Showing posts with label Kristen Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kristen Stewart. Show all posts
So with the announcement of the Critics' Choice Movie Awards nominees ... you may have guessed I have some opinions.
As a voting member of the BFCA, I want our awards to be the best representation of film for the year. So let me give you a couple thoughts on what was (and wasn't) nominated.
While many of my favorites made the list like Whiplash and Boyhood did get into the Best Picture race, I found myself disappointed at a couple marginal films that didn't get in that I quite liked. American Sniper and A Most Violent Year were both excellent and evocative features released this year that were quite good.
But overall, I found the year to be filled with quite good films, but very few "great" films that I really have blown up about. That means that even now, when I look at the list that is up for the Best Picture category, I don't know where my vote will go in January. I can say I will be re-watching some of my faves in coming up with a Top 10 (or so) for the year and in deciding how to mark my ballot!
In the acting categories, there are usually 6 nominees in our awards. That means we get to recognize at least one extra individual in each group, and there are still...of course... those who didn't make the cut that could have deserved the nominations.
Performances like the one from Steve Carell in Foxcatcher got left off in favor of some others. His performance alone was thought to bring him recognition for the first time, and it surprises me that it didn't make the cut. And I absolutely cannot for the life of me understand why Miles Teller isn't talked about more for his driven and obsessive role in Whiplash. J.K Simmons deserves all the love in the world for his role in the same film, but he works with Teller in something special. I believe that across the industry, many are missing the brilliance of Teller's performance and it will be one we look back at later in his career and realize just how good it really was.
On the actress categories there are many great selections. I loved Julianne Moore in Still Alice. My Aniston, Cotillard, Jones, Pike and Witherspoon in the mix...one can easily see what Amy Adams may have been left behind for her performance in Big Eyes.
grandmother battled Alzheimer's and I was literally moved to tears the way Moore was able to convey both the love and the internal struggle that exists for those in the same situation. And with
Now in Supporting Actress I really love all the choices, including one that may have surprised some, Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer. Swinton portrays an incredibly unlikable lady with all the makeup and wardrobe to enhance her just right. Amazing as always, she deserves to be here and IS. Someone who deserves to be here and isn't...is someone who I have always had a difficult time with in films, maybe because her tie to the series that I really didn't like, Kristen Stewart. Her role in Still Alice as the daughter of Julianne Moore is spot on. The struggles she experiences in losing the one person who always was the best and the brightest are real and she brings them to life. Even though she wasn't nominated, this is the best performance we have seen from Stewart and hopefully just a sign of things to come.
What else would I have liked to see that didn't get in?
Rohan Chand for Best Young Actor/Actress in the amazingly underrated comedy Bad Words. Playing opposite the very funny Jason Bateman his timing was spot on and really funny.
The documentaries Point and Shoot and Red Army were both high up on my list of some of the best of the year, and I loved 1971 as well. But docs are really open for this group and the winner come awards night will most likely boil down to Life Itself or Citizenfour if we are being honest.
And last, but not least...The Sacrament. I would've loved to sneak it into the Horror/Sci-fi category and Neighbors or Chef into the Best Comedy category. But that's all personal preference.
The nominations are really solid...and I can't wait to cast my final vote in a couple weeks...until then back to watching some of these that are close yet again! Happy watching!
p
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As a voting member of the BFCA, I want our awards to be the best representation of film for the year. So let me give you a couple thoughts on what was (and wasn't) nominated.While many of my favorites made the list like Whiplash and Boyhood did get into the Best Picture race, I found myself disappointed at a couple marginal films that didn't get in that I quite liked. American Sniper and A Most Violent Year were both excellent and evocative features released this year that were quite good.
But overall, I found the year to be filled with quite good films, but very few "great" films that I really have blown up about. That means that even now, when I look at the list that is up for the Best Picture category, I don't know where my vote will go in January. I can say I will be re-watching some of my faves in coming up with a Top 10 (or so) for the year and in deciding how to mark my ballot!
In the acting categories, there are usually 6 nominees in our awards. That means we get to recognize at least one extra individual in each group, and there are still...of course... those who didn't make the cut that could have deserved the nominations.
Performances like the one from Steve Carell in Foxcatcher got left off in favor of some others. His performance alone was thought to bring him recognition for the first time, and it surprises me that it didn't make the cut. And I absolutely cannot for the life of me understand why Miles Teller isn't talked about more for his driven and obsessive role in Whiplash. J.K Simmons deserves all the love in the world for his role in the same film, but he works with Teller in something special. I believe that across the industry, many are missing the brilliance of Teller's performance and it will be one we look back at later in his career and realize just how good it really was.On the actress categories there are many great selections. I loved Julianne Moore in Still Alice. My Aniston, Cotillard, Jones, Pike and Witherspoon in the mix...one can easily see what Amy Adams may have been left behind for her performance in Big Eyes.
grandmother battled Alzheimer's and I was literally moved to tears the way Moore was able to convey both the love and the internal struggle that exists for those in the same situation. And with
Now in Supporting Actress I really love all the choices, including one that may have surprised some, Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer. Swinton portrays an incredibly unlikable lady with all the makeup and wardrobe to enhance her just right. Amazing as always, she deserves to be here and IS. Someone who deserves to be here and isn't...is someone who I have always had a difficult time with in films, maybe because her tie to the series that I really didn't like, Kristen Stewart. Her role in Still Alice as the daughter of Julianne Moore is spot on. The struggles she experiences in losing the one person who always was the best and the brightest are real and she brings them to life. Even though she wasn't nominated, this is the best performance we have seen from Stewart and hopefully just a sign of things to come.
What else would I have liked to see that didn't get in?
Rohan Chand for Best Young Actor/Actress in the amazingly underrated comedy Bad Words. Playing opposite the very funny Jason Bateman his timing was spot on and really funny.The documentaries Point and Shoot and Red Army were both high up on my list of some of the best of the year, and I loved 1971 as well. But docs are really open for this group and the winner come awards night will most likely boil down to Life Itself or Citizenfour if we are being honest.
And last, but not least...The Sacrament. I would've loved to sneak it into the Horror/Sci-fi category and Neighbors or Chef into the Best Comedy category. But that's all personal preference.
The nominations are really solid...and I can't wait to cast my final vote in a couple weeks...until then back to watching some of these that are close yet again! Happy watching!
p
Jan. 15 on A&E LIVE at 9PM ET / 6PM PT.
It Just Breaks My Heart – And Not In A Good Way
It’s time for the wedding of the century. Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) have decided to make it official; they’re getting married. And that means that within one minute Jacob (Taylor Lautner) will be running without a shirt through the woods in anger. This, folks, is The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1.
So our basic story begins with Bella having some mild cold feet about the impending nuptials. She’s having some pretty wild dreams about how the whole thing might go down. I mean, come on, she’s marrying into a vampire family.
The wedding is just the first step, for this film as soon after the drama surrounding the wedding, it’s off to the honeymoon on a remote island. Bella and Edward can finally consummate their marriage and it is a bit wild. They also get to have some fun playing chess on the beach. But Edward is worried that sleeping with Bella will harm her and he tries to stay away. Bella will not be denied, and the result is a pregnancy between a human and a vampire.
Now the two must cope with hiding this strange occurrence from family and friends as only the Cullen’s will understand. Now, staying with the Cullen’s, they will work to find out what happens next and keep everyone alive. With Jacob there to help, can the Cullens figure out who or what is growing inside Bella and keep everyone safe? And how will we ever prepare for Part 2?
I’m not the target market for the Twilight films; that’s a given! But I can lead you to a good film from time to time, even if it’s not in my wheelhouse. Twilight is not only NOT in my wheelhouse; it’s not in the wheelhouse of passable good films. I know many enjoy the heck out of these films, but I don’t get it.
The acting is all marginally set in a soap opera feel that I just couldn’t quite handle. Music goes over the top and sequence looked better suited to a television screen than on the big screen. So what is it; what will draw people to this film.
I understand there is a love story that is running rampant here. The triangle between Jacob/Edward and Bella is ready to meet its end, but really it doesn’t end with the wedding of Edward and Bella. The over the top performances and lines are just a bit weird. And there were many sequences that left me a bit baffled.
This will proceed to make millions; there is no question about that. I would like to understand. I would like to know what is so special about this series. Many would compare me to a vampire with the schedule I keep, but I still don’t get it. If you are a fan, don’t let me stop you from seeing this film. If you aren’t a fan; don’t start here. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 just breaks my heart, and not in the way the author and director intended.
D
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Summit Entertainment
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Rating:PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, sexuality/partial nudity and some thematic elements.
Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
The Bad Eclipses The Good
Twilight is a phenomenon; there is no question about it. The fans are ravenous, the critics have been vicious and the films have been very unquestionably successful. So what of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse? Well, when it’s good, it’s real good. But when it’s bad, it’s real bad. Twilight fans will love it.
So we pick up after New Moon with Bella (Kristen Stewart) being caught between Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). Both love her, but Bella is partial to Edward and obsessed with becoming a vampire herself. Jacob is not one that will let this situation end easily and the battle is on. But something has been disturbing their small world in Forks. Just a short way away in Seattle, there is a disturbance that is causing concern among the Cullen clan.
Someone is creating an army. An army that will be more unpredictable than the folks they have seen through the years. But who is behind this devious plan? And why does Alice see them coming to Forks?
While this is going on, both Jacob and Edward are fighting over who can protect Bellla better. The result is that both will have a role to play in keeping her alive and happy. Questions remain though. Will she choose Edward or Jacob? Will this be the end of the Cullen clan? And just who is behind this batch of new vampires coming to town?
Twilight fans will love this film. It has everything they are looking for from the story. It has a lot of the romance, it has a lot of the fun, and it has a lot of Edward and Jacob. Fans will love how the love returns in this classic love story. Fans will love the high tension sequences and battles between the vampires. But did I?
First the good, this film has some very intense moments and they really find a way to ratchet up the tension. It also has some lighter scenes in the film that I enjoyed that seemed to be lacking before this point. Unfortunately, for non-Twilight fans, the bad outshines the good.
On the bad front, the dialogue brought me to nearly uncontrollable laughter at times. It felt thrown together and delivered in such an over the top manner that I couldn’t help but laugh at the delivery. I found a lot of bizarre leaps that were not explained in the film, though Twilight fans will realize things that were explained in the book that I had no idea about. I tried to suspend belief, I really did, but there was just too much to understand.
Just one example of my questioning…Jacob and the pack run around throughout the movie shirtless, presumably because in their transformation they would just rip them or something. But now there is a femal member of the pack, why does she not run around shirtless? And I’m not just trying to be a disgusting guy here, but really, for consistency?
And that’s just one point I could go on with. The film is a touch better than I expected, but that’s not saying a whole lot. It is still a middling type of review for me though as when it’s good it’s good, but when it’s bad, it really is bad. The love story continues and we can only count the days now until the beginning of the end. Unfortunately the bad eclipses the good in this installment.
C
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Summit Pictures
Director: David Slade
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.
Runtime: 124 minutes.
READ MORE
Twilight is a phenomenon; there is no question about it. The fans are ravenous, the critics have been vicious and the films have been very unquestionably successful. So what of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse? Well, when it’s good, it’s real good. But when it’s bad, it’s real bad. Twilight fans will love it.
So we pick up after New Moon with Bella (Kristen Stewart) being caught between Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). Both love her, but Bella is partial to Edward and obsessed with becoming a vampire herself. Jacob is not one that will let this situation end easily and the battle is on. But something has been disturbing their small world in Forks. Just a short way away in Seattle, there is a disturbance that is causing concern among the Cullen clan.
Someone is creating an army. An army that will be more unpredictable than the folks they have seen through the years. But who is behind this devious plan? And why does Alice see them coming to Forks?
While this is going on, both Jacob and Edward are fighting over who can protect Bellla better. The result is that both will have a role to play in keeping her alive and happy. Questions remain though. Will she choose Edward or Jacob? Will this be the end of the Cullen clan? And just who is behind this batch of new vampires coming to town?
Twilight fans will love this film. It has everything they are looking for from the story. It has a lot of the romance, it has a lot of the fun, and it has a lot of Edward and Jacob. Fans will love how the love returns in this classic love story. Fans will love the high tension sequences and battles between the vampires. But did I?
First the good, this film has some very intense moments and they really find a way to ratchet up the tension. It also has some lighter scenes in the film that I enjoyed that seemed to be lacking before this point. Unfortunately, for non-Twilight fans, the bad outshines the good.
On the bad front, the dialogue brought me to nearly uncontrollable laughter at times. It felt thrown together and delivered in such an over the top manner that I couldn’t help but laugh at the delivery. I found a lot of bizarre leaps that were not explained in the film, though Twilight fans will realize things that were explained in the book that I had no idea about. I tried to suspend belief, I really did, but there was just too much to understand.
Just one example of my questioning…Jacob and the pack run around throughout the movie shirtless, presumably because in their transformation they would just rip them or something. But now there is a femal member of the pack, why does she not run around shirtless? And I’m not just trying to be a disgusting guy here, but really, for consistency?
And that’s just one point I could go on with. The film is a touch better than I expected, but that’s not saying a whole lot. It is still a middling type of review for me though as when it’s good it’s good, but when it’s bad, it really is bad. The love story continues and we can only count the days now until the beginning of the end. Unfortunately the bad eclipses the good in this installment.
C
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Summit Pictures
Director: David Slade
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.
Runtime: 124 minutes.
Let's face it -- I watched the MTV Movie Awards - It's still what everyone is waiting to see...here is the newest trailer for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.
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It was on the front of The Hunger Games this weekend so millions have already seen it, but now it's online -- and I've got your look here at the new The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 2 trailer.
What do you think?
Where are your expectations for this film?
Let me know!
p