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The LonelyReviewer Show: Episode 3: “Pickup on South Street”
March 14, 2013 Leave a Comment

The LonelyReviewer Show: Episode 3: “Pickup on South Street”

lr-Podcast-ArtworkApologies for being a week late, but the good news is, we come bearing gifts. We are giving away free Redbox rentals! All you have to do is listen to the show for three different chances to win!

In this episode of the LonelyReviewer Show, Justin and I talk about the aftermath of the Oscars, and what we think about streaming only shows like “House of Cards.” Just to add one more way to win, the first person to write in the comments below what film the closing score is from, will ALSO win a free Redbox rental. So that’s FOUR different ways to win.

Enjoy the episode below, download directly here, subscribe in iTunes, and for you non-iTunes people, you can find the feed here!

The LonelyReviewer Show is produced in conjunction with Justin’s blog Another Empty Glass

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LonelyReviewer Oscar Predictions
February 22, 2013 1 Comment

LonelyReviewer Oscar Predictions

It’s finally here, the end of award season, the glitziest, the glamorous, the Superbowl of movies, Academy Awards. The great contributors at LonelyReviewer.com got together and decided to list our picks for a few categories. [Read more...]

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85th Academy Awards Nominees
January 10, 2013 Leave a Comment

85th Academy Awards Nominees

The 85th Annual Academy Award nominees have been announced this morning via Seth Macfarlane and Emma Stone – much of the nominations are obvious, and only a few surprises. I was sad to see Leonardo DiCaprio snubbed again, this time for his work in Django. Also, notably absent are Ben Affleck for Argo, PT Anderson for The Master, Tom Hooper for Les Misérables, and Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty. What are your thoughts and predictions? Check out the list below!

[Read more...]

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2012 Academy Award Predictions
February 24, 2012 4 Comments

2012 Academy Award Predictions

The 2012 Academy Awards are this weekend, and once again, we’re all trying to come up with who we think will go home with the Oscars this weekend. I like to really look at the various industry awards (SAG, DGA, ACE) while making my prediction. A month ago, I was sure that Hugo would be taking away quite a few awards this year, but ultimately, the buzz is really behind the Artist.

So here’s who I think is going to win in some of the major categories:

Best Picture

  • The Artist

Best Director

  • Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Best Actor In a Supporting Role

  • Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

  • Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Actor in a Leading Role

  • Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Best Actress in a Leading Role

  • Viola Davis, The Help 

Film Editing

  • The Descendants, Kevin Tent

Cinematography

  • The Tree of Life, Emmanuel Lubezki

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

  • The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Writing (Original Screenplay)

  • Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen
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January 24, 2012 Leave a Comment

84th Academy Award Nominations Announced

They are here! Been waiting patiently to hear what films are lucky enough to garner nomination for the 84th annual Academy Awards. Nothing too shocking here, I’m a bit surprised ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ was completely shut out of the Animation Category, though ‘Puss in Boots’ was nominated? Andy Serkis is sadly missing a nomination for ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes,’ and despite my reservations for the film, Charlize Theron didn’t get anything for ‘Young Adult.’

I am however happy to see that ‘Hugo,’ my favorite film of last year, got quite a few nominations!

The Academy Awards are Sunday, February 26th, and are hosted by Billy Crystal.

Best Picture

  • The Artist
  • The Descendants
  • Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
  • The Help
  • Hugo
  • Midnight in Paris
  • Moneyball
  • The Tree of Life
  • War Horse

Best Director

  • Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
  • Alexdander Payne, The Descendants
  • Martin Scorsese, Hugo
  • Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
  • Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best Actor In a Supporting Role

  • Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
  • Jonah Hill, Moneyball
  • Nick Nolte, Warrior
  • Christopher Plummer, Beginners
  • Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

  • Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
  • Jessica Chastain, The Help
  • Mellisa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
  • Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
  • Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Actor in a Leading Role

  • Demian Bichir, A Better Life
  • George Clooney, The Descendants
  • Jean Dujardin, The Artist
  • Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
  • Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Actress in a Leading Role

  • Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
  • Viola Davis, The Help
  • Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
  • Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
  • Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Animated Feature Film

  • A Cat in Paris, Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
  • Chico & Rita, Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
  • Kung Fu Panda 2, Jennifer Yuh Nelson
  • Puss in Boots, Chris Miller
  • Rango, Gore Verbinski

Cinematography

  • The Artist, Guillaume Schiffman
  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Jeff Cronenweth
  • Hugo, Robert Richardson
  • The Tree of Life, Emmanuel Lubezki
  • War Horse, Janusz Kaminski

Foreign Language Film

  • Belgium, “Bullhead”, Michael R. Roskam, director
  • Canada, “Monsieur Lazhar”, Philippe Falardeau, director
  • Iran, “A Separation”, Asghar Farhadi, director
  • Israel, “Footnote”, Joseph Cedar, director
  • Poland, “In Darkness”, Agnieszka Holland, director

Music (Original Song)

  • “Man or Muppet” from The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
  • “Real in Rio” from Rio, Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

  • The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
  • Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan
  • The Ides of March, Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
  • Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin.  Story by Stan Chervin
  • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)

  • The Artist, Written by Michel Hazanavicius
  • Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
  • Margin Call, Written by J.C. Chandor
  • Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen
  • A Separation, Written by Asghar Farhadi

Art Direction

  • The Artist: Laurence Bennett (Production Design); Robert Gould (Set Decoration)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: Stuart Craig (Production Design); Stephenie McMillan (Set Decoration)
  • Hugo: Dante Ferretti (Production Design); Francesca Lo Schiavo (Set Decoration)
  • War Horse: Rick Carter (Production Design); Lee Sandales (Set Decoration)

Costume Design

  • Anonymous, Lisy Christl
  • The Artist, Mark Bridges
  • Hugo, Sandy Powell
  • Jane Eyre, Michael O’Connor
  • W.E., Arianne Phillips

Documentary Feature

  • Hell and Back Again
  • If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
  • Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
  • Pina
  • Undefeated

Documentary Short

  • The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement, Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
  • God is the Bigger Elvis, Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
  • Incident in New Baghdad, James Spione
  • Saving Face, Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
  • The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing

  • The Artist, Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
  • The Descendants, Kevin Tent
  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
  • Hugo, Thelma Schoonmaker
  • Moneyball, Christopher Tellefsen

Makeup

  • Albert Nobbs, Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
  • The Iron Lady, Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)

  • The Adventures of Tintin, John Williams
  • The Artist, Ludovic Bource
  • Hugo, Howard Shore
  • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Alberto Iglesias
  • War Horse, John Williams

Short Film (Animated)

  • Dimanche/Sunday, Patrick Doyon
  • The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
  • La Luna, Enrico Casarosa
  • A Morning Stroll, Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
  • Wild Life, Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)

  • Pentecost, Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane
  • Raju, Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
  • The Shore, Terry George and Oorlagh George
  • Time Freak, Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
  • Tuba Atlantic, Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing

  • Drive, Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Ren Klyce
  • Hugo, Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
  • War Horse, Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
  • Hugo, Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
  • Moneyball, Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
  • War Horse, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
  • Hugo, Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
  • Real Steel, Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
  • Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Dan Glass, Brad Friedman, Douglas Trumbull and Michael Fink
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January 17, 2012 Leave a Comment

Ben’s 2012 Oscar Predictions

Editors Note: Ben has compiled a list of his Oscar predictions, both who he thinks will be nominated, and who will ultimately win. The announcements will be next Tuesday, January 24th. Check out Ben’s list, where do you think he’s right, where do you think he’s completely wrong?

 

 

BEST PICTURE

The Artist
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo – WINNER
Midnight In Paris
Moneyball
The Tree Of Life
War Horse

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney – The Descendants – WINNER
Jean DuJardin – The Artist
Michael Fassbinder – Shame
Gary Oldman – Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Brad Pitt – Moneyball

BEST ACTRESS

Glenn Close – Albert Nobbs – WINNER
Viola Davis – The Help
Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jim Broadbent – The Iron Lady
Albert Brooks – Drive – WINNER
Ben Kingsley – Hugo
Viggo Mortensen – A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer – Beginners

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo – The Artist
Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs
Vanessa Redgrave – Coriolanus
Octavia Spencer – The Help
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants – WINNER

BEST DIRECTOR

Michael Hazanavicius – The Artist
Terrence Malick – The Tree Of Life
Alexander Payne – The Descendants
Martin Scorsese – Hugo – WINNER
Steven Spielberg – War Horse

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January 6, 2012 Leave a Comment

Video of the Week: 2012 Oscar Commercial

The Oscars are coming up! Hosted by the legendary host himself, Billy Crystal. Check out the promo below!

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83rd Academy Award Winners & Recap
February 28, 2011 1 Comment

83rd Academy Award Winners & Recap

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards came and went, and overall it was business as usual. No real huge upsets, no real huge shockers. The main topic of conversation however was the actual program, and their hosts. Hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway, the Oscars certainly were going after a wider demographic. I’d say they would have had better luck with a pair that had better chemistry. James Franco is great, but I just kept getting the vibe that he had no desire to be there. His chill relaxed demeanor was not a compliment to Hathaway’s peppy excited cheerleader.

I think my favorite moment was Kirk Douglas presenting, he may have been difficult at times to understand, but charming none the less. Another thing being buzzed about was leaving out Corey Haim in the Memoriam section, not sure if it was intentional or not, but clearly folks are upset about it. My favorite part of the Oscars were also absent this year, I look forward to the great montages of film history they tend to have. Perhaps cutting this was also part of the effort to reach a wider demographic. For shame.

Here’s looking forward to next year!

83rd Academy Award Winners

  • Best Picture: “The King’s Speech”
  • Best Actor: Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
  • Best Actress: Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
  • Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
  • Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
  • Best Director: Tom Hooper, “The King’s Speech”
  • Best Foreign Language Film: “In a Better World” (Denmark)
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin – “The Social Network”
  • Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler – “The King’s Speech”
  • Best Animated Feature Film: “Toy Story 3″
  • Best Art Direction: “Alice in Wonderland”
  • Best Cinematography: “Inception”
  • Best Sound Mixing: “Inception”
  • Best Sound Editing: “Inception”
  • Best Original Score: “The Social Network” (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)
  • Best Original Song: “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″ (Randy Newman)
  • Best Costume Design: “Alice in Wonderland”
  • Best Documentary Feature: “Inside Job”
  • Best Documentary (short subject): “Strangers No More”
  • Best Film Editing: “The Social Network”
  • Best Makeup: “The Wolfman”
  • Best Animated Short Film: “The Lost Thing”
  • Best Live Action Short Film: “God of Love”
  • Best Visual Effects: “Inception”

 

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February 25, 2011 1 Comment

Ben’s 2011 Oscar Picks

So it’s Oscar time again, and I guess the little experiment of having 10 Best Pictures worked from last year. Once again, they have taken a crappy year in general and milked 10 movies from it. I have mixed feelings on this 10 Best Picture thing. On one hand, I like it because it gives some great, great movies that probably wouldn’t have cracked the top 5 (i.e. True Grit) a chance at glory. On the other hand, however, 10 movies don’t seem to have the prestige that 5 movies had. You had to be really, really good to make the top 5 (with the exception of Juno). So I’m mixed, but all in all I don’t mind it too much.

Last year you could tell there was a lot of filler. The Blind Side, are you kidding me? That said, this year actually has 10 movies I really enjoyed! I would say all 10 of them had a legit shot at a Best Picture nomination even if there were only 5 this year. Some are stronger than others, of course, but all 10 really gave me something this year, and that is rare, trust me.

I’m betting on The Social Network to take the top prize. Even though when I first heard about it, I was like “wha-?” Who wants to see Facebook the Movie if you are over 22? But as soon as Fincher signed on, I knew this was going to be a little different, and, of course, it was. Excellent movie.

Now out of these 10, my favorite would have to be Black Swan. I was expecting a mind fuck, yes, but not THIS much of a mind fuck. It had all the classic elements that made old school David Cronenberg and David Lynch so terrifying. Meaning, you didn’t know what the fuck was going on. It captures the confused atmosphere so well, that I was on the edge of my seat. I love body horror, and this was body horror I have not seen since The Fly. Loved it! It won’t win, and to be honest, I’m glad. A movie like that shouldn’t be shared with any idiot who sees “BEST PICTURE WINNER” on the box. This is a special movie, and should only be viewed by people who will appreciate it.

However…it was not my favorite movie of the year. In fact, my favorite movie wasn’t even nominated. Now I am a self confessed Martin Scorsese whore, I know this. But we had our differences for a few years. In fact, I felt that The Departed, while good, was immensely over-rated and not even close to his best movie. One of his
bottom movies, I would have to say. It just felt like he wasn’t trying, and he pretty much admitted that in multiple interviews. But, I don’t want to get into a 10 page ramble of The Departed. I’m talking about the forgotten movie of 2010, Shutter Island. Even though this was his highest grossing movie to date, the February release destroyed it. What a stupid idea to release it in Feb. Yes, I understand that their strategy was to mimic Silence of the Lambs
success, but that was fucking 20 years ago!! (Holy shit, it was, wasn’t it??) I feel that Shutter Island would have been given a bit more Oscar love if it had stuck with its original release date of October 2009. People don’t like this movie. That’s fine. People say the “twist” was predictable. I say, the movie wasn’t about the “twist”. I say the movie was much much MUCH more than that. This isn’t going to be a Shutter Island review, but if anyone hates this movie because of the supposed “twist” ending, then please go back to enjoying The Mechanic, because this is simply not for you. The movie had style that I haven’t seen in a movie this century. It just had so much going on…the music being my favorite part. The musical buildup to them arriving at the island almost gave me a heart attack. I loved it!! Every bit of it!! And it has my vote as Best Picture of the Year!!!!! But watch…King’s Speech will take it all. Bummer.

My Predictions:

BEST PIC: The Social Network
BEST ACTOR: Colin Firth – King’s Speech
BEST ACTRESS: Annette Bening – The Kids Are All Right
BEST S. ACTOR: Christian Bale – The Fighter
BEST S. ACTRESS: Melissa Leo – The Fighter
BEST DIRECTOR: David Fincher – The Social Network

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Sam’s 2011 Oscar Picks
February 24, 2011 1 Comment

Sam’s 2011 Oscar Picks

Looking over the names and movies nominated, it appears that 2010 was a pretty good year at the movies, critics be damned. Sure, audiences had to sit through “Sex and the City 2,” “The Last Airbender,” and “She’s Out of My League,” but people always
remember 1994 as the year of “Pulp Fiction,” and “Heavenly Creatures,” and not as the year of “Nell,” “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein,” and “3 Ninjas Kick Back.”

So, here are my picks for who will be winning the Academy Award come February 27th.

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale- “The Fighter”

You could give Christian Bale this award for any role he’s played in the last 5 years, (okay, maybe not that Terminator movie,) and it’d be well deserved. As the screw-up older brother to Mark Wahlberg’s Mickey Ward, he’s wonderful. Also he does the Massachusetts accent without sounding like a moron- he at least deserves something for that.

Best Supporting Actress

Melissa Leo- “The Fighter”

Everything I said about Christian Bale goes doubly so for Melissa Leo. (Well, except the part about being in that Terminator movie.) She deserved the Oscar for “Frozen River,” and she deserves it here.

Best Actor

Colin Firth- “The King’s Speech”

Colin Firth is one of those actors who I love no matter what movie he’s in. (“What a Girl Wants,” not so much.) He’s wonderful as the King of England and the sympathy and empathy he evokes while not crossing over into pity is excellent.

Best Actress

Natalie Portman- “Black Swan”

Yet again, the award goes to someone who has deserved it for some time. Portman is excellent in “Black Swan,” and most people will probably say she deserves the award for going through the grueling ballet training and losing a lot of weight, but she really
deserves it for a schizophrenic performance… in the best possible way.

Best Director

David Fincher- “The Social Network”

Fincher is one of the best filmmakers working today, so it only makes sense that he’ll get this honor. “The Social Network” is a perfect balance of a movie, keeping the tension and drama in perfect balance. (Of course, Fincher deserved this honor for “Se7en,” and “Zodiac,” so, yet again, late is better than never.

Best Pictore (Who I want to win)

“Black Swan”

All of the best picture nominees are great movies and worth checking out if you haven’t seen them. When they were announced, there wasn’t a head-scratcher in the bunch. While “The King’s Speech,” and “The Social Network” seem to be the front-runners to win, I would love to see Daren Aronofsky’s latest take home the statue. “Black Swan” is a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, Mario Bava and Dario Argento, but at the same time, is still very much in Aronofsky’s voice. It’s a tense and riveting ride of a movie and as the lights came up at the end, I let out a huge sigh… Turns out I’d been holding my breath for the final 30 minutes. All the performances are excellent, with Portman leading the cast. It’s also great to see Barbara Hershey back on the screen and delivering such a wonderful performance. While the big awards rarely go to a horror/suspense film, (you have to go back to 1991’s “Silence of the Lambs,”) but this is one movie that transcends the genre and stands on it’s own to legs… or flippers. If you haven’t seen “Black Swan” yet, you should see it in a theater. There’s nothing like being in a packed room and going on this ride together. Maybe the Oscar voters picking “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech,” will cancel each other out and “Black Swan” will walk away with the top honor. Much like “Black Swan,” itself, that fantasy is part dream/part nightmare…depending on who you ask.

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