86th Academy Awards Analysis and Predictions: Best Actor and Best Actress

Andrew: Hello readers! Day Three of our coverage leading up to this Sunday's 86th Academy Awards is here. Yesterday we discussed the categories for Best Animated Feature, Best Song, Best Score and Best Visual Effects (which you can read HERE if you want to give those a gander), and today we'll be delving into the two big acting categories - Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress. 

Sarah, because of the film we just watched last night in our attempts to get caught up on Oscar films, let's kick things off with the Best Lead Actress category shall we?

Best Lead Actress

The nominees for Best Lead Actress are:

- Amy Adams, American Hustle

- Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

- Sandra Bullock, Gravity

- Judi Dench, Philomena

- Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

For a while now the consensus has been that Cate Blanchett is the easy front-runner in this category, Sarah. Last night we were finally able to see her performance as a woman having a bit of a mental breakdown following the arrest and death of her Bernie Madoff-like husband. After watching Blue Jasmine do you think she's the easy call here or does she have some true competition?

Luhrmann Can't Make Jay Gatsby and Co. Any More Interesting, But They Sure Do Look Pretty!: Our Review of "The Great Gatsby" (2013)

Directed By: Baz Lurhmann (Moulin Rouge!) 

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton

Rating: PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying and brief language

Run Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes

Synopsis: Midwestern writer Nick Carraway (Maguire) moves to New York City to try his hand at bond trading. While in New York is befriended by the charismatic and mysterious Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio), who harbors a long-standing love for Nick's beautiful, but married cousin, Daisy (Mulligan). When Gatsby enlists Nick's help in rekindling his relationship with Daisy, it draws the ire of Daisy's husband, Tom Buchanan (Edgerton), who begins to unravel the truth of who Gatsby truly is.

REVIEW

Andrew: Hello readers! This past Saturday Sarah and I had the recently rare opportunity to go see a movie in the theatre, considering we weren't on the road somewhere for the first time in four weeks. We took that opportunity to see this past weekend's big new release, The Great Gatsby.

It's directed by Baz Luhrmann, of Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet fame, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the rich and mysterious Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as his neighbor/writer/bond salesman Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan (the object of Gatsby's desire), and Joel Edgerton as Daisy's husband, Tom Buchanan.

So this is a film that we've been looking forward to for some time now...

S: The trailers for it have been absolutely AMAZING. They made it look like it was going to be another Luhrmann spectacle.

A: To be quite honest, I never read "The Great Gatsby" - I wasn't made to read it in high school, I wasn't made to read it in college, and I've never read it just because. So this was my experience with any version of this tale.

Tarantino's New Revenge Flick is Bloody Good Fun: Our Review of "Django Unchained" (2012)

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds) 

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson

Rating: R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity

Run Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Synopsis: A bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Waltz) tracks down a frees a slave named Django (Foxx) to help him hunt down the Brittle Brothers. Once that's done, Schultz agrees to make Django his full-time partner and to help him free his wife from the clutches of the evil plantation owner, Calvin Candie (DiCaprio).

REVIEW

Andrew: Hello readers! Last night Sarah and I braved a snow storm to hit up the local AMC and catch Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, Django Unchained, starring Jamie Foxx (Horrible Bosses), Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception) and Samuel L. Jackson (The Avengers).

The film is about a slave named Django who is bought by a bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz, who needs Django to help track down a few bounties. After finding that Django is quite good at bounty hunting, Schultz agrees to free Django, make him his full partner and help track down Django’s wife, Broomhilda, who has been sold to an evil plantation owner named Calvin Candie, played by DiCaprio.

It’s been making a bit of waves because of it’s liberal use of the N-word, because of Tarantino’s revisionist take on American slavery, and because of Tarantino’s classic stylized violence. That said, we’ve been looking forward to this film for quite some time and now that we’ve seen it, what did you think, Sarah?

Sarah: Well just from what I’ve seen of Tarantino’s filmography, which is pretty much just the two Kill Bill films and the first half of Reservoir Dogs, it seems like this one is pretty on par with the way he likes to do filmmaking. He seems to like his cameos in his own movies, doesn’t he?

But I really liked this movie! I LOVED Christoph Waltz. I’ve only ever seen him in Water for Elephants, which didn’t impress me, but I really liked him here.

Christoph Waltz (left), who won an Oscar for his role as Hans Landa in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, scores another fantastic role as the bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz. Might another Oscar be in his future?

New International Trailer for "Django Unchained"!

Andrew: Hey hey look! There's a new international trailer for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming film Django Unchained and it has some new footage that the first trailer didn't have! Nice! Check it out below!

Official International Trailer for Django Unchained

Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx, Christop Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kelly Washington and Don Johnson. It comes out this December.

Our apologies for being a little slow with the content this week. Been a busy week with our regular day-jobs, but we promise that tomorrow we'll have a regular weekly preview, along with some new reviews this upcoming weekend. We're looking forward to it and we hope you are, too!

Trailer courtesy: Yahoo!

First Trailer for Tarantino's "Django Unchained" Is Here!

Andrew: I'm going to post this as fast as I can because this trailer has been posted and taken down a number of times already today by the Weinstein Company, but here's the first official trailer for Quentin Tarantino's highly-anticipated new film Django Unchained starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio. I would explain what the premise of the movie is, but the trailer does quite a good job of that by itself. So check it out!







Django Unchained comes out this winter and also stars Kerry Washington (TV's Scandal) and Don Johnson. Let us know what you think of the trailer!

Courtesy: YouTube

Titanic Rises Again: Our Review of "Titanic 3D" (2012)

Directed By: James Cameron

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Bill Paxton, Billy Zane

Rating: PG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language

Synopsis: The tale of star-crossed lovers, the rich Rose DeWitt Bukater (Winslet) and poor Jack Dawson (DiCaprio), who meet and fall in love while on the maiden voyage of the doomed H.M.S. Titanic, told through the eyes of an older Rose 84 years after the tragic sinking.

REVIEW

Sarah: Good evening readers! On this Easter Sunday, Andrew and I thought that it would be a great opportunity for us to go and check out Titanic in 3D! So many people have seen this movie already. I mean, it HAS been out for 15 years so if you haven't seen it, shame on you. 

But what did you think Andrew? Was it worth the afternoon?

Andrew: It was absolutely worth the afternoon (and we do mean afternoon - got to the theatre at 2:45, got out at 6:45). Titanic is without a doubt one of the greatest films in history; I mean, it did win 11 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.

But what made it worth it wasn't that it's a great film - that's a given. What made it worth the afternoon was getting to see it on the big screen again after 15 years, and to get to see it in 3D at that.

S: The 3D blew my mind. When a movie can literally make you forget that you are in a theatre it really is amazing. I have said before in this blog that I really don't like 3D movies. I don't know if it's because it hurts my eyes or the fact that I have to wear sunglasses in a theatre but I just don't usually like them. The way that James Cameron does 3D is the exception to the rule. The pictures literally fall away from you, giving the movie depth and transport you into that fateful trip. 

It has been said that Titanic is one of those movies that when you pass by it on the television, you usually stop and watch it no matter what part of the movie it is. This re-release solidifies that tradition even more. The suspense and beautiful story of the passengers on the Titanic is still as powerful today as it was 15 years ago.

A: Amen. I've seen the film numerous times but I usually come in somewhere after it starts. This is only the third time I can think of that I've seen it from start to finish and I was totally engrossed in the story and how the film looked. James Cameron absolutely deserved his Oscar for this film because it's amazing from top to bottom.

I'm a sucker for knowing how films are made and I would love to watch a behind-the-scenes documentary on Titanic because the sheer scope of the film is impressive. I'm sure most of our readers have seen the film at home or when it first came out, but I HIGHLY recommend that you see it again while it's in theatres and in 3D.

This is the best 3D I have seen for a movie since Toy Story 3 and I list it third behind only Toy Story 3 (2nd) and Cameron's Avatar (1st). The fact that this film was post-converted into 3D and looks so fantastic speaks to how well Cameron knows how to use the technology and that it wasn't just a hack-job like the 3D was for Alice in Wonderland or Clash of the Titans (so I've read).

S: Titanic is the only movie that makes me consistently cry. When the old couple is in bed together while the water swirls up around them and when the mother is tucking her daughter and son into bed with a nighttime story are two of the most touching scenes. It really just brings that feeling of complete resolution to death that I 'm sure so many felt that night. The other scene that always gets me is the VERY end when Rose goes back to the ship after she has died and everyone that went down with the ship is waiting for her. And there is Jack at the top of the stairs. *sigh* So romantic!

And this film is what shot Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to stardom. Even though neither one took home the Oscar for Titanic, they have both been nominated since, and Winslet has taken home the golden statue twice. I think they can thank this movie for bringing them to the forefront of Hollywood heavyweights.

A: I'm man enough to admit that both those scenes you just mentioned also made me tear up. I attribute that to being married now (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

I will say, after all these years, I have a larger appreciation for this film. From the special effects to the script to the acting, I feel that it's all top-notch. For years I felt that Leo's performance wasn't very good, but something hit my today in the scene where Jack dines with Rose and the other rich people where I was quite impressed with DiCaprio's performance. It was more reminiscent of what he's done in The Aviator and Inception.

So yeah, in summary, I definitely think it was worth our Easter Sunday afternoon to go see Titanic in 3D. Think we need to go out and get this one on Blu-Ray some day soon, my dear?

S: I do think that we will have to purchase this one for the collection! It’s pretty interesting that for a movie such as this, neither of us own it yet. Especially considering we have to give it:

(Out of Five)

Our Preview of this Week's New Releases (For Friday, April 6th)

Andrew: Hello readers! We have been really busy lately so we've been absent from the theatres, but we're really hoping to change that this week. However, we're still bringing your our weekly preview as we take a look at which new movies we're most likely to see.

It's not THE biggest film coming out this week (we'll get to that one later) but American Reunion is the most anticipated new film coming out this week. The third sequel to the 1999 hit American Pie, in Reunion we see all the main players from the original trilogy coming back for...well...a high school reunion. Duh.

Sarah, what are your thoughts on American Reunion?

Sarah: I think this looks really funny. It could be because the hometown of the Pie-ers is based on a town close to my hometown in Michigan, it could also be because I love Alyson Hannigan, or it could just be because it looks hilarious! It's been so long since the gang was together. I think it will also be kind of cool because the gang has grown up with their audience so it will be relatable. What do you think?

Official Trailer for American Reunion

A: While I was skeptical at first, because of the length of time between American Wedding and this new one, I came around to being excited because all the main actors are back and it's being directed by Adam Hurwitz, who has a writing credit for all the Harold & Kumar movies, as well as having directed Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. The trailer looks funny, and of course, we both love Hannigan. Count me in.

S: OK, now on to the BIGGEST movie that has come out this week. Or should we say has re-come out. Titanic! Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 3 months, you've known that this one was coming out in order to commemorate the 100 years since the sinking of the ship. What are your thoughts on this one Andrew?

Official Trailer for Titanic 3D

A: My primary thought is: I know how this one ends. But I'll let that slide. My second thought is: I hope the post-conversion 3D James Cameron did on it is good. And from what I've read, this is supposedly the best 3D for a film since Avatar, and at least on par with Hugo.

I do want to see Titanic during it's re-release and that's mainly because it's a movie that NEEDS to be seen in theatres on a big screen. It's the definition of a blockbuster. For the sinking of the ship scene alone this needs to be seen in theatres. So count me in.

S: I will be seeing this one as well because when it originally came out, I was in third grade and my mother WOULD NOT let me go see it! Even though ALL of my other friends got to see it! In hindsight, it really wasn't that risque at all but whatever, I was an only child then, with protective parents.

So the main movies coming out this weekend are sequels or re-releases. But let's be honest, it will probably be a HUGE weekend for the movies.

A: Yeah, for the most part these are the two big films. I don't know if that had to do with it being the weekend of The Masters or Opening Weekend for baseball, but there's not much coming out tomorrow.

Next week looks to be a little more jam-packed when we get The Cabin in the Woods, Lockout and The Three Stooges. In the mean time, I can guarantee that we will be seeing Titanic and American Reunion. So be on the lookout for our reviews!