Oscars 2015

Films: Whiplash, Inherent Vice, Cake, Gone Girl, The Theory of Everything, 

Birdman and Selma

As I gaze out my window into my backyard, the snow is startling white. It seems like you can go out and play. That is not the case. My iPhone registers the temperature at 0º, which does not include the windchill. How many days until spring is all I can think of.

Since I can’t go out and play or garden under several inches of icy snow, winter for me is hiding out in a theater and watch films. That is probably my favorite thing to do in the cooler months especially winter. I have seen all the Oscar nominated films: Boyhood, Whiplash, The Theory of Everything, Selma, American Sniper, The Imitation Game, Birdman, and The Grand Budapest Hotel (I watched this at home at least four times and I just couldn’t get through it). I try to see all the films so when the Oscars are televised, I can get a good representation about the nominees and their performances. The collection of films are all very different and I like them all for various reasons except the one I couldn’t finish watching.

Which film will win best film of the year? I choose “Boyhood” because it was incredible. It spans a boys life from age six until eighteen; the performances and storyline were stellar. It’s a simple premise where a boy experiences life like everyone else does without these super dramatic clichés. It’s real life where I was compelled to see what happens next. The boy ages nonchalantly where there is no birthday parties or awkward type on the screen that says, “2 Years later.” You figure it out by: his size, how the boy’s hair and clothing changes, and a more mature dialogue. I enjoyed it very much because of its inventiveness. It reminded me of the Linklater’s “Before Midnight.” It’s fresh and the dialogue carries the entire film. It’s that simple. I wish I would have seen it on the big screen. The critics however think it was just average but because it spans 12-years, it is worth an Oscar nomination.

I also really enjoyed Eddy Redmayne’s performance in “The Theory of Everything.” He contorted his body to represent Dr. Steven Hawking’s affliction of motor neuron disease beautifully. When I looked online to see the real Hawking, Redmayne looked perfect. I heard stories about this film that is was like a soap opera or sappy love story. That is what I loved about it, the love and respect these two people had for one another. The fact that Dr. Hawking had an early onset of this disease and his soon to be wife stuck by him through his entire illness. If that is not love, I don’t know what is. I didn’t know anything about the subject matter so I was immersed in the story as it unfolded; how Steven Hawking is still living with this debilitating disease when doctors only gave him a limited time to live. A miracle, I’d say. I believe Redmayne will get the Oscar for all his research and unforgettable performance of this scientist.

Selma, I thought was also a terrific film. I heard all the criticism that the director/writer had to edit Dr. Martin Luther Kings words but it didn’t diminish the content of the story for me. Dr. King believed in voting rights for all people and he demonstrated it nonviolently in getting the message across to the nation. With all the racial violence going on in 2015 between African Americans and police, this film couldn’t have come out at a better time. All through the film I kept thinking about what’s going on in 2015 - blacks getting killed for voting rights as they are getting killed today by police. Lives were lost even whites who believe in the cause.

The editing of the film was wonderful as the director interwove authentic black and white footage of the actual event in Selma. I just heard this morning on NPR that, “Take My Hand Precious Lord by Mahalia Jackson was Dr. King’s favorite hymn that was sung in the film. It was a long film but it didn’t seem like it because I received a history lesson about an important time in history.

The actor, David Oyelowo, who portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King was fantastic. As the actor said on David Letterman, he was born to play this role. I believe the Academy snubbed both the actor and director, Ava DuVernay for this film.

I hear other filmgoers say that, “Birdman” will get best picture, maybe but I didn’t like it as much as “Boyhood.” I agree it was a very different film; I did myself a disservice by seeing it alone because I had no one to discuss it with afterwards. In fact, I am still thinking about this film as people praise its genus. Michael Keaton was brilliant in the staring role and it will be a tough fight between him and Redmayne.

I love inventive films where you have to think through it where it isn’t so cut and dry. Using those critical thinking skills and decipher what the film was really about. I heard, “Birdman” was shot with a handheld camera and there was research in using a specific theater. You can feel the actors tension as the camera weaves back and forth through the tight corridors of the theater. Keaton was on David Letterman describing his experience while filming and I liked it more as he talked about it. Like I said, still thinking about it.

The last film I want to talk about briefly is “Whiplash.” I loved that film. It was energetic but dark where you got a real sense of what it’s like to attend a high-pressure, performing arts school. The actor, J. K. Simmons was amazing. He was brutal and in your face but fantastic as this high-demanding instructor. He throws things at his students and all they want to do is please him with bleeding fingers, playing for hours and hours showing their passion for music. You can feel the unbelievable pressure these students go through to be “the best.” I am not a big “jazz” fan but the music was fantastic as another character in the film. Tight editing when you felt the rise and fall of the lead character as the film progresses. I highly recommend this film. J. K. Simmons, hands down will get the supporting role for the Oscar.

There were other films I enjoyed such as “Cake” where Jennifer Aniston was also snubbed for an Oscars in this lead role. I am not a fan of Aniston but she was stellar. She created this character as someone that you can feel compassion for but scratch your head how she became so caustic. I like how the film leads the viewer through a path of the unknown until the very end – finally it all made sense. I like films as I previously said that isn’t explained perfectly where you have to think about it more.

I saw a lot of films from September till February when I finally saw Julianna Moore’s performance in “Still Alice.” She was amazing. Her anguish and forgetfulness was easily seen as the character goes from professor to patient trying to get through the day. I concur with the critics, she will win the Oscar. It was definitely not an uplifting film; scary and depressing as Moore portrays a woman with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

I love film because of the creative process. Just like every objective medium, no one agrees with what you think. That is fine with me. That’s what makes it so much fun seeing what filmmakers do to get the audience’s attention. I hope I get a few predictions correct for my Oscar picks on February 22, 2015.

Next up: The Cleveland International Film Festival
My favorite event in March

http://www.clevelandfilm.org/