Year in Review: Terry's Top 10 Films of 2013

For yet another year, it takes me halfway through the following year to publish my top 10 list of the year before.  I blame my busy schedule.  I could put out my list a little earlier, but I don't feel right about settling on a top 10 list without at least seeing all the Best Picture nominees.  Sometimes I get grief for fixating a little too much on the Best Picture nominees, especially last year when eight of the nine nominees found their way into my top ten.  (That is not the case this year.)  There are still many top films from 2013 I haven't seen (viewed only 70% of Todd's Top 10, 40% of Zach's Top 10), but if I wait to see them all you will never see my list.

Last year was a fairly strong year in film with many great films coming from many different genres.  In my top 10 alone (which only contains five Best Picture nominees this year, thank you very much), there are heart-warming inspirational stories, fun family films, dark psychological thrillers, intense sci-fi visual effects masterpieces, and futuristic ground-breaking original stories.  However, what ruled this year for me was the "based on a true story" genre.  Hollywood seemed to really take the perspective of Jack's future father-in-law to heart in that there are so many great non-fiction stories out there, why waste your time with fiction.  Half of the films on my top ten list (and one honorable mention) are based on true stories.  Whether it be a story focused on a high-profile public icon or an average guy faced with an impossible situation, Hollywood truly found some powerful stories and the real life people that made them possible.

Films seen: 46
"Thumbs Up" Percentage: 67%
Best Actor: Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Actress: Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks
Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Supporting Actress: June Squibb - Nebraska
Breakout Performances: Michael B. Jordan - Fruitvale Station, Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
Most Overrated: American Hustle
Most Underrated: Side Effects
Biggest Surprise: The World's End
Biggest Disappointment: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Bottom Five: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, About 111 Girls, The Wolverine, Oz the Great and Powerful, Now You See Me

Top 10 List

Honorable Mention: Rush, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska

10.  Before Midnight (dir. by Richard Linklater)

I am a recent fan of this series, but I can't help but be fascinated by the story of Jesse and Celine, portrayed by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.  We get a window into their relationship together every 9 years with this being the third installment.  I will say it was the weakest of the three "Before" films so far as it, for the first time, I felt produced some less than genuine, authentic moments.  However, this is being very picky as we should be allowed to be when it comes to such a beautiful and original franchise as this.  Once again the film is driven by wonderfully rich dialogue that truly allows us to see into these characters souls and, in this one especially, see how they have changed since they first met 18 years ago.  I hope we get the fourth installment in 2022.

9.  Her (dir. by Spike Jonze)

Every now and then a film comes along that is so original and groundbreaking in its premise that it's just fun to experience it.  Ever rarer are the times when these groundbreaking stories are so well executed that they become one of the best films of that year.  It's the difference between Synecdoche, New York and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Her belongs in that second category.  Looking ahead to, I'm sure, the not-too-distant future, it tells the story of a man falling in love with his computer that is designed to think and have a full range of emotions.  Joaquin Phoenix gives a brilliant performance as he appears to be talking to himself the majority of the time, but Scarlett Johansson makes the film work as she brings Samantha to life in a way that you forget you are watching a man interact with a computer.  It simply turns into one of the most unique love stories you will ever see.

8.  Philomena (dir. by Stephen Frears)

In the first of the true stories to come across my list, we have the tale of a sweet, endearing old Irish lady and a smug, sarcastic, self-righteous British reporter (basically, the perfect stereotype of a British reporter).  Martin Sixsmith (News at 10) has decided to write a human interest story about Philomena Lee who is looking for her son that was taken from her as a toddler.  Going into this movie, I thought I had a grasp on what it was going to be.  It really was so much more than I thought.  It really surprised me in its depth and emotion.  Judi Dench once again shows why she is one of the most decorated actresses of the last 20 years, but the real revelation was Steve Coogan.  Up until now, when I thought of Steve Coogan, I thought of things like Tropic Thunder and singing "Rock Me, Sexy Jesus" in Hamlet 2.  In this film, he reinvents himself and shows what he is truly capable of, both in his acting and screenwriting.  It is one of those films you never get tired of seeing.

7.  Fruitvale Station (dir. by Ryan Coogler)

With the second true story of the top ten comes one of the independent darlings of the year.  This film tells of the last 24 hours in the life of Oscar Grant, a young Oakland man wrongfully gunned down by law enforcement officers.  Of all the characters created in 2013, Oscar might be the most well-rounded and complete of them all.  Michael B. Jordan brilliantly brings to life the spirit of Oscar, a young troubled ma trying to do what is right but often falling short.  It is a tragic story that breaks your heart knowing the eventual outcome and seeing the life that wasn't able to play its course.  Soon after it starts, you forget you are watching a drama with actors and start to think of it as a documentary with archival footage, which is the best a film like this can hope for.

6.  Saving Mr. Banks (dir. by John Lee Hancock)

In what became possibly the best feel-good movie of the year, we have the third true story of the top ten.  This tells the story of Walt Disney's attempts to woo author P.L. Travers to let him make her beloved Mary Poppins into a movie.  As we watch the struggle and debate progress, we also see why Travers holds this story so tightly as we learn about her childhood and the story of her father.  Emma Thompson is spot-on perfect as the tight-lipped, highly skeptical Travers, and Tom Hanks brings Walt Disney back to life in a way few others could.  This is one of those films that makes you laugh, makes you cry, and finds you finishing the movie with a smile on your face and the warm and fuzzies in your heart.  It's another film that I can't get enough of.

5.  Frozen (dir. by Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee)

This is not a true story (however it would be cool if Olaf were real).  Following the film about Walt Disney, we have a Disney animated film.  More times than not recently, an animated film has been making it into my top ten.  Usually it is the Pixar installment of the year, but Monsters University didn't quite reach the heights of the original.  Instead we have a return to old-school Disney with this movie musical that is the best Disney has put out since the days of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.  Frozen is different though.  It has the feel of a classic Disney film with the princesses and the beautiful original music, but as the movie goes on you realize it is less about the princesses finding their Prince Charming and more about them finding each other.  It has all the magic that you expect out of one of Disney's best efforts and songs that you can't help but hum for days (or months) after.  It is a film that is impossible to not like and easy to love.

4.  Side Effects (dir. by Stephen Soderbergh)

With one of the biggest surprises of the year comes this very underrated film.  I'm always a sucker for a good psychological thriller; one that loops a story around to the point that you are constantly questioning what is real and what isn't until the final twist at the end that makes sense (or doesn't) of the last two hours.  The best in this category 2013 had to offer was Side Effects, the story of a young woman who is dealing with some life-altering side effects to her psychiatric medication.  As if The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo didn't prove enough just how talented and diverse of an actor Rooney Mara is, she proves it once again with this brilliant performance.  It's one of those films that forces you to say at the end, "Stop!  Rewind that!" because you want to experience the whole film again knowing how it all ends up just so you can make sense of it all.  Also, when a film is made with a good Jude Law performance, well that is an accomplishment in itself.

3.  Captain Phillips (dir. by Paul Greengrass)

An average ordinary day, all of a sudden, becomes a life-threatening ordeal.  This is the story of Captain Phillips, as Tom Hanks portrays the titular character who has his freighter ship boarded by Somali pirates.  This true story leaves you on the edge of your seat from start to finish as Paul Greengrass once again shows that he is the master of this type of film.  Much like he did in United 93, Greengrass finds unrecognizable young actors to portray his villains.  This time around, the leader of the group is played by Barkhad Abdi, who gives a truly landmark performance in his first acting role.  Much like how I described Fruitvale Station, this film forces you to forget you are watching a dramatization.  It becomes real.  Tom Hanks gives one of his best performances as he subtly explores the full range of emotions this experience takes his character through.  Between Hanks, Abdi, and the dramatic story portrayed, it is a film you won't soon forget.

2.  Gravity (dir. by Alfonso Cuaron)

Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I went to the theatre one day to experience a double feature of Captain Phillips and Gravity.  I was so emotionally exhausted the rest of the day that I couldn't useless for anything else.  I love movies about space (Apollo 13 is my favorite movie of all time) which made this film even more anticipated than it already should have been.  In what became the most intense 91 minutes of the year, I sat on the edge of my seat with my jaw dropped as I watched George Clooney and Sandra Bullock find to stay alive after an unforeseen catastrophe strikes their spaceship.  The story is great, the performances are top notch, but the real story here is the amazing achievement of Cuaron's directing.  The visuals are beautiful and haunting at the same time.  It is a movie worth watching just to look at, but the story  and struggle of the main characters make it truly special.  Oh yeah, and it's in space!  I thought for sure this would be my top movie of the year.

1.  12 Years a Slave (dir. by Steve McQueen)

For the third year in a row, my top film of the year was the winner of the Best Picture Oscar.  It's good to know the Academy has been getting it right.  This is the true story of Solomon Northup, a 19th century Black man that is kidnapped from his home in the north and enslaved for 12 years.  It's a star-studded affair along the lines of Saving Private Ryan where every supporting character is played by a recognizable face.  Like I said, it was going to take something special for Gravity to not be my top movie of 2013, and this was that good.  The moving and inspiring story portrayed is one of the most powerful stories put to film in recent years.  Every performance is spot on, from Chiwetel Ejiofor's Solomon to slavemasters Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Fassbender to fellow slave Lupita Nyong'o, and help bring to life the incredible vision of director Steve McQueen.  This is a movie that will be remembered for years to come as a film that brought an era to life much like Schindler's List brought the Holocaust to life.  This movie will go down as a landmark achievement as one of the greatest and most important movies of our generation.

So there's my top 10 list.  Hopefully, my top 10 list of 2014 can come out before we are too far into 2015...

SNL 39.21 Review - Andy Samberg, St. Vincent

Original Airdate - 5/17/14

This has been a season unlike many others in recent memory for Saturday Night Live.  Most of the cast members considered the show's "stars" have left in the last few seasons, and the show went scrambling to discover its next set of leaders.  As always, the season finale is a star-studded event, and this time it seemed like most of the stars were the ones that created this season of newbies.  You start with first-time host Andy Samberg, whose digital shorts introduced a new generation to SNL during his time as a cast member.  Added to the mix were recent departures Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Fred Armisen among several other surprises.  They obviously decided to make this season finale a sort of family reunion.  It led to a funny episode at times, and in a strange way, showed that the show's new cast is handling this landmark American franchise well.

Cold Opening

As always, the cold opening addresses a recent bit of current events.  This time around we have a recent bit of security footage released of Jay-Z getting in a little spat with sister-in-law Solange Knowles.  Any excuse for Jay Pharaoh to give one of his signature impressions makes the sketch worth it, but it also once again showed off a bright spot of the second half of the season in Sasheer Zamata.  Just when you thought the sketch had run its course, in comes the first surprise of the night in the woman whose shoes Zamata is trying to fill, Maya Rudolph as Beyonce.  This took the sketch to a whole new level as Rudolph shows once again why she is one of the greatest cast members of all time.

Monologue

My question coming into this episode is how Andy Samberg would do being the focal point for an episode.  As a cast member, he shined in little bit parts and his digital shorts.  He rarely was ever featured in a live sketch.  How would he do?  Well, apparently this was Andy Samberg's concern as well as he made light of that fact during his monologue.  How will he carry the show?  We truly start to understand that the answer to this question will be ... with a little help from his friends.  Cameo #2 came from Seth Meyers, who moved on earlier in the season but just moved down the hall to his Late Night set.  He comes on to help Samberg try to break a record for impressions currently held by his buddy Bill Hader.  He needs 23 impressions to set the record so in a lightning speed round, he rattles off enough to eclipse the record.  Well you knew Bill Hader would have something to say about that, which he did as he made his first appearance on the show since leaving last season.  This sure set the stage for the finale and also informed us of one piece of depressing news.  Justin Timberlake was on tour in Russia and wouldn't be showing up.  Sad, but he did leave Andy a message of encouragement.

Weekend Update

For some reason, seeing Colin and Cecily wrap up the season at the Weekend Update desk validated their roles as anchors.  They had arrived and officially etched their place in the show's history.  For this final episode, there were two repeat guests coming to the Update desk, one was an obvious choice and one was an odd one.  Both worked perfectly though.  The first guest was one that showed up for the first time in the first episode of the season: Kyle Mooney's New York comic Bruce Chandling.  The crux of the sketch is Chandling is a failed comedian for a reason: he's not funny.  The first time around, nobody got it.  The audience didn't know how to take it, and I didn't know how to take it either.  An entire season has passed since that first failed bit, and more importantly we have had a season to get to know Kyle's different style of humor.  I believe this was the main thing that changed this time around.  Everything that didn't work the first time was hilarious this time.  This character is just ridiculously awkward, and now that we get that this is the point of most of Mooney's comedy, this sketch was very well received.

The second guest was an obvious choice.  With Samberg hosting, we had to go "In the Cage" as Andy busts out his iconic Nicolas Cage impression.  His guest was yet another cameo, this time from Paul Rudd.  These sketches are almost all the same as they mock Cage's bizarre mannerisms, choice of films, and just different way of going about life.  Samberg is silly enough to highlight these quirks perfectly which makes them work every time.

Best Sketch

The sketches on the whole were fairly average, but there were two that really shined above the rest.  First came a sketch about summer camp that featured Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant as kid troublemakers at Camp Wicawabe.  Samberg plays an older camper that wreaks havoc on the camp at a level that the girls don't even understand.  Then comes Kyle Mooney as their 6 year old assistant with a xylophone and a great spot on little kid speech impediment.  Maybe it's being a teacher, but there was something about this sketch that just made me laugh.

The second sketch was one of the more anticipated sketches of the season.  What kind of digital short (or shorts) would Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island crew bring to his debut hosting gig?  He brought two shorts, the first of which was the better of the two.  Samberg plays a world famous DJ leading a concert by hitting buttons on his panel.  The suspense builds as the song asks the question, "When will the bass drop?"  No one quite expected the craziness that commenced when it finally did drop.  This wasn't the best the Lonely Island crew has produced, but it was a welcome return.

Worst Sketch

Like I said, one of the questions coming into the episode was how well will Andy Samberg carry the average sketches on his own.  The answer was, when he wasn't helped by his buddies, not well.  This is the perfect example.  Here he plays a confident hunchback as he wanders the bars hitting on women.  That's really all there is to it.  Doesn't sound that funny?  There's a reason, it wasn't.

Dark Horse Sketch

Some of the best dark horse sketches of the season came from classic dark horse sketches coming back from past seasons with former cast members returning.  This is a perfect example as we got to see the return of the Vogelchecks.  All the former cast members on set popped out with Taran Killam, the closest thing to a star left on the cast, to display the over-affectionate family that loves to kiss each other.  It's a classic sketch of waiting for the cast members to break.  The out-of-practice cast alums broke a lot which added to the hilarity.

Grade

What was needed to make Andy Samberg a successful host made this a great season finale.  The cameos are a welcome sight, but seeing this many former cast members show up add the nostalgia that make for a great final episode of the year.  (It seemed like the only non-star was the musical guest who I had never heard of before.)  However, also seeing the former cast members mingle with the current cast members really validated, in my mind, everything the current cast has accomplished this season.  Many people have criticized this season as not being as funny as the past seasons or the so-called "glory days" of SNL.  I think people confuse different for funny.  This cast, 8 of which made their debuts this season, has some great potential moving forward.  This wasn't the best episode of the season, but it was a fitting finish.

***B+***

View the full episode here:

SNL 39.20 Review - Charlize Theron, The Black Keys

Original Airdate - 5/10/14

I find it interesting when hosts take 10 years or so to make it back to Saturday Night Live to host again.  What takes them so long?  Are they too busy?  Are they not as popular as before?  Were they not a good host but are too popular and famous to not give another shot eventually?  I don't know.  This has happened a few times during this season.  Bruce Willis hosted for the first time in 24 years this season, and John Goodman took 12 years to get in his 13th hosting gig.  This brought another former host out of the archives.  Charlize Theron had not hosted since her debut in 2000.  I don't know how that first time went, but I really don't think of comedy when I think of the woman who won an Oscar for Monster.  However, recently there have been some signs of comedy in her career with Young Adult and this year's A Million Ways to Die in the West.  If you want to improve your standing in comedies, Seth MacFarlane isn't a bad way to accomplish that.  Anyways, this episode seemed justified, however she also shows that comedy does not necessarily come naturally to her.

Cold Opening

One of the reasons everyone was excited for Sasheer Zamata to join the Saturday Night Live cast is they could now have a Michelle Obama impersonator in house without having to wait for a black woman (like Kerry Washington) to host or Maya Rudolph to visit.  This was finally the time to debut her impression, along with the debut of Vanessa Bayer's Hilary Clinton, who apparently won the audition that took place live earlier in the season.  This sketch was fairly funny as the awkwardness between these two strong women was apparent.  You could tell there is a lot more exploring that needs to be done with these characters that, it appears, they will have a chance to do over the next few seasons leading up to the end of Obama's presidency and a possible Hilary Clinton presidential campaign.  Either way, it was a successful debut for both of them.

Monologue

This was one of my least favorite monologues of the year.  It was just kind of painful.  You know when you have to start out your premise by saying, "Remember back 14 years ago when I was here last..." it's not a strong bit.  On top of that, the premise is looking at the fact that she thought she could sing, but she can't.  So they sing a song about it.  It was fairly stupid and not a strong start for Charlize.

Weekend Update

Just because the episode started off slow doesn't mean it didn't have some high points.  On Weekend Update, history was made.  Since the first season of SNL, a favorite target for the show has been Barbara Walters.  From Gilda Radner's "Baba Wawa" to Cheri Oteri's hilarious caricature, Walters has been as much of a fixture on the show as she has been in American culture over the last 40 years.  Her recent announcement that she would soon be retiring led to Barbara Walters's first actual appearance on the show.  Her sketch wasn't extremely funny as you started to see why it is time for her to walk away from public life, but the historical significance of the appearance was not lost on me and made it one of the greatest moments of this season.

Coming down the home stretch of the season, it is important to see the favorites make one last appearance before the summer.  Enter Drunk Uncle in his first appearance with Colin instead of Seth.  Donning a graduation cap, Drunk Uncle rants on the problems with schools, as well as his usual babble.  What can I say?  It's funny every time.

Best Sketch

This was one of the funniest sketches of the season that wasn't a retread or a digital short.  Airing the night before Mother's Day, we have a Mother's Day game show featuring a mom asking her kids questions like, "Who's that guy I like?"  Each question is great, with each answer greater.  Everyone plays their parts perfect as everyone knows a mom that would say that, or the dad that avoids feelings, or the troubled neighbor that is always hanging around.  I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Worst Sketch

There were some fun sketches, but there were definitely our fair share of clunkers too.  Like I said, there were moments when you realized Charlize Theron wasn't in her natural element.  One of those moments was combined with one of my least favorite characters of the season inexplicably getting a second chance.  Heshy is a Middle Eastern ineffective motivational speaker that gives low budget productions that are supposed to be funny with the help of her son and an assistant.  Once again, the funniest part of the sketch is the guest assistant (last time it was Kerry Washington).  The problem is Heshy just isn't funny.  More times than not Nasim Pedrad creates characters that just don't work, and this is the perfect example.

Dark Horse Sketch

There were some weird sketches in this episode that really worked in a lot of ways.  Two of them are sharing this title.  First, we have a very bizarre sketch about two women helping get some kitties adopted.  The characters in this sketch are what make it awkwardly hilarious as Kate McKinnon and Charlize Theron have fun with this one.

The second Dark Horse Sketch is the latest Kyle Mooney creation.  He has such a bizarre and original brand of comedy that comes out in these closing time sketches.  This time Kyle, along with some friends, hit the streets disguised as foreigners asking random people on the street for help.  Every time he has been able to take advantage of unsuspecting bystanders, it has led to some great sketches.  This is no different.  The highlight is Charlize Theron in a fat suit asking for someone to take a picture.

Grade

This was a very interesting episode with great peaks and valleys.  When it was good, it was some of the best the season had to offer.  When it was bad, it was some of the worst of the season.  Like I have said, there were some moments Charlize Theron really seemed to be out of her element, but her overall acting talent is still able to shine through at times and show she could really do anything (except Heshy ... no one can make Heshy work...).

***B-***

View the full episode here:

SNL 39.19 Review - Andrew Garfield, Coldplay

Original Airdate - 5/3/14

There have been some impressive debuts for SNL hosts this season, the most notable of which have been Lena Dunham and Anna Kendrick.  The latest to be added to the top-notch rookies this season is Peter Parker himself, Andrew Garfield (I still think of The Social Network when I think of him, but I digress).  For those who haven't followed Garfield's career, a successful turn on Saturday Night Live may have come as a surprise from the latest pretty boy to get a big franchise.  However, anyone who has seen films like The Social Network and Never Let Me Go and others knows that this is one of the most versatile and talented young actors in Hollywood today.  Oh yeah, and he's British!

Cold Opening

The biggest news story that week (that hasn't really gone away) was Donald Sterling and his unbelievable comments that ended up costing him his NBA team.  As is the case with anything this noteworthy, SNL has to give it's commentary.  Bobby Moynihan gives terrible impressions when it comes to voice and demeanor, but his lines definitely always capture the essence.  Here is no different as Bobby channels Donald Sterling to deliver some of the best one-liners of the season that are so blatantly offensive (yet you could hear it come out of Sterling's mouth) you just have to laugh.

Monologue

Like I said, this was Andrew Garfield's first hosting gig.  Some of the popular tactics for a rookie monologue are a song and dance, blatant references to what has made them famous, or guest cameos.  This one employed the last two of these, having one of the funniest women around (who happens to be his Spider-Man co-star), Emma Stone, come out and give him some tips on how to have a great show.  There wasn't much special from this, but it didn't suck as it got the show started in a solid way.

Weekend Update

This was a solid turn for Weekend Update as three guests stopped by the desk.  The first of these guests is becoming one of Kate McKinnon's best recurring characters, Olya Povlatsky.  This Russian stereotype stopped by to talk about the conflict in Ukraine and how miserable it is to be Russian.  It is so completely ridiculous that I think even the hardest Russians would find it comical.

The second guest was a first for this season, a writer made an appearance.  With the cast as big as it is, screen time has been quite competitive, however Leslie Jones, a recent writing addition, popped up to give her commentary on pop culture.  It was funny, however it was just odd to see a non-cast member, non-host, non-celebrity cameo make a featured appearance in a sketch.

The last guest of the episode has taken Stefon's place as the most popular Weekend Update guest, Jebidiah Atkinson.  This is his fourth appearance of the season, which is more than any other character or sketch.  There's a reason he keeps coming back though, he's hilarious.  Taran Killam is one of the best at keeping a straight face on the show, and his own lines consistently crack him up as Jebidiah takes on Broadway and the Tonys this time around.

Best Sketch

There were some great sketches in this episode.  An honorable mention for best sketch is Celebrity Family Feud where Andrew Garfield gives a brilliant impression of his Social Network co-star Justin Timberlake.  With that said, there are two sketches that are sharing this title.  First is one of the most original ideas of the season as Garfield is hunted down for uttering an unthinkable un-American statement: he doesn't like Beyonce.  Enter the Beygency, and a Jack Bauer cameo.

The other best sketch took the post-monologue commercial slot and became SNL's best commercial of the season.  Call me immature, but there is something wonderfully laughable about a good fart joke.  This is one giant fart commercial as they promote Stanx, an air-tight sealed underwear that hold in the unfortunate odors your body may produce.  Not only is the commercial perfect, but it also shows once again that Beck Bennett is the new Chris Parnell.

Worst Sketch

This sketch started out with potential.  Andrew Garfield was Oliver Twist getting up the courage to ask for some more food.  I was excited to see where this sketch could go, and then Cecily Strong came in with another stupidly annoying character much like she did in the previous episode.  These characters aren't funny and have ruined both sketches they have appeared in.  Cecily is one of the most talented women in that cast, but this does not showcase that talent at all.

Dark Horse Sketch

Well, if Emma Stone is going to drop by, why not use her in a sketch?  They decide to recreate a Spider-Man scene that ends with a dramatic kiss, but there is one problem.  Neither of them know how to kiss.  They come up with some ridiculous ideas of what kissing is until the expert comes to show them how it's done.  That expert is Coldplay's Chris Martin.  If the sketch wasn't silly enough, this set it over the edge.

Grade

Like Dunham and Kendrick before him, Andrew Garfield took his first turn as host and showed that he should be asked back soon.  He immediately fit right in and added a breath of fresh air to the episode.  Also, one of the things that makes him such a great movie star made him a great host: you can't take your eyes off him.  He is definitely a presence on screen that attracts the attention of the viewers.  Combine that with some of the most original writing of the season, and you have one of the top episodes of the year.

***A-***

View the full episode here:

Belle (2014) Review

Directed by 

Amma Asante 

  

            In Slant Magazine’s review of Belle, critic Tomas Hachard observes: “Like Solomon Northup, then, Dido is an exceptional case whose ‘good luck’ gives us perspective about the horrors of ‘normal life’ for black people at the time.”  This is a tacit criticism of Belle which essentially argues that because the titular central character – the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of a white Royal Navy captain and a black woman – inherits her deceased father’s healthy sum of money and is raised in an aristocratic household where she is treated as (almost) an equal, Belle is neither truthful nor historically responsible in its depiction of racial inequality in Britain in the late 18^th Century.

            This is an interesting criticism of Belle, particularly in light of the tremendous praise afforded toward 12 Years a Slave, which Hachard overtly references in his review.  Indeed, like Solomon Northup, Dido Elizabeth Belle was a real-life figure who was not born into slavery and spent most of her life in much more equitable and humane circumstances than what was typical for enslaved blacks particularly in the American South.  But according to Hachard, because Belle did not work on a plantation nor was she ever beaten into submission like Lupita Nyong’o’s Patsey, Belle somehow merits less consideration because it obfuscates the broader, atypical “truths” of captured blacks during the height of slavery.

            I use the word “interesting” carefully because Hachard has a point.  No doubt, Hollywood’s history of using white protagonists to “sanitize” mainstream audiences into what are essentially black narratives is deeply troubling (see Black Like Me, In the Heat of the Night and Glory).  Ignore too much of the cruelty and abuse toward blacks and a film becomes susceptible to (fair) criticisms of culturally conservative historical revisionism (see Mel Gibson in The Patriot).  But as defenders of Belle and 12 Years a Slave (and within slightly different contexts, Dances With Wolves and Schindler’s List) would argue, those films are not trying to encapsulate the totality of the black experience.  Indeed, one of the great strengths of Belle is how it shows that even when a black woman in Victorian England was able to deviate from the norm by being emancipated, affluent and treated equitably (at least compared to other blacks), she would still suffer as the result of systematic racism, sexism and elitism critical to the continuation of Victorian society. 

            The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Dido, who at a very young age is reluctantly taken in by her great-uncle, Lord William Murray, Earl of Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife, Lady Mansfield (Emily Watson).  Dido grows up alongside her blonde, blue-eyed cousin, Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon), but when the girls come of age, it is Dido is more sought after as a result of her late father’s inheritance and impressive dowry.  This serves as a reminder that romance and affection were rarely afforded in Victorian marriages; there is even an exchange toward the end of the film when Lady Mansfield informs her husband that had she not detected the glimmer in his eyes when he looked at her, she could not have survived the marriage. But for the most part, marriages were essentially economic transactions that, at best, could ensure families prestige and financial survival.

            Dido thus becomes engaged to the outwardly dignified Oliver Ashford (James Norton), who tries to ignore the fact that half of his fiancée’s ethnicity comes from “inferior” genetic roots and instead focuses on how Dido’s allowance can ensure economic survival for the Ashfords.  But Dido’s true affections are reserved for John Davinier (Sam Reid), the son of a vicar and aspiring barrister whose family name carries roughly no prestige (underpaid clergy must be a historically universal social phenomenon).  Davinier is an abolitionist who, like Dido, feels the sting of Victorian society because of his lack of income and political resistance to the “normative” practice of slavery.  Wary of these incompatibilities, Lord Mansfield forbids her from seeing Davinier and would prefer Dido to become overseer of the Mansfield estate (requiring her to remain unwed) rather than debutante. 

            Two outsiders defying their elders and society through hiding their love for each other?  If Belle isn’t the most original story in the world, it should be forgiven as a result of its frank discussion of race (such a rarity in historical dramas like this), as well as its portrayal of complex, ambivalent characters.  Consider Lord Mansfield for example.  A lesser film would have made him one of two extremes: Either a benevolent champion of racial equality or a malevolent monster.  Instead, a much more complicated portrait emerges in Belle – while he sees Dido as an equal, he also recognizes that aristocratic Victorian society is not ready to accept his niece as one of its own.  But he isn’t just the obligatory Concerned Parent: He also recognizes that as a result of no male heir, the future prospects for the Mansfield family name relies more heavily on Dido’s marriage than Elizabeth’s, who ironically cannot find a financially sustainable suitor.

            Another complicating factor for Mansfield is the major court case he has been charged to make a ruling on.  The case (based on the real-life Zong massacre in 1781) involves whether the slaughter of a human cargo onboard a slave ship justifies compensation by insurers; but for the purposes of Belle’s narrative, it essentially provides a convenient dramatic avenue for Lord Mansfield to either publically condone or condemn slavery.  In an odd way, this part of the movie feels a little like The Descendants – the patriarch must make the penultimate decision to stand by his beliefs or succumb to social pressure – and although Lord Mansfield’s deepest resolve is never really in doubt, the social conventions applied by aristocratic Victorian society (of whom Mansfield is a proud member) make his declaration less about slavery and more about upholding the bonds of class and status that historically united Victorian England.

            If Belle sounds like an episode of Downton Abbey directed by Oprah, there are admittedly times when the story feels predictable.  But frankly, novels and movies about Victorian society do not tend to vary that greatly – there is always the pomp and circumstance of balls and arranged marriages and some serious corsets.  True love is a luxury ill afforded by the conventions of marriage.  True opinions must be suppressed in order to secure favorable social and economic positioning.  Women must remain uninformed and subservient, at all costs.  These themes and tensions are consistent and even universal (they could apply to 1950s America too).  

The real strength of Belle is the way it shows how covert racism reared its ugly face even within supposedly “polite” Victorian society.  Sure, there were occasional blatantly racist individuals like Oliver’s vulgar younger brother James, who turns into Jason Alexander in Pretty Woman when he gets a moment alone with Dido.  But for the most part, we see that racism was carefully embedded within social decorum, which meant that although it was rarely ever explicitly acknowledged by the “enlightened” aristocracy, it nonetheless still existed.  There is a vivid illustration of this toward the end of the film, when a white character who we’ve assumed has carried mannerly attitudes toward Dido instead reveals her true prejudiced attitudes about Dido’s race.  In an unusual way, Belle demonstrates how open discussions of race in Victorian society paralleled the taboo nature of sexual desire – the further repressed they were, the longer the injustices and disillusionment of the society remained firmly entrenched.  

Rating: 3.5 stars

SNL 39.18 Review - Seth Rogen, Ed Sheeran

Original Airdate - 4/12/14

One of the trends that has developed throughout this season of Saturday Night Live is giving some of the industry's top comedic talents their third chance to host.  So far this year, we have had Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, and Melissa McCarthy.  Now joining the party is Seth Rogen.  When Rogen is involved, there are two things that are sure to come: gross-out humor and marijuana jokes.  Both appeared several times throughout the night.  However, just because it was expected didn't make it any less funny.

Cold Opening

In just a couple years, there will be another presidential election upon us.  One of the big questions leading up to that time is how will the Republicans make themselves more appealing to pop culture.  SNL has an answer to that question: send your party leaders to one of the biggest music festivals of the year.  This is what puts Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan, and Rand Paul at Coachella.  In the ultimate fish out of water scenario, about as much awkwardness that you are imagining can be found in this sketch.  I wouldn't call it a great sketch, but it is definitely a strong opening to the show.

Monologue

Seth Rogen comes out addressing a couple elephants in the room.  Would there be any pot jokes? Yes.  Would any of his crazy buddies show up?  Yes, and more.  He started by reading his diary entries from the week after saying that his first two turns as host were such a blur he wanted to remember this one.  Throughout his reading, as he is saying that he doesn't want any help with his monologue, slowly Zooey Deschanel, James Franco, and (quite randomly) Taylor Swift come out to assist.  Swift does have a great one-liner to cap off the bit.

Weekend Update

I am really starting to enjoy Weekend Update with Colin and Cecily.  There is an edge there that Seth Meyers had lost over his last couple years.  With their first featured guest, they bring out Big Papi, David Ortiz from the Boston Red Sox.  Kenan doesn't give great impressions, but more shoots for the essence of the character (or caricature many times).  This is a perfect example of that.

Next came one of my favorite characters they bring out.  Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy is always a welcome sight as he explains Jewish holidays in a half-speech, half-family roast.  This was the first time Jacob worked with Cecily instead of Seth, which was a seamless transition.

Best Sketch

There weren't really many sketches that soared above average in this episode.  This was one of them.  Two best friends are discussing whether or not to get a life-changing surgery ... because their monsters.  The surgery makes them look like humans.  The sketch was pretty hilarious as you discover who is behind those monsters.

Worst Sketch

There were definitely a few clunkers.  This sketch I just did not get, as it featured one of the few characters brought to us by Cecily Strong that disappointed.  At an engagement party for Seth Rogen and Vanessa Bayer, Cecily shows up as Seth's cousin and crudely brings up embarrassing moments in his past.  It just doesn't work, and you can kind of tell the stars know it too.

Dark Horse Sketch

I am really starting to fall in love with the Kyle Mooney random nightcap of the week.  It is really giving him a niche to make him memorable.  With 8 featured players this year, you know not all of them can make it to next year.  They aren't getting rid of Shasheer Zamata after the flack they got that led to her hiring, and Colin Jost and Mike O'Brien aren't going anywhere after they pulled them out of the writing room into the cast.  It's sketches like this that will keep Kyle Mooney and his best bud Beck Bennett around.  (Beck isn't featured here, but often is.)  This latest digital short celebrates Seth Rogen's favorite holiday: 4/20.  Kyle is a little too convincing as a stoner telling of the legends behind Pot Day.  This sketch was just beautifully weird.

Grade

I love Seth Rogen, but this episode really ended up a little too bland to be up to par for Seth.  Of the 3-timers, this episode is near the bottom of the list.  The best episode of the night didn't even involve your host.  With that said, there was still enough there to make this an enjoyable episode.  There were a lot of fun moments, but a year from now, this is one of the episodes from this season I don't remember existing.

***C+***

View the full episode here:

NFL Mock Draft 2014

The NFL Draft is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. Making a mock draft is sometimes pointless because the draft is so unpredictable (except when it is in the form of that stupid Kevin Costner movie). There are trades and horrible picks that throw a wrench into even an NFL Draft Insider’s mock drafts. One thing we do know…there will be a QB, DE, or OT drafted first overall. Last time that didn’t happen? 18 years ago, Keyshawn Johnson. This year will continue that trend rule. Check out my soon-to-be irrelevant mock draft below and see what I project your favorite team to take in the first round, as well as a draft wish list for my world champion Seattle Seahawks (never gets old calling them that).

1. Houston Texans – Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – He has been the consensus #1 pick since he did this. The Texans desperately need a quarterback, but they can get a totally solid NFL starter in the second round of this draft.

2. St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons – Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo – The Falcons are no stranger to trading up in the draft. This will likely be pretty expensive, but the team needs a linebacker. Mack is a future star in the league.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars – Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida – This would not be a really sexy pick at #3 for a team with a lot of holes, but UCF is only about 150 miles from Jacksonville, so I am sure there are a bunch of Bortles fans in the area. He could be the guy to take them to the top of that division, which is definitely winnable this year.

4. Cleveland Browns – Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – The Browns are constantly looking for something to make them relevant, so their fans will be clamoring for Manziel when they realize he is available here. This will be their third QB taken in the first round since 2007.

5. Oakland Raiders – Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson – He is one of the scariest deep threats to come into the draft in several years. The Raiders love taking the combine freaks, but this guy also happens to be the best fit for their team. They can get their QB of the future later in the draft.

6. Atlanta Falcons St. Louis Rams – Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn – It would be scary for the Rams to pick up a few more picks for trading down and still getting the surefire left tackle they have been searching for the past decade.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan – Lewan is one of the top linemen in the draft, and the Buccs, while filling some holes in free agency, still are thin on the O-Line.

8. Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins – Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M – The Vikings have had a bunch of first rounders in the past few years, so a trade down here will be welcomed, mainly because they won’t want another Ponder-ish reach for a QB here. The Dolphins were close last year to making a playoff run, and while they addressed their O-line needs with Brandon Albert, they will jump at the chance to groom his heir at RT.

9. Buffalo Bills – Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M – Evans is that huge wide-out that is impossible to guard. They are going to need him if they want to score against that beefed up Patriots secondary.

10. Detroit Lions – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama – The Lions are always in need of secondary help. Clinton-Dix is maybe the most talented one in this draft. Having a playmaker at that position can be a game changer for the annually tortured Lions D.

11. Tennessee Titans – Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State – With Alterraun Verner heading off to the Buccs, the Titans need to fill that gap. Gilbert is clearly the best corner in the draft, and picking him here makes so much sense that they probably won’t do it.

12. New York Giants – Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh – The Giants have several holes, but none more obvious that the defensive line. With the running games in that division, they need to beef up the interior. Donald was the best defensive player in the country as a senior.

13. St. Louis Rams Green Bay Packers – Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina – The Rams trade down again. With Jermichael Finley departing, the Packers are suddenly without their tight end of the future. Their receiving core has taken hits in the past couple years. Ebron will be a great addition to that offense.

14. Chicago Bears – CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama – Mosley was one of the consensus top defensive players in the nation each of the past two years. The Bears need help on defense, and their long-term answer at their most storied position ought to be chief among them.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers – Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State – The Steelers have some secondary holes, and if they want a shutdown corner, Dennard is as good as it gets in this draft. He won’t be the playmaker that Gilbert will be, but he will be able to be on an island against most offenses.

16. Dallas Cowboys – Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota – Doesn’t he already sound like a Cowboy D-Lineman? The guy is an absolute beast, and like the Giants, they need some run stuffers in that division.

17. Baltimore Ravens – Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia – With the departure of Blind Right Side Michael Oher, the Ravens need to shore up the right side of the line, as well as the center position. Take the right tackle early, take the center later.

18. New York Jets – Odell Beckham, WR, LSU – The Jets just signed Eric Decker, but if they want Geno Smith to really mature, they need to surround him with at least as much talent as he had at West Virginia. Beckham is dynamic, and would be a great player for them.

19. Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings – Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State – A lot of people are projecting Carr to go in the top 10, but once you get past Bortles and Manziel, the signal callers will start to drop. This is a much better spot for their QB of the future to get selected.

20. Arizona Cardinals – Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville – Put Pryor in a secondary with the likes of Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson, and the Cardinals might suddenly have the second best secondary in the division (and entire NFL).

21. Green Bay Packers St. Louis Rams – Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State – The envied tall athletic receiver finds his spot on a team that has loaded up on that position in the past few drafts. With Benjamin, Bailey, Givens, Quick, and Austin at the slot, we are suddenly looking at a dynamic passing offense, barring Sam Bradford injuries, of course.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA – Chip Kelly seems to love taking players he couldn’t get the best of in college, and this one would be no different. He is one of the most talented playmakers in the draft, and he is quite versatile. He is a perfect fit for that scheme.

23. Kansas City Chiefs – Xavier Su’a-Gilo, G, UCLA – He has been called the best guard prospect in several years, and the Chiefs are going to need to make up for losing some of their interior line to free agency. Seems like a rock solid fit.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame – Their offensive line is far from great, and the versatile Martin would be a perfect fit and mini-steal at this stage in the draft.

25. San Diego Chargers – Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State – After an underwhelming season, Roby falls way further than he expected to a year ago. The Chargers need corner help, especially being the same division as the Broncos.

26. Cleveland Browns – Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State – The Browns are going to need some weapons for Manziel, and they might as well start with the stat machine and most dependable receiver in the draft. Cooks would be their top guy from day one.

27. New Orleans Saints Oakland Raiders – Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – The Saints trade out of the pick since all of the first-round quality offensive linemen are gone. The Raiders take the nine-spot leap to get their new quarterback in training behind veteran Matt Schaub.

28. Carolina Panthers – Marqise Lee, WR, USC – With Steve Smith leaving town, they are going to need a new security blanket for Newton. Lee will be a stud from the moment he steps on the practice field…if he is motivated.

29. New England Patriots – Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame – An upgrade up front on defense will be a solid move for the Patriots. Their secondary seems to be in good hands now through free agency, they love drafting pass rushers, and now they can get one more run stuffer to secure that side of the ball.

30. San Francisco 49ers – Dee Ford, DE, Auburn – Defensive line depth never hurt anyone, especially with your prized possession DE getting arrested for acting like a terrorist at the airport. Ford would be a beast in that scheme.

31. Denver Broncos – Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU – He was one of the most dynamic linebackers in the nation two years ago, so he certainly has the talent to get taken in the first round. They spent a bunch of money on all defensive positions other than LB, so this seems like a great choice for the Super Bowl runner-up.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State – He is a furious pass rusher, and with Chris Clemons departing with the rest of Seattle’s free agents to Jacksonville, this seems like the biggest position of need for the team. It would be a mild reach, but they are not opposed to shaking it up in the first round.

Seattle Seahawks: Draft Suggestions/Wish List

Round 1, Pick 32 – Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State – The Hawks need a big bodied wide receiver who can make plays downfield and catch the ball in traffic. Robinson was the only weapon on Penn State, and he still dominated most games. Resigning Sidney Rice does not bode well for drafting a WR in round 1, but I can dream.

Round 2, Pick 64 – David Yankey, G, Stanford – Ever since we lost Steve Hutchinson, we have been searching for the long term answer at left guard. Yankey had a brilliant career in Palo Alto, and would be a slight reach, but we won’t have a chance to get him when we pick again in 68 picks. Best case scenario: we trade down into the beginning of the third to pick up a late round pick vacated by the Terrell Pryor deal, and select Yankey there.

Round 4, Pick 132 – Matt Patchan, OT, Boston College – With Breno Giacomini heading off to the Jets, there is a void at right tackle. We have a couple guys who can step up into that spot, but competition there will be great. Getting the left tackle who opened up holes for 2000 yard rusher Andre Williams seems like a dynamite choice in the 4^th round.

Round 5, Pick 146 – Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon – He may be a pain off the field, but he is incredibly versatile and would be an asset on our offense. He is an amazing athlete at the tight end position, and taking him could finally mean the end of Anthony McCoy in Seattle.

Round 5, Pick 172 – Trai Turner, G, LSU – He is a developmental guard, perfect for Tom Cable. He played in a pro-style offense in college, and coming out as a redshirt sophomore means that he has the confidence in himself to step up. He will not be asked to play this year, but having that O-line depth is always good.

Round 6, Pick 208 – Ciante Evans, CB, Nebraska – Losing Walter Thurmond leaves an opportunity to groom the next great slot corner. Having seen every game that Evans played in college, I can honestly say that he is one of the great shutdown nickel backs I have seen at the college level. He would be a steal at pick 208.

POTENTIAL UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS TO PURSUE

QB: Casey Pachall, TCU – He had his off the field issues, but he is a gamer. If he had remained clean throughout his college days, then he would be a draftable player. Bring him into camp and let him prove that he belongs in the league.

RB: Adam Muema, RB, San Diego State – Remember this? It was the strangest story of the combine, and even though he has since said he is done playing football, I am sure we can invite the nutcase to camp. It would be a very Carroll-ish thing to do.

WR: Alex Neutz, Buffalo – He had a very productive career for Buffalo, and he has great NFL size. He was really reliable in big games, and he was the only real receiving threat on the squad.

TE: Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin – He would be a nice fit for the Hawks. He is a lot like Zach Miller and Luke Willson, so adding a practice squad guy to wait in the wings would be beneficial.

DE: Jake Metz, Shippensburg – He has the right size, he was his small conference’s defensive player of the year, and recorded 11 sacks as a senior. We have hit on a few small school guys, so he would be worth the invite.

OLB: Kyler Elsworth, Michigan State – He had that amazing play at the end of the Rose Bowl, diving over the line on fourth down to win the game for the Spartans, he was on people’s radars. He wasn’t a combine invite, so he is going to have a chip on his shoulder, as he did throughout college. He is going to be motivated and has a good chance to make a roster somewhere.

S: Mycal Swaim, Eastern Michigan – 6’4’’ 212 pounds. He would fit right in on this team. Recently, we have basically been redshirting rookies, so placing him on the practice squad and learning play the position from Kam Chancellor would be ideal.

Thoughts? Comments? What do you want your team to go after in the draft?