Winners of the 89th Academy Awards

If you have already seen the 89th Academy Awards or haven't, here is the announcement of the winners. The Best Picture announcement was a big blooper with a mix-up of envelopes. La La Land got mistakenly announced when the actual award for Best Picture now goes to Moonlight. It was a bitter disappointment that I expected the first to win in that category. It has been a blundering moment in the history of the Oscars.

On a positive note, Zootopia won this year's best-animated feature. La La Land received six awards, including Best Director and Best Actress for Emma Stone. See below for a list of Oscar winners.

Best Visual Effects
The Jungle Book - Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon

Best Film Editing
Hacksaw Ridge - John Gilbert

Best Costume Design

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Colleen Atwood

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Suicide Squad - Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson

Best Cinematography
La La Land - Linus Sandgren

Best Production Design

La La Land - Sandy Reynolds-Wasco & David Wasco

Best Sound Mixing
Hacksaw Ridge - Kevin O'Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace

Best Sound Editing

Arrival - Sylvain Bellemare

Best Original Song

"City of Stars" from La La Land - Music by Justin Hurwitz and Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Best Original Score

La La Land - Justin Hurwitz

Best Animated Short Film
Piper - Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer

Best Live Action Short Film

Sing - Kristof Deak and Anna Udvardy

Best Documentary - Short Subject
The White Helmets - Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara

Best Documentary - Feature
O.J.: Made in America - Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow

Best Foreign Language Film

The Salesman (Iran) in Persian - Asghar Farhadi

Best Animated Feature Film
Zootopia - Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer

Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay
Moonlight - Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney from In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Best Writing - Original Screenplay
Manchester by the Sea - Kenneth Lonergan

Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis - Fences as Rose Lee Maxson

Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali - Moonlight as Juan

Best Actress
Emma Stone - La La Land as Mia Dolan

Best Actor
Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea as Lee Chandler

Best Director
Damien Chazelle - La La Land

Best Picture
Moonlight - Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner

Academy Honorary Awards
Jackie Chan
Anne V. Coates
Lynn Stalmaster
Frederick Wiseman

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Hidden Figures Review

Hidden Figures

Release Date: 5th February 2017 - Australia

Production Companies

20th Century Fox
Fox 2000 Pictures

Chernin Entertainment

Levantine Films

TSG Entertainment (made in association with)

Distribution

20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 127 minutes


Budget: $25,000,000

Box Office Gross: $235,956,898
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary

The inspirational true story of
the first female African-
American mathematician
Katherine Johnston, and her
two colleagues Dorothy and
Mary Jackson, whose
groundbreaking calculations
helped NASA catch up in the
"Space Race" with the Soviet
Union and allowed John 

Glenn to become the first 

American astronaut to 

successfully make a
complete orbit of the Earth.

In addition to helping launch
John into orbit, the brilliant
women crossed gender
and race lines, defied 

expectations and battled 

stereotypes. In the process, 

they inspired generations of 

people to aim high and 

dream big. (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Cast

Taraji P. Henson - Katherine G. Johnston

Octavia Spencer - Dorothy
Vaughan

Janelle Monáe - Mary Jackson

Kevin Costner - Al Harrison 

Kirsten Dunst - Vivian Mitchell

Jim Parsons - Paul Stafford

Glen Powell - John Glenn

Mahershala Ali - Col. Jim
Johnson
Aldis Hodge - Levi Jackson
Kimberly Quinn - Ruth
Olek Krupa - Karl Zielinski
Kurt Krause - Sam Turner
Ken Strunk - Jim Webb
Lidya Jewett - Young 

Katherine Coleman

Donna Boscoe - Mrs. Joylette
Coleman
Ariana Neal - Joylette Johnson
Saniyya Sidney - Constance
Johnson
Zani Jones Mbayise - Kathy
Johnson
Tre Stokes - Levi Jr.
Selah Kimbro Jones - Carolyn Marie Jackson

Corey Mendell Parker - Howard Vaughan

Ashton Tyler - Leonard Vaughan
Alkoya Brunson - Kenneth
Vaughan
Karah Kendrick - Younger
Joylette Coleman
Jaiden Kane - Joshua Coleman
Gregory Alan Williams - Marion Smithson

Maria Howell - Ms. Summer
Arnell Powell - ProfessorGraves
Dane Davenport - Alan Shepard

Evan Holtzman - Deke Slayton
Travis Smith - Scott Carpenter
Scott Michael Morgan - Bill
Calhoun
Robert G. McKay - Pastor Ayres
Wilbur Fitzgerald - Senator
Patrick
Addison Rose Melfi - Addie
Marcus

Crew
Screenplay/Producer/Director - Theodore Melfi
Based on the Book/Executive Producer - Margot Lee Shetterly
Screenplay - Allison Schroeder
Executive Producers - Jamal Daniel, Ivana Lombardi, Mimi Valdes and Renee Witt
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Kevin Halloran
Producer/Music - Pharrell Williams
Producers - Peter Chernin,
Donna Gilgotti and Jenno Topping
Co-Producer - Kimberly Quinn
NASA Consultant - Sheva Moore
Casting Director - Victoria Thomas
Production Designer - Wynn Thomas
Costume Designer - Renee Ehrlich Kalfus
Cinematography - Mandy Walker
Stunt Coordinator - Keith Adams
Special Effects Supervisor - Mark R. Byers
Visual Effects Supervisors - Chris & Mark LeDoux
Film Editor - Peter Teschner
Music - Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch 


Review 

I have recently viewed a few of the new released movies contending for Oscar nominations, one of these is 'HIDDEN FIGURES'. This historically dramatic film was based on an overlooked moment of history, the movie's plot was a surprise to me as I never thought it'd be about three black women wanting to change the history of NASA and face their struggles of being discriminated. I didn't watch any movies that took place in a time of segregation back when Martin Luther King had yet to introduce the civil rights policy in America. I am deeply moved by this feature and I find 'HIDDEN FIGURES', to be very interesting in its perspective at showing the African American involvement in the space program. It justifies its appeal to modern audiences into watching a film that consists of a dramatic storyline of female empowerment and equality. 

The actresses like Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer brought out their compelling performances in the movie with other cast members, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons also standing out with their huge parts in the movie. The latter being the very reason that I wanted to see 'HIDDEN FIGURES' since I am a fanatic of 'The Big Bang Theory' sitcom.

Emotional and incredible, this is a must-see drama for all ages. It is a film that will continue to please audiences for years to come.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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La La Land Review

La La Land

Release Date: 12th January 2017 - Australia

Production Companies
Summit Entertainment (presents)
Black Label Media (in association with)
TIK Films Limited (in association with)

Impostor Pictures
Gilbert Films
Marc Platt Productions

Distribution
eOne

Genre: Musical/Romance

Rating: M

Runtime: 128 minutes

Budget: $30,000,000

Box Office Gross: $509,183,536 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary 

An aspiring actress named Mia and a stubborn yet talented jazz musician, Sebastian, struggle to make ends meet in a city known for breaking hearts and shattering hopes. They fall in love while, at the same time, trying to live up to their goals and aspirations. But as

success mounts, their

struggles and differences

in their pursuits tear

them apart and their love

relationship.

Cast

Emma Stone - Mia

Ryan Gosling - Sebastian

J.K. Simmons - Bill

Rosemarie DeWitt - Laura

John Legend - Keith

Jason Fuchs - Carlo

Finn Wittrock - Greg

Josh Pence - Josh

Callie Hernandez - Tracy

Jessica Rothe - Alexis

Sonoya Mizuno - Caitlin

Claudine Carino - Karen (The Waitress)

Tom Everett Scott - David

Damon Gupton - Harry

Meagen Fay - Mia's Mom
Olivia Hamilton - Bree (Gluten Free Girl)
John Hindman - Frank (Director)

Valerie Rae Miller - Amy Brandt
Christopher Michael Stevens - Malcolm
Keith Harris - Cole
Kaveh Rastegar - Tom
Tom Everett Scott - David
Camryn Ray Cavaliero - Mia's Daughter
Zoe Hall - Chelsea

Marius De Vries - Clyde (Pilot Director)

Crew

Writer/Director - Damien Chazelle
Executive Producer/Unit

Production Manager - Michael Beugg

Executive Producers -

Mike Jackson, Thad & Trent

Luckinbill, Jasmine McGlade,

Molly Smith, Qiuyun Long and

Ty Stikorius

Executive Producer/Writer/Performer:

"Start a Fire" - John Legend

Producers - Fred Berger, Gary Gilbert,
Jordan Horowitz and Marc Platt
Casting Directors - Deborah Aquila and
Tricia Wood

Production Designer - David Wasco

Art Director - Austin Gorg
Set Decorator - Sandy Reynolds-Wasco

Costume Designer - Mary Zophres

Director of Photography - Linus Sandgren

Location Manager - Robert Foulkes

First Assistant Director - Peter Kohn

Choreographer - Mandy Moore

Stunt Coordinator - Mark Kubr

Stunt Coordinators: Additional Photography -
Charles Croughwell and Jake Lombard

Special Effects Coordinator - Jeremy Hays

In-House Visual Effects Supervisor -

John L. Weckworth
Visual Effects Supervisors: Crafty Apes -

Chris & Tim LeDoux

Traditional Matte Painting - Rocco Gioffre

Matte Photography Supervisor - Ted Rae

Film Editor - Tom Cross

Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Designer/

Supervising Sound Editor - Ai-Ling Lee

Supervising Sound Editor - Mildred Iatrou

Production Sound Mixer - Steven Morrow

Re-Recording Mixer - Andy Nelson

Songs: Lyrics - Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Songs: Music/Score Composer and

Orchestrator - Justin Hurwitz

Additional Vocals/Executive Music Producer/

Writer: "Start a Fire" - Marius De Vries

Music Supervisor - Steven Gizicki

Review

A completely refreshing modern take on a musical that relives the vintage style of films like Gene Kelly's Singin' in the Rain. Very few people haven't seen LA LA LAND since it came out in 2016 - it is about to take home the Oscars for this year. The audiences are very attracted to Damien Chazelle's painstakingly jazz-themed musical after the director's success with the release of Whiplash. This film is a love story set in the present day, which ends in a bittersweet tone as the two dreamers become separated by the demands of showbiz. LA LA LAND was a sure-fire hit as most audiences were favourable to its passion, although some were unenthusiastic.

The film has bits of romantic comedy and melodrama with Chazelle's superb script and direction. There's a blend of beautiful music compositions, splendid cinematography and stunningly choreographed musical numbers, which were the showstoppers of this bonafide musical. I am surprised that actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have worked together in one other feature before LA LA LAND. The lead actors are perfect in their unique roles, particularly Stone, whose character, like herself, is an actress who dreams of living her life as a leading lady. Gosling was a man with many talents and emerged in a romantic lead role as a struggling jazz musician. In preparation for their roles, they undertook singing and piano lessons. The chemistry between these actors was very subtle but full of heart and sorrow.

You don't want to miss the film as many people are lined up in the cinemas to see it everywhere. LA LA LAND is ahead of its time as the best musical. If you want to see a musical, now is the time to experience the music and beat of this movie.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Lion Review

Lion

Release Date: 19th January 2017 - Australia 

Production Companies 

The Weinstein Company (presents)

Screen Australia (in association with)

See-Saw Films

Aquarius Films (in association with)

Sunstar Entertainment (in association with)

Narrative Capital (developed with the assistance of)

Distribution 

Transmission Films

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 118 minutes

Budget: $12,000,000

Box Office Gross: $140,312,928 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary 

Separated from his home and family, five-year-old Saroo gets lost on a train that will take him thousands of miles across India. Before Saroo gets adopted by an Australian couple, he must learn to survive alone in Calcutta. Twenty-five years later, he sets out to find his lost family and finally return to the place that he first called home, armed with only a few memories, his unshakable determination and the revolutionary technology of Google Earth.

Cast

Sunny Pawar - Young Saroo

Dev Patel - Saroo Brierly

Nicole Kidman - Sue Brierly

Rooney Mara - Lucy 

David Wenham - John Brierly

Abhishek Bharate - Guddu 

Priyanka Bose - Kamia

Khuski Solanki - Young Shekila 

Shankar Nisode - Shankar

Tannishtha Chatterjee - Noor

Nawazuddin Siddiqui - Rama

Riddhi Sen - Café Man

Rita Roy - Amita 

Surojit Das - Shonedeep/
Haunted Boy

Deepti Naval - Mrs. Sood

Menik Gooneratne - Swarmina 

Keshav Jedhav - Young Mantosh

Divian Ladwa - Mantosh Brierly

Todd Sampson - Provost

Pallavi Sharda - Prama 

Sachin Joab - Bharat

Arka Das - Sami

Emille Cocquerel - Annika
Rohini Kargaiya - Shekila

Crew

Director - Garth Davis

Adapted from the Book "A Long Way From Home" - Saroo Brierly

Screenplay - Luke Davies

Executive Producers - Andrew Fraser, David Glasser, Daniel Levin, Shahen Mekertichain and Bob & Harvey Weinstein 

Producers - Iain Channing, Angie Fielder and Emile Sherman

Casting Director - Kirsty McGregor

Production Designer - Chris Kennedy

Art Director: Australia - Janie Parker

Art Director: India - Ravi Srivastava

Set Decorator: Australia - Nicki Gardiner

Set Decorator: India - Seema Kashyap

Costume Designer - Cappi Ireland

Makeup Supervisor - Zeljika Stanin

Director of Photography - Greig Fraser

First Assistant Director - Chris Webb

Visual Effects Supervisor - Julian Dimsey

Editor - Alexandre de Francheschi

First Assistant/VFX Editor - Maria Papoustis

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer/

Re-Recording Mixer - Robert Mackenzie

Re-Recording Mixer - Steve Burgess

Music - Volker Bertelmann and
Dustin O'Halloran

Review

A moving biopic of a young boy's struggle to survive in India before being adopted, which leads to his uplifting journey as an adult to locate his lost family, seemed meaningful and surprising for an Oscar-worthy contender. The movie's first half reduces me to tears with its heart-wrenching scenes. It feels like watching An American Tail all over again. Thankfully, it shifted from its depression to the backbone of its inspirational and heartwarming drama.

Sunny Pawar and Dev Patel both nail their performances as the young and adult Saroo, with the first for his youthful optimism and Patel with self-dignity and reliance. I would have been proud to see both actors share the Best Actor nomination instead of Patel being named Best Supporting Actor. Aussie legend Nicole Kidman joins the cast as Saroo's adoptive and supporting mother. Her character is well-acted and gives credibility to the story.

It was worthwhile to see a film that wasn't as revolutionary as some believed. It stands as one of the great dramas I have reviewed. If you have no feelings about this feature, you have no soul.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army Review

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Release Date: 28th August 2008 - Australia

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

Relativity Media (in association with)

Dark Horse Entertainment (in association with)

Lawrence Gordon Productions
International Filmproduktion Eagle
Mid Atlantic Films

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 115 minutes


Budget: $85,000,000

Box Office Gross: $160,388,063
(Worldwide)

Plot Summary

The fate of mankind hangs in the balance when a ruthless prince awakens an unstoppable army of creatures and wages war with the human world. It's up to Hellboy and his team of paranormal outcasts to face off with the forces of darkness in the ultimate battle of good versus evil!

Cast

Ron Perlman - Hellboy

Selma Blair - Liz Sherman

Jeffrey Tambor - Tom Manning

Doug Jones - Abe Sapien/
Chamberlain/Angel of Death
John Alexander - Johann 
Krauss/Bethmoora Goblin
James Dodd - Johann Krauss

Seth MacFarlane - Johann 
Krauss (Voice)
Luke Goss - Prince Nuada 
Anna Walton - Princess Nuala

John Hurt - Trevor "Broom" 
Bruttenholm
Brian Steele - Wink/Various
Andrew Hefler - Agent Flint
Ivan Kamaras - Agent Steel
Mike Kelly - Agent Marble
Monse Ribe - Young Hellboy
Roy Dotrice - King Balor 
Jimmy Kimmel - Himself 
(Cameo)

Crew

Story/Screenplay/Director -
Guillermo del Toro

Based on Dark Horse Comic 

"Hellboy"/Story/Co-Executive
Producer/Visual Consultant -
Mike Mignola

Executive Producer - Chris Symes

Producers - Lawrence Gordon, Mike Richardson and Lloyd Levin
Co-Producer - John Swallow

Production Designer - Stephen Scott
Supervising Art Director - 
Peter Francis 
Set Decorators - Elli Griff 
and Zsuzsa Milhalek

Costume Designer - Sammy 
Sheldon

Creature and Makeup Effects 
Designer - Mike Elizalde

Director of Photography - Guillermo Navaro
Stunt Coordinator - Bradley James Allan 
Action Choreographer - Man-Ching Chan
Special Effects Coordinators - Csaba Bagossy 
and Jess Lewington
Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Dimmer
Key Animatronic Designer/Puppeteer - Mark Setrakian
Visual Effects Supervisors - Mike Wassel, 
Jeppe N. Christensen and Huseyin Caner
Visual Effects Producers: Double Negative - 
Moriah Etherington-Sparks, Steve Garrad and 
Andy Taylor
Visual Effects Consultant - Christopher Cram
Digital Effects Supervisors: Double Negative - Adrian De Wet  
and Andrew Chapman
Animation Director - Stefan Pruss
Animation Supervisor - Anders J.L. Beer
Animation Supervisor: Double Negative - Eamonn Butler

Film Editor - Bernat Vilaplana

Music - Danny Elfman


Awards

2009 Academy Awards
Best Makeup - Mike Elizade and Thomas Floutz (Nominated) 

Review

The supernatural phenomenon of 'Hellboy' has a change of atmosphere with the sequel 'THE GOLDEN ARMY' going straight to fantasy-based than dark and gothic like the first 'Hellboy' instalment. Guillermo del Toro has reprised his creative control of 'Hellboy' as the director in the sequel through his newfound prestige with the success of his foreign-language dark fantasy 'Pan's Labyrinth'. Though 'THE GOLDEN ARMY' is almost alike to the first hit in varying degrees while keeping the frenetic pace of the fun and action. It's almost as if Guillermo del Toro is directing a film where the title character crosses over with a fantasy world similar to his previous art movie.

The story isn't as strong as the original, though it picks up soon after the first movie ended. Ron Perlman still has the acting chops for his renowned performance of Hellboy as some of the original cast reprised their roles in the 'GOLDEN ARMY'. Actor/animator Seth MacFarlane is surprisingly added as the voice of Johann Krauss, the team's ghostly and masked strategist and leader. The visuals remained intact, but are improved in so much when the effects team began to realise the quality that was used in the original film.

That being said, 'HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY' is indeed a great feature and instalment and is certainly worth keeping the expectations from many audiences it pleases. This movie is a must-see for comic book fans and viewers alike who have yet to see both original and 'THE GOLDEN ARMY' back-to-back.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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