Inside Out

Tali: The latest from Pixar, Inside Out tells the absolutely adorable story of the creative team living and working inside the head of an 11 year old girl. Perfectly cast, this movie is a JOY to watch (get it?!). Because this movie is billed as being from the makers of Up, you should know that your heartstrings will be tugged and you will feel ALL of the warm and fuzzies.. yet, even when it does happen, you are surprised at how much you are crying in the theatre. After all, you're a grown woman and this movie is for children! Anyway, it was an total delight, and I bet it'll go down in history as one of Pixar's greats. 89/100.

Leo: I was very excited to see this movie because, well, who doesn't love Pixar movies? This movie did not fail to deliver. The emotions were perfectly cast, which I think was the major foundation for the rest of the plot to be moved on. The hilarious explanations of the terms you learned in Intro Psychology mixed with the obvious but still hilarious jokes of the interactions between the husband and wife and the nerd when he see's the girl (that shit still happens to me so whatever). There were a few times when the plot felt a bit forced, but it recovers nicely with its clever humour and emotional investment in the characters. That is, you get kind of glad it gets drawn out. Everyone should see this movie, there's no excuse not to. I dedicate this review to Bingbong. Leometer: 91/100.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Tali:Mad Max: Fury Road tells the story of an Apocolyptic time where resources are scarce and crazy cult leaders and their even crazier followers run wild. I was very reluctant to see this movie--it just screamed macho-overload, despite the oodles of feminist praise it was receiving in some circles. Never the less, I went, and boy, I was surprised. YES, this movie is a fast paced, edge of your seat, entertainment overload rollercoaster ride. NO, this movie is not what feminist dreams are made of. Never the less, it was a great escape, and even with its intensity it left me feeling really good about the decision to see it. 85/100.

Leo: I was looking forward to seeing this movie for basically the opposite reasons of why I loved it. I was expecting a mindless action movie, more or less, and got much much more. The culty spirit, hilarity, and self-aware absurdity (the electric guitar guy made it) gave the "war boys" a crazy likeable villainy aspect. The fact that the movie was called Mad Max did not detract from the fact that he was barely the main character, and I liked that about the movie. He's the kind of person who can easily reoccur but not that takes over a movie. Charlize Theron was excellent in her part and in general the women, at least I felt, were the focus of the movie and I think that says a lot (in a positive way) about the evolution of a top quality action movie. Speaking of action, I think the psychological and sociological praise of the movie should NOT detract from the insane, chaotic, and somehow still organized action sequences. I would rank this movie as one of my favourites in a long time. Leometer: 96/100.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Tali: Age of  Ultron is the much-anticipated sequel to the first Avengers movie and the next chapter of Marvel lore. The plot is simply too big to describe (maybe Leo can take a stab at it), but it includes a million characters, several subplots and a ton of jokes and puns. I enjoyed this darker, more adult follow up to the first film, and I'm always anxious to explore that these folks look like/do without S.H.I.E.L.D. My biggest criticm (*spoiler*) stems from what appears to be the most forced love subplot in recent memory, and a particular piece of language that makes even the most badass female characters a hot mess (I'd love to discuss more but I don't want to take up too much space--come at me, bro!). Despite that criticism, I am excited for the series of sequels and new characters and films that are already in the works (still holding my breath for a stand-alone Black Widow movie, though). 87/100.

Leo: This is the exactly the movie I was expecting and exited for, meaning I was very happy with it but it didn't have the same mind-blowing awesomeness as the first one (because of the novelty, most likely) even if the actual action sequences were better. The darker nature of the movie showed how dynamic Joss Whedon and the cast, because it still retained a bit of the light-hearted funny parts. Furthermore, it simply adds to the ever-expanding Marvel universe. It's one of those movies you need to see as a fan, or need to see as someone who wants to get the full experience of the marvel universe. My only criticism is that Scarlett Johansson didn't actually "sing" the lullaby because she has a great voice :). Leometer: 89/100.

Big Hero 6

Tali: I was very hesitant to see Big Hero 6 - it won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars this year, but something about it just didn't appeal me (though obviously I caved). Big Hero 6 tells the story of a young boy and his unlikely partner in crime - a large marshmallow robot caregiver named Baymax. While Baymax was totally cute and endearing, the film was very choppy and didn't have the same kind of cohesion as some other recent animated films (such as How to Train Your Dragon, which draws the most obvious parallel). Definately enjoyable to watch (mostly because of how big and loveable Baymax is), but I wouldn't consider it a must-see (unless you really love cartoons). 83/100.

Leo: Despite my saltiness from the Oscars, I did love this movie. The animation was well-done and it was very much a spectacle. While I'd say the two main characters, especially Baymax, were comparable to Hiccup and Toothless (from How to Train Your Dragon) in terms of the hilarity, adorableness, and inspiring story arcs, I do not think the rest of the movie was at that level. The world in which HTTYD creates even from just the first movie was far more established. There was context and it made the movie feel more complete. Furthermore, the supporting characters in this movie were pretty lackluster compared to every character in HTTYD. Overall, awesome movie and I hope there is a sequel that gives more of a complete view of the world. Leometer: 88/100.

Citizenfour

Tali: Citizenfour is the documentary which tells the absolutely mind-blowing story of Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who blew the lid off the NSA. While I was fairly familiar with Snowden's story, the film still drew me in and surprised me even further. The documentary is subtle, yet packs a powerful punch. A must-watch for many reasons: a) Citizenfour won Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars; b) the NSA revellations and WikiLeaks are two of the biggest and most important things to have happened in the last 5 years; c) Glen Greenwald's entrancing use of the Portuguese language. 87/100.

Leo: I'm not a huge fan of documentaries, but this one is a must-see. Edward Snowden is a very controversial character and the movie paints and while I mostly found myself agreeing with all of his thoughts, I'm not sure the method was the best. Either way, he is a controversial hero of the generation and this Documentary tells his story in a almost political-thriller kind of way. Leometer: 85/100.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Tali: Kingsman tells the story of Eggsy (for real), a thug who--thanks to the always polite and handsome Colin Firth--gets invited to try out for the most exclusive spy club in the world. This film surprised me a lot: it had a good, reliable British sense of humour, Samuel L. Jackson as a lisping villain, and just the right amount of action and blood. It also gave us one of the cutest scenes to ever happen in an action movie! All in all a good date night movie. I do have to say though, the ending frame of this film totally made it end on a sour note. 82/100.

Leo: This was exactly what I needed after the Oscar season. I have been a big Matthew Vaughn fan for a while, and anything with Samuel L. and Colin Firth is a recipe for success. It was funny, bloody good action (pun intended cuz bloody is literal too). I felt like I just watched what would happen if Tarantino directed a James Bond film. Sure, they could have limited the violence and nudity and not offended people (cough Tali cough), but you know what, "it ain't that kind of movie, bruv".  Leometer: 89/100.

Oscars 2015 In Review/Summary

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - J.K. Simmons
Picks: Leo - J.K. Simmons. Tali - Edward Norton.

Leo: This didn't surprise me too much because of the range he showed in the movie. I do think there were better more genuine actors in the category, but award season was most definitely on his tempo.
Tali: I wonder what was Norton's excuse... WAS HE RUSHING OR DRAGGING?!?!?

Oscars 2015!

Best picture:
Nominees - American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, Whiplash
Tali - My heart is torn between Selma and Grand Budapest Hotel but my money is on Boyhood.
Leo - Boyhood. I have very little doubt. I would be pleasantly surprised if the Grand Budapest Hotel or Birdman won. 

Best actor:
Nominees - Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
Tali - Hmmm.. I'm gonna go with Eddie Redmayne.
Leo - Michael Keaton. I was sold on this after the very first scene of that movie. The British duo of Bennedict and Eddie are close runners up.

Best supporting actor:
Nominees - Robert Duvall (The Judge), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Edward Norton (Birdman), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Tali - I really hope J.K. Simmons doesn't win... I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Edward Norton.
Leo - Ethan Hawke deserves it. I'm not sure the Academy totally appreciates 1.5 hours of yelling and clever insults, but I wouldn't be surprised if it went to J.K. Simmons. Edward Norton deserves an honourable mention as well.

Best actress:
Nominees - Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
Tali - I mean, Rosamund Pike knocked it out of the park this year, but all of the buzz is around Julianne Moore who I think will take it.
Leo - Julianne Moore, my people tell me she's the one.

Best supporting actress: 
Nominees - Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Laura Dern (Wild), Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Emma Stone (Birdman), Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
Tali - This isn't a competition. It's Patricia Arquette.
Leo - Patricia Arquette. I mean there's nothing to say - she was outstanding in the favourite for the best picture and the competition is not as fierce as it usually is.

Best director: 
Nominees - Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher), Wes Anderson (Grand Budapest Hotel), Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)
Tali - Again, my heart goes out to Ava Duvernay (whoops) and Wes Anderson but my money is on Richard Linklater.
Leo - Richard Linklater. It's hard to imagine anyone else getting this.

Best animated film:
Nominees - Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Tali - Considering the Lego Movie snub I am going to go with How To Train Your Dragon 2.
Leo - The Lego Movie....rip. This is actually difficult. How To Train Your Dragon 2 is the only one I've seen but it's hard to imagine anything being better.

Best original song:
Nominees - Everything is Awesome (The Lego Movie), Glory (Selma), Grateful (Beyond The Lights), I'm Not Gonna Miss You (Glen Campbell...I'll Be Me), Lost Stars (Begin Again)
Tali - The token award to Selma will be won here with Glory (which is so unfortunate).
Leo - Glory! Am, G, F, Oh Glory! Selma is now for every man woman and child.

Best original screenplay:
Nominees - Foxcatcher, Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Nightcrawler, Boyhood
Tali - Birdman, because Hollywood loves itself.
Leo - The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best adapted Screenplay:
Nominees - Whiplash, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, Inherent Vice
Tali - The Imitation Game
Leo - The Imitation Game

Best foreign language film:
Nominees - Timbuktu, Wild tales, Tangerines, Ida, Leviathan
Tali - Ida
Leo -  Ida, says Baba Jean.

Best makeup:
Nominees - The Grand Budapest, Foxcatcher (2 Nominations), Guardians of the Galaxy (2 Nominations)
Tali - I'm going to go out on a limb and say Guardians of the Galaxy
Leo - Guardians of the Galaxy because it has to win something for being one of the most fun and entertaining movies this year, which is usually what the point of movies are in the first place.

Best cinematography:
Nominees - Ida (2 Nominations), Mr. Turner, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Birdman
Tali -  The Grand Budapest Hotel, hopefully FINALLY some recognition for my guy Wes
Leo - I can't see this type of award going to anyone but Birdman.

Best costume design:
Nominees - The Grand Budapest Hotel, Into the Woods, Inherent Vice, Mr. Turner, Maleficent
Tali - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Leo - The Grand Budapest Hotel 

Best original music score: 
Nominees - Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Andre Desplat (The Imitation Game), Hanz Zimmer (Interstellar), Gary Yershon (Mr. Turner), Johann Johannsson (The Theory of Everything)
Tali - Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Leo -  Johann Johannsson (The Theory of Everything) because I feel like being nominated twice you rarely actually win. I do think every Wes Anderson movie score is the best though.

Best documentary feature:
Nominees - Virunga, Citizenfour, Last Days in Vietnam, The Salt of the Earth, Finding Vivian Maier
Tali - Citizenfour
Leo -  my people tell me Citizenfour 

Best documentary short:
Nominees - Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Joanna, Our Curse, The Reaper, White Earth
Tali - Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 packs a pretty powerful punch in the short time it has
Leo -  Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, again, didn't actually see it but my people tell me.

Whiplash

Tali: Whiplash tells the story of a promising musician and his brutal, to-the-limits instructor and their complicated relationship. New York Magazine says it best: "a gut-­twisting, appalling two hours, writer-­director Damien Chazelle has you wondering two things at once. Will Andrew finally succeed in wowing this most exacting of judges? And, more important: What can be gained by doing so when the man is manifestly psychotic?" Though at times both extremely painful and incredibly exciting to watch, this film left me with some very mixed feelings. On the one hand, both J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller were very great; on the other, was this film just a vehicle for Simmons to throw chairs and homophobic slurs at Teller and to get a reaction out of the audience? I haven't quite figured this out yet. Perhaps Leo can sway you one way or another. 76/100.

Leo: This movie was awesome and though on its surface it was just a well done "practice makes perfect" sort of movie, I thought it captured so much more. The one line in the movie that stuck with me (besides the various "I'm trying really hard not to laugh at these politically incorrect insults but it's not working" lines ) is that the words 'good job' "are the two most harmful words" anyone can tell you. While I don't think this is always true, the movie illustrates how much better someone can be when pursuing greatness and how much better it feels once it's achieved after never being told "Good job". Maybe altogether validation is nice to get, but it's that much better when it's genuine. Aside from that message, I thought it was an expertly done movie in terms of its cinematography with the drums (which was to be expected) and of course acting, especially by J.K. Simmons, who's character had, to quote R v Lohnes (a supreme court of Canada case) "an impressive command of the obscene vernacular". That being said, the movie did not have as much substance as its Oscar-nominated counter parts, even if I enjoyed it more. Leometer: 87/100.

American Sniper

Tali: American Sniper tells the story of "The Legend" - a US Navy SEAL, who during the War In Iraq is credited with the most kills but a single person. OKAY, SO. This film is made by a man who is recently most famous for publicly talking to an empty chair. This film wasn't bad per se, but I am not used to consuming such pro-America media. It took a lot of mental gymnastics for me to take this film apart as I was watching it, otherwise I would have been totally fed up (ex: all of the Iraqi's are nameless and are otherwise refered to as "evil," "savages," etc.). I felt the most sympathy Sienna Miller, who seemed to be the only one in the whole show that recognized that invading Iraq for no reason would be a huge mistake, and would cause such catastrophic problems on both macro and micro levels. Ultimately, Bradley Cooper was fine, the movie was fine, but the message was VERY clear and I knew I wouldn't be drinking the Kool-Aid by the end. 69/100.

Leo: I was sort of surprised this movie was nominated since it seemed so.....well.....unoriginal. And it was, but I can't say it wasn't well done. I do think Bradley Cooper deserves the nomination he got for it if only because I think he isn't totally believe in everything he was saying and actually made it seem like every shot he took at some child or woman took a bit out of him, even if the character would refuse to admit. Sienna Miller was also very good. I do like how the biopic did not picture "the Legend" as a saint, but at the same time it was not pretending to be an anti-war movie like The Hurt Locker, which I think is important for a biopic (and I think one of my criticisms of Selma - not that I believe the movies are even comparable in quality....). It was what it was meant to be, and frankly, as much as it's an annoying pro-America narrative, it was well done. Except for those plastic babies apparently (I thought I saw one twitch during the movie but I guess not). Leometer: 75/100.

The Theory of Everything

Tali: The Theory of Everything tells the compelling story of Stephen and Jane Hawking, and what looks like the most difficult and drawn out marriage ever. In all seriousness, continuing with the Oscar biopic marathon we are on, we all know Stephen's narrative already. But, what we don't know, is how humourous he was (is?) throughout his bodily decline, how dedicated his wife was to him, and what this ultimately says about the human condition. I was more than a little nervous that this film would just be an exercise in crip drag, but thankfully, it wasn't. Eddie Redmayne's performance is what (Oscar) dreams are made of - just totally superb. But, the movie was slow in parts, and the ending made my jaw drop and I wasn't too happy. 81/100.

Leo: I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would. It wasn't all science, but it was enough that I felt it gave Stephen Hawking's brilliance at least some standing within the film rather than simply just repeating it. Eddie Redmayne was outstanding, but the supporting cast was not quite as good (except somehow Professor Lupin is back from the dead and teaches physics instead of defence against the dark arts and Owen from Boardwalk Empire was up to his old sneaky tricks). It was odd that I sort of felt that the humour Stephen was constantly showed made perfect sense. I'm usually the first one to make a joke about something serious and I think a quote from the movie V for Vendetta really applies here:

              Evey Hammond: Is everything a joke to you, Gordon?
              Gordon Deitrich: Only the things that matter.

I like that someone else has taken that perspective. As for the movie and story....as tragic as it was I feel like the story was slow and slightly wishy-washy. Jane Hawking has an interesting perspective and the complexity of her and Stephen is very interesting, but Felicity Jones merely delivered the frustrated narrative effectively but not any others. And I think the score was outstanding. Leometer: 84/100.

Selma

Tali: Selma tells the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his work for voting rights and justice for blacks in Selma, Alabama in 1965. It just may be one of the best movies I've seen, and it couldn't have come out at a more important moment in American history. Pick these characters up and plop them down in Ferguson, New York City, or anywhere in America for that matter, and you'll see just how little society has come decades after the events in the film. The imagery is intensley powerful, the characters have depth and soul.  Haters gonn' hate, but this film is not about LBJ. If that is your concern, I think you are missing the point. Political critiques aside, this film is just so so so well done. After seeing it, I told Leo, "that was wonderful." Although I instantly regretted that word choice, I must say, it was damn near close. 94/100.

Leo: If I had to summarize my thoughts on this movie into one word, it would be "powerful". The message of this movie was so strong and delivered so clearly that I just wanted to get out of my seat and march with them (though I would probably be horrible at non-violence if someone attacked me). While it had this crazy effect on me, I do not think it was the "best" movie of the year....I have a critique. I was sort of unsure of whether or not this was a biopic or a retelling of the event, not that it has to be one or the other, I just thought it would have spent time a bit more...relevantly. What I mean is this: in their time half-telling MLK's personal story and struggles, they glossed over a lot of supporting characters (I'm not just talking about Viola Liuzzo, but people like Diane Nash as well). Even if they aren't as important, I thought it was very....odd to have them come on screen, say "Hi I'm <insert name>" then basically nothing about them until their respective blurbs at the end. When comparing this movie to others I would definitely say this: as a technical film it had its hiccups, but in conveying the message it sought to convey, it was one of the best I've ever seen. Leometer: 89/100.

The Imitation Game

Tali: The Imitation Game tells the true story of Alan Turing, a brilliant but misunderstood mathematician who created what was essentially the first digital computer - all to win the war against the Nazis. Those this film is billed as a "wartime thriller," and it is, there is very little action involved. There is nothing exciting about watching a few nerds in a room try to dicect code. The film draws on the performances of the cast, along with the weight of importance of the mission itself, which makes this movie a heavy hitter. Cumberbatch, Knightley and even ol' Papa Lannister are all perfectly cast and are just wonderful to watch. An excellent, must-see film, especially since the Golden Globes are only a week away. Also, if you're interested, here is a nifty little piece about Joan Clarke, the female codebreaker featured in the film. 85/100.

Leo: I am a  fan of this movie for a lot of reasons so I'll try to summarize them quickly. First and foremost, I actually enjoy the code breaking and math puzzles aspect of this movie. It made me want to go do some logic games from my LSAT books (am I kidding???) and I definitely understood his excitement to solving the "unsolvable" machine. Next up, the performances. Benedict Cumberbatch killed it. He really sold me that Alan Turing was both fragile and unshakeable at the same time. You couldn't help but tear up (not cry, I don't do that) at certain parts of the movie. All of my favourite British people like Tywin Lannister and Ozymandias (he actually plays an American in that movie) were great in supporting roles. Lastly, the message. The power of the message through text is surprisingly common in movies this year and even more surprisingly, effective. Leometer: 87/100.