Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in NYC

I’ve got plenty coming out in the next few weeks covered, but nothing from this week. I’m sure “Noah” and “Sabotage” have their merits, but I’m not rushing to see either.

New to DVD

The Great Beauty (recommended): This Italian Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film is certainly a treat to look at, and there’s something about its visual and creative style that’s truly magnetic. Its story isn’t quite as strong, but this lengthy film is worth a watch for any fans of cinema and/or Italy.

The Past (recommended): Director Asghar Farhadi’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning Best Foreign Film “A Separation” is an extremely involving, human film. Terrific lead performances from Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, and especially Ali Mosaffa anchor an emotional and gripping story.

The Wolf of Wall Street (mixed bag): This widely talked-about Oscar-nominated film is an undeniably entertaining if enormously excessive portrait of one man’s obsession with money. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill are good, but this isn’t the masterpiece that many say it is, nor is it DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese’s best collaboration.

Now Available on Netflix

Nothing notable this week, sadly!

Movie with Abe: Youth (Capsule Review)

I had the privilege to attend a public screening from New Directors/New Films, a series presented by Film Society Lincoln Center and MoMA, which includes a handful of features from the Sundance Film Festival, including “Obvious Child” and “The Double.”

Youth
Directed by Tom Shoval
Screened March 26 at 6pm at MoMA

This is an unconventional Israeli film, one that does not deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or much with religion itself, but instead with two brothers trying to support their parents financially who decide, while the older brother, Yaki, is on leave from the army, to kidnap a classmate of the younger brother, Shaul, to get ransom money from her parents. Predictably, their plan doesn’t go smoothly, but it does involve the two shuttling up and down flights of stairs between a family dinner in their apartment and the basement in which their captive, Dafna, is being kept. It’s an entirely unsettling premise, and the film is permeated by a sense of dread, as the brothers watch their family unfold as they panic about whether Dafna is still breathing many floors below. There is a good deal of subtle humor embedded into the film, most notably with Shaul’s extensive collection of movie t-shirts and posters thanks to his job ripping tickets at a local movie theater. Hostage videos with Rambo and Nicolas Cage shirts aside, this movie lacks any real references to other movies, which is a disappointment. Casting two real-life brothers, on the other hand, is a success, and it’s clear that these two individuals are on the same page and of the same mind, capturing what they perceive to be a spoiled rich girl in order to improve their family circumstances. The rapport between them feels authentic, and there’s something about them that is far from threatening, even though their actions and tactics indicate that they are indeed formidable and could easily end Dafna’s life in a moment. As a comment on economic status, this film gets somewhere, but its narrative construction and plot direction are less satisfactory. It’s hard to determine just what the intent is here in terms of telling a moral or metaphorical story, and it certainly doesn’t seem or feel like a productive one.

C

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Big Snub of 2012

Welcome to a returning weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Big Snub was the second in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed. With the 2013 Oscar season wrapped, it’s time to take a look back at the past two years.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several notable omissions. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most shocking snub of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what seemed likely at the time and what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor who didn’t even earn a nomination.

The Big Snub of 2012

Ben Affleck (Argo) for Best Director
Why it was all set to happen: Affleck took home an Oscar with his good friend Matt Damon at the age of twenty-five for penning the original script for “Good Will Hunting.” After that, his acting choices didn’t necessarily improve, though he did earn a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as George Reeves in “Hollywoodland,” but he ventured into more behind-the-camera efforts which proved productive. His first two directorial efforts, “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town,” earned positive mentions and earned one supporting acting Oscar bid apiece. Now, Affleck made what was easy to perceive as the strongest film of the year, a solid crowdpleaser with some historical context and drama to boot. There wasn’t even a possibility that it wouldn’t happen – he was the frontrunner to win.

Why it probably didn’t: This one has been analyzed before, and the simplest answer is that everyone assumed someone else was voting for him. Another locked nominee – Kathryn Bigelow – was likely snubbed because her film, “Zero Dark Thirty,” was under fire for its controversial portrayal of torture. Affleck inexplicably got edged out because there were too many underdogs competing for his spot. The tow heavyweights – Steven Spielberg and Ang Lee – had no trouble getting in because they were both respected before and their films were perceived as well-rounded and more than competent. David O. Russell rode the buzz of his “Silver Linings Playbook” to earn a place even without a DGA or Globe nomination.

Who took his place: And then there was a throwback to the “lone director slot” that used to exist when only five films were up for Best Picture, and it happened with two films. Both Michael Haneke and Benh Zeitlin, for “Amour” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” respectively, rallied enough voters to earn them spots. That led to the bizarre scenario of it being the first time since 1989 that a Best Picture frontrunner wasn’t even nominated for Best Director.

Consolation prize: Affleck still claimed a Best Picture prize for producing the film, which also won Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing, the three most significant trophies aside from the elusive Best Director. Everyone knew that it was a symbolic win for his directorial efforts, even though the snub surely stung worse than happy moment.

Come back next week for a look at our next feature: The Surprise Inclusion of 2013. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments. There a few contenders for this one, so chime in if you have a pick!

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Goodbye World

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Goodbye World – Opening April 4, 2014

I searched around for a trailer to write about this week, and this film, due out for release next Friday, was the one on which I ultimately settled. As always, it was selected because it was the most intriguing trailer rather than the best, and I’m not really sure what to make of this. What’s most puzzling is that both Movie-List.com and IMDB categorize it as a drama and a comedy, which is strange given the tone of the trailer. The mass sending of a text message reading “Goodbye world” triggers panic and a sense that the world really is coming to an end, resulting in a group of people holing up in a remote house where their sanctuary eventually becomes a place of conflict, with martial law going into effect and other citizens yearning for the chance to gain entry. The cast is a peculiar assortment of mainly TV faces who have succeeded in other genres, led by the couple played by Adrian Grenier of “Entourage” fame and Kerry Bishé, star of the final season of “Scrubs” and the short-lived “Virtuality.” Also present are Ben McKenzie from “The O.C.” and “Southland,” Caroline Dhavernas of “Wonderfalls” and “Hannibal,” and Gaby Hoffmann of “Crystal Fairy” and Amazon’s newly picked up series “Transparent.” This seems like a dark, brooding drama, and its casting is certainly interesting if that’s the case. It seems too unsure of what it wants to be to be truly successful, but, if given the opportunity, I’d probably watch it out of sheer curiosity.

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in NYC

Just a Sigh (recommended): I was thrilled to see this film, which I watched almost a year ago when it was playing at Tribeca, on the marquee at Lincoln Plaza. It’s an engaging and well-told story with a great lead role for French actress Emmanuelle Devos. Now playing at IFC Center and Lincoln Plaza. Read my review from Tribeca.

New to DVD

American Hustle (mixed bag): Everyone has heard about one of last year’s biggest films, nominated for ten Oscars, though I assume may still haven’t seen it. It’s the least well-rounded David O. Russell effort from the last few years, featuring an extravagant story and characters, all of which prove entertaining but far from fulfilling.

Frozen (highly recommended): This Disney film really was the best animated film of last year, and it’s worth a viewing even for those who have seen it already. Its soundtrack is spectacular, and its story is charming, original, and heartwarming. A fun and memorable time for all!

Kill Your Darlings (highly recommended): This was actually my favorite film from Sundance 2013, and, after a microscopic theatrical release, I hope many more people have the opportunity to see it on DVD. Daniel Radcliffe leads a superb cast as a young Allen Ginsberg, and this tale of young writers in a transformative time is a marvelous film that is fully intriguing throughout.

Now Available on Netflix

American Dreamz (recommended): I’m not sure how well it would hold up today, but, back in 2006, when I saw this film as part of my first-ever triple-feature (the other films were “The Sentinel” and “Friends with Money”), it was an entertaining and eccentric, if not entirely even, parody of American Idol, politics, and so much more.

Mud (highly recommended): This popular Sundance 2013 film, from “Take Shelter” director Jeff Nichols, is a superb and completely engaging movie that features a strong performance from Matthew McConaughey in the lead role as well as great turns from Reese Witherspoon and child actors Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland. This intriguing, gripping film is not to be missed.

Paranoia (mixed bag): This hi-tech summer flick is just that: something flashy that tries to be exciting and innovative but misses the mark. Liam Hemsworth has the makings of a movie star, while Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford aren’t trying anymore. A decent popcorn film but far from anything original.

Twenty Feet from Stardom (mixed bag): I never had the chance to put up a review of this newly-minted Oscar winner for Best Documentary, which tells the story of backup singers who have been so close to fame for years without any recognition. It’s certainly worth a watch for those interested, though it didn’t enthrall me as much as I had hoped.

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Big Snub of 2013

Welcome to a returning weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Big Snub was the second in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed. With the 2013 Oscar season wrapped, it’s time to take a look back at the past two years.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several notable omissions. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most shocking snub of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what seemed likely at the time and what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor who didn’t even earn a nomination.

The Big Snub of 2013

Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips) for Best Actor
Why it was all set to happen: Hanks earned his first Oscar nomination in 1988 for his light performance in “Big,” and won back-to-back trophies for his second and third tries in 1993 and 1994 for “Philadelphia” and “Forrest Gump.” He was nominated again in 1998 and 2000, for “Saving Private Ryan” and “Cast Away.” Now, thirteen years later, he delivered a performance that didn’t look very much like his earlier work yet still showed a considerable amount of effort. He was also in one of the bigger crowd-pleasers of the year, “Saving Mr. Banks,” a film which didn’t end up earning much Oscar traction and also saw its lead star, Emma Thompson, another popular 90s Oscar choice, snubbed on nominations day. When it became clear that Hanks would definitely not be a double nominee, it seemed even likelier than he could earn one leading nomination with nothing to draw away from it and his film poised for a big Oscar haul.

Why it probably didn’t: The simple and unfortunate answer is “American Hustle,” which found its lead actor and least valuable player, Christian Bale, swept along with the rest of his film in a domination of the Oscar field. Hanks had Golden Globe and SAG nods, and his film was a sure thing for Best Picture. As the nicest guy in Hollywood and one who already had two Oscars, he was easiest to pass over. His director, Paul Greengrass, a Globe and DGA nominee, was also snubbed, leaving the film to earn only technical nominations to go with its Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay bids. Hanks did a terrific job of making his part look natural, and that superb ability ultimately made him go unnoticed.

Who took his place: Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio

Consolation prize: Hanks proved that he still cares about giving a good performance and taking on challenging roles, including ones that don’t fit into his typical oeuvre. He helped bring a powerful story to life, and will hopefully continue along in his career as he approaches his 60s.

Come back next week for a look at the Big Snub of 2012. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments. There a few contenders for this one, so chime in if you have a pick!

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Hateship Loveship

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Hateship Loveship – Opening April 11, 2014

I found this trailer on Movie-List.com, and while it doesn’t make the film look fantastic, it does have some truly intriguing components. Its premise – a daughter who writes letters and e-mails allegedly from her father to her nanny – has some promise, both as an optimistic romance and a heartbreaking drama, depending on how things turn out in the end. It’s the cast, however, that’s more appealing to me. Kristen Wiig has really been branching out since her lengthy stint on “Saturday Night Live,” and a role like this is just what her career could use, an adventurous, ambitious part that still allows her to do weird things like make out with a mirror but casts her in a more mature and sophisticated light. Guy Pearce, though not always at his best, has been terrific in some choice parts. The same can be said for Nick Nolte, who scored an Oscar nomination just a few years ago for a late-career performance in “Warrior.” On the other end of the spectrum is seventeen-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, in one of her first roles since her Oscar-nominated breakthrough in “True Grit.” She’s lost the period clothes and her character here might be far less substantial, but I think that she can still impress. Also prominent in the cast is Sami Gayle, who I recognized from her breakout part in “Detachment” a few years ago. This film might ultimately prove forgettable, but it looks just charming enough that it might be able to elevate a simple plot setup and turn it into something fun and fresh with the help of a diverse and talented group of actors.

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in NYC

Enemy (recommended): Jake Gyllenhaal does impressive double duty as a man who sees someone who looks just like him in a movie and becomes obsessed with finding him. The film has a great suspenseful feel throughout, and it’s a captivating story that’s easy to get into and hard to shake. Now playing at the Angelika. Read my review from yesterday.

Ernest and Celestine (highly recommended): This French Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature, which screened at Sundance as part of the new Sundance KIDS category, is a wonderful and enthralling story about the friendship between a mouse and a bear. It’s great for kids and adults alike. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from Sundance.

Le Week End (recommended): Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan star in this entertaining film about a couple celebrating their thirtieth anniversary with a weekend trip to Paris. Both performers are great, and the story around them is solidly interesting if occasionally uncomfortable. Now playing at the Angelika and Lincoln Plaza. Read my review from Thursday.

New to DVD

Inside Llewyn Davis (mixed bag): The Coen brothers’ latest film got almost entirely ignored by Oscar voters after an early strong start during awards season. It’s an intriguing film with great music and technical elements, though it’s not as resounding or effective overall as some of their previous films.

Now Available on Netflix

Gattaca (mixed bag): This 1997 sci-fi film starring Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman is an intriguing look at a world where social class is determined by genes. It’s a hypnotic vision that isn’t altogether even but does include some memorable, haunting moments. Read the comment on my review for an impassioned defense of the film from my friend Ross.

Movie with Abe: Enemy

Enemy
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Released March 14, 2014

The idea of two people existing with the exact same face is a film that is ripe for cinematic interpretation, and has been the subject of many movies over the years. In fact, a 2014 Sundance Film Festival entry, “The Double,” starring Jesse Eisenberg, will be released later this year. “Enemy,” the new film from director Denis Villeneuve, is itself based on a novel called “The Double,” but its source material and tone are entirely different. This is a dark, foreboding, and extremely intriguing look at how one man’s discovery of his double leads to the unraveling of his life.

Plot aside, “Enemy” represents an exciting reteaming of Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal, who gave a standout performance that found him wandering into new territory in last year’s “Prisoners.” Villeneuve previously made the unsettling Canadian Best Foreign Film Oscar nominee “Incendies,” and is back with another troubling topic for his latest film. Gyllenhaal portrays Adam, a buttoned-up professor who, exempting his casual girlfriend Mary (Mélanie Laurent), keeps mostly to himself. While watching a recommended film on his computer late one night, Adam spots someone with his face, and finding out who this person is becomes an obsession.

The film’s title is an interesting one since it isn’t clear at all from the start that Adam’s double is someone he should fear. Yet “Enemy” starts with a knowing, ominous tone, previewing the fact that there is something off about the person who shares his face and voice. What the film never tries to answer is how this is possible, and instead focuses its efforts on constructing Adam and his lookalike, Anthony. The film is very well paced and edited, and suspense builds the entire time. The fact that no questions are answered is inconsequential, since this film derives its strengths from addressing what is simply posited as the reality of the moment.

Gyllenhaal does a tremendous job of creating one character who isn’t quite tethered to society and then starting from scratch to build an entirely different person who possesses some of the same mannerisms but otherwise bears little emotional or social resemblance. Both performances are equally compelling, and it’s great to see the talented actor branching out to challenging roles such as this. Laurent and Sarah Gadon, as Helen, a woman connected to Anthony, offer crucial support to enhance a small universe that at times feels like it’s closing on our protagonist. The film’s final scene presents a questionable resolution that leaves a bizarre final taste, but everything up until that point remains gripping and thought-provoking.

B+

Movie with Abe: Le Week-End

Le Week-End
Directed by Roger Michell
Released March 14, 2014

Sometimes it’s good to have a film with a simple premise. “Le Week-End” finds its two protagonists, Nick and Meg, vacationing in Paris on the occasion of their thirtieth anniversary. Each has a different idea of what their trip will be like, and Nick’s choice of a run-down hotel prompts Meg to splurge for a more luxurious option, one which they might not be able to pay for in the end. So begins an adventurous and memorable weekend that provides an interesting and in-depth look at these two people late into their marriage.

Nick and Meg are portrayed by sixtysomething British actors Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan. Broadbent won an Oscar in 2001 for his part in “Iris,” and Duncan has made a mark for herself in numerous films and television appearances, including the original “Traffik” miniseries and HBO’s “Rome.” Here, they get to play their age and be at the center of a film, wandering around an unfamiliar city together and exposing hidden thoughts and desires. They are not Americans, so Europe is no big mystery, but there is still a clear sense that they are away from him and living temporarily in an impermanent world.

Paris is always a great setting for a film, and that’s certainly true here. It alternately serves as a lavish backdrop and an all too normal one for Nick and Meg’s romantic drama, which fluctuates from true anger and resentment to Nick passionately kissing his bride on the street. It’s possible to glean a lot about these two by watching them interact and seeing how they treat each other, and the French city is the perfect place to help them come alive and air their problems out in the open.

Broadbent and Duncan are both seasoned actors more than equipped for these roles. As Nick, Broadbent is grumpy and often boorish, but the actor’s wide eyes tell a much grander story. Duncan revels in simple pleasures as Meg, and demonstrates a resilience that indicates a desire not to go on existing but to truly live. While the two of them don’t have all that much to say to each other, the introduction of Jeff Goldblum as Nick’s fast-talking and entertaining friend Morgan provides a burst of energy, something that helps to enliven the film and flesh out its characters’ feelings and desires. It isn’t always fully pleasant, but “Le Week-End” is an entertaining exodus into other people’s lives at a point of definitive and often blissful uncertainty.

B+

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Forgotten Five of 2012

Welcome to a returning weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Forgotten Five was the first in a series of projects looking back at the past ten years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed. With the 2013 Oscar season wrapped, it’s time to take a look back at the past two years.

Each year, a number of films are left off of Oscar’s Best Picture list. This year, even with ten nominees, films still didn’t make the cut. What I’m interested in looking at is the Forgotten Five – five films that probably came closest to getting nominated for Best Picture and ended up without a single nomination.


The rules are that the film cannot have earned any Oscar nominations at all. These are the movies that came so close and had buzz but just couldn’t ultimately cut it. If you disagree with my choices or think I missed one, please leave a note in the comments. This is designed to be a fun look back at some of the movies that may have been great (or not) and just missed the mark.


The Forgotten Five of 2012
Arbitrage was Richard Gere’s return to prominence, an involving thriller that stemmed from a subtle financial crime premise and evolved into much more. The film was named one of the National Board of Review’s top ten independent films and earned Gere a Golden Globe nod, but nothing more materialized save for a promising career for debut feature director Nicholas Jarecki.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the definition of a crowd-pleaser, a jovial story about retirees traveling to India helmed by “Shakespeare in Love” director John Madden and starring Oscar winners Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The two actresses each netted one major awards bid and the film managed a Golden Globe Best Picture nod and a SAG ensemble mention, but that’s as far as it went for this entertaining light fare.

Compliance was probably too small a film ever to merit Oscar consideration in the top category, but supporting actress Ann Dowd was a major contender for a nomination for her portrayal of an all-too-subservient fast food restaurant manager. Its chilling plot and gritty performances were definitely strong, and I’m sure this well-made independent film ended up on more than a few voters’ ballots.

The Dark Knight Rises exemplified why the Oscar Best Picture race was expanded and should have gotten the nod that its predecessor didn’t receive. The tragic shooting at a midnight screening all but negated its chances since voters were hardly eager to endorse a film – my pick for the best of Christopher Nolan’s three Batman movies – that inspired such horrific true-life violence.

Rust and Bone was a French film that did pretty well with the awards circuit, earning Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign Film and Best Actress for star Marion Cotillard, who won an Oscar for “La Vie en Rose” five years earlier. Not being selected as France’s Oscar submission meant it could have done well in other categories, but ultimately even Cotillard couldn’t manage a nomination for a well-reviewed film that just ended up getting ignored.

Do you agree with these choices? What films do you think came closest before being ignored completely?

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Annie

Welcome to the inaugural 2014 edition of a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Annie – Opening December 19, 2014

I found out about this film and its trailer while I was reading The Film Experience, and read enough of Nathaniel’s “Yes, No, Maybe So” post about the trailer to discern that the public reaction to this one was not good. After I watched the trailer, I don’t think I disagree all that much. There are a number of things to look at when analyzing this trailer and how the film might ultimately turn out. This is a timeless classic, a memorable stage musical that is grounded in its 1930s setting. This film takes that and sets it in the modern day, which isn’t necessarily an issue save for the unfortunate trailer-ending Facebook comment that feels absurdly out of place. Director Will Gluck previously helmed “Friends with Benefits” and “Easy A” – two present-set stories that were much better than they could have been, and he might be just the person to adapt the story to the current day. Then there are the actors. Quvenzhané Wallis broke out with an Oscar nomination at the age of nine for “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” and since had then has had just a small role in “12 Years a Slave.” In a sense, this is exactly what she should be doing with her career, but let’s hope it’s not a case of too much, too fast. Jamie Foxx can certainly understand that, after a banner year with two Oscar nominations and a win in 2004 led to pretty much nothing since then. Hopefully he’ll be dynamic, rather than his entirely unmemorable turn in his last movie musical, “Dreamgirls.” Cameron Diaz is another story altogether. Her last movie was “The Counselor,” which found her doing all kinds of questionable things, and, based on her work in films like “Vanilla Sky,” I do think she is capable of quality acting. I don’t believe that she’s right for this, though, and she best exemplifies why this film feels like an entirely inappropriate modernization of a story that wasn’t ever asking for a remake like this. I’d still see it out of curiosity, but I don’t think it will be anywhere near satisfying.

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome to the inaugural 2014 edition of a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in NYC

The Face of Love (mixed bag): This love story casts Ed Harris as a dead ringer for Annette Bening’s late husband who becomes a romantic interest for the grieving widow. It’s a perfectly average romance that unfortunately isn’t enhanced by its usually great actors. Now playing at IFC Center and Lincoln Plaza. Read my review from yesterday.

The Wind Rises (highly recommended): In all the hubbub of Oscar season, I never got around to actually reviewing this nominee for Best Animated Feature. The latest and possibly last film from Hayao Miyazaki is a gorgeous, immensely involving epic about a creative young man with big dreams. Well worth it on many levels.

New to DVD

The Counselor (anti-recommended): This awful film looked so promising from its trailer, and turned out to be an enormous off-putting mess that is profoundly disturbing. Penelope Cruz is the lone cast member who is actually decent, and the film is far too unpleasant to be worthwhile.

Dallas Buyers Club (recommended): I found this Best Picture nominee to be highly overrated, but overall it’s still a good movie if not a great one. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto deliver transformative performances that are often stronger than its well-intentioned film.

Diana (mixed bag): This unfortunate effort starring the usually great Naomi Watts and Naveen Andrews tries and fails to capture the gravitas of Princess Diana and the way in which she seduced the world. Highlighting her personal life proves to be much less interesting and dynamic than it should be.

Gravity (highly recommended): This action blockbuster took home seven Oscars, most of which were in the technical categories. Director Alfonso Cuaron earned his Best Director trophy for creating a massively compelling visceral experience that, like its main characters are told, never lets go. It’s mesmerizing and agonizing at the same time, and a must-see.

Nebraska (recommended): This quiet black-and-white Best Picture nominee tells an endearing, surprisingly funny tale of an older man with a fading memory who embarks to reclaim the prize money he believes he has won and experiences a true life journey on the way to find it.

12 Years a Slave (highly recommended): I said back in October that this future Best Picture winner was sure to be an Oscar movie. Director Steve McQueen’s follow-up to “Shame” is another marvelous collaboration with actor Michael Fassbender, who is excellent in a chilling role as a cruel slavemaster. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Oscar winner Lupita Nyongo are just two of many great performers in a superb ensemble, and the film becomes increasingly powerful as it goes on, telling an emotional and extremely involving story.

Now Available on Netflix

Blue is the Warmest Color (highly recommended): I’ve written a great deal about my number one film from 2013. Adèle Exarchupoulos and Léa Seydoux give incredible performances as the two main characters in this controversial but highly worthwhile film that feels real and emotional. See it for yourself!

Capote (recommended): This 2005 Best Picture nominee is a great showcase of probably the best performance ever delivered by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who deservedly took home an Oscar for his lived-in portrayal of the famous writer. The film isn’t quite as strong, but it’s still a solid drama based on true events.

Midnight Express (recommended): This 1978 Best Picture nominee is a frightening look at the true-life consequences of one young American’s attempt to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. It may be hard to watch, but it’s a vastly compelling prison film with strong performances from its cast.

Night of the Living Dead (highly recommended): Along with “The Walking Dead,” this is pretty much the only zombie fare I can stand. This is, however, the original zombie movie, the one that did it well and ended on such an impactful and memorable note that its campiness should be forgiven for its classic nature.

Rachel Getting Married (highly recommended): This is the movie that made me think that Anne Hathaway could actually act (and earned her her first Oscar nomination). It’s a heart-wrenching and powerful look at one family in turmoil with excellent supporting turns by Rosemarie DeWitt and Bill Irwin.

The Silence of the Lambs (highly recommended): This 1991 Best Picture winner is one of the greatest films ever made, a magnificent thriller where the cannibal isn’t even the bad guy. Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster have never been better, and this is where any new project about serial killers should look for inspiration.

The Station Agent (highly recommended): This quirky independent film from director Tom McCarthy – who later made “The Visitor” and “Win Win” – features a trio of wonderful performances from the likes of Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, and Bobby Cannavale in a heartfelt and energizing story.

Movie with Abe: The Face of Love

The Face of Love
Directed by Arie Posin
Released March 7, 2014

In movies, characters rarely have just one chance at true love. It’s almost impossible to find a film that features a protagonist whose partner has passed away and who manages to mope around for its entire duration without successfully finding someone with whom to share his or her life, if even for a brief time. In “The Face of Love,” widow Nikki has an explicit opportunity most do not, which is to meet a man who looks exactly like her late husband, enabling her to recreate memories and fall in love all over again with a man with the same face.

In her first leading role since her Oscar-nominated turn in 2010’s “The Kids Are All Right,” Annette Bening stars as Nikki, who is introduced in a split scene which flashes between jovial moments from her marriage and shots of her sitting alone and miserable in her home after her husband’s passing. That husband, Garrett, is played in flashbacks by Ed Harris, who also portrays an art teacher named Tom who Nikki happens to see and then pursues because of his striking resemblance to Garrett. Robin Williams plays Nikki’s neighbor Roger, who is also mourning the loss of his lifelong partner.

Each of these actors are four-time Oscar nominees, and about fifteen years ago, they were at the height of their film careers. Williams won a Best Supporting Actor trophy for “Good Will Hunting,” Harris was a nominee for his omniscient turn in “The Truman Show,” and Bening starred in Best Picture winner “American Beauty.” Understandably, much time has passed since that point, but that shouldn’t affect their talent, merely their choice of roles. Unfortunately, none of them add much enthusiasm or magic to their parts here, and it’s a shame to see such skilled performers unable to enliven an otherwise rather simplistic story.

Watching Nikki get to know Tom while keeping from him the very crucial fact that she feels like she is with her husband every time they are together because of his appearance has two equal effects: sentimental romance and a sense of dread, since it is inevitable that he will discover that fact. There are moments of bliss and joy in “The Face of Love,” where all does seem destined to work out well. It’s hardly a romantic classic, but this mediocre drama might appeal to those who find the concept of a second chance at love endearing.

B-

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Forgotten Five of 2013

Welcome to a returning weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Forgotten Five was the first in a series of projects looking back at the past ten years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed. With the 2013 Oscar season wrapped, it’s time to take a look back at the past two years.

Each year, a number of films are left off of Oscar’s Best Picture list. This year, even with ten nominees, films still didn’t make the cut. What I’m interested in looking at is the Forgotten Five – five films that probably came closest to getting nominated for Best Picture and ended up without a single nomination.


The rules are that the film cannot have earned any Oscar nominations at all. These are the movies that came so close and had buzz but just couldn’t ultimately cut it. If you disagree with my choices or think I missed one, please leave a note in the comments. This is designed to be a fun look back at some of the movies that may have been great (or not) and just missed the mark.


The Forgotten Five of 2013
Blue is the Warmest Color had its detractors, those who ignored it outright because of its sexual content or criticized it because of the sexual content they did see in it. It did win a tremendous number of foreign film prizes, plus its Cannes trophy, and not being eligible for Best Foreign Film might have made it popular enough to break through in the top race. I was almost crazy enough to predict that it would be nominated, but Adèle Exarchupoulos not being recognized proved too damning.

The Butler was a major Oscar contender from the moment it was announced, and I still can’t quite comprehended why it fizzled. SAG voters loved it, Golden Globe voters shut it out, and Oscar voters sided with the latter. It may have been too schmaltzy and sentimental, despite the allure of giving the once-nominated Oprah an Oscar win.

Enough Said had some buzz thanks to a well-received turn from TV actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and an endearing final performance from another TV actor, the late James Gandolfini. Nicole Holofcener was all poised for her big Oscar breakthrough in the Best Original Screenplay race, but this film faded from memory and couldn’t muster any of its three likeliest nominations or one for the top prize.

Fruitvale Station was a smash hit at Sundance and should have been guaranteed gold at the Oscars thanks to its pickup by Weinstein. Something didn’t translate into awards seasons, however, and Michael B. Jordan found himself far from in the running for a Best Actor bid. The film might have had a shot if it had more precursor love, but unfortunately no one seemed ready to recognize this incredible film.

Rush was an epic sports movie from Ron Howard, who won an Oscar for helming “A Beautiful Mind” and helmed two other Best Picture nominees. Why this one didn’t catch is a mystery, though it seems that the film went over much better in Europe than it did in the United States. A Best Motion Picture – Drama nod from the Golden Globes and precursor nominations for Daniel Bruhl amounted to zero technical Oscar nominations and no other mentions of any kind.

Do you agree with these choices? What films do you think came closest before being ignored completely?

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: The Zero Theorem

Welcome to the inaugural 2014 edition of a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

The Zero Theorem – Opening TBD

It’s been over two months since we’ve had the opportunity to take a look at trailers again, but I figured it was time to get it started again now that Oscar season is officially over. I browsed IMBD and couldn’t find anything I liked very much, and headed over to my preferred movie trailer site, Movie-List.com. A few clicks got me to the trailer for “The Zero Theorem,” which premiered back in September at the Venice Film Festival. It is being released in the U.K. next week, and hopefully in the U.S. sometime after that. This is a truly odd trailer that initially is quite off-putting due mainly to its antiquated look and eerie feel, but that’s ultimately what’s so appealing about it. Terry Gilliam was a key member of Monty Python who has since distinguished himself due to his eclectic directorial efforts. His most recent film was the inventive “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” but his more crucial contributions before that are the two films named by him as part of a dystopian trilogy: “Brazil” and “12 Monkeys.” The former, from 1985, is a mesmerizing story of a 1984-like future where little is actually real and genuine, while the latter is a darker but equally gripping time travel tale. This film might be more tethered to reality in its events while its characters are less firmly rooted in it. Christoph Waltz has won two Oscars in the past five years, and it’s great to see him expanding his repertoire to do this film. It’s no surprise that it’s attracted the always peculiar Tilda Swinton, and David Thewlis seems a strong supporting fit as well. I’m not sure I’d ultimately love this film, but it does look beyond interesting and very creative.

Your Guide to the Oscars

Movies with Abe presents your guide to tonight's Oscars. Click on each category heading for detailed analysis of all nominees in every category. Below please find my final predictions for the winners.

I’ve never been able to see every single one of the nominees in all categories, but this year I came pretty close. I haven’t seen a total of ten films. One – “The Missing Picture” – I’d really like to see, but the press screenings don’t start until next week since its theatrical release is in March. I would have been happy to see “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and “The Grandmaster,” but just didn’t have the chance. I haven’t seen the first two installments that precede “Before Midnight,” and my interest in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “Lone Survivor,” “The Book Thief,” and “The Invisible Woman” was just lukewarm. And, though their makeup and hairstyling may be excellent, I have absolutely no desire to see “The Lone Ranger” and especially “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.”

Now to what I have seen. My favorite film out of all the Oscar nominees is “Her,” and I’m just hoping that it will take home its well-deserved Best Original Screenplay trophy. I’m also pulling for “Captain Phillips” to win that Best Film Editing award, which it so merited and might make up in part for Oscar voters’ horrendous snubs of Tom Hanks and director Paul Greengrass. The only true upset I’m predicting is Amy Adams for Best Actress, since I think “American Hustle” has to be rewarded somewhere and I really hope it’s not Best Picture. I do think that “Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave” can peacefully split Best Director and Best Picture, though we’ll have to see if one film gains more momentum over the other. I’ll be furious if “Frozen” doesn’t win both of its bids (though you could make a legitimate case for two of the other Best Animated Feature nominees). I hope it’s a fun show overall. I’m in D.C. and will be hosting a viewing party.

I’ll also be live-tweeting, so follow @movieswithabe during the show and let me know how you’re enjoying it! Leave your comments on these final predictions below!

BEST PICTURE
12 Years a Slave

BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Amy Adams (American Hustle)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Lupita Nyongo (12 Years a Slave)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Her

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
12 Years a Slave

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Gravity

BEST ART DIRECTION
The Great Gatsby

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Great Gatsby

BEST FILM EDITING
Captain Phillips

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Gravity

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Let It Go”

BEST SOUND
Gravity

BEST SOUND EDITING
Gravity

BEST MAKEUP
Dallas Buyers Club

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Gravity

BEST FOREIGN FILM
The Great Beauty

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Frozen

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Act of Killing

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Lady in Number 6

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Room on the Broom

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Helium

Predicted totals:
Gravity – 6
12 Years a Slave – 3
Dallas Buyers Club – 3
Frozen – 2
The Great Gatsby – 2
American Hustle – 1
Her – 1

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Picture

The competition: American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, 12 Years a Slave, The Wolf of Wall Street

Previous winners: Argo, The Artist, The King’s Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men
My winner: Blue is the Warmest Color
The facts: “American Hustle” and “Gravity” are the most nominated films this year, with ten each. “American Hustle” has the distinction of having acting nods in all four categories. “12 Years a Slave” has nine nominations, and “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” and “Nebraska” each have six. “Her” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” each have five, and “Philomena” has four.

Who should win: “Her” is by far the best, but I’d be very happy with “Captain Philips,” “Gravity,” or “12 Years a Slave.” It would never happen, but “Nebraska” would be okay too.
Who will win: Last year, this category was up for grabs since Ben Affleck wasn’t even nominated. This year, Alfonso Cuaron has very consistently picked up Best Director trophies throughout awards season, while his film “Gravity” only managed to grab a Best Picture win at the PGA Awards – when it tied with the film that usually beats it in that race, “12 Years a Slave.” I don’t think that “Gravity” can get all the way to a win, but I am concerned about “American Hustle” being the benefactor of a vote split. I’d love to see “Captain Phillips” or “Her” swoop in for a win, but I think I’ll hedge my bets on the statistical frontrunner, 12 Years a Slave.