Tag: Emma Stone
Revisiting the Oscars: In defense of La La Land
by Matt Ward
Heading into last night’s Academy Awards ceremony, I was fully prepared to write another glowing column about “La La Land,” raving about the film’s actual merits on a night that felt like Damien Chazelle’s masterpiece was going to be picked apart by fans of other nominated films and later derided as “not a good Best Picture winner” by those who actively dislike the movie. … Read More Revisiting the Oscars: In defense of La La Land
Academy Awards stunner: Surprise winner Moonlight steals Oscars stage
by Matt Ward
“Moonlight” deserved to win Best Picture. “La La Land” deserved to win Best Picture. Watch them both. Enjoy them both.
La La Land: City of stars
by Matt Ward
Believe the hype. Unless you’ve been hiding under the proverbial rock, chances are you’ve seen the trailer for Damien Chazelle’s musical love letter to Los Angeles, the Academy Award frontrunner “La La Land” starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. This modern take on vintage Hollywood storytelling leaps off the screen and pulls viewers in for a classy, adventurous ride about struggling artists falling in … Read More La La Land: City of stars
2016: A Cinematic Year In Review
by Matt Ward
It’s been a tough year. Just saying the word “2016” induces cringes from a vast majority of people, offering up painful thoughts of a highly divisive political campaign that may or may not have gone your way to general malaise about the state of the world to the seemingly endless rash of celebrity deaths that robbed us of talent far too soon. In the … Read More 2016: A Cinematic Year In Review
Aloha: Why Crowe’s latest film paid the ultimate price for sins of another film
by Matt Ward
Dead on arrival. Angered by a Seth Rogen-James Franco buddy comedy that saw the duo attempt to assassinate Kim Jong-un, North Koreans hacked emails and threatened war if 2014’s “The Interview” was released into American theaters. Despite their best efforts, last year’s email hack of Sony Entertainment executives didn’t kill the raunchy buddy comedy, released video on demand to widespread support from celebrities and … Read More Aloha: Why Crowe’s latest film paid the ultimate price for sins of another film
What we talk about when we talk about Birdman
by Matt Ward
It shouldn’t come as a total shock that “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” — a very inside acting film — would continue the trend of movies like “The Artist” and “Argo,” winning the Best Picture prize at Sunday’s Academy Awards. Now three of the last five films to win the most prestigious award in Hollywood are about Hollywood, actors or some combination … Read More What we talk about when we talk about Birdman
Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): Keaton shines in superhero actor rebound
by Matt Ward
It isn’t quite fair to say Michael Keaton is back thanks to his often brilliant performance in “Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) because, despite his long absence, Keaton has never performed at this high a level. Fact melds well with fiction as Keaton’s struggles to overcome the shadow of his role as Batman parallel his character Riggan’s difficulty separating himself mentally from … Read More Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): Keaton shines in superhero actor rebound
Cinematic Considerations 