2014 Razzie Nominations Include 'Annie,' 'One Million Ways to Die in the West' and 'Transformers'

In stark contrast to all the celebratory end of the year accolades, the annual Razzie noms are out, taking time to recognize the worst of 2014. This year their main target seems to be Kirk Cameron and his Saving Christmas movie (if you can even call it that), but my favorite thing on this list is the new category they added, the Razzie Redeemer Award. This one is to ostensibly congratulate legendarily consistent Razzie nominees for finally starting to rehabilitate their careers, but frankly, all that does is remind you of how truly shitty the vast majority of their movies have been, doesn't it? Heh. Nice backhanded slap, Razzies.

WORST PICTURE

Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas
Left Behind
The Legend of Hercules
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Transformers 4: Age of Ex-STINK-Tion

WORST ACTOR

Nicolas Cage / Left Behind
Kirk Cameron / Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas
Kellan Lutz / The Legend of Hercules
Seth MacFarlane / A Million Ways To Die in the West
Adam Sandler / Blended

WORST ACTRESS

Drew Barrymore / Blended
Cameron Diaz / The Other Woman and Sex Tape
Melissa McCarthy / Tammy
Charlize Theron / A Million Ways to Die in the West
Gaia Weiss / The Legend of Hercules

THE RAZZIE REDEEMER AWARD

Ben Affleck (From RAZZIE “Winner” for GIGLI to Oscar Darling for ARGO and GONE GIRL)
Jennifer Aniston (From 4-Time RAZZIE Nominee to SAG Award Nominee for CAKE)
Mike Myers (From RAZZIE “Winner” for LOVE GURU to Docu Director of SUPERMENSCH)
Keanu Reeves (From 6-Time RAZZIE Nominee to Critically Acclaimed JOHN WICK)
Kristen Stewart (From RAZZIE “Winner” for TWILIGHT to the Art House Hit CAMP X-RAY)

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cameron Diaz / Annie
Megan Fox / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Nicola Peltz / [Transformers: Age of Extinction]
Brigitte Ridenour (Kirk’s Sister) / Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas
Susan Sarandon / Tammy

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Mel Gibson/ Expendables 3
Kelsey Grammer / Expendables 3, Legends of Oz, Think Like a Man Too and [Transformers: Age of Extinction]
Shaquille O’Neal / Blended
Ah-Nuld Schwarzenegger / Expendables 3
Kiefer Sutherland/ Pompeii

WORST DIRECTOR

Michael Bay / [Transformers: Age of Extinction]
Darren Doane / Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas
Renny Harlin / The Legend of Hercules
Jonathan Liebesman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Seth MacFarlane / A Million Ways To Die in the West

WORST SCREEN COMBO

Any Two Robots, Actors (or Robotic Actors) [Transformers: Age of Extinction]
Kirk Cameron & His Ego / Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas
Cameron Diaz & Jason Segel / Sex Tape
Kellan Lutz & Either His Abs, His Pecs or His Glutes / The Legend of Hercules
Seth MacFarlane & Charlize Theron / A Million Ways To Die in the West

WORST SCREENPLAY

Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas, Written by Darren Doane and Cheston Hervey
Left Behind, Screenplay by Paul LaLonde and John Patus,
Based on the Novel by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Sex Tape, Screenplay by Kate Angelo and Jason Segel & Nicholas Stoller
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Written by Evan Daugherty and Andre Nemec & Josh Applebaum,
Based on Characters Created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman
[Transformers: Age of Extinction], Written by Ehren Kruger, Based on Hasbro’s Transformers Action Figures

WORST REMAKE, RIP-OFF OR SEQUEL

Annie
Atlas Shrugged #3: Who Is John Galt?
The Legend of Hercules
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
[Transformers: Age of Extinction]

REVIEW: "Two Days, One Night" (2014) & "Force Majeure" (2014)

Two reviews for the price of one today, as I catch up with a couple of significant foreign language films that came out last year, both of which are seriously worth a look. The first is Two Days, One Night, the Cannes entry from Belgium's the Dardennes brothers, who have a history of making humanist dramas with a strong working class bent, something we don't see nearly enough of in American film.

This time they work with a much more known actress than usual, as Marion Cotillard takes the lead role as a woman recovering from a nervous breakdown, who now suffers the indignity of having to ask each one of her co-workers to vote against a pay raise so that she can keep her job at a factory. It's never made clear exactly what the work is that's being done in this factory, but it doesn't matter much, as Cotillard races against the clock to visit each and every one of the twelve colleagues she needs to procure a promise from before the vote is taken. The film works as a fascinating observation in human nature, because each person Cotillard faces reacts completely differently, many hostile, some guilty, others willing and eager to help her out, even it means sacrificing their own pay. And Cotillard gives a very earnest performance with a character who at times becomes unbearable in her self-pity and suicidal tendencies. That may sound harsh, but after her recent breakdown she attempts yet another suicide in the middle of her fight for her family's future, and you can't help but think this woman probably does belong in a hospital ward and frankly shouldn't be working at all.

There's also a tendency for the nature of the story to become a bit repetitive, as we see Cotillard confront every one of her colleagues with the same exact speech, but the human drama is very potent and the ultimate outcome extremely affecting. The other movie getting quite a bit of awards buzz (it's certain to be a frontrunner for this year's Oscar for Foreign Language Film) is Sweden's Force Majuere, an exploration of marriage and communication between couples by way of a claustrophobic thriller set at a ski resort. A family of four is on vacation for a long weekend when a terrifying incident unwittingly reveals the father Thomas's true colors, or so it would it seem to his wife Ebba. An avalanche threatens to surround the balcony where the family's having lunch, and at the moment the threat reveals itself, Thomas runs from the table, leapfrogs over his kids (but not before grabbing his phone) and leaves his family in the dust, literally. The avalanche turns out not to have been as fatal as it looked, but yeah- the rest of this vacation is going to be awkward. If that sounds kind of funny when read, that's how it plays in the film as well, and the situation is mined for dark laughs as well as spot on observations about the way men and women often have an impossible time relating to each other or even telling each other what they want, while the kids look on as unwitting bystanders to their parents' relationship drama.

The way this whole scenario is explored is never less than totally engrossing, amplified by the pressurized setting of the mountainside resort and another couple that's dragged into Thomas and Ebba's increasing frustration with one another. The movie is a vastly entertaining, thoughtful and sharply written depiction of marriage and a kind of battle of the sexes, until a long, drawn out and unnecessarily ambiguous ending throws everything out of whack, making you scratch your head over what it is you just watched. I wish it hadn't taken such a hard left turn at the end of the movie, one that unfortunately does scar what came before it, but for a good 90% of the film, Force Majeure provides you with some of the year's best cinematic moments, and it's a conversation starter that's definitely worth checking out.

Two Days, One Night: * * * 1/2 / Force Majeure: * * * 1/2

Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: "My Left Foot" (1989)

With all the drummed up talk about how Eddie Redmayne could win the Oscar because his performance in The Theory of Everything recalls a similar Oscar-winning performance in a much better movie, I think it's time to take another look at that first movie, especially since it's out on blu-ray today. Daniel Day-Lewis surprised everyone with his portrayal of Irish writer Christy Brown in My Left Foot, and frankly it's still one of the most impressive performances in film history (and one that didn't make people think of another, better movie at the time it came out). The truth is this biopic directed by Jim Sheridan was miles better than Theory of Everything, because it focused entirely on Brown and what he achieved despite being born with cerebral palsy, and the last word anyone would use to describe this moving film would be "superficial." It was a great movie and when you see it, Day-Lewis's all-encompassing performance will likely overshadow any other actor you'll ever see who tries to play a person with a physical handicap.

Original  1989 Trailer:

Visual Effects and Cinema Audio Society Nominees

A couple more guild announcements- first, the Cinema Audio Society, which are the sound mixers, put out their list of the year's best sound nominees.

Motion Picture- Live Action

• American Sniper
• Birdman
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Interstellar
• Unbroken

Motion Picture- Animated

• Big Hero 6
• The Boxtrolls
• How to Train Your Dragon 2
• The Lego Movie
• Penguins of Madagascar

Funny to see how Interstellar gets a sound mixing nomination even after its sound was thoroughly trashed by everyone who saw the movie and couldn't hear what hardly anybody was saying in it. I really can't predict how these will translate at the Oscars- I never know what the sound branches are looking for, other than loud noises, although the omission of Into the Woods is kind of surprising (they usually go for musicals). Then, the Visual Effects Society put out their nominees- they have way too many specific categories to list, so here are the main prizes.

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Photoreal/Live-Action Feature

• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
• Interstellar
• Maleficent
• X-Men: Days of Future Past

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal/Live-Action Feature

• Birdman
• Divergent
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• Unbroken

Outstanding Animation in an Animated Motion Picture

• Big Hero 6
• The Boxtrolls
• How to Train Your Dragon 2
• The Lego Movie
• Rio 2

Probably Godzilla will get into Visual Effects at the Oscars alongside Guardians, The Hobbit, Interstellar and Apes, right? If that happens it will be the first time a Transformers movies is snubbed here, so let's keep our fingers crossed.

TRAILER: "Spy"

Melissa McCarthy's new movie Spy was written and directed by Paul Feig, who did both Bridesmaids and The Heat, so here's hoping this one hits better than some of her occasional misfires, like Identity Thief and Tammy. I think she's genuinely hilarious, so it's always better if she works with someone who knows how to bring out the best in her. It's coming out May 22nd.

2014 DGA Nominees

Well, the Directors Guild has spoken and here are their choices for the best directors of the year.

• Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Clint Eastwood, American Sniper
• Alejandro Inarritu, Birdman
• Richard Linklator, Boyhood
• Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

The thing to remember about the DGA nominees is that they're a much better indicator of Oscar Best Picture than Oscar Best Director. They've often matched 3/5 or 4/5 with the Oscar nominees, sometimes even 2/5. But it does tell you what movies are strong for Best Picture. So the question is, who gets left out on Thursday morning? To me, there are still just two locks- Inarritu and Linklator. Grand Budapest is very strong, but I have no idea what the exclusive, elitist directors branch actually thinks of Wes Anderson, and I could easily see him being snubbed there (the DGA has 15,000 members and includes TV and commercial directors, while the Academy directors branch has just under 400 and includes a lot of foreign membership). Same goes for Tyldum, who's an unknown, and even Eastwood, although being an old Academy favorite, his nomination looks pretty good there (all of his previous DGA nods have translated to Oscar). Ava DuVernay still has a shot, same for Damian Chazelle, who I think is the most likely person to break into the race, knocking off one of these other guys. But who? I would bet either Anderson or Tyldum. The other thing to note is that the Oscar nominations were turned in last week, while the DGA was still voting until yesterday- so this list in no way influences who they've already picked for Oscar. Come back Thursday to find out.

TRAILER #2: "Avengers: Age of Ultron"

The second trailer for the Avengers sequel is not a whole lot different from the others (lots of slo-mo action scenes). I guess the big news will be the Hulk/Iron Man fight, but I'm not feeling all that excited for this one, for some reason. I guess the superhero movies are really starting to wear out their welcome for me.

Denver, Houston and Women Film Journalists Name Best of 2014

I think we're finally getting down to the last of the critics groups this week- hopefully, this weekend's London Film Critics will be the last group to announce. But first, Denver changes things up a little by going hard for American Sniper.

DENVER FILM CRITICS

Picture: American Sniper
Director: Richard Linklator, Boyhood
Actor: (tie) Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel & Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Actress: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
S. Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
S. Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Animated: The Lego Movie
Sci-Fi/Horror: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Comedy: Guardians of the Galaxy
O. Screenplay: Birdman
A. Screenplay: Inherent Vice
Documentary: Birdman
Song: "Everything is Awesome," The Lego Movie
Score: Birdman
Foreign: Two Days, One Night

These choices aren't too bad, certainly more interesting than Houston, which went all in for Boyhood (although that shouldn't be too surprising since most of it was filmed there).

HOUSTON CRITICS

Picture: Boyhood
Director: Richard Linklator, Boyhood
Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
S. Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
S. Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Screenplay: Boyhood
Animated: The Lego Movie
Cinematography: Birdman
Documentary: Citizenfour
Foreign: Force Majeure
Score: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Song: "Everything is Awesome," The Lego Movie

Finally, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists gave out their film winners, and then special awards like Actress Most in Need of a New Agent- which was won by Cameron Diaz for the second year in a row. I woner if she'll take heed of their advice.

ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

Film: Boyhood
Director: Richard Linklator, Boyhood
O. Screenplay: Birdman
A. Screenplay: Gone Girl
Lead Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
S. Actress: Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer
Lead Actor: Michael Keaton, Birdman
S. Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Documentary: Citizenfour
Animated: The Lego Movie
Ensemble: Birdman & The Grand Budapest Hotel
Editing: Birdman
Cinematography: Birdman
Score: Birdman
Foreign: Ida
Female Director: Ava DuVernay, Selma
Female Writer: Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
Female Action Star: Emily Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow
Breakthrough Performance: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle
Female Icon of the Year: Ava DuVernay & Laura Poitras
Best Depiction of Nudity, Sexuality or Seduction: Under the Skin
Actress Defying Age & Ageism: Tilda Swinton
Most Egregious Age Difference: Magic in the Moonlight
Actress Most in Need of New Agent: Cameron Diaz
Movie You Wanted to Love, But Couldn't: Inherent Vice

BOX OFFICE 1/09-1/11: 'Taken 3' Comes On Strong

Liam Neeson really is a proven box office force- at least as an action hero. Taken 3 went above and beyond expectations to pull in $40 million over the weekend, despite horrible reviews (a hilarious 9% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a so-so B Cinemascore. But audiences were apparently starved for an action movie and Neeson's pull in this genre has not diminished. Coming in second was Selma, which somewhat disappointed by earning just over $11 million for the three day frame. The movie would be greatly benefited by a handful of Oscar nominations next week to go along with the upcoming holiday weekend, and since it earned an outstanding "A+" Cinemascore, the word of mouth will hopefully be strong for the historical drama.

In third place was Into the Woods, which finished behind Selma as it crossed the $100 million mark, and The Hobbit dropped to fourth, falling out of its three week reign in the top spot. Rounding out the top five was Unbroken, which came in with about $8 million, also crossing $100 million and running neck and neck with Into the Woods, as it has been since the two films were released on Christmas Day.

Top 5:

1. Taken 3- $40.4 million
2. Selma- $11.2 million
3. Into the Woods- $9.8 million
4. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies- $9.4 million
5. Unbroken- $8.4 million

Outside the top five, The Imitation Game expanded to 1500 theaters and brought in $7.6 million, bringing its total to just over $40 million and certainly set to receive a big boost next weekend when it expands even more after the Oscar nominations announcement. And American Sniper continues to roll on with its mega per-screen-average (it's already made $3 million) as it's set to go wide next week and will likely be a huge hit for Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper. Also coming out is Blackhat, Paddington and The Wedding Ringer, all of which could challenge Sniper for #1, but I have a feeling they'll really be battling for second place, since all signs point to a massive weekend for Eastwood's war movie.

'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and 'Boyhood' Win Top Prizes at the Golden Globes

Well, the Globes gave us some surprises and snubs tonight, namely in awarding The Grand Budapest Hotel Best Picture Comedy/Musical, while giving Birdman screenplay and actor trophies. They also gave Boyhood what was expected of them, tapping it for Picture Drama, Director and Supporting Actress, and handed some unexpected wins to Leviathan and How to Train Your Dragon 2 in Animated and Foreign Language Film. I only went 7 for 14 this year, which I believe is worse than I fared last time. I'm sorry, but I just refuse to accept that anyone could possibly see The Theory of Everything as a good movie and give it two undeserved, horrible wins.

BEST PICTURE- DRAMA: Boyhood
BEST PICTURE- COMEDY/MUSICAL: The Grand Budapest Hotel
BEST DIRECTOR: Richard Linklator, Boyhood
BEST ACTOR- DRAMA: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
BEST ACTRESS- DRAMA: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
BEST ACTOR- COMEDY/MUSICAL: Michael Keaton, Birdman
BEST ACTRESS- COMEDY/MUSICAL: Amy Adams, Big Eyes
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
BEST SCREENPLAY: Birdman
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: How to Train Your Dragon 2
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Leviathan
BEST SONG: "Glory" John Legend & Common, Selma
BEST SCORE: The Theory of Everything

What this means for the Oscars is that our four acting winners are practically locked unless one of them gets snubbed on nomination morning. Expect to see Simmons, Arquette, Keaton and Moore stroll to the various podiums between now and Oscar night. I also don't see how Boyhood loses Picture or Director, but the Producers Guild award is the best signifier for that race. Basically, the top six Oscars are already set in stone, which is going to make this a very boring awards season going forward. As for the show tonight, it was okay, but it was Tina and Amy's weakest hosting stint by far, and as usual, the TV winners were all more exciting, since they went for a lot of first season shows. If I learned one thing about the Globes tonight, it's that the new HFPA thinks it has to pick the critics favorite in Drama, but may very well go with their heart in Comedy, so that's something to remember next year.

REVIEW: "Selma" (2014) David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson. Dir. Ava DuVernay

The civil rights movement is well documented, well recorded history, but for all the recordkeeping, there has not been a more detailed narrative feature film dedicated to the heroes of the movement, than Ava Duvernay's stirring and soulful biopic Selma, which brings Martin Luther King, Jr. back to life onscreen in a more humanized version than we've ever seen before, thanks to a magnificent performance from David Oyelowo, who channels the civil rights leader in downright bone-chilling fashion.

It's not a perfect film, but it's made with such dedication and obvious passion for the cause that it becomes a highly emotional and more moving experience than many more technically proficient biopics that put the focus squarely on the figure at hand. Selma is not just a tribute to Martin Luther King, he's seen as the center of a bigger picture in the call for civil rights that feels more relevant and immediate today in light of recent news events, than it might have even last year. DuVernay has a clear vision and a definite devotion to what King and his colleagues were fighting for, and Selma takes its time to make clear the struggle it was for all involved to be prepared to fight and if necessary, to die so that a better future could be procured for the citizens who were coming into this world decades down the line. To see all that it took to get the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed makes you despair in the recent Supreme Court rulings that stripped that very act of its purpose, especially in the context of recent racial unrest across the country.

The film takes its cue from 2012's Lincoln, taking place during a short window of a few months in 1965, right after Lyndon Johnson had been elected in the biggest landslide in history. King had just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was on to his next battle cry, which was for voting rights legislation that would grant African-Americans the right to vote unencumbered. Most of this struggle was a political one, with backroom dealings that took place between King and Johnson, their respective aides, and King and his co-workers in the SNCC and other organizations over how best to accomplish their goals. Where Lincoln was concerned with the process of passing legislation through Congress, Selma deals with a similar process that activists face in attempting to have their voices heard by political leaders. King was a savvy political mind himself, and one who knew what had to be done in order to get those at the top to pay attention. He knew that it required sacrifices, publicity, and in this case, was going to involve violence and even death.

Oyelowo plays the reverend as a man who struggled deeply within himself over what he was asking those around him to do, who relied heavily on his faith to guide him through the times, and though DuVernay cannot help but portray King in a nearly reverential light (many shots are framed from the back of his head as he takes his place in front of a crowd) Oyelowo does most of the heavy lifting by turning in a performance that embodies King so powerfully that it moves an audience in nearly the manner the man himself once did. Where DuVernay shines most is in the crowd scenes- King's speeches and the brutal attacks of the march on Selma are shot uncompromisingly and are intensely effective in conveying a sense of urgency. Less effective are some of the backroom conversations- though interesting, there's a staginess to it that dialogue as remarkable as say, Tony Kushner's, would be better cinematically suited for.

But that aside, the film as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts- undeniably emotional and powerful as a clarion call for civil rights that continues to this day, and as a deeply heartfelt and utterly sincere portrait of a time not so long ago, about people we as a nation are deeply indebted to for doing what they did to move history along the arc of progress. The film has been under heavy scrutiny for its portrayal of LBJ as insufficiently sympathetic towards the cause of civil rights, but in truth, Johnson, as portrayed by a scraggly Tom Wilkinson, is seen mostly as a politician attempting to carve out a path that would best suit the goals for which he himself was pursuing, while King's role as the activist was to push the president to the point of action driven by events themselves. The historical accuracy of the interaction between them is in no way what the film is about- this film centers on the activists and the movement more than anything else- the story of LBJ's presidency is a topic for another movie entirely. What you're left with in this one is the passion of the men and women who had to fight for what was rightfully theirs, and their story deserves to be told as much as anyone's.

* * * 1/2

Ohio Critics Choose 'Selma,' Georgia likes 'Boyhood,' Tilda Swinton

Well, kudos to the Ohio critics! Their list of winners is very cool and totally worthy- Selma, Essie Davis, Tilda Swinton...great picks, guys.

OHIO FILM CRITICS

Film: Selma
Director: Ava DuVernay, Selma
Actor: David Oyelowo, Selma
Actress: Essie Davis, The Babadook
S. Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
S. Actress: Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer
Ensemble: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actor of the Year: Jake Gyllenhaal, Enemy & Nightcrawler
Breakthrough Artist: Ava DuVernay, Selma
Cinematography: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Editing: Whiplash
A. Screenplay: The Imitation Game
O. Screenplay: Selma
Score: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Documentary: Finding Vivian Maier
Foreign Language Film: We Are the Best!
Animated: The Lego Movie
Overlooked Film: The Babadook

Meanwhile, Georgia critics went for Boyhood, but also spread the wealth, handing another critics win to Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer and Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night.

GEORGIA FILM CRITICS

Best Picture
BOYHOOD

Best Director
Richard Linklater BOYHOOD

Best Actor
Jake Gyllenhaal NIGHTCRAWLER

Best Actress
Marion Cotillard TWO DAYS ONE NIGHT

Best Supporting Actor
JK Simmons WHIPLASH

Best Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton SNOWPIERCER

Best Original Screenplay
NIGHTCRAWLER

Best Adapted Screenplay
GONE GIRL

Best Cinematography
BIRDMAN

Best Production Design
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Best Original Score
INTERSTELLAR (Hans Zimmer)

Best Original Song
"Glory" from SELMA

Best Ensemble Cast
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Best Foreign Language Film
IDA

Best Animated Feature Film
THE LEGO MOVIE

Best Documental Feature Film
LIFE ITSELF

Breakthought of the Year
David Oyelowo