Oscar News! Part 3 of 4

Directing

1. Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman)
2. Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
3. Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher)
4. Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
5. Morton Tyldum (The Imitation Game)

Music - Original Score

1. Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
2. Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game)
3. Hans Zimmer (Interstellar)
4. Johann Johannsson (The Theory of Everything)
5. Gary Yershon (Mr. Turner)

Music - Original Song

1. "Glory" - Selma
2. "Everything is Awesome" - The Lego Movie
3. "Grateful" - Beyond the Lights
4. "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" - Glen Campbell...I'll Be Me
5. "Lost Stars" - Begin Again

Documentary Feature

1. CitizenFour
2. Finding Vivian Maier
3. Last Days in Vietnam
4. The Salt of the Earth
5. Virunga

Documentary Feature: Short Subject

1. Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
2. Joanna
3. Our Curse
4. The Reaper
5. White Earth

Foreign Language Film 

1. Ida
2. Leviathan
3. Tangerines
4. Timbuktu
5. Wild Tales

The Oscars air on Feb. 22nd!

Oscar News! Part 2 of 4

And the nominees are:

Cinematography:

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Birdman
3. Ida
4. Mr. Turner
5. Unbroken

Editing:

1. The Grand Budapest
2. American Sniper
3. The Imitation Game
4. Whiplash
5. Boyhood

Production Design

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. The Imitation Game
3. Interstellar
4. Into the Woods
5. Mr. Turner

Visual Effects

1. Interstellar
2. Captain America: Winter Soldier
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. X-Men: Days of Future Past
5. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Costume Design

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Into the Woods
3. Maleficent
4. Mr. Turner
5. Inherent Vice

Makeup and Hairstyling

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Guardians of the Galaxy 
3. Foxcatcher

Airing: February 22, 2015!

Oscar News! Part 1 of 4

The ceremony is on February 22, 2015!

The nominees are...

Best Picture

1. American Sniper 
2. Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
3. Boyhood
4. Selma
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel
6. The Imitation Game 
7. The Theory of Everything
8. Whiplash

Best Actor in a Leading Role

1. Bradley Cooper (American Sniper)
2. Michael Keaton (Birdman)
3. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
4. Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
5. Steve Carell (Foxcatcher)

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

1. Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)
2. Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
3. Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
4. Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
5. Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

1. Edward Norton (Birdman)
2. Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)
3. J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
4. Robert Duvall (The Judge)
5. Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

1. Emma Stone (Birdman)
2. Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
3. Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)
4. Laura Dern (Wild)
5. Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)

Best Animated Feature

1. Big Hero 6
2. Song of the Sea
3. How To Train Your Dragon 2
4. The Boxtrolls 
5. The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Going Into It Blind - The Imitation Game

I gave this film: 4 stars

Why?

Each day, there millions of possibilities. This is devistatingly true in The Imitation Game, where an enemy code resets everyday, leaving that day's work meaningless. The Imitation Game is an exciting adventure contrasted with emotional subtleties. The score, by the talented Alexandre Desplat, carried the film in a sweep of melodies that reflect each character with delicate variations. The story was split between three time periods, where Alan Turing's, the father of computer science, complexities unfold. The pacing was sometimes confusing between time periods, but the contrasted characteristics of Turing are clear. The combination of biographical, war, and espionage genres are intertwined effectively to show the audience the story of Alan Turing. However, when going into this film with little background information, the film was slightly different than expected, but did not disappoint. Advertised as more of an espionage adventure, the film is very nuanced and sophisticated. The overall color palette reflected the soot-covered era of World War II, but the acting and smart screenplay brought the characters out of the ashen background. Benedict Cumberbatch stands out not only as the main character, but for his entertaining yet flawed portrayal of Turing. The Imitation Game gives audiences a complex film with many layers, and are taken on an exciting, and very human, journey.

2015 Movies Part 1!

Hey everyone! Here are some cool movies to look forward to this year!
Each entry in the list has a trailer link and a brief description!

1. Inside Out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIDYqBMFzfg
Pixar is coming back with a literal emotional rollercoaster. Emotions take on characters and try to get a handle on life in a little girl's world. This (e)motion(al) picture hits theatres in July.

2. Selma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6t7vVTxaic
A historical drama about our recent past, Selma tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement's march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama. The tension in America is depicted in this upcoming film, out January 9th.

3. Mortdecai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh6nYOhItOM
Art heists, quirky characters, and Johnny Depp. Mortdecai will be an comedic adventure with an action-packed plot. Get ready to go along for the ride on January 23rd.

4. Cinderella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfR8Su4ulX0
A lavish take on the classic princess tale, Cinderella will dazzle with stars such as Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, and Game of Thrones star, Richard Madden. Relive the magic on March 13th.

5. Vice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtLM0NI-Ug
This film is a futuristic action thriller, with morals at its heart. Vice will show viewers what it's like to have no rules, and when artificial intelligence starts to become human, what it means to live is questioned.