American Hustle is one of those films you can enjoy in the moment and the second you leave the theater and think about it, the flaws start to become really apparent. This is not to say that American Hustle is a bad movie, it’s pretty good actually, just that it doesn’t live up to the many parts that make up the whole.
It’s so wonderful when you can go to the theater and engage in a transformative experience that gives you a good time. The Wolf of Wall Street, the racously funny new film from Martin Scorsese, might be the most fun you’ll have in a theater this year. More than just a glossy look at a debaucherous life, this film digs deep into American greed, the financial crisis and morality. In short, it’s easily one of the best films of the year.
The Blacklist for those unaware is is a list of the most liked unproduced screenplays circulating around Hollywood, as voted on by over 250 film executives. Today the list for 2013 has been released and thanks to Collider, you can now read the loglines for the finalists. As someone who hopes to be in the industry, it’s interesting to peep what kind of films execs are liking. My favorites based on the loglines are Shovel Buddies, Pox Americana, Ink and Bone and 1969: A Space Oddessy or How Kubrick Learned to Stop Worrying and Land on the Moon.
Truthfully, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug didn’t have much to do to be a good movie given our reception to the last one. However, the success of the second film is based not on low expectations, but on the sheer force of good movie making. By ratcheting up the tension and delivering some of the best set pieces of the year, Pater Jackson and company manage to craft a fairly engaging tale.
The Oscar race is certainly in for a jolt now. With the arrival of The Wolf of Wall Street, we could be in for an even more exciting awards season as things begin heating up. There’s not a lot of movement in the predictions but some heavy observations that could be made. Let’s dig in!