Cinema and Popcorn

Director: Roger Michell Starring: Bill Murray , Laura Linney , Olivia Williams and Olivia Colman Writers: Richard Nelson   USA release date: December 7 , 2012 " The story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret Stuckley, centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York. " COMMENT: One thing seems guaranteed: Bill Murray will rock in this one! Murray has a strong screen presence and seeing him playing Mr. President Roosevelt in such what seems to be a super charismatic performance just sold me this movie. In fact, Hyde Park On Hudson looks better than what I was expecting: it looks like it can be some kind of 2012 version of The King's Speech , which sounds amazing to me. The cast is great, the plot sounds interesting and the trailer make me want to see it and it generated some buzz around this movie in my head... Can't wait! I'm very curious, at minimum...

1.  Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained Born: November 11, 1974 - Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1994 - Best Supporting Actor for What's Eating Gilbert Grape (nom); 2005 - Best Leading Actor for The Aviator (nom); 2007 - Best Leading Actor for Blood Diamond (nom) Oscar snubed performances: 2006 - The Departed ; 2008 - Revolutionary Road Oscar chances comment: With one of the most sucessful careers of today, DiCaprio may be considered the biggest movie star of his generation, but he never won an Oscar so far. To be honest, I don't think he already delivered that kind of Oscar-winning performance, but things may be changing for him once he landed the villain role of slave owning in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained . He plays the evil plantation owner who has a collection of slaves and everybody knows how the Academy loves mean guys and Tarantino is great directing all his actors and I bet he gav...

"As she did in her breakthrough film Winter's Bone, Jennifer Lawrence anchors this futuristic and politicized elaboration of The Most Dangerous Game with impressive gravity and presence, while director Gary Ross gets enough of what matters in the book up on the screen to satisfy its legions of fans worldwide. (...) On the other hand, the costumes and makeup are a riot of imagination designed to evoke a level of topped-out decadence comparable to that of Nero's Rome or Louis XVI's Paris. (...) At the center of things most of the time, Lawrence remains compelling all the way." by Todd McCarthy in The Hollywood Reporter "The screen Hunger Games radiates a hot, jumpy energy that's irresistible. It has epic spectacle, yearning romance, suspense that won't quit and a shining star in Jennifer Lawrence, who gives us a female warrior worth cheering (...) But even wearing a PG-13 harness to ensure profitability, The Hunger Games gets your pulse raci...

Director: John  Hillcoat Starring: Tom Hardy , Shia LaBeouf , Guy Pearce , Jessica Chastain , Gary Oldman and Mia Wasikowska Writers: Nick Cave (screenplay); Matt Bondurant (novel) USA release date: 31st August , 2012 " Set in the Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a cut of their profits " COMMENT: I knew people loved the source novel " The Wettest County in the World ", but Lawless is far more than what I was expecting. John Hillcoat is a gifted director and the cast he reunited is just "impressive"! I smell strong acting all around, but Tom Hardy , Gary Oldman and Guy Pearce promise to steal the show. The tension we ca feel from the trailer is exciting - the whole movie seems outstanding - and I smell some award buzz around this flick. Lawless is getting a lot of points from my consideration and I really hope it will be great, because there's nothing better t...

Director: Jacques Audiard  Starring: Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts  Writers: Jacques Audiard & Thomas Bidegain (screenplay); Craig Davidson (book)  USA release date: ?? - ?? - 2012 ; May 17 , 2012 ( France )  Alain van Versch (Matthias Schoenarts) is 25 years old and lives in the North. He has no money and has never had any. When you’re young and alone, money is not a problem. It becomes one when the girl with whom you have had a child places it in your hands. Now, obviously, Ali has a problem: his name is Sam, and he’s five years old. Running on and running out of ideas Ali calls his sister who lives in Antibes in the south. This is where the father and the child who don’t know each other will find shelter for the winter, in the basement of a house. Ali agrees with the song: misery is less painful in the sun. He does odd jobs: night watchman, bouncer … And it is in a nightclub, le Fever, that he meets Stéphanie (Marion ...

1. Samantha Barks for Les Misérables Born: October 2, 1990 - Isle of Man Previous Oscar acting recognition: none Oscar snubed performances: none Oscar chances comment: She's the girl contending for the breakthrough performance in the Best Supporting Actress category and her character, the dreamy Éponine, is one of hearts of Les Misérables alongside Fantine, being a very sympathetic (but tragic) character and she has a couple of the most symbolic moments in the musical: " On My Own " song and her death. Barks received raves for portraying this same character in the West End production of Les Misérables some years ago, so portraying Éponine again will be "easy" for her, which may allow her to pull her performance to the next level. She has a wonderful voice and making a big-screen debut in such an high-caliber production may impress the AMPAS members who may want to see her as part of its family. In fact, I can see Barks as one of the Oscar co...

Director Olivier Dahan is onboard to helm the biopic of Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly , who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco and became Monaco's monarch. The movie will be set during the 1961-1962 period, when Grace was the star of some behind the scenes of the political relations between her country and France. Variety reports that Nicole Kidman is in final negociations to star the project. Dahan directed Marion Cotillard in her Oscar-winning performance as Édith Piaf in La vie en rose , so there are some expectations around Kidman's performance: a talented actress playing a former Hollywood godness, playing royalty and playing a strong woman is awards buzzy. I do not see Kidman as Grace Kelly easily, mostly because of the looks... Don't get me wrong, I think Kidman would be perfect for the role some years ago, but she's getting older and she doesn't look a "natural looking beauty" like Grace Kelly anymore (maybe it's because of p...