Charade Review.

Thoughts: Charade is an mystery, suspense thriller with a good dose of comedy staring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Charade is one of the most plot twist filled movies I have seen outside of Alfred Hitchcock's classics, yet there was an excellent amount of witty humor and comedy.

As some might remember Jamie from Through Two Blue Eyes wrote a review of this, which you can click here to read,, Thanks Jamie for recommending the movie, it was fantastic. Also this film is currently free to watch on YouTube, and it is the officially released version, not an illegal copy.
On a side note, I have temporally disabled anonymous comments due an overflow of spam. However, I will enable them in a few days so that readers like Jake P. can comment again.


Directed by: Stanley Donen
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Comedy, Intrigue, Spy
Release Date: 5 December 1963
Running Time: 113 minutes
MMPA rating: PG


The Good: Many unexpected plot twists and turns, Complex plot, Fantastic performance from Audrey Hepburn, Perfect use of humor, Some suspense, Always keeps you guessing,

The Bad:



Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
Regina "Reggie" Lampert (Audrey Hepburn), on a skiing holiday in Megève, tells her friend Sylvie Gaudel (Dominique Minot) that she has decided to divorce her husband Charles. She then meets a charming stranger, Peter Joshua (Cary Grant). When she returns to Paris, her apartment is completely empty, and police inspector Edouard Grandpierre (Jacques Marin) notifies her that Charles has been murdered while leaving Paris. They give Reggie his travel bag, containing a letter addressed to her, a ticket to Venezuela, passports in multiple names, and other items. At the funeral, Regina notices three odd characters who show up to view the body. One sticks the corpse with a pin and another places a mirror in front of the body's mouth and nose, both to verify that Charles is really dead.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 9.2/10- While the film's first 20 minutes are some of slow burning mystery, it soon builds into a suspenseful and humorous mystery. The mystery is very complex but it not too difficult to solve featuring many plot twists that always kept me guessing. Also the dialogue was witty and humorous.

Action: 5.0/10- Charade is not an action film, however there is one decent fight between two characters.

Acting: 8.4/10- Hepburn and Grant have great on-screen chemistry together with tons of witty dialogue. Hepburn's performance was top notch, particularly in her delivery of witty dialogue. The other cast members were good but no stand out performances.

Special effects: N/A-

Soundtrack: 7.7/10- The score complimented the film but memorable on its  own.

Comedy: 8.6/10- Charade is full of witty banter and fun dialogue with Hepburn adding excellent humor through the film.

Would I Watch This Again: Because it relies on unexpected plot twists to keep it interesting, it might not hold up as well on multiple viewings, however the comedy does help the re-watch-ability.

Overall: 8.8/10- Overall Charade is fun, thrilling, suspense and smart supported by top notch performances and a strong script.

Closing comments: Any fan of classic mystery thrillers should watch Charade, you will not regret it. and the full film is right below, there is no reason not to watch it!

Recommended for: Mystery fans, Thriller fans, Suspense fans, Comedy fans, Intrigue fans,



Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Recruitment.

If you are Star Wars fan, you have probably heard of Star Wars: The Old Republic, the Star Wars MMO (massively-multiplayer-online) video game. However you may not have known that I have the game and it is fantastic, a must play for Star Wars fans. The Old Republic is free-to-play now so anyone can download the game for free, so click here to download it. Due to the size of the download, it may take a while to download (several hours) but it is definitely worth it. But the point of this post is to recruit members for our Old Republic guild, named the Illuminati. To apply for the guild click here and answer a few questions and you should be accepted in a few days. The leader of guild is Buruk, who is Level 50 in the game and basically an expert at the game. We are on the Ebon Hawk sever. If you are not interested in joining the guild, you can still add me to your "Friend List", just please comment with your character's name. Also here is a link to our guild's homepage. Edessa at HoloNet Entertainment Daily is another founding member of the guild.

 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Book Review: Star Wars: Dark Force Rising.

Star Wars: Dark Force Rising, the second installment in arguably the best Star Wars book series. Because Dark Force Rising is a direct sequel to Heir to the Empire, any plot details would ruin the both books, therefore is no spoilers of any kind will be revealed in this review. As I had said in my review for Heir to the Empire, it was a fantastic book and my favorite book until I read the Lord of the Rings. One of the many things that Heir to the Empire captured perfectly about Star Wars is how the characters Han, Luke, Leia, Lando and Chewie are portrayed and Dark Force Rising is no exception. Also the new characters that were introduced in the previous are further developed like Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade and Talon Karrde, all of whom are expertly written characters.

There was a surprising amount of suspense and tension during many parts of the book, were I found myself mentally "On the edge of my seat" needing to know what happened next. If you are a Star Wars fan, you need to read the Thrawn trilogy, especially if you are an Original Trilogy fan like me. In many ways it is superior to the Prequel Trilogy, since the characters are written very well and story so involving. This comes closest to finally giving the fans the true original Star Wars that I have been wanting. While Dark Force Rising is not the Empire Strikes Back of sequels, it serves to advance the story and be a solid middle chapter in the larger story.

There are some continuity changes that Lucas screwed up when he created the Attack of the Clones about who the Clones were but the Clone Wars is never explained in detail.

The character Grand Admiral Thrawn is officially in my Top 15 Star Wars characters and Mara Jade at least in my Top 25 because they are such great characters, it is hard not to like them.

Plot: 9.9/10- While there were very few small plot missteps, the story as a whole is absolutely brilliant. Being the middle chapter of one story, similar to the Two Towers in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it does end on a cliffhanger of sorts. However, there are many twists and turns throughout the plot; I never knew what was coming next. There were many references to the original trilogy in terms of story and some of the character's dialogue, which as a major Star Wars geek was awesome.

Audiobook: 10/10- Because I had to wait for the unabridged by Marc Thompson to be released for Dark Force Rising, it has been around 8 months since I listened to Heir to the Empire. I have forgotten how much better he is than anyone else at making audiobooks and copying the character's voices. He gives distinct voices to the main character, making it easy to distinguish between characters. The only problem is when he is reading dialogue from a female character but he does an admirable job and it does not take long to get used to it. Thompson's impressions of Han and Lando are most impressive, he sounds almost exactly like the characters, except they have aged 5 years since Return of the Jedi. The use of sounds effects and music is perfect. John Williams’ amazing score highlights key points of the book to bone chilling effect and adds the classic Star Wars feel to the book. Also his voice for Grand Admiral Thrawn is exactly as I would imagine

Overall: 9.9/10- While one would have to be a Star Wars fan to truly appreciate it, Dark Force Rising and Heir to the Empire are the perfect sequels to the original Star Wars trilogy; an absolute must read for any Star Wars fan.

If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Academy Award Categories.

As I stated in yesterday's post, the Academy Awards could use some improvement. I have made a list of categories that I believe the Oscars should add due to the exclusion of certain films and genres. Although it highly unlikely that any of these categories will ever be added, these are the ones that I would add. Also I am trying to be mostly realistic with my ideas for Awards, because something like "Best Comic Book Film" will never happen. The Oscars were last night and not surprisingly, Argo won for Best Picture. Skyfall won Best Song and tied with Zero Dark Thirty for Best Sound Editing. Brave unfortunately won for Best Animated Feature. If you want to see the winners, click here to check out the list.

Ensemble/Best Cast

Lord of the Rings Cast

Often times in films with large casts were there is not a single actor that can be distinguished in a "Leading Role", the actors are snubbed from the awards. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, for example, had many actors who should have been nominated for their performances but did not because it is difficult to define who was in the "Leading Role" or "Supporting Role". Sean Astin in the Return of the King should have easily won Best Actor for his amazing performance or Viggo Mortensen for any of the movie should have at least been nominated. Inception would be another example, the cast was fantastic, One of the Best of All-Time! While it would be unlikely even if the category was added, The Avengers had the strongest cast of the 2012 with the many A-list actors in one film. It is surprising that the award has not already been added because the Screen Actors Guild already gives an award for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture". 

Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy Film

As I stated in yesterday's post, the Academy has a tendency to snub any Science-Fiction film because the genre has never once won the award for Best Picture! Even though there have been many candidates for the award that probably should have won, except for the fact that it was Science-Fiction. Fantasy, on the other hand, has broken the barrier with The Return of the King rightfully winning Best Picture in 2003. If the category was added, it would include comic book films as well as sci-fi and fantasy, since comic book films usually have qualities of either genre. The Academy Award have a category for "Best Animated Feature", so why is it too far of a stretch for sci-fi and fantasy films to be recognized for their brilliance. Therefore, The Avengers, The Hobbit, and The Dark Knight Rises would all be given a shot for an award. 

Best Comedy/Musical

Although it is not my idea or one that I really want the Academy to add, there have been other critics who want a category like this to be added. It would seem like an obvious choice since the Golden Globes already have this category in their awards.

Best Fight Choreography

This is my current desktop background.

OK, this is entirely unrealistic but Fight Choreography and action directing is just as much an art form as any other aspect of film. For example, the films, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Matrix" had amazing fight choreographers and the films directors and choreographers should be duly recognized for their skill and execution. In 2012, The Avengers would easily take the win for its incredible battles scenes that rival anything that has come before or since. Joss Whedon never resorted to cheap techniques like dark lighting or shaky-cam that far too many movies use today. Also Best Stunt Work would be another similar category.

I want to emphasize that the likelihood of any of these categories ever being added are slim to none, but they are the ones I would want to see. What awards to you think should be added to the Academy Awards? Do you agree or disagree with my ideas? Please comment below.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Clone Wars: The Jedi Who Knew Too Much Review.

Here is "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" in its entirety and in good quality. Hopefully there are still fans of the series left that are watching because this episode was incredible! This review is mostly spoiler free, but I will give a warning before any possible spoilers.

"The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" continues after the previous episode "Sabotage" and features Grand Moff Tarkin. This episode left me speechless, possibly the best episode of the season thus far. The level of emotion in the animation is unprecedented, no other animated series or movie is at this level right now. Ahsoka really shinned this episode and I would have to say that I am officially a fan of her character now. Easily one of, if not the best, Ahsoka episode yet. The episode is named after another one of Alfred Hitchcock's classic films "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and I noticed many references to the film in this episode. This episode featured one of the best chase scenes I have ever seen taking nearly half the episode. However, it was definitely not lacking in plot with one of the best ending scenes of any Clone Wars episodes. The music was another highlight of "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much", one of my new favorite tracks.

*Spoiler* When Anakin confronted Ahsoka in the tunnel, the level of emotion the animators and actors conveyed was stunning. It reached new a whole other level of drama that has never been seen in the series before. Also it reminded be of dam scene from Harrison Ford's The Fugitive. *End of Spoiler* 

Overall 10/10- Overall "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" had the perfect blend of action, drama and character interaction, it will go down as one of the best episodes this series has to offer.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

85th Academy Awards Tomorrow Night.

The 85th Academy Awards are tomorrow night! Do you plan to watch them? I am definitely not, but I am looking forward to seeing if The Avengers, Hobbit or Skyfall wins any awards. Below are links to my previous Academy Award themed posts if you have not read them. Also I will be posting "New Oscar Categories" Monday, where I give my thoughts on how to improve the Academy Awards and tomorrow I will be reviewing the Clone Wars episode "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much"
2013 Academy Award Predictions.
Top 25 Best Picture Nominated Films Part 2: 12-1.
Top 25 Best Picture Nominated Films Part 1: 25-13
Academy Award Trivia.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

More Award Questions.

Edessa at HoloNet Entertainment Daily awarded he the Shine On Award again and I have decided to post answers to her questions.

1. What is your least favorite movie/TV show ever?

Batman and Robin, it was a utterly terrible piece of junk and I am making it sound a lot better than it was actually is. As for TV shows, I usually stop watching bad TV shows but Warehouse 13 is awful now.

2.  Dark, Milk, or White chocolate?

Although I could not eat Mike chocolate for a few years when I was younger due to a medical condition, it is my favorite now. 

3.  What do you think of Valentine's Day?

I don't really care about it, but I have nothing against it.

4.  If you were stuck on a desert island in the middle of nowhere, would you rather be stuck with Jar Jar Binks or a hungry Ewok? Unless Jar Jar tastes good, I would take an Ewok any day. 

5.  What was the last book you read?  Did you like it?

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived and yes I liked it a lot. It was a great book but not as good as the other Star Wars books I have read so far.

6.  What has God been teaching you this year (so far)?

Not entirely sure as of now.

Here are Misty Kasumi* at The Mistiness Of The Future - Actor Writer Dreamer questions for the Shine On Award.

1: What is your favorite anime?

I tried watching Cowboy Bebop, but didn't like it, not much else after that.

2: Do you like to draw at all?

When I was a kid, I was actually a better drawer than I am now. But no, not now.

3: Can you write fanfiction? Or have you read a really good one?  If so, what is the title and fandom?

Nope, none whatsoever, I can't write fiction and haven't read much.

4: Do you know what show the character in the picture above is from?

No clue.

5: Favorite song?

"Lonely Mountains" and "Commander Shepard".

6: Out of the classics of our generation, what is your favorite?

Depends how you define "classics" and "our generation". Either way, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Avengers are the best four films of the 21st Century. Also Inception was also fantastic.  

7: What are your favorite blogs?

Can't answer that question because there are far too many blogs to list, just look at the ones I follow on my profile.

8: What is your favorite genre?

Comic Book, sci-fi, action, fantasy, and suspense, just to name a few.

9: Do you like playing video games?

Yes! I love video games just as much as movies! My favorites are Mass Effect, Halo, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Skyrim just to name a few. I know just as much about video games as I do film, but no one else who reads this blog are interested in video games much.

10: What are your favorite pairings?

As in romantic couples: Click on the links to my Top 25 Couples List
Top 25 Fictional Couples: Part 2.
Top 25 Fictional Couples: Part 1.

11: Out of all your shows, what are your favorite characters?

Obi-Wan, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and Captain America.

12: Do/have you have/had a fictional crush? 

Not really, but Bastlia, Princess Leia (Original trilogy and books), and Tali (Mass Effect) are the closest thing to it.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

2013 Academy Award Predictions.

The 85th Academy Awards are just a few days away so here are my predictions and picks on the nominees. Although I have yet to see many of the films that were awarded, because most of them were recently released this Winter and have yet to be released on Blu-Ray, I have read many articles on the nominees and know enough to make educated guesses. Another thing, is that I honestly do not care much for the Academy Awards (aka the Oscars), while I do like to know which films are nominated, it has very little impact on my opinion. With the exception of some classics and a few others, which are on my Top 25 Best Picture Nominations List, I rarely agree with their choices. However, I do respect their opinion but, I am annoyed by the Academy's complete ignorance of the Science-Fiction genre. Never has it won the award for Best Picture and at this rate, it never will. I will be addressing this issue in next week's "New Oscar Categories" post and later this year, I plan to make a J and J Productions Awards after I have seen more films that were released last year including everyone's favorite geek films.
Many fans were furious that The Dark Knight Rises was completely snubbed by the Academy, but I do not really care. Some thought it should have been nominated because The Dark Knight and Christopher Nolan were snubbed in 2008, but why is that any reason to give it a nomination? While the visual effects were good, there were far from the best of the year and no actor gave an Oscar worthy performance. The Dark Knight Rises was one of my favorite movies of the year because it was a fun popcorn flick and a good conclusion to the franchise. Most critics said that it was not even as good as The Dark Knight, so why should it be nominated anymore than the other snubbed movies?  It will surely win some of my categories in my J and J Productions awards, but I do not think it is a big deal that it was not nominated. The Dark Knight Rises was a comic book movie and they generally exclude the genre. Basically, I do not care, because It did not expect it.
Also on the side note, I planned to watch Skyfall earlier this week but my Blu-Ray/DVD by mail subscription company (Block Buster) does not have any new releases due to some ridiculous "haven't made a deal with the distributors" claim, which is the reason I have yet to see it .


Best Picture:
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Zero Dark Thirty"
"Lincoln"
"Les Miserables"
"Life of Pi"
"Amour"
"Django Unchained"
"Argo"
Prediction: Lincoln/Argo: While Zero Dark Thirty sounded like it would have an easy win earlier this year, due to some controversy over the release confidential CIA information, it appears that its chances are slim. Lincoln and Argo, on the other hand, probably have the best shot. Another outside possibility is Beasts of the Southern Wild, because of its young leading lady.
My Pick: N/A- I have yet to see any of the films listed above.

Best Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"
Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Alan Arkin, "Argo"
Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"

Prediction: Robert De Niro/Tommy Lee Jones: Best Supporting Actor is a tough category because there has not been much mention as to who is most likely to win. But many are really liking Jones' performance as well as De Niro's.
My Pick: N/A


Best Supporting Actress:
Sally Field, "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Amy Adams, "The Master"

Prediction: Anne Hathaway: Her song in Les Miserables has been a big topic of debate on whether she should win for only doing one song, however it appears that she has a good shot at the award.
My Pick:  Anne Hathaway: Although I have not seen any of the films listed above, Hathaway's performance in The Dark Knight Rises was one of my favorite performances of the year.


Best Director:
David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"
Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"
Michael Haneke, "Amour"
Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Prediction: Steven Spielberg: Due to the upset of Affleck (Argo) and Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) not being nominated for the award, it appears that Spielberg is the most likely to win. However, Ang Lee also has an outside shot.
My Pick: N/A


Best Actor:
Daniel Day Lewis, "Lincoln"
Denzel Washington, "Flight"
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"

Prediction: Daniel Day Lewis: While Jackman and Cooper probably have a decent chance at winning the award, Daniel Day Lewis' performance as Abraham Lincoln has received a lot of buzz for his performance.
My Pick: N/A


Best Actress:
Naomi Watts, "The Impossible"
Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"
Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Prediction: Jessica Chastain: While Quvenzhané Wallis and Emmanuelle Riva are the oldest and youngest actresses to be nominated for the award, it appears that Chastain will most likely win the award. Wallis might have a good chance considering her very young age.
My Pick: N/A


Best Original Screenplay:
"Zero Dark Thirty"
"Django Unchained"
"Moonrise Kingdom"
"Amour"
"Flight"

Prediction: Zero Dark Thirty: I almost find it odd that Zero Dark Thirty is considered in the Original Screenplay category since it is based on real events, but despite the controversy it should at least win this award. Also Django Unchained has an outside shot.
My Pick: N/A


Best Adapted Screenplay:
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Argo"
"Life of Pi"
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Prediction: Lincoln/Argo: For the same reasons I stated for the Best Picture nominations, I believe either Lincoln or Argo will this category.
My Pick: N/A


Best Animated Feature:
"Frankenweenie"
"The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
"Wreck-It Ralph"
"Paranorman"
"Brave"

Prediction: Brave/Wreck-It-Ralph: While I have yet to see it, Wreck-It-Ralph is the definitive animated film of the year by most critics and I probably will agree with that statement after watching the film. However, Brave was made my Pixar, therefore the irrational Pixar bias and the fact that Wreck-It-Ralph is inspired by videos gmaes might give Brave the win regardless of quality. Also Frankenweenie was well received by critics and could win the award.
My Pick: N/A- I have yet to see Wreck-It-Ralph, but I am sure it would easily be my pick.


Best Foreign Feature:
"Amour"
"A Royal Affair"
"Kon-Tiki"
"No"
"War Witch"

Prediction: Amour: Amour is the only film of these listed above to be nominated for Best Picture, so it would obviously win Best Foreign Feature.
My Pick: N/A


Best Visual Effects:
"Life of Pi"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"The Avengers"
"Prometheus"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"

Prediction: Life of Pi: Because the Academy hates Comic Book based films, Life of Pi will probably win since everyone is raving about the effects, even though The Avengers' Visual Effects are unmatched.
My Pick: The Avengers: While Gollum in The Hobbit was fantastic, The Avengers effects were better overall.


Best Cinematography:
"Skyfall"
"Anna Karenina"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"

Prediction: Lincoln: This is a complete guess. Lincoln has been nominated for many other awards, I suppose it has a good shot at cinematography.
My Pick: N/A- As I stated above, I have yet to see Skyfall but I believe it would be my choice among these films.


Best Costume Design:
"Anna Karenina"
"Les Miserables"
"Lincoln"
"Mirror Mirror"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"

Prediction: Les Miserables: From the pictures and advertisements, Les Mirserables costumes appeared to be the best. But I find it quite odd that the critically panned Mirror Mirror was even nominated, The Hobbit should have easily been nominated compared to these other movies.
My Pick: Snow White and the Huntsman: Snow White and the Huntsman is the only one of these films I have seen, but the costume design was done very well.


Best Documentary Feature:
"Searching for Sugar Man"
"How to Survive a Plague"
"The Gatekeepers"
"5 Broken Cameras"
"The Invisible War"

Prediction: N/A- I know nothing about these documentaries.
My Pick: N/A


Best Documentary Short:
"Open Heart"
"Inocente"
"Redemption"
"Kings Point"
"Mondays at Racine"
Prediction: N/A
My Pick:


Best Film Editing:
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Life of Pi"
"Argo"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

Prediction: Zero Dark Thirty: Many critics were raving about the film's intense final sequence, which would dictate good film editing.
My Pick: N/A-


Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
"Hitchcock"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Les Miserables"

Prediction: Les Miserables: Because Les Miserables had the best critical reception, it will mostly that the win. However, I do hope that The Hobbit will win at least one category.
My Pick: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: There is no contest for in my opinion, the make-up in the Hobbit were superb, especially considering that most of the cast required many prosthetics.


Best Music (Original Score):
"Anna Karenina"
"Argo"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"

Prediction: N/A- With the exception of Skyfall, I have yet to hear any of these film's soundtrack, therefore I cannot give an accurate prediction.
My Pick: Skyfall: While Skyfall's soundtrack is great, The Hobbit and The Avengers had far better scores and should have been nominated.


Best Music (Original Song):
"Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice"
"Everybody Needs A Best Friend" from "Ted"
"Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi"
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall"
"Suddenly" from "Les Misérables"

Prediction: "Suddenly" from "Les Misérables": Since Les Misérables is a musical, it is expected that it would win Best Original Song.
My Pick: Although "Lonely Mountains" from The Hobbit was by far my favorite of the year, "Skyfall" was fantastic, already one of my favorite James Bond opening songs even though I have not seen the film.


Best Production Design:
"Anna Karenina"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Les Misérables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"

Prediction: Lincoln: Another educated guess, but Lincoln appeared to have sets that were accurate of the time.
My Pick: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: No question, The Hobbit would takes it in my book. While it used more CGI than it probably should have, the sets were great nonetheless.


Best Short Film, Animated:
"Adam and Dog"
"Fresh Guacamole"
"Head over Heels"
"Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare'"
"Paperman"

Prediction: Paperman: One of the many talked about things in most Wreck-It-Ralph reviews that the "Paperman" short that preceded the film, and everyone seemed to love it.
My Pick: N/A


Best Short Film, Live Action:
"Asad"
"Buzkashi Boys"
"Curfew"
"Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)"
"Henry"

Prediction: N/A
My Pick: N/A


Best Sound Editing:
"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Skyfall"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

Prediction: Zero Dark Thirty: Usually this type of movie wins the category so I suppose it has a good shot.
My Pick: N/A


Best Sound Mixing:
"Argo"
"Les Misérables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"
Prediction: Skyfall/Les Misérables: Hopefully Skyfall win something this year but Les Misérables is all about music and would probably have good sound mixing.

Do you agree or disagree with my predictions? For all I know, none of my predictions could be half right. Please comment below.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 25 Best Picture Nominated Films Part 2: 12-1.

Here is part 2 of my Top 25 Best Picture Nominated Films, featuring many of your favorites like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. Also  Please click here to read yesterday's post, which was part 1 of this list.

At Number 12: Forrest Gump

"Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." That line pretty much sums up Forrest Gump. While many like to hate on this classic film, I find thoroughly enjoyable, yet sad at the same time. The humor is great and Tom Hanks' performance is flawless. 

At Number 11: Braveheart

"They can take our lives. But they can never take our FREEDOM!" What Braveheart lacks in historical accuracy, it more than makes up in  story and inspirational speeches.  

At Number 10: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Again, I am surprised that this received an Oscar Nomination, because it is a fun and entertaining film, but stranger things have happened. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of my favorite westerns ever made, and another film with great dialogue.  

At Number 9: The Fugitive

One of Harrison Ford's many best films, The Fugitive was a smart, thriller, similar to the current Bourne films, except with less action.Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for his fantastic performance yet the The Fugitive lost Best Picture to Spielberg's  Schindler's List.

At Number 8: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Another film that I was surprised that to be nominated for Best Picture because it is an action films with many amazing fights but Crouching Tiger, but Hidden Dragon had an excellent epic story and memorable characters. 

Note: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a foreign language, but does have a English dub version. 

At Number 7: Gladiator

Hans Zimmer, Russel Crowe, cool gladiatorial battles and stunning cinematography are just a few reasons why Gladiator is a fantastic film. One of the few action films to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

At Number 6: Inception

Although it is unrealistic to think that science-fiction could win the Oscar for Best Picture, because of those boffins who vote for the Academy, but they will eventually have to give in. However, Inception should have been the film to break the trend because it was far superior to any film that was released that year. The King's Speech was very good, but its nothing compared to the mind bending, complex story of Inception. 

At Number 5: Raiders of the Lost Ark

I was shocked to discover that Raiders of the Lost Ark has nominated by the Academy for Best Picture, because it is an action film but it definitely deserved the nomination. Few films, if any, have a more iconic her than Indiana Jones and the perfect mix of humor, action, likable characters and original plot is amazing. Its in my Top 10 Favorite films, and it has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid.

At Number 4: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the second chapter in the second best work of fiction ever created, continued the epic story of previous entry. While, at the time, it would seem unlikely that a fantasy film would win Best Picture, there was no film that even came close to The Two Towers in any aspect. Something that I just noticed about the poster, is that Arwen is included, even though she was only in the film for two minutes at the most.

At Number 3: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film in the epic trilogy set-up everything that was to come. There was nothing like it since Star Wars, a movie that revolutionized film making and proved that the fantasy genre was more than just kids movies and low-budget B-movies. It added a gritty, realistic tone to fantasy, similar to how Star Wars revolutionized sci-fi with the "lived-in" environments, opposed to the pristine and shinny sets of Star Trek and other contemporaries. 

At Number 2: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Academy actually got it right with The Return of the King. After two incredible films, Peter Jackson and The Lord of the Rings finally got the respect they deserve. The perfect conclusion to the perfect trilogy. One of the few times were the Academy and audience agreed, with The Return of the King breaking box office records and setting the record for most Oscar wins and nominations. 

At Number 1: Star Wars

Star Wars, the film that changed the world. It is unimaginable to think where cinema would be without Star Wars. While The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite, the original Star Wars is my right behind it. I love Star Wars! I have seen it at least 40 or more times, and I will never get tired of it. Star Wars is the perfect film in every way and it will never be topped.

 

Because there are so many great Best Picture Nominations, that there are films that I left off the list and others that I have yet to see. Here are a few honorable mentions: Money Ball, Saving Private Ryan, The King's Speech, Unforgiven, and It's a Wonderful Life,

 What are your favorite Best Picture Nominations? Please comment below.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 25 Best Picture Nominated Films Part 1: 25-13

With the Academy Awards in a few days, I have created a list of my favorite Academy Award Best Picture Nominations. While I rarely agree with the Academy's picks, there are a plethora of films to make a good list. All of the films on this list are highly recommended and among the best movies I have seen. After each film on the list, I give my brief opinion of it and have a link to my review of the movie.  I have not seen many of the films that were nominated, therefore some of your favorites may not make this list. Also I am not sure if no one commented or I screwed something up, but there were no comments on the Academy Award Trivia post yesterday. 

At Number 25: The Sting

The Paul Newman and Robert Redford classic, The Sting. While The Sting is a crime film, it keeps a great sense of humor and fun, and throws in some unexpected plot twists. I am actually surprised that this did win the Oscar for Best Picture, not because it was not deserving, but that the Academy usually does not give it to fun and entertaining films.

The Sting Review.  

At Number 24: True Grit

True Grit, the remake of my favorite John Wayne movie and the Coen brothers do a fantastic job in their re-imaging of the classic story. Although I still prefer the original because I watched it first, this version is no less entertaining and even grittier.

True Grit (2010)

At Number 23: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

One of Russel Crowe's many Oscar nominated films and one of the most overlooked. Master and Commander had the right balance of high-seas adventure and character depth.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Review.

At Number 22: Dances with Wolves

Although Dances With Wolves won the Oscar for Best Picture, many like to overlook this classic tale. James Cameron's Avatar basically stole the plot from Dances with Wolves, except added flashy special effects and removed the great story and heart. 

At Number 21: Field of Dreams

Another Kevin Costner classic, Field of Dreams is a baseball fan's dream film. As a die-heart baseball fan, particularly baseball history, I love all the references to old-time players and the inspiring story.

At Number 20: Jaws

While Jaws looses it suspense upon multiple viewings, is a must see. For someone watching for the first time, it is nail-bitingly suspenseful, with John Williams' iconic score to set the perfect tone. 

At Number 19: Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur really started my interest in classic epics and despite its nearly four hour length, held my attention throughout. There were many fantastic Christian themes and messages, which is rare for a good film to capture. Ben-Hur Review.

At Number 18: Inglourious B------

Please excuse the profanity on the poster.

The first and only Quentin Tarantino film I have seen, but it certainly left a lasting impression. It was hilarious, yet brutal at the same time. Never before did I believe several minutes of pure dialogue exchange (much of it in subtitles) could be so intense and suspenseful. 

At Number 17: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

Another Steven Spielberg classic, E.T. is the perfect family movie. There is something in it for everyone of all ages, plus John Williams' score is amazing. 

At Number 16: The Bridge on the River Kwai

Alec Guinness gives an amazing Oscar winning performance in this Best Picture winning film.  The Bridge on the River Kwai delves into the prisoners' psyche, with its thought provoking script. It was more than deserving of its Best Picture win.

At Number 15: Lawrence of Arabia

Yet another historical epic, clocking in at almost four hours! However, it set the prescient for modern cinematography with its sweeping landscape shots. 

At Number 14: Patton

While George C. Scott may be disliked by the Academy's votes, it did not stop him from winning an Oscar for his performance and the film winning the Oscar for Best Picture.

At Number 13: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Humphrey Bogart gives a fantastic performance in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre as the crazed Freed Dobbs. While many usually think of Bogart in Casablanca, The Treasure of Sierra Madre is my favorite of his films dramas with a surprisingly dark story for the time.

Have you seen any of these films? Do you agree with any of my choices so far? Please comment below.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Academy Award Trivia.

Since the Academy Awards are just around the corner, here are some Oscar related trivia. To make it easier, they are all multiple choice questions. Anyone who answers correctly will have their linked in the answers post.

Which two of the following films were not nominated for Best Picture by the Academy Awards?

Star Wars (1977)

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Back to the Future

Argo

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Inception

Which three of the following films were nominated for Best Picture by the Academy Awards?

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

The Dark Knight

Blade Runner

The Godfather Part III

Field of Dreams

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Which of one of the following films did not win the Academy Award for Best Picture?

Rocky

Citizen Kane

The Sting

Lawrence of Arabia

Ben-Hur

Which two of the following actors were not nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the films listed below.

Johnny Depp: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Leonardo DiCaprio: Inception

George C. Scott: Patton

Harrison Ford: The Fugitive

Robert Downey, Jr.: Chaplin

Also I have turned on the comment moderation for this trivia post.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.