The Grandmaster

The Grandmaster (2013)

Noms: Cinematography, Costume Design

Why I watched it:

1) Only movie with multiple nominations I hadn't seen from this past year

2) It only became available from Netflix recently

Great kung fu movie! Lots of intricate fight sequences and a good amount of history. I loved getting a glimpse at part of China's history that isn't seen much. Post-dynastic yet not modern. Very cool. Also really interesting to see the changes that the martial arts are going through in this time into becoming a much more main stream practice. The title character goes on to train the infamous Bruce Lee, btw.

There were so many interesting characters introduced that I wish got more screentime and development. Especially the female master of Bagua (I think that's the form she used - there's of detailed information about kung fu to absorb here). It was SO intriguing that there was a female master, Particularly when gender dynamics in this world were such a major plot point. Oh yeah, and she was a martial arts master....WITH BOUND FEET!- da fuh?!

Within the first few seconds of the first scene - which is an awesome fight sequence in the rain - I immediately understood why it was nominated for Cinematography and Costume Design. The camerawork, especially in the numerous fight sequences, was really daring and beautiful. The camera brings focus to really specific parts of the fighting and shows what the fighter is focusing on. At least that's is what I understood it be doing - there were an awful lot of close-ups of feet. Cool, but not something you see everyday. Probably would not have noticed the bound feet without that. As for costumes, it's both set in China and a period piece, and the Academy just eats that shit up when it comes to costumes. Can I also say, that hat - so iconic. I didn't know anything about Ip Man going in, but I assume he must be associated with wearing a hat, right?

Surprise Appearance: I didn't think I would know any of the actors in this, because I don't watch many foreign films, but lo and behold - Ziyi Zhang! I love her! I first saw her in Memoirs of a Geisha, but I really loved her in House of the Flying Daggers.

The picture might be misleading, because she is not technically the main character of the film. The man in the hat in the background is, but I love Ziyi Zhang and this photo was so striking.

Next up: Looks like I'm finally gonna watch Before Sunset (and maybe Bad Grandpa) tonight with the roommies!

Double Feature!

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

Noms: Picture, Director (Mike Nichols), Actor (Richard Burton), Actress (Elizabeth Taylor), Supporting Actor (George Segal), Supporting Actress (Sally Dennis), Adapted Screenplay, Score, Sound Mixing, Editing, Art Direction (B&W), Costume Design (B&W), Cinematography (B&W)

Wins: Actress, Supp, Actress, Art Direction, Costumes, Cinematography

Why I watched it:

1) Look at all those nominations!

2) I really wanted to watch this one

I love this movie! I want to watch it again soon. While watching, I was thinking about how much I didn't want it to end. Why couldn't it just keep going? Seriously, this is a new favorite. Admittedly, I was enjoying a bottle of wine while watching, but still, this is a fucking fantastic movie.

It's film's like this that make me realize how much I like dark comedies, and boy is this one dark. Nothing like watching a couple be at "total war" with one another and flush out all the insecurities and doubts of a couple they just met.

I could gush for a while about a lot of things in this movie, but I will attempt to contain myself. I thought the stark cinematography was brilliant. Lots of close-ups and follow shots and long takes. It really showed off the acting and focused everything on the characters and their relationships. The camera work did a lot of work to direct attention to where it mattered. Sometimes on the person speaking, but often on the unspoken moments of the other characters or their reactions. The most extreme example of this would be when we as the audience follow George (Burton) into the closet while Martha (Taylor) tells a story about George's reticence to box with his father-in-law. She becomes muffled and all the focus in on Burton's face and the score building the tension around what he grabs in the closet. The following moment is amazing, and I would hate to ruin that for anyone who hasn't seen it.

Speaking of focusing on the actors...(terrible transition FTW?) it is great to watch a movie that is all about the performances. Yes, the technical aspects of the movie were great, but there's a reason that every major actor was nominated (I want to say every actor, but there are two non-credited roles with very brief screentime). I am pretty sure that I had never seen any of these actors before, but I loved all of them! (a quick IMDB search tells me that I have seen George Segal in a couple things, but I don't remember him specifically in them) All of them give such great performances. Segal is so charming, even when you learn that he has nasty side. Dennis seems at first to be such an innocent, but so many little nuances show her strength of character. Everyone always talks about the George and Martha dynamic of this play, but I found it so fascinating to watch the other couple have to react to their craziness and the dynamic of the less explosive couple. George and Martha - wow. Totally engrossing to watch these two screen legends battle it out in every acidic moment. There are also the remains of relationship, but it has been subsumed by the constant bickering and verbal acrobatics. I know this is different from Elizabeth Taylor's typical role, she is one of my new favorites. I feel as if Butterfield 8 might be jumping a bit higher on my list to watch. Much the same can be said about Richard Burton. I was excited to see Becket before, but that will definitely be happening in the next week or two. It was especially great to see the legendary Mr. Burton after seeing his daughter, Kate, on stage in The Seagull last week (its playing in Boston now through April 6, btw). You can definitely see the resemblance especially in the eyes and the intensity.

I think maybe I'm done....

But isn't it interesting that the Oscars used to differentiate between color and black &white films for the Art Direction, Costume Design, and Cinematography awards? It is a very different task, especially for Costume Design I would think. I remember the designer from The Artist talking about his color choices for that film and that he chose them as if he were doing a color picture. This was the last year they made the distinction, I assume due to there being fewer and fewer competing films that were still in black & white.

Next up: I received The Grandmaster  in the mail yesterday from Netflix and will hopefully watch it tonight. 

Goodfellas

Goodfellas (1990)

Noms: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Joe Pesci), Supporting Actress (Lorraine Bracco), Editing, Adapted Screenplay

Wins: Supporting Actor

Why I watched it:

1) It's one of those movies I was told I NEED to see every time I mention I hadn't

2) My good friend Yoni wanted to watch it with me - he's a big Scorsese fan

I finally saw it! For my fellow film-bluff friends, my not having seen this movie until now was a travesty. They all seem to love it, and I can see why. It's a fun movie to watch and very well made. Some of the shots from the movie are spectacular. For instance, the astonishingly long shot tracking them into the Copacabana - I can't believe how much was tackled in one take - wow! The performances were so great, these actors at their best and the Scorsese method of incorporating improvised dialogue into the script used to its greatest effect. Joe Pesci's character is so disturbing due to all the horrible things he does, yet I loved how you could see how insecure he was at the same time. Lorraine Bracco so powerfully portrayed going through the ups and downs of being a mob wife. De Niro was fantastic, as ever (glad he got the nom for Awakenings instead though - this wasn't really a lead role). Ray Liotta is one of those actors that I know I've seen in a bunch of things, but I think this is the first time I've seen him carry a movie.

It took a while to get used to the lack of plot. Each scene was great, but it me a while to get where it was headed. By the end, I was totally invested though. My favorite scene by far was when they stopped at Tommy's (Pesci) mom's house on the way to dump the body from the opening sequence (does that count as a spoiler?- sorry). She was so adorable and accommodating - she made them a full meal at 3 am! It was just so deliciously normal, and totally bizarre. Also, Yoni told me that she is Martin Scorsese's mom!

This was weird to see after seeing The Wolf of Wall Street. Perhaps I would be more blown away by Goodfellas if I had seen it first, but as it is, I definitely enjoyed watching it and I am very glad I got around to it. 

Also, it was fun seeing why the comparisons were made between Goodfellas and American Hustle. They are vastly different, but they have some common elements: the time period, the setting, voice overs, etc.

Unexpected appearance: Where did Samuel L. Jackson come from?!

Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine (2010)
Noms: Actress (Michelle Williams)

Why I watched it:
1) Netflix instant watch!

Going in, I was anticipating an incredibly depressing movie, because that is the impression I had from people who'd seen it. I actually didn't find it that depressing. Bleak, oh yeah, but not exactly depressing. It's a story about people who are trying to make their relationship work, and mostly failing. There are moments of connection still, but nothing like how they were at the beginning as we see in the flashbacks. The flashback sequences make the main story more palatable, but also, add a twinge of regret for what was.

In general, I think the best word to describe this movie is "brave." Just telling this type of story breaks the mold from what we normally see in the movies. The movie is so naturalistic and not glamorous, that you mostly forget what Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are normally like. The moment when the word "brave" popped into my head while watching was the scene where Cindy (Williams) goes to get an abortion, and they actual show her going through the steps of getting the procedure. You don't see the actual procedure, but her in the clinic and the doctor telling her as he completes each step. That is not something I've ever seen in a movie, much less one with A-listers.

I really loved some of the cinematography. There were a number of shots that used reflections in a really great way to be able to see multiple sides of the same thing. Perhaps to show that their troubles are not the fault of one of them or the other. These things just are. My favorite of these shots was definitely when Dean (Gosling) goes to see Cindy at the doctor's office, and you see him in the frame as well as her reflection on the window superimposed over him. So cool.

The soundtrack was also great. I don't think I'd ever heard any of the songs before, but was definitely cognizant of them throughout and liked how they added to the storytelling. Also loved the bonus of Ryan Gosling singing with a silly a voice and playing the ukulele.

Surprise Appearance: While watching I was trying to place Cindy's boss, and realized that he was Louis in the Angels in America mini-series (Ben Shenkman is his name according to IMDB).

Did I cry?: I got really close when Dean was showing the elderly man his new room at the retirement home. He was being so genuinely sweet and seeing the man's appreciation really put me over the edge.

Next up: I have Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and Before Sunset at home - planning to watch those with the roommates...still....

Oscar night 2013

This season has come to a close, and it was a really great one with a bunch of movies (nominated and not) that I really appreciate and love. Last night's ceremony was a great celebration of this year in film - I had a lot of fun.

There were very few surprises in who won the awards for me. The biggest surprises were Great Gatsby's two wins. Not that I didn't think it was deserving, it just wasn't the movie I expected to win in either category. I thought 12 Years a Slave would get Production Design and American Hustle would get Costumes. Oops.

I was very excited and vocal when a couple of the awards were announced. Specifically Makeup, Original Screenplay, and Documentary Feature. Dallas Buyers Club had to win Makeup. Not only was it an amazing feat on a shoestring budget, but there is no way I could comprehend/condone either Lone Ranger or Bad Grandpa winning an Oscar. I'm fucking ecstatic that Her won an award. I seriously loved that movie and personally would have voted for it for best picture if I were casting a ballot. I haven't seen any of the docs this year, yet I cheered when 20 Feet from Stardom won. The speech was a little much, but I'm glad that one of the least Oscar-bait looking films won, and one that I am actually excited to watch.

Speeches: Jared Leto was great. More gracious than some of the awards shows, giving some respect to his mother's awesome story, and doing a much better job at identifying with the Rayon's of the world and those who relate to her story. Lupita was amazing. So adorable and poignant. "No matter where you're from, your dreams are valid." Beautiful. McConaughey was very him. I thought the sentiment of his future self being his hero was good. Striving for self improvement and making the best version of yourself the rubric by which you judge it. I liked it. Cate Blanchett is a classy as lady and gave a wonderful speech. Little bit of humble-brag with the comment about make-up artists managing to make her look beautiful, but I can forgive her.

Ellen was pretty much spot on as usual. Everything she did was genius. Pizza. Glinda dress. Light mocking of the attendees. Breaking Twitter. Everything.

I was personally very affected by the "In Memoriam" segment. Finishing the slideshow with the the amazing Philip Seymour Hoffman and transitioning to Bette Midler singing "The Wind Beneath My Wings" totally got me and I was teary eyed (is anyone surprised?) She doesn't have the range she used to, but her tone is still wonderful. Plus, she is a consummate entertainer and performed the song beautifully.

I really liked Pink singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for the Wizard of Oz tribute. I do love her. And I can't even imagine the pressure of singing such an iconic song in front of millions and millions of people. Good for her.

Unfortunately, something was off with Idina Menzel last night. I was hurting for her. Even before she started singing I sensed that she was vocally not all there; something about her facial expression/presence was supremely worrying. The song is amazing, and Idina at a B- can still sing many people under the table. Still, it was absolutely painful for me to watch, because I could tell that she knew it wasn't going well. Luckily it's John Travolta's butchering of her name that is the talk of the cyber-town and not the performance. I can't even fathom how he managed to call her Adele Dazeem. Seriously?

Pharrell was super-fun and wins the performances of the night for me for the simple fact that he got Lupita, Meryl, and Amy Adams to dance with him.

2013 Oscars are now done and gone. Time for me to return to the main quest!

Until next time!

Oscar night menu 2013!

Last year I had the idea to make cocktails inspired by each of the best picture nominees. I planned them, and bought the ingredients, but I didn't make it through all 9. Which my liver is thankful for. This year, I figured I would make a combination of beverages and edible items, one for each best picture nominee.

I am more proud of some than others, but they went over well with my guests, and it was a blast thinking of each item!

Here's what I made:

12 Years a Slave

A classic Mint Julep

Reasoning should be self explanatory

American Hustle

Perfect Manhattan

For those who don't know, "perfect" in this case means that this drink has both sweet and dry vermouth, while a traditional Manhattan would only have the sweet. A Manhattan seemed right for some reason for American Hustle, because of the NYC name and the general feel. I went for the "perfect" as a reference to the top coat J. Law's character talks about that has both the sweet smell as well as the rotten/sourness. Also, the margarita glass was totally on purpose.

Captain Phillips

Sambusa Boats

Sambusas are a Somali dish similar to Samosas in Indian cuisine - spiced filling in dough and fried. Frying things makes me nervous, plus making my own dough was truthfully daunting, so I opted for wonton wrapper cups and baking. And there's the additional benefit of being able to call them "boats!" I made these vegetarian so that some of my guests would be able to enjoy them, but the original intent was for tuna sambusas. Oh yeah, I also sprinkled in some Captain Morgan's for good measure.

Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club Sandwich

THE PUNS! It is a Subway club sandwich with American cheese on Jalapeno cheese bread. 

Gravity

Explorer

This is a 747 (Kahlua, Frangelico, and Baileys) served with a Tang rim. I thought Tang was too fitting for a movie set in space, and I wanted a layered drink, because the layering is achieved due the specific gravity of the different liquors. (nerd alert) I settled on using a 747 as the base, because it's delicious and it's named after a jet...

Her

Bloody Mary Jell-o Shots

....or at least that's what I was trying to make. The gelatin didn't set! I made two attempts and neither worked, despite following the directions religiously! GRRR! Maybe it had something to do with the Kosher gelatin....we ended just drinking them instead.

Anyway, why jell-o shots for Her? I was thinking about how Her was both somewhat futuristic, yet with a very 70s vibe. So I thought of food that was big in the 70s and stumbled upon aspic (thanks Anna). Aspic is used to describe gelatin dishes made with ingredients other than fruit basically - veggies, eggs, meat, etc. I thought an alcoholic aspic would be fun and appropriate - BOOM - Bloody Mary Jello Shots naturally.

Nebraska

Budweiser

Americana. "C'mon have a beer with your old man. Be somebody" 'nuff said

Philomena

Pets de Nonne w/ Baileys frosting

Basically French donut holes, pets de nonne literally translates as "nun farts" - perfect for a movie with despicable nuns. Also, add in some Baileys cream cheese frosting to give it a little Irish flair. The frosting was a huge hit; one of my roommates ate it with a spoon - literally.

The Wolf of Wall Street

"Lemmon" Drop Martini

"Lemmon" referring to the type of qualudes in the qualude scene. There's even an actual lemon drop in the bottom of the glass as garnish.