My Reaction to the 88th Academy Awards

        Well if you didn't know it, The Oscars were on last night and like everybody else I was watching and following along very closely and I even did my first live blog. As with every Oscars ceremonies there are always some great things and some very controversial things that happen or are said. With all of that being said I'm going to give you my 5 overall thoughts on the Oscars as well as a small look ahead to the 89th Academy Awards. So without further ado...







Best Picture- Spotlight – Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust
Best Director- Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Best Actor- Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant as Hugh Glass
Best Actress- Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome
Best Supporting Actor- Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies as Rudolf Abel
Best Supporting Actress- Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl as Gerda Wegener
Best Original Screenplay- Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Best Adapted Screenplay- The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph from The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Best Animated Film- Inside Out – Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
Best Foreign Language Film- Son of Saul (Hungary) in Hungarian – László Nemes
Best Documentary Feature- Amy – Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Best Documentary Short Film- A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Best Live Action Short Film- Stutterer – Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage
Best Animated Short Film- Bear Story – Pato Escala Pierart and Gabriel Osorio Vargas
Best Original Score- The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
Best Original Song- "Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre – Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
Best Sound Editing- Mad Max: Fury Road – Mark A. Mangini and David White
Best Sound Mixing- Mad Max: Fury Road – Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff, and Ben Osmo
Best Production Design- Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson
Best Cinematography- The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Makeup and Hairstyling- Mad Max: Fury Road – Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin
Best Costume Design- Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavandouble-dagger
Best Film Editing- Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixeldouble-
Best Visual Effects- Ex Machina – Mark Williams Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, and Andrew Whitehurst


Alright here are my 5 takeaways from The Oscars last night...

1. There weren't many surprises last night. I was shocked that Writings on the Wall won for Best Original Song and while I picked it, I thought it was going to Til It Happens to You. by the way Lady Gaga was the star of the show again and I think she'll continue to be a common figure at The Oscars.
2. I was a little disappointed that Sylvester Stallone didn't win mainly because it would've been so special for a guy like him win an award in a film where he played a character that he played 40 years ago. Mark Rylance did deserve the award, but I was a little disappointed to see Stallone not win.
3. Well last night was the last time we can complain about Leonardo DiCaprio not winning a Oscar. I'm really glad to see him finally win and if you were able to catch some of the stuff that went on after the show, then you can clearly see the guy is the most humble human being and he was generally honored to get the award. Now we have to find the Leonardo DiCaprio.
4. I went 13 for 24 on my predictions and that's pretty bad considering that I started out 7 for 7 so it wasn't a good night on that aspect.
5. Here's my judgement for Chris Rock. I thought he did a decent job and his jokes were really great. I thought he tackled the diversity issue well and that was basically the constant theme for the entire night. It got to be a little too much almost like beating a dead horse. He was better than Neil Patrick Harris was last year and I wouldn't seeing him back, but the ratings for the show don't seem to back him up as this year the viewership was it lowest in 8 years which is shocking considering the build up to the monologue and Leonardo DiCaprio winning his first Oscar.

Overall I give this years Oscars an 8 out of 10.


As for next year's Oscars there are a lot of fantastic films coming out and the categories are going be stacked. Look out for The Birth of a Nation, Silence, The Founder and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk to be big-time contenders. Look for these people to be in contention to host next year...

1. Kevin Hart
2. Louis C.K.
3. John Oliver
4. James Corden
5. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

        So ladies and gentlemen what were some of you overall impressions of last night's Oscars? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

88th Annual Academy Awards Live Blog

        Well ladies and gentlemen it's that time of year, the Oscars are here. I'm going to be doing a live blog of tonight's award show which starts at 8:30 PM tonight on ABC. I'll be updating the blog as quick as possible while the award show is going on. To get new updates just hit the refresh button and they'll be there as up to date as possible, also share your thoughts and opinions below or tweet to me on Twitter @JonahSparks_72. So without further ado let the show begin...

Overall this show was pretty bland, but there were a few big upsets. Later on in life people will ask you where you were when Leo won his first Oscar. I though Chris Rock was alright, but he wasn't on screen much and  I'll go into more detailed review tomorrow.

I want to thank you all for following along tonight and please continue to support The Local Movieblog. Have a great night.

12:03 AM
Spotlight deserved to win. It was an important movie with an important story.

12:01 AM
Just let this sink in, Michael Keaton has starred in the Best Picture winner for the past two years. The man has resurrected his career and he knows how to pick movies

12:00 AM
Morgan Freeman out to present the award for Best Picture. The nominees are...

The Big Short – Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner
Bridge of Spies – Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, and Kristie Macosko Krieger
Brooklyn – Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey
Mad Max: Fury Road – Doug Mitchell and George Miller
The Martian – Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, and Mark Huffam
The Revenant  – Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, and Keith Redmon
Room – Ed Guiney
Spotlight – Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust

and the winner is...

Spotlight – Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust

11:59 PM
Best speech of the night.

11:55 PM
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He finally did it.

11:52 PM
Julianne Moore out to present the award for Best Actor. The nominees are...

Bryan Cranston – Trumbo as Dalton Trumbo
Matt Damon – The Martian as Mark Watney
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant as Hugh Glass
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs as Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl as Lili Elbe

and the winner is...

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant as Hugh Glass

11:50 PM
Well it's that time. Best Actor is next and I'm crossing my fingers for Leo. Just like Chris Rock's opening monologue, this might be one of the most anticipated moments in Oscar history.

11:49 PM
So happy to see Brie Larson win. She was so good in Room and she gave one of the best emotional performances I've ever seen.

11:45 PM
Eddie Redmayne out to present the award for Best Actress. The nominees are...

Cate Blanchett – Carol as Carol Aird
Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy as Joy Mangano
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years as Kate Mercer
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn as Eilis Lacey

and the winner is...

Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome

11:39 PM
Well now my faith is restored in Leo winning. Granted last year. Alejandro G. Iñárritu won Best Director and Best Picture last year and Michael Keaton lost to his main competition. We might see a repeat this year, but I hope not.

11:38 PM
JJ Abrams out to present the award for Best Director. The nominees are...

Adam McKay – The Big Short
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson – Room
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight

and the winner is...

Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant

11:33 PM
With upsets going around tonight, I'm starting to doubt that Leo will win. I know I shouldn't give up hope but It may not happen.

11:31 PM
Olivia Wilde and Sacha Baron Cohen (aka Ali G) out to to highlight Room and Brooklyn for Best Picture.

11:28 PM
Well there's an upset. Eventhough I picked it and wanted it to win, I didn't expect it to win so this is by far the biggest surprise of the night.

11:27 PM
Common and John Legend out to present the award for Best Original Song. The nominees are...

Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey – Music and Lyric by Ahamad Balshe (Belly), Stephan Moccio, Jason "Daheala" Quenneville, Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd)
"Manta Ray" from Racing Extinction – Music by J. Ralph, Lyric by Antony Hegarty
"Simple Song #3" from Youth – Music and Lyric by David Lang
"Til It Happens to You" from The Hunting Ground – Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and Diane Warren
"Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre – Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

and the winner is...

"Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre – Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

11:25 PM
was hoping for John Williams to win, but the score for The Hateful Eight was mesmorizing and I'm glad to see Ennio Morricone win.

11:22 PM
Pharrell Williams and Quincy Jones out to present the award for Best Original Score. The nominees are..

Bridge of Spies – Thomas Newman
Carol – Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
Sicario – Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams

and the winner is...

The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone

11:16 PM
Once again Lady Gaga crushes her performance at The Oscars.

11:14 PM
I feel you Darth, I really do.

11:13 PM
Well I guess he was out to introduce "Til It Happens to You" from The Hunting Ground for Best Original Song.

11:12 PM
Vice President Joe Biden out to gain for support for the fight against sexual abuse. I know it's a great cause, but one it has nothing to do with film and why he is even out here? I'm serious you could've gotten anyone to do that and you choose the Vice President of America?

11:10 PM
Well I'm 9 for 18 so far and I'm not happy, but I'm glad to see Son of Saul win for Best Foreign Language Film.

11:09 PM
Sophia Vergara and Lee Byung-hun out to present the award for Best Foreign Language Film. The nominees are...

Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia) in Spanish – Ciro Guerra
Mustang (France) in Turkish – Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Son of Saul (Hungary) in Hungarian – László Nemes
Theeb (Jordan) in Arabic – Naji Abu Nowar
A War (Denmark) in Danish – Tobias Lindholm

and the winner is...

Son of Saul (Hungary) in Hungarian – László Nemes

11:05 PM
Jacob Trembley and Abraham Attah out to preset the award for Best Live Action Short. The nominees are...

Ave Maria – Eric Dupont and Basil Khalil
Day One – Henry Hughes
Everything Will Be Okay – Patrick Vollrath
Shok – Jamie Donoughue
Stutterer – Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

and the winner is...

Stutterer – Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

11:02 PM
That was a great performance from Dave Grohl. I'm a little upset that Abe Vigoda and Gunnar Hansen were left out

10:56 PM
Louis Gossett Jr. out to introduce the Dave Grohl to honor the In Memoriam segment.

10:53 PM
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs out to thank the nominees and winners. As well as diversity and the future of The Oscars.

10:50 PM
Whoopi Goldberg out present the Honorary Oscar winners Spike Lee, Gena Rowlands and Debbie Reynolds.

10:48 PM
The show is supposed to end at 11:30 and we've still got 2 performances, the In Memoriam and 8 more awards left to present. Like I said this won't get over until after midnight.

10:44 PM
Daisy Ridley and Dev Patel out to present the award for Best Documentary Feature. The nominees are...

Amy – Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Cartel Land – Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
The Look of Silence – Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
What Happened, Miss Simone? – Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby, and Justin Wilkes
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom – Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor

and the winner is...

Amy – Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees

10:40 PM
Louis C.K. was great right then and I think he might be trying to make a push for Oscar host next year.

10:39 PM
Louis C.K. out to present the award for Best Documentary Short. The nominees are..

Body Team 12 – David Darg and Bryn Mooser
Chau, Beyond the Lines – Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah – Adam Benzine
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Last Day of Freedom – Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman

and the winner is...

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

10:37 PM

10:34PM
I'm not shocked by Rylance winning because this category was stacked, but man it would've been great to see Sly win. You could sense the air go out of the room when Rylance was announced.

10:32 PM
Patricia Arquette out to present the award for Best Supporting Actor. The nominees are...

Christian Bale – The Big Short as Michael Burry
Tom Hardy – The Revenant as John Fitzgerald
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight as Michael Rezendes
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies as Rudolf Abel
Sylvester Stallone – Creed as Rocky Balboa

and the winner is...

Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies as Rudolf Abel

10:26 PM
Best Supporting Actor is next and I'm going to be so happy if Stallone wins.

10:24 PM
Kate Winslet and Reese Witherspoon out to to highlight Bridge of Spies and Spotlight for Best Picture.

10:19 PM
I enjoy The Weekend but I just used that entire song to use the bathroom.

10:16 PM
Kevin Hart out to introduce "Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey for Best Original Song.

10:12 PM
Buzz Lightyear and Woody out to present the award for Best Animated Film. The nominees are...

Anomalisa – Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, and Rosa Tran
Boy & the World – Alê Abreu
Inside Out – Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
Shaun the Sheep Movie – Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
When Marnie Was There – Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

and the winner is...

Inside Out – Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

10:10 PM
The Minions out to present the award for Best Animated Short. The nominees are...

Bear Story – Pato Escala Pierart and Gabriel Osorio Vargas
Prologue – Imogen Sutton and Richard Williams
Sanjay's Super Team – Nicole Paradis Grindle and Sanjay Patel
We Can't Live Without Cosmos – Konstantin Bronzit
World of Tomorrow – Don Hertzfeldt

and the winner is...

Bear Story – Pato Escala Pierart and Gabriel Osorio Vargas

10:06 PM
This is great.

10:04 PM
we haven't seen Chris Rock in awhile so I expect a heavy dose of him in the next couple of segments.

10:03 PM
Well I'm 7 for 12 so far. I spoke too soon again.

10:02 PM
Being a Star Wars fan I loved that so much. I'm glad those three got the reception they did.

9:59 PM
Olivia Munn and Jason Segel out to present the segment fornthe Academy Awards for Technical Achievement and the Gordon E. Sawyer Award

9:58 PM
I was hoping for Mad Max: Fury Road, but Ex Machina is just as good. If you have not seen it then you need to see it now. It's just so good.

9:57 PM
Andy Serkis out to present the award for Best Visual Effects. The nominees are...

Ex Machina – Mark Williams Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, and Andrew Whitehurst
Mad Max: Fury Road – Andrew Jackson, Dan Oliver, Andy Williams, and Tom Wood
The Martian – Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence, Richard Stammers, and Steven Warner
The Revenant – Richard McBride, Matt Shumway, Jason Smith, and Cameron Waldbauer
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, and Neal Scanlan

and the winner is...

Ex Machina – Mark Williams Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, and Andrew Whitehurst

9:55 PM
Andy Serkis is just so good. I wish he would've been nominated for Best Actor last year. for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

9:53 PM
Mad Max: Fury Road  is really cleaning up. It's won 6 out of a possible 10 awards tonight.It won't go perfect but winning 9 is a possibility.

9:51 PM
The nominees for Sound Mixing are...

Bridge of Spies – Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, and Drew Kunin
Mad Max: Fury Road – Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff, and Ben Osmo
The Martian – Paul Massey, Mark Taylor, and Mac Ruth
The Revenant – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom, and Chris Duesterdiek
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, and Stuart Wilson

and the winner is...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff, and Ben Osmo

9:48 PM
Chadwick Boseman and Chris Evans out to present the awards for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. The nominees for Sound Editing are...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Mark A. Mangini and David White
The Martian – Oliver Tarney
The Revenant – Martin Hernández and Lon Bender
Sicario – Alan Robert Murray
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Matthew Wood and David Acord

and the winner is...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Mark A. Mangini and David White

9:44 PM
Ok the #OscarsSoWhite jokes are getting a little old. We get it you're pissed, but there is plenty more to make fun of

9:42 PM
Wow I'm glad Mad Max: Fury Road won, but man I'm shocked The Big Short

9:41 PM
Priyanka Chopra and Liev Schreiber out to present the award for Best Film Ediitng. The nominees are...

The Big Short – Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
The Revenant – Stephen Mirrione
Spotlight – Tom McArdle
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

and the winner is...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel

9:40 PM
Third straight year for Chivo. He is the greatest Cinematographer of all-time.

9:38 PM
Rachel McAdams and Michael B. Jordan out to present the award for Best Cinematography. The nominees are...

Carol – Ed Lachman
The Hateful Eight – Robert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury Road – John Seale
The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario – Roger Deakins

and the winner is...

The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki

9:34 PM
That Jungle Book spot was great. This movie is going to be spectacualr and bravo to Jon Favreau.


9:33 PM
Crazy this was 20 years ago

9:29 PM
Benicio del Toro and Jennifer Garner out to highlight The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road for Best Picture

9:28 PM
6 for 6 so far. Way better than last year at this point

9:27 PM
Margot Robbie and Jared Leto to present the award for Best Makeup & Hairstyling. The nominees are...

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared – Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
Mad Max: Fury Road – Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin
The Revenant – Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman, and Robert Pandini

and the winner is...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin

9:25 PM
Tina Fey and Steve Carell out to present the award Best Production Design. The nominees are...

Bridge of Spies – Rena DeAngelo, Bernhard Henrich, and Adam Stockhausen
The Danish Girl – Michael Standish and Eve Stewart
Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson
The Martian – Celia Bobak and Arthur Max
The Revenant – Jack Fisk and Hamish Purdy

and the winner is...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson

9:22 PM
Got scared for a minute. A lot of people had Cinderella winning, but I had faith in Mad Max: Fury Road

9:21 PM
Cate Blanchett out to present the award for Best Costume Design. The nominees are..

Carol – Sandy Powell
Cinderella – Sandy Powell
The Danish Girl – Paco Delgado
Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
The Revenant – Jacqueline West

and the winner is...

Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan

9:16 PM
There are a lot of problems with The Oscars. One of which is the fact that they talk and talk and talk and then give one award, then go to commercial, then talk and talk, give one award and then go to commercial. We are 45 minutes in and 3 out of 24 awards have been given out. At this rate I predict The Oscars get done a little after midnight.

9:13 PM
Man I wish she would've won for Ex Machina

9:09 PM
J.K. Simmons out to present the award for Best Supporting Actress. The nominees are...

Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight as Daisy Domergue
Rooney Mara – Carol as Therese Belivet
Rachel McAdams – Spotlight as Sacha Pfeiffer
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl as Gerda Wegener
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs as Joanna Hoffman

and the winner is...

Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl as Gerda Wegener

9:08 PM
Kerry Washington and Henry Cavill to highlight The Martian and The Big Short for Best Picture

9:07 PM
Sam Smith has one of the best voices in the world. With that being said he messed up quite a bit.

9:03 PM
Sarah Silverman out to introduce Writing's on the Wall from Spectre for Best Original Song

9:02 PM 
Maybe I spoke too soon.

9:01 PM
I love this!. This is slowly becoming one of the best shows ever.

8:55 PM
This is way too funny.

8:54 PM
No surprise from those two awards. Next up is Best Supporting Actress

8:52 PM
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe to present the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The nominees for are...

The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph from The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Brooklyn – Nick Hornby from Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
Carol – Phyllis Nagy from The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
The Martian – Drew Goddard from The Martian by Andy Weir
Room – Emma Donoghue from Room by Emma Donoghue

and the winner is...

The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph from The Big Short by Michael Lewis

8:48 PM
Emily Blunt and Chralize Theron to present Best Original Screenplay. The nominees for Best Original Screenplay...

Bridge of Spies – Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
Inside Out – Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, and Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Straight Outta Compton – Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge, and Alan Wenkus

and the winner is...

Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer

8:44 PM
Best opening monlogue of all-time

8:41 PM
#BlackRocky

8:37 PM
I'm already loving Chris Rock. He's just so good.

8:35 PM
I love the irony of Chris Rock wearing a white coat

8:32 PM
I really love this opening for The Oscars

8:30 PM
Here we go!

8:27 PM
I honestly think this is the most anticipated opening monologue in the history of the Oscars. I really hope Chris Rock calls out the studio heads for the lack of diversity this year. Granted the Oscars are based off of merit and achievement, but there were a few minorities that could've been nominated in place of some people.

8:24 PM
Here is the list of the awards being presented in order tonight.

8:21 PM
I just want to thank everybody ahead of time for reading as I go through the night. I'm starting a little bit later than last year mainly due to the fact that I watched red carpet stuff for 5 hours and I just got bored with it. If you missed my predictions earlier then here they are...

Best Picture- The Revenant
Best Director- Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Best Actor- Leonardo DiCaprio
Best Actress- Brie Larson
Best Supporting Actor- Sylvester Stallone
Best Supporting Actress- Alicia Vikander
Best Original Screenplay- Spotlight
Best Adapted Screenplay- The Big Short
Best Animated Feature- Anomalisa
Best Foreign Language Film- Son of Saul
Best Documentary Feature Film- Amy
Best Documentary Short Film- Body Team 12
Best Live Action Short Film- Ave Maria
Best Animated Short Film- World of Tomorrow
Best Original Score- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Original Song- "Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre
Best Sound Editing- The Revenant
Best Sound Mixing- The Revenant
Best Production Design- Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Cinematography- The Revenant
Best Makeup & Hairstyling- Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Costume Design- Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Film Editing- The Big Short
Best Visual Effects- Mad Max: Fury Road

My Official 88th Annual Academy Award Predictions

        Alright ladies and gentlemen it's that time to give you my final predictions for tonight's 88th Academy Awards. I'll give you every single one of my picks for all 24 categories to be awarded tonight. They will be listed with the category (in BOLD), the film that won the award (in italics) and the recipients of the award. The Awards show will be live at 8:30 on ABC. So without further ado...







Best Picture- The Revenant – Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, and Keith Redmon
Best Director- Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Best Actor- Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant as Hugh Glass
Best Actress- Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome
Best Supporting Actor- Sylvester Stallone – Creed as Rocky Balboa
Best Supporting Actress- Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl as Gerda Wegener
Best Original Screenplay- Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Best Adapted Screenplay- The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph from The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Best Animated Feature- Anomalisa – Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, and Rosa Tran
Best Foreign Language Film- Son of Saul (Hungary) in Hungarian – László Nemes
Best Documentary Feature Film- Amy – Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Best Documentary Short Film- Body Team 12 – David Darg and Bryn Mooser
Best Live Action Short Film- Ave Maria – Eric Dupont and Basil Khalil
Best Animated Short Film- World of Tomorrow – Don Hertzfeldt
Best Original Score- Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams
Best Original Song- "Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre – Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
Best Sound Editing- The Revenant – Martin Hernández and Lon Bender
Best Sound Mixing- The Revenant – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom, and Chris Duesterdiek
Best Production Design- Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson
Best Cinematography- The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Makeup & Hairstyling- Mad Max: Fury Road – Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin
Best Costume Design- Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
Best Film Editing- The Big Short – Hank Corwin
Best Visual Effects- Mad Max: Fury Road – Andrew Jackson, Dan Oliver, Andy Williams, and Tom Wood

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of my picks and what are some of your picks? let me know in the comments section below, let your voice be heard and have fun watching the Oscars.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of Eddie the Eagle

        So I recently watched Eddie the Eagle and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        Cut from the Olympic ski team, British athlete Michael "Eddie" Edwards (played by Taron Egerton) travels to Germany to test his skills at ski jumping. Fate leads him to Bronson Peary (played by Hugh Jackman), a former ski jumper who now works as a snowplow driver. Impressed by Edwards' spirit and determination, Peary agrees to train the young underdog. Despite an entire nation counting him out, Eddie's never-say-die attitude takes him all the way to a historic and improbable showing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.

       

        This was a really heartfelt film to watch. Sports films are the films that are pretty easy to make just as long as you have a base story to build off of and this film has that. This isn't the most know true story in the world and that's what great about it because you get informed of something you didn't know happened. The film doesn't have  an emotional feel to it like most sports films although there are a few touching moments, but they just don't seem to fit in the overall film. Throughout the entire film you are cheering for Eddie and it's mainly due to the performance of Taron Egerton who is becoming a star right before out eyes and look for him to get some big time roles in the future (fingers crossed for Han Solo spin-off film). Hugh Jackman also gives a great performance and while he basically plays Wolverine in the film without the claws and anger issues, he fits into the film well and the moments when both and Egerton are on screen together are just brilliant. The film is quite predictable even if you don't the know the whole story behind the story and it has the typical sports film cliches while rooting for an underdog. Overall this film will give the feels and you'll leave cheering for Eddie to triumph in the end with fantastic performances, but with no emotional build the film leaves wanting more and wishing you had cared. I give Eddie the Eagle a 6 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Eddie the Eagle, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Top 10 Favorite Best Picture Winners of All-Time Part 2

        In honor of the 88th Annual Academy Awards taking place on Sunday, I though it would be fitting to give you all my Top 10 favorite films to win best picture at the Oscars. These performances are ranked 11-20 so when you see number 5 it is actually number 15. You can see my other list here. So without further ado..





10. Terms of Endearment


        This is a really fantastic film and one of the only films to make me cry. Widow Aurora Greenway (played by Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter, Emma (played by Debra Winger), have a strong bond, but Emma marries teacher Flap Horton (played by Jeff Daniels) against her mother's wishes. When the marriage grows sour due to Flap's cheating, Emma eventually splits from him, returning to her mother, who is involved with a former astronaut (played by Jack Nicholson). Soon, Emma learns that she has terminal cancer. In the hospital, supported by Aurora, she tries to make peace with Flap and her children. Terms of Endearment was nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, 2 nominations for Best Actress, 2 nominations for Best Supporting Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay while winning 5 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay) and it has a rating of 88% on rottentomatoes.com.




9. The Hurt Locker


        This film is amazing is one of the best films of all-time. As an Elite Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team tactfully navigates the streets of present-day Iraq, they face the constant threat of death from the incoming bombs and sharp-shooting snipers. In Baghdad, roadside bomb are a common danger. The Army is working to make the city a safer place for Americans and Iraqis, so when it comes to dismantling IEDs (improvised explosive devices) the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) crew is always on their game. But protecting the public isn't easy when there's no room for error, and every second spent dismantling a bomb is another second spent flirting with death. Now as three fearless bomb technicians (played by Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty) take on the most dangerous job in Baghdad. This is one of the most heart stopping films I have ever seen. The Hurt Locker was nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Actor, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography and won six (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Film Editing) and it also has a rating of 97% on rottentomatoes.com.




8. Unforgiven


        This is probably the greatest western of all-time and it has a talented all-star cast. Disgusted by Sheriff "Little Bill" Daggett's decree that several ponies make up for a cowhand's slashing a whore's face, Big Whiskey prostitutes, led by fierce Strawberry Alice (played by Fisher), take justice into their own hands and put a $1000 bounty on the lives of the perpetrators. Notorious outlaw-turned-hog farmer William Munny (played by Clint Eastwood) is sought out by neophyte gunslinger the Schofield Kid (played by Jaimz Woolvett) to go with him to Big Whiskey and collect the bounty. While Munny insists, "I ain't like that no more," he needs the bounty money for his children, and the two men convince Munny's clean-living comrade Ned Logan (played by Morgan Freeman) to join them in righting a wrong done to a woman. Little Bill (played by Gene Hackman), however, has no intention of letting any bounty hunters impinge on his iron-clad authority. When pompous gunman English Bob (played by Richard Harris) arrives in Big Whiskey with pulp biographer W.W. Beauchamp (played by Saul Rubinek) in tow, Little Bill beats Bob senseless and promises to tell Beauchamp the real story about violent frontier life and justice. But when Munny, the true unwritten legend, comes to town, everyone soon learns a harsh lesson about the price of vindictive bloodshed and the malleability of ideas like "justice." Unforgiven was nominated for 9  Academy Awards including Best Pictures, Best Art Direction, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematgraphy, Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor while winning 4 (Best Picture, Best director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Film Editing) and it has a rating of 96% on rottentomatoes.com.




7. Gladiator
 

        This is just a truly epic film and the film that porved Ridley Scott is one of the greatest directors of all-time. Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix) takes power and strips rank from Maximus (played by Russell Crowe), one of the favored generals of his predecessor and father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris), the great stoical philosopher. Maximus is then relegated to fighting to the death in the gladiator arenas. Gladiator was nominated for 12 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Art Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects while winning 5 (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects) and it has a rating of 76% on rottentomatoes.com.




6. Argo


        This film is just brilliant and is one of the only films that I agree should have won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, CIA agent Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck) launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1980. Argo was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Original Score, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Film Editing, Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actor, while winning 3 (Best Picture,Adapted Screenplay and Film Editing) and it has a rating of 96% on rottentomatoes.com.

5. Casablanca


        This is literally the most quotable film of all-time and it is the perfect example of a film noir. Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart), a world-weary ex-freedom fighter who runs a nightclub in Casablanca during the early part of WWII. Despite pressure from the local authorities, notably the crafty Capt. Renault (played by Claude Rains), Rick's Cafe  has become a haven for refugees looking to purchase illicit letters of transit which will allow them to escape to America. One day, to Rick's great surprise, he is approached by the famed rebel Victor Laszlo (played by Paul Henreid) and his wife, Ilsa (played by Ingrid Bergman), Rick's true love who deserted him when the Nazis invaded Paris. She still wants Victor to escape to America, but now that she's renewed her love for Rick, she wants to stay behind in Casablanca. Casablanca was nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography while winning 3 (Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay) and it has a rating of 97% on rottentomatoes.com.

4. Amadeus


       While the film is long and sometimes boring it also very interesting and very entetaining. From the vantage point of an insane asylum, aging royal composer Salieri (played by F. Murray Abraham) recalls the events of three decades earlier, when the young Mozart (played by Tom Hulce) first gained favor in the court of Austrian emperor Joseph II (played by Jeffrey Jones). Salieri was incensed that God would bless so vulgar and obnoxious a young snipe as Mozart with divine genius. Why was Salieri -- so disciplined, so devoted to his art, and so willing to toady to his superiors -- not touched by God? Unable to match Mozart's talent, Salieri uses his influence in court to sabotage the young upstart's career. Disguising himself as a mysterious benefactor, Salieri commissions the backbreaking Requiem, which eventually costs Mozart his health, wealth, and life. Amadeus was nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, 2 nominations for Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Best Sound Mixing while winning 8 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Best Sound Mixing) and it has a rating of 95% on rottentomatoes.com.




3. The Silence of the Lambs


        This film is one of the most haunting films of all-time, but it has one of the greatest movie villains to ever cross the big screen in Hannibal Lecter. Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (played by Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out. The Silence of the Lambs was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay while winning 5 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress) and it has a rating of 95% on rottentomatoes.com.




2. Million Dollar Baby


              This is an amazing film and the controversy that the film caused was utterly ridiculous. Frankie Dunn (played by Clint Eastwood) is a veteran boxing trainer who has devoted his life to the ring and has precious little to show for it; his daughter never answers his letters, and a fighter he's groomed into contender status has paid him back by signing with another manager, leaving Frankie high and dry. His best friend and faithful employee Eddie Dupris (played by Morgan Freeman) is a former fighter who Frankie trained. In his last fight, Eddie suffered a severe injury, a fact that brings Frankie great guilt. One day, Maggie Fitzgerald (played by Hilary Swank) enters Frankie's life, as well as his gym, and announces she needs a trainer. Frankie regards her as a dubious prospect, and isn't afraid to tell her why: he doesn't think much of women boxing, she's too old at 31, she lacks experience, and has no technique. However, Maggie sees boxing as the one part of her life that gives her meaning and won't give up easily. Finally won over by her determination, Frankie takes on Maggie, and as she slowly grows into a viable fighter, an emotional bond develops between them. When a tragedy befalls one of the three characters, each comes to a decision that shows how the relationships in the film have changed them. Million Dollar Baby was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay, while winning four (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Actress) and it has a rating of 91% on rottentomatoes.com.




1. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)


        This film has some of the best cinematography that has ever been seen on the big screen and it has one of the best performances to never win best actor. Former cinema superhero Riggan Thomson (played by Michael Keaton) is mounting an ambitious Broadway production that he hopes will breathe new life into his stagnant career. It's risky, but he hopes that his creative gamble will prove that he's a real artist and not just a washed-up movie star. As opening night approaches, a castmate is injured, forcing Riggan to hire an actor (played by Edward Norton) who is guaranteed to shake things up. Meanwhile, Riggan must deal with his girlfriend, daughter and ex-wife. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) was nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing while winning 4 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography) and it has a rating of 91% on rottentomatoes.com.

     

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of my list, do you agree or disagree and what are your favorite films to win best Picture at the Oscars? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

2-25-16 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...

(NOTE: All of these stories come from comingsoon.net)

        Following a round of casting announcements earlier today, Deadline brings word that Billy Crudup has entered talks for a mystery role in director Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant. The outlet also reports that Bill Crudup has signed on to star in director Pablo Larrain’s Jackie. The biopic of Jackie Onassis Kennedy is set to feature Academy Award winner Natalie Portman in the title role. Should he officially sign on, Billy Crudup will join an Alien: Covenant cast set to include Michael Fassbender (reprising hisPrometheus role) Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice), Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down), Demián Bichir (The Hateful Eight), Jussie Smolett (Empire), Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color), Carmen Ejogo (Selma) and Callie Hernandez (Machete Kills). Set as the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with Prometheus, Alien: Covenant connects directly to Scott’s 1979 seminal work of science fiction. It begins with the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy. There, the crew discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David, survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition. Jack Paglen (Transcendence) and Michael Green (Green Lantern) are providing the Alien: Covenant screenplay. The project is entering production in Australia with 20th Century Fox set to distribute the film in theaters on October 6, 2017. Billy Crudup, whose genre credits include films like Zack Snyder‘s Watchmen and Tim Burton’s Big Fish, starred last year in both Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight and Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment.

        This is really great casting. Billy Crudup is a really fantastic actor and he's been great in a lot of the roles he's been in. My personal favorite of his was in Watchmen as Dr. Manhattan and he just brought so much life to the character that my inner comic book geekdom was please. I like the cast that Ridley Scott is putting together because it's a mix of really talented actors yet one who are stepping  out of there comfort zone to be in this film. I'm a huge fan of the Alien franchise (mainly the original two films) and I'm really looking forward to seeing Ridley Scott get back into making a true Alien film compared to where he basically lied about Prometheus being apart of the franchise and I'm glad he's back to embracing the franchise. 

        Director James Mangold is gearing up for a trip 20,000 leagues under the sea. Deadline today brings word that The Wolverine helmer has signed on to direct Disney‘s Captain Nemo movie. In development for some time, the Captain Nemo movie is designed to serve as an origin story for the Jules Verne antihero. Originally published in a serialized form beginning in 1869, Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea tells the story of Captain Nemo and the crew of his submarine vessel, the Nautilus, as they embark on incredible adventures and encounter fantastic sea life beneath the surface. Multiple takes on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea have hit the big screen over the years, with director Richard Fleischer delivering Walt Disney Pictures’ 1954 version. Arguably the best known film adaptation, it stars Kirk Douglas and won two Academy Awards (Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color and Best Effects, Special Effects). The Captain Nemo movie has come close to production in the past. A few years ago, David Fincher was attached to direct the film with reports suggesting that Brad Pitt was close to signing on for the title role. That iteration of the project boasted a screenplay that had been worked on by Scott J. Burns (The Bourne Ultimate, Contagion) and Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en, Sleepy Hollow). The most current draft of the project hails from Sebastian Gutierrez (Snakes on a Plane, Gothika). Disney’s Captain Nemo project is one of several feature films currently in development based on Verne’s classic science fiction tale. Mangold’s fellow X-Universe director, Bryan Singer is attached to direct his own version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That project has a bit of a head start as it is planned to begin shooting this fall. Mangold’s take is likely a bit further off as he’ll first take on the third Wolverine film, which is said to feature Hugh Jackman‘s final performance as the Marvel mutant. Look for it to hit theaters March 3, 2017.

        I really like this choice. James Mangold is fantastic director and his most recent Wolverine film was really good and I'm excited to see him take on Hugh Jackman's last appearance as Wolverine. I think he's a great fit for film because I look at 20,00 Leagues Under the Sea as western under water and Mangold has proven he can doe westerns (see 3:10 to Yuma). I'm lookng forward to both Mangold's version as well as Singer's version and hopefully they both can great adaptations of this brilliant novel.

        Back in January, directors Anthony and Joe Russo put out a very specific number of characters that they’ll be juggling in Avengers: Infinity War and we may have another idea of who one of those 67 characters will be. Speaking with Den of Geek, Stellan Skarsgard (star of both of the previous “Thor” and “Avengers” films) says he’s not returning for the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok, but could make his way into “Infinity War.” “I have a five-film deal with them, and they still have one option,” he tells the outlet. “Thor 3 is not on my slate, but maybe the next Avengers.” By Skarsgard’s own admission, his character, Dr Erik Selvig, has the powers of super-exposition, so when the characters learn about Thanos or his Infinity Gauntlet, it could be from him. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely will pen the scripts for the two-part feature which will also see Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War directors Anthony and Joe Russo returning. Both parts of the film will be filmed entirely in IMAX. “The intent with the Infinity War films is to bring ten years of accumulative storytelling to an incredible climax,” Joe and Anthony Russo previously said. “We felt that the best way to exploit the scale and scope required to close out the final chapter of these three phases, was to be the first films shot entirely on the IMAX/ARRI Digital camera.” Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 is slated for release in theaters on May 4, 2018; Part 2 will open on May 3, 2019.

        I'm not surprised by this news. Stellan Skarsgard is a great actor and his character of Dr. Erik Selvig has been some good comedic relief in the MCU and I've really enjoyed his performances in both Thor film. I'm not surprised in the sense that this film feels more like it will be taking place on Asgard and Erik Selvig probably won't be on Asgard during the film so it's understandable to not see him in the film. I think he is coming back for both Infinity War films because those films will be a culmination of what the MCU has been building to since 2008 with Iron Man and I'm excited to see Erik Selvig in future MCU films.

        Filming continues on Paramount Pictures’ upcoming Baywatch movie, and now Pamela Anderson has talked to ET Canada, about possibly making an appearance. The 48-year-old Pamela Anderson said: “I haven’t turned it down completely yet. But I have turned down what they offered me. But we’ll see what happens…I haven’t even read the script. I have no idea what it’s about… ‘Baywatch’ was such a huge part of my life. And really they’re trying to do an homage and you know it’s an honour to have them to want me to be a part of it so bad.” The Baywatch cast includes Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Priyanka Chopra and Hannibal Buress. Look for the film to hit theaters on May 19, 2017. Baywatch offers a big-screen take on the television series that originally premiered on NBC in 1989. The original Baywatch cast included David Hasselhoff, Parker Stevenson, Shawn Weatherly, Billy Warlock, Erika Eleniak, Peter Phelps, Brandon Call and Holly Gagnier. The series was initially not a success and was cancelled after a single season. Plans were made, however, to move Baywatch into first-run syndication and, in 1991, Baywatch returned to the airwaves where it continued for a full decade, bringing in new cast members like Yasmine Bleeth and Pamela Anderson. The show also received a short-lived spinoff, Baywatch Hawaii. Although several writers have been attached to the Baywatch movie, the most recent draft hails from the Friday the 13th pair of Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief director Seth Gordon is helming the new Baywatch film, which is being produced by Dwayne Jonson alongside Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Ivan Reitman and Douglas Schwartz.

        I would be ok if this happened. I don't really like Pamela Anderson as a person or as an actress so I really wouldn't like seeing her in the film. However the show is what made her famous so it makes sense if she wants to return for a possible cameo. I think she would probably end up being someone the new cast would save or she would be a woman that tries to hit on Zac Efron's character. This movie is going to be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing how campy and cheesy they'll make the film compared to the tv show, but I'm actually looking forward to seeing how the film will turn out. 

        CBS Films and Lionsgate have today announced that Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash, Zootopia) will join Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, Lone Survivor) in the upcoming Patriots Day movie. The film will be directed by Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor) and is set to be produced by Scott Stuber, Mark Wahlberg, Hutch Parker, Dylan Clark, Stephen Levinson and Michael Radutzky. The Patriots Day movie chronicles the events surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. Simmons will play Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese of the Watertown Police Department who distinguished himself in combat with Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Wahlberg will play a composite Boston Police Department officer who is central to the investigation and manhunt. The title Patriots Day references an official public holiday, although it may sound unfamiliar to those who have not lived in Massachusetts, Maine and/or Wisconsin. In those three states, Patriots Day is observed on April 19 in recognition of the Battle of Lexington which, in 1775, signaled the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. The Boston Marathon is held in conjunction with the city’s annual celebrations. “Beyond his considerable talents, J.K. Simmons is a person who respects the solemn trust that these real life heroes are putting in our hands,” commented Berg. “This is an actor who will represent the role in the best way possible.” The Patriots Day movie will be co-financed by CBS Films and Lionsgate with the former handling production and marketing and the latter handling distribution. Production will begin on Patriots Day this fall in Boston. Check back for further updates on the project as they become available.

        I love this casting. Early on I wasn't a big fan of J.K. Simmons, but recently I've become a big fan of his I think he is perfect for this film. I think he's got the gravitas to play this character and I'm excited to see what he brings to the film. This is one of the many films that is coming out based off of the Boston Marathon bombings and I think this one could be the best one. I like the group that's been assembled to make this film come to life and I'm really looking forward to it. 

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

Director Spotlight of George Miller

        Continuing the Director Spotlight segment we'll spotlight the man who has brought us one of the greatest franchise to ever come on the big screen.... Dr. George Miller. I'm going to give you his filmography, my top 3 favorite films of his and his future projects. So without further ado...

George Miller's Filmography

Year	Film	Rottentomatoes.com Score
1979	Mad Max	89%
1981	Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior	98%
1983	Twilight Zone: The Movie	65%
1985	Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome	81%
1987	The Witches of Eastwick	73%
1992	Lorenzo’s Oil	94%
1997	40,000 Years of Dreaming	NA
1998	Babe: Pig in the City	62%
2006	Happy Feet	75%
2011	Happy Feet 2	46%
2015	Mad Max: Fury Road	97%

Top 3 Favorite Films

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

2. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

3. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

George Miller's Awards & Nominations

Year	Film	Award Type	Win/Nominated
2015	Mad Max: Fury Road	Academy Award for Best Director	Pending

Future Films

Currently Mr. Miller does not have any confirmed future films in the works.

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of George Miller's career and who would you like to see me spotlight next? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks