Nominations for the 87th Academy Awards are going to be announced in less than a month, so I thought I’d offer up some thoughts on who I think will be nominated in the main categories. First up is one of my all-time favorite categories, Best Supporting Actor. It has supplied us with winners such as…
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An Appreciation of…Mike Nichols (1931 – 2014)
I was incredibly saddened today to hear about the death of Mike Nichols. Not only was he one of my all-time favorite directors, I found it about it on my birthday, which makes him the second director in the span of a few years for that to happen to, with the other being the brilliant…
An Appreciation of…Jim Carrey (1962 – present)
Jim Carrey may not be the definition of a thespian. Despite being a huge box-office draw, and being relatively beloved by a huge fanbase, Carrey is a divisive actor. Some find his broad comedic appeal revolting, and will avoid seeing him in a movie at all costs. However, if you look a little deeper, you…
Bad Words (2014)
Actors trying out directing is something I find fascinating. In his directorial debut, Jason Bateman gives directing a try, and while this may not be the most notable debut for a actor-turned-director, it was a very unique and fun film. Bateman has been cast usually as well-meaning and soft-spoken intellectuals. Therefore it came as no…
An Appreciation of…Kevin Spacey (1959 – present)
In the 1950s and 1960s, Hollywood was just getting out of the studio contract system, and there emerged a new type of movie star – freewheeling, classy and sophisticated film titans who could sing, act, dance and segue between all genres. Sadly, with independent cinema and blockbusters arriving not long after, we lost many of…
Amadeus (1984)
Period dramas are very often not my favourite type of film – as good as they may be, they are sometimes overly melodramatic and dour at times. After deciding to watch the three-hour epic, Amadeus, I have to admit that this does not fit into the typical period drama mould – it is incredible and…
An Appreciation of…Kathy Bates (1948 – present)
There is something about some actors that is just endearing – they feel more than just performers – they feel like family. To me, there is no actor working today that comes across more likeable and homely like Kathy Bates. To me, Kathy remains one of the greatest actresses to ever live, and is comparable…
The Heat (2013)
What do you get when you combine the lovely Sandra Bullock and the hilarious Melissa McCarthy? You get The Heat, and while it does not compare to Paul Feig’s masterpiece Bridesmaids, it is pure comedic gold and one of the funniest films I’ve seen in a while. Buddy cop movies are so popular these days…
Divergent (2014)
Film adaptations of young adult survival novels – how many more of these are we going to have to sit through? The Harry Potter films were more than eight films – they are a decade of childhood-defining magic. Fair enough, The Hunger Games films are highly beloved because of their impressive productions values and genuine…
Jersey Boys (2014)
Clint Eastwood is a cinema icon, and while not all of his directorial efforts are good, I do give the man kudos for his gutsy decisions regarding projects. Jersey Boys may not be the great masterpiece Clint was trying to make it, but it is a really good time and a fun film. The key…
The Postmodern Pelican 