Posts Tagged ‘scarlett johansson’

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Marriage Story (2019): Best Picture Favorite?

December 13, 2019

Marriage Story (2019)

Director: Noah Baumbach (The Meyerowitz Stories, Frances Ha, Greenberg)

Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson

Anticipation Level: High

How Was It? I’m not going to lie, this movie wasn’t even on my radar a month ago, but it didn’t take long for the hype to build and make me think there might be something special here. I thought Marriage Story was absolutely fantastic. It’s a tight little story about a family going through the divorce process as the adults try to pursue their careers on opposite coasts while playing tug-a-war with their only child. I could really feel the authenticity in everything that was happening – from the recollection of happier times to the disbelief that someone you used to love more than anything in the world could suddenly become your worst nightmare, the film rang true and will probably feel familiar to anyone that has been through a difficult breakup. I didn’t think there was a phony moment in this movie. Also, while it’s a tearjerker that will pull at your heart strings, it also made me laugh more than most of the comedies I’ve seen this year.

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson give absolutely sensational performances. I was blown away by both of them and there were multiple scenes throughout the film where I was enthralled by their acting. They are already both nominated for Golden Globes and both are locks for Oscar noms also, with Scarlett looking like the favorite to win right now to me. Laura Dern is also great in this movie as Scarlett’s divorce attorney. I’ve always thought of her as the actress from Jurassic Park but after her work here and in Big Little Lies on HBO the last few years, it’s pretty clear she’s become an elite actress. She has a Globe nom for this movie also and is certainly drawing live at an Oscar nom as well.

Marriage Story is definitely a difficult and sad movie. I watched it while my wife was sleeping next to me and I was so moved by the film that I gave her a long hug of appreciation for what we have while thinking about how happy and grateful I am to have her in my life. Marriage Story is a good reminder to not take things for granted and to not autopilot your way through life, work, and your relationships. I’m not a highly emotional person and usually movies that have an affect on me just make my eyes water up a little bit, but this one actually made me spill tears.

Marriage Story is an absolute must see movie with some knockout performances. It’s currently among my top 3 movies of the year and definitely has a chance to win the Best Picture Oscar. Check it out on Netflix streaming right now.

Replay Value: Not really the kind of movie that people will want to watch repeatedly, but I think I will enjoy it again before Oscar season.

Sequel Potential: None.

Oscar Potential: Definitely. The film got six Globe noms in all and all three nominated actors will probably get Oscar nods as well. I’ll say a Best Picture nom is a lock and the movie should have a shot at writing, directing, and score noms.

8/10 (Must See)

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Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

May 7, 2015

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, James Spader
Director: Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Serenity)

Bottom Line: Few would envy Joss Whedon’s task of following up the mega blockbuster and critical darling that was the original The Avengers movie, but his Age Of Ultron manages to deliver the kind of popcorn fun we’ve come to expect from the high quality Marvel/Disney films.

Age Of Ultron starts off fast and furious – with The Avengers fighting their way through a snow-thick forest towards the base of the last known HYDRA agent, a man that has Loki’s scepter from the last film. Whedon gives us a single shot highlight of all The Avengers causing damage much like he did in the finale of the original film. It’s a quick call back that reminds us how and why we love these heroes. Yes folks, he still remembers how to do this. The team secures the scepter, Tony Stark ponders the idea of using it to create an AI as a means of protection against future threats from space, and soon the conscience of Ultron is born… and he doesn’t share the same values as The Avengers. He’s a little more into human annihilation and world domination.

Age Of Ultron is a fun movie. For summer blockbuster fare, it’s top notch, but I didn’t leave the theater feeling giddy like I did after watching the first one. Still, there is plenty of high level action, humor, and, somehow, Whedon is able to find a way to give all the players involved their moment to shine – a remarkable feat considering the core team now consists of nine members with the addition of Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and The Vision. For a movie that could easily feel bloated, Whedon displays a tremendous amount of balance.

The returning cast is solid as usual, but James Spader steals the show as Ultron, whose wit and sense of humor unsurprisingly mirrors that of his creator, Tony Stark. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen are a bit jolting as the Russian Maximoff twins – the accents are pretty ehh… – but Olsen at least proves to be a capable actress.

Age Of Ultron is a satisfying follow-up to The Avengers. Fans of the genre will no doubt be satisfied. I don’t think it is as good as the original, but I may change my mind upon multiple viewings.

Replay Value: These kind of movies tend to be best the first time around, but I will almost certainly see this again in theaters.
Sequel Potential: Marvel has solo Avenger movies lined up for the next several years before culminating with the Avengers: Infinity War two part finale. I am particularly looking forward to Captain America: Civil War which will pit Cap against Iron Man and introduce Black Panther and Spider-Man into the fold.
Oscar Potential: This may get some visual effects and sound nominations, but that’s probably it.

Grade: 7/10 (Must See)

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Lucy (2014)

February 20, 2015

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman
Director: Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, The Professional)

Bottom Line: Strange fact: someone – maybe even multiple people – recommended this movie to me. Whoever you are: damn you… DAMN YOU! I probably would have watched this on my own accord on account of Miss Johansson, but I heard enough positive word of mouth that I decided to make it a priority. Don’t make the same mistake. I honestly don’t know what the heck was going on here. For the first 45 minutes or so I was thinking it was a slightly better version of Limitless with nice eye candy and some cool Neo moments, but the last 20 minutes ranks amongst the worst climaxes I’ve ever seen. My girlfriend and I were looking at each other from across the couch like: “What the f*** are we watching?” And, just to cement my conclusion, after it was over, I stated with sincerity that it was the best 2014 movie I’ve seen so far just to see her incredulous reaction.

I really don’t think there’s anything to like here. The characters are absurdly undeveloped. You don’t care about or get to know any of them. That’s normally not a huge problem in an action movie, but unfortunately the action here is mildly entertaining at best. Scarlett Johansson’s interpretation of accessing the higher brain powers is essentially walking around looking like a confused robot. Lucy is such a dominating presence that the bad guys never pose any real threat; there’s no tension. What starts out as a somewhat intriguing concept quickly delves into weird territory and then dive bombs into the totally absurd – and unwatchable. After Lucy reaches about 40% of her brain’s capability, you’ll start viewing the numeric updates of her brain usage as a countdown to the end of the film – and release from this brutal movie.

Replay Value: No thank you.
Sequel Potential: LMFAO!
Oscar Potential: If Scarlett got nominated for a Razzie I don’t think it would have been too undeserving.

Grade: 3/10 (Just Skip It)

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