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Archives for : Tom Hanks

Movie Review: “Elvis” & “Mr. Malcolm’s List”

This week I review Baz Luhrmann’s biopic over “The King” of rock & roll, Elvis and a Jane Austen style romantic comedy, Mr. Malcolm’s List.

“Elvis” and “Mr. Malcolm’s List” is currently playing in theaters.

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Film Nominations Announced for the 26th Annual Critics Choice Awards

FILM NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR  THE 26TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS  

Taye Diggs will Host the Ceremony. The show airs on The CW Sunday, March 7

BEST PICTURE  

Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)  

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Mank (Netflix)  

Minari (A24)  

News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)  

One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)  

Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)  

Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)  

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)  

BEST ACTOR  

Ben Affleck – The Way Back (Warner Bros.)  

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)  

Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Tom Hanks – News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

Anthony Hopkins – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)  

Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)  

Gary Oldman – Mank (Netflix)  

Steven Yeun – Minari (A24)  

BEST ACTRESS  

Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu)  

Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)  

Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman (Netflix)  

Frances McDormand – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)  

Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)  

Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie (Netflix)  

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR  

Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)  

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)  

Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)  

Bill Murray – On the Rocks (A24/Apple TV+)  

Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)  

Paul Raci – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)  

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS  

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)  

Ellen Burstyn – Pieces of a Woman (Netflix)  

Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix)  

Olivia Colman – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)  

Amanda Seyfried – Mank (Netflix)  

Yuh-Jung Youn – Minari (A24)  

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS  

Ryder Allen – Palmer (Apple TV+)  

Ibrahima Gueye – The Life Ahead (Netflix)  

Alan Kim – Minari (A24)  

Talia Ryder – Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)  

Caoilinn Springall – The Midnight Sky (Netflix)  

Helena Zengel – News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE  

Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)  

Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)  

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Minari (A24)  

One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)  

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)  

BEST DIRECTOR  

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari (A24)  

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)  

David Fincher – Mank (Netflix)  

Spike Lee – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)  

Regina King – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)  

Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)  

Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)  

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY  

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari (A24)  

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)  

Jack Fincher – Mank (Netflix)  

Eliza Hittman – Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)  

Darius Marder & Abraham Marder – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)  

Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)  

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY  

Paul Greengrass & Luke Davies – News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)  

Kemp Powers – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)  

Jon Raymond & Kelly Reichardt – First Cow (A24)  

Ruben Santiago-Hudson – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)  

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY  

Christopher Blauvelt – First Cow (A24)  

Erik Messerschmidt – Mank (Netflix)  

Lachlan Milne – Minari (A24)  

Joshua James Richards – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)  

Newton Thomas Sigel – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)  

Hoyte Van Hoytema – Tenet (Warner Bros.)  

Dariusz Wolski – News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN  

Cristina Casali, Charlotte Dirickx – The Personal History of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures)  

David Crank, Elizabeth Keenan – News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

Nathan Crowley, Kathy Lucas – Tenet (Warner Bros.)  

Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale – Mank (Netflix)  

Kave Quinn, Stella Fox – Emma (Focus Features)  

Mark Ricker, Karen O’Hara & Diana Stoughton – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

BEST EDITING  

Alan Baumgarten – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)  

Kirk Baxter – Mank (Netflix)  

Jennifer Lame – Tenet (Warner Bros.)  

Yorgos Lamprinos – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)  

Mikkel E. G. Nielsen – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)  

Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)  

BEST COSTUME DESIGN  

Alexandra Byrne – Emma (Focus Features)  

Bina Daigeler – Mulan (Disney)  

Suzie Harman & Robert Worley – The Personal History of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures)  

Ann Roth – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Nancy Steiner – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)  

Trish Summerville – Mank (Netflix)  

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP  

Emma (Focus Features)  

Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix)  

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)  

Mank (Netflix)  

Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)  

The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu)  

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS  

Greyhound (Apple TV+)  

The Invisible Man (Universal Pictures)  

Mank (Netflix)  

The Midnight Sky (Netflix)  

Mulan (Disney)  

Tenet (Warner Bros.)  

Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.)  

BEST COMEDY  

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)  

The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)  

The King of Staten Island (Universal Pictures)  

On the Rocks (A24/Apple TV+)  

Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)  

The Prom (Netflix)  

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM  

Another Round (Samuel Goldwyn Films)  

Collective (Magnolia Pictures)  

La Llorona (Shudder)  

The Life Ahead (Netflix)  

Minari (A24)  

Two of Us (Magnolia Pictures)  

BEST SONG  

Everybody Cries – The Outpost (Screen Media Films)  

Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)  

Husavik (My Home Town) – Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix)  

Io sì (Seen) – The Life Ahead (Netflix)  

Speak Now – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)  

Tigress & Tweed – The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu)  

BEST SCORE  

Alexandre Desplat – The Midnight Sky (Netflix)  

Ludwig Göransson – Tenet (Warner Bros.)  

James Newton Howard – News of the World (Universal Pictures)  

Emile Mosseri – Minari (A24)  

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Mank (Netflix)  

Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste – Soul (Disney)  

Movie Review: News of the World is an Enjoyable Ride

The last time director Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks worked together was for “Captain Phillips”. A solid movie that was strong in its performances, but lacking in its story. Now, the two have teamed up again, and Hanks plays an even better Captain in the film, “News of the World”.

Hanks stars as Captain Kyle Kidd, a war veteran who travels from town to town five years after the Civil War, to read the news across Texas. But this man doesn’t just read the news, he brings life to it with his energy and storytelling; almost like a performance. He entertains the crowds at each stop with his loud, commanding voice.

While on his news tour, Kidd stumbles across a 10-year old girl which he names Johanna (Helena Zengel). She’s found abandoned on the road. She was raised by the Kiowa tribe, and doesn’t speak any English. Once Kidd realizes Johanna has no one to help her, he takes it upon himself to get her to her aunt and uncle’s farm near San Antonio. But this is no easy journey, and Kidd still must complete his work. Johanna tags along and watches in admiration as Kidd reads his “stories” to the towns they visit before their final destination.

“News of the World” does have some action, and there is enough intensity to keep you engaged. But be prepared for a lot of quiet and slow moments. With the exception of one shoot-out, this isn’t a very wild western. The enjoyment of the film comes from Kidd and Johanna. The two have great chemistry, and a very natural father/daughter like relationship. The dialogue between them is never forced or cheesy. The progression of the care and trust they build is incredibly heartwarming. They are both troubled and lost, but they find a home in each other.

The film is beautifully shot with luminous cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, and has a fantastic production design by David Crank. The exteriors of this film are wonderful, but what gives this movie life is the heart behind the two lead characters.

“News of the World” is an unconventional western. But regardless of your genre preference, Hanks and Zengel will win you over.

Rating: 4/5

“News of the World” opens in theaters December 25 and On Demand in January.

Movie Review: “The Walk”, “Bridge of Spies”, & “The Martian”

Here are quick reviews of three fall films that just might have some early Oscar impact: “The Martian,” “The Walk,” and “Bridge of Spies.” Originally aired on Irving Community Television’s “About Towne” show.