Some Recent Writing

On why Matthias Schoenaerts and Michael Shannon are so irrresistable on screen.

My review of Cpatain Fantastic.

Celebrating Cate Blanchett's history at Cannes.

On casting Kenneth's Remake of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express 

On Rachel Weisz very busy 2016 and 2017

Hit Me With Your Best Shot : Atonement

Because this is THE moment. The moment Robbie (James McAvoy) falls deep in lust with Cecilia (Keira Knightley). That lust would lead to that filthy letter. The letter leads to that hot encounter in the library. That's what Briony (Saoirse Ronan) sees and misunderstands leading to the unravelling of all three lives.

And because Keira Knightly looks damn good wet.

Top Ten Movies of 2015

1- Carol

Palpable emotions dripping from every single frame. And what beautiful meticously constructed frames they are. Carol gives us the best acting duet of this year, maybe this decade, in Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

2- Girlhood

3- 45 Years

4- Sicario

....for puting me in the thick of things and getting me as perplexed and scared as its lead character Kate Macer (Emily Blunt).

5- Brooklyn

... for the copious tears I shed and for translating the ache of homesicknes into film.

6- Tangerine

7- About Elly

The best emotional thriller of the year.
8- Macbeth

Shakespeare has never been this sexy.

9 -Diary of a Teenage Girl

........ and

10- Slow West

Introducing new confident filmmaking voices in Marielle Heller and John McLean.

Final Oscar Predictions

Best Picture

Winner: The Revenant

Alternate: The Big Short

Best Directing

Winner: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant

Alternate: Adam McKay, The Big Short

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Alternate: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Winner: Brie Larson, Room

Alternate: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Winner: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Alternate: Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Winner: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Alternate: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Winner: Spotlight

Alternate: Straight Outta Compton

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Winner: The Big Short

Alternate: The Martian

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Best Animated Feature

Winner: Inside Out

Alternate: Anomalisa

Best Foreign Language Film

Winner: Son of Saul

Alternate: Mustang

Best Documentary Feature

Winner: Amy

Alternate: What Happened, Miss Simone?

Best Documentary Short

Winner: Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

Alternate: Body Team 12

Best Short Film (Animated)

Winner: Sanjay's Super Team

Alternate: World of Tomorrow

Best Short Film (Live Action)

Winner: Shok

Alternate: Day One

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Best Music (Original Score)

Winner: The Hateful Eight

Alternate: Carol

Best Music (Original Song)

Winner: Til It Happens to You, The Hunting Ground

Alternate: Writing's On The Wall, Spectre

Best Film Editing

Winner: The Big Short

Alternate: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Cinematography

Winner: The Revenant

Alternate: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Art Direction

Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road

Alternate: The Revenant

Best Costume Design

Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road

Alternate: Carol

Best Makeup

Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road

Alternate: The Revenant

Best Sound Mixing

Winner: The Revenant

Alternate: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Sound Editing

Winner: The Revenant

Alternate: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Visual Effects

Winner: The Revenant

Alternate: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

2015 Oscar Nominations Predictions

Carol. Carol. PLEASE.

My judegment might be cloudy this year because of my deep love for Carol.

(Will update tonight with more commentary).

Best Picture

01. The Big Short

02. Bridge of Spies

02. Brooklyn

04. Carol

05. Mad Max: Fury Road

06. The Martian

07. The Revenant

08. Room

09. Spotlight

10. Straight Outta Compton

Best Directing

01. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant

02. Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

03. Adam McKay, The Big Short

04. George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

05. Ridley Scott, The Martian

Best Actor in a Leading Role

01. Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

02. Matt Damon, The Martian

03. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

04. Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

05. Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress in a Leading Role

01. Cate Blanchett, Carol

02. Brie Larson, Room

03. Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

04. Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

05. Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

01. Christian Bale, The Big Short

02. Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation

03. Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

04. Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

05. Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

01. Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

02. Rooney Mara, Carol

03. Rachel McAdams, Spotlight

04. Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

05. Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

01. Bridge of Spies

02. Ex Machina

03. The Hateful Eight

04. Inside Out

05. Spotlight

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

01. The Big Short

02. Brooklyn

03. Carol

04. Room

05. Steve Jobs

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Best Animated Feature

01. Anomalisa

02. Inside Out

03. The Good Dinosaur

04. The Peanuts Movie

05. Shaun The Sheep Movie

Best Foreign Language Film

01. The Brand New Testament

02. Mustang

03. Son of Saul

04. Theeb

05. Viva

Best Documentary Feature

01. Amy

02. Cartel Land

03. He Named Me Malala

04. The Hunting Ground

05. The Look of Silence

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Best Music (Original Score)

01. Bridge of Spies

02. Carol

03. The Hateful Eight

04. Spotlight

05. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Music (Original Song)

01. See You Again, Furious 7

02. Til It Happens to You, The Hunting Ground

03. The Light That Never Fails, Meru

04. Writing's on the Wall, Spectre

05. Simple Song #3, Youth

Best Film Editing

01. The Big Short

02. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Martian

04. The Revenant

05. Spotlight

Best Cinematography

01. Carol

02. The Hateful Eight

03. Mad Max: Fury Road

04. The Revenant

05. Sicario

Best Art Direction

01. Bridge of Spies

02. Cinderella

03. The Martian

04. Mad Max: Fury Road

05. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Costume Design

01. Carol

02. Cinderella

03. The Danish Girl

04. Trumbo

05. Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Makeup

01. Mr Holmes

02. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Revenant

Best Sound Mixing

01. Bridge of Spies

02. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Martian

04. The Revenant

05. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Sound Editing

01. Mad Max: Fury Road

02. The Martian

03. The Revenant

04. Sicario

05. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Visual Effects

01. Ant-Man

02. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Martian

04. The Revenant

05. Star Wars: The Force Awakens