The Trip To Italy

The Trip To Italy (Michael Winterbottom, 2014)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

British Comedy, Mockumentary, Travel and Food, Being a Comedian

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are at it again: traveling, eating food, contemplating life and love as only two 50-year old comedians can. I liked the first film more but this one has somewhat more mouthwatering scenery and meals. Highlight: Rob Brydon having a "conversation" with a once very real man trapped in a box.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Treme Season IV

Treme, Season 4 (Created by Eric Overmyer & David Simon, 2013)

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Rating: DSQ=9, SP=7 / Sweet Treat

Scale A=3, Scale B=3, Scale C=3, Scale D=4, Scale E=3

New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina aftermath, Music, Race Issues, Socio-Cultural, Mardi-Gras

The final season of Treme is bittersweet. I love these characters and I don't want to stop watching them learn, struggle, dance, play, cry, cook, investigate, love, rebel, and live. This is one of the best shows about culture and music ever made. It is politically and socially relevant and timely. There is so much wit and reality. I'm definitely going to watch again.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

200th Post! The Theory of Everything

Hey, this is my 200th post! That's pretty nifty :)

The Theory of Everything (James Marsh, 2014)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=3

Biopic, Stephen Hawking, Complex Relationships, Coping, Inspirational, Tear-jerker

"There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope."

Yes, this film has flaws but what film doesn't? Many critics have argued that there should have been more discussion of Hawking's amazing intellectual achievements. Perhaps. But this film has a different agenda: it is a brilliant film about the power of the human spirit. It is about making the most of your life, adapting, and staying positive. We will all face limitations-- minor and severe, self-imposed and beyond our control. Eddie Redmayne delivers an unbelievable performance that will no doubt astonish you. But he is channeling Hawking's incredible mental and emotional strength and THAT will stay with you long after.

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Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (David Gelb, 2011)

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Rating: DOCQ=6, DOCP=5 / Quite Legible

Scale K=3, Scale L=3, Scale M=3, Scale N=2

Documentary, Biopic, Food, Sushi, Family, Legacy

You don't have to like sushi to love this documentary. But it helps! This is a wonderful and inspirational story about family tradition, legacy, patience, and perfectionism. There are lots of cliche sayings out there about finding your passion and do what you love but this film says it better. Jiro is an inspiration to us all.

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A Young Doctor's Notebook Season 1

A Young Doctor's Notebook Season 1 (Alex Hardcastle, 2012)

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Rating: DSQ=8, SP=4 / Average Snack

Scale A=3, Scale B=3, Scale C=2, Scale D=2, Scale E=2

Surreal, Dark Humor, Russian Revolution, Drug Addiction

Based on the writings of Bulgakov, this show is quite intriguing but shockingly graphic. If you don't like medical drama because of the blood and operations, you probably won't like this one. A middle-aged doctor remembers his past experiences working as a country doctor in a remote Russian village during the revolution. In a unique and surreal twist, both versions of the doctor appear on screen and converse at the same time.

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Oscar Dash 2015--The Nominees

Oscar Dash 2015! It is here!

I have only seen 3 out of 8 so far, but this list is fantastic. I'm surprised at the variety and quality of films this year. Don't forget to watch the big celebration on February 22. Here are the nominees for best picture:

American Sniper


Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)


Boyhood


The Grand Budapest Hotel


The Imitation Game


Selma


The Theory of Everything


Whiplash


For all the categories, click here.

Happy Watching!

It's Not Me, I Swear!

It's Not Me, I Swear! (Philippe Falardeau, 2008)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Coming of Age, Divorce, Coping, Complex Relationships, Philosophical

Having just gone through a year of much death and loss, it was hard for me to watch this film. The struggles of Leon reminded me of many troubled friends I used to know and family I used to be closer to. It reminded me that growing up without real support can be devastating. And when I say real support, I mean someone who loves you unconditionally and makes an effort to understand your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Everyone deserves to feel some kind of security in a world that is so full of difference and often so painfully confusing.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game (Morten Tyldum, 2014)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Biopic, WWII, Historical, Drama

Benedict Cumberbatch is utterly amazing in this film about Alan Turing. The story is riveting, the pace is perfect, everything is as it should be. Alan Turing's accomplishments and his tragic personal story are important and timely. I believe everyone should see this film because they will learn much about our history, politically and socially. The moral here is that profound genius is often disguised as difference. But we should not be afraid of this--these people are sometimes the only ones capable of creating vast and imperative change. We should all be allowed to live honestly in this world.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Happy 2015, Oscar Dash 2015

Happy 2015!

Have you made a list of goals or resolutions? What about a movie list? I've made one of those, as I'm sure you imagined. Don't forget that Oscar Dash starts mid-month, just after the nominations are revealed on January 15. Stay tuned for that announcement!

Until then, I thought I'd share three of my movie goals for this year (besides the annual dash):

I want to watch more...
1. Classics. So many fantastic films were made in the 1930s-1950s. I have seen a lot of them but many still to go. Here are a few I plan to watch before summer: 39 Steps, Spellbound, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Gentleman's Agreement, The Conversation, and La Dolce Vita.

2. Epics and 3+ hour long films. It's hard to do this, of course, because there is always so much to do after work and on the weekends. But I feel I need to see award-winning films like The English Patient, Patton, and the entirety of the 1915 classic Birth of a Nation.

3. Documentaries. There was a spurt of great documentaries a few years ago and then I didn't hear about as many. I need to remedy this.