Oscar Flashback - 20 YEARS OF STREEP!

2016: Florence Foster Jenkins
2014: Into the Woods
2013: August: Osage County
2011: The Iron Lady
2009: Julie & Julia
2008: Doubt
2006: The Devil Wears Prada
2002: Adaptation
1999: Music of the Heart
1998: One True Thing
1995: The Bridges of Madison County
1990: Postcards from the Edge
1988: A Cry in the Dark
1987: Ironweed
1985: Out of Africa
1983: Silkwood
1982: Sophie's Choice
1981: The French Lieutenant's Woman
1979: Kramer vs. Kramer
1978: The Deer Hunter

As this past Oscar season drew to a close, I began mulling over writing projects I'd like to work on in the post-season. Last year, of course, I spent seven months reviewing all 82 years (up to that point) of Best Original Song and then followed that up with a month's worth of revisiting horror films recognized by the Academy. Both of these projects were a complete blast to work on and I've been eager to dive into another Oscar Flashback.

So, I was thinking...maybe review every single year of a category like Best Supporting Actor? Perhaps just a tad too time-consuming. How about Best Makeup, a more recent category, with fewer nominees? Hard, frankly, to get super-passionate about that. Best Animated Short Subject? An eyebrow-raiser for sure (in a good way) but again, not something I could muster a ton of enthusiasm for.

Then, I thought...wait....just wait. What if I went back and revisited the nominations of a certain performer? That could work. And if I go that route, why not look back at the appearances of the most nominated star in Oscar history - that being the incomparable, brilliant, all-around amazing Meryl Streep? Bingo!

So, that's what I'll be doing over the coming months - venturing back to 1978, the year of Streep's very first Oscar nomination (for The Deer Hunter, of course) and reviewing all 20 categories the actress graced. Now, this won't be me just looking back at the Streep performances alone - I'm going to revisit and review her competition as well, highlight actresses inexplicably snubbed for recognition in these respective years and ultimately determine just what this living legend of the big screen really should've won in terms of Oscars.

If this project intrigues or excites you in the least, I whole-heartedly encourage you to join me in revisiting these performances - 100 overall - and offer up your own reviews in the comments section. Beyond Streep's turns, I'll be looking back at marvelous, underrated performances like Maureen Stapleton in Interiors, Marsha Mason in Only When I Laugh and Sally Kirkland in Anna; legendary ones like Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment, Jessica Lange in Frances and Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple; and perhaps some "WTF is she doing here?" appearances too (I'm looking at you, Anne Bancroft in Agnes of God).

This should, no doubt, be heaps of fun to work on. And, depending on how much time this eats up, I may just have enough to tackle a second performer's Oscar history later this year...

Review: "It Comes at Night"

Joel Edgerton is for sure among my favorite actors working today. Ever since Animal Kingdom, I have time and time again been floored by his ability to disappear into roles. His work there and in the likes of Warrior, The Gift and Loving, among other pictures, exemplify his immense talents on the screen. Moreover, Edgerton has proven himself more than capable of making a lot out of a little, case in point his terrific turn in 2015's otherwise limp Black Mass.

Edgerton's latest film, thankfully, is much more in line with his finest projects, as opposed to Black Mass and The Great Gatsby.

It Comes at Night, directed by the fabulous young filmmaker Trey Edward Shults, is a masterfully unsettling psychological horror flick. It's that breed of cinema, woefully rare these days in the genre, that's determined to get under your skin without resorting to much in the way of guts and gore.

The film opens on a family - Paul (Edgerton) and Sarah (Carmen Ejogo) and their teenage son Travis (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) - who have secured themselves inside a desolate country home as a mysterious disease ravages the world around them. Paul has established a strict routine and order that has thus far kept them safe and sound. That is, until the arrival of Will (Christopher Abbott), another desperate family man, searching for water to provide for his kin.

After much reluctance, Paul agrees to trade some of the family's water in exchange for food Will has amassed. Furthermore, once more of a rapport is struck, Paul and Sarah allow for Will's wife (Riley Keogh) and son (Griffin Robert Faulkner) to move into their home. That's when problems begin to arise. Travis' dog Stanley goes missing in the woods after a berserk response to something in the distance. Travis is also plagued by horrific nightmares involving the new inhabitants and his grandfather, who succumbed to the disease.

Matters really get tense, however, when one evening, Travis discovers the front door of the house, which is always locked up to the tee, has been left open. Outside the door is a suffering, infected Stanley. The question of who opened the door sparks a contentious conversation among the residents, one which could threaten to tear the house apart.

An aura of intense claustrophobia and uncertainty lingers throughout It Comes at Night. The film is brilliantly, convincingly acted by all involved but the real star of the show has to be Shults, working wonders with the camera in a way that rings of John Carpenter and Stanley Kubrick. The film is beautifully lit too - kudos to Drew Daniels on his stunning cinematography. Shults' screenplay is also something to marvel at, guaranteed to spark discussion over the meaning of the proceedings and just what the hell may have happened with that damn door.

I look so forward to the next projects from both Shults and Edgerton.

A-

Review: "Wonder Woman"

Growing up, I was all about the DC comics. The Marvel stuff rarely floated my boat (as has proven the case with most of its recent films) but DC almost always managed to satisfy, as did the early motion pictures - I wouldn't hesitate at all to shower the first two Superman films and first two Batman flicks in Oscar nominations (I think we can all agree Michelle Pfeiffer deserved to win a trophy for Batman Returns). There's genuine movie magic to be found in those pictures.

So, given my adoration for all things DC, it's been more than a little exasperating watching more misses than hits come out of the franchise on the silver screen in recent years. Sure, Zach Snyder, with his bombastic vision for DC on film, deserves much of the blame, but even prior to Snyder's involvement, we were treated to the comparably insufferable likes of Catwoman and Green Lantern. 

From the project's announcement, I admittedly figured, despite having a fine filmmaker attached, Wonder Woman would be destined to disappoint.

Thankfully, Wonder Woman does not mark yet another cinematic catastrophe of the DC universe. While it doesn't quite operate on the sky-high level of the best DC pictures either, it is a fun romp that is destined to instill hope in the hearts of those DC devotees who haven't been so keen on the comics' recent offerings on the big screen.

The picture opens on the island of Themyscira where Diana (Gal Gadot), princess of the Amazons, has trained to be an unstoppable warrior. Her blissful existence, surrounded exclusively by fellow female warriors, is interrupted by the entrance of pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a World War I-era Allied spy whose plane crashes off the coast. After rescuing him and learning of the war that is ravaging the planet, Diana is determined to use her powers to restore world peace. She decides she will leave home for the very first time and join in Steve's efforts.

Wonder Woman sports a number of exceptional set pieces, perhaps the most riveting being Diana's valiant push across enemy trenches upon arrival at the Western Front in Belgium. There are fabulous comic bits too, fueled by the enchanting pairing of Gadot and Pine, neither of who are spectacularly talented actors but still pitch-perfect in their respective roles. Pine in particular has a matinee idol charisma that is apt for this sort of old-school comic book adaptation.

The supporting players are memorable too - Robin Wright is unconditionally badass as Diana's aunt and trainer and Danny Huston and Elena Anaya make for amusing villains, even if the characters don't feel fully fleshed out. Also, the film looks fantastic, with a handsome production design by Aline Bonetto (of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement).

Of course, I'd be remiss to not mention the film's director, the marvelous Patty Jenkins, who did an exceptional job directing Charlize Theron to an Oscar with 2003's Monster and then somehow, inexplicably could not land another feature film gig until now. There is no shortage of skill on display here - Jenkins is a star behind the camera and I'm delighted she'll be back for the sequel.

All of that said - the proceedings are smooth sailing for the first two hours, that is until a haphazardly staged final act that recalls all of the missteps of the recent DC pictures. All of the excitement, romance and laughter that enamored us is suddenly, tragically thrown out the window for 20+ minutes of uninspired, CGI-stuffed dueling that feels like the grand finale of another, supremely inferior film.

Still, its lame conclusion aside, Wonder Woman is for sure one of the better recent comic book film adaptations, a lively and lighthearted ride that, unlike all too many pictures in the genre, doesn't take itself so damn seriously.

B

Review: "Alien: Covenant"

The thrill is gone.

Ridley Scott's Alien is among my all-time favorite films, a taut, splendidly acted thriller that to this day scares my pants off. James Cameron's Aliens, while more amusing than downright terrifying, marks a plenty worthy sequel, paced like a rollicking roller coaster ride and sporting one of Sigourney Weaver's finest performances.

Since then, I'm afraid, it's been all downhill.

Alien: Covenant, Scott's third contribution to the series (following Prometheus in 2012), delivers none of the thrills or chills you'd expect. Unbelievably, it's a picture so slapdash and hackneyed, you'll be tempted to look back and admire David Fincher for at least having an intriguing vision for the cinematic catastrophe that is Alien 3. Single-handedly on the strength of one performance, Covenant does not quite sink to the same bottom of the barrel as the Fincher film but boy, it's still rough stuff.

This sixth entry in the franchise finds the crew of the colony ship Covenant, en route to a remote planet, diverted to what appears to be an undiscovered paradise. Among the explorers are terraforming expert Daniels (Katherine Waterston), first mate Oram (Billy Crudup) and synthetic android Walter (Michael Fassbender). Complications arise when two crew members fall gravely ill and then there's the introduction of synthetic David (Fassbender again), the sole survivor of the Prometheus mission, who now resides on this mysterious planet. Before long, of course, those pesky extraterrestrial creatures say hello, ready to lay eggs inside their prey and make mincemeat out of those who stand in the way.

When the monsters aren't gracing the screen, Covenant is, for the most part, a real snooze. The humor of Aliens is sorely missing and none of the characters here are nearly as expertly drawn as in the first entry. Problem is, the proceedings aren't all that exciting even when the aliens are doing what they do best, as the action here much more recalls that of Alien 3 than the first two entries. As was the case in the Fincher flick, these CGI creatures aren't the least bit convincing.

Keeping the picture from being a complete bust is Fassbender, marvelous in duel roles. While the rest of the ensemble struggles to make anything of their cookie-cutter roles, he at least seems to be having a blast and frankly, his David is a far more riveting foe than than any of the gnarly beasts who roam this picture.

Fassbender's impressive turn aside, however, Alien: Covenent is among Scott's worst pictures to date.

C

Review: "Snatched"

Growing up with a mom who adores Goldie Hawn, I had seen the bulk of the Hawn filmography by age 10.

Foul Play, in particular, was a mainstay at the Carden household, rented out countless times at our local library. Much as I enjoyed that one, Death Becomes Her won me over even more. In hindsight, I don't think I've ever disliked a Hawn picture, sans maybe Town & Country, in which she has a modest supporting role. With her presence, she has brightened up even the most middling of comedies, turning the likes of Protocol and Wildcats in something worthwhile.

Hawn's latest picture, Snatched, once again finds the actress in rich form, making the most out of rather uninspired proceedings. She and fellow leading lady Amy Schumer have a blast here and, for their ebullience alone, the film is worth a look.

After Schumer's Emily is dumped by her wannabe-rock star boyfriend (Randall Park), she finds herself stuck with a nonrefundable vacation to Ecuador. With no interest from friends in joining her on the trip, Emily turns to mom Linda (Hawn) to venture on this journey. Overseas, Emily falls for the dashing James (Tom Bateman) but their excursion, alongside a hesitant Linda, into Colombia for a day trip turns treacherous as the mother and daughter wind up at the center of a kidnapping plot by (painfully nondescript and one-note) South American criminals. They manage to escape but, with the State Department of scant help, must rely on their own wits to somehow get to the nearest U.S. embassy, in Bogota.

Comparisons have understandably been made between Snatched and 1984's Romancing the Stone, which sent Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner on a wild Colombian adventure. The tone, humor and violence of Snatched, however, rings much closer to something like 2015's Spy, though this picture isn't nearly as successful as the Melissa McCarthy one. This film even has its own deadpan middle-aged badass (Christopher Meloni), like Jason Statham in Spy.

Hawn and Schumer are a delight to watch here, even when the material is so slapdash. The supporting cast is game too - Meloni is a hoot as a Trader Joe's manager-turned-jungle warrior; Joan Cusack and Wanda Sykes are a welcome presence as a special ops team keeping an eye out for Emily and Linda; and Ike Barinholtz and Bashir Salahuddin deliver some of the film's funniest moments as Emily's obnoxious brother and a government employee with negligible interest in saving the gals. 

Like Schumer's Trainwreck, which I also gave a B-, Snatched evokes nearly as many sighs as it does laughs. Still, it's not bad and it's most certainly worth checking out, if exclusively for Hawn's first big screen appearance in 15 years.

B-