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Alejandro G. Iñárritu

The Fishing Hole (Vol. 1, Issue 1): Oscar Roundtable (Oscar Spotlight)

February 24, 2016 by ScreenFish Staff 2 Comments

stevejobsThe ScreenFish staff compiled some of their favorites for the top Academy Award prizes. The results were… varied.

 

trumbo2Best Actor

Chris: Leo. It’s his time.  Don’t hate.  Dude gave his guts and glory to film that puppy in freezing cold temps. That’s how it’s done, kiddos!

Darrel: This one I see as very close between Eddie Redmayne and Bryan Cranston, but Redmayne manages to exude the vulnerability of someone who was transgendered before anyone ever thought of a word for it. It is not just that he can do both genders within his character’s personality, but he does it with great sympathy. (Note: I didn’t see Steve Jobs.)

Jacob: I’ll still stick with Michael Fassbender but after seeing Trumbo, I wouldn’t be upset if Cranston won.

Alan: I’m with Jacob. It’s Michael Fassbender (In Steve Jobs, you simply couldn’t take your eyes off the guy. That movie fails to exist without him in the cast.)

Steve:  DiCaprio is not only going to win, but it’s not even going to be close.  Not only did he bring a raw, visceral quality to his performance, he also wins the (more important) ‘it’s his time’ category.  Biggest lock of the night.

 

room1Best Actress

Chris: Brie Larson.  She’s got all the momentum. What sealed it for her was the 2nd half of Room. (Spoiler alert!) The post escape aftermath was more harrowing than the confinement sequences.

Darrel: Maggie Smith (Oh, wait. she wasn’t nominated). In that case, Charlotte Rampling really had the hardest of the nominated roles, and she carried it exceedingly well.

Alan: Brie Larson (If only for the subject material and the skills necessary to pull the role off…)

Jacob: Gulp. I’m going to agree with Chris and Alan. Just so much weight on her performance.

Steve:  Brie.  Brilliant performance in a simply wild role.  Also, it’s a Canadian film so…

 

creed-movieBest Supporting Actor

Chris: Sly has the momentum for Creed.  Mark Rylance SHOULD win for Bridge of Spies.  I could feign false outrage that the Academy is gonna give an Oscar to character they had little respect for in the 80’s (Rocky Balboa).  But…in the words of the character I think should win, “Would it help?”

Darrel: Mark Rylance was amazing in every scene he was in. It was a very deadpan amazing, but amazing none the less.

Jacob: Could it happen twice? Yeah, I’m with Chris. It’s Stallone over a weak field.

Alan: Yes, it’s Sylvester Stallone with the sentimental pick. It would also potentially give him a chance to talk about the injustice of Michael B Jordan not getting a Lead Actor nom.

Steve:  I agree that Mark Rylance was brilliant in Spies and would definitely deserve it… still, we all know Stallone won’t be back in here again and he’s too respected.  Plus, his performance in Creed was one of the most human portrayals of the year.

 

hateful8Best Supporting Actress 

Chris: Since Alicia Vikander is the Flavor Of The Month, she’ll probably win. My heart is with Jennifer Jason Leigh.  When I sat in the theatre, I had a feeling Daisy (her Hateful Eight character) was gonna outsmart all the boys. Happily, I was right.

Alan: I’m going with Rachel McAdams. Spotlight is too good to not have someone win something–here’s where it happens.

Darrel: Rooney Mara. Actually, I think Carol is really Rooney Mara’s film more than Cate Blanchett’s. If it were up to me they would switch categories. But such are the politics and business of Oscar nominations.

Jacob: Just to be contrarian … Having not seen Carol, I’ll go Kate Winslet. I just wasn’t into Leigh’s performance (she grunts about the same way DiCaprio does).

Steve:  Sigh.  While I would love to see my Alicia Vikander step to the podium, momentum suggests that Kate will upgrade her resume (likely on a Mac).

 

Mad Max Fury Road MainBest Director

Chris: Inarritu will go back to back.  Like I said: genuine big screen filmmaking. I wish he could have shot that thing in 70MM instead of Tarantino!

Darrel:  Adam McKay (and co-screenwriter Charles Randolph [they should win adapted screenplay as well]) took an amazing complex issue and history and made it both understandable and entertaining.

Jacob: Puhlease. George Miller sculpted a masterpiece that’s nearly dialogue-free. There is more to unpack there than should be possible. And it’s all about Miller’s vision and direction.

Steve:  Oh, Jacob.  How very cute.  While Miller may even be the one that arguably deserves it more, Inarritu will double his wins this year.  Revenant accomplished the same feat of bringing depth to the silence… and he’s more popular right now.

 

spotlight3Best Picture

Chris: The Revenant.  My heart was with The Martian for most of the awards season but The Revenant is genuine big screen filmmaking.  And that bear scene is already legend.

Darrel: Why Spotlight (which I see as head and shoulders above the others)? It’s a well done film, but beyond that it shows how systemic evils can find ways of staying hidden without a vigilant 4th Estate. And I think it gives us a chance to consider if that vigilant press is dying off in today’s culture.

Alan: It’s The Revenant. The top three award ceremonies split their vote this year. I’m going to say, however, that Inarritu gets a second Best Picture statue to join his previous one for Birdman.

Arnaldo: Mad Max: Fury Road … but only because Sicario wasn’t nominated.

Jacob: While I preferred Fury Road in its style, Spotlight has more to say – and frankly, so did Trumbo. I’m with Darrel here.

Jason N: I’ll take Mad Max but please say it’s not The Revenant!

Steve:  I have little doubt that Spotlight will walk away with the win.  With The Big Short the only likely challenger this year, Spotlight not only gave us something to think about, it also provided a throwback to some of the classic films of the 70s like Network.

Filed Under: Current Events, DVD, Editorial, Featured, Film, Fishing Hole, Oscar Spotlight Tagged With: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Bridge of Spies, Carol, George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road, Michael Fassbender, Rylance, Spotlight, Steve Jobs, The Martian, The Revenant

And The Winner Is…or Should Be (Oscar Spotlight)

February 22, 2016 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

revenant2The Oscar races this year are absolutely clear cut… in my mind. Having seen fourteen of the nominated films (out of approximately sixteen films in the major categories), these are my favorites to win.

At Best Actor, the portrayal of screenwriter and Communist Dalton Trumbo by Bryan Cranston put him in rare air, not that of the illicit drugs he manufactured as Breaking Bad’s Walter White. I was immensely moved by Cranston’s depiction of this flawed-yet-heroic man, and the way Jay Roach framed all of the movable parts around Cranston. Sadly, he’ll be runner up to Michael Fassbender, whose turn as Steve Jobs delivers something that Noah Wyle and Ashton Kutcher couldn’t: a performance that gets to the soul of the man. (Film I missed: The Danish Girl -my apologies to Eddie Redmayne.) Here’s a mad genius who lacks the emotional power to connect with others – until those who care about him the most challenge him spiritually.

stevejobs2I’ll openly admit that I’ve only seen a few of the five films in the Best Actress category but I have a hard time believing anyone could surpass Brie Larson’s portrayal of the kidnapped and raped young woman who raises her son in a garden shed in Room. While another year might produce more wins, this will be Room’s lone trophy. It’s harrowing and powerful, both in captivity and in the world outside, but all of it is made human by the quiet power of Larson’s delivery.

room1While this is a “makeup call” (a term ripped from other contact sports), I’ll predict that the Academy awards a lifetime achievement award to Sylvester Stallone for his Best Supporting Actor turn in Creed. Simply put, there are too few scenes in The Big Short, The Revenant, Spotlight, or Bridge of Spies for the other nominees to salt away a win. It’s Stallone by default, even if Michael B. Jordan deserves much of the credit for making Stallone look good (and recovering from the insufferable Fantastic Four).

Consider this your commercial break before we reach my big two awards for the year – consider it burying the lede.

creed-movieBest Original Screenplay: Straight Outta Compton delivers the time, the music, and the mythos of NWA. Were these guys prophets? Exploiters? Exploited? This complex story spins a tale that entertains, reminisces, and challenges us to think about how we define our worldview.

Adapted Screenplay: Michael Lewis’ The Big Short over Emma Donaghue’s Room robs the latter of a double win. Three times nominated, this one has to finally pull off the win. Greed sucks the life out of you in the long run – and proves there are no victimless crimes. It’s not the best film I saw this year, but it serves as a morality tale for all of us to consider in our day-to-day spending and relationships.

Cinematography: Director Alexandro Inarritu can do amazing things with film (think last year’s Birdman). This year, The Revenant dukes it out with The Hateful Eight (only win: Best Original Score). Both films are beautiful in their brutality, with the elements and humanity playing against each other for spellbinding cinematic moments.

straightouttaAnd now… Best Director goes to … Mad Max: Fury Road’s George Miller. Having established a dystopian world decades ago, he returns to the world that Hardy said was in Miller’s head and delivered it in a sprawling, dialogue-short film that visually does everything. No stone was left out of place, and every moment mattered to the overall picture. [Unfortunately, Inarritu will probably win… There, I said it.]

So, does that make Mad Max: Fury Road my Best Picture? Not exactly. While it (and Creed) was my favorite film of the year, it doesn’t qualify as the most important film of 2015. [It also came too early in the year, and surprised everyone with its depth.] A story about working within society to change it (versus running from the world we live in and hitting a restart) makes for a powerful testament of humanity in the midst of an apocalypse. It should be a challenge to us all – global warming, AIDs, violence, racism, whatever – be the change you want to be.

Mad Max Fury Road MainIs it The Revenant? No. Leonardo DiCaprio’s ability to grunt, Inarritu’s ability to shoot enigmatic scenes, and the makeup crew’s ability to generate the ferocious aftermath of a bear mauling do not make a complete picture. If you push me, I’ll admit this film looked cool but I thought the storytelling was shallow. (It’s why I preferred Mad Max: Fury Road.)

bridge3How about Bridge of Spies? Nope. While Tom Hanks delivers a tour de force performance, the film is almost entirely on his shoulders. Yes, it speaks to the way we are divided and guarded in society today, but it’s not enough to just have a strong lead. The film itself was good but not great; without Hanks, it’s a dud.

Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

Does The Big Short…? An ensemble cast with solid performances couldn’t save a primarily financial film (here’s looking at you, Margin Call and Moneyball). Brooklyn? Didn’t see it. (Gulp). Room? Too claustrophobic.

And suddenly, we’re down to two.

martian-gallery3-gallery-imageWith the look on Matt Damon’s face as he accepted his award at the Golden Globes, I can tell there were fewer people laughing at the “comedy” that was The Martian. With the ridiculous categorization of the film, The Martian was condemned to be remembered not for Andy Weir’s story but the ridiculous politicization of the awards. And this isn’t even the best film where a dedicated group of brave people willingly sacrifice their lives to bring Matt Damon home or the best film where someone is castaway without human companionship…

spotlight3So, Spotlight it is. While Birdman and The Artist (2015 and 2012, respectively) proved that the Academy sometimes falls in love with the visuals, the track record of 12 Years a Slave, Argo, The King’s Speech, and The Hurt Locker show a trend toward based-on-a-true-story moments that highlight something about our society. With Spotlight, there’s an effort to show the power of the press (ding!), expose a hidden darkness (ding! ding!), and confront a powerful force in the world, the Catholic church (ding! ding! ding!)

Let’s hear the counter arguments. I know Chris Utley will be sharpening his knives… This should be fun.

Filed Under: Editorial, Featured, Film, Oscar Spotlight Tagged With: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Bridge of Spies, Brie Larsen, Brooklyn, Bryan Cranston, Charlize Theron, Christian Bale, Creed, Eddie Redmayne, Emma Donaghue, Mad Max: Fury Road, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Fassbender, Michael Keaton, Michael Lewis, Room, Ryan Gosling, Spotlight, Steve Carrell, Steve Jobs, The Big Short, The Danish Girl, The Martian, The Revenant, Tom Hanks, Tom Hardy, Trumbo, Walter White

Remembering The Revenant (Oscar Spotlight: Best Picture)

February 11, 2016 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

revenant2In The Revenant, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his son are scouts for a team of fur trappings in the late nineteenth Century. After a chance encounter with a bear, Glass is left bloodied and (almost) dead. As the team struggles to carry him along, they decide to leave him until he passes on. However, after a rogue member of his team causes Glass an even greater personal tragedy, he fights to survive in the harshest of winter conditions in order to exact his revenge.

Shot by uber-cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki in the wilds of Canada in natural light, The Revenant is certainly beautiful to see. It’s grey-blue landscapes are simply striking in their scope, drawing us into the film without the use of 3D trickery. Furthermore, DiCaprio’s performance is arguably the best of his career and (in my humble opinion) is much deserved of that elusive Best Actor award.

So, it must deserve Best Picture, right?

revenantMaybe—but ultimately, no.

While the film has something to say, frankly I don’t believe that it’s worthy of the hype. Hardy has received praise for his portrayal of Fitzgerald but I don’t feel that his character becomes anything particularly new from the archetype. In addition, as DiCaprio wanders in the desert, there are times where I feel the script does as well.

Further leaving me cold was the film’s message. In his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, DiCaprio shared his award with the Indigenous Peoples of the world, arguing that it’s “time we recognized their history”. I couldn’t agree more with this statement. However, I don’t think that The Revenant necessarily accomplishes this in any particularly special way. In fact, rather than elevating native peoples, The Revenant actually equates them with the beastliness of the various fur trappers on a number of occasions. As a result, The Revenant creates an overall sense of animal-like nature of humanity. Yes, there are things that man does that one could consider noble (love of family or compassion, for instance); however, in the end, humanity is portrayed as vicious and cruel, a product of the elements.

revenant

The one bright hope within the film is the fact that, throughout his quest, Glass appears to receive strength from a power greater than himself. While much has been made of his ‘one-ness with nature’, his flashbacks and spiritual encounters point to an Influence from outside. He lives because he was allowed to live. He has purpose because he’s been shown there’s more to live for. What’s more, Glass even appears conscious of this when, at the end of the film, his angry heart recognizes that ultimately “revenge is in God’s hands”.

Despite this spiritual hope, however, the film’s conclusion still finds a man who is left with nothing. While his journey has come to an end, his life goes on—and his final glare to the camera suggests that he’s not sure why.

To bring the Oscar home for Best Picture, I simply don’t think that’s enough.

Filed Under: Film, Oscar Spotlight, Reviews Tagged With: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Emmanuel Lubezki, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oscars, The Revenant

The Revenant: Humanity’s Best & Worst

January 13, 2016 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

revenant2

The Revenant cleaned up at the Golden Globes – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Film Not in Matt Damon’s category. [Okay, I made that last category up… sort of.] But the truth is that while director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest film (he’s the artistic mind behind Birdman) dances gracefully, bloodily, across the fallen snow, the storyline lacks for aspects of the plot that could’ve made it grand.

John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), the scene-chewing villain of this particular story, kills Hugh Glass’ (Leonard DiCaprio) half-Indian son and leaves Glass for dead in the 1820s. Furious, a ‘resurrected’ Glass goes hunting for Fitzgerald, fit and tied for revenge. Over ice and snow, Glass is undeterred by hypothermia (highly unlikely) or the bear mauling (which may be the best part of the film). But for two and a half hours, Glass pursues Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald runs, and we’re set up for an obvious confrontation. Along the way, we see some other subplots that play out as you’d expect, and nothing much unexpected happens.

revenant

That said, beyond the bear attack, one vignette in the film stuck out. It’s the portion of the film where Glass is cared for at his weakest by another fellow traveler, a Native American. The man provides for Glass and his needs, protecting him and even “housing” him. It struck me almost immediately that it was The Parable of the Good Samaritan played out in the middle of this Pacific Northwest thriller. It’s one man’s recognition that another man’s life–even a stranger’s–is worth saving because life is sacred.

Yes, The Revenant will gain attention for its style and its crew, but it isn’t the best film I’ve seen in the last year. It’s fun, exciting, and at times, terrifying, but the best of the film is found in about ten minutes of the middle third, when we see humanity at its best.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, bears, Leonardo DiCaprio, revenge, The Revenant, Tom Hardy

The Revenant: Return to the living

January 8, 2016 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe… keep breathing.”

Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant fits all the qualifications of a big film: star-caliber acting from Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and others; astounding cinematography in gorgeous settings; and a story that seems to be larger than life. The film is “inspired by” the legendary life of Hugh Glass, a 19th Century frontiersman about whom various stories, some likely true, but others apocryphal, arose and were embellished by the newspapers of the day.

Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.The film begins as a trapping expedition lead by Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) is preparing to return back to civilization. After being attacked by Native Americans, they must make their way back over mountains. Glass (DiCaprio) knows the area and convinces the Captain of the plan to get back over strong objections from John Fitzgerald (Hardy). Along the way Glass is attacked and mauled by a grizzly. Along with Glass’s son, Fitzgerald and a young man volunteer to stay with Glass while the others go on. Soon, however, Fitzgerald kills Glass’s son, and convinces the other man they must leave the dying Glass to his fate. But Glass does not die. Rather he battles through recovering from his injuries and slowly makes his way back where he will have revenge on the man left him for dead and killed his son.

On the superficial level, this journey back is a marvel of the human will to survive. From the time he crawls out of the grave Fitzgerald threw him in, Glass must struggle through each day, each step. He survives not only the grizzly attack that initially injures him, but even more trials along the way: waterfalls, warring Native Americans, starvation, and winter.

But there is also a sense in which this is a journey to humanity. Early on in this Odyssey, it seems that Glass survives by reverting to primal, animal behavior. In press notes, Iñárritu says, “Glass’s story asks the questions: Who are we when we are completely stripped of everything? What are we made of and what are we capable of?” I was struck to the way that he seemed very like the bear that had mauled him: wearing the bear skin, grunting in a similar way, catching and eating raw fish. But there are also events that remind him that there is more to his life than just a will to survive. One of the best of those events is the simple act, along with a Native American companion, of catching snowflakes on his tongue.

One of the strongest emotions that drives him is the memory of his love from his son and wife (who was Native American and killed by soldiers). He frequently dreams of their time together and the things that his wife taught him and his son about overcoming fear and troubles. Those memories and the love they represent were as sustaining for Glass as was the food he caught along the way or the healing provided by a Native American who, like him, had lost everything dear to him.

The interplay between the savagery of nature and the façade of civilization serves to provide insight into what it means to be human. Glass must revert to an animal nature to survive the wilderness, but before he can come back to the world of people, he must be reconnected to something that is beyond the animal aspect of who we are.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Adventure, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Domhnall Gleeson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy

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