By Brett Blake
Breanne Brennan joins me once again (in an annual tradition) to extensively break down this year’s Oscar nominations in advance of this Sunday night’s Academy Awards ceremony. We go into exhaustive detail, offering our thoughts on the nominees, which ones we think will win, which ones we’d prefer to win, and some alternative nominees that didn’t make the Oscars cut... but should have! The full nominations list can be found HERE, so you can follow along with us if you like!
Disclaimer: The Cinematic Confab is a non-profit entertainment and analysis podcast. All audio clips and music cues used are the property of their individual copyright holders. They are presented here under the banner of “Fair Use,” for the purpose of analysis, criticism, and/or humor. No infringement of copyright is intended.
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![]() By Brett Blake I was not expecting to like THE GREAT WALL as much as I did. There are problematic elements, surely, and it’s far from a game changer, but it is a sweeping fantasy adventure, full of color and scale, and it’s entertaining (with a few exceptions) from beginning to end. The tale involves William (Matt Damon) and Tovar (Pedro Pascal), a pair of traders/mercenaries in ancient China on a quest to find the mythical (to them) “black powder.” After being attacked in the night by a strange creature, they find themselves swept up in a battle between the Nameless Order, a group of soldiers defending the Great Wall, and the Tao Tei, a horde of ravenous monsters. William and Tovar find themselves (reluctantly, at first) aiding the likes of Lin Mae (Tian Jing) and Wang (Andy Lau) in the fight against the seemingly unstoppable creatures, while fellow westerner Ballard (Willem Dafoe) plots and schemes in the background. Intrigue and battles ensue! On the most basic level, THE GREAT WALL is constantly compelling from a visual standpoint, and its overall design aesthetic is absolutely unimpeachable. The Chinese locales are strikingly photographed, and the Great Wall itself - though often brought to life through CGI - feels appropriately imposing and impressive. The production design is very strong, as well, particularly during some incredibly beautiful moments during the third act which use color in a rather remarkable way. The costumes are perhaps the most wonderful element of the design of the film, being both incredibly detailed and fanciful in just the right way. It’s early in 2017, but this is surely your front-runner for Best Costumes at the Oscars next year. The approach for the look of the monsters is also strong; there’s some sketchy computer animation at points, but the beasts themselves have a fun and fresh look. Director Yimou Zhang handles the story’s requisite action with no small amount of flair. The first major battle sequence - and the elaborate buildup to it - is legitimately phenomenal and exciting adventure cinema, hitting all the right thrilling beats. When 2017 is over, this scene will surely remain one of the best setpieces of the year. Zhang also manages to bring style to some of the quieter moments, too, including a gorgeously rendered funeral ceremony that goes a long way towards adding needed humanity to the story. And while the third act has some problems (more on that below), there are specific beats found there that are truly imaginative. A shout-out to composer Ramin Djawadi is also required; though he’s been doing great work on television recently (his GAME OF THRONES scores are an essential component of that show), his theatrical work has often felt a bit lacking. With THE GREAT WALL, it feels like he’s starting to come into his own, cinematically. It’s very much a modern action score, with lots of propulsion and percussion, but there’s a distinctly fantastical element at play, too, along with at least one very strong, hummable theme which pays respects to the Chinese setting of the movie. Where the movie stumbles is in the realm of its characters. The screenplay seems content to give Damon’s character the most obvious arc imaginable, the sort of thing we’ve seen many times before where the hardened, cynical guy who’s only in it for the money grows a conscience (of sorts) and finds something to live and fight for. It’s pretty pedestrian stuff on a script level, but Damon sells it as best he can (even with a delightfully unplaceable accent). There are a few stabs at giving Tian Jing’s Lin Mae some depth, and she’s certainly the most compelling person in the story, but it’s mostly utilitarian and functional stuff. The actors themselves are certainly likable and enjoyable to watch, but that’s more to do with their own personal charm than anything found on the script page; Damon and Pascal, for example, have a terrific dynamic (I’d happily sign up for an ongoing series about these two getting into fantastical mischief). One can also feel the hand of studio interference hovering over the film, as well, particularly in the third act. The finale is absolutely cut to the bone, and you can actually sense that sizable chunks of material were either excised or dramatically shifted around. For example, geographical continuity and the progression of the sequence’s throughline are made frustratingly arbitrary, with characters appearing, disappearing, and reappearing wherever the movie needs them to be, regardless of how implausible it would be for them to get there based on where we last saw them. THE GREAT WALL has enjoyed an international release for several months at this point, and I’m not sure if the version of the film playing in China, for example, is a different cut than the one U.S. audiences are seeing, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the case. I get the sense - based on nothing but the slapdash third act editing and a hunch - that the third act may play out a bit differently for international audiences than it does for us here in the States. Still, flaws and all, I’m glad THE GREAT WALL exists. I’m glad a bright, massive, expensive creature feature has made its way to the screen in a way that feels idiosyncratic and unique, and which has style to spare. You will see few - if any - other movies this year that are as visually enjoyable and engaging as this one is. By Breanne Brennan Each year the Oscar’s Best Original Song category, one that is becoming increasingly irrelevant and often baffling, leaves me scratching my head wondering, “How on earth did that get nominated?” Arguably, songs from musicals tend to have more reason to be in this category than songs that play at the end credits simply because they are part of the film. This year’s crop features two songs from the front-runner La La Land, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s prospective EGOT-nabbing song from Moana, a mediocre Sting tune from Jim: The James Foley Story, and a song from Trolls that makes me wish I didn’t have eardrums. And while there have been many iconic original songs throughout the years, I almost wish the Academy would eliminate this category, since it really has no business in an awards list that recognizes filmmaking and acting. One might argue, “Why not also get rid of the Original Score category, since it also deals with music?” Valid point, but a musical score is one of the most integral parts of a film, providing mood and emotional connections that we might not get from editing and sound design alone. Yet in spite of lackluster nominees each year, I don’t think we’ll be seeing the end of the Original Song category anytime soon; the Oscar telecast has hours of time to fill, after all! I do hope that voters take a better listen to all the nominated songs, so that we can have nominees other than J. Ralph and Sting every year. Here are some of my picks for songs that deserved recognition this year… 5. Drive it Like You Stole It ~ Sing Street It almost seems sacrilegious to exclude a John Carney movie song from this list, and Drive It brings out all the energy of 80s pop with its infectious beats and lyrics. 4. Nobody Knows ~ Pete’s Dragon The Lumineers’ simple, tender folksy piece has a hint of melancholy to it and speaks to the journeys we take in life with its bright and hopeful melodies. 3. Runnin’ ~ Hidden Figures A jazzy Pharrell Williams tune that expresses frustration and desires, and captures the subject of the film with its snappy clipped lyrics. 2. I’m Still Here ~ Miss Sharon Jones! This no-nonsense autobiographical throwback to 70s funk and R&B is a testament to the late singer’s strength and artistry. 1. Wish That You Were Here ~ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Themes of friendship and longing sweep through this magnificent and addicting tune, but it’s Florence Welch’s epic vocals that give the song an emotional edge. By Breanne Brennan Almost every year I tend to bemoan the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' nominations for Best Original Score, wishing that some of my favorite underrated pieces gained the recognition they deserve. Alas, the chance of that happening is always slim and I have to create a list like this recognizing said scores. And now for your listening pleasure.... 10. Florence Foster Jenkins (Alexandre Desplat) Desplat creates a score that’s carefree and breezy like the titular character, but also makes sure there’s just the right amount of melancholy there, too.
9. The Little Prince (Hans Zimmer and Richard Harvey) A charming and often sweeping little score that makes one feel nostalgic for their childhood.
8. High Rise (Clint Mansell) It almost feels like listening to an Aaron Copland piece mixed with tinges of Bernard Herrmann with its almost classical, yet cinematic tone.
7. Hidden Figures (Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams, Benjamin Wallfisch) The triumvirate team creates an inspirational score with a driving string section that creates the feeling of calculating intense equations in the minds of geniuses.
6. The Red Turtle (Laurent Perez Del Mar) It’s heartrendingly beautiful at times with its simple string melodies and operatic voices. L'au Revioir 5. In a Valley of Violence (Jeff Grace) I might view this somewhat as a poor man’s HATEFUL EIGHT score, but there’s a good balance of unadulterated Western motifs and sinister twang that makes this one of the more interesting scores of the year. Opening Titles 4. Arrival (Johann Johannsson) Unfortunately it was disqualified from the Oscar race, but it's still worth recognizing. Johannsson blends an almost unsettling alien-like sound with ominous droning that makes you wonder if the creatures in the film are either good or bad. Arrival 3. Kubo and the Two Strings (Dario Marianelli) Kubo’s shamisen is the star, but it’s the lush orchestral strings and the haunting shakuhachi flute that lend the score its emotional heart.
2. Assassin’s Creed (Jed Kurzel) As a follow-up to his excellent MACBETH score, Kurzel imbues his ASSASSIN’S CREED score with dissonance, restraint, and some slick time warpy pitch bending.
1. The 9th Life of Louis Drax (Patrick Watson) Watson channels Desplat with this evocative and gorgeous score that has just a hint of mystery to it. It also happens to be one of the most underrated scores of the year.
By Breanne Brennan I take a look back at some of last year's best trailers... 10. Logan – It’s always good to take a lower-key approach to a comic book hero movie, and the solemn Cash song is a fitting touch for a weary Wolverine. 9. The Shallows - It skirts the tropes of a cliché b-movie trailer just enough by focusing on the environment and the main character, and keeping the horror jump scares to a minimum. And let’s not forget the absolutely genius match cut of something approaching a surfer underwater to Lively biting into an apple. 8. Moonlight – I will admit on first viewing this trailer and having no background of the story, I really didn’t understand or appreciate it. It was beautiful enough, but after seeing the movie and watching the trailer a second time, it was as though everything fell into place. It’s the juxtaposition of shots of Chiron at each stage in his life paired with Britell’s moody score that really drive it home. 7. Thor 3 (Comic Con) – While it’s not traditional in content and length, this mockumentary-style trailer is nevertheless a perfect (and hilarious) tease for reinvigorating the THOR series. 6. Get Out – This is how a psychological horror trailer should be cut. It starts out as one might expect a cliché thriller would. The interracial couple is introduced, they meet the parents, etc. Then as things start to get weird, so does the cutting. There is an excellent blend of various editing techniques that make this trailer stand out from the others. 5. The Founder -- Keaton’s voiceover and smarmy presence paired with the song “Glitter and Gold” make this a great example of focusing on character to sell the trailer. 4. Handmaiden – It’s reminiscent of the teaser trailer for the David Fincher’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO in that it relies solely on music to propel it forward. There's almost something hypnotic about cutting on beats... 3. The Nice Guys – A great blend of snarky, wry humor and funky vibes from music to titles. Where most trailers miss the mark, this trailer has an excellent (and hilarious) end tag. 2. Fences – A great use of repetitive sound design and voice over. As Washington’s VO intensifies the mood midway through, there is a dramatic shift in music and sound that culminates with Davis’s clincher bit of dialogue. Feel-good this ain’t! 1. Jackie – A carefully crafted trailer with effective voice over and shots: Jackie amidst the crowds at Love Field, the motorcade speeding away with her husband's body in her arms, Jackie washing off blood, etc. As her frustration elevates, so does the speed of the shots. And although the brief sound effect of JFK getting shot is a bit much, the whole trailer still packs an emotional punch. By Breanne Brennan
Brace yourselves…it's that time of year again--Oscar Death Race time! For those of you scratching your heads and wondering what I’m talking about, allow me to explain in 4 easy steps: 1.) Read the list of movies below. 2.) Watch all 62(!) movies from the list before Oscar night. 3.) Cross off movies that you watch and congratulate yourself for watching these award-winning cinematic achievements. 4.) Gloat about it and challenge your peers to follow suit. At the time of this post, my standing is at a mere 21/62. The Death Race is attributed to Sarah D. Bunting. Read about her quest here. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 13th 20th Century Women 4.1 Miles A Man Called Ove Allied Arrival Blind Vaysha Borrowed Time Captain Fantastic Deepwater Horizon Doctor Strange Elle Ennemis Entreniers Extremis Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Fences Fire at Sea Florence Foster Jenkins Hacksaw Ridge Hail, Caesar! Hell or High Water Hidden Figures I Am Not Your Negro Jackie Jim: The James Foley Story Joe's Violin Kubo and the Two Strings La Femme et le TGV La La Land Land of Mine Life, Animated Lion Loving Manchester by the Sea Moana Moonlight My Life as a Zucchini Nocturnal Animals O.J.: Made in America Passengers Pear Cider and Cigarettes Pearl Piper Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Silence Silent Nights Sing Star Trek Beyond Suicide Squad Sully Tanna The Jungle Book The Lobster The Red Turtle The Salesman The White Helmets Timecode Toni Erdmann Trolls Watani: My Homeland Zootopia |
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