Showing posts with label Freeheld. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freeheld. Show all posts

Monday, April 6, 2015

(n)Ever Too Early: Oscar Predictions

Ah, April. The Academy Awards are now a little over a month behind us, which means it's time to start speculating about next year's Academy Awards nominations. Why not? It's fun!

Hat tip to Nathaniel of The Film Experience, who began the tradition of April predictions long ago, and who's currently giving his far more thought than I am mine.

I did pretty well last year, actually -- though the fact that I made predictions after Cannes probably helped. Nevertheless, let's try it -- my predictions for eight of the Oscar categories for next year, after the jump!

Monday, March 9, 2015

25 Films in 2015 I'm Rawther Excited About

Well, it's time for my annual OMG SO EXCITED list of films I'm excited about! This one is coming especially, unfortunately late -- I had it written up and everything, neglected to post it, and now I've had to go and replace two of the films on the original list -- Chappie and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel -- with other flicks.

Sigh...

That's all right. We'll make do. Incidentally, I saw Chappie and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel this weekend, and was a fan of both. Contrary to what I've been reading, I think the last act is actually what made Chappie so fascinating. As for Second Best, I must say it surpasses its own titular ranking -- not to say it's better than the first one (which was nominated, ahem, for three Hollmann Awards), but I certainly think it's equal!

So what else does 2015 have in store for us?

Honorable Mentions: Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, Dope, The Founder (2016?), The Free State of Jones (2016?), Magic Mike XXL, Mr. Holmes, Silence (2016?), Trainwreck

25. Pan
Dir: Joe Wright
Wri: Jason Fuchs
Release: July 24
To play off of an obnoxious hashtag, #InWrightWeTrust. Yes, yes, I admit that I was part of that brigade of hand-wringers shouting "problematic" at the Rooney Mara casting, but I tell you who's got me intrigued: Hugh Jackman. What's going on there?

24. Spotlight
Dir: Thomas McCarthy
Wri: Thomas McCarthy/Joshua Singer
Inspired by the Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into the sex abuse scandals of the Catholic Church in Massachusetts. It sells itself.

23. Mad Max: Fury Road

Dir: George Miller
Wri: Brendan McCarthy/George Miller/Nick Lathouris
Release: May 15
Sometimes, it's the pitch. Sometimes it's the cast. Sometimes, it's the mind-blowing trailer. This one is the third option, though you know I love me some Charlize Theron (Hollmann Award Winner for Best Actress, Young Adult). Is it just kooky enough to work? Should I watch the first three Mad Max films?

22. Cinderella

Dir: Kenneth Branagh
Wri: Chris Weitz
Release: March 13
I quite liked Maleficent, and think Kenneth Branagh is becoming quite a solid studio hack -- Thor was great, and even if I don't remember Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, I tell you what I don't remember: hating it. But let's be real: everyone's coming just to see Cate Blanchett be bitchy in gowns.

21. Irrational Man

Dir/Wri: Woody Allen
Release: July 24
The annual Woody Allen Slot.

The top 20...after the jump