A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - Oscar Predictions

The Oscars are this weekend and I thought it was a good time to reveal my predictions for who will take home the big trophies. These are not necessarily my personal choice in the category, but rather who I think WILL win.

I kept wavering between Sam Mendes and Bong Joon Ho for director and I still feel there is a very good chance Sam Mendes will end up winning. I think the four acting categories are pretty well locked in at this point with the biggest potential upset being in the Actress In A Support Role category. 

There is a chance of a Parasite win in Best Picture, but something tells me it'll be 1917 that walks away with the big prize.

Excited to watch and see which of my predictions are correct on Sunday! Anyone else watching? What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments!

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Best of 2019 - Movie Edition

As we say goodbye to 2019 I thought I would share my top ten list of the best movies I saw this year. I kept this to movies that came out this year to help narrow it down.

These are in no particular order (as that would be impossible). There are also some movies that have come out this year that I haven't seen yet (like Uncut Gems for example).

There were plenty of movies I liked this year but only a few that I would say I LOVED. I don't really have a Call Me By Your Name/A Star Is Born movie that I am completely obsessed with this year. It makes this list a little harder, and a little more interesting to write.

Here is my Best Movies of 2019 list:

1. Parasite

There are always movies that people will tell you to go in knowing as little as possible as to not ruin or taint the experience. Many have said it regarding Parasite. This is one of the times where this advice should actually be followed. It's a fantastically plotted movie that is better enjoyed as an experience. The performances, directing, script, and pretty much everything else are incredible.

2. Marriage Story

This movie offers an uncomfortable look at a marriage that is ending. It, at times, may feel too authentic to people who have gone through a divorce. It's, mostly, filled with reasons that this marriage does not work, but does show you these little moments where you understand why they were together. It doesn't take a real 'side' in terms of who is a fault but instead offers that it was a mixture of both people in the marriage that caused it to not work out. Adam Driver gives an incredible performance as do many other members of the cast.

3. The Farewell 

A beautiful, sad, and sort of uplifting movie about a woman and her connection with her grandmother and what happens when that grandmother gets ill and the family decides to keep the diagnosis from her. This is one that manged to sneak up on me and I didn't realize how much it had impacted me until it was over. Awkwafina delivers a different performance than what is typically expected of her and does so brilliantly.

4. Knives Out

A fun, incredibly entertaining, whodunit from director/writer Rian Johnson that I had a blast watching. Great performances from the entire cast (and an especially enjoyable turn from Chris Evans in a fantastic cable knit sweater) and a satisfying conclusion to the mystery at hand make this one a must watch.

5. Booksmart

A supremely fun coming of age story from director Olivia Wilde that boasts amazing performances from Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, and Billie Lourd. Think Superbad but teen girls instead. It's a funny, sometimes raunchy, heartfelt, and entertaining coming of age story that entirely charmed me.

6. Rocketman

Taron Egerton carries this movie and does so brilliantly. It is one of my favourite performances of the year. It also happens to be a good movie. Elton John's involvement ensured that the music was exactly what you wanted from this movie, and he didn't demand they sweep past any of the struggles he went through. Making it more of a musical than a straight up biopic was a fantastic choice as Elton John's story is one that would lend itself to this more than others.

7. Us

I did not like Us as much as I liked Get Out. There were elements from US that fell a little short for me, but it was still one of my favourite experiences at the movies this year. It boasts one of the year's best performances from Lupita Nyongo. She's incredible as Red. The movie itself is a good horror movie, and once again showcases Jordan Peele's directing skills.

8. Little Women

I am pretty sure people will be mixed on this movie, but I enjoyed it immensely. Saoirse Ronan is a great Jo, and Timothee Chalamat is a perfect Laurie. I do think that fans of Little Women, and those familiar with the story, will enjoy it more than those who are going into it fresh (but I doubt that applies to many people at this point). You can tell that director Greta Gerwig loves the source material and that shines through every frame of this movie.

9. Hustlers

This is another movie that is fun to watch. It may be overtly about this group of women scamming money out of a bunch of rich wall street guys, but it is also about female friendship. Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez's performances are great (and Jennifer Lopez should absolutely be in the Supporting Actress talks for Oscar nominations). It is the type of female led movie that I hope to see more of in the future.

10. Lords Of Chaos 

A movie that will absolutely not appeal to everyone. It's violent (sometimes brutally so) and doesn't delve as far into some of the elements surrounding the true crime that inspired this movie as I would have liked. It does, however, boast some pretty good performances and manages to be mesmerizing while you are watching it. Rory Culkin and Emory Cohen, in particular, stand out in the cast, but Jack Kilmer's portrayal of Pelle 'Dead' Ohlin also lingers with you.

What movies make your Best of 2019 list? Let me know which ones I need to check out in the comments below.

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A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Rating: R (USA)/ 14A (Canada)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Language: English

Length:  159 minutes

Cast: Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie

Viewing Method: Regular Screening

Release Date: July 26, 2019

Synopsis: Quentin Tarantino's ninth feature film is a story that takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don't recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor...Sharon Tate.

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My interest in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood should really surprise nobody. It connects my love of Hollywood with my fascination with true crime. There were many things that led to the end of the 1960's era of peace, free love, and flower power and the Manson murders are definitely on that list. Tarantino's latest uses a Hollywood on the cusp of change as its backdrop and delivers a standard Tarntino movie in the process.

The performances of both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are the stand out in the film. Brad, as Cliff Booth, is all effortless cool and charm circa Brad in Thelma and Louise. He reminds you why he is a bonafide movie star. It is a fun, enjoyable to watch performance that has a Best Supporting Actor nomination written all over it.

DiCaprio's Rick Dalton is just as strong with DiCaprio giving a more vulnerable performance than I have seen from him in a while. Dalton is an actor looking at the brightest moments of their career being behind them and DiCaprio taps into the razor's edge the character is on emotion wise perfectly. We see Dalton's insecurities reflected in one of my favourite Sharon Tate moments. We see Robbie's Tate's watching one of her movies with a crowd of people in theatre. The delight that registers as people react positively to her performance is a moment that lingers. It hammers home that both of these actors are worried about their appeal to audiences and how they are perceived.

The chemistry between Cliff and Rick is a testament to how well Pitt and DiCaprio play off one another. I would easily watch these two together in another movie. It wasn't a pairing that immediately came to mind when thinking of who I would like to see together on screen but they work extremely well together as these characters.

I, like many who are interested in true crime, have experienced the Manson murders told in many different formats and from just as many perspectives. Tarantino's version is the first in which I feel that I actually got to know Sharon Tate. It is certainly the first that focuses on her life rather than her horrific death. Margot Robbie is criminally underused but the movie makes you love her Sharon. She's incandescent and filled with joy. She is a sweet, luminous presence that takes back some of her narrative. Charles Manson is a footnote in this movie, barely worth a mention. This is Tarantino saying that Manson doesn't get to be the focus. It is Sharon's turn (and Jay's, and Abigail's and etc) to be the focus. This is, perhaps, the most refreshing aspect of this story. We got to see Sharon just living her life, blissfully happy, and I cannot express how much that matters.

This movie is filled with a bunch of actors playing small parts and many of them stood out for various reasons. Dakota Fanning is terrifying as Squeaky Fromme. Margret Qualley offers a memorable performance as Pussycat. Austin Butler made me really excited to see what else he can do after his role as Tex Watson. These are just some of the few memorable 'cameos' from the movie. One of my favourite parts of a Tarantino movie is seeing all of the big names that pop up in small roles and this one definitely doesn't disappoint. It is even, dare I say, more embraced because of the nature of the story being told.

There will be much discussion about the violence in this movie, specifically the ending, and how it relates to the rest of the movie. It certainly made me think about the violence we consume and the whos and whys behind how we feel about it and when we deem it acceptable versus reprehensible. A lot of it comes down to who is committing the violence and against whom the violence is being committed and that feels really apparent here.

The next section is going to be within spoiler tags. It relates to my point about violence, but gives away the ending. Read at your own risk.

There is a scene in which Cliff is shown to have maybe (probably) killed his wife on a boat trip. The scene is left ambiguous and it is never brought up again. The answer to this question, for me, could shift the lens you view the rest of the movie and violence through in sharp ways.

This scene also reminded me of another real life Hollywood mystery - the death of Natalie Wood. The mysterious death of a woman on a boat with her husband. I am not sure if Tarantino had this in mind when he directed that scene but the comparison jumped out to me immediately.

Lastly, we have the alternative history where Cliff and Rick end up the targets of the Manson Family and kill them, in an extremely violent fashion, rather than being killed themselves. This means that there is a lot of violence mostly against women which ties into the complicated issue of violence I mentioned above. This, also however, means that Sharon (and the rest) are alive at the end. The final scene is one that was strangely therapeutic for me. The camera pans away from Rick walking up the infamous Cielo Drive driveway with Sharon and Jay to slowly reveal the rest of Hollywood. It leaves you on a wistful 'what if' moment that also hammers home the entire point of the title. This is Tarantino's Hollywood fable. It is his love letter to a time he clearly has immense affection for. This story could only be one that starts with 'once upon a time' because we all know the cruel reality of what happened.

There are, naturally, a few issues I had with the movie, some of which I have already discussed such as the treatment of its female characters. Plenty of people more eloquent than than I have discussed the Bruce Lee portrayal and the problems within it. Mike Moh, the actor who portrayed him certainly did the best with what he was given. I much preferred the second, quieter, scene where he is seen training Sharon Tate some stunt fighting for one of her roles to the problematic first.

Ultimately this is a movie that will leave you with a lot to talk about and will not be for everyone. This is a very Tarantino movie, even if I do think it is his most accessible, and that either appeals to you or it doesn't.

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A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - TIFF 2019 Early Line Up

It may seem like the autumn months are far away but the TIFF line up is here to remind us that the fall film festivals are just around the corner.

As someone who follows Oscar buzz these festivals always ensure certain movies get a little boost going into awards season. Green Book won the People's Choice Award, which is the award given by the festival audience, at TIFF last year and went on to win Best Picture. 

I personally have never been to TIFF but there are always movies being showcased that I am interested in seeing and this year is no exception.

Here are my thoughts on some of the movies selected that I want to personally see or that I think will create some buzz. This is by no means an exhaustive list and I am sure I am missing some must see movies. Each is linked to the TIFF page for that particular movie if you want to learn more about any of them.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The documentary about Fred Rogers did well both at the box office and during awards season. Only time will tell if people got their fill of Mr Rogers nostalgia with that documentary of if that success will translate to this movie as well. The movie focuses on a writer who is assigned to write a profile piece on Mr Rogers for Esquire magazine).

Tom Hanks is always a potential Oscar favourite, but this movie could pop up in many categories if it does well. 

Endings, Beginnings

This is a movie that I am personally interested in. There isn't much known other than a young woman is trying to get her life back together and ends up in a love triangle with two friends. I enjoy everyone in the cast (which is Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan, and Sebastian Stan) and it just sounds like a movie I would potentially enjoy. Excited to see a trailer once one is released.

Ford v Ferrari

Focusing on the 1966 "24 Hours of Le Mans" endurance race that saw Ford taking on Ferrari. Christian Bale is an awards favourite so he is always a possibility and this one could show up in tech categories if done well. It was moved from its original summer spot to a more awards friendly fall release which speaks to confidence in the movie from the people releasing it.

Harriet

Cynthia Erivo already has a lot of buzz attached to her portrayal of Harriet Tubman. I think it is more expectation than from anyone having seen it, but there is a large interest. The movie itself looks like it could have some promise in multiple categories.

How to Build a Girl

This is based off of Caitlin Moran's book of the same name and stars Beanie Feldstein as a teen who is trying to reinvent herself as a music critic in London. I think this one is going to be fun and I really enjoyed the book it is based off of.

Joker

This first 'comic book' inspired movie to premiere at the festival (I believe anyway). It is being presented as a origin story for the infamous Batman villain. There will obviously be an awards campaign for Joaquin Phoenix so it makes sense that it will do the festival rounds. It only makes sense if they are serious about him getting a nomination. The trailer certainly makes it look like he is giving one heck of a performance.

Judy

Renee Zellweger stars as Judy Garland and the trailers that have been released showcase what seems to be an incredible performance. It is probably your standard biopic but Renee could walk away with a nomination if her performance is as strong throughout the the movie.


Just Mercy

The cast of this one caught my eye - it has Brie Larson and Michael B Jordan in it. It doesn't reveal much about the plot, and I haven't seen a trailer yet, but I enjoy both of those actors immensely. It follows a lawyer going to defend a man who was wrongfully convicted of a crime despitet there being evidence proving him innocent.


Knives Out

This one just looks like it is going to be a lot of fun! The trailer boasts that it is a 'whodunit like nobody has ever done it' and it certainly has an impressive (and large) cast filled with both big stars and character actors.


The Goldfinch

This is being adapted from the book of the same name. I saw it pop up on a lot of early Oscar lists and hopefully it is a good as everyone thinks it is. Ansel Elgort stars as a man who lost his mother when he was much younger in a museum bombing. I don't know much more about it other than it takes it name from a painting that is important to the plot.

The Report

This sort of reminds me of the movie Spotlight. It is about investigative reporters who are looking into the CIA's use of torture tactics after 9/11. Another impressive sounding cast and it rave reviews after its premiere at Sundance. 

My pick for movie that wins the audience award this year? I have to go with It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. Something about the notion of Tom Hanks playing Mr Roger's feels like a combination that could be especially people pleasing.

What movie that is being showcased at TIFF would you most like to see? Did I miss anything that you feel is a must see? Let me know in the comments. 

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A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - My Favourite Book To Movie Adaptations

Some of my favourite things after books are movies and television shows. I especially love it when the two come together and an adaptation of one of my favourite books gets released. I am sure there are probably a lot of people who dislike when one of their favourites gets turned into a movie or television show. There is a high likelihood that it will not be satisfying. It might end up being miscast. Your favourite scene could be cut from the show or movie. The story could change so much to make it unrecognizable from the source material. There are, however, the few exceptions where the adapted version lives up to the source material.

I was thinking of good adaptations and how they can honour the source material and create something entirely new. We all discuss when we've been disappointed but rarely spend as much time discussing when Hollywood gets it right.

Here are my favourite book to movie adaptations. These are mostly in no particular order but I especially like my top three. They are among some of my all time favourite movies.

1. Stand By Me (adapted from a short story by Stephen King called The Body)

One of my favourite movies of all time and one that is basically a comfort movie to me. It is one of the movies I watch when I am sick in bed, or just when I need an evening filled with all of the things I love.  River Phoenix may break my heart every time I watch it but it is perfection to me.

2. Gone Girl (adapted from Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name)

Everything from the setting, the casting, the directing, script writing, and editing was amazing here. Rosamund Pike brought one of my favourite characters to life with a delectable precision and all of the major moments from the book translated to screen perfectly.

3. Goodfellas (adapted from Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi)

This movie is an incredibly faithful adaptation of Nicholas Pileggi's book. It's one of  the best, if not THE best, gangster movies ever made and it is filled with some iconic performances.

4. Room (adapted from the book by Emma Donoghue)

Both the book and movie are heartbreaking and hopeful. They both allow you to believe that your experiencing things through Jack's eyes for the first time. The movie boasts electric performances by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay (who gave the best performance by a male actor that year).

5. A Simple Favor (adapted from the book by Darcey Bell)

Here's where I offer a confession ... I tried to start this book and had to put it down. I might go back and try again later, but I think this may be a case where I like the movie more than the book it was adapted from. Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick are both on top of their game and the blend of dark comedy with an absolutely bananas plot works perfectly in this campy, over the top thriller.

6. Brokeback Mountain (adapated from the short story by Anne Proulx)

Another faithful adaptation of the source material (the length of the source material may account for this a little) that boasts a career defining performance from Heath Ledger. The movie is also beautifully shot and I am still angry it was robbed at the Oscars.

7. Silence  of the Lambs (adapted from the novel by Thomas Harris

I feel like this one is given. The movie is a classic for a reason. The acting is incredible, and I felt the same tone and atmosphere that I did while reading the book. It also doesn't hurt that it is just a well made movie with some truly memorable moments.

8. Interview With The Vampire (adapted from the novel by Anne Rice)

I recently rewatched this and was surprised with how much it holds up. Tom Cruise gives an impressive performance as Lestat and Brad Pitt broods rather well as Louis. New Orleans is the perfect back drop for this story and it makes for one heck of a beautiful film.

This is, obviously, not an exhaustive list. I am sure I left many amazing movies out. What adaptations are your favourite? Let me know in the comments.

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A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - Yesterday

Yesterday

Rating: PG-13

Director: Danny Boyle

Language: English

Length:  112 minutes

Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Kate McKinnon

Viewing Method: Advance Screening

Release Date: June 28, 2019

Synopsis: Jack Malik (Himesh Patel, BBC's Eastenders) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed... and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed.

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What if The Beatles never existed? That is, sort of, the question Yesterday tries to grapple with. It's, however, really more of a high concept rom-com. There are, obviously, some sci-fi elements in the story but its heart is the love story we see unfold. The sci-fi elements and the romance elements don't always work together. It feels, at times, like two different movies that have been pieced together but the pieces don't quite fit.

Himesh Patel is entirely charming as Jack, a struggling musician who just so happens to remember the Beatles when it appears nobody else can remember them. He is a large part of why this movie worked for me. He makes Jack really endearing and you believe him as someone who would stumble into this kind of success. Lily James is sweet as his best friend/manger, Ellie, who also happens to be in love with him. She isn't give all that much to do. It's your standard love interest role but Lily makes the most of what she is given. The romance between Jack and Ellie is pleasant enough. We get a sense of the history between the two characters, but that's really about it.

Guilt is a strong theme of the movie. The guilt Jack feels from his success having come at the hands of songs he did not write himself. This drives the later part of the movie which feels like such a contrast to its more fun first half. Each interaction Jack has as he becomes increasingly famous is an exercise in guilt. He feels unworthy and that spirals into every other aspect of his life.

One would assume that this is a love letter to the music of The Beatles. I did not feel this as strongly as other people may have. Jack has to piece together the songs because he often  can't quite remember them. He certainly isn't a die hard fan who memorized all of their lyrics. You can tell he appreciated their talent as a musician himself but I never got that they were a big influence on the character. The movie makes the case that the world is better off for having their music in it, but the world shown to us is really not that different from the world we know with The Beatles in it. It uses their music effectively, but I didn't feel the movie made its case.

The movie never really examines the ripple effect of The Beatles not existing would have on the music world. There are plenty of things that they and their music inspired and the removal of that influence would impact the music we have today. It also never attempts to explain what the cause of this world wide memory loss is. The audience can guess at a vague answer, but is would just be assumptions. There is a moment where the movie grapples with one such ripple effect and I anticipate it is going to be polarizing to audiences. It is certainly an interesting 'what if' to ponder but is never really used for anything more than progressing Jack's story arc and perhaps easing his conscience.

Yesterday, to me, was a case of an interesting premise not being executed to its full potential. It will play as a decent rainy day movie that you catch on Netflix and I anticipate many will enjoy it as exactly that kind of movie. It's fine in the way most movies like this are. You'll watch it, enjoy it enough, and just as quickly forget about it. You will, however, certainly remember the music.

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A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - Rocketman

Rocketman

Rating: 14 A (Canada)/ R (USA)

Director: Dexter Fletcher

Language: English

Length:  121 minutes

Cast: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell,

Viewing Method: Advance Screening

Release Date: May 31, 2019

Synopsis: An epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough years.

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I went into Rocketman not knowing much about Elton John's life. I was vaguely familiar with some of his music in the way that listening to the radio would make you, but never would have considered myself a fan. I left the movie theater with a greater appreciation for not only Taron Egerton as a actor but Elton John as a performer. It is a story of the rise and fall (and triumphant return) of a rock star. It is the story of a young boy who wanted to be loved and the man who finally had to learn that he deserved to be. 

Dexter Fletcher stepped in to finish directing Bohemian Rhapsody when Bryan Singer was fired from the project during production. It is only natural that comparisons are going to be made between the two films. I, personally, think that Rocketman is more truthful and respectful to its subject. There is also a fantasy, dream like element to the way this is shot that firmly sets this into its own category. 

Taron Egerton gives what I consider a career changing performance. It is certainly one that I expect will get him his first Oscar nomination. It showcases a wider range that people may be used to seeing from the actor The loneliness and longing that defined the early part of Elton John's life radiates from Taron in a visceral way. He captures the excruciating lows and over the top highs with equal precision. He portrays the charm, the grandiose swagger just as effortlessly as he portrays the more introspective parts of Elton's personality. You are never quite sure how much of 'Elton John' is a defensive mechanism for Reginald Dwight and that comes through Egerton's performance with crystal clarify. He also proves himself to be quite the singer with him pulling off many of Elton's greatest hits.

The movie doesn't hold back in showing both the thrilling highs and bottle induced lows of John's stardom. It embraces the addiction, rage filled episodes, and suicide attempt as part of the story of Elton's life. Egerton conveys the switch from depressed, self loathing man to glittery showman with nothing more than a look passing over his face. There is a scene in which a haggard John is about to go on stage. We know he is at a low point and yet he has to be 'on' and put on a show. Egerton nails that split second switch as he walks on stage to where the public can see him. The movie if filled with these quieter, more subtle moments that make up the performance Egerton is giving. 

The side characters are equally well cast even if they are, at times, not given much to work with. This is John's story and that fact is evident in the broad paint strokes everyone else gets.. Richard Madden tears into his role of John Reid, Elton's manager (and lover) with deliciously sleazy charm. He is an asshole but you understand why Elton would have fallen  for him (and stayed with him way longer than he should have). Jamie Bell stand out as Bernie Taupin, Elton's supportive writing partner and long time friend. Dallas Bryce Howard plays his distant and cold mother with icy realism. 

This really is a love letter to Elton's music. The movies ensures to include plenty of musical moments and does so in a whimsical, fantastical way that matches the feelings you associate with Elton John. They work them into the narrative, with the musical numbers pushing forward the plot. It is these numbers that push against the standard biopic feel the rest of the movie has and offers a peek at a much more flamboyant spectacle that I expect was underneath. It also means that the songs are not in order. The story itself is chronological, but the music is taken and slotted where it fits the narrative best. It makes this feel more like a true musical which is entirely fitting for the story of a man who has written Broadway songs.

Rocketman is your standard biopic that mixes in the showmanship that its subject is know for. It is meant for those who love his music. If you're someone who turns the station if an Elton John song comes on the radio I anticipate that sitting through 2+ hours of them isn't going to be something you want to do. However, I do think those who are not hardcore fans will enjoy the stellar lead performance, and the colour spectacle this movie offers.

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