Showing posts with label Oscars2015. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oscars2015. Show all posts

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Still Alice - I have lots of feelings about this, one of which is surprising.....

DR RATING 8/10



.....I actually thought Kirsten Stewart was great. Julianne Moore as Alice was incredible and that Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role was definitely not undeserving. Still Alice tackles some tough subject matter; with the central character Alice, a highly intelligent woman being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, we watch as the degenerative disease take hold of her. The cast deal with the content with such grace and respect, hats of to all of them. Though the film doesn't go too deeply into the full effect that Alzheimer's has on its sufferers, it focuses on the heavy emotional impact it has on the family. There are some lovely bitter-sweet interactions between Alice and her youngest Daughter Lydia played by Stewart, which I found particularly endearing. Alec Baldwin is excellent as Alice's husband who you empathise with deeply as you watch him use work as a block to avoid what's going on. Kate Bosworth and Hunter Parrish play Alice's other children, whilst playing a smaller part in the movie, the deal with the fallout of the possibility of being carriers of the disease. Alice does try to create a way of keeping some control of her life.  If anything it should be a great advocate in Dignitas and Dignity in  Dying.  Although this is more of a drama than a political piece, I can't help feel that that is what the movie was indirectly trying to say.

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Boyhood - 12 years a slave to my art by Richard Linklater

DR RATING 8/10


Before Boyhood Richard Linklater brought us Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise/Before Sunrise/Before Midnight and the wonder that is A Scanner Darkly.  His writing is consistently emotive and clever, I've always found myself doing some self-reflection after his movies and Linklater's latest triumph is no different. Boyhood is captivating in its style and subject matter, considering this is filmed over 12years the cast are true to their characters.  Ellar Coltrane as Mason is honest and open, his co-stars are the unfailing Ethan Hawke as Dad who drops in and out of the picture, Lorelei Linklater as sister Sam and the now Oscar winning Best Supporting Actress Patricia Arquette as Mom. Personally, what I found most interesting was Mom's subsequent relationships and the effects they have on Mason. I can't doubt that this movie is a labour of love and Arquette's talent deserved that Oscar, I don't believe it was a true contender for Best Picture, for me Birdman was definitely the right choice.