Life #2

This is first and foremost a film website, but under the Life tab you can find certain asides that are posted when the time comes. This is a very personal one.

Today, two people I went to high school with passed away. One of them was a good friend of mine. We played baseball together when we were younger, and he was the one I wanted to be. He was taller and could hit home runs when I was barely making contact. In the hallways or out and about, he always greeted me with a smile and a quick but genuine conversation. It was a moment of the day I truly enjoyed.
It is not easy to understand why people are taken so young, or taken at all. Is it too much to ask to enjoy the company of someone who makes life a little easier forever? And why, as humans, were we given the ability to feel sadness? Is it not a difficult thing to know that someone is never going to say hello to you again?
In tragedy, communities come together. Vigils and wakes and funerals. A collective experience where everyone is there for each other. Therein lies the only beauty derived from a situation as terrible as this. Veiled beneath the cold cloak of loss, the human emotions of compassion, remembrance, and ultimately love emerge. The tight grasps of tear-stained hugs represent the bond that we share in life, and in the absence of life.
Please keep the families in your thoughts. Nobody should have to suffer this kind of loss. Let us find solace in the power of love that comes when we need it most.

20 Feet from Stardom (2013) Review

3.5/5

There are two qualities to this film that it should display proudly as its tagline: "This film moves, and it has life!" Everything in this film has a bounciness, an almost carefree attitude to entertain us as much as its subjects entertained others in their own times.

World War Z (2013) Review

3/5

This film is less of a film than it is an introduction to a bigger, and hopefully better film. There are some impressive set pieces, running zombies that packed a definite punch, and Brad Pitt leads the film with the kind of confidence you expect.
I had a few major issues. One, the score. I'm sure it was great, but the sound mixing didn't allow it to shine through. In the scenes where visuals are all that matter and sounds come second, the driving score should be blasting loud keeping things moving. I heard an occasional welp from a trumpet, but for me it wasn't a totally satisfying auditory experience. Two, the ending. I made a vow not to spoil any plot point that has value from any movie, and I will uphold that promise. It angered me. Those who agree feel free to comment.
Possibly the most irritating thing about this film was how no moment seemed to stick. Yes, it is full of entertaining visuals and has an impressive global zombie attack plot, but no intimate moment of any kind seemed to stick. They just were, and for naught. An explosive death hit with the same force as a conversation had, and they moved around, and then it was over. I wish that they had found a way to push certain moments to new heights unforeseen previously, and sometimes they are good, but I found no single moment to be great.
Good score, good acting, and good plot all add up to a good film. It could have been great. Here's hoping the next one (should it get green lit, and I hope it does) is.

Life #1

For the longest time, I knew movies were my calling. When most of my peers, young peers, slept with stuffed animals I was sleeping with a movie. There is a famous picture of me sleeping with a clunky plastic VHS at the age of about six. The first film I ever saw in theaters was Flubber, and it changed me. Even then, though I couldn't quite articulate it, I enjoyed being lost within both myself and the world on screen simultaneously. Only two things exist that alter your state of mind: drugs and film. I prefer the latter.

I went to acting school for 10 years in Manhattan before deciding, just two years ago, that it may be beneficial to attend college under a Film Production major; experience on both sides of the camera is key in finding a job and when I was admitted to USC I knew that was where I had to go.

I enjoy concerts a lot. I've come to realize that my love is mainly for the experience of things. I could see that a band is playing locally for very cheap and, even if I don't like them, I would check it out because it is doing something. I enjoy taking part in all parts of our cultural landscape and weaving myself into the fabric of entertainment. It is a great joy of mine to participate in shared events: movies, concerts, train rides, books. Everyone experiences the same things and then tells the story of that event to everyone they know; the catch being that everyone remembers it a little bit different. Therein lies the true gift that storytelling brings to our species: every possible outcome has been explored and shared.

I chose film as the path for my life, and while the reel clicks into place and the projector starts shining I look forward to sharing my stories, ideas, reviews, predictions, lists, and just about anything else I can think of on here with you. Maybe we are friends and maybe we never met. The point is that we all have stories to tell.

The Heat (2013) Review

3.5/5

This is a vulgar movie, and some people will not appreciate how much profanity there is. Those people should stay away. For everyone else, I recommend you buy a ticket given that you are looking for two things: consistent laughs and another starmaking performance from Melissa McCarthy. The film is funny. It is. The one liners stick 90% of the time, and Sandra Bullock provides a pretty good "good cop" to McCarthy's "bad." While Bullock's shtick does get old, it takes time.
Paul Feig, the director of this film and Bridesmaids, knows how to time comedy. He is a man who sees the difference between slapstick and subtle, and he exploits those differences to great effect. The writer, Katie Dippold, is gifted at navigating between one liners with a smooth and natural demeanor, if not at editing and constructing a real and tangible plot.
People buying a ticket to see this movie, the poster of which features McCarthy holding a rocket launcher, are not expecting Citizen Kane. If you go in expecting anything other than a dirty estrogen filled and hysterical buddy cop movie, then you will be sorely disappointed. If you expect much of anything except the aforementioned qualities, you will be sorely disappointed. Not every film needs to be a gift from the cinema gods, and this is not. But, in a world where all that is showcased in real life is negative and searching is required to find a positive, then a movie like The Heat deserves to be welcomed with open arms. Luckily, there are moments of genuine heart and they deserve to be mentioned because it is not often that a film can tug at your heartstrings and bust your gut all at the same time.
You will leave this film smiling, and happy to have gone through the experience. Some critics like to spoil things form the movies they critique, and I do not. What I will do, however, is provide my honest opinion on the execution of the films. This one is a little long and has no sustainable plot, but the comedy does sustain. In terms of laughs, it brings the heat.

Top 10 Best Films of 2013... So Far

Half way done with 2013 and are there any cinematic wonders to show for it? I've seen 52 movies in theaters so far this year, exactly half way to my goal of 104 so it can average 2 per week. Let's take a look at the 10 best films of the year so far, starting with number 10. Comment at the bottom with your own lists!

10. We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks- I am not usually a fan of documentaries, but this one played out more like a suspense/thriller. It is executed with precision, and isn't repetitive. I left the theater enriched with information, and its modern day prevalence makes it all the better.

9. The Great Gatsby- I know some of you are rolling your eyes at this one, but it really has some incredible qualities. The acting (from most) is fantastic, the visuals are truly stunning, and I even believe that the modern day music was a very brave choice that clicked quite well. It was an entertaining time at the movies, and sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered.

8. The East- This film is a moral puzzle. I love it when a film invites the audience in and says, "You can't judge these characters until you decide what you yourself would do," and that's exactly what this movie does. It has its faults, and there is a definite pacing issue, but my head was full of questions and answers and introspective thoughts and I just love it when a film can do that.

7. Frances Ha- Noah Baumbach is a great filmmaker because he deals with the subtleties of life. He is a gifted storyteller in that the relatable nature of his characters and the mishaps they find themselves in ring true 100% of the time. I felt like I knew Frances, truly knew her, and that is an accomplishment worthy of placement on this list.

6. The Bling Ring- A truly divisive film. I know people who loved it and others who hated it. I quite enjoyed it. Some find Sofia Coppola's style to be a bit slow, a bit lugubrious almost, and I couldn't disagree more. I love that you have to work for the story, that she lets things unfold at a very natural pace, and that her camera work and music choices are always sublime. This is a unique film, and one that I wouldn't have believed was plausible if they hadn't told us it was a true story. Characters you love to hate and filmmaking you love to love.

5. Disconnect- Jason Bateman gives a riveting dramatic performance here, and, along with the rest of the cast and the director, he crafts a truly heartbreaking and memorable experience. I loved it. I left in tears, and that happens infrequently. I was truly moved, transported, and therein lies the power of cinema. Well done to these creative minds.

4. Before Midnight- One of my current Best Picture nominee predictions, this film is a true wonder. A magical experience. I have seen all three of the "Befores" (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight) and I urge you all to watch them. I felt like these characters were people in my life, and each film was like a catch-up you do with people you haven't seen in years. Where this film succeeds differently from the other two is in its brutal honesty. There is a darkness here that resonated within my soul and for that it is in my top 5.

3. Stories We Tell- This is not a documentary. This is not a narrative. This is a journey through the life of filmmaker Sarah Polley as she retraces her family history through interviews. Recreation and tears and truth are found, but ultimately she is commenting on the frailty of storytelling in film and how our collective memory often spins very different tales. I have never seen anything quite this revolutionary and quiet. A must see, especially for those of you who truly appreciate film.

2. The Place Beyond the Pines- Very few lists that I've seen include this film and I cannot figure out why. It is a masterpiece. It is a moody, dark, tone-shifting work of art highlighted by its bravura performances, incredible camera work, and confident pacing. This ambitious and provocative film deserves all the praise in the world and I am so happy to see it has earned $20+ million at the box office. I hope that more people find this film at home, and experience for themselves the power behind this independent mastery.

1. Upstream Color- Here we are. Number one. This film doesn't just play, it lives. It is. It breathes. It has a quality to it, this kind of ethereal wave crashing on your heart type emotion that I have been waiting for my entire life. I didn't know what it meant, so I saw it again. I wanted to understand. Also, I didn't mind spending two hours out of body as I thrived within the frame of this film. Shane Carruth is a genius. He is. This film is not for everyone, the plot needs work to figure out, and the pace can be called slow. For those of you who, like me, just allow the film to pick you up and lull you to a place of absolute peace and wonderment, well, you're in for an experience you will never forget.

How many of these films will make it to the end of the year list? It's hard to say! 2013 has had some duds, but these films should be watched time and time again. Seek them out, and let yourself be moved. Comment your own lists at the bottom!

Oscars 2014: UPDATED Best Picture Predictions

An updated look at the awards race for Best Picture at the forthcoming ceremony. A huge overhaul since the awards circuit has started.

1. 12 Years a Slave- The film has been seen, and reviewed here. Suffice it to say, it is hard to imagine a world where this is not the frontrunner, and probable winner. Can any film come out of the woodworks to steal its thunder?

2. The Wolf of Wall Street- Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio. Oscar, Oscar, Oscar, or at least nominations. The first trailer that dropped was a perfect blend of over-the-top comedy, drama, intrigue, and Leo as a character that we haven't seen from him before. Who can say they've ever witnessed DiCaprio do a pop-lock-and-drop-it before this trailer? We are betting the film comes out this year, and knocks everyone's socks off.

3 American Hustle- David O. Russell was a favorite on some people's ballots going into the February 24th ceremony last year. He bounced back from that disappointment with a new film that has the feel of an Oscar winner due to the pedigree of all involved. Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams, and his two Silver Linings Playbook stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence will deliver. Also, any film that casts Louie C.K. is an instant must see in my book.

4. Gravity- The experience is unparalleled, and for that it'll garner a nomination. Not a win, but a nomination.

5. Inside Llewyn Davis- The Coen Brothers deliver 10 times out of 10. Even if a film the make such as Burn After Reading isn't the kind of cinematic masterpiece we know they can deliver it is a damn good time at the cinema. The reviews out of Cannes were glowing, and I can't wait to feast my eyes on this myself.

6. Fruitvale Station- As of now we think that this summer indie hit can survive through the awards season, but it's chances are slipping with each festival premiere.

7. Her- Yes, we know this is a risky prediction, but the trailer caught like wildfire due to a few things: its original, it has Phoenix, directed by Jonze, looks heartbreaking, is a reflection of our digital age, and hooks you like a baited fish. We like the chances, a lot.

8. Saving Mr. Banks- Everyone loves Disney, Tom Hanks is on a roll, and a feel good movie seems to slip in every year. This go around, it appears that this one is doing all the right things. The reviews are great, and we are hoping it delivers.

There you have it, folks! 9 films that I think, as of now, are a lock for a nomination. There will be fluctuation; these films will fall and others will rise. We are waist-deep in a crazy Oscar season, so you can look forward to frequent updates in all categories!

Click here to see our Top 10 most anticipated Oscar season films!

Monsters University (2013) Review

Monsters University (2013) Review

2.5/5

This short film in front of this movie, titled "The Blue Umbrella," is better than this movie. It has the genuine inspiration and spark and touch that Pixar has delivered upon time and time again. It is what we expect. Monsters, Inc., the 2001 predecessor to this prequel, is my favorite animated film of all time. I've seen it more times than I can count and, when I revisit, it provides a true level of happiness I just haven't felt while watching any other animated film.

Monsters University is a different kind of Pixar, what I like to call Recent Pixar. Recent Pixar, including the cash-grab Cars 2 and the horrendous Brave, don't have that "wow" factor that Wall-E, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, and Monsters, Inc. had. They seem lazier, as if Pixar doesn't want to try to impress us; rather, they believe that audiences will go see a film on name alone. Judging by their box office results, this is true. But the well will dry.

Monsters University is not a bad film. The animation is beautiful and the score is appropriate. There are moments of genius. However, upon reaching the film's conclusion, I did not feel satisfied. I was an audience member just waiting, always waiting and watching and hoping for a "wow" moment. It is clear Pixar is capable of this due to their filmography and the short before this film. The creative mill still churns, and I anxiously await the day one of their feature length films returns them to their much-deserved place atop the animated world.

Welcome!

Welcome to LCA Film, where you can find up-to-date film reviews, awards predictions, best/worst lists, and general life inquiries. Find a pull-out menu to the right where you can subscribe, +1, share on Facebook, and take a very important poll so I can gauge what people are interested in. I will see recent movies as quickly as humanly possible and review them at the same hopeful speed. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with each of you. Let it begin!

Sincerely,
Daniel Moya

P.S. LCA=Lights Camera Action. Enjoy!