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InSession Film: Best movies of November 2013

We are starting a new blog segment, where we will be diving into the best movies of each month to go over what we’ve seen and what stood out. Our first month will be November of 2013, which was a great month. November is usually a good month for Oscar-buzz worthy films and this year was no different. It was arguably the best month for movies in 2013 as a whole and if you didn’t get a chance to see any of these films, you will need to. So to break it down, we are going to give our Top 5 movies for the month of November in 2013.

As a side note, there were a few films that have different release dates for limited releases vs wider releases, etc., so we based it off when we got the films here locally. There’s a lot to choose from but here’s some of the best of the month:

Hunger Games Catching Fire podcast5) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
It’s rare that sequels are better than their predecessor’s or that even a movie adaptation is better than the book but The Hunger Games: Catching Fire surely came close if it didn’t. The intesnity level was high and the stakes were higher for Katniss and Peeta. Overall, it was shot well and added some great new character elements we didn’t see in the firs film. Everyone, from director down, upped their game for the sequel and it was a great stepping stone forward.

Philonmena review4) Philomena
Philomena is arguably the year’s best film that’s “based on a true story”. It’s charming, adorable and explores some really interesting themes and character beats. It’s the story of an old lady looking for closure on a secret she’s kept hidden for 50 years. Judi Dench and Steve Coogan are brilliant and the dynamics between the two of them shine wonderfully. This could be a film that slides through the cracks but if you get to see it, don’t miss that opportunity.

Robert Redford3) All is Lost
I would be shocked if Robert Redford isn’t nominated for an Oscar for his role in All is Lost. Redford portrays everything you’d need to know about this character in this situation without hardly saying a word. That’s pretty impressive. What Redford and directer J.C. Chandor accomplish is nothing short of incredible given what they are working with. It’s engaging, thrilling and speaks to something about the human spirit that is inspiring. Easily one of the year’s best indie films.

Dallas Buyers Club2) Dallas Buyer’s Club
Scott and I go back and forth on Dallas Buyers Club as a whole, but one thing is very clear. No one has turned their career around better in this generation than Matthew McConaughey. Both McConaughey and Jared Leto are unrecognizable and pull out the performances of their lifetime. Look for both to be nominated for Awards and don’t be surprised if either of them win. Yes, the story is a bit messy but it’s not too distracting and the performances more than make up for it. And the knowledge and awareness it brings to a tough situation during that time period is really great.

12 Years A Slave1) 12 Years A Slave
What can you say about this movie that hasn’t already been said? 12 Years A Slave is easily one of the best film’s of the year but also one of the hardest to watch as well. Chiwetel Ejiofor is absolutely incredible and has perhaps the best supporting cast around him that includes Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch and a small role by Brad Pitt. It’s not an easy film to sit through but on the other end, you’ll be glad you did. It’s moving, it’s powerful and a movie that will be talked about for a long time. A lot of Oscar and awards potential with this one in many different areas.

Other notables from November include Disney’s latest animated film Frozen, which in any other month would of easily of made this list. And for some people it still may as it’s the year’s best animated feature, arguably. Thor: The Dark World was a great sequel to the first Thor film and also The Avengers. I really wanted to put About Time on this list. I loved that movie and it’s perhaps in my Top 5 romantic “chic flicks” ever for me personally. However, it just doesn’t quite match up against the five on this list.

It was a pretty great month and December looks like it could be just as great or even better. What movies did you like in November? How does your list compare to ours?

Video Review: Frozen

Frozen hasn’t had the best marketing in the world and didn’t look all that special from the trailers but Disney has really ramped up their game lately and Frozen is perfect evidence of that. Our amazing video guy, Jon from Second Rate Report, breaks down Disney’s latest and why it’s one of the best animated films of the year. Walt Disney Studios was screwed out of the Oscar last year but it very well may have locked up the award with their effort for Frozen. Anyway, check out Jon’s video review, it’s really good.

Go subscribe to Second Rate Report on YouTube today!

Have any thoughts on Frozen? Do you agree or disagree with Jon? Let us know in the comment section below!

Video Review: Dallas Buyers Club

In 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof finds out he has the HIV virus and decides to do something about it rather than just sit around and die. It’s an amazing story that features some more than just surface level entertainment but has some great messages about life. It’s also filled with some of the best performances of the whole year. Jon, from Second Rate Report, gives us his thoughts on Dallas Buyers Club and why it’s a film you need to see. Dallas Buyers Club is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and stars Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Jared Leto.

Go subscribe to Second Rate Report on YouTube today!

Have any thoughts on Dallas Buyers Club? Do you agree or disagree with Jon? Let us know in the comment section below!

Movie Review: Disney’s Frozen is pretty solid


Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Writers: Jennifer Lee (screenplay), Chris Buck (story)
Stars: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel

Synopsis: Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

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DIRECTION
While many people think Pixar is on the down swing a little bit, Disney seems to be more on the upswing lately. Walt Disney Studios were screwed out of the Oscar last year with Wreck-it Ralph as it was easily the best animated film of 2012. This year, Frozen is a solid (no pun intended) companion and is arguably the best animated film this year as well. The aesthetic Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee create is gorgeous and brings you back to the Disney musical days and shows how Disney may still be the king of animated films. The musical choices are great and the visuals they create to go along with it are absolutely stunning. It has all the sillyness and fun you’d expect from a film like this and it’s hard to not like it.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The story Disney creates for Frozen is great and it even takes a stride away from the Hollywood formula a little bit which was a nice touch. The story centers around two young girls, Anna and Elsa, who are very close siblings as little girls. Elsa has magical powers where she can create snow and ice anytime she wants. She also struggles with her powers and has a hard time controlling them which brings the hard decision to hide her powers from Anna after a tragedy almost kills her. Anna, struggling with why her sister seemingly shut her out of her life, is dealing with loneliness and isolation which drives her need for wanting to be loved beyond normalcy. It’s at this point in the story, you think the formula is working as usual when things go awry and other characters come into play. The dynamics between all of these characters are really funny and it creates a world that both kids and parents will enjoy. Ultimately, the best part of the script is that love will win the day but it doesn’t have to be the same love you’d expect to see over and over again.

Grade: A

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MOVIE REVIEW: Oldboy just doesn’t quite cut it compared to the original.

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PERFORMANCES
Kristen Bell gets the lead here as Anna and she does a pretty good job. Bell has tendencies to be annoying and childish in some of her performances but here it tends to be to her advantage given the target audience for this film. Her dynamics with Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad were absolutely incredible and that made Bell’s performance come alive. Speaking of, both Groff and Gad were terrific. Both characters were written well and they were absolutely hilarious and charming at the same time. Both have musical numbers, although Gad’s was more prominent and pretty hysterical given the context of his character. And you gotta love Idina Menzel, whose voice is that of an angel. She’s best known for her singing roles in films and on the stage, especially for her role in Wicked. Menzel is amazing and has perhaps the best musical number here in the song Let it Go, which was gorgeously shot as her character was singing. Alan Tudyk has a very small role here but he’s really great and I love anything he does.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
This is a Disney musical so the music is going to be a huge part of this film, obviously. While, the musical numbers are great, it isn’t the best Walt Disney Studios has done as an overall package. The beginning song Frozen Heart which is sung by the cast is really good and sets the tone of the film extremely well. And as I mentioned, Let it Go by Menzel is arguably the best song and the visuals behind it are perhaps the best of the year as well. The rest of the numbers can be hit or miss depending on the person. Bell’s songs didn’t grab as much and some of the lyrics were very silly but they were performed well and added good character development. Overall, the music was still really good and the songs will be mostly enjoyable in the film. The score by Christophe Beck, again, wasn’t the best Disney’s had, but this is still a very strong score and one that adds a good touch to the film.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Disney musicals are really fun and it’s great to see Walt Disney Studios bringing their “A” game once again and for two years in a row, should have the Oscar for Best Animated Film. This is a film that most people, kids and adults, will enjoy for everything it has going for it. It’s really fun and the ending sequence isn’t quite what you think it would be, which was a strong direction choice.

THIS IS AWESOME: The Mickey Mouse short they play before the film starts is absolutely amazing! It starts out in the old school format of cartoons and halfway through, it shifts to the 2013 digital format of animation and the back and fort of that is incredible. If you can, go see it in 3D too, you won’t regret it. Easily, easily one of the best shorts this year.

Overall Grade: A

Podcast: Top 3 Unnecessary Movie Remakes

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed the new Oldboy remake directed by Spike Lee and starring Josh Brolin. The original Oldboy, a Korean film by Park Chan-wook, is definitely a cult classic and over the last decade has become a beloved film by many film lovers. While it’s not a movie for everyone and it deals with a subject that is very niche, is it really necessary to remake? We’d argue no. So going off this week’s main review, we discussed our Top 3 Unnecessary Movie Remakes and there are a lot of them out there.

Are there any movie remakes that you thought was absolutely unnecessary? Here are the one’s that made our list:

JD

1) Psycho – 1998
2) The Thing – 2011
3) Oldboy – 2013

Scott

1) Psycho – 1998
2) 3:10 to Yuma – 2007
3) The Omen/em> – 2006

Blake

1) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – 2005
2) Psycho – 1998
3) The Pink Panther – 2006

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

Dinner for Schmuck’s, Red Dawn, Alice in Wonderland, The Wicker Man, Carrie, The Karate Kid, Footlose, Most horror franchises

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists. Again, we’d love to hear from you on which movies you thought were completely unnecessary. Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].

For the entire podcast, click here.

For more lists done by the InSession Film crew and other guests, be sure see our Top 3 Movie Lists page.

Podcast: Oldboy, Top 3 Unnecessary Remakes, Indie Spirit Awards – Episode 41

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we discuss the new remake of Oldboy directed by Spike Lee and starring Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson and Elizabeth Olsen. Going off that, we discuss our Top 3 Unnecessary Remakes as well as dive into the nominations of the Independent Spirit Awards which were announced last week. And to finish off the show, we discuss the awful tragedy of Paul Walker and discuss the films we’ve seen over the last week.

Our good friend Blake came by once again to help us break down Oldboy and once again, he was fantastic. Also, just as a fair warning, we always try to keep our podcasts PG-13 but there’s one short segment when we are discussing the heartbreaking situation surrounding Paul Walker, JD does go off on TMZ that’s a little more colorful than usual. Most of you probably won’t be offended anyway, but just in case, we wanted to throw that out there. Anyway, check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!

Oldboy Movie Review (5:05)
    Grades
    JD: C+
    Scott: C
    Blake: C

Top 3 Unnecessary Movie Remakes (37:59)
The original Oldboy, a Korean film by Park Chan-wook, is definitely a cult classic and over the last decade has become a beloved film by many film lovers. While it’s not a movie for everyone and it deals with a subject that is very niche, is it really necessary to remake? We’d argue no. So going off this week’s main review, we discussed our Top 3 Unnecessary Movie Remakes and there are a lot of them out there. So, what would be your Top 3?

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RELATED: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was even better than the first film and is easily one of the best blockbuster films we’ve seen all year. Listen to Episode 40 of our movie podcast to hear this review and much more!

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– Independent Spirit Awards (1:05:00)

One of the best things about 2013 was the indies that came out this year. There’s been a lot of strong films, so discussing the Independent Spirit Awards was a lot of fun. The nominations came out last week and there are some really great contenders that deserve their nominations.

– News (1:19:37)

    – Paul Walker tragically killed in a car accident

– Movies We’ve Seen This Week
(1:29:10)
    JD: Oldboy, Full Metal Jacket, Arrow (TV Show)
    Scott: Oldboy, Philomena, Eyes Without A Face, Paths of Glory, Tokyo Story, Frances Ha
    Blake: Oldboy, Oldboy (original version), The Doors, Equilibrium, Killing Season

– Music

    The Old Boy – Cho Young-Wuk
    Five Years – Blake Neely
    City of Angels – Thirty Second to Mars
    We Own It – 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa
    The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 41

Movie Poll: Which December movie do you look forward to most?

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As we’ve stated, this month is gonna be bonkers good for movies at the theaters. There’s some potential big name Oscar players that will be coming out as well as a few small films that looks to be really great as well. Not too mention, we have a few big, CGI, action-packed films as well you can look forward too.

So thus begs the question, which movie are you looking forward to this month? Feel free to vote as many times as you want and if there’s something else not listed, feel free to write in your answer under “other”. You can also leave your answer in the comment section below. Either or, let us know what your vote is!

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Monthly Preview: December leaves room for big potential

December is here and as the year winds down, we get some great movies with huge awards potential. We’ve already seen some great Oscar-buzz movies already, so what does December have in store?

And not only do we have award-potential movies, but we have big blockbuster stuff as well with The Hobbit sequel and the action-packed 47 Ronin coming out as well.

So here it is: A list of some of the top films that are being released this month.

DECEMBER 6

Out of the Furnace

Director: Scott Cooper
Stars: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson
Synopsis: When Rodney Baze mysteriously disappears and law enforcement fails to follow through, his older brother, Russell, takes matters into his own hands to find justice.
Our Take:  Jeff Bridges keeps saying this is the best movie he’s ever seen, which is funny but also interesting. I’m not sure it will be at that level but I’m sure this is one that’ll be emotional and have a lot to offer still.

DECEMBER 13

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Synopsis: The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.
Our Take: The first film was very heavy in CGI and lacked any real depth or inspiration the original trilogy gave us so our hopes aren’t too high for this but it’s great to see some familiar faced coming back for this one.

Hours

Director: Eric Heisserer
Stars: Genesis Rodriguez, Paul Walker, Nick Gomez
Synopsis: A father struggles to keep his infant daughter alive in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Our Take:  Paul Walker’s recent death is absolutely tragic and rumors are that this may be his best performance he ever gave which would be amazing. Either way, this film looks great and I think it’ll be an amazing final touch on his career. RIP Mr. Walker.

DECEMBER 18

American Hustle

Director: David O. Russell
Stars: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence
Synopsis: A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive British partner Sydney Prosser is forced to work for a wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso. DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia.
Our Take:  I absolutely loved last year’s Silver Lining’s Playbook, and it looks like Russell is bringing back a lot of his crew along with other actors and actresses he’s done great work with before. Umm..yeah I’m excited for this one.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Director: Adam McKay
Stars: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell
Synopsis: With the 70s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, returns to take New York’s first 24-hour news channel by storm.
Our Take:  The first Anchorman was absolutely hilarious and one of my favorite comedies of all-time and while this one likely won’t live up to it, it looks like a solid sequel.

DECEMBER 20

Saving Mr. Banks

Director: John Lee Hankcock
Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell
Synopsis: Author P. L. Travers reflects on her difficult childhood while meeting with filmmaker Walt Disney during production for the adaptation of her novel, Mary Poppins.
Our Take:  It’s unlikely that Tom Hanks will be able to live up to his performance in Captain Phillips from earlier this year, but this looks like a fun little movie that should have some charming moments.

Walking with Dinosaurs 3D

Director: Barry Cook, Neil Nightingale
Stars: John Leguizamo, Justin Long, Tiya Sircar
Synopsis: See and feel what it was like when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, in a story where an underdog dino triumphs to become a hero for the ages.
Our Take: This project is interesting in the fact that there are no human characters, which is rare, and it seems like were really just thrown into the world of dinosaurs to get the look and feel of what it would of been like. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s a real story here.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Director: Joel and Ethan Cohen
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman
Synopsis: A week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961.
Our Take: I’d be surprised if there aren’t Oscar nominations here. This looks really solid with some amazing performances, which is no surprise from a Cohen brothers film. Definitely go see this one.

DECEMBER 25

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Director: John Wells
Stars: Meryl Streep, Dermont Mulroney, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch
Synopsis: A look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Oklahoma house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.
Our Take:  An all-star cast doesn’t always mean it’ll be great but this one looks really good and from what I’ve heard, it’s one to see. Not sure if this is Oscar-worthy, but it will have potential.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Director: Martin Scorcese
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Favreau, Spike Jonze, Matthew McConaughey, Johan Hill
Synopsis: Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.
Our Take:  I’ve been really excited for this for a long time now and was hoping we’d still get to see it this year. This looks incredibly awesome and the marketing has been some of the best all-year. Definitely go see this movie.

47 RONIN

Director: Carl Rinsch
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kô Shibasak
Synopsis: A band of samurai set out to avenge the death and dishonor of their master at the hands of a ruthless shogun.
Our Take: This movie has had awful post-productions issues and has fired the director already so this one will be troubled. It looks action-packed but I’m at an arms length for this one.

GRUDGE MATCH

Director: Peter Segal
Stars: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger
Synopsis: A pair of aging boxing rivals are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout — 30 years after their last match.
Our Take: This looks ridiculously silly but it looks to make fun of the Rocky thing a bit which looks pretty funny. I’m more curious to see how Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart match up in this and what they bring to this. Overall though, it’s not going to be that big.

SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

Director: Ben Stiller
Stars: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt
Synopsis: A day-dreamer escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, he takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.
Our Take:  This looks to be perhaps Stiller’s best performance and best directed film yet. The visuals and camera style look fantastic and I wouldn’t be surprised if this has Oscar implications as well.

Movie Review: Oldboy falls short of its’ predecessor


Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Mark Protosevic
Stars: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson

Synopsis: Obsessed with vengeance, a man sets out to find out why he was kidnapped and locked into solitary confinement for 20 years without reason.

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DIRECTION
As with any remake, the main question people will ask is how it compares with the original and Spike Lee’s Oldboy doesn’t quite make the cut. Lee adds some descent, but not great, new elements and changes up a few things to make it interesting. His camerawork, as usual, is pretty good and is pretty creative in some areas. Lee uses the flashback’s in a unique way that keeps the characters involved as they and you, the audience, see’s how the scenes play out. The aesthetic Lee creates is similar to Park Chan-wook but it has the 2013 vibe that you’d expect and need from a remake. Where Lee fails, is in the development of the overall story and the big moments from the original fall flat here. Overall, it’s rushed and needed a little more depth to allow for the story to work. To Lee’s credit, the producers cut his 140 minute version down to 105 minutes which played a crucial role in that. However, Non-fans may find this version of Oldboy okay but avid fans will for sure be disappointed.

Grade: C+

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SCRIPT
Mark Protosevic’s script, again probably effected by the producers cuts, hits most of the main elements but needed to dig a little deeper. The story is mostly shallow, underdeveloped and misses out on all the things that make the original film so great. The story is already pretty grim and depressing but this doesn’t add anything new or interesting enough to stand out on its’ own. The modernization changes were unique and made the story more relatable to the American audience of today, but I still question the authenticity. The dialogue doesn’t hit very many emotional beats and sometimes makes the characters seem laughable, especially in death moments. The main villain’s plot is arduous but on some levels, very hard to buy into. It’s just as disturbing as the original, but it’s not as well explained and is even more confusing. Again, I think the final cut makes it seem worse than perhaps what it was, but given what we see, it needed more. Overall, it’s not the worst script for a remake but there’s not much new or exciting about it.

Grade: B-

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MOVIE REVIEW: Philomena is the best “true story” film this year.

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PERFORMANCES
Josh Brolin does a pretty good job as our main character, Joe Doucett who is kidnapped for 20 years, without knowing why, and then without reason is finally released. His character changes aren’t as well written but Brolin does a good enough job of trying to make you care. Some of his developments are hard to believe but it’s not because of Brolin, he’s strong enough. Elizabeth Olsen shows me why I love her and why she’s the best Olsen sister. She shows some good emotional ranges and was very good, even though she wasn’t given much to do. Samuel L. Jackson goes back to his swearing mantra where every other word needs to start with the letter “F”, which is always funny and gives him character. Again, he’s not given much to do but he’s still effective. Some of the death scenes were not shot nor were they performed well. Some of the supporting roles ended in some laughable ways and in a film that’s anything but laughable, it took away from some serious moments.

Grade: B+

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SCORE
Roque Baños’ score is incredibly boring and is a big disappointment. The score for the original Oldboy was very, very good and added some great touches to the movie which made it really fun and entertaining, even in a story that is grim and depressing. That’s not easy to do. Baños only manages to make the film worse with anything that is uninspiring. The music adds absolutely nothing to the film.

Grade: D

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FINAL THOUGHTS
“Spike Lee’s” Oldboy is rushed, undeveloped and if you haven’t seen the original, you’ll feel lost. The story is not explained well and is a huge disservice to the twist that is supposed to hit you hard. The final end sequence is different than the original and was easily one of the best parts of the movie. It’s really fitting and is probably the only thing that really separates itself well. Overall though, this is a product of bad editing from a studio that just “didn’t get it”. When studios get this much involved, it’s usually not a good thing and it’s always disappointing. Let the filmmakers do what you’ve hired them to do; make a good film. The producers butchered a movie that may have had potential to be something good, but instead, we only get a semi-inspired remake that was completely unnecessary.

Overall Grade: C+

Movie Review: Philomena is year’s best “based on a true story” movie


Director: Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, The Queen)
Writers: Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope, based on “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee” by Martin Sixsmith
Starring: Judi Dench (Skyfall, Shakespeare in Love), Steve Coogan
Synopsis: A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman’s search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.

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DIRECTION

The true story of Philomena Lee’s half-century search for her son didn’t take nearly as long to reach the big screen once the book was published in 2009. It should take only one time through the film or book to realize why. Tackling controversial subject matter is nothing new for Stephen Frears, as he successfully directed The Queen in 2006 which was destined for controversy regardless of how Her Majesty was portrayed. However, this time he chose to take on a story that involves the Catholic Church and the Irish government incarcerating over 10,000 women in state-run Magdalene Laundries (see: Ireland apologises for ‘slave labour’ at Magdalene Laundries) and selling their children in such a way that they theoretically could never reconnect. Frears masterfully and delicately handles each plot turn and development and delivers what is easily one of the year’s most captivating, eye-opening, and important films of 2013. The way that Philomena Lee is portrayed, the accuracy of the Church’s horrific actions, and the overarching delivery of it all combines for some very overdue cinematic justice to thousands of victims. The story never gets boring or muddled and the performances Frears’ delivers to the screen from a superb cast are indeed memorable.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT

The screenplay was based on The Lost Child of Philomena Lee which was written by Martin Sixsmith (the character portrayed by Steve Coogan in the film). By all accounts I’ve come across, the screenplay stays true to the story for the most part, giving a much more accurate adaptation than Hollywood usually delivers. Of course, the film was produced by the BBC as well as some credit going to Canal+ and the British Film Institute. What you need to know is that the screenplay injects humor and grace into a story that could easily play entirely dark. The criticisms of religion are almost entirely avoided in order to bring the focus directly on this particular situation, and although Martin and Philomena do go head-to-head at times with Sixsmith being the non-believer, it is tastefully done and shouldn’t anger either demographic.

Grade: A

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PERFORMANCES

Judi Dench portrays Philomena Lee in such a way that audiences will not only fall in love with her but also the performance. Similar to Robert Redford’s performance earlier this year, Dench gives us a performance that utilizes the experience of her veteran A-list status and incorporates the wisdom of Philomena’s story and situation. Coogan is the perfect supporting man (or in this case newsman) for Dench and he seems to know how to let her showcase her skills and still hold his own. Together, they make for one of the best on-screen pairs this year. Dench’s range may not be on the level of Redford’s in this film, but with Philomena being an optimistic and enthusiastic sweetheart of a lady, she didn’t need to focus on extremes. She is consistently Philomena and never Judi Dench, a compliment rarely given to or earned by established stars.

Grade: A+

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SCORE

Frears manages to employ the composing talent of Alexandre Desplat again who received an Oscar nomination for his work with Frears on The Queen back in 2006. Since then, he’s been nominated for scores for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The King’s Speech, and Argo. It goes without saying that this guy is at the top of his game, and he again produces a great score to go along with a great movie. He likely won’t receive an Oscar nod this year simply due to the fact we’ve had so many great scores, but this is one of the hidden gems of 2013.

Grade: A

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Final Thoughts:

If you love movies, you should see Philomena. Stories like this are stranger than fiction, and thankfully Philomena provides a nice way for audiences to learn a great deal and enjoy a great movie at the same time. Judi Dench should get a ton of recognition for this, but an Oscar win seems unlikely. That doesn’t really matter though, since this film is in itself a great achievement for all that were involved.

Overall Grade: A+

Video Review: Oldboy

Jon, from Second Rate Report, breaks down Spike Lee’s remake of the amazing original Korean film, Oldboy. Jon, not at all surprisingly, was a little disappointed with this film and it was hard for it to match up to the original. There have been several remakes lately that haven’t been bad but just not necessary. Does this one sit in the same vein as that? Watch our video review and find out! Oldboy is directed by Spike Lee and stars Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sharlto Copley.

Go subscribe to Second Rate Report on YouTube today!

Video: InSession Film Podcast – Episode 40

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This week on the InSession Film Podcast, the awesome guys from GeekScholars Movie News drop by as we review The Hunger Games: Catching Fire starring Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson and so many others. Going off of that we discuss our Top 3 Movie Dystopias and we have a really fun, laid-back discussion as to which other movie characters we would want to bring into the Hunger Games arena with us. And as usual, we finish off the show the some of the latest movie news and films we got to see over the last week.

If you would like to see the entire podcast of Episode 40, click here. Also, be sure to check out all of our podcasts by visiting our Movie Podcast page.

Movie Review: McConaughey shines in Dallas Buyers Club


Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Writers: Craig Borten (screenplay), Melisa Wallack (screenplay)
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto

Synopsis: In 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is himself diagnosed with the disease.

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DIRECTION
Jean-Marc Vallée’s Dallas Buyers Club is a film that is moving and let’s the characters and performances carry it all the way through. Vallée isn’t set on telling a narrative, but rather introduce you to some characters that have a need and a story that they want to tell. The movie is shot beautifully yet it’s very simple in terms of technique. There are a few defining shots that enhance the characters and their transformation, such as when a man opens the door for Ron and he’s never had that happen to him before. Brilliant decision-making by Vallée. He really let’s the characters shine through and through which is what was needed. The visual style was very mid-80’s and you never doubted it, especially when the brick phones came out. Overall, Vallée was simple and that made his work effective.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
Dallas Buyers Club centers around Ron Woodroof (McConaughey), who finds out he has contracted the AIDS virus in the mid-80’s, in a time where the epidemic was at it’s peak and the medical community was still trying to figure it out. After trying a newly FDA approved product to treat HIV, called AZT, he finds out that over exposure to it will kill you, thus he sets out his own path. In the process, he meets Rayon, a transgender who also has HIV and is being treated with AZT. The two meet up and set up a business to sell memberships, a buyers club if you will, where they can get all the medication they want for a monthly fee. On the surface, it’s a unique story of a man doing whatever it takes to take care of himself and other people in his situation because he feels the government and the medical community isn’t doing enough. The problem is that it lacks a deep focus. The story tells us the transformation that Ron and Rayon go through and the dynamics of their relationship, which was really great to see on screen. But we also see how the business is run and how Ron gets the medications that he would sale to his members, all while trying not to be succumbed to his own addictions. The story also focuses on Ron’s battle with the U.S. government, the FDA and the medical community and how he thinks the Government is screwing people over and how all the legalities of that effect him and his people. While all those areas are covered well enough, the script is kind of all over the place and it lacks the real depth the story could of gone. Overall though, you get enough to still be engaged and the transformations of our main characters is moving and will define this film.

Grade: B+

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is amazing!

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PERFORMANCES
Matthew McConaughey literally disappears into the role of Ron Woodroof and he is hardly recognizable. This is arguably McConaughey’s best performance of his career and it’s amazing to see the turnaround he has had. He is unbelievable as someone who is not only suffering from HIV, but he’s a character who has to transform from being homophobic to someone who is tolerant and ultimately even has a deep care for his gay friend and business partner, Rayon. Speaking of, Jared Leto, who’s back after a five year hiatus, gives his best performance of his career as the transgender Rayon. He is also unrecognizable with all the make-up, women’s clothes and even the female voice to go along with bringing this character to life. The dynamics between McConaughey and Leto are incredible and you drawn into their relationship and the heartfelt moments they would eventually have. Jennifer Gardner plays a smaller role and while she’s not terrible, she’s not great either. The other main leads around her are so on top of their game, that she seems very average. Overall though, this is the McConaughey and Leto show and they steal it away.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
Rather than use a traditional score, Vallée uses a composition of soundtrack songs to fill the music void for the film. The music, while mostly in the background, is actually really good. We get some great tracks by T. Rex, Tegan & Sara, The Airborne Toxic Event and, of course, Thirty Seconds To Mars. Leto is not only a great actor, but he’s a great singer and the song he has on the soundtrack is really great. This isn’t a soundtrack you’ll notice during the film, but it’s a solid listen to outside of it.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Dallas Buyers Club is incredibly moving and it’s all about the performances. If you have high expectations for the story, you may find yourself disappointed. The story does lack focus but the this movie isn’t as much about the story as it is two characters who needed each other in a rough time in their lives. We see Ron transform and the dynamics between him and Rayon more than make up for the script lacking. It won’t be a surprise at all if both McConaughey and Leto are nominated for awards.

Overall Grade: A

Video Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Jon, from Second Rate Report and the awesome video guy for InSession Film, gives us his video review of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Now, Jon hasn’t read the books so his fresh perspective is different than Scott and I since we had read the book, so it was great to hear from someone who hasn’t and how they influenced what they though. So if you’ve read the books, you may want to keep that in mind when hearing Jon’s review. He gives a great review though so check it out! The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is directed by Francis Lawrence and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, and Woody Harrelson.

Please, go visit Second Rate Report on Youtube today and be sure to subscribe!

Movie Poll: What’s the best Disney studio film since 2000?

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This Friday, Walt Disney’s Frozen is released wide across the country and we figured it’d be a good subject for this week’s poll question. There isn’t anyway Disney can do better than what they did last year with Wreck-It Ralph and the marketing for Frozen hasn’t been great, so we shall see. Either way, we thought we’d ask about your favorite Disney studio films.

However, we are only asking about Walt Disney studio productions. So that means no Pixar, no Disney Toon Productions or anything like that. Simply, what do you think is the best Disney studio film since the year 2000?

Vote here and let us know! You can also leave a write-in answer or leave a comment in the comment section below! Either way, let us know what you think!

[yop_poll id=”38″]

Podcast: Top 3 Movie Dystopias

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, the awesome guys, Chris and Fox, from GeekScholars Movie News dropped by as we reviewed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Well, going off of that we discussed our Top 3 Movie Dystopias, which was a lot of fun despite us talking about environments that aren’t much fun. These lists turned out great though and we came up with some great honorable mentions as well.

What are some movie dystopias that you liked to see on the big screen? What would be your top 3? Here’s ours:

JD

1) Battle Royal
2) Children of Men
3) I Am Legend

Scott

1) Metropolis
2) Blade Runner
3) Matrix

Chris

1) Gattaca
2) Matrix
3) District 9

Fox

1) Equilibrium
2) Wall-E
3) Serenity

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

The Hunger Games, The Planet of the Apes, The Road, Cloud Atlas, Minority Report

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists! Feel free to give us any comments and let us know what you think.

For the entire podcast, click here.

For more lists done by the InSession Film crew and other guests, be sure see our Top 3 Movie Lists page.

Podcast: Catching Fire, Top 3 Movie Distopia’s, Hunger Games Partners – Episode 40

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, the awesome guys from GeekScholars Movie News drop by as we review The Hunger Games: Catching Fire starring Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson and so many others. Going off of that we discuss our Top 3 Movie Dystopias and we have a really fun, laid-back discussion as to which other movie characters we would want to bring into the Hunger Games arena with us. And as usual, we finish off the show the some of the latest movie news and films we got to see over the last week.

Fox and Chris from GeekScholars are absolutely amazing people and it was an honor to have them on the show. They are incredibly smart and know film really well so it’s always great to have them on the show. It’s an absolute pleasure to call them friends and you want to follow them. Anyway, check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Movie Review (4:28)
    Grades
    JD: A
    Scott: A+
    Fox: A
    Chris: A

Top 3 Movie Dystopias (28:47)
Movie dystopias have been modeled many times over the years giving us some really interesting choices to choose from. Hopefully we never find ourselves in one of them but some movies have really shown them well with some interesting things happening within those environments. Either way, we came up with some great lists. What would be your Top 3?

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NOTICE: 12 Years A Slave is easily one of the best films of the year filled with some of the best performances of the year. Listen to Episode 39 of our movie podcast to hear this review and much more!

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– Other Movie Characters We’d Partner With In The Hunger Games Arena (55:18)

So this week, we had a really fun and laid-back discussion on what other movie characters we would like to bring into the Hunger Games arena if we were forced to fight in it. We didn’t use superheroes, robots, aliens, etc but human characters that we’d want with us. We did this so this way JD couldn’t use Optimus Prime as his partner.

– News (1:04:39)

    – New trailer for Nymphomaniac
    – Possible new biopic on J.R.R. Tolkien
    – Gravity spin-off short, Aningaaq
    – The Amazing Spider-Man spin-off movies

– Movies We’ve Seen This Week
(1:20:00)
    JD: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games, Delivery Man, Dallas Buyers Club,
    Once Upon A Time In The West
    Scott: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Tokyo Drifter, Dallas Buyers Club, Take Shelter, Europa Report,
    Weekend
    Fox: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, More Than Honey, Dear Mr. Watterson
    Chris: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, More Than Honey, Dear Mr. Watterson, Day of the Doctor

– Music

    Who We Are – Imagine Dragons
    Dragon Rider – Two Steps From Hell
    Men In Black – Will Smith
    Best Day Of My Life – American Authors
    The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 40

Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire improves upon the original


Director: Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Water for Elephants, Constantine)
Writers: Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, Little Miss Sunshine), Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours), based on the novel by Suzanne Collins
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson
Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.

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DIRECTION

With Gary Ross stepping aside, Francis Lawrence takes over the director’s chair for what will certainly be a box office smash sequel that also attempts to continue to transform a cultural book phenomenon into Hollywood history. Ross certainly crafted up a respectable adaptation of the genesis of the Hunger Games Trilogy, but there were some flaws that made the movie slightly underwhelming, especially for casual moviegoers unfamiliar with the material. Lawrence has the advantage of working with established actors, characters, and crew members, not to mention an extra $50 million or so to increase the likelihood of this being not just a great movie, but a must-see globally cinematic event. The pressure of the director to deliver a satisfactory product when taking on such a universally-praised book and its characters is too great to cast into words, but departing a jam-packed theater last night, there were no moans or groans to overhear. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is undoubtedly the result of hundreds of people who worked on the project, but it is especially noteworthy that Francis Lawrence was able to spearhead it with this level of precision. Having just finished the book hours before plopping down into a leather seat in one of Cinemark’s plush XD theaters, I felt as prepared as anyone to be critical of any missteps. It became quite hard to do that as the movie played out. From a direction standpoint, the most notable decisions were the handling of the fine lines of the story. More than a dozen times, our eyes are glued to the screen when a small detail that only readers of the series will be aware of is woven into a shot with such precision that it slides right by the casual viewer but intentionally catching the eyes of the educated. To me, this ability to handle material is the mark of a director who is passionate about his work and is unlike directors who view blockbusters as mindless entertainment.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT

Here lies the greatest strength of this film. When Gary Ross left the project, so did screenwriter Simon Beaufoy. However, Lionsgate hired Michael Arndt who has previous writing credits such as Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3, and Brave (how’s that for familiarity?). I’d be interested to know how much of Beaufoy’s script was included in the re-write and final screenplay written by Arndt simply because Beaufoy possesses Oscar-winning talent when it comes to adapting popular novels (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008). It is rare to feel certain that a screenplay is actually an improvement upon a well-known story, but this one would be a much more mature, interesting read to me than the book was. That is not to downplay the novel’s brilliance which has captured the minds and hearts of many, but to acknowledge the choices to eliminate and shrink many of the scenes in the book relating to fashion and teen angst. It’s not just the curation of the novel, though, but the addition of several scenes that we can assume did occur in the novel, but weren’t made aware of being that the book reads from the perspective of our protagonist. If there are any criticisms of the script, it would involve blending and blurring the facts a little to make things move more quickly, but at 146 minutes that seemed quite appropriate. Overall, one of the year’s best scripts and certainly the best one for a predetermined blockbuster.

Grade: A+

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MOVIE REVIEW: Delivery Man delivers for Vince Vaughn

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PERFORMANCE

It’s never easy acting as a beloved character, so the fact that 95% of the time I felt like these actors were convincing says a lot. Jennifer Lawrence is very aware of the pressure of being Katniss and makes sure to include small pivotal character tendencies from the book. One example of this is when a poison mist sprays over her and the nervous system suffers from the effects. The way Lawrence moves during the shots following this event could not have been executed more exactly from page to book any better. Aside from Lawrence’s beauty and talent are a cast of great supporting actors and actresses, not the least of which are Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), Lenny Kravitz (Cinna), and the hilarious Elizabeth Banks (Effie). I’m still not sold on Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta, but he is acceptable. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, and Stanley Tucci add even more flare to the film, and the casting of Jena Malone as the mysterious Johanna Mason was spot-on. Of course, I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t mention that Amanda Plummer (Yolanda/Honey Bunny in Pulp Fiction) was absolutely perfect for her role. Overall, this is the mixed, experienced, and fresh-feeling cast that a franchise needs.

Grade: A+

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SCORE

With a soundtrack that includes Coldplay, Lorde, The Lumineers, and Imagine Dragons, there is a nice companion piece to be had alongside the movie. Not just that, though, since James Newton Howard scored the film. With 8 Oscar nominations for Best Score under his belt, Howard ensures an appropriate mood throughout different parts of the film. While nothing outstanding, this is what you’d expect–a blockbuster treatment.

Grade: B

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Final Thoughts:

Improving on the first movie in the series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire demonstrates the ability to effectively translate a popular novel to the screen not only with justice but perhaps with improvement. It’s a good thing Lionsgate signed Francis Lawrence to finish out the series, as he will surely make this one of the biggest franchises in movie history. After the first film finished only behind The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises at the box office in 2012, this time around The Hunger Games should be the highest-grossing film of the year. There’s no reason to skip this one.

Overall Grade: A+

Movie Review: Delivery Man delivers for Vince Vaughn


Director: Ken Scott
Writers: Ken Scott (screenplay), Martin Petit (original screenplay “Starbuck”)
Stars: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders

Synopsis: An affable underachiever finds out he’s fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them file a lawsuit to reveal his identity.

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DIRECTION
The big question for me coming into this movie wasn’t whether it was good or not, but rather was it something different and better than what we’ve seen from Vince Vaughn lately. The short answer to that question; heck yes it was. Delivery Man is the re-hashing of Ken Scott’s French-Canadien film, Starbuck, which has the same premise and story. Scott uses a lot of the same scene set ups and imagery he used in Starbuck but put the focus on Vaughn’s strengths as an actor. There’s one sequence where Vaughn’s character takes one of his “daughter” to the hospital, and while there he goes back and forth talking with the daughter and the doctor. It’s really funny, purposeful and really exploits the character really well. Those sequences stand out for Scott and how this movie can work. Overall, the humor isn’t going to blow you away but Scott captures some heart felt moments which makes the film likable.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
The story focuses on David Wozniak, an underachiever who just found out his girlfriend his pregnant and is not sure if she wants David to be the father. In the middle of that, he also finds out that he has fathered 533 children after donating to a sperm bank 645 times, in which the clinic used most of them for reproduction. And now, the children he fathered are suing to find out who this mysterious person is to find out who their real father is. The film is a bit formulaic and very contrived as it sets up every moment, which makes it a crazy story. For most critics, who apparently have no ability to suspend disbelief anymore, it’s the part they have a hard time with. However, the premise of the story isn’t going for realism but for the heart. Yes, it does have some weird moments and some head scratchers but in a movie like this, it’s expected. The film is mostly about the effects decisions have on children and at the very core of every person, they want a father and a mother. Those relationships are hit on hard in several aspects, not just with David and his 533 kids. Predictability and formula doesn’t make a movie bad. Delivery Man, while it hits those beats, brings heart which is what makes movies fun.

Grade: B+

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PODCAST: Hear us discuss Robert Redford in All is Lost!

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PERFORMANCES
Well as I mentioned earlier, the big question for me was whether this was something of worth for Vince Vaughn. Vaughn’s latest years haven’t been crazy and since Wedding Crashers he’s been mostly on a steady decline. Delivery Man is by far, the best work he’s done in 100 years, or at least since his small role in Into the Wild. Vaughn isn’t particularly funny here, there are some good moments, but there’s depth here we haven’t seen in ages. He brings his usual charm but also some emotional aspects every man has to deal with at some point. The father/son moments are brilliant and gripping. The final scenes of the film are incredible and it’s Vaughn at his best. Chris Pratt also does a good job and has more to do than originally thought. He’s the lawyer/friend who helps Vaughn’s character through the court case and has some good, fun moments. It’s all stuff we’ve seen before but it was good and never distracting. There’s one moment after the court case is over that is absolutely hilarious and unexpected. Cobie Smulders has a small role but does a find job and adds some great moments near the end.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
The score is very forgettable. You will hardly notice that there is one. Jon Brion hits all the familiar comedic tones you’d expect and doesn’t do anything that’s worth noting. However, the soundtrack music is amazing and is one I would recommend seeking out. There are some fun uses of Thunderstruck which I thought was great as well.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Delivery Man is the reason I love going to the movies. While it’s mostly formulaic and a bit contrived, it’s a lot of fun and has some good depth to the film. It’s not trying to do something outside of the box or become an Oscar contender. It’s just a movie that has a fun and weird story that wanted to bring something more than a comedic tone. I was intrigued by the trailer as it seemed to be something more for Vaughn. And you know what, it didn’t disappoint at all. It’s easily his best work in a long time and was worth the theater experience.

Overall Grade: B+

Podcast: All is Lost – Extra Film

This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, JD and Scott take to open waters and discuss the lost at sea film All is Lost starring Robert Redford. Literally, he’s the only one. We get into some great conversation and JD thinks this is his best podcasting yet. Either way, join us and be sure to catch All is Lost!

Be warned though, this film has maybe three lines of dialogue and yet it still has a lot to say. Check out our podcast and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!

All is Lost Review
    Grades
    Scott: A+
    JD: A+

– Music

    Amen – Alexander Ebert
    The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher and please leave us a review on iTunes. We really appreciate it.

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All is Lost – Extra Film

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