Archives for : Laura Dern
We’ve come a long way since the first “Jurassic Park” (1993). And by that, I mean we’ve gone down, WAY down. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two Jurassic Park movies. I didn’t mind the forgettable third film, but it wasn’t good.
Then, director Colin Trevorrow decided to reboot the franchise with a film about what would have happened if the park actually opened, and it was a promising start. “Jurassic World” had a simple plot, it was relevant, and a whole lot of fun. However, that slight spike plummeted after the tragedy that was “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”, and now has officially crashed after the unfortunate end to this trilogy.
“Jurassic World Dominion” had all the potential with the return of original cast and the idea of what happens now that the dinosaurs from the park are out in the real world living among us. But somehow, they managed to take that potential and squander it with a convoluted plot, redundant dinosaur scares, and forced, corny dialogue.
In “Jurassic World Dominion”, we are seeing the effect of dinosaurs being part of our world. There are basically two stories going on; one follows Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen (Chris Pratt) as they try to protect their sort of daughter, Maisie (Isabella Sermon), from those who want to study her genetic make-up. All the while, Ellie (Laura Dern), Alan (Sam Neill), and Ian (Jeff Goldblum) unite to investigate the shady dealings at BioSyn which is now run by another Jurassic Park character, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott). Genetic experimentation done by BioSyn has created an “ecological disaster” that might destroy the world’s food chain.
I’m not sure how much the plot matters here. Trevorrow clearly just wanted a reason to show off the dinosaurs and provide enough nostalgia for fan service.
It seems Trevorrow bit off more than he can chew. He had all the key ingredients to serve up a satisfying conclusion, but somehow, he didn’t create the right recipe. Though I’m sure he put a lot of effort into this script, he missed a huge opportunity to better connect the original characters with the new ones; and failed to deliver a screenplay that had us invested in them. Any sort of “development” is rushed, and the emotions that are supposed to feel impactful are never earned. The cast and this franchise deserved so much more from this “grand” finale.
Though “Jurassic World Dominion” isn’t a roaring success, it does rumble out some joy. Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcom is hilarious. The man is effortlessly entertaining. And of course, the dinosaurs! The kid in me still enjoys seeing the different dinos running around and terrorizing on screen. But I don’t think this morsel of fun justifies the two and half hours of chaos and confusion.
The only takeaway from “Jurassic World Dominion” is that the franchise is ready for extinction.
Rating: D+
You can also watch my ICTN review of the film along my thoughts of “Ozark” Season 4 in the video below!
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Will Win: Brad Pitt
Could Win: No Contest
Want to Win: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Will Win: Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Could Win: Florence Pugh, Little Women
Want to Win: Florence Pugh, Little Women
Achievement in Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Will Win: Little Women
Could Win: Jojo Rabbit
Want to Win: Little Women
Achievement in Sound Mixing
Ad Astra
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Will Win: 1917
Could Win: Ford v Ferrari
Want to Win: 1917
Achievement in Sound Editing
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Will Win: 1917
Could Win: Ford v Ferrari
Want to Win: 1917
Best Original Score
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Will Win: Joker
Could Win: Little Women
Want to Win: Joker
Best Animated Short Film
Dcera (Daughter)
Hair Love
Kitbull
Memorable
Sister
Will Win: Hair Love
Could Win: Kitbull
Want to Win: Hair Love
Best Live Action Short
Brotherhood
Nefta Football Club
The Neighbors’ Window
Saria
A Sister
Will Win: The Neighbor’s Window
Could Win: Saria
Want to Win: The Neighbor’s Window
Best Documentary Feature
American Factory
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland
Will Win: American Factory
Could Win: Honeyland
Want to Win: American Factory
Best Documentary Short Subject
In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone
Life Overtakes Me
St. Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha
Will Win: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone
Could Win: St. Louis Superman
Want to Win: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone
Best International Feature Film
Corpus Christi
Honeyland
Les Miserables
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Will Win: Parasite
Could Win: No Contest
Want to Win: Parasite
Achievement in Production Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Could Win: 1917
Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit
Achievement in Film Editing
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Parasite
Will Win: Parasite
Could Win: Ford v Ferrari
Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit
Achievement in Cinematography
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Will Win: 1917
Could Win: The Lighthouse
Want to Win: 1917
Achievement in Visual Effects
1917
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Will Win: Avengers: Endgame
Could Win: 1917
Want to Win: Avengers: Endgame
Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
1917
Will Win: Bombshell
Could Win: Joker
Want to Win: Bombshell
Best Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4
Will Win: Toy Story 4
Could Win: Missing Link
Want to Win: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Best Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II
“Stand Up,” Harriet
Will Win: “I’m Gonna Love Me Again”, Rocketman
Could Win: No Contest
Want to Win: “Into the Unknown”, Frozen II
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes
Will Win: Jojo Rabbit
Could Win: Little Women
Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit or Little Women
Best Actor
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Could Win: No Contest
Want to Win: Joaquin Phoenix or Adam Driver
Best Original Screenplay
Knives Out
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Could Win: Parasite
Want to Win: Marriage Story
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renee Zellweger, Judy
Will Win: Renee Zellweger, Judy
Could Win: No Contest
Want to Win: Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Best Director
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Todd Phillips, Joker
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Will Win: Sam Mendes, 1917
Could Win: Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
Want to Win: Sam Mendes or Bong Joon Ho
Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite
Will Win: Parasite
Could Win: 1917
Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit
The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honor the best films of 2019 and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on February 9, 2020.
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Achievement in Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Achievement in Sound Mixing
Ad Astra
Ford vs. Ferrari
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Achievement in Sound Editing
Ford vs. Ferrari
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Best Original Score
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Best Animated Short Film
Dcera (Daughter)
Hair Love
Kitbull
Memorable
Sister
Best Live Action Short
Brotherhood
Nefta Football Club
The Neighbors’ Window
Saria
A Sister
Best Documentary Feature
American Factory
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland
Best Documentary Short Subject
In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone
Life Overtakes Me
St Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha
Best International Feature Film
Corpus Christi
Honeyland
Les Miserables
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Achievement in Production Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
Achievement in Film Editing
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Parasite
Achievement in Cinematography
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Achievement in Visual Effects
1917
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
1917
Best Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4
Best Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II
“Stand Up,” Harriet
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes
Best Actor
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Best Original Screenplay
Knives Out
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renee Zellweger, Judy
Best Director
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Todd Phillips, Joker
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the war epic 1917 as the best film of 2019, according to the results of its 26th annual critics’ poll. Following is a complete list of award winners, with choices listed in order of votes received.
BEST PICTURE
Winner: 1917
Runners-up: MARRIAGE STORY (2); PARASITE (3); THE IRISHMAN (4); ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (5); JOJO RABBIT (6); LITTLE WOMEN (7); THE FAREWELL (8); THE TWO POPES (9); KNIVES OUT (10)
BEST ACTOR
Winner: Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY
Runners-up: Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER (2); Antonio Banderas, PAIN AND GLORY (3); Leonardo DiCaprio, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (4); Robert De Niro, THE IRISHMAN (5)
BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Scarlett Johansson, MARRIAGE STORY
Runners-up: Renee Zellweger, JUDY (2); Charlize Theron, BOMBSHELL (3); Saoirse Ronan, LITTLE WOMEN (4); Awkwafina, THE FAREWELL (5, tie); Lupita Nyong’o, US (5, tie)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Runners-up: Willem Dafoe, THE LIGHTHOUSE (2); Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN (3); Al Pacino, THE IRISHMAN (4); Shia LaBeouf, HONEY BOY (5)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY
Runners-up: Margot Robbie, BOMBSHELL (2); Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN (3); Jennifer Lopez, HUSTLERS (4); Annette Bening, THE REPORT (5)
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Sam Mendes, 1917
Runners-up: Bong Joon-ho, PARASITE (2); Martin Scorsese, THE IRISHMAN (3); Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (4); Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY (5)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: PARASITE
Runners-up: PAIN AND GLORY (2); THE FAREWELL (3); LES MISERABLES (4); PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (5)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: APOLLO 11
Runners-up: ONE CHILD NATION (2); AMERICAN FACTORY (3); HONEYLAND (4); FOR SAMA (5)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: TOY STORY 4
Runner-up: I LOST MY BODY
BEST SCREENPLAY
Winner: Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY
Runner-up: Steven Zaillian, THE IRISHMAN
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Roger Deakins, 1917
Runner-up: Hong Kyung-pyo, PARASITE
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Winner: Thomas Newman, 1917
Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, LITTLE WOMEN
RUSSELL SMITH AWARD (best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film)
Winner: THE LIGHTHOUSE
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association consists of 32 broadcast, print and online journalists from throughout North Texas. For more information, visit dfwcritics.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @dfwfilmcritics.
“Little Women” returns to the screen, this time compliments of Greta Gerwig. The cast is top notch and the production elements, writing and cinematography are stellar, so you won’t go wrong if you choose this one for your holiday break.
Check out the video below to see my full review of the film!
“Little Women” opens in theaters December 25.
You can now purchase “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital HD!
Picking up where “The Force Awakens” left off, Rey (Daisy Ridley) has located Skywalker and hopes to learn Jedi skills from him. Skywalker is extremely reluctant to train Rey in the ways of The Force because of his past experience with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
While this drama and back story are unfolding, we have another story in another galaxy far, far away, where the rebels are under attack by forces led by the evil Snoke, Kylo Ren and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson). Ace fighter pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) leads a daring attack on a First Order dreadnought, against the orders of Leia (Carrie Fisher). Weakened, the rebels must retreat under close pursuit by the First Order fleet.
Finn (John Boyega) wakes up and immediately gets into trouble after several desperate plans cooked up by him, Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) are attempted. Another interesting new character is DJ (Benicio Del Toro) a devious hacker and thief. Laura Dern puts in a memorable performance as heroic fleet admiral Holdo.
With all that’s going on, the movie sounds like it’s all over the place, but the story is compelling and there are some solid characters to follow on this journey through many twists and turns. The acting is solid, and of course, great visual effects.
Relive the adventure in the comfort of your own home along with tons of additional content!
Bonus features include:
The Director and the Jedi – Go deep behind the scenes with writer-director Rian Johnson on an intimate and personal journey through the production of the movie—and experience what it’s like to helm a global franchise and cultural phenomenon.
Balance of the Force – Explore the mythology of the Force and why Rian Johnson chose to interpret its role in such a unique way.
Scene Breakdowns
- Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle – Get a close-up look at the epic space battle, from the sounds that help propel the action, through the practical and visual effects, to the characters who bring it all to life.
- Snoke and Mirrors – Motion capture and Star Wars collide as the filmmakers take us through the detailed process of creating the movie’s malevolent master villain.
- Showdown on Crait – Break down everything that went into creating the stunning world seen in the movie’s final confrontation, including the interplay between real-word locations and visual effects, reimagining the walkers, designing the crystal foxes, and much more.
Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only) – Writer-director Rian Johnson presents two exclusive sequences from the movie featuring Andy Serkis’ riveting, raw on-set performance before his digital makeover into Snoke.
Deleted Scenes – With an introduction and optional commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
Audio Commentary – View the movie with in-depth feature audio commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
There is beauty in simplicity, but there is also simply boring. I may come off a little harsh with Kelly Reichardt’s latest film, “Certain Women”, but unfortunately it’s hard to get captivated by the slow pace of each story-line and the dull main characters.
The film is essentially broken up into three parts as we follow three women whose lives intersect. They are adapted from several short stories by Montana writer Maile Meloy.
In the first story we meet Laura Wells (Laura Dern), a small town lawyer who’s having an affair with a married man. She is dealing with a frustrating client (Jared Harris), who was injured on the job and wants to pursue a case against his employer.
After that we are introduced to Gina (Michelle Williams) and her husband (James Le Gros), who was seen in the previous segment. The two have just finished a camping trip with their teenage daughter Guthrie (Sara Rodier). They visit their elderly neighbor, Albert (Rene Auberjonois) to purchase a pile of sandstone that’s been sitting in his front yard for years. Gina wants to use it for a getaway cottage she plans to build. This is by far, the most uninteresting part of the film.
Finally, the more intriguing moment of the movie is when we see Jamie (Lily Gladstone), a rancher; randomly walk into a night class she’s not registered for. The class is intended to teach the history of public education policy in the U.S. But it’s not the subject that fascinates Jamie; it’s the nervous young lawyer, Beth (Kristen Stewart), who’s the unfortunate instructor. Basically, she is forced to teach the class and has to endure a four hour commute. Soon enough, she befriends Jamie and after class they routinely go to a local diner for a quick dinner as Jamie just watches her eat. For Jamie, seeing Beth is the highlight of her week, however, Beth does not value their time together nearly as much.
By the time the film concludes, we have seen the very minor ways these three women’s lives intertwine. Ultimately, Reichardt does a good job of portraying the overdone, general theme of isolation and the difficulty of communication. But it’s the actual stories that don’t give you enough meat to bite into. Hardly anything pulls you in; with the exception of Jamie’s borderline stalking of Beth (maybe a full story on her might have been more satisfying).
On the positive side, the performances are strong and Christopher Blauvelt’s cinematography is about the only thing that truly shines in “Certain Women”.
Rating: 2/5
Certain Women opens in theaters October 28.
“Certain Women” Official Trailer HD
