Oscar Series: Whiplash

Acting: 10
In my opinion, Whiplash is the best raw acting performance from the suite of Oscar movies this year. Miles Teller shows the potential to be one of the greats and is taking on a similar career trajectory to Heath Ledger's before his tragic passing. J.K. Simmons truly shows what he is capable of in a strong, terrifying performance as an abusive teacher that we hate the entire movie; all leading to the climactic, thought provoking ending. It is a feat of acting when an actor is able to portray the emotion, struggle, genius, or power of a well documented historical figure that has a distinct purpose and a completely different feat when an actor is able to portray blind emotion with the only direction coming from the words in the script and the voice of the director. I could imagine the only direction Teller getting is to act like you want it more than anything in the world and he was able to deliver that with scary accuracy and unbelievable passion.

Plot: 10
What makes the plot of this movie special is it's simplicity. The movie is about a drum player at  music conservatory who strives to be one of the greats. To help him on his way he catches the eye of a world famous jazz band teacher who uses unconventional methods of verbal and physical abuse to try and push those with potential to places that only few reach. There are very few distractions from the central plot-line and all of the side plots, i.e. love interests, are brief and serve only to strengthen the overall theme of the sacrifices and dedication it takes to be the best and the morality of what it takes to get there or help someone get there. The movie has something like only 100 actors total in the movie and was shot in just 19 days. Miles Teller is in every scene of the movie. The story is about the cleanest portrayal of a theme you'll get that still leaves you wondering what to take from it at the end.

Plot Development: 9
The movie progressed well, exponentially building up to the thrilling ending. Tying into the simplicity of the plot, there really are no unnecessary scenes or moments helping the movie move at a pace that never leaves the viewer bored. The only reason its not a 10 is because some of the story transitions were harsh/nonexistent and it tended to move from one event to another bluntly. That bluntness kind of played into the style of the movie though which is why it wasn't all bad.

Cinematography: 10
Everything about the way this movie was filmed played perfectly into what the movie was trying to an succeeded to accomplish. The intricacies of the drum scenes and raw feel of the movie was very well planned out and executed. The final scene maybe one of the best shot scenes of all time.

Writing: 9
The writing and dialogue was exactly what it needed to be to make this movie successful. Not to keeping making the same point, but the dialogue was simple and blunt.

Overall Score: 9.6

Recommendation: The best movie of the year and a must see for anyone who has wanted to be truly great. Although it won't win Best Picture, it would be my pick, and I'm glad it was nominated.

 It's been a while since I have posted anything, but this year's round of Oscar movies has reignited my passion to express and share how much certain movies I've seen have impacted me or failed to impact me. In this day and age, media plays such a large part in our lives and our development and it's important to acknowledge that and take advantage of that to make sure we are raising the future of our society in a positive and well educated way. That may seem dramatic, but I know from my experience with movies throughout my life, movies can shape people's morals and beliefs and explain the world to them in a way that their particular socio-economic situation might not be able to. I thank my parents for everything they've taught me and truly instilling drive and ambition into my life, but I definitely will say the movies and tv I watched contributed to building an idealistic fervor in me that is still evolving as I am exposed to more things and still drives me to this day. It started with the more idealistic lessons of shows like The Cosby Show and Boy Meets World as a child and morphed into the harder lessons the world has to offer with movies like Saving Private Ryan and Spanglish ( I know those movies seem unrelated but in my mind they highlight the necessity of sacrifice and compromise in life). With that being said, you can agree or disagree with me as different people get different things from movies, but I encourage you to read my thoughts in the hope that you to can be inspired to be the best you can be and continue life with a full understanding of the many trials and tribulations we face as human beings by watching the stories and learning the lessons from the silver screen.


Taher

Upcoming Movies: June 15

Rock of Ages

Next weekend has a diverse array of movies coming out that should make for a good week at the box office. I expect Rock of Ages to win the box office with its all star cast, including Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russel Brand, Bryan Cranston, and Catherine Zeta Jones. It is a nostalgic musical with classic rock music as its theme, so it will be sure to attract audiences of all ages. The plot basically follows aspiring stars, Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta, as they try to make it big in Hollywood, outside of that I am not sure how all the other characters are connected to the plot yet, but it should be a good movie.

 

That's My Boy

The other big movie coming out is That's My Boy with Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg. The has bee heavily advertised, but will prove to be a typical Andy Samberg/Adam Sandler movie. It will have its moments where it is stupid hilarious, but overall forgettable; it should still haul in enough to get it 2nd place in the box office though.

Your Sister's Sister

The last movie worth noting coming out next weekend is probably one that you haven't heard of. Your Sister's Sister is an indie movie that has gotten a lot of good early reviews. Mark Duplass, Pete in The League, has turned out to be a really talented indie actor also appearing in Safety Not Guaranteed which came out June 8th and looks really good. Your Sister's Sister looks cliche on the surface as its about a guy who sleeps with his best friends sister and then eventually they both fall in love with him, but what sets it apart is the realness of the acting. I think it will probably be one of the better indie movies of the summer.

           

Actress on the Rise: Jennifer Lawrence

So by now I am sure you have all heard of and have seen Jennifer Lawrence because of The Hunger Games. Although she was incredible in The Hunger Games and the fact that she can shoot a bow and arrow is incredibly attractive and almost made me want to buy a bow and arrow and start archery to impress her, I did some research and she is destined for stardom. Her performance in Winter's Bone in which she was on eof the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for the academy award for best actress, was phenomenal and shows that she has an immense potential to be the next female elite actress. Many directors that had her cold read a script at her first auditions say that she had the best cold read of a script they had ever seen. On top of everything, she is not only is incredibly talented, she also is down to earth, funny, and humble. All of this not only means that I am in love with her, but also that she is going to be wildly successful and hopefully not be tarnished by the pressure that being an a-list star tends to put on actors.

Upcoming Movies: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games sequel) 2013, Silver Linings Playbook 2012, House at the End of the Street 2012, Serena 2013, Untitled X-Men Project 2014

As you can she is dominating in every genre. Here is an iterview of her about the Hunger Games so you all can see how incredibly likeable she is and why she is going to be so successful.

Top 10: Natalie Portman

So I've decided that to fill the time until I see another movie, most likely Prometheus this weekend, by starting a few segments that will pop up every now and then like top 10 lists or actors/actresses on the rise. The only appropriate way to start this recurring segment is with a top 10 list of one of my favorite actresses, a girl who is still attractive even when she flips out, starts growing feathers, and shaves her head:

10. Mars Attacks!

So maybe Mars Attacks! isn't the highest quality movie, but I remember watching this movie and being very thouroughly entertained. If you embrace how ridiculous this movie is you will have a great time.  Natalie Portman doesn't have a huge role, but she is just as cute and charming as always.

9. Your Highness

It may not be the higherst quality movie, but I thin everyone can agree Natalie Portman looks incredible throughout his whole movie and you can't help but be attracted to her blunt, ruthlessness. Also any movie where I can see a beautiful girl shooting a bow and arrow has to be part of any list I make.



8. Closer



So this might be one of the weirdest and most uncomfortable movies  i have ever seen, and after I saw it I still wasn't quite sure what happened. I owld never put this in my top movies of all time, but it definitely makes an impression and as always I can't help, but be helplessly drawn in be her character.



7. Thor

Thor is a movie that delivers exactly what it promises, a cool, thrilling, action-packed super hero movie. Chris Hemsworth is at the forefront of this delivering a perfect performance for this kind of movie, but less talked about is the performance by Natali Portman. Although she doesn't play a particularly difficult role, it shows that she can act in any type of movie and still have that charming pull.



6. Beautiful Girls

Once you see this movie, you will understand why it is one of Natalie Portman's best movies. She is very young in this movie, but the character she plays is very captivating. She plays the incredibly smart and charming little girl that is wise beyond her years and helps steer one of the main characters life in the right direction. Its one of the first vintage Natalie Portman roles that shows why she is a captivating actress.





5. Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith

So I really could have put any Star Wars here, but considering that this one is the best out of the three, and Natalie Portman has the biggest role in this film, I chose this one. The movie is very entertaining and you can't help but feel bad for Natalie Portman. These movies are what skyrocketed Natalie Portman to fame and put her in the spotlight that she is fully taking advantage of now.

4. Garden State

This is the movie where I first fell in love with Natalie Portman. At first her character Sam seems a little loud and annoying, but then turns into an innocent, cute, and intriguing personality. You can't help but be drawn in by her uniqueness. This maybe the most likeable character that Natalie Portman has ever played and one of the most likeable characters o fall time.

3. Leon the Professional

This is the best vintage Natalie Portman performance that I was talking about earlier. This is one of her first roles and she shows why she is so enthralling to watch as an actress. She is smart, funny, and and impossible to stop watching as she plays the apprentice of a hitman that lives on her floor after her family is murdered. Performances from her and Jean Reno make this movie one that you won't soon forget.



2. Black Swan

I think everyone can agree this is Natali Portman's best acting performance ever. She is perfect in her role of a ambitious dancer that loses her  mind trying to get the role of her dreams. Her performance is frighteneng, and powerful and by the end of the movie you are left in awe.



1. V for Vendetta



The reason V for Vendetta is the #1 Natalie Portman movie is because not only does she deliver an incredible performance, it is the best movie she has ever been in. The movie is thought provoking and will stay with you long after the credits play. She does an incredible job taking you through the story and bringing you on a journey that changes her life forever. Not many people can pull of the bald bad ass that defies a dictatorship.

Prometheus: Trailer of the Week

One of the better trailers I have seen this summer

Snow White and the Huntsman

Acting: 7

This movie didn't require too much acting from Kristen Stewart, but her inspirational speech was enough to motivate me to fight against the queen. The acting was definitely highlighted be performances from Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth. Charlize Theron was perfect as she was both terrifyingly power hungry and at pitiful at the same time. Chris Hemsworth is slowly becoming one of the better action stars as he delivers a strong and charming performance as the huntsman.

Plot: 8

A great job to the writers for taking a classic fairytale and making it unique without completely abandoning the original story. There are parts of this movie that everyone who loves Snow White can identify while still bringing a more dark, more real spin on the familiar story that we all know.

Plot Development: 7

Overall I was never bored and never felt like the story was dragging, but there were definitely parts that seemed out of place or unnecessary while in traveling through the forest. As a whole though the movie progressed at a good pace and kept my eyes glued to the screen the whole time.

Cinematography: 9

Great special effects and film editing that brought excitement to all the scenes, especially the action ones. Very visually pleasing and terrifying takes on the dark forest and the dark magic of the queen

Dialogue: 6

Not as much cheesy dialogue as I expected from a fairy tale movie and the writer for the huntsman did a very good job and Chris Hemsworth fit it perfectly. There were definitely some scenes that I felt were not up to the best standard of dialogue as they tried to force too many fantastical things into the script, but overall the dialogue was well done.

Overall Score: 7.4

Recommendation: Absolutely see it if you get a chance, its a new twist on a classic fairy tale that will keep you entertained until the very end.