Frozen (****1/2)

"Frozen," following in the footsteps of "Tangled,"  "Wreck-It Ralph," and "The Princess and the Frog," represents a return to form for the original Disney Studio (not to be mistaken with Pixar, mind you). Now in a full-fledged swing with computer animation, we may be on the verge of a new Golden Age of the Disney Studio. In terms of animated films this year, this is one to beat (again, my apologies to Pixar).

When you think of Disney Princesses, I'm sure your mind immediately races to Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, all strong-minded women who can control the course of their fate. The Prince in all instances is merely an afterthought - the icing on the cake, so to say. What a pleasure to discover that here, we have two Princesses; sisters named Anna and Elsa. They live in an unnamed kingdom that resembles something along the lines of northern Russia or perhaps Sweden. It's remote, it's gorgeous, full of people and colorful characters.

Elsa, though, has a terrible secret, one that she hides from Anna - she has been born with (and not cursed, perhaps a little room here for the sequel) the powers of winter. And by winter, we mean she can literally summon snowfall and freeze anything on touch. She spends her life wearing gloves. She is afraid, with her powers mostly out of her control. In a moment of emotion during her coronation, she accidentally slips the Kingdom into an eternal winter and flees to the mountains, leaving her younger sister, Princess Anna, to try and solve the problem.

Along the way, she meets Kristoff, a blonde-haired northern European type with a reindeer. Together, they haul snow for a livelihood. As you can expect, business goes sour when ice is suddenly in abundance. He joins with Anna to try and end the sudden winter wonderland. You can guess what might happen to them along the way.... Let's just say the term "true love's kiss" is thrown around a few times.

I really admire this movie, and in a broad range of categories. Yes, it's a musical, and the songs are catchy and never overly-hokey. The wide range of details from costumes to sets are all miraculous, as are the animation sequences themselves. One scene depicts Elsa building an ice castle for herself far up the side of a steep slope. Set to a show-stopping song sung by Broadway legend Idina Menzel, it's simply gorgeous.

The theater I was with was absolutely packed, half kids, half adults, and though the running time was nearly 2 hours, the film managed to hold the attention of all watching. It's very much refreshing to see a movie that pulls from the best of your childhood favorites (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, etc), and to see it done with such skill is even more special. Expect to be wowed.

(Awards potential: Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score, Best Original Song ("Let It Go," "For the First Time In Forever," "In Summer")

Saving Mr Banks (***1/2)

Who doesn't remember the joy of watching "Mary Poppins" as a child, or as an adult for that matter? My God, I still watch it, and the more I see it, the more I appreciate the technical aspects of the film, not to mention the unique and moving storyline. Who never wished to have their room swept up with the snap of their fingers, or fly into a painting at a moment's notice?

What "Saving Mr Banks" attempts to do, then, is find the source of such rich source material. The year is 1963, the author: PL Travers (Emma Thompson), a cold-hearted woman who only agrees to sell the rights to her beloved book on the condition that they do it "her way," meaning: no animation, and no singing. It looks like we're in for a bumpy ride...

Apparently, her books have been plaguing Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) for years, 20 to be exact. He's written her every year, trying to secure the film rights, and Travers ("please, please, Mrs. Travers") has repeatedly denied him.

The marvel of "Saving Mr Banks" is the feeling of the genuine. We see her sit in on the script revision sessions, where she is pitched everything from costumes to song ideas. She insists on tape-recording every session, and only when she feels content will she sign the papers to make Mary Poppins a reality. The fate of the film is in her tightly-clenched fists.

We see Disney, in an iconic performance by Hanks, as a man who clearly knows how to charm his way into a deal. He's Walt Disney, afterall. However, for reasons he can't even begin to grasp, he is unable to win over Mrs. Travers. To her, Poppins will be just another brick in the Disney legacy. For Disney, himself, it's a promise to his children.

Emma Thompson, who I haven't seen in a good performance in a while, is perfect. She is highly unlikeable, but as we get to know her, and her childhood, we begin to see the humanity in her absurd reasonings (she will not have pears present in her hotel, and there can be absolutely NO color red in the picture. Period). It's a marvelous role, simple, taught, and expertly acted. I would be surprised if this Oscar-winner did NOT receive an Academy nomination this year.

Same for Hanks, who at times is indistinguishable from the real Disney we know from video clips and photographs. He is a businessman, yes, he smokes, he flirts, but in the end, he is still a father trying to fulfill his own dreams, perfectly summed up in a scene between he and Travers in which we hear about Disney's childhood in rural Missouri.

The film is not without flaws, and for me, we are trudgened with extended flashbacks to Travers' childhood in Australia. Her father, a drunk, and her mother, a seemingly unhappy woman who begins to lose grip of her own home. Yes, I know we are trying to figure out why Travers is such an unhappy woman, but the awkward transitions between past and present are more jarring than anything. Of course, being produced by Disney, the film at times feels self-congratulatory, and we wonder what PL Travers would think of the adaptation of her own story to the big screen... Perhaps she would find that Disney, once again, white washes everything under a blanket of fairy dust and happy endings.

We are treated to a fabulous score by Thomas Newman (always an Oscar nominee....) and the set pieces are truly fantastic (both in Australia, London, and Los Angeles). Truly though, the strength of this film is in the two leading performances. John Lee Handcock (director of "The Blind Side" fame) is not necessarily a director one would call 'subtle,' but he manages to yield some great film moments. Perhaps they made the film simply to boost "Mary Poppins" sales on its 50th anniversary, or perhaps the story behind such a marvelous film was too good to pass up. In no way does "Saving Mr Banks" surpass its subject film, but it is still a well-rounded and entertaining movie, nonetheless.

(Awards potential: Best Actress (Thompson), Best Supporting Actor (Hanks), Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score)

American Hustle (***1/2)

Jo says:

(I have revised my review of this film in lieu of a second viewing. The rating has been adjusted from a perfect ***** to ***1/2)

David O. Russell. A man of many films. A man of many actors. His past 3 films alone have garnered an unheard of 25 Oscar nominations. 11 acting nominations. He's obviously doing something right. His films are evocative, natural, focused on characters over story, and herein lies the problem with his latest caper. What initially struck me as a masterpiece comedy - the best con film since perhaps "The Sting" - has simply pulled the wool over the eyes of the audience. The con, in fact, seems to be on us. Here is a film that is glitz and glamour, yet with a simple repeated viewing, I realized it was merely a flash in the pan.

The film still functions on the merits of its plot. We meet Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale, in his career-best role), the great con artist who teams with Sydney Prosser aka Lady Edith Greensly aka Amy Adams, a woman from New Mexico posing as a lucrative Londoner who simply overflows with sex appeal. They are having an affair, because guess what? Rosenfeld is married with a child, and his wife is nutty in all the wrong ways (the ingenious Jennifer Lawrence). No matter, they meet FBI Agent Richard "Richie" DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Together, they hope to bring down the Mayor of Camden, New Jersey. Together, they plan the ultimate heist. Or so we think. Or do we?

Simple, right? Not so fast. The film is littered with tidbits and supporting characters and locations - they weave together as though part of a larger story waiting to be revealed. Take DiMaso's supervisor (Louis CK) - throughout the film, we hear his story of a childhood ice fishing trip. The story itself is told in fragments, seemingly aimed at giving DiMaso some sort of moral compass. Or something. Or is it? We never hear the end, we never see what the purpose of CK's character was, let alone the absurd dynamic between these two men. In individual scenes, his narration of his time spent on a lake engages you, pulls you in. Watch the film again, and you're left in the dark, wondering why these scenes were ever included to begin with. That seems to be the case with the majority of the film: scenes work beautifully on their own, but what does the final product amount to?

I'll hand it to O. Russell, though. This film is a touchstone in acting, and without a doubt it belongs to Christian Bale. You remember he won an Oscar for "the Fighter" a few years ago. This performance in "Hustle" is astonishing. Gaining 40 pounds and developing a comb-over, Bale slips into character and absolutely floored me with every scene. Masterful acting, and with any justice he will receive a Best Actor nomination. Lawrence is equally good as a scene-stealer, slowly developing into a leading lady (or is she blending with her public persona as a comic relief of sorts?). Amy Adams also delivers the goods, and reminds us why we need her starring in more leading roles.

The film remains gorgeous, with stunning sets, costumes, and hair. Perhaps, then, it's a film that might be even better watched on mute. In a way, I wish I never saw the film again. I wish I could preserve that sense of magic I had the first time I saw it. I wish I could still think of it as one of the year's best films. In the end, I can't lie to myself. American Hustle is a major misfire.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Bale), Best Actress (Adams), Best Supporting Actor (Cooper), Best Supporting Actress (Lawrence), Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup)

Inside Llewyn Davis (*****)

My filmgoing experience today has taken me from one emotional extreme to the next (see my "American Hustle" review). With the Coen brothers, I can always trust them to deliver a story with real characters and great dialogue. What caught me off guard with "Inside Llewyn Davis," then, was the emotional punch it brought. Known for their technical brilliance, Joel and Ethan have outdone themselves in capturing the Greenwich Village scene pre-Bob Dylan.

With a bookend technique that perfectly crafts the film like a brushstroke, we meet and get to know Llewyn Davis (the name is Welch, though his mom is Italian) over the course of a few days. In typical Coen fashion, he's down on his luck, hopping from couch to couch, playing gigs but getting nothing for it. The film is a slow, churning reflection on the times, and I wouldn't have been surprised to see people walking out of the screening instead of listening to song after song in their entireties. What we lack in plot is made up for in characters and imagery.

Davis is trying to start a solo gig, after the recent suicide of his musical partner. The problem is that he can't get anyone to listen. On top of it, his friend's cat escaped their apartment and he is locked out. What else can a man do but carry around an orange cat through the cold of a New York winter?

Oscar Isaac is the man. You may recognize him from "Drive?" Here, he shines. The film depends wholly on a man we can sympathize with and yet demonstrate a broad range of talent. This is a star-making performance, and I hope to see more from him soon. The cast is littered with great roles (Carey Mulligan playing his ex who has nothing but profanities for him, John Goodman as a mysterious man who uses two walking canes, drugs, and a chauffeur). Their scenes are perfect and yet too short. We could make an entire film out of Goodman's character, and yet we see him for mere minutes!

The real star is the music, but what else is new? The soundtrack is manipulative to the point of being sentimental, but I didn't mind in the least. It sounds of sadness that seems to mirror the sense of foreboding as the innocence of the times is almost over.

As per the Coen's emphasis on craftsmanship, the film is gorgeous, and the best moments are the short scenes of little to no dialogue, beautifully shot and conceived. A car on a snowy highway, the glance of a cat, a puddle of slush in the snow.... Breaking from long-time collaborator Roger Deakins, the film is still a marvel of photography with Bruno Delbonnel (Amelie) as the helm.

The film moves mountains in it's slow, dark journey, and what a pleasure it was to watch. As far as Coen brothers go, their streak of unique filmmaking and first-rate writing continues. "Inside Llewyn Davis" is simply fantastic.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Isaac), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Soundtrack, Best Sound Mixing)

State of the Oscar Race...

Let's begin by simply stating: this is a drab year for quality movies. Sorry, that's this blogger's humble opinion. One year after one of the most exciting Oscar races in memory (Argo, Lincoln, Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty, Django Unchained, The Master, etc, etc, etc), we're having trouble naming more than a couple films that could theoretically WIN the big prize: Best Picture. As of now, and based on our recent SAG Nominations/ Golden Globe Nominations/ Critics' Choice Nominations, we have but one possible winner: 12 Years A Slave. Let's discuss this logic. 

BEST PICTURE

With Golden Globe nominations, we saw an interesting split between the Comedy/Drama categories. In Best Picture, we had the following nominees: 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Captain Philips, Rush, & Philomena. Comedy saw the following hilarious films nominated: Her, American Hustle, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Nebraska. As little as the Globes matter anymore (and as irrelevant, too), we did see some trends with the SAG Best Ensemble nominees (the Best Picture equivalent for actors: The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyers Club, August Osage County, and American Hustle) and the Critics Choice nominees (American Hustle, Captain Philips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska, Saving Mr Banks, 12 Years a Slave, The Wolf of Wall Street). Ignoring the overwhelming mess of trying to interpret, there are a few basic rules with gauging Oscar potential: Getting a nomination from all 3 is almost crucial (12 Years A Slave & American Hustle), a SAG Ensemble Nomination is required to win Best Picture, and generally the film with the most cast members nominated wins (The Butler leads with 15, followed by 12 Years A Slave at 13). Meaning?: 12 Years A Slave is our front-runner, and American Hustle is not far behind. Sorry Gravity....

Locked and loaded for a nomination:

1. 12 Years A Slave

2. American Hustle

3. Gravity

4. Nebraska

5. Inside Llweyn Davis

6. Captain Phillips

Most likely:

7. Wolf of Wall Street

8. Her

It Could Happen:

9. Dallas Buyers Club

10. Saving Mr Banks

11. Philomena

12. Rush

BEST ACTOR

When dealing with actors, SAG nominations (Screen Actors Guild) are your best bet. Not only does it gauge the overall tone of the voters, but it shows where the support is amongst the Oscar's biggest group of voters: actors. Our nominees are Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club), Bruce Dern (Nebraska), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), and Forrest Whitaker (The Butler). Save for Whitaker, who may easily get bumped off for Robert Redford in All Is Lost, this has been the consistent lineup all season. McConaughey will finally break into the 'big boy club' by scoring his first nomination (ala Bradley Cooper last year), Tom Hanks will receive his first nomination since 2000, and Best Picture will most likely secure a win for its main actor (think The Artist, The King's Speech, No Country for Old Men, Million Dollar Baby, Gladiator, etc). It helps to star in a critically-acclaimed movie when you're looking for Oscar gold. Expect to see Chiwetel Ejiofor as the front runner for the rest of the race. 

Locked and loaded:

1. Chiwetel Ejiofor

2. Bruce Dern

3. Matthew McConaughey

4. Tom Hanks

Battling for the last spot:

5. Robert Redford

6. Forrest Whitaker

7. Leonardo DiCaprio

8. Christian Bale

BEST ACTRESS

Then again, sometimes you don't need an Oscar juggernaut to push you through to an Oscar, all you need is to be a female starring in a Woody Allen movie. SAG nominated Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Meryl Streep (August Osage County), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks), and Judi Dench (Philomena). That's a strong lineup, one that will most likely secure all ladies Oscar nominations, too. Outside of Blanchett and Dench, each woman has already won Best Actress, and ALL have won Oscars before. Bullock is expected to be the biggest threat to Blanchett's win here, but being in a science fiction film doesn't fare well for Oscar voters (remember the last time someone in a science fiction film won an Oscar? Me neither...), nor does Bullock's recent win (which some found undeserving to boot). Cate Blanchett stands out from the pack. 

Locked and loaded:

1. Cate Blanchett

2. Sandra Bullock

3. Meryl Streep

4. Judi Dench

5. Emma Thompson

It could happen:

6. ..... cough.... ?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Some surprises here, with SAG nominating Barkhad Abdi (Captain Philips), Daniel Bruhl (Rush), Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club), and James Gandolfini (posthumously, for Enough Said). Replace Gandolfini with Bradley Cooper in American Hustle and you have the Golden Globe lineup. Include both and you have Critics Choice. Who will miss a nomination on Oscar morning? Abdi and Bruhl were surprises to say the least, but they were consistently nominated across the board. Are they in Oscar lineup for sure?? It's no guarantee. Who can say for sure at this point. All we know is that Fassbender and Leto will have to duke it out for the title. Interestingly, both play somewhat historical characters in an American historical film, one a villain, and one a hero. Supporting Actor loves themselves some villains at the Oscars (No Country for Old Men, Inglourious Basterds, Dark Knight...) so perhaps Fassbender. Then again, the Academy has yet to prove their love for him, and he plays a very unsettling role. As of now it looks like Jared Leto is a few paces ahead (if only because of other critics awards he has already picked up). 

Locked and loaded:

1. Jared Leto

2. Michael Fassbender

Most likely:

3. Barkhad Abdi

4. Daniel Bruhl

Battling for #5:

5. James Gandolfini

6. Bradley Cooper

7. Tom Hanks (Saving Mr Banks)

8. Will Forte (Nebraska)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Julia Roberts (August Osage County), Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), June Squibb (Nebraska), Oprah Winfrey (The Butler). Those are our SAG nominees. Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) bumped Oprah out in a shocker at the Globes, and Critics nominated all our SAG ladies on top of the Scarlett Johansson for Her. Wow. Will Oprah make the final cut? Most likely. Will she win? No. Who are the front-runners? Tough call. Lupita Nyong'o is powerful in 12 Years a Slave and has a powerful debut. June Squibb is a veteran playing a colorful character in a great movie that has little chance of winning other awards. For now, bet on Lupita, but June stands in the shadows of great older women who have won this category in the past.

Locked and loaded:

1. Lupita Nyong'o

2. June Squibb

3. Jennifer Lawrence

Most likely:

4. Oprah Winfrey

5. Julia Roberts

It could happen:

6. Sally Hawkins

7. Scarlett Johansson (well, maybe this one can't...)

BEST DIRECTOR

Globes nominated 12 Years A Slave, Gravity, Captain Phillips, American Hustle, and Nebraska. We won't have a good grasp of this category until DGA nominations, although last year, that only translated into 2 Oscar nominations (remember when Ben Affleck was snubbed and Ang Lee won? Oh yeah). For now, things will correlate closely with Best Picture, meaning Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave has all the right ingredients right now. 

Locked and loaded:

1. Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)

2. Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

3. David O. Russell (American Hustle)

Most likely:

4. Alexander Payne (Nebraska)

Need to fill the last spot:

5. Martin Scorsese (Wolf of Wall Street)

6. Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips)

7. Joel & Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis)

We'll see how the race shapes up with PGA (Producers Guild) DGA (Directors Guild) WGA (Writers Guild) nominations in the coming weeks. So far, the crystal ball is becoming clear....