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Lorde Album Review — Pure Heroine is a sensational debut album

Pure Heroine is an achievement in production and songwriting. Lorde proves herself to be one of our generations voices with one of the greatest debuts of the decade.

Based on festival scheduling this year, it looks like we will finally be getting that long-awaited second Lorde album. Ever since her debut Pure Heroine dropped, people have been enraptured in the mystery that is Lorde. The first time I heard her was off her The Love Club EP. The second I got to the end of “Bravado” I knew that she was going to do great things. Still, I didn’t anticipate the level of success she reached. Even more, I didn’t anticipate how incredible of an album she was able to debut with.

The first thing you notice when you listen through Pure Heroine is the truly phenomenal production. Similar to the xx’s debut album, the minimalist approach to the instrumentation is what makes it shine. However, they infuse the album with strong percussion — most notably in “Royals” and “Team” — that brings the songs up and makes them danceable.

However, what makes Pure Heroine a truly great album is Lorde’s ability to grasp youthful ignorance in her lyrics, then completely question it. There are endless gems of lyrics throughout this album. In “Still Sane” the lyrics “only bad people live to see their likeness set in stone/what does that make me.” It’s the maturity in songwriting that propels the album. Even the beginning of the album, in which she uses simple but effective imagery to portray her point, is complex.

Very few albums demand to be listened to in order from front to back. Pure Heroine is certainly one of those albums. The album tracks her maturation from ignorant teen to her sudden adulthood in just ten lean songs. “Royals” revels in her youth in a synth pop earworm, while “Still Sane” has her coming to terms with her new status. “400 Lux” is about her aimless life in the suburbs while “Glory and Gore” talks about her motivation and fight as she finds success. She begins with matter-of-fact lyrics and ends with hopeful and powerful ones.

“A World Alone” brings together all the elements that make the album so powerful and effective. With minimalist instrumentation — the verses simply use a bassline to hold it down — and metaphoric lyrics, the song has an ethereal quality. But when you’re hit with the danceable and catchy melodies of the chorus, the song comes to life. However, when you listen closely, its message and lyrics are an anthem for millennials.

Pure Heroine is simply an achievement in music. It’s both singular and nostalgic in its sound. Lorde is one of the most innovative and talented songwriters of our time. I can talk about production and songwriting all I want, but there’s one piece of genius that will leave you high at the end of the album. Listen closely to the first and last lyrics. It’s a simple, but genius piece of writing that makes Pure Heroine one of the most satisfying albums and best debuts of all time.

9.5/10

Pure Heroine is available on vinyl and digital download on Amazon!

March 2, 2017
Why Moonlight is one of the most important Best Picture winners in history

Moonlight winning Best Picture will go down as one of the greatest Oscar upsets of all time

The emotional rollercoaster that was the last 10 minutes of the 89th Academy Awards was the first of its kind. Never has there been a mistake so colossal in the history of the ceremony. However, it also came during one of the most important wins at the Oscars in history. It’s unfortunate that this mistake overpowered the gravity of the win. So, I wanted to take a moment and talk about what Moonlight‘s win means in terms of the history of the Oscars, of our society, and the times we are living in.

While the Oscars are slowly fading away in cultural importance as movies move more towards blockbusters and at-home viewing, my love for the process and the films involved has only deepened. I am an Oscars geek. Not only do I love movies and watching people from actors to behind-the-scenes crew members being lauded for their work, I love predicting them. To be honest, I think I fell in love with the Oscars before I fell in love with movies. So, while for some people they are a silly awards show, for me they are a platform, both political and social, that has influence over the industry and the world.

With the last two years falling beholden to #OscarsSoWhite, all eyes turned to The Academy this year to do something to have all groups represented at the Oscars. When it looked as if movies like Lion, Hidden Figures, Fences, Loving, and Moonlight were making a strong play for awards season, I was ecstatic! Not only did I really love all those movies, it represented a shift in the stories that were being featured heavily on the awards trail. Then, La La Land premiered. Now, to put to rest any anti-La La Land sentiment you may think I’m putting down, take a moment to read my review of the movie. Spoiler: I adore it.

However, my favorite movie of the year was Moonlight. Its exploration of identity, especially of a young gay black boy, hit close to home for me. And while I thought its singular style, sensational performances, and beautiful story would go over well with many people, I didn’t think The Academy would embrace it. Unfortunately, there are two things that the heavily old, white, and male Academy doesn’t like their stories to be: black and gay. I was hopeful that it would make an awards run and end up with a few nominations here and there. However, it was embraced by critics and critic awards — which makes the case for critics yet again — and eventually by the industry itself. The fact that it was getting so much buzz and publicity was enough for me. It was enough that this story was being seen. And while I predicted Moonlight for Best Picture, I knew that a million pieces had to fall into place for it to happen.

Well, I shouldn’t have been so dramatic and realized that it’s a movie that is beloved and of course would win Best Picture. But the gravity of that win is something that few people are talking about. Moonlight broke so many barriers in Best Picture that from this moment on we will have to reevaluate the way we predict these awards.

First of all, it’s the first movie with an all-black cast to win Best Picture. Shockingly, it wasn’t until 2013 that a movie with a black main character won — Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave. Obviously, the Oscars have an issue with diversity, so this was a very encouraging win on that front. A win like this is something that says that they are not letting race or sexual orientation get in the way of the movies they view and ignore. In our current environment, minorities — young minorities in particular — don’t have a central figure to look up to or aspire to. Seeing Moonlight and Barry Jenkins being honored at the Oscars in this way is the kind of thing that kids need to see right now.

The movie also broke they LGBT barrier at the Oscars. No movie with an LGBT main character has won Best Picture. The closest we got was in 2004 when Brokeback Mountain famously lost to Crash. The amount of progress we’ve made since then has been incredible. And a new kind of progress that will hopefully inspire other filmmakers has been achieved with this win. Hopefully, this will encourage other filmmakers to tackle stories that represent a wide array of people from different backgrounds and different walks of life.

From an industry perspective, Moonlight is one of the lowest-budget movies to ever win Best Picture. As an independent film lover, it’s encouraging to see such a small movie win and encourage studios to finance smaller and more intimate projects rather than the 700th Marvel film.

However, most importantly, as a message to SCROTUS, Moonlight successfully teaches us the lessons of empathy and what happens when someone is taunted for who they are. Like in Chiron in Moonlight, more people are receding into themselves and hiding from their true selves because the government and parts of the country are saying that they don’t belong. Well, watching a movie about a gay black teen living in poverty will hopefully give them the courage to step out, speak out, and fight back. Call it a narcissistic, self-congratulatory awards show, but this year, the Oscars were a battle cry.

February 28, 2017
The Top 10 Unreleased Lana Del Rey Songs You Need In Your Life

Lana Del Rey has an entire library of unreleased songs. These are some of our favorites!

It seems like just yesterday the queen of floral crowns bestowed upon us her first masterpiece of an album Paradise. While beautifully written songs with thought-provoking lyrics like “Born To Die” and “Off To The Races” are readily available, Lana Del Rey (Elizabeth Grant) has an immense body of work that has gone unreleased. You may have noticed her sexy, sultry track “Black Beauty” on her album Ultraviolence, which was a track that was long unreleased until her decision to incorporate it into her latest album. This post is to celebrate the beauty and talent of a singer-songwriter who is simply outstanding at crafting vulnerable lyrics and songs of self-loathing that still make you feel like a 1960s beauty queen.

1. “Angels Forever”

With her enigmatic voice, Lana has created yet another mystifying track that, in my opinion, would have fit quite well in one of her albums. A melody of Rock and Roll guardians fused with gorgeously entrancing vocals from the stunning Lana has resulted in the masterpiece that is “Angels Forever.” This has to be one of my favorite Lana Del rey songs released or unreleased. It is simply strikingly poignant.

2. “Serial Killer”

The lyrical murderess takes to “Serial Killer” with a more up-beat melody with lyrics professing a love that is just a little too strong to be healthy. Beguiling lyrics layered over a beautiful melody solidify this song as one of her best unreleased tracks. Lana even performs this unreleased song as a part of her set when touring, and fans wait with eager anticipation for the latter portion of the song when Lana emits a tantalizing, lustful moan that her audience adores.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlf9e9PnJZM

3. “Backfire”

With an infectious initial beat, Lana takes to this track with a love that was created to be destroyed. A love that would simply and inevitably backfire. I would have enjoyed to have had this track on her album Born To Die, but I am happy to have it any sense. With ravishing vocals, Lana conjures a story of lovers lost and those who could not change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZOmN4pNu4A

4. “Queen Of Disaster”

With her most up-beat and lively melody, Lana asserts herself, rightfully so, as the Queen of Disaster. This song, in its simplest definition, is just so pleasantly fun, bubbly, and effervescent that I cannot help but be drawn to it. With a 60s stylish flair, this track beguiles her fans with the sounds of a lost era and a glamorous age which we can only dream of with nostalgia.

5. “Trash”

“Trash” is on the far end of the spectrum in comparison to “Queen of Disaster.” With mysteriously esoteric lyrics paired with an elegantly simple yet gorgeous melody, Lana makes “Trash” simply beautiful with its glamorous and captivating charm. I adore Lana Del Rey for creating a soothing, relaxing melody that is just as infectious as her other elegant and alluring tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrbwrbHCl8o

6. “Jump”

A magnificent song with a radiant beat and vocals layered with stoic lyrics of drug abuse, death, and the love of an older and dangerous man. This song is what I would define as Lana Del Rey. A beautiful voice of a wayward soul careening dangerously down the highway of life with the aim of dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse behind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwhexF7puU

7. “Driving In Cars With Boys”

Another quintessential track of Lana Del Rey serves to reinforce the lyrics of red lipstick, dangerous living, rock and roll, and mysterious boys that surround her sexy, delinquent life. With an ability to make the grunge and danger of her unruly life sound like a beautiful lullaby, Lana has created yet another gorgeous track layered with danger, beauty, death, and a pretty corpse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAqK7xiaJmQ

8. “JFK”

What can transport you back to the era of sex, love, glamour, and rock and roll more than a song about such an iconic president and time in history? “JFK” is another striking track that evokes within the listener a sense of rock and roll and a lost time. An intrepid love song that is simply one of the most stunning songs of her unreleased body of work.

9. “You, Mister”

A soft melody with even softer lyrics create a warm and soothing song. Lana’s voice is that of an exquisite angel in this track, and I immediately find catharsis when I listen to this mystifyingly delicate song. “You, Mister” encapsulates the warm and tender beauty of Lana Del Rey’s voice with vulnerable lyrics that speak from her heart directly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BbmfIuYYO8

10. “Prom Song (Gone Wrong)”

Finally, Lana creates a magnificent song that will make you remember your first, true love, and she does so by crafting a beautiful melody with soothingly sweet vocals. A track of young love that would last a life time, “Prom Song” earns its rightful place among these other 9 masterpiece songs. This beautiful song evokes within the listener a tale of young love that would never die and eternal, blissful youth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PABXOO8XbLY

July 14, 2015
Dear Oscar Voters: If La La Land sweeps, it will be an embarrassment

Dear Oscar Voters,

I love La La Land. I LOVE it. I have a different appreciation for it versus other film bloggers because of its profound message of alienation that plagues our generation. However, if it wins a record-breaking number of Oscars come February 24th, it will be an embarrassment to the Academy and the industry that will blemish your reputation for years. However, it’s a very likely outcome at this point.

2016 has been a rough year. That’s no secret. Hate, misogyny, racism, xenophobia, and other troubling issues have come to rise. I understand that La La Land is a wonderful escapist movie. But when we look back at the list of Best Picture winners, will we really want remember 2016 as the year that La La Land won? Race, in particular, has been at the forefront of our minds and discussion. #OscarsSoWhite, which has been an issue for far too long, finally had its effects this year with a record 7 acting nominees of color. Other barriers like Joi McMillon becoming the first African-American woman to be nominated for Best Editing or Bradford Young being the first black cinematographer nominated were also broken. Would a sweep of a movie about “champagne” problems really encapsulate the year?

Especially when many movies that emulate our current environment have been recognized. Of course, there’s Moonlight, which turns its attention to a completely marginalized group of people. Hidden Figures talks about female empowerment and that no matter the race or gender of a person, they can get the job done. Then, or course, there’s a Fences, which literally is about the barriers that are put in the way of some people. You could even say Lion talks about compassion and love no matter the skin color. Not even giving a chance to properly recognize these movies would be irresponsible.

Then, there’s the perception of Hollywood. I don’t know if you noticed, but about half the country believes that you’re out of touch rich people who like to self-congratulate. Well, La La Land would essentially be that kind of winner. You are telling the half of the country that looks at the gorgeous political and progressive speeches by Meryl Streep, Mahershala Ali, and David Harbour as over-the-line that you are exactly what they think you are. Out of touch.

But let me get to the meat of it. No movie is THAT good. The three movies that share the record for the most Oscar wins – Ben-Hur, Titanic, and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – are technical masterpieces that were at the top of their craft at the time. For you to say that La La Land truly has the best costume design over movies like Jackie and Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them or better production design than Arrival or Hail, Caesar! or a better screenplay than Manchester by the Sea or 20th Century Women is absurd. Sure, give it sound mixing or original score. But don’t just check it off in every category.

I’m not writing this to tell you not to vote for La La Land or that it isn’t a good or even great movie. I’m writing this as a true lover and believer of the Oscars as a political platform and artistic platform like no other. Show people that there are other stories to tell. Show people that movie that represent them on screen exist. Show them that you don’t just ignore what’s going on in the world. Show them the Oscar are more than just a pat on a back to yourself. Be the Oscars that I fell in love with.

With the warmest regard,
Karl

February 3, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: “The Jungle Book” is a lock for Visual Effects. Or is it?

The Jungle Book has maintained its frontrunner status throughout the season for Best Visual Effects. But we think an upset is brewing.

With incredible and groundbreaking photorealistic effects, The Jungle Book is the clear choice in Best Visual Effects. It would be a similar winner to Life of Pi. However, the biggest issue with it winning is that it the past eight winners of this award had a nomination in at least one other category — the same amount of time the new voting system was in place. The Jungle Book not only doesn’t fit this. It’s the only movie with one nomination. That could leave it open for an upset.

Kubo and the Two Strings is nominated for Best Visual Effects

The most likely contender would be Kubo and the Two Strings. After nabbing a surprise nomination, similarly to Ex Machina last year, it could muster up enough support because of the publicity it received. The only issue is — which also separates it from a pulling off an Ex Machina style upset — is that there is a clear frontrunner in the category. The reason Ex Machina upset is because Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant probably split the vote. There really isn’t another film that could draw votes away from The Jungle Book. However, it has a nomination for Best Animated Feature, which fulfills the criteria of having a nomination in another category.

But, of course, there’s the issue of no animated movie winning this category. The only other animated film to be nominated was The Nightmare Before Christmas. But, go big or go home, right? Let’s go with Kubo.

Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Kubo and the Two String
Could Win: The Jungle Book
Dark Horse: Deepwater Horizon
Should Win: Kubo and the Two Strings

February 21, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Original Screenplay is Down to “Manchester by the Sea” and “La La Land”

Best Original Screenplay is a tight race between Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) and Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) pulled off an upset at the WGA Awards. However, he is competing in the Adapted Screenplay race, which he should win. That leaves two movies to compete over Best Original Screenplay. From the beginning of the season, Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) was the frontrunner for the Oscar. That was until he lost the Golden Globe to Damien Chazelle (La La Land). While there isn’t exactly a perfect correlation between the two categories, they do often match up. That bodes well for Chazelle. However, one statistic going against him is that it’s been more than 75 years since a musical won a screenplay award. Even Best Picture winner Chicago lost the award. While it’s rare, I think he’s very much in this race. But, I’m going to give Lonergan the thin edge to win. With Casey Affleck on wobbly territory in Best Actor, this will be the only place to award the film, which has its fans.

Hell or High Water is nominated for Best Original Screenplay

If there is an upset, it could be Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water) taking the prize. In addition to penning Sicario last year, Sheridan’s newest film just premiered at Sundance, which could give him a higher profile. Plus, lovers of Hell or High Water, which there a lot of, will want to award it somewhere. Its screenplay is easily its strongest aspect. So, if you’re filling out your work’s Oscar ballot, go with Lonergan. But if you’re going big, then Sheridan could be your ticket.

Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Could Win: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Dark Horse: Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water
Should Win: Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water

February 21, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: “Arrival” vs. “Lion” vs. “La La Land” in Best Cinematography

La La Land could continue its Oscar sweep in Best Cinematography, but Lion and Arrival have a chance at upsetting.

Best Cinematography seemed like a shut category until Greg Fraiser (Lion) upset frontrunner Linus Sandgren (La La Land) at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards. Even though the group only predicts the Oscar winner about half of the time, it showed that La La Land isn’t infallible. While Sandgren maintains its frontrunner status — he won the BAFTA in this category — he is still the best bet to win. In the last ten years, the winner of the BAFTA repeated at the Oscars seven times. While that isn’t the most solid statistic, it’s enough to pay attention to.

Bradford Young is nominated for Best Cinematography for his work in Arrival.

However, the beautiful cinematography in Lion is still a dark horse for the win. There is another possibility as well. Sci-Fi movies tend to do well in this category. Just look at the upsets by Avatar and Inception a few years back. That means that Bradford Young (Arrival) could sneak in. Plus, his work is easily the most epic of the group, which is often the key to winning Best Cinematography. Plus, he is the first black cinematographer to be nominated in this category, which is a great, yet sad that we had to wait this long. Many voters are ticking the boxes off for people of color, so this could give him an edge.

If I had my vote, I’d give it to James Laxton (Moonlight) and his singular cinematography. He not only lights his actors beautifully, the composition of his shots are gorgeous and emotive. Sandgren would be a worthy winner, but Laxton truly deserves this prize.

Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Linus Sandgren, La La Land
Could Win: Bradford Young, Arrival
Dark Horse: Greg Fraiser, Lion
Should Win: James Laxton, Moonlight

February 21, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Barry Jenkins or Damien Chazelle for Best Director?

Best Director looks like a locked up category with Damien Chazelle becoming the youngest winner in history for La La Land.

Best Director is probably the easier of the major categories to predict at the Oscars. Even if Best Picture is a surprise — Shakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan or Crash over Brokeback Mountain — Best Director always goes the way that we believe it will go. The only year that we had a surprise is when Rob Marshall (Chicago) lost to Roman Polanski (The Pianist). Often, the best indicator for this award is the Directors Guild of America Award. Since 1970, the winner of this award and the winner of the Oscar for Best Director didn’t match up five times. That’s 5 out of 46. That means it’s 90% accurate. So, that means that barring a huge upset, Damien Chazelle (La La Land) is probably going to be the winner. In addition to winning DGA, the Golden Globe, and multiple critics awards, his film has the most nominations of any movie this year and ties the Oscar record. That’s particularly helpful because since switching to a preferential ballot in 2009, the winner of Best Director’s film had the most nominations all but one time. The one time was when Michel Hazanavicius won for The Artist — it had the second most with 10 versus Hugo’s 11. The only way I can seem him losing is because he is young and the Academy prefers its directors more seasoned. If he wins, he would be the youngest winner since 1931. Though, I’m pretty confident there isn’t going to be an upset in this category.

If there was, it would be Barry Jenkins (Moonlight). His film is only second to La La Land in total nominations and is its rival in Best Picture. While he is likely going to win Adapted Screenplay, Moonlight is a director’s movie. With its careful camera work and incredible performances, it would be the most logical place to honor Barry Jenkins. However, without a major award under his belt, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to take down Chazelle.

There is one dark horse contender that I can (unfortunately) see shocking. The parallels to the race in 2002 are quite shocking. Chicago, the last musical to win Best Picture, looked like it was going to have an easy win in Best Picture. Director Rob Marshall won the DGA and was expected to win at the Oscars. Instead, controversial veteran Roman Polanski won in a shocking upset for The Pianist, a World War II movie. Well, if La La Land is Chicago, then what is The Pianist? Well, another World War II movie is nominated and also has a controversial veteran director, Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge). I’m warning you, it could happen.

Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Could Win: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Dark Horse: Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Should Win: Chazelle or Jenkins

February 18, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Can Any Film Take Down “La La Land” in Best Picture?

La La Land seems invincible in Best Picture. But I can see an upset coming from Moonlight or even Hidden Figures.

Since the film premiered at Venice in September, La La Land has been the frontrunner for Best Picture. It really has won everything it needs to win — Golden Globe, BAFTA, the Guilds — and has ratcheted up incredible buzz and box office. Not only that, it has gone above and beyond. It broke the record for the most wins at the Golden Globes, tied the record for most nominations at the Oscars, and if it wins, it will be the highest-grossing Best Picture winner since Slumdog Millionaire. However, I think it isn’t infallible at the Oscar like a lot of people think. You can read my full analysis about it here. In short, though, I think that the backlash that many other pundits are discounting is actually a lot more deep seeded. La La Land is a good movie, a great movie even. However, because of the incredible response from awards, the question of whether or not it’s overrated is becoming legitimate. If all the ingredients mix together properly, I think Moonlight can break its way in.

But first, let's talk about the other contenders. If we're going off the rule that you need to at least have a nomination for directing and editing — which isn't a perfect rule, but it is certainly strong — then only Arrival and Hacksaw Ridge are viable alternatives. Arrival has two things going against it. First, there is a huge genre bias in Best Picture. Sci-Fi movies have long been ignored and have yet to win in this category. Second, movies with a female lead also have a hard time winning, unfortunately. That coupled with the fact that it missed out in two categories it seemed like a lock in — Visual Effects and Actress for Amy Adams — it looks like it is knocked out of contention. Hacksaw Ridge, on the other hand, has a few things going for it. It's a war picture, which is very popular in this category. It nabbed all the key nominations including one for its lead Andrew Garfield. Lastly, it's going to be popular among the Academy's older and white demographic, which is easily its largest. However, despite receiving a shocking Best Director nomination, I think the Academy is going to be slower to forgive Mel Gibson than we think. Hell or High Water only received four nominations and missed out on director, so it isn't going to be a threat. Especially when the more popular Hacksaw Ridge is pulling votes from its demographic. Fences similarly only has four nominations and is likely to win Supporting Actress and, possibly, Actor. So, I don't think that voters are going to be in a rush to vote for it here. Manchester by the Sea seemed like a contender at the beginning of the season, but after a weak phase 2 campaign and waning support for its most-likely winner, Casey Affleck, it looks like they're going to have to settle for Original Screenplay. That leaves two more contenders. Both Hidden Figures and Lion seem like unlikely Best Picture adversaries, but they both have strong narratives. Lion is awards juggernaut The Weinstein Company's only horse in the race. Despite not having a lot of the markers for a Best Picture winner, Weinstein's narrative of immigration and acceptance is going to play very well in our current political environment. Same goes for Hidden Figures. Led by three black women, the film is diverse, talks about inclusiveness, and won the SAG Award for Best Ensemble. However, what truly makes it a threat is its high box office and broad appeal. Still, the only nominee that I think has a legitmate shot is Moonlight. If La La Land is the frontrunner, then Moonlight is the runner-up/underdog. As with many other years, the underdog narrative is proven to be a powerful one — The Hurt Locker vs. Avatar, Spotlight vs. The Revenant. There are some films that it seems everyone likes. Moonlight is one of those films. With the intense backlash La La Land is receiving, it's easier to see more voters putting it lower on their ballot. For a refresher, this article explains how voting in Best Picture works. I can see a lot of voters putting Moonlight at number 2 or 3 on their ballots. That's the sweet spot you want to be in. So, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Moonlight upsets and wins. Will that happen? Probably not. Is it a possibility? Definitely. Check out the rest of our 2017 Oscar Predictions! Will Win: Moonlight Could Win: La La Land Dark Horse: Hidden Figures Should Win: Moonlight or La La Land or Arrival or Hidden Figures (it's been a great year for film)

December 6, 2016
2017 Oscar Predictions: Is Emma Stone A Lock to Win Best Actress?

Emma Stone (La La Land) should easily win Best Actress at the Oscars. However, there are two contenders that could take her down.

Best Actress is looking more and more like it’s going to be going to Emma Stone (La La Land) this year. It would be her first Oscar after being nominated in 2015 for Birdman. It makes sense that she would win now. She’s an industry golden child on the way up, she has a role that allows her to emote, and she’s young. That’s the key in this category, they love awarding young actresses. However, there is one person that I can actually see beating her. Though it’s a long shot, it’s possible.

But let's start at the bottom first. This is a really competitive year for this category, I can make an argument for any one of these women. So, it's hard to pick an order for the likeliness of winning. My choice for the last place is probably going to surprise a lot of you. Natalie Portman (Jackie) seemed to be the only actress who could stand in Stone's way. She even upset her at the Critics Choice Awards. However, the support for both her and her movie have slowly dwindled away. Plus, Jackie is a very divisive movie. It feels like too much art for some people. That also goes for Portman's performance. On top of that, she won an Oscar only seven years ago, which is fresh enough in voters' minds to not think she needs another so soon. [caption id="attachment_9872" align="alignleft" width="400"] Best Actress Nominee Emma Stone in La La Land[/caption] After her would be Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins). Although she got in on the strength of her Golden Globes speech, I don't think it will be enough to get her a win. She too recently won and there won't be a rush to reward her. My third place finisher is certainly the dark horse contender as well. Ruth Negga (Loving) gives a really powerful performance in the film. She's a relative newcomer and this is her first nomination. She also plays a real person and is very early in her career. She has all the hallmarks of a winner in this category. However, even further than that, she has two other things going for her. First, Best Actress winners rarely have their film nominated for Best Picture, though she's one of four in this category to have that happen, hers is the only film to not have any major momentum or wins during the season. Lastly, in a year where diversity is the buzz word, she would be another place to show the progress the Academy has made. However, as much as I truly loved her performance, it's my favorite of the year, it's very quiet. Usually, winners in this category are big and bombastic with a lot of emotion. [caption id="attachment_9805" align="alignright" width="400"] Best Actress nominee Ruth Negga in Loving [/caption] The nominee with the best shot at upsetting Stone, though, is Isabelle Huppert (Elle). After shockingly upsetting Portman at the Globes, she moved into the forefront of the conversation. Though she missed out at SAG, which is a prerequisite, there is a history of Globe winners going on to win at the Oscars after missing out on SAG. Plus, her movie was snubbed in Foreign Language film – it didn't make the shortlist – so it's likely that voters that liked that film will want to reward it somehow. The two issues she has are that it is very rare for a foreign language actor to win in any category. Second, the film is very divisive. I think Stone has this sewn up. There's nothing indicating that she will miss out on this award. But, weirder things have happened at the Oscars. If history holds, her winning could signal that La La Land won't win Best Picture. They're just stats though. We'll just have to see. Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions! Will Win: Emma Stone, La La Land Could Win: Isabelle Huppert, Elle Dark Horse: Ruth Negga, Loving Should Win: Ruth Negga, Loving

January 6, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Can “Hidden Figures” Upset “Moonlight” in Adapted Screenplay?

The race for Adapted Screenplay is a low-key competitive category. However, I think it’s also prime for an upset. Moonlight has to watch its back.

Best Adapted Screenplay is a seemingly low-key category that is probably going to go the way we expect. However, I actually think it’s among the most competitive of the night. I could make an argument for every nominee.

The clear frontrunner here is Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney for Moonlight. In addition to being a Best Picture frontrunner, they also won the BAFTA Scripter Award, which has predicted the winner of this category for the past six years. Because of the possibility of a La La Land sweep, this may be the only category to award director Barry Jenkins for his work. I think that they are the safe frontrunner, but arguments could easily be made for all the other contenders in the category. It’s almost impossible to do a proper ranking.

The nominee that I think is most likely to upset, though, is Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi for Hidden Figures. The movie is a crowd pleaser and popular with the industry and voters, which is especially evident after their SAG Best Ensemble upset. If voters choose to spread the wealth, this is the one category that Hidden Figures is nominated in that they could vote for it. It’s unlikely to win either of its other nominations — Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress. If you’re looking for an upset, it’s this.

Before nominations came out and the season was officially in full swing, it looked like the momentum was going for Eric Heisserer for Arrival. This was, of course, before two bigger contenders came out — Hidden Figures and one I will mention shortly. While the act of adapting the short story The Story of Your Life to this complex sci-fi drama was an incredible feat, its genius might have gone over the heads of the voters the same way the movie might have. However, if voters like Arrival enough, there is certainly a chance that it could upset.

The other nominee I alluded to is Luke Davies for Lion. It looks like Lion is one of those mid-success nominees that skirts by the Oscars with no wins. Think Brooklyn from last year. However, I think it has a strong in this category after winning at the BAFTAs. The only reason I think that it’s less likely to upset than Hidden Figures is because I think it has a chance at upsetting in Cinematography and Supporting Actor, which might make a win in this category less urgent.

The wild card is really August Wilson for Fences. His posthumous nomination is a rarity, plus his name is being constantly thrown around by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, which is powerful, especially when they’re said during an acceptance speech. However, plays rarely win in this category. Whether it’s because the act of adapting from stage to screen isn’t as impressive, I don’t know, but it’s a strong statistic to overcome.

If I had to put money on it, Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney have this locked up. But there’s also this sneaking suspicion that this is a prime category for an upset. There are a lot of strong nominees. I’m going to say Moonlight takes it. But watch out for Hidden Figures or Lion for the upset.

Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCarney, Moonlight
Could Win: Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi, Hidden Figures
Dark Horse: Luke Davies, Lion
Should Win: Eric Heisserer, Arrival

February 14, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

Zootopia is the comfortable frontrunner in this category, however, Kubo and the Two Strings could pull off a surprise upset

While Best Animated Feature sounds like an open and shut category, there is actually room for an upset. But let’s start at the bottom first. I think the only film that has absolutely zero chance of winning The Red Turtle. I simply think it’s a movie that not enough people have seen. Plus, with a few exceptions, movies with large box office hulls and buzz with this category. So, The Red Turtle probably has to settle for a nomination in a competitive year.

After that, every nominee has some path to winning. Following their monster success with Frozen, which won Best Original Song and Best Animated Feature and becoming the highest-grossing movie in history, Disney had a more modest hit with Moana. Though it received stronger critical notices – it outscored Frozen on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic – I think it simply got stuck with a more competitive year in animation. However, animated movies with nominations in other categories tend to win, so that gives it an outside shot.

The surprising and unlikely dark horse of this category is My Life As A Zucchini made headlines when it ended up making it to the short list for the Best Foreign Language category. While it didn’t get nominated, that shows that people have watched the movie and are paying attention. I think it could be a surprising twist in the category.

The biggest contender to this year’s frontrunner is Kubo and the Two Strings (check out our review here!). It isn’t the hit that the other contenders in this category are, but it has its rabid fans. Plus, it is the first movie to ever be nominated for both Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects. It is also only the second animated movie to be nominated for the latter category. It also got strong guild support with an unprecedented nomination at the Costume Designers Guild Awards and a win at the Visual Effects Society Awards. I think it might have the support to unseat the frontrunner.

Zootopia (check out our review here!) has been the consistent frontrunner this entire year and took the Producers Guild Award and Golden Globe, which often signals success in this category. Its timely story and insane box office make it a prime candidate in this category. Plus, despite premiering more than a year ago, it feels like its still being talked about. However, it has one startling statistic against it. Only one movie that premiered before May has won this category. That movie was Rango, a notoriously weak year for the category. Whether that is a statistic or a coincidence, I don’t know. But an upset in this category would set a precedent.

Check out all our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Zootopia
Could Win: Kubo and the Two Strings
Dark Horse: My Life As A Zucchini
Should Win: Kubo and the Two Strings

November 15, 2016
Could “Moonlight” Actually Upset “La La Land” at the Oscars?

The overarching story of awards season this year has to be La La Land’s dominance from beginning to end. After winning a record-breaking seven Golden Globes and tying the record for the most Oscar nominations with 14, it seemed that Best Picture was a done deal. And I think it probably is. Smart pundits will put their money on La La Land because it did what it had to do at the precursors. It was nominated for Best Picture (or equivalent) at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Producers Guild of American Awards – winning that latter two. It nabbed director, screenplay, editing, and acting nominations at the Oscars. And it’s doing incredibly at the box office. So why do I think there is room for doubt?

Well, there are a couple things.

Check Out: “La La Land” Movie Review: A surprisingly profound story about dreams and disappointments

The first thing is that it was snubbed for Best Cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Now, a lot of pundits are saying it’s because there really isn’t much of a cast. I agree. Really, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are the only major players with John Legend having a small supporting role and J.K. Simmons and Rosemarie DeWitt barely registering. However, per SAG rules, the movie would have five credits. That is more than Beasts of No Nation, Boyhood, Hotel Rwanda, and Best Picture winner Million Dollar Baby had. Granted, Million Dollar Baby got nominations for all three of its actors at the Oscars. More than that, though, these are actors voting on these awards. Not critics or Oscar pundits. They don’t look that deep into things.

If the love for the movie was that strong, wouldn’t it have still been nominated? Especially over Captain Fantastic, which barely registered at the Oscars. The reason I bring this up is because of the pretty solid statistic that the SAG awards have. No movie has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Picture without a SAG ensemble nomination since 1995 when Braveheart won. Even last year, when people were so sure that The Revenant was going to win, it lost to Spotlight.

Even that isn’t the reason I don’t think it’s going to win.

The first real reason is the way the Academy votes on Best Picture. They use a preferential ballot to vote, which means instead of voting for one film, voters rank the nine nominees. A movie needs 50% of the vote to win. The first round, only the voters’ number one vote is counted. If no movie reaches the threshold, the movie with the LEAST number one votes is eliminated. The ballots with the eliminated movie at number one will instead have their number two movie counted. If no movie reaches the threshold again, the same process is repeated.

This means, that you don’t just need a lot of number one votes. Though, obviously, they help. You also need a lot of number two and three votes. This is because, if voting movies past the first round, then those votes will count as number one votes. This is the same process the Producers Guild of America Awards use (the best predictor for the Oscars). More on that later.

Check Out: “Moonlight” Movie Review: An instant classic and landmark in film history

I think there’s no doubt that La La Land will get a lot of number one votes. There is even a possibility that it’ll get enough votes to win in the first round. However, if it doesn’t, I think Moonlight will be able to sneak in and take it all. The Producers Guild went for La La Land. And they’ve been nearly infallible since switching to the preferential ballot. However, I think the frontrunner backlash is going to affect La La Land more than any other movie.

I’ve found that people love both movies. However, with this La La Land backlash, I’m finding less and less people that just like La La Land. The issue with La La Land compared to other frontrunner backlashes is that it has broken a lot of records, which brought up the sentiment that it’s good, but not THAT good. I think that’s going to drive a lot of people to rank it lower on their ballot. Which, is going to allow Moonlight to slip in and win it all. Is it plausible? Yes. Likely? Probably not. But I think if any film is going to upset La La Land, it’s Moonlight and that’s how it’s going to do it.

February 3, 2017
“The Age of Miracles” Book Review: Captivating, Speculative, and Miraculous

The Age of Miracles, a speculative fiction coming-of age-story, is Karen Thompson Walker’s debut novel. It’s a look into the lives of 11-year-old Julia and her family during “the slowing”—due to unknown causes, the earth’s rotation has shifted, and the days are getting longer. Like, 40 hours of sunlight longer.

Walker speculates (hence, speculative fiction) what would happen if the earth’s rotation was altered. Gravity changes, and birds fall. The clocks are entirely off from sunlit and nighttime hours, forcing people to choose between “clock time” and “real time”. Scientists and ordinary people alike worry how much more sunlight or darkness their crops can handle in one sitting before they can no longer live on this planet. Can humans’ circadian rhythms adapt? How much longer until humans can no longer live on Earth?

Meanwhile, Julia is in middle school. Her father is a doctor, her mother a drama teacher. The slowing affects their lives in different ways, but it affects everything nonetheless. Walker succeeds in balancing what I’ll call world building—her descriptions of this unique time and place—with the microcosm of her characters’ world. The science-fiction premise drives the story as much as its characters.

Arguably, most of the characters are somewhat underwhelming. The novel is narrated by an older, nostalgic Julia, in first-person from a future perspective. This allows for some interesting and haunting moments of foreshadowing. Julia at 11 years old is excessively shy and extraordinarily ordinary in a way, but this narration from such an ordinary perspective makes her story all the more relatable and real. That is Walker’s greatest triumph—the novel’s utter realness.

Despite some things feeling like they might not have reached their full potential, there are so many people I want to share this novel with. I want to give it to my astrophysics-major friend, because Karen Thompson Walker actually consulted an astrophysicist to make sure the novel’s scientific developments made sense. I want my friend who’s not so into sci-fi to read it, because the driving force of the novel is how the characters deal with the age they’re in. And I want my friend who loves sci-fi to read it, because I truly admire the way Walker fleshes out this premise in so many angles while from one perspective.

As she goes through middle school during the slowing, Julia questions coincidence and fate, and the power of one event, one chance change. Walker’s debut novel is smart and compelling. Its premise excited me, and the novel did not disappoint.

July 20, 2014
Best Books We Read In 2016

Because my commute involves two hours on three trains every morning, I was able to read 41 books this year. While I am very proud of this fact, I’m also sad about it. But these ten (well, eleven) books were well worth it. Here are my favorite books I read in 2016!

10. Looking for Alaska (tie)

I think the reason John Green has been such a lauded young adult author (save for Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which was one of the worst books I read this year) is his ability to subvert genre cliches. There is no better example of this than his first book, Looking for Alaska. While many of the stereotypes – awkward protagonist, too-cool-for-school – are there, by the end of the story they become fleshed out characters. To say this book surprised me is an understatement. While the first half can be a bit of a slog if you’re not a fan of young adult, the second half more than makes up for it. It’s heartbreaking, funny, and a surprisingly profound story about what it means to be alive.

Get Looking for Alaska on Amazon >>>

10. Me Before You (tie)

“What truly struck me as an amazing facet of this novel was the decision that ultimately all the characters were faced with. Following the idiom of “If you love something, set it free,” Moyes leaves the reader with one question. What should you do if what makes the person you love truly happy completely destroys your own happiness and heart? I found this philosophical question to be truly engaging and entertaining throughout the story simply because I would not know what I would do. Is it better to instill happiness in a loved one by going without, or shall you be selfish as long as you are content? It may seem to some like a simple answer, but I truly enjoyed the journey of one woman coming to her own conclusion on this emotionally charged question in Me Before You.” – From our review

Get Me Before You on Amazon >>>

9. Wonder

I think sometimes we don’t give our kids enough credit to understand more complex topics. That’s why I loved Zootopia so much. It tackled the topic of acceptance and race while maintaining a fun and entertaining tone. While Wonder certainly has its moments of emotion, overall it tells the story of Auggie in an idealistic tone. This is partially thanks to the characters that surround him. Their stories and backgrounds are there to help define Auggie as a person as much as the moments during the story. However, the point of Wonder is to teach the very important lesson of empathy. It does so without feeling heavy-handed – a turnoff for adult readers – or patronizing.

Buy Wonder on Amazon >>>

8. The Long and Faraway Gone

Some of my favorite books are those disguised as other books. On the surface, The Long and Far Away gone is a crime novel. However, in reality, it’s a character study about two different people who had two life-changing experiences. While much of the book does focus on these experiences, those aren’t the focal points. Actually, these stories beget more questions than they do answers. The real focus is how these experiences shaped who the two main characters become. It asks the eternal question, “why me?”

Get The Long and Faraway Gone on Amazon >>>

7. Wonders of the Invisible World

“And that is what is really refreshing about Wonders of the Invisible World is that Barzak doesn’t force Aiden’s personal storyline or the fantasy storyline into melodrama. In fact, for all the fantastical elements or potential for a soaring high school outcast story he keeps the story pretty lean. You’ll thank him for that in the end because it would pay a disservice to Aiden. His entire story is that he leads a non-fantastical life. The magic and curses and visions speak for themselves.” – from our review

Get Wonders of the Invisible World on Amazon >>>

6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Hilarious, witty, and damn entertaining, it’s no wonder that The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has captured the attention of the world. From a two-headed president of the galaxy to a depressed robot, Douglas Adams knows how to carve make ridiculous characters feel real. However, who really cares about character.The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is easily the most hilarious book I’ve read. Setting up a joke in words in books is difficult, but Adams has comedic timing like no other. He’ll build up a joke for pages and hold his payoff until the perfect moment. It lands time and time again.

Get The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on Amazon >>>

5. The Power of the Dog

At just over 500 pages, The Power of the Dog is by no means a short book. However, I read it almost one sitting. It is a thriller that you actually can’t put down. Don Winslow, who wrote Savages, which I also loved this year, mixes strong visual writing with gorgeous prose to put together this epic look at the drug war. When you look at that page count, you wouldn’t even realize the scope of the book. Covering decades and various characters and places, Winslow balances an interconnected world that feels like it exists in both time and space.

Get The Power of the Dog on Amazon >>>

4. Gone Girl

I know that I was late on this train, but it was certainly worth the wait. Gone Girl is a thriller that uses its literary devices so elegantly that it becomes something different in itself. Specifically, the use of unreliable narrators is key to the story. However, Gillian Flynn isn’t obvious. You truly don’t know when someone is telling the truth. While the entire premise of the book has the making of a typical crime novel, Flynn is a fastidious writer. By the end of the book, you’ll be itching to go back to the beginning and seeing what you missed.

Get Gone Girl on Amazon >>>

3. Gravity

I love books that are poetic with strong characters that are complex. Gravity is not one of those books. But that’s why I love it. Gravity is essentially the literary equivalent of a big-budget blockbuster that is actually good. I mean, it’s unsurprising considering it came from the author of the Rizzoli & Isles series. It’s one thing to write a book with a great plot, but the way Tess Gerritsen is able to paint images so adroitly that you can so easily visualize the entire book in your head. Why this movie wasn’t made before the Sandra Bullock one I have no idea, but this book is a great time to read. If you have someone who “doesn’t like to read,” start them off with this one.

Get Gravity on Amazon >>>

2. Tell the Wolves I’m Home

“Once in awhile a book comes around that reminds me why I love books. It reminds me why I love books about real people. It reminds me why I don’t need an epic to feel like I’ve lived an entire life through a book. “Tell The Wolves I’m Home” is one of those books, which is even more impressive considering it is a debut. Tell the Wolves I’m Home is an epic meditation on love, grief, change, and the necessity of growing up that disguises itself as a young adult coming-of-age. Though the tropes of our odd heroine, major life event, and life-changing relationship are there, Brunt uses them in a way that I don’t think has been committed to the page before.” – from our review

Get Tell the Wolves I’m Home on Amazon >>>

1. Then We Came to the End

“Not everyone is going to love this book (just look at its Goodreads rating) because it’s not a book that’s written for everyone. It’s a book written for the subset of society that has alarms set for 7:30am and has to be at work at 9am. For the people that can’t wait to hear a piece of office gossip. It’s for the people look forward to noon when they get one hour of freedom. For those people, this book will be a hilarious and poignant look at 8 hours of their day. But more than that it begs the question: “is this really the meaning of life?” For others, the humor will be hit or miss and the characters could be annoying or not relatable. For us, these characters are you and me.” – from our review

Get Then We Came to the End on Amazon >>>

January 12, 2017