Room (2015)

I just got back home after watching this incredibly moving film about such a sensitive subject. Room stars Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen and William H. Macy, which follows the story of a young woman and her son Jack, who are held prisoners in a solitary 10x10ft room. Abducted as a teenager, Joy "Ma" Newsome has endured a traumatic seven years as the sexual captive of a deranged man and through creativity, kindness and pure love, she has shielded her son, born in captivity, from the horrors of their situation.

The performances by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay are hard to separate. They are part of a symbiotic acting partnership. Without Jack, there is no Ma and without Ma, there certainly is no Jack. Brie Larson poured herself into this role and shows the strength of her character through circumstances that are both abnormal and traumatic. Her son is not aware of life outside of Room and confuses what he sees on their small TV as something fictional. All he knows is this room and the life they have created under the tightly controlled watch of their captor, Old Nick.

I cannot end this post without commenting on the tremendous performance of nine-year-old Canadian actor Jacob Tremblay (who just last night won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Young Performer). There is a depth to his performance that shows not only the lighthearted tendencies of a young 5 year old, but also the emotional connection he shares with Brie Larson. There are several touching scenes and they are truly carried by Jacob's talent and his dedication to his role. The fear, curiosity, boldness and kindness of Jack are wrapped into such a powerful performance, that Jacob certainly deserves all the nominations that have been pouring in for his role as well as Brie's.

I highly recommend going to see this film. The director has handled this subject matter with sensitivity, tenderness and depth that solidifies this film as a strong contender for Best Picture this year. I give this film a 9.0/10 skylights.

Back in the game and just in time for Awards Season

Hi everyone!

I've been asked to revisit writing reviews for the constant stream of movies I've been watching lately. Since the last post, a lot has changed. I've graduated from Rice University, moved to NYC and I currently work as a marketer for a global newspaper that focuses on international news, politics, business and more. All those changes came at a price to my film reviewing, but I think it's time to bring it back from a state of dormancy.

Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the list of nominees for the 88th Academy Awards. This year we've seen many sequels, inventive storytelling, familiar characters and heightened mastery of cinematography.

The contenders for the top award for Best Picture are:

• The Big Short 
• Bridge of Spies 
• Brooklyn 
• Mad Max: Fury Road 
• The Martian 
• The Revenant 
• Room 
• Spotlight

For the top acting spots, we see a familiar array of incredible talent that has been around for some time: DiCaprio, Winslet, Damon, Blanchett, Rampling mixed with other seasoned and fairly new nominees like Ronan, Redmayne, Fassbender, Lawrence and Larson.

For me this year, it was a true delight to see two of these nominated films at The New York Film Festival (Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn) with a special Q&A sessions with the cast of Brooklyn. 

While I believe there have been some very overlooked performances like Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Abraham Attah (Beasts of No Nation), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Benicio del Toro (Sicario), Jason Clarke (Everest) and Will Smith (Concussion), that does not take away from the incredible performances of the other nominees this year. I applaud the discussions surround diversity in film and having better representation of talented work done by actors and directors from various backgrounds. Any time we can come together to discuss ways for the world of film to honor the creative passion and drive of diverse groups of people is always a step in the right direction. 

Over the past three months, I have watched several films that I will be reviewing including The Revenant, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Martian, Brooklyn, Bridge of Spies, Creed, Sicario and Concussion. 

Stay tuned for my commentary on this packed season of award-worthy cinema.