The Buzz: movie reviews

In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, a six-year-old girl exists on the brink of orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions. -- (C) Fox Searchlight Beasts of the Southern Wild is an ethereal dream that shows the world through the eyes of a young girl named Hushpuppy. Gritty, dirty, and filled with family strain, little Hushpuppy is trying to deal with a reality that is beyond her young scope. She is in denial that the world is cruel and difficult. Her father urgently and loudly attempts to teach her about the real world. But, as children are, they sometimes only learn by experience. The imagery...

The 2013 nominees for Oscar are in this morning, and....WHAAAAT???? 1. No Best Director for Ben Affleck - HUGE SNUB! no Best Director for Tom Hooper - HUGE SNUB! I know David O. Russell did a great job in Silver Linings Playbook, but NOT better than Ben Affleck for Argo or Hooper for Les Miserables. This was a really strong field this year, so I guess someone got snubbed. But, I haven't seen Beasts of the Southern Wild, but I'm skeptical. 2. What is Amour? And why is it nominated for both Best Foreign Language AND Best Picture? I guess they're not mutually exclusive. I gotta admit, I didn't see that one coming. But then again, who did? 3. Bradley Cooper for Best Actor....SERIOUSLY? I saw Silver Linings Playbook (seperate blog review of that later) a few days ago, and I did NOT think Bradley Cooper was Oscar worthy. 4. Joaquin Phoenix - the comeback kid? This is an exciting nomination because I've always admired Phoenix, until his bizarre meltdown ...

The new year is already here, and Oscar nominations are less than a week away! I love this time of year because my wife and I always try to see all movies that are nominated for Best Picture if they're still in theaters. This year's Oscar buzz has happened strong and early, meaning this may be an exciting year. Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman, for example, are already garnering intense and divided attention over their over-the-top performances in Les Miserables. I've read several critical reviews of both opinion. I personally think they're both worthy of the win, not just nomination! Best Picture Predictions 1. Argo - Gritty thriller has many Oscar-friendly elements in its favor: 1. it was directed by a celebrity (Ben Affleck.) The Academy loves that. 2. It's based on a true story.   And, aside from that, it's great! My wife and I saw it when it first came about because I'm interested in the hostage crisis from the late 70's. And, I knew a Ben Affle...