Top Ten 2014

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Craig M

This has been one of the toughest end-of-year Top Ten’s I’ve ever come up with. Although there were many good movies this year, there hasn’t (for me) been a clear winner, and well I’ve not managed to get around to some of the real big hitters like 12 Years A Slave or Boyhood, to name two. However listed below is my final Ten of the year compiled from the best movies I watched and reviewed (for the first time) in 2014. Note: I try and limit the contenders to movies released in the last two years.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

2. American Hustle

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

4. The Wolf of Wall Street

5. Dallas Buyers Club

6. Gravity

7. Inside Llewyn Davis

8. Nightcrawler

9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

10. Saving Mr Banks

Honourable mentions: Gone Girl, The Raid 2 and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Dallas Buyers Club

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Craig M

Viewed – 13 August 2013 DVD

One of the big movies to come out of the awards season, nabbing itself three academy awards (including best actor). Matthew Mcconaughey plays arrogant, Texan womaniser Ron, who discovers he has HIV following a trip to the hospital. Narrow-minded and in denial, he goes on a journey of self discovery after the docs give him 30 days to live. Soon he realises the drug that is being offered to patients is more harmful than good, and goes about seeking alternatives, that haven’t gone through the approval process. Hence forth he sets up the ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, where for a monthly fee, people can get the necessary medicines, that he brings back from Mexico, Japan etc. Along the way he meets a fellow HIV sufferer and transvestite, who goes into business with him and the two form an unlikely bond.

Firstly this is an incredible physical performance from Mcconaughey, who’s weight loss for the role is nothing short of scary. Adding to his presence is a bold and motor-mouth performance you might expect from him, making an at first unpleasant guy into someone you genuinely care for. Supporting him is Jennifer (the best lips in Hollywood) Garner as a sympathetic doctor, and also Jared Leto, stepping into the limelight from a career of thankless roles. I would have liked more detail on Leto’s character as he was the more likable performance, and the subtle bond between the two leads could have done with that one emotional punch you normally get from such ‘tragic’ dramas … especially towards the end. Garner as a sort of love interest is under-written also. However this remains a showcase for the talent of Mcconaughey and the true shocking lengths an actor can go to to deliver a very convincing portrayal. It’s something to behold, I can tell you. The same should also be said for Leto who delivers a similar physical shock-factor.

The movie sort of glosses over some of the finer details surrounding the illness, with death seemingly left to your imagination. However as a daring and harrowing tale of a still scary virus, and the ignorance of government and hospitals where money seems more important than lives – this one will leaving you thinking for quite a while.

Verdict: 4 /5

86th Academy Awards

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Craig M

So the Academy Awards has been and gone and did I take much interest? Not really. Awards ceremonies over the years have returned increasingly diminishing results, I mean isn’t it all just about what movie has the best PR?? Many movies, many very good movies have often not even got a nomination, let alone had a chance at winning – and the ones that do? Not always very deserving. Looking at the results below, I would say it’s been a fairly predictable year. 12 Years A Slave getting best picture? Considering the subject matter it was a simple choice, probably hitting home more than Captain Phillips. Cate Blanchet was very good in Blue Jasmine, even if it seemed a very academy-friendly performance. Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese and The Wolf Of Wall Street never stood a chance – too much tits & coke. Oh and who didn’t see the technical and directing nods going to Gravity? That movie’s marketing campaign was all about the experience, the visuals etc.

Yet I mainly haven’t taken an interest in this year’s awards (or awards season) as simply put, I haven’t seen a great majority of the movies nominated, so difficult to really give an opinion. I hope to see Dallas Buyers Club at some stage, because of being a growing fan of Matthew McConaughey and Gravity is on my list for the near future (look out for a review sometime this weekend). So I will leave you with this year’s main winners, a few of the smaller categories omitted, because really, who concerns themselves with those?

Best Picture

12 Years a Slave

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Animated Feature

Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho)