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Archives for : March2021

Movie Review: “Nobody” – A Familiar But Fun Action-Comedy

Writer Derek Kolstad has graced us with the amazing “John Wick” movies; and for that I am forever grateful. If you don’t already know, John Wick is the badass who got ultimate revenge on those who murdered the dog his late wife left him. Each film has been an exciting thrill ride that leaves us wanting more. However, the same may not be said about Kolstad’s newest film, which feels almost too familiar.

Universal Pictures’ “Nobody” follows Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk), a middle-aged family man who barely has any life left in him. His marriage is stale, his son thinks he’s a wuss, but his daughter seems to actually like him. 

His repetitive, mundane routine is shaken up when two intruders break into his home and trigger a surprising rage in Hutch. We come to find out that Hutch is not just some mild-mannered man. He has a violent past and bears the skills of a trained assassin. He has sworn a life of normalcy, so he takes the high road and lets the intruders leave. But when he goes on a mission to take back what they stole from him, he witnesses a group of drunk men harassing a young woman on a bus. He channels all his pent up anger on them and goes full “Wick”. Unfortunately, those men have powerful ties that are now looking to get revenge on Hutch and his family.

Director Ilya Naishuller does a fine job with this movie overall, but the film has it’s flaws. The obvious being you are continuously comparing it to “John Wick”. Aside from that, there is a slow start. The action doesn’t really come into play until nearly halfway. Even the break-in scene is underwhelming for what is essentially the catalyst to Hutch getting back into his “old ways”. It doesn’t even come close to the feeling you have watching John Wick’s innocent puppy get killed by those monsters. (I wanted them all to pay!). In this movie they almost make you have empathy for the intruders. Which makes the later scene of him attacking the harassers on the bus feel a bit forced. Don’t get me wrong, it’s entertaining and fun to see the fight not take itself so seriously. But the entire time you’re watching, you’re wondering did these men really deserve such a blood bath?

However, it’s such a delight seeing Odenkirk in this role. He proves he is just as much of a badass as Keanu Reeves, Bruce Willis, and Denzel Washington. In fact, he’s the most realistic one. His minor injuries and reactions to pain makes him more human than the typical action star. The guy is a likeable character, which is more than I can say about his family.  With the exception of his father played by the great and hilarious Christopher Lloyd.

“Nobody” is short and sweet. There’s lots of value in it’s simplicity. It’s just hard to label the film as a stand out, because films like “John Wick” and “Equalizer” have done this story better. That being said, Odenkirk’s performance alone is enough to make this film worth watching.

Rating: 3/5

“Nobody” opens in theaters March 26, 2021

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“Finding You” Trailer

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, Roadside Attractions invites you to watch the new trailer for their upcoming exclusive theatrical release, FINDING YOU.

The film tells the story of Finley (Rose Reid), an accomplished young musician studying abroad in Ireland who meets heartthrob movie star Beckett (Jedidiah Goodacre) shooting his latest medieval fantasy blockbuster.  Sparks fly between the unlikely couple who inspire each other to find the strength to be true to oneself. But when forces surrounding Beckett’s stardom threaten to crush their dreams, Finley must decide what she is willing to risk for love.

Filmed in Ireland, FINDING YOU is written and directed by Brian Baugh and stars up-and-comers Rose Reid, Jedidiah Goodacre, Katherine McNamara and Saoirse-Monica Jackson alongside seasoned vets Patrick Bergin, Tom Everett Scott and Vanessa Redgrave.

93rd Academy Awards Nomination Announcement

Performance by an actor in a leading role

  • Riz Ahmed in “Sound of Metal”
  • Chadwick Boseman in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
  • Anthony Hopkins in “The Father”
  • Gary Oldman in “Mank”
  • Steven Yeun in “Minari”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

  • Sacha Baron Cohen in “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
  • Daniel Kaluuya in “Judas and the Black Messiah”
  • Leslie Odom, Jr. in “One Night in Miami…”
  • Paul Raci in “Sound of Metal”
  • Lakeith Stanfield in “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Performance by an actress in a leading role

  • Viola Davis in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
  • Andra Day in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
  • Vanessa Kirby in “Pieces of a Woman”
  • Frances McDormand in “Nomadland”
  • Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

  • Maria Bakalova in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”
  • Glenn Close in “Hillbilly Elegy”
  • Olivia Colman in “The Father”
  • Amanda Seyfried in “Mank”
  • Yuh-Jung Youn in “Minari”

Best animated feature film of the year

  • “Onward” Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
  • “Over the Moon” Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
  • “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon” Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
  • “Soul” Pete Docter and Dana Murray
  • “Wolfwalkers” Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants

Achievement in cinematography

  • “Judas and the Black Messiah” Sean Bobbitt
  • “Mank” Erik Messerschmidt
  • “News of the World” Dariusz Wolski
  • “Nomadland” Joshua James Richards
  • “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Phedon Papamichael

Achievement in costume design

  • “Emma” Alexandra Byrne
  • “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Ann Roth
  • “Mank” Trish Summerville
  • “Mulan” Bina Daigeler
  • “Pinocchio” Massimo Cantini Parrini

Achievement in directing

  • “Another Round” Thomas Vinterberg
  • “Mank” David Fincher
  • “Minari” Lee Isaac Chung
  • “Nomadland” Chloé Zhao
  • “Promising Young Woman” Emerald Fennell

Best documentary feature

  • “Collective” Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
  • “Crip Camp” Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
  • “The Mole Agent” Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
  • “My Octopus Teacher” Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
  • “Time” Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn

Best documentary short subject

  • “Colette” Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
  • “A Concerto Is a Conversation” Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
  • “Do Not Split” Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
  • “Hunger Ward” Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
  • “A Love Song for Latasha” Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan

Achievement in film editing

  • “The Father” Yorgos Lamprinos
  • “Nomadland” Chloé Zhao
  • “Promising Young Woman” Frédéric Thoraval
  • “Sound of Metal” Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
  • “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Alan Baumgarten

Best international feature film of the year

  • “Another Round” Denmark
  • “Better Days” Hong Kong
  • “Collective” Romania
  • “The Man Who Sold His Skin” Tunisia
  • “Quo Vadis, Aida?” Bosnia and Herzegovina

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

  • “Emma” Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
  • “Hillbilly Elegy” Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
  • “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
  • “Mank” Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
  • “Pinocchio” Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

  • “Da 5 Bloods” Terence Blanchard
  • “Mank” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
  • “Minari” Emile Mosseri
  • “News of the World” James Newton Howard
  • “Soul” Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

  • “Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”
    Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
  • “Hear My Voice” from “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
    Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
  • “Husavik” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”
    Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
  • “Io Sì (Seen)” from “The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)”
    Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
  • “Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami…”
    Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth

Best motion picture of the year

  • “The Father” David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
  • “Judas and the Black Messiah” Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
  • “Mank” Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
  • “Minari” Christina Oh, Producer
  • “Nomadland” Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
  • “Promising Young Woman” Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
  • “Sound of Metal” Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
  • “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers

Achievement in production design

  • “The Father” Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
  • “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
  • “Mank” Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
  • “News of the World” Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
  • “Tenet” Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas

Best animated short film

  • “Burrow” Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
  • “Genius Loci” Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
  • “If Anything Happens I Love You” Will McCormack and Michael Govier
  • “Opera” Erick Oh
  • “Yes-People” Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson

Best live action short film

  • “Feeling Through” Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
  • “The Letter Room” Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
  • “The Present” Farah Nabulsi
  • “Two Distant Strangers” Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
  • “White Eye” Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman

Achievement in sound

  • “Greyhound” Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
  • “Mank” Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
  • “News of the World” Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
  • “Soul” Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
  • “Sound of Metal” Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh

Achievement in visual effects

  • “Love and Monsters” Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
  • “The Midnight Sky” Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
  • “Mulan” Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
  • “The One and Only Ivan” Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
  • “Tenet” Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher

Adapted screenplay

  • “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
  • “The Father” Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
  • “Nomadland” Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
  • “One Night in Miami…” Screenplay by Kemp Powers
  • “The White Tigers” Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani

Original screenplay

  • “Judas and the Black Messiah” Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
  • “Minari” Written by Lee Isaac Chung
  • “Promising Young Woman” Written by Emerald Fennell
  • “Sound of Metal” Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
  • “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Written by Aaron Sorkin

Interview: Director Edward Drake talks “Cosmic Sin”

I chatted with director Edward Drake to talk about the new sci-fi thriller, “Cosmic Sin”. We discuss the making of the film, the video games that inspired the film’s look, working with Bruce Willis, and much more. Watch the full interview below.

“Cosmic Sin” opens in theaters and is available On Demand March 12, 2021.

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Interview: Jessica Bruder & Bob Wells talk “Nomadland”

“Nomadland” is on a hot streak during this award season. The film has already won Best Director and Best Picture at both, the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. I spoke with Author Jessica Bruder (“Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century”) and real life nomad, Bob Wells. We discussed the film, memories they enjoy reliving and more.

“Nomadland” is currently available to stream on Hulu.

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Movie Review: “Raya and the Last Dragon”

“Raya and the Last Dragon” follows a warrior named Raya, whose on a mission to find the last dragon and save her world from the monsters that destroyed it. Watch the video below to see my full review of the movie.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” opens in theaters March 5 and available on Disney Plus Premier Access.

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