Silver Linings Playbook - Review

Pat Solitano seeks to reunite with his estranged wife after a brief stint in a mental institution by moving back in with his parents only to come in contact with a young widow named Tiffany. Her own problems and desires make his journey back to marriage and sanity more challenging in Silver Linings Playbook.


I had wanted to see Silver Linings Playbook, but seeing that I live in a lousy city for limited releases I was forced to wait until the DVD release. I had some minor issues with the ending but overall I thought this was a great movie. Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar was well deserved and I would go far enough to say Robert De Niro deserved Best Supporting Actor over Christoph Waltz and Bradley Cooper should have been taken more seriously. Hell, the entire movie should have been taken more seriously.

As far as the plot goes, I really loved the general basis of the movie. I thought the concept of him being committed into a mental hospital after a fight rather than being put in jail was an interesting twist. Most of the time Hollywood just puts the "sick" in mental wards for being depressed or attempting suicide. I also loved how Bradley Cooper portrayed Bipolar Disorder. His character Pat Solitano was a man who knew what he wanted and was very analytical in expressing why he does the things he does and why he says what he thinks out loud. He was happy but lacking what he thought made him the happiest. It was great.

For acting... Jennifer Lawrence was just in another category. Her character Tiffany was sad, hilarious, and powerful all at the same time. Tiffany recently lost her husband Tommy in a freak accident and was searching for something, or someone, to fill the gap that Tommy had left. She recruits Pat by bribing him into thinking she would help him break the restraining order his wife had placed on him after his fight. She was deceitful but it worked.
Don't get me wrong, everyone was good in this movie. Even the minor characters played by Chris Tucker and Jackie Weaver were great. I just think Jennifer Lawrence carried the movie and gave it heart.

The only gripe I had was with the ending. I thought it was a little too abrupt and predictable. It was a classic ending that we have seen a million times so that I wasn't too happy with, but again... it worked.


Overall I think Silver Linings Playbook was great. I don't really get why people were calling this movie a comedy, but whatever floats your boat. I recommend it!

2013 Academy Award Winners!

Nothing too surprising this year, but it was a good show. I have to say because I can admit when I am wrong... Seth MacFarlane was a great host. I hope he hosts again in the future.

Anyway, here are the winners!

* Best Picture:
Argo

* Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln

* Best Actress:
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook

* Best Director:
Ang Lee - Life of Pi

* Best Original Screenplay:
Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained

* Best Adapted Screenplay:
Chris Terrio - Argo

* Best Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

* Best Supporting Actress:
Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables

* Best Animated Feature:
Brave

* Best Animated Short:
Paperman

* Best Foreign Language Film:
Amour

* Best Cinematography:
Life of Pi

Best Editing:
Argo

* Best Costume Design:
Anna Karenina

* Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Les Miserables

* Best Sound Mixing:
Les Miserables

* Best Sound Editing (there was a tie):
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

* Best Visual Effects:
Life of Pi

Best Live Action Short Film:
Curfew

Best Production Design:
Lincoln

Best Original Score:
Mychael Danna - Life of Pi

* Best Original Song:
"Skyfall" - Skyfall

Best Documentary Feature:
Searching for Sugar Man

Best Documentary Short:
Inocente 


The categories with the star next to them indicate that my prediction was correct. The only categories that I predicted and missed are Best Original Score and Production Design. All the rest without stars I didn't predict so I didn't technically lose. Alright, I'm done tooting my own horn.
I'm a bit disappointed that Quvenzhane Wallis didn't take Best Actress, but she has many years ahead of her. I'm happy Jennifer Lawrence won and I must say that I like her more after seeing her fall up the stairs while walking to accept her statue. That was awesome. I am also kind of bummed that Hugh Jackman didn't win, but I fully expected Daniel Day-Lewis to take it. We all did.
The main surprise for me was Life of Pi winning Best Original Score. I was sure it was going to go to Argo or Lincoln, so that was one that got everyone.

I loved the overall theme of the show which basically was the tribute to the movie music over the years. We had a reunion (kind of) for Chicago as well as performances from Seth MacFarlane, Channing Tatum, Charlize Theron, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Hudson, Adele, Norah Jones, Dame Shirley Bassey, and Barbara Streisand. We also had cameo appearances from Michelle Obama, William Shatner, and Ted. Yes, the star of MacFarlane's stupid teddy bear movie.
As far as presenters went it was fairly ordinary. Jack Nicholson shared the Best Picture announcement with Michelle Obama, Kristen Stewart hobbled onstage looking like she was on drugs, and Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy kind of proved they have no comedic chemistry whatsoever. Oh, and Dustin Hoffman grabbed Charlize Theron's ass. I saw it.

Overall the show wasn't bad. I thought some of MacFarlane's jokes went a little far, but anyone who has any common sense knows that was to be expected. I actually thought he was a good host. He was the best one since Hugh Jackman, for me, and was definitely better than Ricky Gervais ever was.
Congrats to Argo and all the winners. To the losers... better luck next time!

[Updated] Quvenzhane Wallis will star in Annie musical reboot

This is exciting.

Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) is not only up for a Best Actress Oscar tonight, but it has been confirmed that she will headline a new Annie reboot where she will star in the title role. The film has been planned for a holiday 2014 release so probably November or December. The President of Production at Columbia commented on Wallis' talent stating her "amazing range, not only as an actress but as a singer and dancer, and we can't wait for audiences to further discover her."

Annie will be directed by Will Gluck (Easy A) and produced by James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith through Overbrook Entertainment and also Jay-Z, Jay Brown, and Ty Ty through Marcy Media.

[UPDATE] Annie has been given a Christmas release, so we will have it on December 25, 2014. 

My predictions for the 2013 Academy Awards

I think there are going to be some surprises waiting for us regarding the 85th annual Academy Awards, but for now I am going to share my predictions for how the awards will go this year. I'm not going to predict every category as I have not seen every movie, such as documentary shorts and foreign films, but I will do my best.

Best Picture:
I think Argo is going to take this one. Starting out a lot of people were thinking Lincoln was a sure thing but seeing how unpopular Lincoln has seemed to be at the other award shows I don't think it will take Best Picture. Not unless the Academy is going to surprise us. I personally think Beasts of the Southern Wild or Les Miserables should win but those are both long shots. The only other movie besides Lincoln I can see giving Argo a good run for its money is Silver Linings Playbook.

Best Director:
Seeing that the Academy stiffed Ben Affleck, who has swept this category everywhere else, I don't really know who else to pick. They also stiffed Tom Hooper for Les Miserables. Out of the choices I think it will go to either Ang Lee or Steven Spielberg, leaning more toward Ang Lee. I would like to see Benh Zeitlin win for Beasts of the Southern Wild.

Best Actor:
There is no competition for this category. It should be Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables, but it's going to be Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln.

Best Actress:
This one is tough for me. I would love to see Quevanzhane Wallis win for Beasts of the Southern Wild. She was fantastic and I want her to win badly. However, I would also be happy with Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook. I think Lawrence is probably going to win it.

Best Supporting Actor:
It's going to be either Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook or Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained. Leaning more toward De Niro.

Best Supporting Actress:
Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables. Enough said.

Best Animated Film:
I have no doubt Brave is going to take this one. Pixar almost never loses in this category. I would like to see either ParaNorman or Frankenweenie win this one, but I highly doubt either of those will beat out Brave. They probably won't even beat out Wreck-It Ralph.

Best Cinematography:
It should be Skyfall but it will be Life of Pi.

Best Costume Design:
I would give it to Les Miserables, but I am thinking this one will go to Anna Karenina.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Les Miserables. It could go to The Hobbit, though.

Best Original Score:
I think it should go to Thomas Newman for Skyfall, but it probably will go to Alexandre Desplat for Argo.

Best Original Song:
"Skyfall" by Adele. If it goes to anyone else I am turning the show off.

Best Production Design:
Les Miserables, again, is my pick but it probably is going to Life of Pi or Anna Karenina.

Best Animated Short:
Paperman is my choice and what I think will win. At least it should win.

Best Sound Editing:
The Dark Kn.... oh wait, I forgot. Skyfall.

Best Sound Mixing:
Skyfall or Les Miserables

Best Visual Effects:
This one is no doubt going to Life of Pi. I think it should go to The Avengers or The Hobbit. I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan, but I am smart enough to know Peter Jackson is a wizard when it comes to visual effects.

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Argo or Silver Linings Playbook

Best Original Screenplay:
Hands down should be Moonrise Kingdom, but I am predicting Amour or Django Unchained.


We'll see how my predictions turn out tomorrow night! 

72 original songs eligible for Oscars

We have the list of songs that have made the first cut in eligibility for Best Original Song for the 2013 Academy Awards. Included on the list are:

Skyfall (Skyfall)
Touch the Sky (Brave)
Ancora Qui (Django Unchained)
Strange Love (Frankenweenie)
Song of the Lonely Mountain (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
Abraham's Daughter (The Hunger Games)
Wide Awake (Katy Perry: Part of Me)
Ladies of Tampa (Magic Mike)
Breath of Life (Snow White and the Huntsman)
When Can I See You Again? (Wreck-It Ralph)

The full list can be seen here. Also available as of right now are the 104 original scores eligible for Best Original Score.


As far as Original Song, I am rooting for "Skyfall" by Adele to take home the Oscar. That is the best movie song I have heard in years. I would also take "Breath of Life" by Florence + The Machine, but that wouldn't be as satisfying.

Oscar nominations to precede Golden Globes in 2013

The powers that be who run the Academy Awards have shuffled things for the 2013 awards season. Usually nominations for the Academy Awards follow the Golden Globes, but in 2013 the Oscar nominees will be announced on January 10th which puts the announcement 3 days before the Globes. This is a good movie, imo. The Golden Globes always seem to be more playful than serious and I think they always had an unnecessary lean on how the Oscar nominations turn out based on who wins or whatever. Hopefully we get good nominees. I thought the 2012 awards were a joke for the most part. Half the people who won didn't deserve to even be nominated.

The 2013 Academy Awards are set to air on February 24th.