In Defense of: Blackhat (spoilers abound)

Rated R

133 minutes

Directed by Michael Mann

2nd Take: Boyhood

First in a series where I review movies I've already reviewed, but want to review it again because something's changed. Looking forward to this being the first.

Final Oscar Nominations Predictions 2015

Best Picture will have 10 nominees because screw the sliding scale. Based on how many there are, I'll compare and contrast the list, and take the top x and see how they compare. Alts will be listed for the main categories. No shorts or technicals.

Did the Academy Awards Reveal Their Nominees 31 Hours Before the Announcement?

Movie Review: The Imitation Game

Rated PG-13

115 minutes

Directed by Morten Tyldum

*Just as a note, I saw this movie 2 months ago, so this review will be recalling things as best as possible, but it could be inaccurate, so... believe what you will.*

Movie Review: The Interview

Rated R

112 minutes

Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg

Movie Review: Exodus

Rated PG-13

150 minutes

Directed by Ridley Scott

2014 Winter Schedule

Ok, so I haven't ditched this. I've just been extremely busy. As a student, they call this time final season, and thus I've been studying my ass off instead of writing reviews for everyone to enjoy. Once again, I'm sorry. I've also been spitballing some new ideas with myself, but that's coming down the pipeline in 2015. But, nevertheless, I'll be going to a lot of movies over my 3-week (!!!) break. Listed are the movies that will be playing near me from Dec. 20-Jan. 11 and that I'm interested in.

Movie Review: The Theory of Everything

Rated PG-13

122 minutes

Directed by James Marsh

Thoughts about Birdman

Rated R

119 minutes

Directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu

Note: I so desperately want to write a long review on this movie, but it seems like everything that was needing to be said about this movie was said. As such, I have a mix between a brief thoughts and a movie review on this one, which is kind of funny, given that it's a favorite of mine. This isn't to diss the review I have written, but merely a means to say a film can be great, but was dissected enough that you won't have enough to say. 

Brief Thoughts: Dumb and Dumber To

Rated PG-13

110 minutes

Directed by The Farrelly Brothers

Movie Review: Interstellar

Rated PG-13

169 minutes

Directed by Christopher Nolan

First off, let me get this out of the way; I did have problems with the sound mixing. There were plenty of scenes that were drowned out by bass, especially that one scene (the one with Murph and Cooper as Cooper's about to go away). I'm just like everyone else. My theater isn't different. I'm just a regular joe.

Movie Review: Whiplash

Rated R

106 minutes

Directed by Damien Chazelle

How far would you go to push people to their best?

Movie Review/Spoiler-Free Analysis: Nightcrawler

Rated R

117 minutes

Directed by Dan Gilroy

What is the line between perfectionism and insanity? You want to be the best, but what measures do you go to to be the best? Louis Bloom takes perfectionism to the next level. He puts everybody in danger in order to get the shot for his television news video business. This is because as the film goes on, he becomes more and more enamored with the money of it. Louis wants to make the money to buy the lottery ticket he references in his pitch to an employer in the beginning in the movie, but he doesn't care how he gets it. 

Watch: The First Selma Trailer

Movie Review: Gone Girl

Rated R

149 minutes

Directed by David Fincher

(Note: This has been swirling around my drafts for 3 weeks. I found out I didn't hit publish when I started work on my Fury review, which is coming in the next day or so. Fail. Anyways, I saw this lying around and figured: welp, better late than never.)

Movie Review: The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them

Rated R

122 minutes

Directed by Ned Benson

Wine is an alcoholic drink. It's not something you've got attached to your side at all times. It's not a sentient being able to engage in conversation. You can just drink it instead of holding it in your hand swooshing it until you get drunk while your husband never gets a second of (memorable) screen time with it or you. You don't get so attached to wine that it seems like the passionate marriage of the family instead of you and your husband. Got it, Huppert? 

Brief Thoughts: The Drop

Rated R

106 minutes

Directed by Michael R. Roskam

Tom Hardy is the man.

Movie Review: This is Where I Leave You

Rated R

103 minutes

Directed by Shawn Levy

When I saw this movie, there wasn't a Shawn Levy film I'd seen that I didn't like on the initial viewing. He's far from my favorite filmmaker, but all his movies have come out at the right time in my life. The Night at the Museum franchise came out at the right time for me, I was in the mood for Real Steel when I saw it, and the few minutes of The Internship I saw were so hilariously bad that I couldn't help but really like it for being that bad. However, This is Where I Leave You was a step out of his comfort zone, so I had no idea whether or not it was going to work for me, initially at least. I liked the trailers, but mainly because they used the right music at the right times. But, I'm pleased to report that the streak continues.

Watch: First Trailer for A Most Violent Year