MOVIE REVIEW: Anomalisa

Remember that scene in 1988's "Big" where Tom Hanks doesn't "get" the product pitch the so-called expert is feeding to him? That might be you after (or while) watching the animated feature "Anomalisa" from the fertile imagination of Charlie Kaufman. You may feel like Josh Baskin where you have a child's mind trying to wrap your head around an adult idea. You might come out of the film and know a better idea on how to convey human love. Mark this writer down in the Josh Baskin column with a interrupting raised hand.

MOVIE REVIEW: Ex Machina

"Ex Machina" has much more good than bad and much more surprise than contrivance when it comes to traversing the mine field that can be the science fiction topic of artificial intelligence, especially with a potentially damning title like that. The high-minded science is there. The ominous ambiance of implications and ramifications is properly defined. "Ex Machina" is very smartly created and makes the list of good (excuse my language) "mindfuck" films, joining the excellent and underseen "The One I Love" from last summer. But, it's still missing that next edge of sharpness or gear to ascend to the next level.

2015, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanApril 20, 2015AMC River East 21The Imitation Game, Alan Turing, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleason, About Time, Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machine, Deus Ex Machina, Science, Science Fiction films, Artificial Intelligence, Alex Garland, Alicia Vikander, Sonoya Muzino, Juvet Landscape Hotel, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Fembot, Terminator, Metropolis, Baymax, Big Hero 6, Best movie robots, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go, Wikipedia, The One I Love, Mindfuck, Mindfuck films, Mindfuck movies, Unbroken, Her, film review, movie review, movie commentary, film commentary, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, life lessons, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, life lessons from films Comments

CHECKLIST: My full and official 2014 Oscar predictions

Alright, folks! I've done all of the research I can with my 2014 Awards Tracker. I've read all of the tea leaves and broken down every race. I've made my picks and here's the master list.

Don ShanahanFebruary 28, 2014Best Picture, Best Original Song, Best Animated Short Film, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Animated Short, Best Motion Picture, Best Documentary Feature, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Actress, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Costume Design, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Musical Score, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Directing, Best, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, Best Animated Feature, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Foreign Language Film, 12 Years a Slave, Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity, Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club, Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine, Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong'o, Spike Jonze, Her, John Ridley, The Hunt, Frozen, Get a Horse!, The Act of Killing, The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, The Voorman Problem, Emmanuel Lubeski, The Great Gatsby, Steven Price, Let It Go, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Day at the Movies, Tim Day, The Sleepy SkunkComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014: The race for Best Picture

In this seventh and final post, we have come to the big finish. Here is my breakdown for the race for Best Picture. This is the big one and the cherry on top for my prediction series. Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool. Let's go!

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014: The male acting awards

It's time to make my formal predictions. In this sixth post, we are deep into the major award categories. Here are my picks for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor. Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool. Let's go!

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014: The female acting awards

It's time to make my formal predictions. In this fifth post, we are deep into the major award categories. Here are my picks for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool. Let's go!

2014, Editorial, ColumnDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 2014Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine, Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle, Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave, Julia Roberts, August: Osage County, June Squibb, Nebraska, Scarlett Johansson, Her, Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Actress, Supporting Actress, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Gravity, Judi Dench, Philomena, Meryl Streep, Adele Exarchopoulos, Blue is the Warmest Colour, Brie Larson, Short Term 12, Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks, SAG Award, Golden Globe Awards, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Oscar nominations, Oscar Predictions, Oscars, 2014 Oscars, Awards Talk, Awards Predictions, Awards Tracker, Award Prediction, 86th Academy AwardsComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014: The writing and directing awards

It's time to make my formal predictions. In this fourth post, we are starting to get to the major award categories. Here are my picks for the two screenplay awards and Best Director. Let's go! Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool.

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014: The visual and artistic categories

It's time to make my formal predictions. In this post, we look at the visual and artistic technical categories that include cinematography, costumes, makeup, editing, visual effects, and editing. Let's go!

2014, Column, EditorialDon ShanahanFebruary 26, 2014Best Visual Effects, Visual Effects, Production Design, Art Direction, Set Design, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Film Editing, Film Editing, Editing, Cinematography, Best Cinematography, 2014 Oscars, 86th Academy Awards, Oscar Predictions, Oscar nominations, Oscars, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Column, Editorial, Awards Talk, Awards Tracker, Awards Predictions, The Grandmaster, Gravity, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska, Prisoners, Roger Deakins, Pheldon Papamichael, Bruno Delbonnel, Philippe Le Sourd, Emmanuel Lubeski, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, Pacific Rim, Star Trek Into Darkness, American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, 12 Years a Slave, The Great Gatsby, HerComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2014: The music and sound categories

It's time to make my formal predictions. In this post, we look at the music and sound technical categories that include song, score, editing, and mixing. Let's go!

MOVIE REVIEW: Her

Her, the new film from Being John Malkovich and Where the Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze, takes a look at that level of dichotomy and extends it into the not-too-distant future in a very different kind of science fiction setting.

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