Thoughts on the 89th Annual Oscar's Best Picture Nominees

Disclaimer: Though Garth Davis' Lion is nominated for best picture, I was unable to see it.

Arrival: Dennis Villeneuve 4/5

It has been awhile since a new intelligent science fiction film about aliens has been produced, but in 2016 one arrived. Villeneuve's Arrival is the story of a linguist, Amy Adams, a scientist, Jeremy Renner, and their attempts to understand why these massive alien space crafts have landed on Earth. In order to find out, they enter one of the space ships everyday, and attempt to learn the alien's bizarre and transcendent written language. As the film progresses, a deeper story begins to develop, and the truth behind these aliens sudden appearance is revealed. Through some clever editing, and perfectly placed intellectual insight, Arrival marks itself as one the greatest science fiction dramas in the genre. While the genre of science fiction may not appeal to all audiences, this creative and thought provoking story is worth taking a chance on.

Fences: Denzel Washington 4/5
He directed it, he starred in it on Broadway, and now he's bringing to the silver screen. Denzel Washington's Fences is a homerun, with charm, joy, poetic dialogue, and unforgettable performances from the entire cast. Washington holds the film together as its cornerstone and main root, Viola Davis provides love and compassion to let it grow, Stephen Henderson brings humor and charm to make it shine, and Mykelti Williamson waters it with his somber subtext and open heart. These incredible performances are heightened by Washington's direction, his careful choices on when to go in for a close up, and when to remain at a distance. In a featurette for the film, Denzel Washington stated "there's no such thing as movie acting, in my opinion, no 'I have to be small.' Just let me worry about that...[the crew and I will] back up." All of these elements, combined with an already haunting and poetic screenplay, come together to make Fences a beautifully tragic story of a father's broken redemption. It is worth watching, and sharing in the company of close friends and family. Click here for my full review of Fences.

Hacksaw Ridge: Mel Gibson 4.5/5
Mel Gibson cements the name Private Desmond Doss among the lists of great war heroes with this masterclass of a war biopic, Hacksaw Ridge. What separates Doss from other war heroes, is his choice not to brandish a firearm on the battlefield, and stand by his Christian values. The storyline of the film displays the linear progression of Doss' life. It starts with his young life in Virginia, and the romance he has with his eventual fiancée. Then it moves out to the back breaking combat training camp, as Doss faces torment, ridicule and accusations of insubordination. The film ends with the viscerally graphic battlefield of Hacksaw ridge, and the miracle Doss was able to achieve on top of those cliffs. Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Doss is gut wrenching and spiritually uplifting. Garfield stands by his character's convictions, and never portrays them with a "holier than thou" attitude. He lives humbly, is guided by a moral compass, and is ever willing to risk his life for the sake of others. Audiences will cheer for his accomplishments, and cry out against the injustice done towards him. For the less squeamish and morally inspired, Hacksaw Ridge is a beautiful masterpiece, easily worth renting. Click here for my full review of Hacksaw Ridge.

Hell or High Water: David Mackenzie 3/5
Two brothers are robbing banks to pay off the mortgage on their family's ranch. The cops are hot on their tails, and the chase rages on across the plains of Comanche country in the modern dramatic western Hell or High Water. What makes this film standout from other westerns is how story takes place solely in Texas, and the crew filmed it on location in...New Mexico. Lead actors, Chris Pine and Ben Foster, embody a genuine relationship between two brothers living on the wild side of life. Pine's character wrestles with his morally minded conscious, and Foster's lives for the moments when he can let his trigger finger fly. The cops chasing after them have their own friendship, expressed through insults and back handed compliments. They are played by a cynical Jeff Bridges and a stalwart Gil Birmingham. The back and forth between all of these characters is clever, and worth watching. The story is also engaging. The first half of the film is the fun and games on the wrong side of the law, and the last half features the inevitable consequences from these actions. The slow burn pacing is justified, but I do wonder what more this film could have done if it raised the stakes a bit sooner and dared to surprise its audience. Hell or High Water is a fun film filled with great dialogue between relatable characters, but the direction maars the story with dozens of missed opportunities.

Hidden Figures: Theodore Melfi 2.5/5
Hidden Figures is the story of three NASA mathematicians and their contributions to America's space race, specifically John Glenn's orbit around the Earth. The story mainly centers around Katharine G. Johnson, played by Taraji P. Henson. Johnson was the woman who solved for Glenn's launch and landing. The other two woman are not as prominently featured in the film. One of the most memorable performances in this movie is Kevin Costner's portrayal of the fictitious leader of NASA's computer department, Al Harrison. The screenplay works well, as it is occasionally funny, often repetitive, and every now and then insightful. The overarching story though is historically inaccurate, as most of the key moments shaping Johnson's character development did not happen in real life. It's regrettable, but it does not detract from the movie. What does detract is this movie's direction. Since the camera often cuts away from characters as soon as they are done speaking, audiences rarely see characters reactions to the events surrounding them. Events play out, but they are never expanded upon. With an interesting story, a star studded cast, but unfortunately amateur direction, Hidden Figures is worth seeing on DVD, but not at full price. Click here for my full review of Hidden Figures.

La La Land: Damien Chazelle 5/5
Damien Chazelle and Lions Gate pictures present a phenomenal modern day cinematic original musical full of eye popping colors, charmingly broken characters, fantastic performances, and unforgettable music. La La Land is an insightful look at the hypocritical dreamers of Los Angeles, and it will take audiences on a trip around the stars without them ever leaving their seats. This remarkable film is headed by two star performers. Emma Stone plays Mia, a Hollywood Barista who hangs on audition to audition. Accompanying her is Ryan Gosling who plays the abrasively charming jazz pianist, Sebastian. According to IMDB.com Gosling "spent two hours a day, six days a week in piano lessons learning the music by heart...He was able to play all the piano sequences seen in the film." La La Land's most pronounced element is its music, which consists of upbeat jazz rhythms, passionate singing from leads Stone and Gosling, impactful lyrics, and memorable leitmotifs. In an interview with Genius.com, musical composer Justin Hurwitz states the recurring melodies in the film were used to “help people remember those melodies, to drive [them] home. Figuring out fun ways to use those melodies and to allow [them] to actually mean things was part of what [the cast and crew] were going for.” They were successful. The entire cast and crew of La La Land put their best foot forward and it landed on the beat. Do not let this wonderful experience slip through your grasp. I love this film, and I cannot wait to see it again. Click here for my full review of La La Land.

Manchester by the Sea: Kenneth Lonergan 0.5/5
Manchester by the Sea was filmed on location in Manchester Massachusetts. It is a slow (dragging its feet) paced movie about loss, loss, loss, and loss. It's story is also difficult to understand, as it often suddenly cuts to flashbacks where the actors are wearing the exact same outfits. The over arching storyline is without payoff. What most audiences will expect to be a story of redemption is in reality about a depressed man who needs to overcome the trauma in his life but never does. Lead actor Casey Affleck starts the movie sad, and ends the movie sad. He has no significant character development, and no major changes in his facial expressions. His performance is unemotional and contained, which is what the director wanted to achieve. In an interview with Casey Affleck on Entertainment Weekly, he said "One metaphor that we used was like a dam breaking, and it keeps cracking, but if you just let it crack then all the water's gonna come out, and it's no fun...so the character just has to hold it in all the time." Most of the other performers follow the same suit, but when they have dramatic break downs they let all the water rush out of their dam. It's these few and far between moments where Affleck's character has to remain guarded that will trick you into thinking this movie is going to have a moment when Affleck finally breaks down. Do not be fooled. He never does, and this movie goes nowhere.

Moonlight: Barry Jenkins 3/5
Moonlight is the hard but true story of a kid from Miami, Chiron, and the trauma he underwent for his mindset and brash behaviors. The film is split into three separate acts, with each act coinciding with Chiron's latest nickname and time in his life. The film starts with his childhood, moves on ahead to his life in jr. high, and ends with the outcome of his choices in his adulthood. At first it feels the pacing of the film is imbalanced by not regarding certain elements of the story, but as the film progresses audiences realize this was done for dramatic effect. The performances in this film are captivating and emotional. The three actors who play the lead, Chiron, bring life and humanity to this character. It's nothing phenomenal, but it's above average work. Two of them stand out from the rest of the cast. Mahershala Ali provides an affectionate performance as Chrion's benevolent pseudo guardian. He speaks with tenderness, holds Chiron with care above the waves of life, and will do anything to keep this boy afloat. Naomie Harris offers a devastating depiction of Chiron's crack addict mother. She ranges from desperate, to manic, to insane, and she demands the eyes of her viewers. It's these poignant performances, combined with a poetic and unnatural script, which make Moonlight a well done Film. It is, however, not for the majority of audiences. People should check to see if this film is what they want to immerse themselves in, before they experience this story of disillusioned heart break, dissolving hatred, and dissonant harmony.

"While Everyone else is takin' life, I'm gonna be savin' It." Hacksaw Ridge Review

Hacksaw Ridge

4.5/5

Directed by: Mel Gibson

Rated: R

           "You have heard it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:21-22, NIV). These words struck a young man living in 1943, and even though it was a time of war, he would not break the rules of his religion. He desired to fight for his country on distant Japanese shores, but he would not fire a bullet. On his days in combat, instead of taking lives he saved them. Hacksaw Ridge is the emotionally gripping true story of war medic and decorated  Medal of Honor veteran Private Desmond Doss, and the 75 lives he saved without a rifle by his side.
           Portraying the life of Desmond Doss on the silver screen is no easy task. To begin with, Doss himself was always unsure about letting movie studios use his story. Doss' son, Desmond Jr. told People Movies “The reason [his father] declined is that none of [the studios] adhered to his one requirement: that it be accurate." Most of the film is historically accurate and all of it is founded in Doss' beleifs. This is because Gibson's goal from the start of pre production was to do Doss' story justice and give the credit to whom credit is due.
           One of the hardest challenges of making this incredible war story was finding the right actor to portray Doss, but this too was overcome. According to IMDb.com "Desmond Jr. attended [Garfield's] screening and was moved to tears by [his] accurate portrayal of his dad." Garfield's performance is filled with light hearted humor at his home in Virginia, and unrelenting perseverance on the plains of Hacksaw. What gives heart to Doss' character is his foundation of faith. His choice to follow the Good Book instead of the rule book is what motivates his actions through training and combat. Hacksaw Ridge will cement the name Desmond Doss in the minds of audiences everywhere, and they will pray alongside him for miracles, and cheer for the victories he was able to achieve.
           In order to give vitality to the true story behind the conscientious objector and war medic, Gibson and screenwriter Robert Schenkkan did extensive research on Doss' life in the army. In an article by Time Entertainment, Schenkkan stated he based the story "on military records and footage of interviews with Doss, though finding ample material proved challenging because his subject’s modesty made him averse to the limelight."
          The screenplay for Hacksaw Ridge focuses on three main points, Doss' Christian values, the horrors of war, and the men Doss risked his life to save from the bombarded plains of Hacksaw Ridge. While all three of these elements are strongly emphasized in the story, they are not always in balance with each other. There were whole five minute chunks of bloody war footage, and Private Doss is nowhere to be found. After this brief hiatus from the main protagonist, he arrives back on screen and arrests the eyes of audiences all they way to the film's magnificent conclusion.
           Doss' heroics on the battlefield are magnified by Gibson's scenes of the casualties of war. It is visceral, bloody, and will make the squeamish cringe. In an article by People Movies, a veteran from Okinawa stated, “It was graphic...When you’ve been there, that’s what it’s like.” It's not glorified or dignified. It injects the narrative with dramatic tension, fills the performances with genuine fear of death, and gives audiences a reason to applaud for this masterful film. After all, Hacksaw Ridge "received a standing ovation lasting nine minutes and 48 seconds at the Venice Film Festival" (IMDb.com).

Verdict: Hacksaw Ridge is a masterful heaven of a biopic (because it certainly ain't Hell), with an engaging performance by Andrew Garfield and haunting imagery from Mel Gibson's direction.

"Here at NASA we all pee the same Color" Hidden Figures Review

Hidden Figures

2.5/5

Directed by: Theodore Melfi

Rated: PG

           When a film has an interesting story about NASA's pursuit to put a man on the moon, it is sure to get noticed. When a film features a knock out cast line up, including Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, and Mahershala Ali, it is sure to get noticed. When a film features original music from Pharrell Williams and Hans Zimmer, it is sure to get noticed. For a movie about three African American female mathematicians, it's a no brainer why Hidden Figures stands out at the box office.
           Hidden Figures is based on the true stories of Katharine G. Johnson (Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Monae). The three of them worked for NASA during the 1960's. The main story is strongly centered around Katharine, her early work as a computer, and the daily prejudice she had to endure. One of Katharine's most famous contributions to NASA and history were her calculations of John Glenn's launch and landing for his orbit around Earth, which is featured in this movie. The other two girls on the poster are not shown as much, and are considerably unimportant to the plot line of the narrative. While the two of them made great strides in U.S. history, neither of them is given a worthwhile amount of screen time.
           The screenplay works well for this movie. It is occasionally funny, often repetitive, and every now and then insightful. It, however, is not entirely accurate to the state of historic events. It is common for biopics to bend audiences' perceptions of historical events for the sake of dramatic narrative. Hidden Figures, however, centers the majority of its dramatic moments around events that did not happen. For example, the movie features Katharine leaving her desk during the day to use the colored restrooms, which are on the other side of the facility. When her boss asks her where she goes for 40 minutes everyday, she says she has to use the restrooms on the other end of the campus, because there are no closer colored restrooms. This event would not have happened, as, according to historyvshollywood.com "when Katherine started working [at NASA], she didn't even realize that the bathrooms at Langley were segregated. This is because the bathrooms for white employees were unmarked...It took a couple years before she was confronted with her mistake, but she simply ignored the comment." This and other examples of explicit discrimination shown in the movie are inaccurate. Katharine Johnson, herself, said in an interview with WHROTV, "I didn't feel the segregation at NASA, because everybody there was doing research...I knew it was there, but I didn't feel it."
           The greatest drawback in this movie is it direction. It ranges from poor to inconsiderate. There was never a moment where it appeared the director added depth or stronger emotional appeal to a scene. There were seldom any memorable shots, because the director did not give the cinematographer anything amazing to shoot. The camera rarely remained on actors and actresses, when they finished talking. It was constantly jumping to a close up of the next person speaking. No actor or actress had a chance to give the full heartfelt performance they could have given, because the camera would cut away from them before they could act nonverbally. In moments when the director needed to establish a new room, he chose to continue the dialogue instead, without accounting for the audience's reaction to the sudden change in scenery. In particular, there was a sudden jump cut from the NASA break room to one of the girls' houses. The change in interior scenery was so jarring, one of the people in the theatre had to ask me "whose house were they in?" If the audience is having trouble following a basic transition, then it is a prominent sign the direction in this movie needs improvement.

Verdict: Hidden Figures is an average movie, with a genius cast and an interesting story, but its poor direction greatly detracts from the movie's theatrical experience.