producing movies starring A-list stars.  Even more fascinating, he establishes a homebased screenwriting business, working with other unemployed screenwriters and cranking out script after script.  The shenanigan eventually pays off, with films like "The Roman Holiday," "The Brave One," "The Exodus" and "Spartacus" grace the silver screen, furtively netting Dalton two Oscars.  "Trumbo" is oddly delightful.   If you're into the movies scene, politics and civil liberties, you'll enjoy the film's history lesson, old-fashioned Hollywood feel, witty wordsmithery and joie de vivre spirit.  Check out the full review and trailer here. 

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