"Ma chère mademoiselle. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents...your dinner"
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
The release date for the live action retelling of Beauty and the Beast has been confirmed!
It will be out in exactly two years - March 17th 2017.
The biggest awards event took place last night in Los
Angeles whilst the rest of us were sleeping here in the UK. Yes, the Academy Award winners have been announced and in case you’ve somehow missed it, here is the full list of winners and some of the speeches from the glitzy ceremony.
Best Picture - Birdman
Image: indyweek.com
Best Director - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Image: variety.com
Best Actor - Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress - Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Best Supporting Actor - J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress - Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Costume Design - Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Image: prettycleverfilms.com
Hair and Make Up - Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Image: hollywoodreporter.com
Best Foreign Language Film - Ida
Image: idigitaltimes.com
Best Live Action Short - The Phone Call
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Best Documentary Short Subject - Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Image: hbo.com
Sound Mixing - Whiplash
Image: awardscircuit.com
Sound Editing - American Sniper
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Best Visual Effects - Interstellar
Image: avforums.com
Best Animated Short - Feast
Image: bowwowtimes.com
Best Animated Film - Big Hero 6
variety.com
Best Production Design - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Image: architecturaldigest.com
Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Image: thecreatorsproject.vice.com
Film Editing - Tom Cross, Whiplash
Image: nytimes.com
Best Documentary - Citizenfour
Image: hollywoodreporter.com
Best Original Song - Glory by Lonnie Lynn (Common) and John Stephens (John Legend), Selma Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Image: hollywoodreporter.com
Best Original Screenplay - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo,Birdman
Image: fact.co.uk
Best Adapted Screenplay - Graham Moore,The Imitation Game
What do make of the 2015 winners? Who missed out on the top prizes? Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your thoughts on the 2015 Oscars.
A new year, a new bunch of reviews! It has been a bumper month of films this January as all the big dramas are released for the awards season. I'll be seeing more of the nominated pictures in February, but let's crack on with the movies opening 2015.
Here is the all important rating system:
* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!
** = OK. Could have done better.
*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.
**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.
***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.
All movie titles link to their relevant IMDB pages so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew.
Eddie Redmayne's performance is unbelievably good. Especially after Stephen's diagnosis of motor neurone disease, Redmayne convincingly embodies the Hawking we are all so familiar with. It got to the point where I forgot that Redmayne was acting. His change in physicality is remarkable. What an achievement. Redmayne certainly deserves the Oscar nod and all the award wins and nominations so far. Felicity Jones, who plays wife Jane, is equally as good, though her aging on screen isn't quite effective.
If you are going in expecting a science film, it isn't. Although there are many comparisons to this and The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything is more of a love story. It is therefore rather sentimental and is a bit of a safe movie. We all know that Stephen has exceeded the expectations of doctors who gave him only 2 years to live. It then makes the film less dramatic as we know the outcome and his story. Mind you, it is more to do with Jane's story. It is adapted from her autobiography and deals with the struggles of looking after the physicist and how they met.
A beautifully shot film and a stellar performance from Eddie Redmayne gives this a high recommendation. Not quite perfect though.
Being an avid theatre goer and performer, I loved the dynamic between the outside world of New York and underground feel backstage at the theatre in Birdman. The cinematography is so clever and a huge technical feat. The film flows as one continuous take, which fits the setting of theatre perfectly, and never drops the momentum. It reminded me of Hitchcock's Rope (1948), but the achievement here is miles better than Hitchcock's attempt ever was - mainly because Rope was contained in just one room for the entire film. Here, we weave through the depths of the dressing rooms and venture out into a busy Times Square, in a fantastic sequence involving Michael Keaton dodging the crowd in his underwear. Keaton delivers a terrific and hilarious performance as Riggan. I wouldn't be surprised if he pips Redmayne to the post for the Best Actor as this year's Academy Awards. Emma Stone is a delight as his daughter and Edward Norton equally puts in a cracking performance. The soundtrack is tremendous too - a drumming jazz heartbeat throughout the film, adding to the chaos of the stage and Riggan's wild imagination.
This off beat black comedy is definitely worth a second viewing. An astonishing, unique and surprising film - a must see for this year.
I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, but I have been bitterly disappointed by The Hobbit series. Firstly, why does it need to be three films? The Hobbit is a super short book, especially when comparing it to the LOTR trilogy. They managed to put each book into one film each, why not one or just two films for The Hobbit? Splitting it into three was clearly decided so the studio could make more money. Indeed, it was #1 at the Christmas box office but I don't think it has paid off in making a quality film.
Compared to the second film it didn't drag as much but the ending could have been edited down greatly. What did I like the most? The fact that the movie went into Lord of the Rings:Fellowship of the Ring (2001). We see Ian Holm return as old Bilbo with Gandalf knocking on the door to greet Bilbo on his 111th birthday. Maybe I only liked that moment because it was the end of The Hobbit and we can all have a wave of nostalgia watching LOTR again.
An OK film which could have been a lot better with less CGI and a shorter running time. A disappointing series overall.
I am a big musical fan so this is right up my street. I also love Stephen Sondheim's quirky lyrics and scores but had never encountered Into the Woods before. Emily Blunt is the best piece of casting in the film. She puts in a wonderful performance as the Baker's wife. Her on screen husband, the Baker, played by James Corden, equally brings charisma and warmth to the story. I loved the cheeky cameo from Simon Russel Beale - a musical star and Sondheim actor - as the Baker's father. Meryl Streep gives it plenty of welly playing the Witch, however I found it a little too over the top. Chris Pine is utterly charming as the Prince. He and Rapunzel's prince have the best scene in a song called Agony - which has them despairing over the effort they have to go through to win their loves.
Johnny Depp's cameo is brief but very enjoyable as the Wolf. However, you can tell that Sondheim's dark musical has been slightly Disney-fied. Deaths of characters are hinted at and it is no where near as brutal as the stage version. There are only slight suggestions to the dark nature of the film which will probably skim over children's heads. If Disney had not been tied to the film, I am sure it would be darker, and arguably a better movie.
A great entertaining film for musical and fairytale fans. Not a technical masterpiece but with a brilliant cast and exciting plot, it comes with a good recommendation.
I had high expectations for Foxcatcher having featured it on Trailer Tuesday on Ticket Stub. It is a story worth being told and the performances are very good indeed. I found Steve Carrell really creepy as John Du Pont, and that is not just down to his phenomenal hair and make up. His voice and mannerisms are very well executed - a far cry from the comical performances we are so familiar with. However, Mark Ruffalo deserves more praise for playing David Schultz. Particularly in the scene where he is being interviewed and, through gritted teeth, has to say that Du Pont is a mentor to him. The brotherly relationship between Ruffalo and Channing Tatum, as Mark Schultz, was very convincing too.
This is a slow paced film. I mean really slow. I understand that it builds up the drama, especially towards the end, but it got to the point where I actually got slightly bored. However, maybe it is meant to be like this? Cold, dark and slow to reveal a quick shock and dramatic ending?
A recommended film and story but I probably wouldn't choose to sit through it again.
Reese Witherspoon is great as Cheryl Strayed. She gives a stripped back, realistic performance which is instantly likeable, despite her character flaws. Nick Hornby's screenplay works cleverly with flashbacks throughout Cheryl's hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. We learn more about why she is walking and how she is coming to terms with the loss of her mother and break down of her marriage.
Surprisingly, Wild is very funny - especially with tiny Witherspoon attempting to put on the biggest backpack ever! Witherspoon has earned a Best Actress nomination for her performance and it looks like she has a good chance of winning. A very enjoyable film of self discovery and coming to terms with loss. Recommended.
Rating: ***
A brilliant bunch of films from this month. Who will come out on top?
January Film of the Month is....
Birdman or
(The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Do you agree?
Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your favourite film this month.
The first big awards ceremony took place last night - the 2015 Golden Globes. Whilst we were sleeping in the UK, you may have missed the winners and losers. The Globes also give us a glimpse as to what may be in the running for the Academy Awards this year - the nominations of which will be revealed on Thursday.
So who won what? Take a look at the list below:
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Boyhood
Best Actor, Drama
Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything
Best Actress, Drama
Julianne Moore - Still Alice
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Actor, Musical or Comedy
Michael Keaton - Birdman
Best Actress, Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams - Big Eyes
Best Animated Feature Film
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Best Foreign Language Film
Leviathan
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
J.K. Simmons - Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Best Director, Motion Picture
Richard Linklater - Boyhood
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Birdman
Best Original Score, Motion Picture
The Theory of Everything
Best Original Song, Motion Picture
Glory - Selma
Do you agree with the winners?
Who will be in the running for the Oscar nominations this week?
The awards season is about to kick off! BAFTA have announced their nominations for the 2015 awards this morning. I'm so pleased to see so many outstanding films included - many of which were selected as Film of the Months last year, with The Grand Budapest Hotel winning my Film of the Year (leading with 11 nominations).
Let's have a look at some of this year's nominees:
Best Film:
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything
Outstanding British Film
'71
The Imitation Game
Paddington
Pride
The Theory of Everything
Under The Skin
Best Director
Alejandro G. Iñárritu - Birdman
Richard Linklater - Boyhood
Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel
James Marsh - The Theory of Everything
Damien Chazelle - Whiplash
Best Actor
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game
Ralph Fiennes - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton - Birdman
Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything
Best Actress
Amy Adams - Big Eyes
Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore - Still Alice
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon - Wild
Best Supporting Actor
Edward Norton - Birdman
Ethan Hawke - Boyhood
J.K. Simmons - Whiplash
Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher
Steve Carell - Foxcatcher
Best Supporting Actress
Emma Stone - Birdman
Imelda Staunton - Pride
Keira Knightley - The Imitation Game
Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Rene Russo - Nightcrawler
Best Cinematography
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ida
Interstellar
Mr. Turner
For the full listing of awards, take a look at the BAFTA website.
It will be a tough choice for the academy! Who would you pick?
Welcome to the first Trailer Tuesday of 2015. There are lots of very exciting films coming out this year, so let's kick things off with True Story.
Starring the charismatic Jonah Hill and James Franco (most recently seen in the controversial film The Interview), the movie sees Hill play the journalist Michael Finkel whose identity is used by one of the FBI's most wanted murderers, Christian Longo (Franco). Felicity Jones, who is seeking wide praise for her role in The Theory of Everything (2015) at the moment, also stars.
UK theatre director Rupert Goold takes the directorial chair in his first feature film. He has directed many compelling dramas, Shakespeare adaptations and large theatre productions - from ENRON to the most recent musical Made in Dagenham, based on the 2010 film. He is also the artistic director of the Almeida Theatre. True Story should therefore be in good hands!
The film looks to be a gripping legal thriller with a few twists and turns along the way. As the title also suggests, this in fact is a true story based on Finkel's memoir which will no doubt add to the drama too.
True Story will be released in the US on 10th April 2015. The UK date is yet to be confirmed.
It will also be premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
Ticket Stub's New Year starts right now! It is a fresh start for everyone and I have a couple of goals for Ticket Stub Film Club this year.
Hopefully I can stick to these throughout 2015 and make the blog even better!
1. PLAN AHEAD
December 2014 just goes to show that if you do not plan posts ahead of time, your blog can take a back seat and be forgotten about. I do not want this to happen ever again! I'm going to take the time each month to plan ahead posts and dedicate time to write on the weekend and prep posts during my lunch hours at work.
2. CREATIVE POSTS
Last year I ventured into doing more creative posts such as the Ideas for Film Fancy Dress and the Film Nails in October. I really want to continue doing this as these are the posts I love the most and they are always popular with readers. I've got some fun ideas already for 2015 so watch this space!
3. ATTEND MORE FILMS
I'm very lucky with my Unlimited card for Cineworld, and the local independent cinema being so cheap at £3 per film for up to 25 year olds. Some months I see a lot of films and other times I may only see two. I want to see AT LEAST three films a month so reviews are substantial and there is actually a good choice to make for Film of the Month.
4. VARY POSTS
When I first started Ticket Stub in August 2013, I pushed myself to write posts by using days of the week to publish on: Soundtrack Saturday, Sunday Classic, Trailer Tuesday, and from last year, Throwback Thursday Trivia. It still keeps me motivated each week but I want to vary posts up so it isn't predictable and there are interesting things to research, write and read.
Firstly, I'm going to say sorry for the lack of posts during December - it was a busy month and blogging took a massive back seat which is not how I wanted to end a fantastic year on Ticket Stub. To make up for this, I'm starting 2015 with the Film of the Year for 2014! I will also combine a brief December Film of the Month to this post too.
So let's have a verybrief look back at last month's films. This final month of the year was actually pretty disappointing for movie-going. I only managed to see two films during December, and didn't get the chance to see the biggest film The Hobbit! I know, this is very poor. (Don't worry, it will be in the January 2015 round up).
As usual here is the rating system:
* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!
** = OK. Could have done better.
*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.
**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.
***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.
All titles to films link to their respective IMDB pages so you can discover more about the plot, cast and crew.
The dumbest duo are back in a not-so-eagerly awaited sequel. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels look like they had fun making this themselves, but is it funny for the rest of us? Not so much. If you're a fan of the first film (really?!), then you'll probably enjoy this. For the majority though, there is no need to see it.
Tim Burton unexpectedly directs this movie starring Christoph Waltz and the brilliant Amy Adams. The story is exciting and it is actually rather refreshing to not have Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter starring in yet another Burton picture. Adams is excellent and Waltz plays the creepy crook very well. A great story that I would certainly recommend.
Rating: ***
Therefore, December Film of the Month is:
Big Eyes
Watch the trailer here:
Now to the main event -
Ticket Stub's Film of the Year 2014.
Let's look at the nominations:
Click on the links above to read each review in full.
There have been plenty of outstanding films throughout 2014 that it's genuinely hard to just pick one.
However, one must be crowned the winner so here are the top three:
Third Place - Boyhood Second Place - 12 Years a Slave First Place - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Do you agree with my choices? What was your Film of the Year?
Next up will be a New Year's Resolutions post (much needed I think!)
