As I have said before, this is one of my favorite times of year, not just because I love Christmas, but also because it is when some of the best movies of the year come out for Oscar contention. So, you know the process, let’s begin:
Mockingjay Part II, the highly anticipated film series comes to a close. In the finale, Katniss must continue her fight with District 13 against the evil President Snow, in order to completely rid Panem of the Capital. The same cast is present and the film has sentimental value as it is Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s last film before his death. Overall, I believe this to be much better than the first part. Although I will warn you, it is a bit more depressing, so don’t say I didn’t warn you! Overall, 2 ½ stars.
Image Credit: usc.edu
Spotlight, sure to be in Oscar contention and already having opened to rave critical reviews, Spotlight is about the Boston Globe’s coverage of the sexual abuse scandals of the Catholic Church in the early 2000s.
Starring: Michael Keaton as the Head of the Spotlight team, Liev Schreiber as the new Editor in Chief, John Slattery as an editor, and Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d’Arcy James as the reporters of the Spotlight team. The acting was incredible, there was not a single weak character, and the writing was fantastic.
Being a Catholic, I was worried it would make my faith look bad, but it is a story on the Church and the victims who suffered the horrible abuse, not the religion itself. One of the best journalism films ever. Overall, 3 ½ stars.
Brooklyn, once again, sure to score some Oscar noms for best actress and perhaps best film?
Brooklyn centers on a young Irish immigrant named Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), who comes to the United States and makes a new life for herself, while leaving her mother and sister behind in Ireland.
Once she comes, she lives in a boarding house (where much of the film gets its humorous scenes), has a job at a snobby department store, and falls in love with a young Italian man.
However, she must return to Ireland once something unexpected arises, and upon arriving, she meets another man. What will she do? Brooklyn is a beautiful film that does everything perfectly.
My friend Molly and I go the movies every Monday, and we both agree, this is a film that blends the traditional movie plot with contemporary film-making methods, and voila! Overall, 3 ½ stars.
