Noah - Big Game Spot

Ok...so I'll share it here.

There's this football game on Sunday...and they have some big television commercials as a part of it, including movie related spots...and I've been given access to the spot for Noah from Paramount Pictures.The film is in theaters March 28, 2014.

Here it is, take a look...

Home Screening Room - It's a Rush!

Now that my 2014 is really kicking in to gear...time to step back into the Home Screening Room and give you a look at this week's features coming home...

Big Releases

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (Rated PG) Voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris
The Fifth Estate (Rated R) Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Bruhl
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (Rated R/Unrated) Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll
Last Vegas (Rated PG-13) Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline
Rush (Rated R) Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl

Rush is the class of this week's releases. The Ron Howard film was definitely not viewed by nearly enough people in the theaters as it came home after making nearly $27 million at the box office. I really love the tension and the race sequences are spot on. This is more than a racing movie, it's about rivalries and so much more. Bad Grandpa was so wrong...but I laughed anyway (shower time now after that admission). Last Vegas shows you are never too old to have fun in Vegas and with some great actors while The Fifth Estate fizzled and with good reason. And kids will love the goofy foodimals in Cloudy 2.

Also this Week

An interesting crop of "other" releases this month, headlined by Metallica's film that did really well in a limited release. Check out the trailers below.

Collision (Rated R)
 

Metallica: Through The Never (Rated R)



A Perfect Man (Rated R) Liev Schreiber, Jeanne Tripplehorn


From the World of Television

Downton Abbey: Season 4
Treme: The Complete Fourth Season



Hidden Gem

1 (Not Rated) Narrated by Michael Fassbender

Sometimes I get pitched films to see that I find myself wondering why I agreed to watch. 1 is NOT one of those films. This is the documentary that takes you behind the scenes in the growth of Formula One racing. In fact it shares some exclusive interviews with some of the men that survived, and unfortunately the word survived is so applicable to an era where the concern over safety of the drivers was poor...at best. The film also shares never before seen footage from many of the most renowned track of the world from Monaco to the US, Japan, Germany ... and so much more. If you've seen Rush (and enjoyed the racing elements) you need to see the documentary that takes you to the front line with Niki Lauda and James Hunt among others. And if you are a race fan...this is one of those films you simply must see. I loved being able to take a look at this special film before it was released and then again as it makes its debut on DVD/Blu Ray.


 



Final Score 

Rush is worth holding onto in your library but being a racing fan, I love 1 and it's ability to show you reality in an entertaining fashion. Plus if you have kids...you will probably pick up Cloudy 2. A solid week for smaller titles as well, there is a lot of potential here for the right audience.

Pop Popcorn, Do the DietDew, and Bust out the Blu and remember to Save Me A Seat!

Remember – all release dates are subject to change.

The Common Guy Goes To Hollywood (Or At Least Santa Monica)

I've been reviewing movies (informally) for over 20 years -- formally I've been working for over 15 online, almost 15 years on the radio, with print publications for over 10 years (off and on) and on television for 3

Ready for Action on the Red Carpet.

1/2 years. During that time I have been fortunate enough to talk to a couple celebrities through a variety of offers and assignments. And of course, I've been fortunate to be a member of the Broadcast Film Critics' Association for gasp almost 9 years yet I had never been to the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. But this year....that changed.

I decided to go and experience all the pagentary, the fun, the sun and the celebrities that went into January 16, 2014 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. And I don't regret that decision one bit. But there were some things I learned that I will do differently next year when I come back for the 20th annual awards in January 2015.

After making the decision to go, there was a sizable amount of consternation in bringing all the details together. In fact, being allowed a guest, I had my planned guest back out on me at the last minute leaving me to scramble and find someone else to be my date for the evening. Thanks to a quick text message or two...that was settled and it was off to Los Angeles.

The weather in the Midwest has been brutally cold, in fact some mornings I was up and moving around in as cold as -18 degree weather. (YEP, that's a MINUS sign in front of the 18.) But the good news is, despite last year's awards enduring some near record cold in Los Angeles...this year was near record heat. I got off the plane and was greeted by warmth, something I had forgotten that the sun can provide.

Showtime.

Now it was off to pick up my bags, get checked in to my hotel and grab a bite to eat....the flight had me moving around just after 5AM CT and well...I was hungry.

Wednesday night was planned to just pick up the tickets and relax a bit....and relax I did.

Thursday I awoke to the devastating news of a wildfire. I had tuned in to KTLA to hopefully get a little vibe on that evening's show but this early wildfire took over the news, and with good reason. It started small, in fact I was texting my colleague Gino Salomone to watch for it on his way in on his flight (it was about 5 acres then). By the time he arrived, it was hundreds of acres and I had watched the devistation of dream houses going up in flames. It was heartbreaking to watch.

Oh by the way, it was Oscar nomination morning and I was filing a column on the nominees from my IPAD that morning and prepping for a radio interview to come and the evening's festivities.

By 2:20 I was on the air with Mark Reardon at KMOX in St. Louis talking about the morning's Oscar nominees AND the festivities about to take place at Barker Hangar that evening for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. But after predicting that maybe Gravity might win Best Picture (despite the groundswell for 12 Years a Slave) it was time to get off the air, finish getting dressed and head over to the 19th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards.

The Wolf of Wall Street table enjoying
the evening.

Arriving just before 4PM we were greeted by a great pre-show party complete with wine, yogurt, great theater seating and much more. Oh and there was this little thing called a red carpet. My guest/date for the evening, Jenny, and myself indulged in some of the fun inside before heading out to check it out.

We were early to be on the red carpet, so there weren't more celebs there than us. :-) So that led to a couple of pics on the red carpet and then more inside mingling.

Come 4:30 it was time to head inside...in fact they made a point of saying that by 4:45 the doors would be locked.

My table was 220 (in the back corner of the facility) and we quickly grabbed some seats that would let us not have to turn to look at the stage and the festivities began.

The first things I noticed were all the late arriving celebs. Hey, I don't know if I'd want to spend so much time with me either. (tip your waitress I'm here all week) The crowd was definitely a twitter as Oprah Winfrey joined The Butler table (yep, I know it really is Lee Daniels' The Butler table...but I shortcut things in this article). She was someone I wanted to get over to chat with but alas, was mobbed by others in our organization so I didn't get a chance. Just wanted to say thanks to her for the way her staff treated me when I was a guest on her show some 20 ish years earlier. (I know that doesn't matter now...but I wanted to...OK??)

There was salmon in front of each of us...beautifully plated salmon...I tried it...but I'm not a fan of salmon to begin with and well there was other things about it that made me pass it by.

My ride home...or maybe that was just a fantasy.
Now if CCMA sponsor Porsche can just send me one.

I also became quickly aware...this show moves incredibly fast in person. That 3-5 minute commercial break is plenty of time to run around at home, use the restroom or whatever, but in the hangar...to get forward and have any kind of real face time and maybe snap a quick pic is nearly impossible, unless you are running even before the show goes to break.

That said I loved my time at the show. Immediately upon leaving all I could think about was coming back next year. I had a good time and while not all was perfect, it was increasingly memorable. The Award
Winners are likely on a bee line for Oscar as that is the history of our show.

I'm proud to be able to share my first journey to the show and hope to share many more in the years to come.

Now...if they could only send some of that heat to the Midwest...I'd be very happy.

SEE MORE PHOTOS - on the Facebook Page.

Oscar Nomination Morning - In LA for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards

It's Oscar nomination morning and I'm in Los Angeles for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. There will be some happy individuals partying with us at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica as The CW airs our 19th annual awards ceremony.

Look for the Gravity and American Hustle teams to be celebrating their 10 nominations a piece with the chance to take home an award tonight and be the first chance to formally make a speech since their nominations this morning. 

Sure the statements are out and will be released all day but expect to see some really happy individuals walking the red carpet here yet today.

But we will have a copy unhappy folks scheduled to be out tonight, and we'll see if they make the trip as well. (Remember last year Ben Affleck was snubbed in his nomination for Best Director by the Academy but showed up that night to the 18th CCMA awards and collected the Best Director award from us). Tom Hanks and Robert Redford are missing from the Academy list and there was little love for Lee Daniels' The Butler as Oprah Winfrey who will be presenting a special award to co-star Forest Whitaker this evening was not recognized.

That said, the list is solid and pretty expected from the Academy. It will be interesting to see the reactions from the nominees tonight and it will be interesting to see how everyone is handling today's news.

It's a crazy morning here in LA - A brush fire just kicked off this morning, they have record heat (last year was near record cold) and a star studded night is on tap for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards on The CW at 8PM ET/PT. Tune-in and enjoy the evening.

Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2014 - TV Spot

Check out the first TV Spot for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards - January 16 on The CW.

I'll be there, I'm a voter and I can't wait to talk to you after the show!

The Best Movies of 2013

Every year I sit down and comb through the large number of films I've seen to go ahead and share a number of my favorite films of the year. Are these the best? Yes, I think so...are there other good titles, of course!

When it comes to a Top 10 list....these are the places to start when looking for the best that was released during the year.

A couple of films that didn't make my list...but could have.

Rush - the Ron Howard directed film was truly an adrenaline rush and really came down to the last cuts on my list. Formula One racing at it's best (and worst).

Enough Said - I have such a great affection for this film that it was hard to leave it off the list. James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus deliver such chemistry in this "adult" romance.

The Way, Way Back - I think Liam James delivers one of the better performances of the youth in 2013 and in fact could be a name to watch in the future. Loved everything about this from Sam Rockwell to Steve Carell and everyone in between.

Fruitvale Station - If you haven't seen this special little film, do yourself a favor and look for it. Octavia Spencer an Michael B. Jordan are spot on. The cool thing about this film is it doesn't try to make Jordan's character perfect and without flaws, he has flaws, just didn't deserve the outcome that befell him.

Saving Mr. Banks - Probably number 11 if I had to make that decision. You can't go wrong with Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers (creator of Mary Poppins). PG-13 rated but something for the whole family.

NOW ON TO THE ACTUAL Top 10...well kinda...

10a) Sound City, Muscle Shoals, 20 Feet From Stardom
Look, these three music documentaries show just how good it can be combining the best of music
into a film. Sound City is Dave Grohl's homage to the studio that launched some of the best rock albums from the 70s through the 90s and the sound that made the studio special. Muscle Shoals takes you to that one place in America with a truly special sound that was there for everyone from the Stones to Tom Petty. And 20 Feet From Stardom shows you the amazing women and men that share the stage with some of the biggest stars in the world and in fact are heard on more of the biggest records than most artists ever are a part of. These three films will let you experience generations of music, generations of special moments, and will bring back oodles of memories. Taken together, they had to be mentioned in my list of the best of the year.

10) In A World...
Lake Bell stars, wrote and directed this film that truly caught me off guard. You know the phrase "In a world..." that has started many of the most iconic movie trailers of all time. Well what if the world that Don Lafontaine dominated among the males in the industry had a female trying to join the ranks. Lake Bell's directorial debut is something special and movie fans young and old will feel this film from start to finish.

9) Her
I'll admit, I was skeptical sitting down to see Her. The premise alone sounded a bit weird, but yet
intriguing. A man (Joaquin Phoenix) in the near future falls in love with his operating system. (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) And Spike Jonze hits a home run with this story. I found myself smiling at Phoenix and his relationship and the way Jonze tells the story is truly enjoyable.

8) Captain Phillips
Tom Hanks can do no wrong in my book, and this film is no exception. But when you add the incredible directorial talent of Paul Greengrass to the mix, it really makes for an intense look at the Somali pirates attempted takeover of Captain Phillips' ship. The way the film was put together to the last detail is why I love Greengrass' work.

7) Frozen
The best of the animated lot in 2013, Frozen is a complete film that has a story, laughs, music and fun. Since it's release there has yet to be a single person that I personally recommended this film to that has told me they have not had a good experience. It's a wonderfully fun family film.

6) Short Term 12
This is the little film that could in my best of 2013 list. Brie Larson delivers a performance that, in my mind, puts her alongside some of the best performances of the year. The story is a spot on emotional roller coaster for her, and she delivers in a big way. Check out the trailer below.

5) Nebraska
This black and white effort from Alexander Payne had me from the get go. Bruce Dern is phenomenal as everyone reports, but I think the underrated actor here is Will Forte. He delivers in a role that has comedic moments, but is more serious than anything we've seen him in. June Squibb is also solid in her performance as Dern's wife so much so that she seemed real to me.

4) American Hustle

Any of my top 4 this year could be number one on any given day I write this. Hustle delivers first rate performances from an all star cast. Christian Bale is the standout here as the physical appearance makes you forget who he is and takes his performance with him. I also really found myself enthralled with Amy Adams (not a hard thing to do). This actress has come so far in her performances throughout the years that I really can't wait for her to play any role at any time.

3) 12 Years a Slave
This is hard to watch at times but oh so necessary. Director Steve McQueen gets the best from  Chiwetel Ejiofor in his role as Solomon Northup. Ejiofor's performance is powerful and moving and his costars elicit everything from compassion to anger in their various roles. This is harsh and real at every turn and it is done absolutely brilliantly.

2) The Wolf of Wall Street
Can Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio work together on every film? Although each time I see the pairing I wonder if it can be nearly as impactful as the film before it, they ALWAYS deliver. This is a raw film, but it doesn't apologize for being adult at every turn. The visuals, the mood, the setting, the acting, the directing are ALL here. Not to mention the soundtrack, the score, the script...oh I could go on. I love this film in all it's harsh reality.  Under appreciated here is Jonah Hill who delivers for a second time in the big time film in a supporting role (Moneyball was the other).

1) Gravity
This number one has a bit of a star by it. If you see films, the way they were meant to be seen (on the Gravity).
big screen) this is the most incredible ride of the year. Sandra Bullock delivers a mesmerizing performance as she is lost and floating through space. You feel ever emotion through the look at her face. You feel the fear of the vast unknown. You feel alone looking at the world from afar that Alfonso Cuaron has crafted. Every emotion you should have, happens in this effort. Every feeling you should have, happens in this effort. Everything that is right about a big screen experience happens in this effort. See it in a darkened theater with no cell phones no talking and no light...you won't forget it. (For those of you that wait for BluRay to see this film -- PLEASE....turn off all the lights around you, remove ALL the distractions, turn your phone on silent, and escape into the world created by Cuaron...if you don't do all those things, you will not see the greatness that is

So there's the list -- if you don't follow my advice for how to view Gravity, I can imagine that would move it's way down the list a little. But If you do nothing else, find a film or two on this list and check them out. You'll be glad you did. 2013 had a really good end to the year and it makes me hopeful for what 2014 has in store.