A Whole Bunch of Reviews

I’ve been slacking lately with the review writing. Sorry about that. I’ll blame the holidays but it’s really laziness at fault. So instead of trying to write out full reviews for all the movies I saw, I figured I’d give you a little blurb about each one and the overall rating.

P.S. The podcast should be up again soon. We’ve been slacking on that lately, too. Sorry…

12 Years a Slave

A contender for the best picture of the year. Lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor will be the front runner for the Best Actor Oscar and, in my opinion, deserves the award.

I give it an A+

After the jump you’ll find my super-mini-reviews like this one for seventeen other films.

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Warner Bros. Wants Joaquin Phoenix for Superman/Batman movie.

The rumor of the week is Warner Bros. is eyeing Joaquin Phoenix for a villainous role in their upcoming Man of Steel sequel. Joaquin Phoenix is known for avoiding big budget moneymakers like this, so I think it’s fair to say that he’s going to pass. He’s quite an excellent actor though and I’d love to see him added to the film’s roster.

However, I’d like to throw my two cents in about who he could potentially play. Everyone is saying he’s up for the role of Lex Luthor. OK… Could be. I’m sure he’d be great, but I’m curious as to why no one has mentioned the more obvious choice: The Joker.

Review: Out of the Furnace [R]

It’s that time of year again. The Oscar contenders are about to be in full force at your local theater. Some have already arrived (Gravity, 12 Years a Slave) while others will be released later this month (American Hustle, The Wolf of Wall Street).  Out of the Furnace might not see a Best Picture nomination from the Academy but it’s a strong movie that might grab a nomination for Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

This is the second movie for director Scott Cooper. His first, Crazy Heart,  earned Jeff Bridges a Best Actor Oscar and was one of my favorite films of 2009. (I’ve also just noticed the similarities in posters. Cooper apparently likes actors’ profiles)

Out of the Furnace stars Christian Bale as Russell Baze, a steel mill worker who’s just trying to make a good living and be a good person. His little brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) is a gambling addict who keeps getting buried under debt. Russell tries to help him out as much as he can but eventually it gets out of hand. Especially when Russell lands himself in jail after a drunk driving accident kills two people. When he’s finally released, Rodney’s in a mess of trouble with the wrong kind of people (led by Woody Harrelson).

This is a solid American drama. It features a working class family and, although there’s a bit of an underworld aspect, feels very real. The performances from Bale and Affleck are incredible. Zoe Saldana who plays Russell’s girlfriend knocks it out of the park. There’s a scene between Bale and Saldana that is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. They are bewitching to watch.

Cooper delivers us a film full of rich cinematography with a score that is subtle yet moving. The final moments of the movie will grip you to your seat.

I give Out of the Furnace an A.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Smaug REVEAL

Smaug has been revealed on air…….planes. Here is your first look at Smaug:

Source: JoBlo