The 2014 Film Awards Season is underway!

     One of the largest precursors to the Oscars is the ever surprising Screen Actors Guild Awards. The recently announced SAG nominations are filled with strong Oscar contenders. Leading the pack is the critically acclaimed film 12 Years a Slave which earned four nominations: Best Ensemble, Lead Actor for Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Supporting nominations for Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o. Not surprisingly The Butler follows with three nominations: Best Ensemble, Lead Actor for Forest Whitaker, and Supporting Actress for Oprah Winfrey. The 2013 film year has been filled with many strong performances and films. I am not surprised that 12 Years a Slave and The Butler led the pack from the Screen Actors Guild.
    While I have not had the opportunity to see 12 Years a Slave due to it's late UK release (I am presently living in London). It has been widely applauded by the film and critic communities respectively. 12 Years a Slave is an intense drama about a free black man that is kidnapped and sold into slavery. As the title suggests, he spends twelve years held against his will as a slave on a Southern U.S. plantation. I can only imagine the raw emotions that this film must illicit from it's audiences and from my understanding, Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a tour-d-force worthy of not but the highest of praise.
    Unlike 12 Years a Slave I did have the immense pleasure of viewing Lee Daniels' The Butler. My brief review of the film can be viewed by here on my blog. The Butler is nothing short of spectacular. The blockbuster drama tells the true story of a black man that worked as a butler in the White House under eight presidents of the United States of America. Until now, the film has been widely ignored by the critics awards this season. With three Screen Actors Guild nominations under it's belt, we are likely to see The Butler at both the Golden Globes presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Oscars which are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
    While the Screen Actors Guild Awards are smaller than its big brother and sister ceremonies (The Oscars and The Globes), they often set the tone for the way the nominations for the other ceremonies will go. The SAG Awards also provide an opportunity for previously unrecognized films and actors to gain recognition that they previously would not have received. I have listed my predictions for the SAG Awards below. I will not comment on the television side as I am inclined to root for personal favorites such as Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, and Scandal. I also have not seen enough of any of the other nominees to give an informed decision. Without further adieu, here are my picks in each of the film categories.

Lead Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave. From what I can tell of  the film his role requires a larger range of emotions from the actor than that of Forest Whitaker's butler. Other nominees are Bruce Dern (Nebraska), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club), and Forest Whitaker (The Butler).

Lead Actress: Sandra Bullock, Gravity. Sandra Bullock's performance in Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity is nothing short of breathtaking. It has to be the most expressive performance of her entire career. The other contenders in this category are all amazing actresses but I have gut feeling about this. Other nominees are Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Judi Dench (Philomena), Meryl Streep (August: Osage County), and Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks).

Supporting Actor: I cannot voice an opinion for this category as I have not had the opportunity to see any of the films nominated. Nominees are Barkhad Abdi (Captain Philips), Daniel Bruhl (Rush), Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), James Gandolfini (Enough Said), and Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club).

Supporting Actress: Oprah Winfrey, The Butler; or Jennifer Lawerence, American Hustle. This category can honestly go either way. I am saddened that Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale Station) was overlooked in this category but I remain hopeful that she will gain recognition elsewhere. Oprah Winfrey's absence from film has been well noted and her role in The Butler is emotional and raw. Jennifer Lawrence is an Academy darling. With two Academy Awards under her belt and being the face of The Hunger Games, she has nothing to prove. Her performance in American Hustle is filled with the kind of grit that only the best actresses can summon. Other nominees are Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave), Julia Roberts (Osage County), and June Squibb (Nebraska).

Ensemble Cast: This category is anyone's guess. Each film nominated has a spectacular cast that is filled with high caliber performances. However, I will remark that I would have preferred to see The Wolf of Wall Street here instead of August: Osage County. The nominees are 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, August: Osage County, Dallas Buyers Club, and The Butler.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I am pleased be well along the way in my process of adapting to life in London, UK. Even more, I am overjoyed to be back in the world of cinephiles. The world of film and media in the UK is small compared to that of the US, but what it lacks in size it overwhelms with quality and exclusive content. Thanks to Cineworld UK, I had the immense pleasure of attending a secret screening of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty; five weeks in advance of its US and UK theatrical releases.

Walter Mitty can easily be summed up as the story of a magazine worker who lives inside fantasy worlds and sets off on a global journey to find a missing picture. Going a step further, I would say that it is the story of a man that wants to desperately live his life but has long forgotten how. The film begins with a diminished Walter (Ben Stiller) simply going through the motions of his life until a series of events lead him toward an adventure of a lifetime. As the film progresses, we get to witness his transformation from an introspective loser to a world traveler and adventurer.

Unlike other films of its kind, Walter Mitty is a tale of a midlife crisis and the self-discovery that comes with it. What do you do when you realize that you're entire life is changing and not for the better. The subject matter hits very close to home for myself as I have been faced with a similar situation as Walter Mitty. Out of a sheer will for survival, Walter Mitty embarks on a journey that takes him from New York City to Greenland to Iceland and much further. His journey is racked with unbelievable feats of courage, stupidity, and the kind of laughter only one who has traveled the world can appreciate.

Adapted from a short story written by James Thurber, Stiller directs his vision for this film to be daring, intimate, and provocative. It easily shines as a poignant addition to the American film pantheon. I highly recommend this piece of cinematic art to anyone that dares to dream that theirs lives can be so much more. It's a testament to the human spirit and how we compartmentalize and deal with common stressors like the loss of a loved one or being fired from a job that you worked at for nineteen years. Kudos to Ben Stiller and his formidable co-stars (Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, & Sean Penn) for bringing creativity, adventure, intelligence, and heart back into the world of dramatic comedy.

Rating 5 (Maximum of 5): A beautifully executed comedy of immense proportions.

Don Jon

     It's not a common occurrence for a single person to be the Director, writer, and star of their own film. When this rare phenomena takes place, the results are unpredictable. In the case of Don Jon (Rated R), Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines in all areas.
     The film takes place in New Jersey and follows the sexual adventures of Jon Martello (Levitt). During the course of the film we experience life as Don Jon does. Levitt is blunt and brutally honest with his character's misguided realities. Things change drastically after he meets the vivacious Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson). As the cracks in  life begin to take the toll on his various relationships, meets a potential guiding force in the troubled Esther (Julianne Moore). 

     While Don Jon is overwhelmingly raunchy, and explicit with the subject of Martello's libido, it serves a very important purpose...reality. From his faith, to his friends, to his awkward Jersey Shore family, we pleasantly experience Don Jon in a relatable manner. The laughable, intoxicating, oft-times difficult to watch reality of Don Jon's life is what separates this artistic film from traditional sex romp comedies. There is nothing over-the-top about the film or any of it's characters. Whether you frown at the behaviors depicted or disagree with the ambivalent treatment of religion; the single fact remains that it is a reality for a great many men (and women) in our modern American society. The norms of our predecessors are no more than meager ideologies.  Moreover, the film combines film editing techniques that are uncommon in today's box office driven Hollywood. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has an open-mind and most importantly a sex life. 

Rating 4 (Maximum of 5) - for sheer audacity and attention to detail.

Elysium

     In the year 2154, the current wealth gap explodes to an extreme that most didn’t think possible. The extremely wealthy and affluent members of society escape the pollution and over population of our planet for a virtually perfect existence on a space station called Elysium. The rest of the human race is left behind on a dying planet to starve and suffer abuse by a system mechanical operated authority and sub-par living conditions. That all changes when Max (Matt Damon) suffers a life-threatening injury and uses his steely resolve to fight the system and embark on a mission that could balance the scales of justice and welfare once and for all.
    Elysium (Rated R) is a breathtaking and often eerie projection of a future is more possible than most would care to realize. It’s this jarring expansion of the current socioeconomic crisis that makes this film almost too relevant. Many can easily misconstrue the film as a vehicle for political agenda rather than a science fiction drama. This movie is an allegory of immense proportions and a very well-crafted one.
    State-of-the-art special effects and a well driven plot vehicle allow star Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Sharlto Copley (District 9) to deliver superb performances that will have you at the edge of your seat and discussing the film with friends for days.
    Like all films, Elysium is not perfect. Jodie Foster’s fake accent is skeptical at best, but she makes up for it with venomous attitude and electric elocution. Some will recognize on-going themes from director’s first major motion picture, District 9 and criticize his single-mindedness. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Elysium. The film is poignant, visceral, and has none of the pacing issues of its predecessor. Fans of director Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 will adore Elysium, others will merely speculate on the film’s minor flaws.

Rating: 4 Stars (Maximum of 5)

The Butler

     In the brief history of the United States of America, many people from several cultures suffered at the hands of racism and ignorance while trying make better lives for themselves and their families. Most famously, the American Black community suffered injustices of a grand scale and endured humiliation of a level that no other race can attest to.
      In Lee Daniels' new film "The Butler" (PG-13) follows the often tragic life of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker). We watch as he painstakingly works his way from the cotton fields and eventually to The White House where he works as a butler under eight presidents, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War.
      This film succeeds on multiple levels, but most importantly in its deft transitions between the changes in American Society and its effects on Cecil's family and life. Stunning portrayals of intimate encounters within and outside The White House create on screen tensions on a level I have not seen depicted in a decade of film.
     From John Cusack's Richard Nixon to Jane Fonda's Nancy Reagan, "The Butler" soars with accurate character acting and lethal undertones woven into a complex and meticulous script. Oprah Winfrey shines as Gloria Gaines, the oft withdrawn alcoholic housewife that struggles with her and her husband's demons all whilst raising two boys during one of the most turbulent time periods in American history. It is easy to say that this is one of the first truly great movies of the year so far and will go down as an instant American classic.

Rating: 5 Stars (Maximum of 5)

Special Note To My Readers

Special Note To My Readers:

    After nearly a year away from writing, I have finally found my passion for it again. My current position at the Radisson Blu Hotel Chicago is coming to an end and I am  leaving the U.S. to live in London. During my time overseas I will be wholeheartedly dedicating myself to my relationship and rediscovering myself and my passions. Recently, I have been encouraged by my hotel's General Manager to write for the Radisson Newsletter "Blu's News". I am deeply appreciative for my GM's support and encouragement. Without him pushing me, I probably would not have returned to this blog. I hope that there are people who are still reading this and I welcome all new followers along in my epic journey to revitalize myself and bring my once dead dreams into a vibrant reality.