The Oscar Project
This week we have a slew of animated features hitting theaters, some from the list of potential nominees I posted last week. The main attraction will of course be Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, but also keep an eye out for Ruben Brandt, Collector if it hits a theater near you.
Check out the post for the rest of the list of films hitting theaters this weekend.
Dr. Suess' The Grinch
At first I thought this film might be a tad on the unnecessary side considering we already have the classic animated version of The Grinch story that airs every year on television, and the 2000 live action version starring Jim Carrey and directed by Ron Howard. But I think I've come around and look forward to seeing what the creative minds at Illumination Entertainment have come up with in their take on this classic story. If you've been around for a few Christmases, you surely know the story of The Grinch who hates Christmas and tries to steal it from the nearby residents of Whoville. I shouldn't need to put any spoiler alerts in here to say that The Grinch ultimately realizes through his travels that it's not the presents, decorations, food, and toys that make Christmas, but the love that we share with each other and the time we spend together that really matters.
Where I would expect some movement away from the original is in the development of The Grinch as a character. This Grinch (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) seems a little less filled with hate and more dislikes the Whos just on principle. He also seems a bit funnier and wittier than his previous animated counterpart.
Despite a fairly crowded field of animated films vying for a nomination from The Academy this year, I think the Grinch looks beautiful and has a good shot at a nomination. The soundtrack may also get some attention with a number of new songs by artists such as Run-D.M.C., The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Pentatonix, and Danny Elfman. This will surly be a hit with kids, and I'm sure there will be plenty of nostalgia and inside jokes for adults as well. The Girl in the Spider's Web While this is technically a sequel to David Fincher's 2011 film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it brings an entirely new cast and crew to the franchise including Claire Foy (First Man, The Crown) taking over the lead role from Rooney Mara. On the surface, this film appears to be taking a page from Matt Damon's very successful Bourne series. There is plenty of action to be had, and the exotic European locales make an appearance as well. We see fast cars, gun fights, and a main character to struggles to find a place in the world, when it seems like the entire world is chasing after her.
Ultimately, I fear there isn't enough here to sustain the action and while there were a number of Academy Award nominations for the previous film, I don't see any in the offering here.
Overlord
I haven't heard much about this film but it appears to be a World War II horror film in which a group of American soldiers are dropped behind German lines during D-Day and stumble upon a secret Nazi laboratory where people are undergoing human enhancement testing. Pause a moment and digest that, and also consider that J.J. Abrams attached his name to this one as a producer. Being that he's only producing the film, I wouldn't go into it expecting anything to the level of Lost, Cloverfield, or Super 8, but I am willing to be surprised.
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AuthorI'm just a film buff who wants to watch great movies. Where else to find the best, than the list of those nominated by the Academy each year? Archives
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