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Movie Review: Ida


Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Writers: Pawel Pawlikowski, Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Stars: Agata Kulesza, Agata Trzebuchowska, Dawid Ogrodnik

Synopsis: Anna, a young novitiate nun in 1960s Poland, is on the verge of taking her vows when she discovers a dark family secret dating back to the years of the Nazi occupation.

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DIRECTION
Pawel Pawlikowski’s Ida is arguably the best foreign language film of the year. Ida is absolutely beautiful in every way possible. The black and white cinematography gorgeously lifts the 1960’s Poland aethstic we are dropped into. And it’s not just the black and white but how Pawlikowski and co. are able to position the characters in every scene is flawless. Pawlikowski also uses precise off-screen sounds that make every scene feel more authentic and more potent. There are a few scenes with the Anna character that stand out as some of the best scenes of the year, for reasons that can’t be explained without spoilers, but they give some great complexity to her. Overall, the direction here is about as impeccable as you can get.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT
Ida is in 1960’s Poland, where Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) is on the verge of becoming a nun. However, before she can take her final vows, she’s ordered to visit her Aunt, who is her only living relative. When Anna meets up with her Aunt, Wanda (Agata Kulesza), she learns quickly that there’s more to her than what she realizes. Her family’s secrets date back to Nazi occupation, something she’s been hidden from her entire life. Wanda on the other hand has been fully exposed to the tragedies and has fought for redemption of her people ever since as a lawyer and judge. Wanda and Anna go on a journey together to find closure and put this chapter behind them. And while closure is important, it’s Anna and Wanda’s reactions to closure that’s complex and fascinating. The narrative explores different paths people can take and the ramifications that can come from those choices. There’s also a fantastic sub-plot that involves a young jazz musician, Lis, that gives depth to Anna’s character and blends in perfectly with the main narrative. The story is rather simple overall but it goes to some great emotional territory, while adding some magnetic complexity to these characters that’s really engaging.

Grade: A+

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RELATED: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Agata Trzebuchowska is wonderful and incredibly sells her character on every level. While her dialouge is fine, it’s Trzebuchowska’s non-verbal mannerisms that elevates her performance. The chemistry she has with Agata Kulesza is a wonderful blend of spices. Anna and Wanda are like salt and pepper as they couldn’t be more opposite of one another, however together they make for a great taste. Kulesza is fantastic at showcasing the Aunt’s experience and why she ticks the way she does. She is more dialogue heavy and delivers it with a nice, yet subtle, punch. Dawid Ogrodnik isn’t in the film a ton, but when he’s there, you can see how it influences the Anna character and he plays it the way he needed to.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
Kristian Eidnes Anderson gets the nod to score here and while the composed music is okay, it’s the jazz music that is going to stand out here. We hear a few tracks through the radio while Anna and Wanda are traveling and some more obvious tracks where a jazz band is playing at a restaurant. The music is terrific and while it may seem odd given the themes of the film, it’s a fantastic contract that fits in perfectly with the film.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, it’s difficult to find any criticisms for this film. This is easily one of the best films of the year and nails everything it was going for. And for a film that has elements regarding the residue of the Holocaust, it never gets overbearing or too arduous. The complexities of the Anna character are not only interesting but explore this idea of a future and making it a bright one. It’s as uplifting as it is heartbreaking.

Overall Grade: A+

Podcast: Ida – Extra Film

This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, we review the amazing Polish film, Ida. This is one of the best movies we’ve seen so far this year and we had a great time reviewing this film. Also, we apologize upfront if we butchered the names attached to this film. All in all, this was a really fun discussion.

We had no guest this week once again but Brendan and JD held down the fort really well. Also, be sure to check out Episode 73 where we discuss the amazing Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and our Top 3 CGI Characters.

Anyway, we hope you have fun listening to this week’s Extra Film segment. Check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!

Ida Movie Review (3:46)
    Grades
    JD: A+
    Brendan: A+

– Music

    Miłość w Portofino – Sława Przybylska
    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. Subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast

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Ida – Extra Film

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To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!

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Video: Second Rate Report’s Top 5 Movies of 2014 (so far)

Second Rate Report’s Top 5
Godzilla
Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
The Fault in Our Stars
X-Men Days of Future Past
Edge of Tomorrow

Subscribe to Second Rate Report on YouTube!

Movie Review: Only Lovers Left Alive


Director: Jim Jarmusch
Writers: Jim Jarmusch (screenplay)
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska

Synopsis: A depressed musician reunites with his lover, though their romance – which has already endured several centuries – is disrupted by the arrival of uncontrollable younger sister.

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DIRECTION
Jim Jarmusch’s mood piece about vampire’s mulling in the mundane-ness of their current state is one of the most fascinating things I’ve seen all year. The aesthetic is dark, of course, but used gorgeously to reflect the state of mind of these characters. The way Jarmusch uses that for comedic bits is also great and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. You won’t find typical vampire tropes here, but instead, uses them more as props to tell a more alluring story. Blood is as much a drug as it is food and it’s the zombies (humans) that are destroying the world. Only Lovers Left Alive is just brilliant.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT
One of the best things about this movie is ironically something that is often criticized is most films. There is no narrative. The film just injects us into the normal lives of Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) who are married and have been around for centuries. Adam is a musician who thinks modern society doesn’t appreciate real art anymore and has destroyed a thing that was once great. Moreover, he lives in broken down Detroit, which impeccably parallels the aforementioned notion. Eve is off reflecting with other vampires, and artists, whose made major contributions to society. Eventually Eve comes home and the film focuses on the interaction between these two and how close they are, which is incredibly compelling. Eve’s sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska), drops by and causes a little chaos which can feel distracting a little bit. Ava’s presence though livens up things a bit and offers a new dimension to Adam with the repercussions of her actions. All in all, while there’s not much here in terms of plot, it’s the characters who drive the story and make it so rich and captivating.

Grade: A

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RELATED: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Arguably the two best performances of the year so far, or at least pretty darn close, Swinton and Hiddleston are absolutely riveting in every way possible. Their chemistry is palpable and magnetic, which is vital for a film that heavily relies on it. Throughout the entire film you didn’t care what was happening, you just wanted to see these two together. Anton Yelchin is the only “zombie” in the film and while he doesn’t have a ton of screen time, he’s great and works well with Hiddleston’s character. Wasikowska is the most stereotypical in the film, but it’s with intentionality as she represents everything the Adam character hates. That being said, Wasikowska plays it wonderfully from that perspective. Regardless of whether that works for you or not, in the end, this is all about Swinton and Hiddleston who absolutely kill (pun intended) it.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
Jim Jarmusch’s band, SQÜRL, does most of the music here and it’s fantastic work. Several different types of guitars and strings are used here and the score gorgeously reflects the mood and state we are supposed to experience. The melodies are nice and soothing which interweaves with our character’s really well. And given that music is integral to the actual characters, it seems to reflect their personalities well too.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Only Lovers Left Alive says a lot about art and the way we perceive it, and by all accounts, don’t seem to appreciate it the way we should. Regardless of how you embrace that theme, the way it’s presented and executed here is flawless. The performances are amazing and the way Jarmusch uses this kind of world is simply fun. Go see this movie.

Overall Grade: A

We recently discussed this on an InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film episode, which you can listen to by clicking here.

Movie Review: Noble Fir


Director: Joseph Arney, Christopher Graham
Writers: Joseph Arney, Christopher Graham
Stars: Richard E. Wilson, Mandy Rose Nichols, Desiree Aceves |

Synopsis: Nearing the end of harvesting season, Christmas-tree farmer Henry Dean fights to control his growing anger over an unnamed tragedy.

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DIRECTION
Joseph Arney and Christopher Graham’s Noble Fir is an interesting character piece that provokes serious questions and forces you to think about them. The aesthetic created is raw and emotional, putting you into the mindset of Henry Dean, our main character. Arny and Graham’s use of natural light and sound elevates the mood and creates a beautiful ambiance. Their camera work was also interesting in the sense that it moves with viewpoint of Henry. As Henry walks and moves about the camera will intentionally shake and dance with him. Some of the film’s themes aren’t executed well toward the end and a few other elements could’ve been handled better, but overall, descent work here.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
Henry Dean is a Christmas-tree farmer whose recently gone through a terrible tragedy and we find him in a place of grieving, where anger and heartache works as Henry’s puppet-master. He’s isolated and likes it that way. He doesn’t want to talk about it. He can barely stand being in line at different stores, going to church or heck, even being around his own grandchildren. He works meticulously on his trees and just wants to be alone. While the script does have religious undertones, most of the film rests on Henry (not) trying to deal with grief that he’s carrying like a boulder. That being said, there’s a few scenes in the third act that felt very heavy handed and forced it’s themes in a way that just lit up like a, well, Christmas-tree. It was too transparent and felt a bit tacky which surrendered the potency it could’ve had. Despite those flat sequences, the emotions throughout the film are authentic and something that’s easy to engage with, especially for those who’s suffered through this story. At the root (pun intended), it’s a story of bitterness and how that can consume and destroy you internally, a struggle that’s as provocative as it is arduous.

Grade: B+

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RELATED: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Richard E. Wilson’s performance is a polarizing one. His non-verbal mannerism’s and facial expressions completely sell Henry’s struggle, which is deep and painful. However, his dialogue didn’t match the same grittiness and torment you saw internally, which made for a contrast that just didn’t work. The supporting characters are fine but definitely feel amateur at times. That being said, it’s not the worst thing you’ve ever seen and they serve their purpose okay enough for the film to work.

Grade: C

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SCORE
The score by Ian Jenkins is GORGEOUS! The score is flawless and elevates the film to a whole new level. Jenkins uses simple piano notes and blends them with beautiful strings that make for a poignant and effective score. The music is the external mood for the internal mood we see in Henry, which was perfect. It’s fantastic and used amazingly well within the film.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Noble Fir is pretty descent film that explores the heartache caused by the sudden loss of your most beloved, something a lot of us can relate with. The film’s explores what it means to let people in and why it’s important to grieve with them which is fascinating and inspirational. The execution of making that clear could’ve been handled better but overall Noble Fir was still a good experience and film I’d recommend.

Overall Grade: B+

Movie Poll: During the Purge, which weapon would you choose for self-defense?

This week on the podcast, we’re discussing the new film The Purge: Anarchy, the sequel to last year’s surprising hit, The Purge. Well for our poll this week, it’s pretty simple. During the purge, which weapon would you want to have with you for self-defense purposes when the, well you know what, hits the fan? Just remember all the good that comes from the purge and vote below!

Feel free to leave any comments in the comment section below as well! Thanks for voting!

[yop_poll id=”60″]

Video Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Matt Reaves, stars Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, and Andy Serkis.

Subscribe to Second Rate Report on YouTube!

Podcast: Top 3 CGI Characters (Live-Action)

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed the amazing film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, starring the wonderful Andy Serkis who brought Caesar to life in some incredibly potent ways. And after seeing how awesome Caesar was in Dawn, there’s no doubt that motion capture will start to be recognized for the work that goes into it. And while not all of our characters in this discussion is motion-capture, for our Top 3 this week, we discuss the best CGI characters in live-action movies. We’ve seen plenty over the years, and while not all great, some surly stand out as some of the most fun we’ve had at the movies.

That being said, what CGI characters would make your list? Here are the one’s that made ours (Keep in mind we all have different criteria for our lists as well):

JD

1) The Lord of the Rings – Gollum / Dawn/Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Caesar
2) Jurassic Park – Raptors and T-Rex
3) Richard Parker – Life of Pi

DJ

1) The Lord of the Rings – Gollum
2) Jurassic Park – T-Rex
3) Pirates of the Caribbean – Davi Jones

Matthew

1) Terminator 2: Judgement Day – T-1000
2) The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug – Smaug
3) Watchmen – Dr. Manhattan

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

Optimus and Bumblebee – Transformers, Alien – District 9, Sonny – I, Robot, Hulk/Iron Man/Spider-Man – MMU, King Kong – King Kong, Yoda – Star Wars, Godzilla – Godzilla

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are about a ton of other CGI characters that could’ve easily made our lists, as there have been some great animated characters in live-action movies over the years. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].


For the entire podcast, click here
or listen below.

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

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Podcast: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Top 3 CGI Characters – Episode 73

This podcast brought to you by Audible.com. Sign up today for a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial and thanks for your support!

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, DJ and Matthew from the Simplistic Reviews podcast joins us as we review the amazing blockbuster, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, starring the wonderful Andy Serkis, Jason Clark, and Gary Oldman among many others. Going off of that, we also discuss our Top 3 CGI Characters from live-action films, which was a lot of fun, although I’m sure you can guess our #1. And as usual we finish off the show with Movies We’ve Seen This Week, in which all three of us had a bad film we needed to destroy during this segment.

This week, Blake is out once again due to some unfortunate family circumstances and our thoughts are with him, and he should be back next week. Also, go check out this last week’s Extra Film where we review the lovely films, Only Lovers Left Alive and the amazing Roger Ebert documentary, Life Itself.

Anyway, check it out and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our podcast!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review (5:43)
    Grades
    JD: A
    DJ: A

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes SPOILERS! (33:39)

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RELATED: Listen to Episode 72 of the InSession Film Podcast!

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Top 3 CGI Characters (Live-Action) (49:03)
After seeing how awesome Caesar was in Dawn, there’s no doubt that motion capture will start to be recognized for the work that goes into it. And while not all of our characters in this discussion is motion-capture, for our Top 3 this week, we discuss the best CGI characters in live-action movies. We’ve seen plenty over the years, and while not all great, some surly stand out as some of the most fun we’ve had at the movies. That being said, what would be your Top 3?

– Movies We’ve Seen This Week (1:21:53)

    JD: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Independence Day, Hurt Locker, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape the Planet of the Apes, Cheap Thrills
    DJ: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Sabotage
    Matthew: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, Jodorowsky’s Dune, Snowpiercer, Night Scare

– Music

    Primates for Life – Michael Giacchino
    Tubular Bells – Steve Boeddeker
    Jurassic Park – John Williams
    Rise/Apes Theme – Patrick Doyle
    The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 73

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Next week on the show:

    Main Review – The Purge: Anarchy

    Top 3 – TBD

The Purge: Anarchy

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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast

If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. For more information, please visit our Donate page here. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!

Podcast: Only Lovers Left Alive, Life Itself – Extra Film

This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, we discuss the new film from Jim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive, starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as well as the new Roger Ebert documentary, Life Itself.

We had no guest this week but we had some great conversation over two films that are certainly worth seeing. Also, be sure to check out Episode 72 as we discuss the highly criticized Deliver Us From Evil and our Top 3 Scary Moments.

Anyway, we hope you have fun listening to this week’s Extra Film segment. Check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!

Only Lovers Left Alive Movie Review (3:10)
    Grades
    JD: A-
    Brendan: B+

Life Itself Movie Review (30:44)
    Grades
    JD: A
    Brendan: A

– Music

    Only Lovers Left Alive – SQURL
    The Glass Ball – Bernard Hermann
    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. Subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast

Subscribe to our Podcasts RSS
Subscribe to our Podcasts on iTunes
Listen on Stitcher
Only Lovers Left Alive, Life Itself – Extra Film

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Mobile App

To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!

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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast

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Help Support Us - Donate Per Show

Movie Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes


Director: Matt Reeves
Writers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Stars: Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke

Synopsis: A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

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DIRECTION
Matt Reeves opens Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with a harrowing glimpse at the decline of man as the “Simian Flu” breaks out and spreads all across the world, killing just about everyone on the planet. Reeves immediately sets the tone and quickly brings us back into the world of Caesar. The pacing is brilliant and fluid, while telling the story beautifully with great camera work and amazing visual effects. The CGI is some of the best we’ve ever seen on film and enhances the characters is some incredible ways. The action scenes are seamless, thrilling and pack a mighty punch, making this one of the most riveting blockbusters of 2014. Reeves took the momentum from Rise of the Planet of the Apes and carried it even further in almost every way possible. There are a few things here or there he could’ve tweaked, like using Gary Oldman’s character better for example, but for the most part, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one wild ride.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT
The thing that can almost always make a script work, regardless of the actual story, is compelling characters. This is the case in Dawn because as far as a story goes, there is nothing original here. This film has gotten a lot of praise, but let’s be honest, the story isn’t anything new or different that what we’ve seen a thousand times before. However, what makes it work, is that Caesar (Andy Serkis) is captivating on every level as well as his ape brethren. Caesar is now a husband and a father, as well as the leader of the entire group, which has grown significantly since Rise. When a group of humans show up on their turf unexpectedly, tension rises and the apes have to figure out how to deal with this new dilemma. As for the humans, which is led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke), they need to get to a dam to get power for their colony of survivors, however it’s in ape territory. As soon as Malcolm and Caesar find a way to work things out, all hell breaks loose when Caesar’s military-like confidant, Koba, has a difference of opinion on leadership. Again, as the story plays out, it’s not the narrative but rather the ape character struggles, transformations and decisions that makes the story so provocative. The human characters lack depth but do offer some nice interactions throughout that feel genuine, despite the lack of potency it went for at times. All in all though, this is Caesar’s movie and he is so engaging and remarkable. That alone makes the story good enough for me.

Grade: B+

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RELATED: Transformers: Age of Extinction Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
If Andy Serkis isn’t nominated for awards, then he should be recognized on some level. What he does with Caesar absolutely carries the movie to a whole other level and it doesn’t pack the punch it does without him. In fact, he’s so good, that when he’s not on screen you feel it and you want him back immediately. The interactions Caesar has with his son and wife are gorgeous, moving and always believable. Toby Kebbell, who plays Koba, is also fantastic and crucial to the film. While he’s not as known as Serkis, he will have more mo-cap roles in his future. Jason Clarke is no James Franco. Don’t get me wrong, Clarke is great in the role but his character doesn’t have the emotional pull that Franco’s did but he’s definitely serviceable. Gary Oldman is also fine, but again, the writing of his character was muddled and could’ve been utilized better. However, when Oldman is on screen, he’s a veteran presence that works well. The rest of the human cast is fine as well but it’s really the ape family that stands out and what’s important here.

Grade: A

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SCORE
Michael Giacchino’s score isn’t going to have an iconic theme or anything that’s rememberable, however it’s one of the more gorgeous scores of 2014. Because a lot of the film is slowed down for emotional beats and character moments, the score lingers on those beats and let’s the strings carry the weight of those scenes. The action scenes are tense and thrilling, which is reflected in the score as well. For those who like to listen to scores outside of the film, this is a gorgeous listen to, but you may have to be in the right mood for it.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
While Dawn of the Planet of the Apes can certainly stand on it’s own two legs, the character building and set-up from Rise, makes Dawn a little bit more potent. And while everything with Caesar and his family is just magnetic, I can’t help but feel underwhelmed by the human characters. The script tries to pull a lot of emotional punches that didn’t hit as hard as it could have, however, the punches pulled with Caesar and his family were very strong. And not because I love apes more than people, but because we spend a lot more time with them and we’re given more depth. Don’t get me wrong, like Godzilla, that’s a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things. This film is amazing. Andy Serkis is incredible and the action is a lot of fun. Seeing this world is just one heck of a ride and it’s easily one of the best films of the year.

Overall Grade: A

Podcast: Blake’s thoughts on Transformers: Age of Extinction – Episode 72 Bonus Content

This week for our Bonus Content, since Blake missed out on Ep. 71, we gave him time to give us his thoughts on Transformers: Age of Extinction. Was it a surprise or did we start Round 3? Check it out!

To buy this item and support our podcast, click here.

As we mention on our Bonus Content page, while the buying of these bonus podcast segments helps support the show, they will now be available for free listening as well. Either way, we appreciate your support and thanks for listening!

Movie Review: As It Is In Heaven


Director: Josh Overbay
Writers: Ginny Lee Overbay
Stars: Chris Nelson, Sylvia Boykin, Luke Beavers, Abi Van Andel

Synopsis: After the death of the Prophet, a man is called to lead his small religious sect as they anxiously await the end of the world they were promised.

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DIRECTION
For a director that is working on a very small budget, Josh Overbay’s As It Is In Heaven is arguably the best “faith” based film of 2014 so far. Overbay does a wonderful job of utilizing his Kentucky backwoods aesthetic, which made for a rich visual style and sound design. The cinematography is gorgeous, fluid and used wonderfully to help elevate the narrative and the compelling character struggles in the film. The religious aspects of the film are never over-the-top or campy, which is the case in a lot films featuring Christian customs. Overbay’s pacing is pretty solid and the third act is brilliantly handled. The last few shots of the film were absolutely perfect.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The story is centered around David (Chris Nelson), who is recruited by Edward (John Lina) to join a small religious sect in which he leads. Edward is considered a modern-day Prophet and believes that Jesus will be coming back to Earth in about 30 days. Soon after David is recruited, Edward becomes ill and soon passes away, but before he does, he tells David that he wants him to lead the group. Edward’s son, Eamon, isn’t a fan of David and animosity is raised among them, especially after David orders a fast until the day of reckoning. David’s choices start to lead to some ugly consequences but most members of the group still try to be faithful till the end, despite it’s harrowing nature. While these kinds of cults are stereotyped in public, the film explores their perspectives and genuine beliefs, despite the connotations that come with it. The story also explores ideas of leadership and how faith can affect people’s decisions, especially when trying to interpret dreams and visions from a “supreme being”. The internal struggle David has is fascinating and the crystallization of that idea is impeccable. The narrative slows down a little bit towards the beginning of the third act, but if you keep with and stay engaged, the final punch is a knockout.

Grade: A

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RELATED: The Immigrant Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
None of the actors are going to win Academy Awards, but they are more than serviceable for the kind of film we see here. Chris Nelson is fantastic, but what makes his great here isn’t his dialogue, but rather his non-verbal expressions and mannerisms that sell the performance. The inner struggle he faces is strong and compelling, which he delivers well and the ending, again, is brilliant. The rest of the supporting cast, including Sylvia Boykin and Luke Beavers among others, is fine but none of them stand out as much.

Grade: B+

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SCORE
Composer’s Tim Morton and Ben Zoeller got the nod to score here and were terrific. The music uses southern tones and strings to capture the single location feel the film was going for. It really enhances the character moments, which lingers beautifully with the music. The main themes are used appropriately and definitely add to the experience.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
As It Is In Heaven is a fascinating look at a group of people who genuinely believe in something that can seem ludicrous to the outside world, but to them it was very real. The drama is blended well and feels authentic throughout, especially when the repercussions of David’s choices start to follow. You don’t have to be religious to be engaged with this story and the ending is quite provocative.

Overall Grade: A

A few month’s ago, we were privileged to interview director Josh Overbay about his film on one of our InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film episodes. Click here to listen to that show now!

Movie Poll: What is your favorite CGI movie animal (character)?

This week in anticipation for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (I can’t wait!!!), we thought we’d discuss CGI movie animals on this week’s movie poll. There’s been some pretty good one’s in the past and there’s even other contenders within the films listed in the answers below. However, I think we came up with a pretty descent list. Of course, there’s always more so we left a write-in option as well. Feel free to leave any other comments in the comment section below!

Vote now!

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Podcast: Top 3 “Supernatural/Paranormal” Scary Moments

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we reviewed Deliver Us From Evil, because you know, it’s that time of year for horror movies. So for our Top 3 this week, we get into the demon-possessed spirit (see what I did there) and discuss our Top 3 scary moments in film that come from your “supernatural” or “paranormal-like” movies. While that may be more simple for Blake, JD struggled because he’s a big scaredy cat. However, we came up with some pretty scarey moments.

That being said, what scary moments would make your list? Here are the one’s that made ours (Keep in mind we all have different criteria for our lists as well):

JD

1) The Exorcist – All of the it / The Shining – Twins, Old-lady in room 237
2) Poltergeist – Clown scenes
3) Pans Labyrinth – Pale-man scene

Blake

1) The Exorcist – Spider-walk
2) Poltergeist – When the guy cleans himself and his skin falls off
3) Paranormal Activity – Ending sequence

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

Ending to The Ring (1998), Dream demon in Insidious

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are about a ton of other scary moments that could’ve easily made our lists, as we know we skipped on a lot. So that being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].

For the entire podcast, click here or listen below.

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

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Podcast: Deliver Us From Evil, Top 3 “Supernatural/Paranormal” Scary Moments – Episode 72

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This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we have no guest but Blake is back as we review the new “horror” film, Deliver Us From Evil, starring Eric Bana, Joel McHale, and Olivia Munn among others. Going off of that, we discuss our Top 3 Scary Moments from “supernatural/paranormal-like” movies, which was frightening but we made it through it. We also do our 2014 Mid-Year Report, so Blake can give us his Top 3 Movies of the Year so far and also we discuss our worst movies of the year so-far. JD also gives us his Top 5 Movie Scores of the Year so far as well. And after being absent the last two weeks, we converse about the movies we’ve seen over the last week.

Blake is back this week and you don’t want to miss this week’s Bonus Content. After hating on Michael Bay and Transformers for awhile on the show, he’ll finally give his thoughts on Transformers: Age of Extinction, since he missed last week. Also, be on the lookout for this week’s Extra Film where we review Only Lovers Left Alive and the amazing Roger Ebert documentary, Life Itself.

Anyway, check it out and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our podcast!

Deliver Us From Evil Movie Review (4:57)
    Grades
    JD: B
    Blake: B-

Top 3 “Supernatural/Paranormal” Scary Moments (31:39)
This week for our Top 3, we get into the demon-possessed spirit (see what I did there) and discuss our Top 3 scary moments in film that come from your “supernatural” or “paranormal-like” movies. While not as big of a deal for Blake, JD struggled with the list, but mostly because he’s a big scaredy cat. However, we came up with some pretty scarey moments. That being said, what would be your Top 3?

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RELATED: Listen to Episode 71 of the InSession Film Podcast! – Yeah you definitely want to check this one out!

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– 2014 Mid- Year Report (54:06)

Last week on the show we got to discuss our Top 5 Movies of the Year so far, but since Blake missed out since he was gone, we thought we’d give him the chance here. We also wanted to discuss our worst movies of the year so far, our favorite movie scores of the year and do a preview for the rest of the summer.

Blake’s Top 3 Movies of the Year (so far):

Godzilla
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Lego Movie

JD’s Top 5 Worst Movies of the Year (so far):

Winter’s Tale
Labor Day
Pompeii
Monuments Men
I, Frankenstein

JD’s Top 5 Movie Scores of the Year (so far):

Steve Jablonsky/Explosions in the Sky – Lone Survivor
Mica Levi – Under the Skin
John Powell – How to Train Your Dragon 2
Alexandre Desplat – Grand Budapest Hotel
John Ottman – X-Men: Days of Future Past

– Movies We’ve Seen This Week (1:21:49)

    JD: Deliver Us From Evil, Only Lovers Left Alive, Snowpiercer, Calvary, The Lego Movie, Earth to Echo, The Shining, Planet of the Apes, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Life Itself
    Blake: Deliver Us From Evil, Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

– Music

    Dead? – Christopher Young
    Tubular Bells – Steve Boeddeker
    Hope – John Ottman
    Just Kids – Joseph Trapanese
    The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 72

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Next week on the show:

    Main Review – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

    Top 3 – TBD

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

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Video: Batman v Superman, Pacific Rim 2 Updates

This week for our Movie News video, we discuss the latest updates for Batman v Superman and Pacific Rim 2. Let us know your thoughts below and subscribe to us on YouTube!

Movie Review: Deliver Us From Evil


Director: Scott Derrickson
Writers: Scott Derrickson (screenplay), Paul Harris Boardman (screenplay)
Stars: Eric Bana, Édgar Ramírez, Olivia Munn

Synopsis: NY police officer Ralph Sarchie investigates a series of crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest, schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city.

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DIRECTION
Scott Derrickson’s Deliver Us From Evil comes across and is masked as a paranormal horror film, but really it’s more of a crime drama about a man who has his own demons, if you will, that he must learn to overcome. The film is well-paced and offers some interesting questions that parallel the superficial horror. Many critics have bashed the film for it’s stereotypical tropes and lack of originality, which is valid, but I’m not so sure that’s what the films was all about. Sure, Derrickson throws a lot of typical jump scares at you, but the inner struggle of the film I found compelling. The overall aesthetic is creepy and fits the vibe he was going for and the final sequences were pretty thrilling, despite it being nothing new.

Grade: B

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SCRIPT
The story is “based of true life events” and centers around New York Police detective Sarchie and his partner Butler. When they investigate a domestic disturbance, they find out they’re in for more than just an abusive husband. Through several circumstances that arise, the story works as a crime thriller and the pieces of the puzzle start to fall in line as they continue their investigation. At the same time, Sarchie, is experiencing symptoms that on the surface seems supernatural, but rather his pain is much deeper and needs a, well let’s just say a different kind of healing. Eventually Sarchie and Butler find out that the three men they were after suffer from being “demon-possessed” and need the help of Mendoza, an undercover priest who specializes in supernatural occurrences. As mentioned, there are many tropes that we’ve seen a hundred times over and the film is pretty predictable. However, there are two types of exorcisms that are featured here and one is certainly more relatable than the other.

Grade: B-

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RELATED: The Immigrant Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Eric Bana is pretty great in the role, selling both the crime aspects as well as the spiritual ones. His character is a man who is struggling in more ways than one and Bana showcases that well. Joel McHale is also great and delivers some nice comedic timing, in a movie that doesn’t have much humor. Édgar Ramírez, as an undercover priest, delivers a solid performance as well and delivers some dialogue that is sure worth thinking about. Olivia Munn isn’t in the film a ton, but when she’s there, she’s actually pretty good. Really, none of the supporting actors are terrible, and while some of it is stereotypical, it’s never distracting.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
Christopher Young’s score is probably the most mundane part about the film. Like the script, it’s not that it’s terrible, but rather something we’ve heard before. It certainly adds to the horror moments but in the end, it’s forgettable.

Grade: C

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Look I get it, I understand why a lot of people don’t like this movie. It certainly is unoriginal and doesn’t add anything new to the genre on a horror production standpoint, but I found the inner struggle parallels compelling and the crime drama story was still interesting. Given that, it wasn’t a bad watch and something you can still engage with.

Overall Grade: B