I can’t say enough to express my appreciation to everyone who submitted or thought about Keith & the Movies during the Submission stage of the 2013 Lammy Awards. I have to be honest, there’s no way I would have an opportunity to be considered if it weren’t for the visits to the site, the comments, and the support. I’ve met so many cool people and have learned a lot from some really gifted movie folks and fellow movie buffs. So What can I say but THANK YOU! Thank you for making this whole silly little endeavor fun and worthwhile.

So I’ve been submitted and given a chance to earn a nomination in four LAMMY  Awards categories. I’m not much for campaigning but I’ll take a little time here to ask for your consideration in the categories of BEST BLOG, BEST NEW LAMB, BEST MOVIE REVIEWER, and BEST RUNNING FEATURE. There’s so many great bloggers out there and it would be such an incredible honor to join their company as a 2013 Lammy Nominee. Good luck to my fellow bloggers and let The Lammys begin!

–Keith Garlington (Keith & the Movies)

Good bye winter movie season! I think I speak for most of us when I say we won’t miss you one bit. Now spring is here and that means a lineup of films meant to get us ready for the big summer releases. Sometimes we get some really nice surprises in the spring but we also get several duds. So today I’m picking out five spring releases that I am genuinely interested in and want to spread the word about. These I’ll certainly flaunt. I’m also going to pick five releases that are from my perspective toilet ready. These I’ll flush. Flaunt it or flush it, that’s kinda catchy.

FLAUNT ‘EM

1. MUD (April 26, 2013) – I’ve been really outspoken in my excitement for Jeff Nichols’ new film “Mud”. It was #1 on my list of most anticipated 2013 films and it’s unquestionably the treat of the spring. In “Mud” Nichols is back in familiar territory – rural America. This time he’s directing Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon. Other favorites of mine Michael Shannon, Sam Shepard, and Ray McKinnon have supporting roles and that’s enough to excite me in itself. Everything including the story, the cast, and Nichol’s precision direction intrigues me and I can’t wait to see this flick.

2. “OBLIVION” (April 19, 2013) – Some people love Tom Cruise. A lot of people hate Tom Cruise. All I know is that his upcoming sci-fi action picture “Oblivion” looks like something that I would really enjoy. I can’t say I know much about the plot but the trailer really grabbed my attention and the visuals look stunning. This also looks like something that may be right up Cruise’s alley. He may not be my favorite actor but I’m one of those that believes he can still bring a lot to a movie. Hopefully that’s the case with “Oblivion”. With this kind of potential, I know I’ll be there to check it out.

3. “EVIL DEAD” (APRIL 5, 2013) – Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell getting together to do a remake of their horror classic “Evil Dead”? I’m all over it! The horror genre is a pretty watered down mess so leave it to Raimi and Campbell to give it a swift kick in the buns. The trailer for this thing is gruesome and creepy and the movie already feels like it’s going to be a return to old school horror movie form. I’m really hoping this isn’t a bust because my expectations right now are sky-high! And what a needed jolt this could be to a hurting genre. I’m definitely flaunting this one.

4. “TO THE WONDER” (April 12, 2013) – “To the Wonder” has received some mixed early reviews and that has knocked my expectations down slightly. But I’m still really excited about Terrence Malick’s new picture. Malick’s style of filmmaking doesn’t resonate with everyone but I tend to like it. “The Tree of Life” was a favorite of mine and I’m hoping for something close to that here. Javier Bardem, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Rachel Weisz star in this movie that’s sure to divide audiences. But to me it’s a film loaded with potential.

5. “OZ: THE GREAT AND THE POWERFUL” (March 8, 2013) – I have to admit, at first I blew off “Oz” as a gimmicky snoozefest. But over time I’ve really warmed up to the project. The more recent trailers make me think this could be a quality family film that’s actually not animation. That’s really rare these days. James Franco stars in the film and he’s surrounded with a really strong female supporting cast including Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis, and Michelle Williams. I’m not getting overly excited but this one could be a surprise. I’ll flaunt it.

FLUSH ‘EM

1. “21 and Over” (March 1, 2013) – Everything about this movie rubs me the wrong way. Let’s see, what do we get here? Yet another asinine teen “comedy” filled with booze, breasts, and debauchery. I swear I would give anything if Hollywood could find some good, capable comedy writers who could get us away from the dumb, raunchy garbage that is churned out on a regular basis. The trailer for “21 and Over” drive me nuts me every time it comes on. I can’t imagine sitting through the whole movie. I have no interest in this whatsoever so flush it! No I take it back. Go ahead and flush it twice!

2. “SCARY MOVIE 5” (April 12, 2013) – If we didn’t need “Scary Movie” 2 through 4 why on earth would we need part 5? Well obviously there is still an audience for this mindnumbingly awful stuff. I recently tried to watch a little of one of these terrible installments and it was a truly painful experience. How can movies this bad make enough money to merit yet another film? Here’s a bigger question – what would make anyone think this one will be any different? I’m sure some people will go see this thing. But not me. No thank you, I’ll pass.

3. “PAIN AND GAIN” (APRIL 26, 2013) – Ok, I may be completely wrong about this one but from the trailers “Pain and Gain” looks absolutely terrible. Yes it stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, and Anthony Mackie, all three of whom can have their moments. But the entire idea behind this looks and sounds absurd. I know this is based on a true story but all true stories don’t necessarily translate into a good movie. Anything is possible when good actors are in place, but with Michael Bay directing…sigh, enough said.

4. “SPRING BREAKERS” (March 22, 2013) – I almost aways roll my eyes at these movies that are clearly a child stars attempt to drastically distance themselves from what made them famous. Such is the case with Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens in “Spring Breakers”. Look, there’s nothing wrong with moving to more mature movies. That’s expected. But here they run around in tiny bikini’s, snorting cocaine, and wallowing all over a silly looking gangstered-out James Franco. This looks cheap and self-indulgent. I think I’ll pass.

5. “G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (March 29, 2013) – Let me go on record (again) by saying I despised the first G.I. Joe movie and I thought it had turned off enough people to avoid a sequel. Not the case. Now the trailers are tempting and it almost looks like good-matured mindless fun. But I’m not buying it. Even with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Bruce Willis added to the cast, this thing could be another lame disaster. I’m flushing this one although I would love to be proven wrong.

There you go. I’ve flaunted five films that I’m anxious to see and flushed five that look like…well…crap. Agree or disagree? What are some movies you would like to flaunt or flush. Let me hear from ya.

They’ve come and they’ve gone. The 2013 Academy Awards are in the bag and as a whole I enjoyed the show. Despite a few stumbles, Seth MacFarlane was actually better than I thought, there were a few surprises, some good musical numbers, and in the end plenty to talk about. As usual it was a long show and I’m sure many non-cinephiles labored through the categories such as Production Design and Sound Mixing. But I gobbled it all up. I applauded several times and shook my head at other times. So lets look at the big night in movies starting with the big six categories.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

Nothing like starting off the show with a big surprise! I had this race as a battle between Tommy Lee Jones and Robert De Niro. I felt Jones would win but my allegiance was with De Niro. The more I thought on his brilliant work in “Silver Linings Playbook” the more I was sure he deserved the Oscar. Sadly the Academy weren’t as impressed. Now don’t get me wrong, I really like Waltz. But this should have gone to De Niro. This one was a head scratcher!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)

This was considered a certain win for Hathaway but after the Waltz win I wasn’t so sure. It turns out the Academy stayed on course and Hathaway took home the gold. Honestly I was quite satisfied with her win. Some have said this was a role aimed at an Academy Award nomination. Maybe so but I loved it. I predicted Hathaway and for me Hathaway was the clear choice.

BEST ACTRESS – Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

In what turned out to be the only win for “Silver Linings Playbook”, Jennifer Lawrence was who I predicted to win and she did. My personal choice was Emmanuelle Riva. No one came close to doing what she did on screen. But everything was pointing to Lawrence although you never know with the Academy and young actresses. Even though she gave my third or fourth favorite performance of the nominees, she was still very, very good and she’s only going to get better. Get ready to move aside Meryl Streep!

BEST ACTOR – Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

In the biggest non-surprise of the night Daniel Day-Lewis set an Oscar record becoming the only 3-time Best Actor winner in Oscar history. It was a well deserved win. Who else could have pulled off what he was able to accomplish. I love DDL and his wonderfully humble acceptance speech only enhanced that. He is on an acting level above most others and I’m proud he was recognized for his work yet again. He was my personal favorite and I predicted him. But didn’t everybody?

BEST DIRECTOR – Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

I’ve said it multiple times – the Best Director category is the most screwed up of any at this year’s Oscars. Ang Lee’s win proves it. Not don’t misunderstand, “Life of Pi” was a really good film, but I thought Spielberg deserved this one. Of course this one is equally confounding because the two biggest snubs, Kathryn Bigelow and Ben Affleck both should have won over Lee. But this is how the Academy rolls and its often times impossible to understand. I had predicted Spielberg and was rooting for Haneke. Sorry guys, not this year.

BEST PICTURE – “ARGO”

While Ben Affleck was denied his chance at a directing Oscar, he went home a happy man after winning a Best Picture statue for “Argo”. I predicted “Argo” but I have to admit I was growing uneasy with my pick as the night went on. But as with most other Awards this season, the Oscars fell in line. I have to say I was proud for Affleck. “Amour” was my preference but I found myself clapping once “Argo” was announced. It was a wonderful film.

There are my thoughts in the Big 6 categories. Here are some random thoughts on the show:

SOCK PUPPET “FLIGHT” – While I though MacFarlane and Shatner’s bit went a little too long, I loved the “Flight” sock puppet gag. The booze, the coke, the tumble dryer! And then the politically incorrect “This is 2013! You can’t do black hand”. Hilarious!

THE BOND TRIBUTE – First of all it was surprising to see the Academy pay tribute to a franchise they for the most part have ignored. Maybe that explains the mediocrity of the montage. At least Shirley Bassey came in and saved the day.

THE JAWS THEME – I have to admit, the delinquent in me thought the first use of the Jaws theme was kind of funny. It didn’t sound live and it came across as a mistake. Well, it was no mistake and it turned out to be a pretty rude method of speeding things along.

THE AVENGERS – I loved the bit where the cast of “The Avengers” (minus Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson) came out to present. Hysterical! And many have heard me say this before, but when is Robert Downey Jr. going to host the Oscars? He would bring the house down.

ZERO DARK THIRTY – I knew the Academy was too scared to put their stamp of approval on “Zero Dark Thirty”. It took home only one Oscar and that was a tie for sound editing. I thought Mark Boal should have won for original screenplay but it went to Django instead. Just more evidence that the Academy will steer clear of anything deemed controversial regardless of how stupid the controversy is.

LES MISERABLES NUMBER – I thought one of the highlights of the ceremony was the musical number from the cast of “Les Miserables”. Talk about knocking it out of the park. I know many people had mixed feelings about the film, but this reminded me of everything I liked about it.

“SKYFALL” BY ADELE – Wow! Talk about talent. Adele blew away everyone on her way to her deserved Oscar win for Best Song. It seems absolutely effortless for her and she didn’t miss a note. And then there was the incredible stage design behind her. This was a real treat!

KRISTEN STEWART – I think it was Ruth over at Flixchatter who asked why anyone would invite Kristen Stewart to appear or present at an awards show. Last night she seemed high and completely uninterested. She also looked like a total slob despite the fancy dress she was wearing. Next year let’s invite someone else!

BEN AFFLECK’S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH – I loved the humility and childlike excitement from Ben Affleck after winning the Best Picture Oscar for “Argo”. Yes he was rambling and tripping over his words but I loved it. It wasn’t a heavily scripted speech. It was pure excitement and exuberance – exactly as it should be! Well done!

MICHELLE OBAMA VIA SATELLITE – Ok, I’m not throwing any type of political position in this, but Michelle Obama’s appearance via satellite was a bit jarring. I mean we have the screen legend Jack Nicholson come out in good form and then he has to step aside for a big jumbo screen? C’mon Academy, seriously?

So those are just a few thoughts on this year’s Oscars. There was no big heavyweight winner but a few films go home disappointed such as one time frontrunner “Lincoln” and heavily nominated “Silver Linings Playbook”. I hoped to see more wins for “Amour”, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, and “Zero Dark Thirty”. But such is the nature of The Academy Awards. Now it’s time for your thoughts!

I love this time of year! It’s awards season for the movies and the granddaddy of them all are The Academy Awards. With the Oscars set to take place this Sunday, it’s time for me to look at the nominees and predict the winners and tell you who I think should win. Now last month I shared my Top 10 Films of 2012, Best Actress Performances, Best Actor Performances, Best Supporting Actress Performances, and Best Supporting Actor Performances. So this isn’t about my personal favorites for the entire 2012 movie year. This is all about the nominees. I’m going to tell you who I think will take home the golden statue Sunday night. I’m also going to share who I’ll be rooting for. One more note, click on any movie title to check out my review of that film. Ok, here we go.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Amy Adams – “The Master”
2. Sally Field – “Lincoln”
3. Anne Hathaway – “Les Miserables”
4. Helen Hunt – “The Sessions”
5. Jacki Weaver – “Silver Linings Playbook”

The supporting actress category is really, really strong this year. Helen Hunt’s performance is the only one I haven’t seen but that doesn’t matter. She doesn’t have a chance. Amy Adams was really good in “The Master” but that’s a film that I was mixed on and that has received limited love from the Academy. Jacki Weaver is a wonderful actress but I’m not sure she deserved the nomination considering how little she had to do. Sally Field is really good in “Lincoln” but I think she is way behind Anne Hathaway. This is one category that can be called before one person hits the red carpet. Anne Hathaway has it wrapped up and personally I agree.

WHO’LL WIN : Anne Hathaway – “Les Miserables”
WHO SHOULD WIN : Anne Hathaway – “Les Miserables”

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Alan Arkin – “Argo”
2. Robert De Niro – “Silver Linings Playbook”
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman – “The Master”
4. Tommy Lee Jones – “Lincoln”
5. Christoph Waltz – “Django Unchained”

Here’s yet another really strong category filled with some seasoned talents. First off Christoph Waltz is wonderful. But he’s just coming off a recent Oscar win and he has very little buzz going into the big show. Hoffman has a lot of support from those who loved the film but that’s about it. Alan Arkin was outstanding in “Argo” and I could handle him winning except for one thing. He’s only in the film for about 10 minutes. So I see it coming down to two old veterans, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert De Niro. Jones had the early momentum but De Niro has really come on lately. A lot of people are happy to see him giving nomination worthy performances again. He hasn’t won since “Raging Bull” so this could be his night. I hope so because I loved his performance. But I think it’s going to Tommy Lee Jones.

WHO’LL WIN : Tommy Lee Jones – “Lincoln”
WHO SHOULD WIN : Robert De Niro – “Silver Linings Playbook”

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Jessica Chastain – “Zero Dark Thirty”
2. Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook”
3. Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour”
4. Quvenzhane Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
5. Naomi Watts – “The Impossible”

For my money this is the strongest of all Oscar categories. The women of cinema really brought it in 2012 and I loved every one of these performances. First there’s Naomi Watts. I was happy to see her nominated because I thought she was wonderful in “The Impossible”. But it’s a movie that hasn’t been on many people’s radar and Watts has no chance. One of my very favorite performances of 2012 came from young Wallis. Unfortunately she hasn’t a chance mainly due to the lack of support for child actors at Oscar time. That leaves us will Lawrence, Chastain, and Riva. At first it appeared that this was a two woman race between Chastain and Lawrence. But it seems that Riva has gained some steam and rightly so. I loved Chastain’s work and Lawrence was quite good. But no actress in 2012 did what Riva was able to do. It’s the most gripping and committed performance I’ve seen in a long time and she deserves to win. But I think too much is pointing towards Lawrence. Still, keep your eyes on this category.

WHO’LL WIN : Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook”
WHO SHOULD WIN : Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour”

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook”
2. Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln”
3. Hugh Jackman – “Les Miserables”
4. Joaquin Phoenix – “The Master”
5. Denzel Washington – “Flight”

There’s a fantastic group of lead actors this year. I can’t say I have a problem with any of these performances being nominated. But this is a category with a sure winner. Denzel Washington gives yet another solid performance in “Flight” but he’s not going to win. Joaquin Phoenix was brilliant in “The Master” but there’s no buzz around him and his general disdain for the awards won’t help him. Hugh Jackman took home a Golden Globe and I thought he was mighty good in “Les Miserables”. But he won’t win here. Then there’s Bradley Cooper. I’m so happy to see Cooper actually taking on a substantive role and knocking it out of the park. But he, like every other nominee mentioned, has no chance with Daniel Day-Lewis in the race. Day-Lewis was nothing short of brilliant in his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln and if he doesn’t win something is terribly wrong.

WHO’LL WIN : Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln”
WHO SHOULD WIN : Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln”

DIRECTING

1. Michael Haneke – “Amour”
2. Benh Zeitlin – “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
3. Ang Lee – “Life of Pi”
4. Steven Spielberg – “Lincoln”
5. David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook”

This year’s best directing category is the most screwed up of any. It features more egregious and indefensible snubs than any category I’ve seen in a long time. But there are still some good choices here. Ang Lee’s nomination was a big surprise to me. He did a great job but I don’t think he belongs in this conversation. I loved what Zeitlin did in his small but powerful film “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. His nomination was a pleasant surprise but he has no shot to win. Michael Haneke is a director who uses incredible techniques in his films and his work on “Amour” was brilliant. I’d have no problem seeing him win. Then there’s David O. Russell. I know I’m in the minority but I don’t see how he’s on this list especially considering the snubs. His film was a performance driven picture and the movie’s only weaknesses could be traced back to him. I can’t imagine him winning. That leaves Spielberg who really blew me away with “Lincoln”. It’s an amazing accomplishment and I think he will win. Of this group I think I prefer Haneke but this one belongs to Spielberg.

WHO’LL WIN : Steven Spielberg – “Lincoln”
WHO SHOULD WIN : Michael Haneke – “Amour”

BEST PICTURE

1. “Amour”
2. “Argo”
3. “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
4. “Django Unchained”
5. “Les Miserables”
6. “Life of Pi”
7. “Lincoln”
8. “Silver Linings Playbook”
9. “Zero Dark Thirty”

And now it’s time for the big one. There’s some intrigue surrounding this year’s Best Picture category. First let’s do some pruning. “Life of Pi”, “Django Unchained”, “Les Miserables”, and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” are movies that should be really happy to be nominated because they have no realistic chance to win on Oscar night. “Zero Dark Thirty” was an incredible film and one of my favorites of 2012. But considering director Kathryn Bigelow’s directing snub and the pointless controversy surrounding the picture, I don’t think the Academy has any plans of touching this movie. What a shame. “Silver Linings Playbook” could bring in a few Oscars this Sunday. It’s picked up a lot of steam lately but I don’t see it being a contender for Best Picture. I loved “Amour” and I love that as more people are seeing it it’s gaining momentum. Sadly it will be to little, to late. “Lincoln” is still an interesting film. It has a lot of what the Academy seems to gravitate to and it was the early front-runner. That said, I still think it will fall short leaving “Argo” to win the biggest prize of the night despite director Ben Affleck’s snub. I think my personal choice would be “Amour” but I would have no problem with “Argo” winning the night.

WHO’LL WIN : “Argo”
WHO SHOULD WIN : “Amour”

So there’s the Big 6 categories for this Sunday night. What do you think? Where did I get it right and where did I miss the mark? Please take time to share your picks.

The Keith & the Movies Valhalla is a place of tribute for those movies that I hold in the highest regard. These are films that embody everything that is great about motion pictures. These are the best of the best – movies that I truly love and that stand above the rest. There are many great movies that won’t find their way into these sacred halls. But here you will find those films that I believe personify brilliance in filmmaking, storytelling, and entertainment. These glorious 5 star accomplishments are worthy of special recognition as the very best. Ok, enough of the high drama! In other words, these are my favorite movies of all time, ok?

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NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) – I’m a huge fan of Joel and Ethan Coen and their crime thriller “No Country for Old Men” is one of their very best films. This Best Picture winner features the Coen’s signature mix of blood and grit with their unique brand of dark comedy. The brothers stick surprisingly close to Cormac McCarthy’s novel while at the same time making it unmistakably their own. It’s a riveting hunter versus hunted story led by perfect performances from Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kelly Macdonald. And who can ever forget Javier Bardem’s work as the psychotic Anton Chigurh, one of cinema’s most memorable movie villains. Everything about this picture works – the sweaty southwestern locations, the subtle and dry humor, the sparse and often times absent score, the meaningful yet gruesome violence, the well-structured pacing. “No Country for Old Men” is the jarring revelation of a new age of violence and crime for a small town Texas sheriff. It’s a case against the pursuit of a quick and easy fortune. It shows the domino effect of one poor but crucial decision. I could go on and on. There’s a lot going on under the surface of this film if you just dig enough. But even without that, this is a spectacular action picture with some of the Coen’s funniest moments sprinkled in. It’s the total package and one of my all time favorites.

No Country for Old Men is the third inductee into the Keith & the Movies Valhalla. But there are more amazing movies to come in the near future so stay tuned. What are your thoughts on this Coen brothers classic? Is it worth the accolades it’s received or is it an overrated picture? You now know my opinion. It’s one of the very best. Take time to share your comments below.