The Imitation Game

Benedicit Cumberbatch brilliantly plays Alan Turing the English math genius and cryptanalyst who with a few men and a women changed the course of World War II. This is a great true story that modern day geeks can appreciate and Turing’s life makes fascinating drama. Turing was insufferable, but he was indispensable. He was humorless but inadvertently funny. He was not a people person. He was as good reading human emotions as Ray Charles was reading the morning paper.

Cumberbatch powerfully conveys Turing’s arrogance, loneliness, apprehension and fears. Turing was a man ahead of his time to the consternation naval intelligence and MI6 who could not grasp his genius. He was unorthodox and did not care for protocol or chain of command. Turing was not of their class but his intellect out ranked them. He was committed more to himself than King and country. Cumberbatch plays this emotional tightrope with drama. Burdened with impossible deadlines, fighting for material and personal, mostly without his superior’s support, these conflicts and resolution drive the movie.

Turing and his crew where trying to decipher the unbreakable Enigma code used by the Nazis. The codes changed every day and possible combinations were in the millions of millions. Turing took an unorthodox approach to break the code putting him at odds with his handlers. He broke away from conventional code deciphering instead using a machine he invented. Cumberbatch is very passionate in these scenes. His frustration at the narrow mindedness of his superiors is tangible.

Turing was gay and being gay in England then was a punishable offense. He kept his sexual preference secret, not out of shame but to avoid blackmail or prison. Turing deified society and willingly engaged in his homosexual affairs, but was deeply afraid of the consequences to himself and his work. This seesaw battle between who he wants to be and who he has to be torments him.

Keira Knightley is Joan Clarke the female code breaker.  Clarke is unequivocally confident, firmly resisting the push to the secretarial pool for her seat at the table with Turing. Her mathematical prowess impressed Turing. They liked each other; their relationship was more than plutonic and was complicated. Knightley did not overplay this role. She was very sincere for her affection to Turing.  Knightly and Cumberbatch had great chemistry.

Another character of note is Mark Strong who played Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies, the MI6 liaison (one of the characters said, “there is no MI6 only MI5. To which Strong relies, “then we are keeping our secrets well”). He is so British he is almost brittle. He is Turing’s nemeses and champion, depending what he wants. He represents the government and the ends to which it will go to win.

Flash backs are like a pinch of salt, less is best. They are done right here. They augment the narrative at the right time and explain the present using the past. Here the flash backs concern Turing’s public school days where he was subjected to cruelties and where a great loving friendship blossomed.

Turing was truly a tragic figure, a label surely he would reject. The West owes him a great debt of gratitude for his contributions. His inventions were called Turing Machines. Now we call them computers. 

The Hunger Games-Mockingjay Part 1

The Hunger Games-Mockingjay Part 1

If this picture was not part of the Hunger Game franchise it would have less audience and less box office. Thanks to the HG devotees they flocked to this movie like moths to a flame. This movie lacks the Lord of the Fly motif of the prior two films. Instead of a hunt or be hunted movie with big brother watching it is just a rebellion movie. There are references to the prior movies and the roles of some characters but this movie can stand on its own. I think Part 1 was put in the title to distance this movie from the others and garner a broader audience.

Part 1 means this is the pen ultimate movie. This is movie is a place holder for the final movie. It keys up atrocities committed by the Capital and retaliations by the Districts. All of this conflict will be resolved in the final film. Unlike the other movies Katniss does relatively little fighting.  This is here least energetic role and she looks shabby and unglamorous.  There are no flaming dresses here, rather grey jump suits are de rigueur. Grey is the dominant color of the movie; it could be seen as a metaphor, “the grey before the dawn”. On the whole this movie is a set up for a hoped for mega box office in the final picture.

There are old and new characters. I think this is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last movie. He looked like a card board cut out of himself. The twinkle in his eye was gone. Woody Harrelson’s character was more fun drunk. Donald Sutherland returned with his evil Cheshire smile. He is basically Hitler with a white Santa beard. Stanley Tucci does not even stand up in this picture, he smugly reclines in a chair; he is still very annoying. Even poor Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), the over the top image consultant, with much chagrin is forced to wear a grey jump which she accessories with grey bandana.

Julianne Moore plays President Alma Coin, leader of the rebellion. Her personality is best described as akin to cold salmon. She too is grey all over. It seems she went to the same hair stylist as Morticia Adams. There are other new characters. One is a video journalist who is a propagandist for the rebellion. Her most notable feature is the half shorn haircut currently in vogue adorned with a flower tattoo on the bald side. Her body will be easy to identify on the battlefield.

I know you join me in my anticipation for the final movie. How will I fill the void?

Birdman

For best picture the Golden Globes has Birdman under the category of comedy. The category should be black comedy. The film is about a former movie star whose fame came from playing the superhero Birdman. Now in his sixties he wants to revive his career and find meaning for himself as a Broadway actor/writer, directing himself in his own play. He is a man looking for resurrection.

There are parallels between Michael Keaton and his character Riggan Thomson (aka Birdman). Like Thomson, Keaton was a big star in the late 80’s and early 90’s with two Batmen movies under his belt and playing the lead in the iconic movie Beetlejuice. Even his minor movies were watchable. Then lead roles stopped coming and his star faded. Keaton has firsthand motivation to play this role. He is nominated for best actor by the Golden Globes.

 Keaton’ reputation was as a lighthearted comedic roles. When he branched out as Batman the role was confident and in control. Playing Riggan, Keaton is in uncharted water. Riggan is an emotional train wreck due for a collision.  Keaton delivers an intense and very paranoid (psychotic) performance. The script plays with your perception. Keaton coexists in the fields of madness and sanity. His hallucinations are a product of doubt and insecurity. His alter ego, Birdman, eggs him on to go back to the big screen and leave the uncertainty and pettiness of Broadway. Keaton desperately wants the legitimacy of Broadway more than a big box office. His character has two personas, Riggan the actor and Birdman. Contrary to physics they occupy the same space. Managing this conflict gives Keaton’s performance tension and the chance for his own resurrection.

Edward Norton plays a huge prick. He is the matinee idol that sells ticks, but his conceit and self-centeredness make him loathsome. What is worse he is a good actor. Norton plays the role with aplomb. It takes him out of his comfort zone as being mild mannered and almost nebbish. With his thick ego he has no compunction standing nude in front of a mirror in a dressing room with his privates strategically shielded.  He steals scenes and infuriates his co-stars. There is a great fight scene between Keaton and Norton seminude in their Fruit of the Loom underwear; Yuk. Norton was a bit over the top, but he relished the role.

Emma Stone is super. I think she gave one of the best performances of the movie. She looks fragile and just came out of rehab. She is Riggan’s daughter and their relationship is on the mends after years of neglect and divorce.   Her anger is explosive and her deliverance is muscular; she is in your face. She also plays coy with Norton’s character and gets under his skin, maybe more. If not the femme fatale, she is the femme to watch.

Much has been said about Zack Galifianakis’s performance as being normal and not looney. Bravo for acting like a human. With his weight loss he looked good.

This movie is not for everyone. Keaton gives a forceful performance. I am rooting for him because I am big Beetlejuice fan. Good luck Mike

John Wick

Dust off your Matrix sunglasses, Keanu is back and he is pissed. Not sure if he is pissed because he turned 50 or because someone killed his puppy. John Wick is a retired assassin who worked for the Russian mob and is reluctantly pulled back into the game to settle a score. This movie is a throwback to the simplicity of the Spaghetti Westerns where Clint Eastwood let hot lead do his talking. John does not say much either and he uses a lot of lead among other things. This movie is focused and efficient. There are no distracting side plots.

Keanu Reeves plays Wick like a video game hit man. He is a dispassionate cold killer who is impeccably dressed in twenty shades of black in an Armani suite. His killing prowess include guns, knives, cars and pencils; No. 2 pencils to be exact. The bad guys are Russians who garner no empathy. I think the Russian actors were Russian and they spoke Russian. Da.

Most of the action takes place in Manhattan, specifically the Financial District. Some of the logistics were screwy. The arches in front of the Municipal Building face Delmonico and Delmonico was transformed into a hotel for mobsters. There are plenty of car chases. John’s 1969 Mustang is stolen and his loner car is a Shelby Mustang, very cool.

Supporting actors, besides the Red Army, were John Leguizamo, William Defoe, and Ian McShane among others. None were sidekicks and their roles were well tuned for the script. I cannot recall if there was any sex in the movie but this could be the debilitations of old age on my part. There was a women in a very tight black leather outfit, but see locked nasty.

This is not a date movie. It has no redeeming social values; climate change was not mentioned once. It appeals to my inner hedonist. This is the perfect movie for adolescents and guys in their sixties, since thinking is not required.

Interstellar

 Interstellar is the much ballyhooed film of the season. Making the cover of Time magazine with its stellar stars blitzing late night shows, Interstellar has some bumps. Christopher Nolan usually deals with fantasy or comic book hero scripts is now tackling the hard science of astrophysics. Real science trumps fantasy and makes the script complex. At times I lost the tread of the movie.

 The scientific concepts in the film are not new. Wormholes, black holes, singularity and relativity theory are established theories. Einstein’s Twin Paradox (Where one twin travels into space and the other remains on earth. When the space traveler returns his earthbound twin has aged but he has not) is a main element of the script. Nolan coops these concepts into his story with Hollywood spin and gives them a veneer of newness. He could have used these tenets of cosmology for a more dramatic, even fantastic effect, in his movie.

The tenure of the film is mopey. Worldwide blight threatens life on earth (the last okra crop was lost, who cares). McConaughe and fellow astronauts are tasked with finding a habitable plant in distant galaxies. The movie runs 165 minutes (or in old man time three bathroom visits) and has some pockets of boredom. How much can you talk about the effect of time and gravity in one movie? It took almost two hours before a fist fight broke out and it was not much of a fight since they were in space suits.

The actors played their roles very well. McConaughe is a farmer/engineer/astronaut the reluctant leader of the stellar explorers. His motivation for taking the mission was the salvation of his family. I was pleasantly surprised how well Anne Hathaway handled her role. I thought she had too much glam to fit in to a space suit and get helmet hair, but she carried off the role. Regarding Jessica Chastain I cannot say anything about her role. Matt Damion plays a marooned astronaut whose space suit fit a bit too tight. With his Amish beard Casey Affleck is barely recognizable.  Michael Cain mumbles. I never complain about Hans Zimmer, the conductor, but the music was too loud (I could even hear it in the bath room) and overwrought.

Cinematically Interstellar pales compared to stunning scenes of Gravity. I expected better shots considering the expanse the space trip covered. The wormhole looked like some distant button and the black hole was some passive swirl. One of the explored plants was interesting while the other looked like a meat locker.

Towards the end of the movie Nolan resorts to his Inception bag of tricks. Now fantasy trumps science; rooms distort and phenomena abound. The movie became a bit schizophrenic; frankly this part was more interesting and fun.

I know I am whining but I expected more from Nolan and his brother.  He tried to be too true to science, which does not go well with popcorn. Nova never won an Oscar.

Calvary

Flying back to New York I saw the movie Calvary. A brilliant film. The film takes place in Ireland with an Irish cast lead by Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges and The Guard) who plays the parish priest Father James.   The village is located in Strandhill, Siligo County which is a surfing town (Irish surfing, who knew).

As all good Catholics, and the not so good ones, know Calvary is the place where Christ suffered and died on the cross. Suffering defines this village. Whether as victims or perpetrators Father James is the recipient of their vindictiveness and disillusions.  Rather than being an evangelical priest he is weighted down by the sins and ridicules of the villagers.  Whatever advice or consultation he gives them comes to naught and often returned with scorn.

 The villagers are a miserable bunch. There are fornicators, adulators, malcontents, felons and cannibals (correction one cannibal). Their divergent stories have Father James as the focal point and his attempts and failures to manage these situations make this an engaging story. The problems are divergent ranging from hopelessness to vindictive anger.

Brendan Gleeson plays Father James a subdued priest who is defeated and lacks the will to fight. His passiveness contrasts with his formidable physical presence and is a metaphor for the demise of the once powerful church. A potent symbol of demise is his church is burned down.  Gleeson plays the role pitch perfect.  His performance is sublime.

Chris O’Dowd plays the town butcher. O’Dowd usually plays the lad with the snappy witty remarks (a la Bridesmaid). Here he plays a dramatic role and is outstanding. The role is emotionally demanding and O’Dowd delivers.

All the other actors give great performances and as an ensemble their collaboration is cohesive resulting in an outstanding film. One actor of note is M. Emmet Walsh plays a writer and is friends with Father James. Walsh plays a crusty old codger and provides a bit of humor. I thought he was dead, this is why he was perfect for the role.

To see Calvary either go to On Demand or get it from Netflix (or you can take a flight somewhere). The  effort is worth it. Have faith.

Gone Girl

I read the book.

This summer there was a piddling amount of good movies for adults (I almost said adult movies) from the major studios. So when a movie based on a huge best seller with an A list cast hits the big screen it was the go to movie. The movie is worth seeing, but there are short comings. The plot is intriguing and helps numb the two and half hour run time. Simply put the wife is gone and what happened to her and the search for her is the crux of the story. As with all good mysteries there are sub plots and twists that weave throughout the story. There will be no awards for acting in this movie. No one broke a sweat. Even the sex scenes were tepid rather than steamy.

Ben Affleck is Nick Dunne. Nick has crushing good looks and women are at his disposal. Throughout the movie Nick has a calm demeanor even when discovering his wife is missing; this role is a cake walk for Affleck. His interactions with his wife are spirited and she often incites him. She is smarter than Nick and manipulates him.  Nick is a victim of his own limitations. The dynamics and dysfunctions of their marriage is the foundation of the movie.  

Rosamund Pike is Nick’s wife. I first saw Pike in the Bond movie “Die Another Day” where she played a   double agent and turns on Bond. With her fine porcelain looks and blond mane she looks as threatening as a kitten waking up from a nap. She is well suited to play Amy Dunne Elliot. Amy is a sophisticated, rich and a smart beautiful Manhattanite. She also is a pathological controlling perfectionist freak. She is devoid of guilt and she can really hold a grudge. Pike plays the role well with an eerie claim and detachment.

The movie takes some detours from the book. Tyler Perry plays Nick’s lawyer Tanner Bolt. In the book Tanner is a sleazy high prolife white lawyer who has a stunning six foot tall black wife. Here we get half the deal, sans high heels. Perry is his usual swaggering confident self; no sweat here either.

The strangest casting is Neil Patrick Harris. He is Amy’s old boyfriend Desi Collings, who has an overly obsessive attraction to Amy and stalks her. How can someone that looks like a stick figure be intimidating?  If there was a death match between Amy and Desi, I would take Amy hands down.

Other fine actors contributed. Inspector Boney had a bigger role in the movie that the book and she was crucial to the film. His sister Go (Margo) was cast well in the movie compared to the book, she brought some much needed humor.

Even with these short comings you should see the movie.

This is where I leave you

I am usually leery of ensemble movies. They tend to pile on the stars to compensate for either a weak script or ineffective directing.  This is not the case here. This a very enjoyable film and the ensemble works well as a dysfunctional family. The story is a patchwork of sub plots which are individual but rooted in the family. Above all this is a very funny movie and the laughs continue throughout the film.

The father of the family just died and his last wish is that his family sit Shiva. One son commented that their father was almost an atheist and another asked if the location of a chair was the same place they put the Christmas tree. The matriarch of this family is the ageless Jane Fonda with her inflated boobs which is a running gag in the movie. The other strong female is Tina Fay with her sharp wit and grit.

Jason Bateman is a lead character who is going through a marital crisis compounded by the death of his father. He display’s his trademark wry sense of humor and is disturbed by his mother’s overflowing breasts. A rising star to watch is Adam Driver. He gained acclaim from his role in “Girls” on HBO. He plays the ADHD insensitive clues son. He screws anything in high heels (or flats).

There are other story’s which coalesce into this enjoyable movies. Go see it. 

Sin City: A Dame to Kill for

Sin City: A Dame to Kill for

Sin City 2 crash and burned at the box office.  A Frank Miller film (author/director) is a male testosterone affair offered as film noir. Sin City 1 and 2 combined animation and live action. The animation tones down the brutal violence. Instead of a spray of blood gushing from the neck on screen it is rendered like white out. Sex is the other main ingredient of this film which always mixes well with violence. Sin City 2 had more nudity than the prior movie; female thank goodness.

Both movies had these elements, so what happened to Sin City 2? I think Sin City 1 was better written, it followed the original graphic novel. For its time it was also unique. The movies are made up of sub stories with their own dedicated caste. I think these sub stories were richer and more intriguing in the first film.  In Sin City 2 there two main sub stories, one with Joseph Gordon –Levitt and the other with Eva Green. Gordon-Levitt’s story was unsophisticated and disappointing. Eva Green’s story went on a bit too long, but it did have some interesting twists and turns but no real wow moments. For most of her story Green was nude with a well-placed shadow on her privates.

There was more brutal violence in Sin City 2, some just random. Sex was graphic and voyeuristic. Without plot context violence and sex become pornographic.

There were more notable actors in Sin City 2. The anchor stars were: Mickey Rourke, Josh Brolin, Eva Green, Powers Boothe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jessica Alba. Other big name stars had cameo roles: Lady Gaga, Christopher Lloyd and Jeremy Piven, etc. Here adding a copious number of stars was more bloating than effective film craft.   The acting was so stylized it was a cliché.

Sequels are tricky. Sin City 3 is doubtful

The Orphanage

I was channel surfing Italian TV in Milan. My first hit was a typical RAI variety

  program featuring Amazonian women showing more leg than talent and some old guy with bad dye job hosting. My next hit was a news format with six intense journalists seriously discussing the history of Dragon Boat Racing (what the …..). Fortunately I found a foreign language (English among others) channel. The feature movie was “The Orphanage” which I never heard of. It was in Spanish without subtitles. What caught my attention was Guillermo Del Toro’s name. He was not the director but the producer. Del Toro is a great director and writer. His credits include Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devils Back Bone and the Hell Boy series. I decided to watch the film. It was 11pm and past my bedtime but what the hell let’s get wild.

Even without subtitles the movie was intriguing. The acting was so good you had a basic idea of what was going on. A family took over an abandoned orphanage and were living there. There was a mother a father and their beloved son Simón. Flashbacks showed the original orphanage with the orphans happy and running around in play.  Later you find out something terrible happened to the orphans. In the present Simón befriends one of the orphan ghosts. Simon has a bad fight with his mother and runs away and disappears. The rest of the movie focuses on the parent’s efforts, especially the mother’s, to find Simón.

Basically this is a ghost story. The atmosphere of the movie is more sad than gloomy. The ghosts are not the main focus rather it is the parents efforts to find their son and their crushing heart breaks. Even in disappear some parts are touching and tender. This film definitely has a Hitchcockian feel. It has consistent style but when it wants to scare you it does so effectively. In one scene the mother is pushed into the bathroom by a ghost and tumbles into the tub ripping a shower curtain as she falls; sound familiar?

After the movie, which ended at 1am, I looked it up on Wikipedia.  What I found out made the movie even more interesting. I am ordering the movie on Netflix with subtitles. This was a gem of a find which I highly recommend it. Maybe I will stay up past 1am more often.

A Most Wanted Man

When the movie ended I suspected it could be based on a John le Carre novel; it was. For me reading a le Carre novel is like jogging in wet cement. It is ponderous and has little forward motion.  This movie follows suite. It is a spy movie but not one shot is fired, never mind gratuitous sex. The heart of the plot is a mysterious and very dirty refugee from the East comes to Hamburg to claim an inheritance. American and German secret services seek to claim him and the money.

The movie went on for two hours but felt longer. There were more business meetings than car chases. Not to give too much away, the apex of the movie was signing a critical legal document; very un-Bondish. If this sound base, I plead guilty.

What this movie will be remembered for is not its scintillating plot but rather as Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last film (far as we know). He looked terrible, overweigh (more than usual), puffy and tired. His incessant cigarette smoking was real. He played the role as the German agent Gunther in his trademark languid manner. His drawl was not quite like Capote’s, but still unhurried with a soft spoken mumble.  His skills as a great actor was evident and he fully inhabits his character, but this is not the best vehicle for his final journey

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There other fine actors in this movie. Rachel McAdams plays an idealist lawyer aiding the refugee from the East. She is very sweet and earnest. Her legal skills are sharp, and yes there are more meetings.   At one point she and the refugee tumble into each other’s arms but alas no lip lock.

William Defoe is the slimy bank president. Defoe has a wonderful demonic face which portends evil, but here his dark side is relegated to being a German bureaucrat. He played a vampire once before.

The last notable star is Robin Wright (Buttercup from “The Prince Bride” and Mrs. Frank Underwood from the “House of Card”). She plays the CIA officer liaising with the German investigation team.  There is nothing soft or warm about her; she can chill a bottle of wine by just holding it. Her performance in the film is limited but important.  Detached heatless women seem to be a natural for her, hopefully only in films.

I apologize for being so catty. With all the ballyhoo about the film I expected more or a least a pace faster than a tortoise’s.

Get On Up

For a movie with fancy choreography, there are some missteps. However, Chadwick Boseman was fabulous. To go from the stoic and reserved Jackie Robinson role to the extroverted James Brown is the ultimate definition acting range. Boseman’s embodiment of Brown was so complete his mimicked speech pattern made it difficult to understand him. His role is more than just an impression but is rather very challenging and encompasses the spectrum of Brown’s life from the back woods shack of his birth to the private jet of the Godfather of Soul. The hardest working man in show business had a very hard life and as a result was not the nicest person. James Brown constantly uses the first person to describe himself. In this a way he reaffirms his success and keeps the ghosts of his past at bay. James Brown was a force of nature and his signature showmanship defined him.

The movie benefited from other great actors. Viola Davies plays his mother and even in her brief appearance gives a touching and forceful performance. The movie would have been stronger with her character longer on screen. She is very influential in the development of Brown. Octavia Spencer played a warm comforting auntie type. She is a proxy mother, but she too is relegated to a brief appearance. Dan Aykroyd is a national treasure. He has the acting range of a pimple, but you gotta love him. Nelsan Ellis plays James Brown’s wingman, Bobbie Bryd. This is a classic love hate relationship engendering pity, arrogance and resolution. Ellis was perfect for the role.

The dancing is signature James Brown. I hope Boseman already has children, since those splits are lethal. Boseman lip syncs the songs but he does it with such bravado, sweat pours down his grimacing face. Boseman’s make up is dead on.

The movie has some problems; flash backs and asides. Flash backs are valuable if used sparingly. In this movie the flash backs give you motion sickness and are very distracting. They bounce back and forth in a non-liner manner. Asides are annoying. If the actor has to tell the audience what is going on followed with a big wink, something is lacking. If the script is written correctly the audience gets it. Another sore point is the use labels in the movie.  They looked like exit signs on a highway and were silly for a drama.

This movie is imperfect. Boseman’s chameleon performance of James Brown deserves at least an Oscar nomination. All round there are wonderful acting gems, but sometimes the settings are not quite good. Go see it, but bring Dramamine.

Lucy

In “Lucy”, Scarlett Johansson’s mental capacity is expanded far beyond human limits. This plot line is nothing new to Sci Fi movies. Usually the person with the jacked up brain can levitate, stop bullets in midair, suspend time and look through people’s clothing (whoops, that’s my wish). In Lucy, Luc Besson, the director and writer, brought a fresh interpretation to this genre. Besson has directed some excellent Sci Fi and action movies such as the “Fifth Element”, “District 13”and “Nikita”. Lucy is fast paced and has a multiple plot points. There is much going on in the movie: time travel, drugs, Chinese triads, dinosaurs, scientists, the French and a sprinkling of Italians. However, this mish mash work together.

Johansson is an unwilling drug mule who after a beating is contaminated by the drugs she is carrying. This triggers her transformation to a super human. Johansson is an established dramatic actress, but of late she is also a sexy action star (The Black Widow in the Avengers). She is credible handling a gun and shows no compulsion committing mass killings. As super Lucy she walks around in a semi daze and is mechanical in delivering her lines. This is all part of her transformation. The film actually shows percentage clips indicating her mental growth (2%, 10%, 20% etc…).These sign posts are meant to heighten our expectations, but are more funny than effective.

The other leading actor is Morgan Freeman as the distinguished university professor specializing in the human brain. For the most part Freeman is the narrator explaining the power of the brain and the possibilities of expanding those limits (humans use 1% and dolphins use 2%, yeah but we have legs). When he interacts with Lucy it is with amazement as to what she can do. By the time they meet she is beyond his neurological knowledge.

The rest of the cast is multinational. The Chinese triades own the drugs and to get them back they unleash a torrent of violence. The drug lord did not speak English so he always needed an interpreter, even by phone. Seeing new international actors in familiar roles makes the movie interesting. The French cops were the good guys, but they spoke English with a Pepe Le Pew accent.  The Italians cops did not speak English but they looked really cool in their Bottega leather jackets.

Some parts of the movie were prone to excess. To give a sense of what hyper Lucy was experiencing there was a flood of images from dinosaurs to cells splitting rapidly. The terrestrial scenes looked like National Geographic on speed. As Lucy reaches higher levels of brain capacity her human form becomes unrecognizable.

I may go see it again, but where did I leave my wallet?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

This was a very good movie. However the acting, the human acting, was not a significant contribution to the film. It was not bad, but not memorable. Even Gary Oldman, who had marquee billing, did not do much for his role. The quality elements of the movie are the script, the direction, the special effects and the CG.

The story is rich with different levels. The themes are universal and go beyond just sci-fi. There is the father/son story; alpha ape dilemma; humans versus apes’ dynamic. Survival of the fittest is the goal, but who is the fittest? Essentially the story is about prejudice and tolerance (or intolerance).

This movie is the second installment of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”. Caesar is still the alpha male leading his troop who live well in an arboreal condo, al fresco. The human population has been decimated by a simian flu, concocted in human labs. The apes are ascending and the humans putting back the pieces of their broken world. This sets the tension of the movie and makes it watchable. Do not assume who wins.

The special effects are incredible. They mastered the graphic challenges of fur, skin and the occasional tear drop, but the real achievement is how the apes interact with the human actors; their timing is seamless. With the range of emotion’s Caesar displays his acting is on par with the human actors, sans the ego. I would not be surprised if this film is nominated for an Oscar for special effects.

The movie is not all kumbaya, there are some serious battles. The CG battles are massive and impressive. It is very disconcerting to see a gorilla riding a horse.

I think a sequel has a good bet, given this film’s box office. Anyway, monkeys do work for peanuts.

Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer

This is one of the strangest scfi movie I have seen in a while. This is a South Korean scifi action film based on a French graphic novel, well that explains part of it. It is an apocalyptic film where in an attempt to reduce global warming the clouds are seeded with a chemical that catastrophically causes the earth to freeze killing everything, except the inhabitants on the train, the Snowpiercer. The train is the ark for those lucky and wretched few who survived. There is a strict caste system on the train which frames story.

This movie has its own unique climate. It takes place almost entirely in the train. It is gritty, violent with non-stop action. Tension is constant between the good guys and the bad guys. The film in part feels like Terry Giliam’s movie “Brazil” because of its bizarre nature. It does not have the ultra-violence “Of a Clock Work Orange”, but there are similarities in the brutal gang battles and cult alliances.

It has a rich cast. Chis Evans is the protagonist. He is venturing out of his comfort zone as a super hero. However, with the bread, grime and knitted cap he was hardly recognizable. His acting arch ranged between a scowl and a grimace. This is not a break out role for him but it is a few steps away from tights.

John Hurt is the senior leader of the great unwashed. Hurt delivers one of his stock character roles of a feeble sage. His acting is beyond reproach and his wrinkles continue to multiply. Ed Harris is Wilford, the inventor and keeper of the train. His performance is cold, detached and disturbing.  

Tilda Swinton is totally unrecognizable in the film, which may not be a bad thing. As a hint she has a fierce overbite and she is playing a woman, sort of. Rounding out the American crew is Octavia Spencer, she is one of the great unwashed. She gives a wonderful  Oprah impersonation from “The Color Purple” complete with girth and blown out hair.

The international crew includes Song Kang-Ho and Go Ah-sung. Song is the drug addicted electronic technician who plays a key role in the movie and Go is his mischievous out of touch daughter. The film is directed by Bong Joon-ho who is Korean. He has his own approach to fantasy and scifi. The movie gives a welcomed a new vision to an old story line.

Edge of Tomorrow

This movie is a combination of “Ground Hog Day” and “The Expendables”. It is a fun summer movie. Tom Curse and Emily Blunt are futuristic soldiers battling an invading alien force. The kicker is that Tom Curse keeps repeating the same day. How he restarts the same day is cruel but funny. The karma shtick works well from being to end and gives the film a holistic feel.

Acting is not a big concern for this film, this is an action flick. In contrast to his bravo performance in “Cocktail”, Curse is once again “Tom Terrific”. Curse is more light hearted here than the grim Ethan Hunt persona in “Mission Impossible”. Returning to yesterday is fraught with problems least of all convincing people you were already there.

Emily Blunt is a Special Forces bad ass (Ha Ha Ha!!). I like Emily Blunt, she is a good actress, but she is more suited to afternoon tea than storming the beach in full Lululemon black body armor. She and Tom are a team, unequal in the beginning but they catch up. Rather than a sex object Blunt is a highly trained killing machine. Tom starts out as a slacker and Emily whips him into shape (whipping is the least of his problems). This dynamic makes for good chemistry between the actors.

The aliens were quite different. They looked like chrome covered Ramen noodles with a bad over bite. It is not clear why they are invading the Earth, the problem is how do you get rid of them?

Two other likable character actors are Bill Paxton and Brendon Gleeson (“The Guard” and “In Bruges”). Paxton is the hard charging Master Sargent who is mustering his troops for battle. This is a departure from his more sedate roles, but he pulls it off with mustached gusto. Gleeson plays a general and he has really put on the pounds. Mercifully the only action he sees in the movie is diving for a box of cookies.

This is a safe movie for the whole family. No sex, no mindless gore, no cursing…and no kids.

Godzilla 2014

I saw my first Godzilla movie in 1959 on our black and white Zenith TV set. It wasn’t scary. How scary can a man in a rubber Godzilla suit stomping toy buildings be? What made those shows entertaining was the whole package. Japanese cities being destroyed, awful acting (both Japanese and Gaijin), misaligned soundtracks complemented by subtitles hard to read. Of course it was always about the fight. If not always the bad guy, Godzilla was always the bad ass.

Godzilla 2014 in many ways is a retro movie; more faithful than other recent Godzilla movies.  The movie starts out in its roots, Japan. The twist here is that the Americans speak Japanese. Unfortunately no subtitles and the sound track is in sync. Godzilla is a product of 1950’s nuclear testing and nuclear radiation threat is pervasive in this movie. This Godzilla ,as opposed to the 1998 Godzilla with Matthew Broderick, looks like the original along with his ear shattering shriek and nuclear halitosis (no death rays from the eyes, though) . 

   

The advisements for this movie are a bit misleading.  Godzilla’s air time is not extensive, just like a primadonna he shows up about an hour late. When he is on the set Godzilla fights the evil MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism). The MUTO’s look like a pair of pliers with wings. These titanic battles are reminiscent of Godzilla’s fights with Mothra or Rodan. Aside from the trite admonishments concerning the perils of nuclear power, Godzilla movies are a giant donnybrook.

Bryan Cranston literally lends his name to this movie. His performance is fine but brief and not memorable. His presence gives the movie a certain cachet which the talk shows exploited. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Lieutenant Ford, is Bryan Cranston’s son, is a bomb (nukes also) specialist. He played the guy in “Bad Ass”; he really bulked up for this role. Aside from the MUTOs, he has the most screen time. His role is perfunctory as is his acting. Elizabeth Olson plays Lt. Ford’s wife. She is one of the Olson sisters, the one with the personality (sort of). She plays a nurse. Poor Ken Watanabe is the token Japanese guy who always looks distressed. Ken is representing but what a peanut role for a great actor.

The later part of the movie is dominated by the monster battles. Buildings and a certain bridge are destroyed. The movie is sanitized since there are no gory scenes of dead bodies. I will not reveal who wins.

 Godzilla could be considered a super hero if he could just fit into a pair of spandex. This is not a date movie. It’s an old fashioned retro movie, and quite a good one. Don’t forget to ask for the senior citizen discount.

X Men-Days of Future Past

I do not understand what “Days of Future Past” means; I barely understand what “Back to the Future” means. This film stretches the mind. There are elements of H.G. Wells, Fatalisms, Determinism and I am certain some of Einstein’s theories were violated but I have no clue which ones. As dense as all this sounds the plot is not difficult to follow and holds the film together. Someone from the future goes to the past to change the future. Please hold off your spoiler e-mails, there is much more to the plot than this one line.

The film takes place during the Nixon administration in the 70’s. The clothing and absence of modern day gadgets frames the movie’s tone. The 70’s alone would be a good excuse enough to escape to the future.

There are some new mutants and some old ones. The main protagonists in this film are: James McAvoy (as the young Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (as a young Magnito), Jennifer Lawrence as Mystic, Nicolaus Hoult as Beast and Hugh Jackman as the ageless Wolverine. These characters are still fresh. The action is not recycled and holds your attention with good pacing. The film is not heavy on “buddyism”, there are a few grudges to settle, even if with one’s self. There are some well-placed jokes you should look out for. The Nixon actor would have been funny if he was not so close to the mark with his tubular nose and shifty eyes.

Jennifer Lawrence has a big role in this sequel. Her dialogue is minimal but her body language speaks volumes. I really hope she does her own killer yoga moves. Michael Fassbender plays Magnito with dispassionate purpose destroying anything and anyone threatening his vision. His Germanic warmth is pervasive. I cannot talk about McAvoy since his condition would give away too much of the plot. As for Beast he is now in command of his blue fur and with better temperament (although he was funnier in earlier films). Jackman wears his patented scowl and takes copious rounds of bullets.  The ensemble of actors’ works well. The main characters give enough room to each other so no one is pushed out by the other one.

The arch villain is played by Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask.  This is the little guy from “Game of Thorns”. If they wanted someone evil they picked the right guy. He is a combination of a mad scientist with a touch of Joseph Menegle.

CG was good, but was it $200m good? The old standbys of building levitation and twisted steel were expected. Some of the newer creations were just a bit cheesy. Too many mega block buster films have made us jaded.

My favorite X Men movie is” X Men First Class”. This movie is right behind it. With a production budget of $200m (double that for marketing), this movie better do well and I think it will; I recommend it. There will probably be a sequel. Whatever conundrums make up the next title, my good friend Felix will explain them to me.

Chef

If there ever was a movie with a star line up the cast Chef would be one of them. This is the lineup:

·        Jon Favreau

·        Sofía Vergara

·        John Leguizamo

·        Scarlett Johansson

·        Oliver Platt 

·        Bobby Cannavale

·        Dustin Hoffman

·        Robert Downey, Jr.

I had high expectations for this film but they were not met. This movie was not funny nor was it a compelling drama. The two worst adjectives you can use for a movie is predictable and boring. The acting was uninspiring akin to overcooked linguine. The worst thing in the world is to see an unfunny Jon Leguizamo. Sofia Vergara is funny even without saying anything but here she falls flat. The only one who plays to type is Robert Downey Jr., as the flake, but his stay is too short.

This movie starts out as a redemption movie then becomes a father and son road trip movie; neither part satisfying. This is one of those boutique movies which is someone’s pet project and the director or writer calls in favors from his acting friends. This movie, like a failed dish, lacks soul.

The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)

Often sequels do not deliver, this one does but not all the way. Spiderman still swings from building to building and is dishing out a continuous banter of wise cracks and anemic jokes. He still lives in Astoria Queens with Aunt May, who is still a darling but with a few more wrinkles but boundless charm. Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy has those sparkling eyes and brings a lightness to the film.

Luckily we have a new villain in the person of Electro played by Jamie Foxx. Guess what his super power is? Jamie’s portrayal is part Jerry Lewis and part Von Doom. Before his transformation he has this nutty professor look with a bad comb over and a sad loner manic depressive personality. After his transformation he is wearing a hoody and so much make up that anyone could play him even Kevin Hart (scratch that, Hart is too short). The ultimate battle scene seems to short, it’s like a first date that goes nowhere.

Then there is Harry Osborn, again. The same cycle is resurrected; friend then enemy. You would think Peter Parker would catch on. Harry menacingly comes towards the end of movie and battles Spiderman on the Goblin sledge. Instead of resurrecting Harry in every film they should have a fight to the death and get over with it.

What was enjoyable in the film was the non-Spiderman scenes with Peter and Gwen. The sub story works here. Maybe this worked well because they are a couple in real life. Many of the super hero movies have a love interests but this should be secondary to the action (see Man of Steel).

This movie is for the Spiderman fanboys, for the rest, you may want to wait for Time Warner on demand.

Madama Butterfly

Thanks to our good friend Lorenzo, Lilia had an extra ticket for Madama Butterfly. I volunteered to go (not the whole truth). You may not believe this but this is not my first opera but neither will it be my third.

This review is a bit of a departure from my usual cinematic critiques. I will be talking about the plot so I do not want to hear the usual wimpy compliant “Oh, he’s giving away the plot”. Opera plots tend to be a bit simple: someone falls in love, lots of happy singing; someone falls out of love, lots of sad singing; someone dies, usually the chick. To put some meat on the bone, Madama B was an ex Geisha who was married to Lieutenant Pinkerton, an American. They have a child. For Pinkerton this is a marriage of his convenience. When he sails away Madama B is filled with anxiety, and with good reason. When Pinkerton returns after three years he comes with a blond American wife intending to take away his child. Consumed with sadness and shame Madama B commits seppuku.

I feel woefully inadequate to comment on the singing, but what the hell. I did not think the tenor who played Pinkerton had a strong voice. He was no Domingo and the role of Pinkerton may have been too demanding for him (he is from New Jersey, that bastion of operatic excellence). As for the soprano, Kristine Opolias, she was great. Her arias were well suited for the role.  Her arias were not the thunder clap of Brunnhilde, rather they were proportionate to the role. Some guy screaming BRAVA behind me, gave her a resounding endorsement. So much for decorum. From a picture in “Play Bill” she looks like a hot babe. I can’t wait for the next issue of Maxim Does Opera.

The set production was outstanding. The set was minimalist in keeping with the Japanese motif. White shoji paper screens were effectively used to move actors and change sceneries. They could have used some color to break up the blandness of the white paper. Paper lanterns were used to change locals from the harbor to the village. A shower of cherry blossom petals rained down from the rafters creating a dream like effect.

A wonderful treat was the Bunraku puppeteers. This is a very old Japanese puppeteering tradition. The puppeteers wear black, like Ninjas but without star daggers. They manually manipulate the puppet on stage without strings. You are not supposed to see them, but I did. The child puppet was handled in this manner and in a dream sequence and so was a mini Madama B.

That’s it, feel spent. I think I maxed out on culture for 2014. See you at the movies.

Noah

This film is a mish mash of movie genres; fantasy, sci-fi, adventure and Bible stories. The problem is which reference point do you use? In a sci fi movie like Star Wars you have no problem accepting a Wookie, a Death Star or a guy with a fish head playing a clarinet in a dive since your reference point is sci fi. In Noah, no matter how hedonistic you may be, your reference is the Bible. When fantastic creatures are on screen they are just incongruent. Bible stories themselves have elements of fantasy but there is a commonality to them. The fantasy in this movie falls outside of that commonality. When I saw the Watchers (fantasy creatures), I sat up and said “what the heck” (I did not say heck, I said something else). I guess the writers could not get beyond spit balling the script.

Russell Crowe does not look like a 500 year old pre flood patriarch, rather he looks like He-Man. He has on going battles with the bad guy king Tubal-Cain played by Ray Winston; a British actor who is basically a thug with an Equity card. All the actors are very good. This is about the third time Jennifer Connelly is married to Russell Crowe on screen. Antony Hopkins, Methuselah, is Noah’s grandfather and does some wizardry with Emma Watson (go figure) who is Noah’s adopted daughter. Methuselah gives Noah magic beans (sounds familiar) to get the Ark started.

The Ark looks like a failed wood shop project. It is a long tar covered rectangular box of logs and timber. The animals came two by two, or so they say. Then Noah’s family goes throughout the Ark with incents putting the animals to sleep. Fortunately humans are not affected. This biblical anesthetic is complemented by iron, bamboo, tea, gun powder and iron pipes all in the same time line. Even fantasy needs some rationale and order. The writers never heard of PBS.

Towards the latter part of the story the film focuses on solid dramatic acting without gimmicks. It is a key climatic moment and very well done. Is it that well done to carry the film? I would not go so far. In the end to legitimize the film the writers steal two sub plots directly from the Bible. Noah is seen picking grapes and getting drunken from his five day old wine. In the Bible Noah is the first drunk. The script alludes to the Curse of Ham (Ham is Noah’s son) but it needs to be more revealing (see Genesis 9:20). It is odd that a movie so divergent wants to end on the right side of God. May be sacrificing the writers is justified?

The Great Beauty

Is Felliniesque a real word?  Many critiques have compared The Great Beauty to Fellini, but given my limited knowledge of Fellini’s films I will not be one of them.

I understand what the Great Beauty is, by what it is not. It is not Cinema Paradiso, ILPostino or Malena. These films have directness, transparency and familiarity. They are as sophisticated and rich as the Great Beauty but their feet are on the ground.

The Great Beauty mocks superficialness. Jep (Tony Servillo) who is a successful upper class journalist lives life without attachments; no wife or children.  He goes to bed in the morning rises in the afternoon and in the evening goes to baccnal parties with blaring techno music and frenetic dancing by over aged people who should know better. Good life right? So why does he look unsatisfied? His life is filled with emptiness. At a point in life you look over your shoulder to see life lived, and at sixty five Jep hopes he sees something worthwhile.

He mocks members of his own class. For most of the film he wears a mask of disdain and when he laughs it is not clear if it is at others or himself. He carries himself with glib casualness. His loneliness is evident when he asks a magician to make him disappear. The closest he comes to a familial setting is sharing a bowl of soup at night in his boss’s office who is a female dwarf (Felliniesgue?). He also reflects on a love lost. This is a guy who you assume had copious conquests but he still fondly remembers a bare breasted beauty fifty years ago.

The film does not specifically identify the Great Beauty. Another wonderful Italian film gives some hint, Life is Beautiful.  Life is beautiful and full by loved ones and family.  Unfelliniesque, yes?

Philomena

This movie lives up to its billing. It is simple, moving with outstanding acting. This is basically a two man play (ah, woman and man). Julie Dench and Steve Coogen are the protagonists. Dench is a Dame, after this performance she should be a Gran Dame.

Her performance is nothing short of a master class in acting. She can come off as an old ditty delighted in reading tear jerker pulp novels and next she is a strong willed mother researching for her son after fifty years. Even her wrinkles give a great performance. As with great acting it is the small nuances that leave their mark. Her held back tear is a door to her grieving heart. This soft old woman is made of iron.  We all think we would suffer the tribulations she endures for her child; keep that though.

One can argue Steve Googan is her straight man, but he is more than that. He is the Oxford educated journalist to her retired simple nurse. There are endless jokes to be made and there are tender and funny moments between them. Along their journey they form a bond of respect and affection.

This is a true story and if you leave the theater without shedding a tear either you were asleep or dead. I do not have much to say about excellence, it speaks for itself. See the movie.

Spoiler alert- The bad guys wear black and white and walk like penguins. 

The Monuments Men

With his mustache George Clooney looks a bit like Clark Gable. The retro look is appropriate since the movie harkens back to the war movies of the 60’s and 70’s such as the Longest Day and The Guns of Navorone.  At its core this is a buddy movie of a bunch of guys looking for stolen art. The buddy part makes this movie watchable since just looking for stolen art would make it like a PBS special (just like the real PBS special).

The casting makes for good humor and their chemistry is genuine. Clooney is the leader, behind and in front of the camera. Always dapper, he wore a tie during the whole war. Matt Damon is a curator from the Met cris-crossesing Europe looking for the art. He is so neat and clean not even in the field or in the mines does he get dirty (so how did Private Ryan get short changed?). Damon’s liaison in Paris is Cate Blanchett, a pinch faced marginalized curator (yikes!).  Rounding out the cast is John Goodman as a sculptor. I could not get the image of Goodman as Fred Flintstone working in the rock quarry out of my mind; type casting.  Bill Murray did a Bill Murray. Then there is the ubiquitous Jean Dujardin, who plays a French solider (Viola!!). He is dashing in a beret.

Chasing and finding stolen art is the back bone of the movie. Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child of Bruges and Van Eyck’s Ghent Triptych were costars of the movie. Other luminaries mentioned were Veneer, Vazquez, and Frans Hal (Picasso didn’t make it, he was torched). Passing Art History 101 is not a prerequisite but it don’t hurt.

The Nazis were there but not there. They were like a bad order in the background. One scene was ironically humorous. Question, what does a Nazi officer hiding as a farmer in the country side do with priceless works of art? You will not believe it.

No one’s acting is outstanding or memorable, but as a group they make an enjoyable and watchable movie. It is worth the price of a movie, but if you want to splurge go to the Met and visit the rest of the caste.

P.s.-There is a very nice surprise in the last scene.

The Lego Movie

Me and my inner child went to see the Lego Movie. This is a funny and very clever movie. For bits of plastic these characters have distinct personalities. The script is excellent and the voice actors bring the Lego pieces to life. Morgan Freeman is the Gandalf dude. Chris Pratt plays Emmitt a clueless, not too bright, proto-hero who is guided and protected by Lucy, played by Elizabeth Banks. Will Farrell plays evil President Business with uncharacteristic restraint (he mercifully keeps his shirt on). The focus of the movie is Emmitt’s journey of transformation and pitted against the perils of President Business.

The movie is a mélange of genres and characters. There is the Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Cowboys and Indians and super heroes (all DC). A lot of the jokes had to do with what these characters traditionally do. A character specific to the movie is Bad Cop, played by Liam Neeson, who is the enforcer for President Business.

The plot is not simple and keeps your attention. The ending is a bit unexpected. The animation is outstanding. The movie incorporates the different Lego building sets as part of the movie and the combination of characters makes the movie funny.

This movie does not have the high adult crossover appeal like Toy Story. Toy Story appealed to children and adults with the kids oblivious to the double entendres of Woody and Bo Peeps. For kids and young adults, the Lego Movie is a home run. For the rest of us, tap into your inner child.

2014 Oscar Nominations

My picks are in yellow. For categories I did not know I left blank. 

Best picture 
"12 Years a Slave" 
"The Wolf of Wall Street" 
"Captain Phillips" 
"Her" 
"American Hustle" 
"Gravity" 
"Dallas Buyers Club" 
"Nebraska" 
"Philomena"

Best director 
Steve McQueen -- "12 Years a Slave" 
David O. Russell -- "American Hustle" 
Alfonso Cuaron -- "Gravity" 
Alexander Payne -- "Nebraska" 
Martin Scorsese -- "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Best actor 

Bruce Dern -- "Nebraska" 
Chiwetel Ejiofor -- "12 Years a Slave" 
Matthew McConaughey -- "Dallas Buyers Club" 
Leonardo DiCaprio -- "The Wolf of Wall Street" 
Christian Bale -- "American Hustle"

Best actress 
Amy Adams -- "American Hustle" 
Cate Blanchett -- "Blue Jasmine" 
Judi Dench -- "Philomena" 
Sandra Bullock -- "Gravity" 
Meryl Streep -- "August: Osage County"

Best supporting actor 
Barkhad Abdi -- "Captain Phillips" 
Bradley Cooper -- "American Hustle" 
Jonah Hill -- "The Wolf of Wall Street" 
Jared Leto -- "Dallas Buyers Club" 
Michael Fassbender -- "12 Years a Slave"

Best supporting actress 
Jennifer Lawrence -- "American Hustle" 
Lupita Nyong'o -- "12 Years a Slave" 
June Squibb -- "Nebraska" 
Julia Roberts -- "August: Osage County" 
Sally Hawkins -- "Blue Jasmine"

Best original screenplay 
"American Hustle" -- David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer 
"Blue Jasmine" -- Woody Allen 
"Her" -- Spike Jonze 
"Nebraska" -- Bob Nelson 
"Dallas Buyers Club" -- Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack

Best adapted screenplay 
"12 Years a Slave" -- John Ridley 
"Before Midnight" -- Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater 
"The Wolf of Wall Street" -- Terence Winter 
"Captain Phillips" -- Billy Ray 
"Philomena" -- Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope

Best animated feature 
"The Wind Rises" 
"Frozen" 
"Despicable Me 2" 
"Ernest & Celestine" 
"The Croods"

Best foreign feature 
"The Hunt" (Denmark) 
"The Broken Circle Breakdown" (Belgium) 
"The Great Beauty" (Italy) 
"Omar" (Palestinian territories) 
"The Missing Picture" (Cambodia)

Best music (original song) 
"Frozen": "Let it Go" -- Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez 
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom": "Ordinary Love" -- U2, Paul Hewson 
"Her": "The Moon Song" -- Karen O, Spike Jonze 
"Despicable Me 2": "Happy" -- Pharrell Williams 
"Alone Yet Not Alone": "Alone Yet Not Alone" -- Bruce Broughton, Dennis Spiegel

Best music (original score) 
"Gravity" -- Steven Price 
"Philomena" -- Alexandre Desplat 
"The Book Thief" -- John Williams 
"Saving Mr. Banks" -- Thomas Newman 
"Her" -- William Butler and Owen Pallett

Best cinematography 
"Gravity" -- Emmanuel Lubezki 
"Inside Llewyn Davis" -- Bruno Delbonnel 7
"Nebraska" -- Phedon Papamichael 
"Prisoners" -- Roger Deakins 
"The Grandmaster" -- Phillippe Le Sourd

Best costume design 
"The Great Gatsby" -- Catherine Martin 
"12 Years a Slave" -- Patricia Norris 
"The Grandmaster" -- William Chang Suk Ping 
"American Hustle" -- Michael Wilkinson 
"The Invisible Woman" -- Michael O'Connor

Best documentary feature 
"The Act of Killing" 
"20 Feet From Stardom" 
"The Square" 
"Cutie and the Boxer" 
"Dirty Wars"

Best film editing 
"Gravity" -- Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger 
"12 Years a Slave"-- Joe Walker 
"Captain Phillips" -- Christopher Rouse 
"American Hustle" -- Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten 
"Dallas Buyers Club" -- John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa

Best makeup and hairstyling 
"The Lone Ranger" -- Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny 
"Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa" -- Stephen Prouty 
"Dallas Buyers Club" -- Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews

Best production design 
"12 Years a Slave" -- Adam Stockhausen and Alice Baker 
"The Great Gatsby" -- Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn 
"American Hustle" -- Judy Becker and Heather Loeffler 
"Gravity" -- Andy Nicholson, Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard 
"Her" -- K.K. Barrett and Gene Serdena

Best visual effects 
"Gravity" 
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" 
"Star Trek Into Darkness" 
"Iron Man 3" 
"The Lone Ranger"

Best sound mixing 
"Gravity" 
"Captain Phillips" 
"Lone Survivor" 
"Inside Llewyn Davis" 
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Best sound editing 
"Gravity" 
"All Is Lost" 
"Captain Phillips" 
"Lone Survivor" 
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Best short film, live action 
"Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)" 
"Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)" 
"Helium" 
"Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)" 
"The Voorman Problem"

Best short film, animated 
"Feral" 
"Get a Horse!" 
"Mr. Hublot" 
"Possessions" 
"Room on the Broom"

Best documentary short 
"CaveDigger" 
"Facing Fear" 
"Karama Has No Walls" 
"The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life" 
"Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall"