post-oscars movie roundup

During Oscar time, a lot of attention is drawn to those nine movies nominated for Best Picture, and often many of the other films not up for the title get neglected! So here's a roundup of some of the other films that came out during Oscar season, so they can get some lovin' and attention too.

anna karenina

Blake's rating: ★★★1/2

While this one wasn't up for Best Picture, it received four other Oscar nominations for cinematography, costume design (winner!), production design and for its original score, all of which are undoubtedly deserved. This movie was a feast for the eyes, where the entire story was played out on a moving, stage-like set which in itself was incredible to watch, however unfortunately began to get on my nerves as the film progressed. I found myself wishing it could have been normal location sets, just like director Joe Wright's other film, Pride and Prejudice (one of my top 5 favourite movies of all time). He has a knack for creating amazing visual sets (see the beach scene in Atonement and be astounded by the fact it was done in one take), but in this case I just don't think it added to the story. 

I also didn't sympathise with Anna, and whether that was due to direction or Keira Knightley's performance I cannot say. However, the rest of the cast did a fabulous job, and with such awe-inspiring costumes and sets, I am able to forgive and forget.   

Madolyn's rating: ★★★1/2

I really enjoyed most of this movie. It kind of bugs me that Keira Knightley is in every single one of these types of movies, but the rest of the cast was pretty good, and I do love Aaron (Taylor-)Johnson, despite his strange marriage and what he has done to his hair. The thing I loved most about this movie, though, was how pretty it is. Although Blake didn't like it, the way they staged the whole thing so it was like they were moving through a theatre was something I really liked, and that ballroom scene is definitely going down as one of my favourite movie scenes ever.

the impossible

Blake's rating: ★★★★

Wooowweeeeeee! This is film making at its absolute very best. I have no clue how this film was made, and I have no inclination to find out because it looked so REAL. For those who don't know, The Impossible is based on a true story about a family who is split up during the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 and it is flawlessly made. Not only visually, but the use of sound is awesome and it adds to the whole experience so realistically that you almost feel like you're in the situation yourself.  

It is also the single most harrowing film I have ever seen, so if you're someone who gets emotional in the cinema, I think... twelve boxes of tissues might just have you covered (and maybe a bucket if you're squeamish about blood). Personally, I'm not a crier, but this one had me bawling. Naomi Watts' Oscar nominated performance was fantastic in a horrible-to-watch kind of way, and the actors who played the children in the family deserve recognition, because they were such troopers (and so cute). This film is an incredible study in human strength, and once you get past the totally banal opening scenes, it is truly amazing. 

Madolyn's rating: ★★★★1/2

This movie was just incredible. All the sets, the effects, the sounds, the make-up - however they did it, it felt so real, and in some scenes, like you were trapped under the water yourself. Naomi Watts was nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for this, and I would've liked to have seen her win it, because I personally think she deserved it over Jennifer Lawrence. Her performance in this movie was heartwrenching. In fact, this whole movie is heartwrenching. I cried from about five minutes in until the very end. Because of the subject matter of this movie, it feels a bit wrong to say the movie was amazing and that I loved it, but it was and I did, even though it's quite tough. Also, props to the child actors, who  added to the overall heartbreak in a way only a child's emotions can, and especially Tom Holland who played Lucas - he's definitely one to watch.

gangster squad

Blake's rating: ★★

There weren't any Oscar nominations for the 1940s blow-me-up Gangster Squad, and honestly it isn't hard to see why. This was really just another action movie without much substance, made slightly more attractive by the fact that it is set in 1949 and that it stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling (unarguably one of the most attractive on screen couples). There are some redeeming qualities; costumes and sets have been done very well and while a lot of the action speaks for itself, there are some shining moments of cinematography in there. Emma and Ryan can't really be faulted, as always, however Sean Penn left something to be desired with his slightly uncomfortable accent and creepy performance.
If you're into this kind of gangster gun-fest, then this is probably a very commendable movie. Although in my case, I just wanted to know how the hell everyone survived after about a million bullets were fired, and was it really necessary to add that voice over?      

Madolyn's rating: ★1/2

Let's be honest here, the only reason I went to see this film was because it has Emma Stone looking beautiful and Ryan Gosling in suits. The storyline didn't really hold my interest except for the Emma/Ryan romantic subplot (nothing to fault there - it was really enjoyable), and Sean Penn was just really, really creepy. As Blake said, there was some standout moments of cinematography - that one scene with the close up on the lighter gets brought up a lot for being such a lovely shot. Otherwise, too much shooting with not a lot of point, an annoying and unnecessary voiceover and a final punch up that was filmed like it was an extremely violent scene from The Bold and the Beautiful.