Cinéma Geek L'essentiel du cinéma d'auteur, asiatique et geek
Samsara
My rank: 08/10. As beautiful as Baraka was, which is soothing and leaves you pleased at the end, bundled with an apocalyptic message that leaves you depressed at the end. The music will not help you stay awake in your struggle to see every second of all this beauty.
Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away
I give it a 08/10. Not sure if this would make the nominations, perhaps for documentary? Not sure in which category this falls. I’ve seen this in IMAX 3D. Not it’s not the same as a real show, but you easily get 70% of the satisfaction of the real thing, at 25% of the price… Good value.
The Master
I give it a 7/10. Now this is a story that starts with great interest: intriguing story line, off the charts actor performances, amazing cinematography made using 70mm film. All is there to make this a masterful drama. And then the story ends and you’re not sure what exactly has been accomplished, how what was shown has presented the elements that the director wanted us to witness. Call me stupid for not getting it, it’s possible it’s out of my range. But not knowing any better, I’m blaming the director for failing to make his point. Director failures exist just as well. In any case, stupidity of my own or failure of the director, it’s a personal disappointment for me. It feels like a waste of so many great elements.
Nominated for:
Actor In a Leading Role
Actor In a Supporting Role
Actress In a Supporting Role
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ1O1vb9AUU
The Impossible
I give it a 7/10. It’s a touching story. What’s extraordinary is that the whole family survives the tsunami. After that, there’s nothing really extraordinary about how they manage to find each other, but it’s still interesting to witness their story unravel. I thought Naomi Watts did a really good job, not sure it’s enough for the win.
Nominated for:
Actress In a Leading Role
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU4mXJRHIcQ
The Invisible War
I give it a 7/10. Important documentary to raise awareness of the situation (systemic problem of rapes within the American army). I wouldn’t say it’s a great documentary, the documentary is showing too many details of one specific case while we’d be interested to know more about the general situation. We get to know about the victims, but it would have been interesting to have testimony from witnesses, maybe more details about the abusers, although I understand that’s probably more tricky to do due to legal constraints on what can or cannot be disclosed.
Nominated for:
Documentary Feature
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
I give it a 7/10. It’s funny, great stop motion animation. Nothing really special.
Nominated for:
Animated Feature Film
The Sessions
I give it a 7/10. Good and light entertainment. It’s funny and captivating.
Nominated for:
Actress In a Supporting Role
Guilt Trip
I give it a 07/10. A sensible comedy targeting baby boomers and their grown up kids. Works very well at that, quite entertaining.
5 Broken Cameras
I give it a 6/10. What’s powerful in this documentary is the reality that’s presented to us. We’re actually there to witness this episode of the occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel. We’re there on a long enough period of time to witness the land next to the village be taken away with the villagers powerless to prevent it, but then as time goes by, the village itself is swallowed under « war zone » laws, while all that’s happening is expansion of housing construction for more colony settlement. That’s already a good reason enough to see this movie, it’s eye-opening. But then what makes it less efficient is the lack of actual documentary structure and method. It’s been filmed as time went, and it’s edited chronologically so we’re watching this like a souvenir video, which is sometimes long, sometimes the purpose is not well underlined, and it’s presenting one side of the story. As truthful as it is, it would still have been interesting to have cut scenes with experts talking, officials talking the official line, ex-officials or hidden officials confirming the officious line… It’s a great effort for someone without experience.
Nominated for:
Best Documentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XID_UuxiGxM
Frankenweenie
I give it a 6/10.This was great as a short movie in the 1980s. I can’t say I found it more interesting as a full length movie. Great stop motion animation.
Nominated for:
Animated Feature Film
Flight
I give it a 6/10. The plane crash scene at the beginning is REALLY awesome! That’s it, the rest is boring. Can’t believe it’s nominated for Writing (Original Screenplay) when the story is so heavily inspired by a movie form Quebec called Piché Entre ciel et Terre, which was actually telling a true local story. Rip off. Acting is good, wouldn’t say Oscar worthy.
Nominated for:
Actor In a Leading Role
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Killing Them Softly
I give it a 5/10. Killing me softly it did indeed. This movie is really boring, and the scenario so simple that reading the synopsis is a major spoiler for all that’s happening. Here goes my spoilers, stop reading if you think there’s anything to be surprised from the movie: It’s the story of a hitman brought to a city to hit 3-4 guys. He does so, simply and without complication. The End. You’re in for a lot of conversation scenes meant to humanize gangsters and hitmen: they have feelings, they have relationship issues, bla. bla. bla. This gangster movie tries to be a drama, and fails at being either.
Oscars 2013 Prep | Blockbusters
Here are some movies nominated for more technical prowess that I spend time describing, but that I did watch for this Oscar prep, or for my own entertainment, not realizing it would become Oscar material:
The Avengers – Visual Effects – Worthy of winning
Mirror Mirror (Snow White) – Costume – Really worthy of winning
Prometheus – Visual Effects – Worthy of winning
Snow White and the Huntsman – Visual Effects (not really) and Costume (yes, but I prefer Mirror Mirror at that)
Ted – Song – I don’t remember the song and I was actually looking to hear it…
ParaNorman – Animated Feature Film – Meh. Great stop animation, bad story.