Hello folks, welcome to the FIRST edition of 2014 Five for the Fifth!!
As is customary for this monthly feature, I get to post five random news item/observation/poster, etc. and then turn it over to you to share your take on that given topic. You can see the previous five-for-the-fifth posts here.
1. As I was thinking for all the questions for this post, I was humming some of the songs from FROZEN so naturally my mind turns to soundtracks. I listen to basically only a couple of genres: classical and soundtracks, with other genres I listen to only when I come across to on the radio. I haven’t decided whether I want to make a top 10 list of favorite soundtracks yet, but if I did, I think these five will surely make the list: The Great Gatsby, The Sapphires, Pacific Rim, Gravity, and of course, FROZEN. That last one is especially addictive, just like a lot of other Disney music, I just can’t get ’em out of my head! The Kristen Bell & Idina Menzel’s version of The First Time of Forever is my absolute favorite.
So my first question is: What’s your favorite soundtrack/song of 2013?
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2. I’d like to single out an actor/filmmaker whose birthday falls on Five for the Fifth Day. Well today’s Bradley Cooper‘s birthday, and he and I are apparently only a month apart in age [I’ll let you Google it yourself how old that is, ahah].
I haven’t always been fond of Cooper, though with his tall, lean figure, dark hair and beautiful blue eys, you’d think he’d be my type. The thing is, I kind of find him to be a little too pretty, which actually has the opposite effect. In any case, ever since Silver Linings Playbook, and most recently American Hustle, I’ve warmed up to him more. At least he has a pleasant countenance, though not the most charismatic actor in my opinion.
So what do you think of Bradley Cooper? Are you a fan?
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3. The trend in Hollywood with film adaptations is they come in twos. And so is this year with two Biblical epics, one for Easter (NOAH – March 28) and the other just before Christmas (EXODUS – December 12). As much as I LOVE stories from the Good Book getting some attention, granted there are a bunch of them that are worth exploring, I’m more curious rather than excited about these two. My hope is that they’d stay true to the source material and that God doesn’t end up simply being an afterthought.
Last week we got a FIRST LOOK of Christian Bale in the role of Moses. So apparently it’s not enough that he’s played the Ultimate Savior of Humanity (as Jesus in the TV movie Mary, Mother of Jesus) back in 1999. Not the greatest casting call ever IMO. Now, as much as I love Bale and he’s a terrific actor, I feel that he’s rather ill-suited for this role as well, it’d be nice to see Hollywood at least attempt to cast someone ethnic looking even if they couldn’t find an actual Jewish actor. I’d think Guatemalan-descent Oscar Isaac would’ve been a better choice and he’s a very good actor in his own right. Yes I know he doesn’t have the star power yet, and something with a huge budget like this is unlikely to get greenlit without a major star.
Anyway, that official photo shows Moses still leading a comfortable life as the adopted member of the Egyptian royal family. But here are some set photos with lookie here… Aussie Joel Edgerton as Ali Baba, er I mean Rhamses! In the photo of Bale with Ridley Scott, the costume look like it’s a recycled version from his Robin Hood film. Mr. Scott hasn’t captured the glory that was Gladiator since its release 14 years ago, we’ll see if he’d finally do so with this one.
Well, what do you think folks? Thoughts on the EXODUS film?
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4. I heard about A Promise a couple of months ago and being a fan of period dramas, naturally it piqued my interest. But with a cast that include Alan Rickman, Rebecca Hall AND former Game of Thrones‘ Richard Madden (this ultra gorgeous hunk of a man happens to be Scottish, natch!), I definitely want to see this! Check out the trailer:
A romantic drama set in Germany just before WWI and centered on a married woman who falls in love with her husband’s protégé. Separated first by duties and then by the war, they pledge their devotion to one another.
Ok so I’ve read some not-so-stellar reviews from Venice Film Festival that mentioned the lack of chemistry. Heh, I guess I’m willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt, I mean, being torn between Rickman and Madden? A girl can only be so darn lucky! Ah well, I doubt this movie will make it to my city anyway, but I’ll be sure to rent it when it comes out.
What do you think of this one, folks?
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5. Now lastly, since the first week of the New Year isn’t over yet, some of you are probably still working on your New Year’s resolution. Some might’ve actually broken one too, am I right? 😉 I actually don’t really have one, I just never bothered with it, but this year, as it relates to my blog and my love for movies, my resolution is to catch up on more classic movies. I’ve been saying that a lot in the past but this time, I’ve got a plan! I’ve signed up for the BlindSpot blogathon, as you can see on my list I posted last week, I’d at least hit 12 of them I’ve been meaning to see. Perhaps you have similar goals, i.e. tackle a certain genre/filmmaker or maybe you want to catch all of AFI’s Top 100 Movies, etc.
So, what’s YOUR movie-related goal in 2014?
Well, that’s it for the first-of-the-year edition of Five for the Fifth, folks.
Now, please pick a question out of the five above or better yet, do ‘em all! 😀
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Favorite soundtrack? Inside Llewyn Davis followed by Frozen. Favorite score? In terms of impact on the narrative, it’s easily 12 Years a Slave.
Bradley Cooper? Haven’t decided yet. He’s very good in O. Russel movies. He was decent in The Place Behind the Pines. So I guess I like him. More or less.
I don’t like Ridley Scott, really, so I’m not terribly excited for his Bale collaboration. No matter Bale’s skill.
As to A Promise. We’ll see. Looks like it could go either way – great or terrible. I look forward to seeing it and finding which one it, if either, it winds up being. 😉
Hi James, thanks for being first commenter of FFTF of the year 😀
I like some of the songs of ILD but generally it’s not my music genre. I love the score of 12 Years a Slave too, it’s quite moving.
Yeah methinks Cooper will continue working w/ O. Russell, he was good in both of his films.
Hmmm, not a fan of Mr. Scott? Any particular reason?
I think his films often sacrifice character for spectacle. Even Gladiator is an example – it was good, but people remember Crowe cutting off a head or Phoenix screaming. They don’t remember the characters.
Lately his movies have also struggled with pacing, lagging for large sections before getting to something interesting, on a plot or character level.
I think he also has a tendency to rely too much on score. And to encourage a tad too much overacting.
Now. I’m making it sound like I hate him. I don’t. I’m fairly neutral, but that, I think, means I’m not a big fan. 😉
Great, great question Ruth. Let me see…
#1. Soundtracks? For me Gravity was really good. Fit the mood of the film perfectly! But I also loved John Williams work on The Book Thief. Beautiful score!
#2. My thoughts on Cooper are funny. I kinda like the guy yet there aren’t any of his films that blow me away. That’s kinda weird isn’t it?
#3. REALLY excited for Noah maybe more so than Exodus. As you may know, I’m a huge Russell Crowe fan and I think he will be great. It’s Aronofsky that worries me. As for Exodus, I really like Ridley Scott so my fingers are crossed. I just hope both films treat the material with respect!
#4. A Promise. This one is new to me but I really like that cast. Rebecca Hall is so underapprecited!
#5. I don’t really have any movie resolutions but I love yours. I love it when people give the classics a look. I just love those good ol’ films!
Hiya Keith!
Yeah I was listening to the Gravity score again last night and it was so powerful. Can’t wait to rent the BD and crank it up loud w/ surround sound. The Book Thief is beautiful too, though not as memorable as other Williams’ work.
Oh not at all, there are some actors in that category for me too, I think Chris Pine is one of them.
Yep, I’m guessing you’re with me in terms of wanting to see a faithful Biblical adaptation. Yep I’m worried more about Aronofsky too, as I heard he wanted to make an *environmental* story out of it, I mean seriously??
I know, I like Hall a lot but she hasn’t got a bonafide hit for some reason. I do love Rickman too!
I feel like I should give the classics more attention, some are still better than a lot of today’s films.
Some good questions as always, Ruth.
1. I can’t say any soundtracks really stood out to me this past year… but then, I didn’t see all that many of 2013’s films.
2. The only thing I’ve seen Bradley Cooper in is Valentine’s Day, and I’m trying not to hold that against him.
3. Exodus could be interesting, although it’s kind of funny that it’s “yet another” story on Moses. Seems like it’s almost always Moses. When is there going to be a film about Elijah? 😀 First trailer for Noah came out recently, and it’s looking pretty good. Also looks like God will definitely not be an afterthought in that one. Love the scene in the trailer where this guy trying to take the ark says “I’ve got #### men… you’re all alone.” “I am not alone.”
4. It looks decent, but I’m not a big viewer of period romances.
5 I’m not really a resolution kind of guy, but I’d like to see more films in the theatre this year, and maybe bring my review total up to 600 this year.
Hi Morgan!
Ahah, Valentine’s Day! Haven’t seen that one but probably never will. So you haven’t seen him even in Silver Linings Playbook?
I hear ya that Hollywood always highlight the same Biblical characters, but perhaps because it’s more of an adventure story, Elijah or John The Baptist are probably deemed too religious for them. I’m cautiously optimistic that Noah won’t be a story about the “first environmentalist in history,” ’cause that’d be ludicrous.
You’ve got almost 600 reviews this year?? WOW you’re one prolific blogger, man!
No, I haven’t seen Silver Linings Playbook yet. It’s on the list, though, from all the Oscar buzz last year.
It’s definitely the case that Hollywood is going to want to go with the more adventurous Bible heroes. No doubt about that. Which is why I was being a bit facetious about Elijah, as bear-summoning aside, he’s probably not as “exciting” to them. Though in all seriousness, I am surprised that Samson doesn’t show up more often.
And no, I didn’t get almost 600 reviews in a year. I mean that over the course of my blogging career, from the start to now, I should be able to hit 600 by the end of 2014. 🙂
1. For a 2013 film it’s got to be the soundtrack for PACIFIC RIM.
2. Bradley Cooper shares my mother’s birthday? Wow. I am a fan, too. I guess I began to warm to him with his stint in the underappreciated Joe Carnahan film, THE A-TEAM.
3. Anything that Ridley Scott puts out I’m going to watch because of his status and history as a filmmaker. Even his misses are never boring. So, I’m in!
4. Can’t offer much as I’ve seen little or nothing of the work.
5. Goal? What’s that? 😉 I rarely plan on one when it comes to my blogging. For whatever reason I let it come on its own. Seems to work out so far.
Always love these, Ruth. Keep ’em coming. Many thanks.
Hi Michael! High five on Pacific Rim, Ramin Djawadi’s work is fantastic AND addictive!
Oh, tell your mom happy birthday! The A-Team movie was a lot of fun, I really like Sharlto Copley in there too!
I’m a fan of Ridley as well and despite some of his misses, he’s still a talented filmmaker. This one seems to have *epic* written all over it, let’s hope the end result is a good one!
Hey, somethings no or little planning works out just fine. I don’t usually have goals either but catching up on classic films sounds like a fun resolution 😀
I still can’t believe it’s 2014 already, a year away from 2015 when according to Back to the Future 2, we should have flying cars by now. Ha ha.
1. My favorite soundtrack from 2013 are Gravity and Man of Steel; the latter I watched recently, picked it up from Best Buy for $10. I actually liked it better the second time around, probably because it wasn’t in 3D, it’s quite distracting when I saw it in theater. BTW, I remember you said you have some audio issues on the BD you bought? I didn’t have any problems with my disc at all, in fact I thought it’s one of the best sounding discs I own. You might want to exchange your disc, it might have some sort of defects.
2. I don’t hate or like Cooper, he’s better in films like The Hangover, I just can’t take him seriously as actor in serious role. I think he’s better playing the frat boy type or a slimy villain. Years ago he played a slimy lawyer in Law & Order: SVU and I thought he’s great in a role like that.
3. As you know I’m not a religious person so I not that familiar with the stories of Noah or Exodus from The Bible. As for the films version, I’m looking forward to both since I like both of the filmmakers.
5. Don’t really have any 2014 goals for movies, maybe watch less crappy action movies? But I highly doubt that would happen since I love that genre, ha ha.
Ahahaha, there’s so much wishful thinking in movies aren’t they?
Y’know, I rewatched Man of Steel recently and liked the score a bit more than I initially did, but it’s still not as iconic as John Williams’ score. Hmmm, maybe I’ll borrow your BD one day, it’s too late to exchange your disc as it was a while ago that I got it.
That’s kind of how I feel about Cooper, he seems better in a comedic role or something that isn’t too dramatic. His pretty face kind of get in the way of his acting somehow, unlike some other good looking actors.
I don’t think you have to be religious to know that both Noah and Moses are Godly-men and they did what they did as they were obedient to God’s will for them. At the very least, I hope that they capture the essence of the story.
Ha..ha.. as long as they’re still entertaining, action flicks can be so much fun. I hope Expendables 3 would be pretty cool, I only saw parts of the 2nd one as the 1st was an abominable!
It’s always funny when watching futuristic films from the 70s, 80s and even 90s; Blade Runner took place in 2019 so we should have flying cars and Replicants by now. LOL. I think some of the films in the 2000s were better at predicting future technology, like in Minority Report, I won’t surprised if we do have a high way system like in the film, that would be cool actually. But the thing they got wrong was the animated newspaper, they didn’t know about smartphones or tablets back in the early 2000s.
That’s too bad about your disc, I actually I might want to burrow your disc and test it on my BD player and see if I have any issues with the audio. You don’t usually expect to find any defects with newer discs but it happens. I had to exchange my White House Down BD because when I popped in the disc, it was making humming sound.
I’m looking forward to The Expendables 3. I actually watched one of Jason Stratham’s many cheesy action flicks over the weekend, the one came out last winter called Parker, it’s a lot better than I thought it would be.
HI Ruth, thank you for another great Five for the 5th Post!
1- I really enjoyed the music from 12 Years A Slave, Gravity, and Pacific Rim.
2- I’m a fan of Bradley Cooper. I don’t understand why people would hate him. He is an actor that is really transitioning his roles from comedy to drama very well. There’s no denying that he’s an actor that is rising his status as a star across the nation.
3- I am more excited about Noah than Exodus because I find Darren Aronofsky’s films to be much more complete than Ridley Scott’s. As you mentioned, he’s had a lot of misses since filming Gladiator. The Counselor was a tremendous flop, and I was hoping it wouldn’t be given the amazing cast. I don’t doubt that Christian Bale will deliver a great performance; I’m concerned with Scott’s directing here. I’m very religious, so I think that any religious film needs to be respectful and stay close to the source.
4- I’m sure I’d enjoy any film that Alan Rickman is in.
5- I definitely want to write more reviews this year. Went through really slow times last year, but new year now!
Hi there Raul! Glad to see on take part on my fave post of the month! 😀
Those are a trio of GREAT soundtracks man, I enjoyed all three of them.
I think Cooper is pretty likable, unlike say Ryan Gosling (sorry but I can’t stand that guy). I’d like to see him do more dramatic roles though, so far it’s been more of a dramedy.
Yeah, Scott really needs a hit doesn’t he? It’s been a long time since Gladiator, surely. As a Christian, I also wish Hollywood would respect the source material, otherwise why bother using the Bible at all if they didn’t care about God?
Hey, I like what you said about Rickman. Right on!
That’s a great resolutions man, you’re such a fine writer so I’m looking forward to reading more reviews from you!
Frozen is, without a doubt, the best soundtrack of the year, with “Let It Go” being the best song I’ve heard in a film in a good many years. I’m still singing those songs in my head all day long. But as far as movie soundtracks go, I’d say that other standouts included Captain Phillips, Gravity, Man of Steel, and Only God Forgives.
As for Bradley Cooper, I’ve actually been a fan of his since The Hangover, and have gotten a kick anytime I’ve seen him in some of his older roles before then (oh shit, that was Bradley Cooper!!). But despite being a raunchy comedy, I actually saw a world of potential in him there, and while everyone was seemingly surprised to see him go on to become a genuinely great actor, I merely saw it as the logical natural progression of his career, and I’m almost always interested in his work.
And as far as movie goals, I guess to go out and make some this year, lol. 😛
Hi Chris! I knew you’d agree w/ me on Frozen! There are so many fun songs that are easy to sing along to.
I do think Cooper’s in his prime right now. I’m curious to see how he’d be choosing his roles from now, good thing he seems to avoid the rom-com trap that Gerard Butler fell into!
Best of luck in your film project, and keep us updated via your blog!
Yay, first FFTF of 2014!
1. Gatsby, of course. So many highlights there but I think I’ll go with Florence + The Machine’s “Over the Love”.
2. I liked him a lot before but after Silver Linings, I became a huge fan.
3. Oh my, Edgerton looks terrible! haha Looking forward to both films, though. Like you, more curious than genuinely excited.
4. Ooh, not my cup of tea at all, even though I love Rebecca.
5. I haven’t set a specific goal but I do intend to watch more movies in ’14 than I did in 2013.
Hi Fernando!
Oh right The Great Gatsby! Though my fave is Young and Beautiful. I hope they get nominated by Oscar.
Cooper was excellent in Silver Linings, that’s the role that made me think he’s not just a pretty face, but I still need to see more.
Ahah, Edgerton looks hilarious in this picture. I sure hope there won’t be unintentional humor in the film, ahah.
I know you’re not a fan of period dramas, so fair enough 🙂
Hey, that sounds like a great and attainable goal Fernando, I’m sure you can do it!
Young and Beautiful is great too. The jazz version of that song is my ringtone!
Looking forward to seeing Cooper in American Hustle.
And yes, Edgerton looks terrible. Looks like a joke costume or something. And that make-up, yeesh.
And I tend to like SOME period dramas, but wasn’t feeling this one at all.
And yes, I WILL do it! haha I watched way too few movies last year!
1. I really liked the soundtrack to The Spectacular Now and Frances Ha – though I don’t think they had lyrical songs so I’m not sure if they count!
2. Bradley Cooper is a little underrated to me. Silver Linings Playbook gave him a bigger spotlight. When I look back and watch Wedding Crashers, I’m surprised by the big impact he has with such a small role. I’m not sure his part as Sack could’ve been better with someone else.
3. I’m a bit more curious by Noah rather than Exodus. Darren’s direction piques me more than Ridley’s, but I’ll probably try out Exodus just for Bale.
4. A little iffy on A Promise. Rebecca’s seeming-German accent slips unless she’s meant to be British….Might check it out because it is a historical period I study as a hobby, and I do love period-era romances.
5. Watch more movies on my Netflix (I have like 150+ but many of them are too-bad-to-be-good B+ horror movies and tv shows). Blog more about movies I watch and continuing series. 🙂
Happy 2014 Ruth!
Oh I haven’t seen those two films but yeah, film scores definitely count 😀
I still haven’t seen Wedding Crashers so I didn’t even know he was in it. I remember Cooper was in Alias show, but he was cast as a tech geek, ahah.
Well, we’ll find out much sooner if Noah is a good film, that’s coming out just before Easter!
Oh I thought her character was British, they seem to speak w/ British accent even if it’s meant to be other parts of Europe, ahah. I do love this cast though.
Fantastic resolutions, Katy! I only wish Netflix Streaming carry more good movies!
I’ve had the Frozen soundtrack playing on my iPod for weeks and I’m still not tired of it. So many great tracks to it. It’s probably my favorite of the year, but I also thought Gravity had a pretty rousing soundtrack to it as well.
I’m also interested in seeing both Noah and Exodus, but like you, I can’t say I’m excited. Those first images don’t exactly grab me the way I wish they would, but I’ll still probably check them out, if anything to just support more Biblical stories on the big screen. 🙂
Hi Billy! Very cool that you’re a fan of Frozen too! Gravity’s score was so powerful when I heard it in Dolby Atmos, that’ll be tough to top when I rent the film later on w/ my puny stereo system, ahah.
Yes I guess it’s good that Biblical stories get some attention, though I’d love to see the story of King David get a decent feature film adaptation, too.
Great questions!
1. I was going to say Gatsby, because I loved the musical production in it, and so many of the songs within packed a huge punch. Overall though I think Gravity wins out for me, it was just a sublime accompaniment to awesome visuals.
2. I felt the exact same way that you did about Cooper. I didn’t get the appeal at all. Sure, he looked good and he has those piercing baby blues, but for some reason I didn’t feel 100% comfortable when he was onscreen. Almost like he wasn’t selling anything. D’ya get me? Then I changed my mind when I saw Silver Linings and I thought that maybe he just hadn’t been given the opportunity to sell himself to us. I haven’t seen American Hustle yet but I’m sure I’ll enjoy him in that too.
3. I’ll be curious to see both Noah and Exodus, but unless the lovely and knowledgeable movie blogging people (like yourself) sing its praises, I won’t be bothering with either in the theaters and will wait to rent them.
4. I love the cast here. But I’m not a fan of period romance, or romance in general for that matter. This could be another DVD option.
5. Mine is to simply watch more than I did in 2013! I do recall you mentioning the Blindspot idea in a previous post, I like it, I should do something similar as I’m not very good with the “classics”.
Hello V!
Gatsby have some terrific songs in it, which is what I’d expect from Baz, but yeah, score-wise Gravity is simply sublime!
Glad you get what I mean about Cooper. Funny that some good looking actors just don’t do it for me at all, though on paper he’s certainly got some nice features. He’s not very charismatic though, maybe that’s why.
I think both of those films probably look good in terms of visuals, I’m just hoping the script would be as strong as the basic story is so epic.
Not a fan of romance eh girl? Even w/ Richard Madden? 😉
I think Blindspot can include non-classics, it can be films you’ve somehow missed out on from a few years ago.
I think you hit the nail on the head there with Cooper, Ruth, lack of charisma could be exactly what it is. I just always got the impression that he’d turn up on set, with this “You want a handsome actor, I’m handsome, I’ll just stand over here and be handsome then” attitude, and had very little presence outside of that.
Oh, I do love me some Richard Madden. 😀 Hehe! I’ll miss him in GoT. Maybe I can bend the no romance rule, just this once. 😉
I have a few of those films I’ve missed out on. Not classics per se, but films I meant to see and for whatever reason haven’t had the chance yet.
Thanks again Ruth, I do love this feature!
Hello again V! Charisma is a funny thing, you can’t really teach that one and you either have it or you don’t. Ha..ha.. that’s certainly a plausible scenario about Cooper, I feel the same about Ryan Gosling too, cannot fathom what girls find attractive in him AT ALL.
I haven’t seen a single episode of GoT but I know how dreamy he is just from Tumblr and people’s blogs. So yeah, this one might be worth seeing even if it’s not your genre 😉
I wasn’t impressed by Cooper in any of those Hangover movies but I thought he did an excellent job in Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and The Place Beyond The Pines. If he keeps that streak up, he could be the next great actor.
Hi Ckckred! I haven’t seen the last film you mentioned, that’s a straight drama right? I might give it a shot but I’m not a fan of Gosling, that’s why I haven’t seen it yet.
1: I haven’t quite seen enough movies to choose a soundtrack by I am still wracking my brain…
2: I wasn’t too keen on Cooper either to begin with, but I’m warming to the guy too. I thought he was excellent in Silver Linings, impressive in The Place Beyond The Pines and I’m very eager to American Hustle. He’s had a good couple of years.
3: Joel Edgerton just looks odd there and I’m fast losing confidence in Ridley Scott, to be honest.
4: developing another Scottish crush are we, Ruth? 😉
5: My movie related goal would be to catch enough in the year at the right time so I can finally post a bloody Top Ten post at the end of the year. 😉
My top ten posts aren’t normally ready until May or June of the following year. Very sad! 😉
Hi Mark! You saw Gravity right? In any case, there’s always time to see more 2013 movies 😀
I’m curious to see if Cooper is able to keep up w/ his good streak lately.
Edgerton casting seems even more odd than Bale’s so yeah, I sure hope Scott knows what he’s doing!
Ahah, well not quite. I still haven’t completely been over GB, esp. after my recent rewatching of Phantom of the Opera 😉
No worries Mark! There’s no rush for those top 10s and I haven’t posted mine yet either. I’m thinking sometime in January though.
As a mom of a 7 year old girl, I guess I am stuck with the Frozen’s soundtrack until Disney decided to create another princess movie.. 😦
I am excited about Noah and Exodus. And my hope is the same as you, that they do treat God as an afterthought. Although I love Christian Bale, I wish they choose a real Jewish actor for this movie. Not middle eastern, but a Jewish actor.. I am thinking someone like Oded Fehr.. Maybe I was wrong, but sometimes people have the idea that the bible was invented in England..:))
Hi Vony! Ahah, well good thing the Frozen soundtrack is a good one or you’ll be stuck w/ something awful.
I know, seems that Hollywood just doesn’t often care about authentic casting. I get that they have to sell the film w/ the star, that’s why I suggest someone like Oscar Isaac who at least looks believable as a Jewish man and he’s getting more well-known now.
Ooooh I do love Oded Fehr, he’s Israeli right? He’s super hunky!
Yup, he is native Israeli, and he used to served in IDF.. I got a good dosage of him watching Covert Affairs last season.. 🙂
I’ve only seen Fehr in Sleeper Cell but he was fantastic. Oh yeah and a stray episode of Charmed I was made to watch… didn’t like that so much. Lol.
Favourite soundtrack: frozen’s let it go (the movie version, not the Demi levato version) and Hobbit’s I see fire
Oh I don’t care for Demi Lovato either so yeah, definitely the movie version of Frozen is my fave, too!
1. The World’s End
2. I wasn’t fond of Bradley Cooper at first but he has finally won me over with films like Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and The Place Beyond the Pines. I thought he was going to be another of those smug actors like Josh Lucas who was all look and little substance. Thankfully, Cooper isn’t like that at all in real life. Plus, I’m impressed at how fluent he is in French. Someone put him in a Francois Ozon or an Olivier Assayas film.
3. I’m very excited to see Noah as I hope Darren Aronofsky gets to present his final cut. As for Exodus, I’m intrigued by the idea but if Ridley Scott comes up short once again, I’m finished with him.
4. I like the cast though I think the premise seems un-original but I think it might be good.
5. I haven’t made any resolutions but now, I think I am making some cinematic revolutions and that is to finish and cover the following trilogies: Bergman’s Faith trilogy, Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi trilogy, Pasolini’s Trilogy of Life, Fassbinder’s BRD Trilogy, and Rossellini’s War Trilogy. Plus, whatever films in this watchlist I created for the new year.
Wow, you’re very confident in your answer. I can’t even remember any of the music from The World’s End.
Ahah, he does look like Josh Lucas at times, but yeah Cooper is a much better actor. He does speak French, he should do a French film w/ Marion Cottilard!
I think a lot is riding on Scott’s latest film as he hasn’t got a real hit in a while. I was disappointed w/ Prometheus and didn’t care to see The Counselor.
Ahah, the premise of Noah and Exodus unoriginal?? Well it’s based on the oldest book in history!
Boy that’s a lot of trilogies to catch up on. I haven’t even seen the tri-color trilogy yet 😦
Bradley Cooper & Marion Cotillard in a French film? Oui-Oui!!!!
Ahah, I knew you’d love that idea 😉
My favourite soundtrack this year was Man of Steel
I really like Bradley Cooper. After seeing how good he was in The Place Beyond the Pines I’m really looking forward to what he does next
I can’t wait for Noah and Exodus. I think there are so many badass stories in the old testament that could be amazing movies. And with modern special effects they would look great
Not very excited about A Promise. The only thing I know about Richard Madden is that his girlfriend is Clara from Doctor Who! I’m jealous 😦
My goal for 2014 is to do my own blogathon!
Hi Mikey!
Ah Man of Steel, well I guess I still miss John Williams’ score, though on second viewing I like Zimmer’s version a bit more.
Yes, there are sooo many stories in the Old Testament that could be adapted to the big screen. I’d love to see the story of King David among others, but Daniel would also be fantastic to explore.
Hey, if you’re doing a blogathon, do let me know as I might join in!
Hi Ruth 🙂 Happy New Year!
1. Gosh, I seriously can’t think of any that grabbed me. And I love scores.
2. Oh, okay.
3. Absolutely Yes
4. No way I’ll miss it.
5. Watch more films at the theater.
Short and sweet. Hope you don’t mind!
Cheers 😉
Happy New Year Cindy!
No soundtrack from 2013 grabs you? Hmmm, you are tough to please girl!
Ha..ha.. glad that you’re as excited about A Promise as I am. And I concur about your resolution. Short and sweet is great, thanks girl!
Hi Ruth, nice way to start the year.
1. I can’t think of any memorable soundtracks, I’m more of a visual effects person.
2. Of the few movies I’ve seen him in, Bradley’s good but there seems to be another actor in the movie that’s better like Ryan Gosling or Jen Lawrence.
3. I’m still waiting for Mr. Scott to match his last great movie Gladiator. I hope Exodus is that movie.
4. I usually like to see what Game of Thrones actors are up to but the Promise doesn’t interest me.
5. I hope to do more movie reviews! When it comes to older movies I have a big blindspot, maybe I’ll catch up on some classics too.
Hi there! Five for the Fifth is my way to start a new month too 😀
Ah fair enough, so which film has the best SFX from 2013 then?
Interesting POV about Cooper, I think that makes sense.
Yeah, fingers crossed about Exodus!
Ahah, I take it you’re not a period drama fan 😉
Catching up on classics is always a good idea, I know I’m excited to start my Blindspot.
I loved the SFX in Smaug – so amazing! I also liked World War Z, Iron Man 3 , Gravity.
haha you got me, I’m generally not into period dramas. If it has Oscar buzz or acclaim I might give it a chance. 🙂
1. My daughter listens to the Frozen soundtrack a lot. I never really pay much attention to soundtracks, so I have not favorite movie related soundtrack/song.
2. Bradley Cooper has been proving himself quite a bit lately (don’t forget Place Beyond the Pines) and I think he’s cool. Enjoy his work.
3. I always read as little as I can about upcoming movies, but seeing that Christian Bale is in it, I will check it out for sure.
4. Looking at the pictures for A Promise it does not seem that appealing to me, somehow that setting does not appeal to me much.
5. I just happened to posted my own resolutions this morning 🙂
Well your daughter has an excellent taste, Nostra 😀
I find it so interesting that you don’t read up about upcoming films, I wish I have your discipline!
I’ll be over to see what your resolutions is all about!
Yeah, I loved the movie…which reminds me to still review it 🙂
Well, it’s not that difficult to not read up. Just try it for one movie Ruth…maybe a whole new world opens up when you first see it 😉
Ahah, well actually I haven’t read up ANYTHING about Noah other than seeing the trailer, so that might surprise me, hopefully in a good way!
By the way, notice that the picture you have used for Five for the Fifth is the Electric Cinema in London. It is such an awesome theater. Went there last year and it is the most comfortable cinema I have ever been. You can put your feet up, there is a blanket available and the chairs themselves are awesome.
I didn’t know it’s an Electric Cinema, that’s cool that you’ve been there! Wow, that sounds like a theater I’d love to go once a week, I wish there were one like that here in my city!
If you are ever in London you owe it to yourself to go there, but make sure to reserve in advance because it is always busy. Next time I’m in London I will make sure to go there again. Wish one like that was here as well….it really an inspiring place, almost makes you want to start a cinema yourself like that.
Hi Ruth! Happy New Year!
1. I actually liked the Great Gatsby soundtrack and the score for Gravity, but I’m not really much of a soundtrack person.
2. Bradley Cooper is an ok actor; sure he has his hits and misses but he’s been getting good roles lately, so good for him.
3. Excited for Noah, not so much for Exodus. Just hoping the discussions does not steer much on the religious side of it (although I’m sure there will be some/a lot of it).
4. I’m not all for period dramas, but the girl sure does have a dilemma between Alan Rickman and Richard Madden!
5. Movie related goals: watch more movies and write more reviews! And to finish my own Blind Spot list as well. 🙂
Hi Whirlwind!
Noah and Exodus are based on the Bible so naturally there’ll be religious discussions (good and bad) about it and for me, I welcome the spiritual discussions.
Glad you’re taking part of the Blind Spot series. Do you mind sending me the link to your list?
Sure! My choices aren’t as classic as the others though.
http://bigscreensmallwords.blogspot.com/2013/12/blind-spot-series-2014_31.html
Thanks! Just left you a comment. Oh you’ll LOVE Roman Holiday!
1) I was in a Pacific Rim phase earlier this year, and then recently into Frozen too. But as of last week, The Walter Mitty Soundtrack and Score has been on heavy rotation. With music its always been a case of flavor of the week for me. Well, most of the times…
2) I used to think the same thing about Bradley Cooper…. he was too much of a pretty boy. But he has been good in those two films you’ve mentioned. So its like the story of Matthew McConoughey from The King Of Chick Flicks but now one of the best actors working today!
3) If both films are good, we’re in for a treat. But it rarely happens doesn’t it?
4) I don’t watch a lot of period dramas. Depends on my mood and who I watch it with.
5) Same here. There’s so much great movies from the past that I’ve yet to see.
Hi Asrap! Haven’t seen Mitty yet but I read your review and you seem to like that one. I might rent it when it’s out on dvd.
You’re right about McConnaughey having quite a remarkable career transformation, sounds like Cooper is on his way. I keep hoping Gerard Butler would learn from McConnaughey as they both were trapped in rom-com hell for a while.
Film is such a vast art form that even the most prolific probably can only see a fraction of them all! But hey, catching up on old movies can be fun, too!
1) Gravity.is the only one that comes to mind.
2) For years Cooper was the kind of guy I just wanted to smoosh his smug little face. With Silver Linings, Pines and American Hustle he’s really shown me something.He’s actually a quite good impressionist.
3) Noah might be interesting because it’s Aronofsky. Not interested in Exodus. I gave up on Ridley Scott after 2001. (Black Hawk Down and Gladiator)
5) My movie related goal is to subtract more than I add to my Netflix queue. Really.
On a side note Ruth check out the best new TV series I saw last year other than Broadchurch. It’s a French thriller called The Returned airing on Sundance. It’s 8 episodes and it’s fantastic. The less you know going in the better. The genius of it is it plays more like a supernatural drama than the horror it would suggest. Can’t recommend it enough.
Hi Dave!
Gravity is an excellent choice man!
Ha..ha.. I think I saw that clip of Cooper, glad he’s not as smug anymore. He’s a pretty good comedian, too!
I haven’t given up on Scott yet despite my disappointment w/ Prometheus, but if Exodus is terrible that might be the last straw.
Ahah you must watch TOO MANY movies eh? I’m curious about that new series now. Hey, maybe you could do another appreciation post for that show 😉
Problem is I don’t watch enough movies.I add 5 for every 1 I watch!
You know I think I posted that Cooper clip before. I was trying to humanize him. LOL.
If I get some time today I’ll do a post for The Returned. It’s only -2 degrees here in Pittsburgh as i write this so I ‘ll be staying inside today..
Hey Ruth, good to see this returning for 2014!
1. Frozen is definitely up there for me as best soundtrack/songs of 2013 and I only saw it last week! I’m still humming some of the songs! I thought Mud had an excellent soundtrack too with some brilliant songs on it.
2. I like Bradley Cooper. I wouldn’t say he’s the best actor in the world but he’s done some really solid stuff recently, particularly SLP, thought he was excellent in that.
3. To be honest I’m not overly excited by either of these films. I only found out recently that Exodus even existed and I just can’t see it turning out well. I think Noah will be the better film even though I love Christian Bale. I hope they prove me wrong!
4. Not the biggest fan of period dramas in all honesty. This looks alright but I doubt it’ll be one I rush out to see. Maybe a rental for me if the mood strikes!
5. I definitely want to catch up with some classics I’ve missed this year. I mean I still haven’t seen Schindler’s List for crying out loud! Ha! In terms of my blog, I want to vary the content on there a little more and make it not just about reviews which it largely is at the moment.
Hi Chris! I’d feel too guilty to let this one go as it’s the ONLY series I keep up on my blog, ahah.
Oh I need to listen to MUD soundtrack more closely, I remember liking it when I saw the film.
No, I don’t think Cooper is a great actor either, a bit overrated in fact, though now I’m more keen to check out more of his future work.
I hope these two beat our tepid expectations Chris, seems that we both don’t have a huge anticipation about either.
Ahah, I’m not gonna tease you again for not having seen Schindler’s List, I mean there are some films I simply missed out on for whatever reason. I’d love to see whatever you have in store on your blog Chris, but your reviews are always enjoyable to read!
As much as I love Darren Aronofsky, I am worried about Noah, which I fear could be a bit of a car crash. Let’s see though! Great read Ruth.
Hi Mark! I have a similar worry about that one, let’s hope he proves both of us wrong.
1. Favourite soundtrack for me for 2013, is from Maniac. I love eighties style synths, and this has loads. Reminded me a lot of Drive’s soundtrack, with a bit of John Carpenter thrown in for good measure.
2. With Cooper, I think it depends on what you saw him in first. I expect with a lot of people, it was The Hangover, and I think his character is a bit smarmy in that. But I remember him from his early days on TV show, Alias, where he played a hapless, rather down-to-earth reporter, a very different and more likeable character than the one in The Hangover. So I’ve never really had a problem with him, and thought he was great in The Place Beyond The Pines.
3. I’m not a religious person, so biblical epics leave me a bit cold. The trailer for Noah did absolutely nothing for me.
4. Rebecca Hall? Count me in! 😛
5. My resolution is to visit your blog more! Along with many others! 😉
Hi Monkeyboy, long time no see!
I haven’t seen Maniac, not even sure which one that was.
I first saw Cooper in ALIAS but didn’t really make an impression, then I saw him in A-Team and He’s Just Not That Into You. It’s not until Silver Linings Playbook that I took notice on him.
Ah I see, well you might end up liking Noah then as I think Aronofsky is not religious either.
I like your resolution… a lot 😀 I did visit a few times but seems like you were on hiatus. Glad you’re back now!
Hooray! I was so busy yesterday and not able to be here on the Fifth! I love the fifth.
Here we go:
1. I loved FROZEN soundtrack and own it actually. It reminds me of so many other classic Disney soundtracks. Although I think Do You Want To Build A Snowman and Let It Go are my two favorite tracks. My fave soundtrack of the year? That’s tough. I liked Oblivion from M83 and I also like Pacific Rim…oh, and About Time. Touch call. I can’t make it yet. ha
2. I’ve grown more fond of Bradley Cooper, especially after Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. He is doing some good things and I hope he continues.
3. I am apprehensive about Noah and Exodus but I am more interested in Noah. I still don’t buy Bale as Moses, but we’ll see. I think it is interesting that Aronofsky and Scott have both chosen to do Biblical epics. I, like you, hope they do not leave God as an afterthought or as a Hollywood gimmick, but I won’t be surprised if they do.
4. Not interested in “A Promise”, I promise. ha
5. My movie related goal is to complete my Scarlett Johansson movie collection (I own all since Lost in Translation except for A Love Song for Bobby Long, but will begin on the pre-L.I.T. movies this year) and to log every movie I see.
A fun Fifth, Ruth! 🙂
Hooray to see you take part T! 😀
YAY! Glad to hear you’re a fan of Frozen too! They’re soooo many great songs in the entire film, even the goofy ‘In Summer’ is fun to listen to! Oh I like Oblivion too, and Pac Rim is a staple on my iPod. Haven’t seen About Time yet but Richard Curtis has great ear for music for his films.
Yeah, I’ve grown fond of Cooper too because of those two films.
I don’t buy Bale as Moses at all, I think Crowe is a bit more believable though I still wish they went with an unknown who actually LOOKS Jewish. But more importantly, it’s the story that I care about, and we both are in agreement about what we’d like to see being the focus.
Ouch, I guess period dramas aren’t your forte.
So are you gonna buy Don Jon too? I definitely would recommend HER if you haven’t seen it yet. Even though she’s not in it physically, you definitely FEEL her presence and her voice work is astounding!
Haha. I already bought Don Jon last week. And am awaiting Her anxiously. 🙂
Ah I see. Well that’s one movie I would never watch again because of all the porn stuff, JGL went overboard w/ those I think. Fortunately Scarlett didn’t take her top off (well it’s a good thing in my book but guys probably are disappointed, ahah)
I agree with you
1. Hmm, probably Gravity soundtrack. As for songs I don’t really have any favorites.
2. I think Cooper is all right. He is a good actor, fun to watch. I nominate him for SLP and AH. He is not one of the greats, but he is reliable.
3. It’s Scott’s film so I’m not holding my breath for something great 🙂
4. I’m definitely seeing that. I love Hall, not to mention Madden and Rickman 🙂
5. I don’t think I have any regarding movies. I can’t bring myself to watch classic stuff. If I watch all 12 classics from Blind Spot series in this year it will be a miracle.
Hi Sati!
I thought you like Young & Beautiful from The Great Gatsby? As for Gravity, I hope the score gets nominated, among others!
Interesting that you said Cooper is reliable, I guess you have a point there. Some actors might be talented but not necessarily consistent.
Ouch, seems like Scott has been losing his cred lately.
Yes, high five! First time I saw a photo of Richard Madden in this movie I was already sold. But then add Rickman and Hall and it’s a must-see!
I hear ya, my hubby is in the same way, he just find ’em boring. I guess it depends on the story and also the actors, if it weren’t for Gregory Peck I probably aren’t so gung-ho about classic films as I am now 😉
A Promise – I’m so in for that movie! I could not figure out where I remembered Rebecca Hall from – I had to look it up. She was in The Town, which I was surprised to actually like. I saw she was also in Ironman 3, but that was pretty forgettable. Anyways, I love period dramas and Alan Rickman is a win.
Hi there Anne! Hopefully A Promise makes it to Minnesota. If it did, we should watch it together w/ Ashley, how ’bout that?
Rebecca Hall was also in The Prestige, have you seen that one?
I have, that’s one I forgot about too! I don’t know how I keep forgetting about her roles. I’m usually pretty good at name-that-actor trivia. 🙂
And I think that sounds fantastic. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Rebecca is talented but I think she hasn’t quite got a big break yet that’d make people stand up and take notice. There’s a movie she did w/ Eric Bana this year that NOBODY saw. I think it’s called Close Circuit.
1. My favorite movie song of 2013 is Emeli Sande’s “Here It Comes” from Trance. I do love several Frozen songs as well, though.
2. I have similar thoughts on Cooper. I haven’t really been a fan, but I’ve loved his recent performances in SLP, Pines and Hustle. I can’t wait to see what he does in the future.
3. I’m cautiously looking forward to Exodus. At least the director and cast are good.
4. I’ll definitely give it a look at some point, since I’m a big Rebecca Hall fan.
5. I didn’t really set movie-related goals, except to keep watching more classic and modern films and try to blog more. Hopefully, I’ll keep both both of them. 🙂
Gah! I still haven’t seen Trance yet. I was intrigued as I love McAvoy. Glad you love Frozen too!
Cooper’s got a good streak the past couple of years, hope he’ll continue w/ that though I’m baffled as to why he’d want to voice a racoon in Guardian of the Galaxy [shrug]
Cautiously-anticipating it is how I feel about ’em too Josh!
If you like Hall, sounds like she has a prominent part here, which is about time!
It’s astounding how many you watch a year Josh, it’d be impossible for me to ever keep up w/ ’em. But yeah, I enjoy learning new films from you, so THANKS!
1. Great year for soundtracks! I haven’t seen Llewyn Davis yet but I know it’ll be a major player when I get to it. Loved the music in both Walter Mitty and American Hustle and of course Frozen was excellent.
2. I’m a big Cooper fan but until Silver Linings it always felt like he was capable of something GREAT but never quite got to it. He definitely brought that out in Silver Linings and I thought he was excellent in American Hustle, too.
3. I’m with you on the Biblical epics. Probably more “interested” than “excited.” Both look like they could be good, though.
4. Period pieces like that aren’t up my alley. 🙂
5. Going to try to be more discerning this year. When doing my year end reviews, I found too many movies that I’d given decent grades to that I really don’t care so much for in hindsight.
Hi there Brian!
Yeah, I like the soundtrack of ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ too, probably one of the few things I do like about the film. Haven’t seen ‘Mitty’ yet but seems like lots of people like the music.
Interesting how some script/direction can bring out an actor’s real talent.
I think you’re in my corner about Biblical epics, hopefully they do good by their source material.
Hey you made a very good point about being discerning about reviews. There are some movies I gave a high grade earlier in the year that I can’t imagine putting ’em on my Top 20, let alone Top 10!
Loved the soundtrack on Frozen, my favourite song was Let it go 😀 I’ll get to that review..some day 😀
Right on Tim! Ahah well you’ve got those trailers to review right, for our sakes 😀
That’s true 😀
I agree the Gatsby soundtrack was good. My favorite score is Upstream Color, I can listen to that on repeat, and not get bored with it.
In terms of movie goals, I’ll be doing Ryan McNeil’s blind spot series(12 reviews). And if there’s time, I want to review my favorite short films in a series of posts.
Hi Chris! Are you a fan of Upstream Color then? I haven’t seen that one but I heard it’s really bizarre. But then again I like Holy Motors so I should give that one a shot.
Yeah I saw your Blindspot list! That’s a good idea to review short films, they tend to get overlooked by film bloggers.
I don’t know what to think of Upstream Color, really odd film 🙂 Maybe I need to rewatch it, and it will make more sense. It might make my top 20, we’ll see.
Ahah, that’s what I thought of Holy Motors at first but I ended up reviewing it anyway. Odd can be a good or bad thing, but I’m still curious to check it out at some point. Funny how the poster made it look as if it were a romantic film!
Hi Ruth! I have finally crawled out, located internets and started catching up! Nice list. I must say I do enjoy Bradley Cooper!
Hi Zoë! Always glad to see you drop by girl!
Have you been hibernating for some reason? 😀
Teehee you may say that! I’ve been entertaining guests for weeks and then started work with training. Things are settling down again. I’m a third through my backlog reading, so you’ll be hearing from me soon again! 😛
Entertaining guests for weeks? WOW, you have been a busy bee! Glad to hear things are settling down, glad that you pay me a visit, that makes me so happy 😀
Btw, I think I misunderstood your Top 10 post thing, I just left you a comment earlier. Sorry!
You have NO idea, I am not even recovered yet and back at work. Sheesh!
😀 Anytime I can find a moment to drop by is worth it!
No problemo, we have cleared that up now, so I am looking forward to getting a list from you when you have a minute!
Movie-related–> my fave soundtrack would probably be Gravity in 2013.
As for Bradley Cooper, I like him more than I hate him. He’s pretty good-looking and you might kill me but when I first saw Richard Armitage, I actually thought they have similar features. But, something about Richard Armitage makes him better looking than Cooper. I don’t know, but I’m not a fan of Bradley Cooper but I don’t mind sitting through his movies either. Hangover being the exception.
A Promise looks pretty good. I like period dramas and I like Alan Rickman. So, I’m in for this one 🙂
My movie-related goal thats not official but kind of in my head is to go to the theatres to see new releases at least once each month…it probably won’t happen but I will try. 🙂 Even if it means going to see movie by myself, I plan on doing that.
Great choice about Gravity, Kim, it’s definitely powerful!
Ahah, no you’re right they do have similar features but Armitage has something intriguing about him that isn’t just about the looks. That’s why I can see two similarly good-looking men but only like one and not the other. But I’m warming up to Cooper now.
Yes, being a fan of period drama AND Alan Rickman are the two that sold me, plus having Richard Madden is a bonus 😉
Seeing a new release once a month sounds pretty doable Kim, hope you make a go at it! I don’t mind going to the movies by myself. I saw HER on my own and it actually was one of the most memorable movie-going experience for me.
Took a while for me to like Bradley Cooper actually.
Richard Madden is the name you mentioned in Game of Thrones if I remember correctly. I haven’t seen any part of Game of Thrones. Something I should work on. So that name doesn’t mean much to me.
I thought that last year about see ing the movies I wanted to see but the issue was waiting on the bf and then stuff would come up and then it goes off. Since I mostly watch in my suburban theatre and they have a very little in English so its like a race with time before they take it off…haha! I just have to stay updated or just catch it in downtown. It had a lot to do with not wanting to ditch the bf but I think I will this year 😉 Some flicks just are better on the big screen.
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