The Great Gatsby (Dir: Baz Luhrman. 2013)

Summary: A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbour. 

Oh my this was beautiful, so painfully beautiful; the sets, the costumes, the lighting, the soundtrack and Leo, oh Leo you are beautiful I am sorry I ever forgot. I remember studying The Great Gatsby at school and being bored out of my mind watching the Robert Redford version, this on the other hand was riveting and I hope this hits as many classrooms as possible.
DiCaprio's Gatsby is truly charming, charismatic and heartbreaking, Mulligan is confused &lost and MacGuire was surprisingly non annoying. Well done Baz Luhrmann, you totally re-captured the spark of Romeo and Juliet.
When I read this years nominations I was really annoyed DiCaprio didn't get an acting nomination for this, I know I haven't seen The Wolf of Wall Street yet but I find it hard to believe it can top this. I can't really say much more but this is brilliant and is the only film from last year I must own on Bluray for the simple reason that I need to see all the extras!

Overall - Watch this, it's fantastic and will make you feel like that teenage girl with Leo posters all over your bedroom wall all over again! 9/10

2014 Nominations (Selected)
Academy Awards
Nominated Best Achievement in Costume Design & Best Achievement in Production Design

BAFTA Awards
Nominated Best Production Design, Best Make Up/Hair & Best Costume Design

Australian Film Institute
Nominated Best Sound, Best Lead Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Film, Best Direction, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Lead Actress: Carey Mulligan, Best Supporting Actor: Joel Edgerton, Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Debicki, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Supporting Actress: Isla Fisher, Best Production Design & Best Costume Design

People's Choice Awards
Nominated Favorite Dramatic Movie

Satellite Awards
Nominated Best Original Song, Best Art Direction & Production Design & Best Costume Design

Behind the Candelabra (Dir: Steven Soderbergh. 2013)

Summary: Based on the autobiographical novel, the tempestuous 6-year relationship between Liberace and his (much younger) lover, Scott Thorson, is recounted. 

I went into this in two minds; 1) Soderbergh hasn't made a good film since Traffic and 2) Why am I paying money to see a made for TV movie about an entertainer I know nothing about? Neither of these thought was filling me with joy as I bought my ticket but the one thing, well person, who had swayed me into watching with was Matt Damon. Yes I know you are all now saying his name out loud in the Team America voice but I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw a bad film with Matt Damon in.

Anyway back to the film. The casting is truely inspired, I mean who would have thought Micheal Douglas could do camp! Also Douglas' eyebrows (so shaped and high) really do help you forget that he was Gordon Gecko. Other real casting gems; Scott Bakula as the ex-lover, Dan Ackroyd as the manager, that guy from 30 Rock whos not really in it much and I never remember the name of (I looked it up he's called Cheyenne Jackson) and Rob Lowe who is awesome.

I loved that the relationships develop slowly over a period of years so that the film doesn't feel rushed. You feel like to see a full representation of the characters warts and all, and although you see the drama coming it feels like you are in on the secret and it didn't really bother me. I also appreciated the way I felt my loyalities shifted from the beginning to the end, do you root for a happy ending for Lee (Douglas) or Scott (Damon)? Are either of them likeable? Is this Damon's Boogie Nights? I just don't know but what I do know is that it made me smile.

Overall - Lots of sniggery moments 7/10

2014 Nominations (selected)

Golden Globe
Won Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television& Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television: Michael Douglas
Nominated Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television: Matt Damon & Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Rob Lowe

BAFTA Awards
Nominated Best Adapted Screenplay,Best Supporting Actor: Matt Damon, Best Production Design, Best Make Up/Hair & Best Costume Design

Screen Actors Guild Awards
Won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Michael Douglas
Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Matt Damon

Directors Guild of America
Nominated Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series

London Critics Circle Film Awards
Nominated Actor of the Year: Michael Douglas & Technical Achievement of the Year

People's Choice Awards
Nominated Favorite TV Movie/Miniseries

Satellite Awards 2014
Nominated Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: Matt Damon & Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: Michael Douglas

Seven Psychopaths (Dir - Martin McDonagh 2012)

Summary: A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu. 

Sometimes it's ok for a film to do exactly what is says on the tin. Walken is Walken, Rockwell was Rockwell, Farrell was Farrell and Harrelson was Harrelson and you know what? It was great. The summary above covers pretty much the whole plot, there are twists but they are abit predictable but there are enough giggles to see you through.
This film isn't breaking any boundaries or bringing anything new to the table but I thought it was really enjoyable.

Overall: Good comedy/rubbish triller 7/10

Silver Linings Playbook (Dir - David O. Russell 2012)

Summary: After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.

Ooo I love a rom-com, it's like my shameful little secret and if I have a girlie cry all the better. Silver Linings is a lovely quirky story in the same vein as Juno and I thought it was honestly charming.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawerence are great and I really enjoyed the supporting cast. I laughed, I cried and I got angry which is all I want from a rom-com but it did get a little Strictly Ballroom towards the end. I also must point out that the only big problem I had with this was De Niro playing an Irish American with a Itailian American accent, I know I'm nitpicking.

Overall: Russell you have redeemed yourself for the awfulness of The Fighter 8/10

Life of Pi (Dir - Ang Lee 2012)

Summary: A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor ... a fearsome Bengal tiger. 

Well this was just not my cup of tea and know lots of people who have seen this and enjoyed it but it wasn't for me. I enjoyed the first part before the boat journey, I thought it was setting up to be a really interesting bio pic exploring religion but it just turning into a weird unbelievable fastasy.
I didn't like the cgi, everything just seemed too hyper really/over the top and lets face it the tiger would have just eaten him.

Overall: Maybe it would have been better if he had been eaten by the tiger 6/10

Les Misérables (Dir - Tom Hooper 2012)

Summary: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.

I am under strict instructions from one of my work colleagues not to give Les Mis a bad review (she has been listening to the soundtrack on repeat for a month now), well I'm not sure if this is going to be a bad review but it will be honest.

I'll start by confessing that I love musicals, Singing in the Rain and The Wizard of Oz are 2 of my favourite all time films and I admit I was obsessed with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Summer Holiday as a child. I was not put off by all the lines in Les Mis being sung but it is a little strange to begin with as I was familiar with a musical style where conversations build up to a song rather than the lines flowing directly into song. I think the easiest way to review Les Mis is in a pros and cons list because otherwise it will take too long to write.

Cons
Russell Crows Singing.
Why is Ann Hathaway nominated for so many awards when she is only in 30 minutes of the film?
It's too long.
The film is just general film award fodder.
For some reason after watching this I had the La Resistance song from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKvdlSLbrCostuck) in my head for days.

Pros
Hugh Jackman (Seriously amazing)
Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen

Overall: This score is all for Hugh Jackman - 7/10

Beasts of the Southern Wild (Dir - Benh Zeitlin. 2012)

Summary: Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.

Does anyone else know this feeling; you're watching a film and you know it's good and you want to like it but you just don't? Well this is my feelings on Beasts of the Southern Wild. The acting is good, the set perfectly fitting, the story intriguing and the directing fine but it just couldn't hold my attention. It reminded my in parts to Where the Wild Things Are although with a greater grounding in reality and there is nothing wrong with it, it just wasn't for me. I don't really have anything more to say about it.

Overall: just abit meh in my opinion but everyone else seems to like it 5/10