82nd Annual Oscar Nominations

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Best Picture
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9″
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”

Best Direction
“Avatar” — James Cameron
“The Hurt Locker” — Kathryn Bigelow
“Inglourious Basterds” — Quentin Tarantino
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” — Lee Daniels
“Up in the Air” — Jason Reitman

Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon in “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
“District 9” — Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
“An Education” — Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“In the Loop” — Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” — Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
“Up in the Air” — Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)
“The Hurt Locker” — Written by Mark Boal
“Inglourious Basterds” — Written by Quentin Tarantino
“The Messenger” — Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
“A Serious Man” — Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Up” — Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

Animated Feature Film
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”

Art Direction
“Avatar” — Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” — Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
“Nine” — Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
“Sherlock Holmes” — Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Young Victoria” — Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography
“Avatar” — Mauro Fiore
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” — Bruno Delbonnel
“The Hurt Locker” — Barry Ackroyd
“Inglourious Basterds” — Robert Richardson
“The White Ribbon” — Christian Berger

Costume Design
“Bright Star” — Janet Patterson
“Coco before Chanel” — Catherine Leterrier
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” — Monique Prudhomme
“Nine” — Colleen Atwood
“The Young Victoria” — Sandy Powell

Documentary (Feature)
“Burma VJ”
“The Cove”
“Food, Inc.”
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
“Which Way Home”

Documentary (Short Subject)
“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
“The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner”
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
“Music by Prudence”
“Rabbit à la Berlin”

Film Editing
“Avatar” — Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
“District 9” — Julian Clarke
“The Hurt Locker” — Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
“Inglourious Basterds” — Sally Menke
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” — Joe Klotz

Foreign Language Film
“Ajami” — Israel
“El Secreto de Sus Ojos” — Argentina
“The Milk of Sorrow” — Peru
“Un Prophète” — France
“The White Ribbon” — Germany

Makeup
“Il Divo” — Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Star Trek” — Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
“The Young Victoria” — Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)
“Avatar” — James Horner
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” — Alexandre Desplat
“The Hurt Locker” — Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
“Sherlock Holmes” — Hans Zimmer
“Up” — Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
“Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)
“French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
“The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
“Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
“A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)
“The Door” — Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
“Instead of Abracadabra” — Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
“Kavi” — Gregg Helvey
“Miracle Fish” — Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
“The New Tenants” — Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing
“Avatar” — Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
“The Hurt Locker” — Paul N. J. Ottosson
“Inglourious Basterds” — Wylie Stateman
“Star Trek” — Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
“Up” — Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing
“Avatar” — Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
“The Hurt Locker” — Paul N. J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
“Inglourious Basterds” — Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
“Star Trek” — Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” — Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects
“Avatar” — Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
“District 9” — Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
“Star Trek” — Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

99 Minutes

Directed By: John Carpenter

Written By: Gary Goldman, David Z. Weinstein

Staring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, Suzee Pai, James Wong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton, Donald Li, Peter Kwong, Carter Wong and James Paxi

Review:

John Carpenter and Kurt Russell make a killer combination when it comes to movies. In 1986 Kurt Russell was at the top of his game and had starred in two prior iconic roles with John Carpenter, Escape from New York and The Thing. My first exposure to John Carpenter was Starman with Jeff Bridges. When I saw Big Trouble In Little China I was not at the stage of my film love where I noticed the names of the directors and remembered what other films that they had made which I loved.

I remember seeing this in the theaters and being blown away by the wonderful mixture of action, comedy, fantasy and horror. I loved this movie especially because of the martial arts involved. I loved to watch Kung Fu Theater on USA each weekend and loved the arial acrobatics of those films. This film has many of the same fun elements I remember from Kung Fu Theater plus it has the swagger of Kurt Russell.

Russell plays Jack Burton, a tough talking trucker who roles into San Francisco to make a deliver and meets up with his long time friend Wang Chi played by Dennis Dun. Wang Chi loses all of his money in an all night card game with Burton. Wang Chi does not have the money on him so Jack and he go go to his restaurant but must make a stop on the way to pick up his fiancee Miao Yin played by Suzee Pai. Miaon Yin has the unfortunate luck of having green eyes which is very rare in Asian culture and because of it she is taken prisoner by a China Town gang immediately after landing from China. The gang is planning on selling her to David Lo Pan, played by the creepy James Wong, so he can reverse an ancient curse. Jack Burton and Wang Chi rush to find Miao Yin and become embroiled in a war that has been waged for ages and an ancient myth that haunts China Town. In their search for Miao Yin Jack and Wang Chi meet up with Gracie Law, a China Town lawyer and her reporter friend Margo who had learned of the gangs search for Chinese girls with green eyes. Will they be able to save the day and fight the three bad ass elements, Rain, Thunder and Lightning played by Peter Kwong, Carter Wong and James Pax respectively? Those guys are truly cool and at the time I first saw this film a little eerie.

I watched this on Blu Ray and was so happy with the look of the film. The last time I had seen it was on television in one of its many annual airings. The color and the sound make the action just fly off of the screen. This is especially cool during some of the action sequences with the acrobatic martial arts scenes. I love the comic book style in which this film was made. Yes it is over the top and yes it is highly unbelievable. What makes this movie a classic in my mind is the cool dialogue and the delivery by Russell. His characters swagger in Jack Burton make me think of a modern day John Wayne who instead of riding a horse drives a truck.

The Bottom Line:

If you have not seen Big Trouble In Little China I recommend you add the Blu Ray version to your Netflix queue immediately. I think you will also be very surprised if you have seen it before to watch it again. This is an all around fun movie that has some wonderful action and fantasy themes. The pacing is perfect too. Clocking in at 99 minutes this film is the perfect length to keep you interested. You will love the costumes for this film even if you don't like costumes normally.

Total FIlm Recognizes Napier's News!

As you know I write for www.MovieMobsters.com. Recently both Napier's News AND Movie Mobsters were listed by Total Film Magazine as one of the Top 600 Movie Blogs you should check out if you have not already! Now I know 600 is a lot, but I am thrilled to have my site listed alongside Movie Mobsters and such other great sites that truly are worth checking out. Thank you Total Film for the recognition! Check out Page 3 of the list HERE and you will see Napier's News listed as well as many other sites you may recognize if you are familiar with the LAMB. I would also like to thank Total Film for this recognition!

Legion (2010)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, and language.
100 Mins

Directed By: Scott Stewart
Written By: Peter Schink, Scott Stewart
Staring: Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Dennis Quaid, Charles S. Dutton, Adrianne Palicki, Kate Walsh, Willa Holland, Kevin Durand

Review:

I went into Legion with mixed emotions and an open mind. I was in love with the trailers from the moment that I first saw them months ago. My main concern was that they had shown most of the cool scenes during the previews. I was also concerned that I had heard mixed reviews. Being the movie fan that I am, I decided to see Legion regardless of these concerns. When it comes to action fantasies like this movie I am like ketchup on french fries, it is just a perfect match. I also like films that have an apocalyptic theme and where normal everyday people are forced to fight for there lives and in some cases become heroes.

God has lost faith in humankind and has decided to wipe the slate clean and start over. Michael an angel played by Paul Bettany is sent to kill a baby that is about to be born. He decides to disobey God and races to protect the baby against a never ending horde of humans that have been possessed by angels whose mission is to kill the baby. What results are some deliciously wicked action sequences filled with blood, guts equating to a great time had by movie audiences.

The cast is great for this movie which added to my level of enjoyment. Paul Bettany was very believable as the tough arch angel Michael. I think that everyone else was cast well too. Thankfully this is an ensemble cast. If it were not, Dennis Quaid would not be successful. All of my favorite films are ones that he shares the screen with others, he is not a bad actor but he is the type of actor that is wonderful at elevating the rest of the actors around him. This is evident in films like The Right Stuff, Everybody's All American and Vantage Point. A number of people think that his choices as of late have left a lot to be desired and that he has been taking films just to make a dollar. I have two words for you, Dwayne Johnson. That is a better example of someone taking roles for the money. I mean Tooth Fairy, RIDICULOUS.

The special effects were pretty cool, nothing earth shattering. I love all type of apocalyptic films and this one is one of the better ones I have seen as of late because of the special effects and action sequences. There was a general sense of dread during the possessed humans attacked. One particularly cool scene is when the sky is pitch black and everything is quiet and then all of a sudden thunder and lighting light up the sky and you see thousands of lifeless people standing there outside, so eerie.

There are many similarities between Legion and the original Terminator for a few reasons. First, Michael falls from sky into an alley in LA in a crouched position like Arney did at the beginning. The apocalyptic theme like I have already mentioned. There are others, for instance the end sequence, that scream Terminator but I do not want to ruin it.

The Bottom Line:

If you are looking for a way to entertain yourself during a dreary winter day this is a good option. I like Legion because of the action and fantasy and the nice blend of suspense/thriller thrown in for good measure. Legion is a unique story with decent dialogue and story line. I actually found myself laughing at times during the witty dialogue and think you will too.

The Book of Eli (2010)

Rated R for some brutal violence and language.

118 Mins.

1/2

Directed By: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes

Written By: Gary Whitta

Staring: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals, Ray Stevenson, Michael Gambon, Tom Waits

Review:

Thirty years after the world as we know it has come to an end and a lone man is walking across America on a journey to protect a sacred book that has the possibility to save humankind. The Hughes brothers have imagined a unique dust covered world where possessions such as batteries, wetnaps, comfortable shoes and clean water are the bargaining chips to save the lives of the remaining survivors.

The Book of Eli reminds me of part Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and part Tombstone. There is an underlying western feel to the film because of the lawlessness that rules the desert. Horses are traded in for Harley's and the drink of choice is water. Many people have become scavengers and have no problem killing you and then eating you as their meal.

Eli is in possession of a bible, supposedly the only remaining bible. Gary Oldman plays Carnegie who runs one of the few towns because of his control of the water. He is looking for the bible because he knows that with the bible comes power and he wants as much power as he can possibly have. This is the epitome of the struggle between good and evil. Carnegie uses his henchmen to help rule the town and find the bible. Jennifer Beals plays Claudia a blind woman that is Carnegie's mistress and slave. She and her daughter Solara, played by Mila Kunis, are controlled by Carnegie. Ray Stevenson plays Carnegie's main enforcer Redridge, who helps him run the town. Carnegie finds out that Eli is in possession of a book that he suspects to be the one he is searching for and the standoff begins!

Denzel can still KICK ASS as is evident in this film. I hear that he did his own stunts on this film which just goes to show that he is not only a great actor but a tough one. I could totally buy him in this role and think you will be able to as well. I did not fully enjoy the film for a number of reasons. Lets completely throw out all implausible scenarios from my reasons such as where they are getting bullets and gas from and focus on the other factors that detract from this film.

The main issue I have with The Book of Eli is that the pacing and flow of the film is not smooth. I feel there are many many dead spots throughout. I was at times bored during the film. The action scenes were okay but nothing spectacular. I had seen most of the best parts during the trailers I had watched. I like Gary Oldman as an actor but have to say that my favorite role of his is in The Professional. As Carnegie he was truly able to show how maniacal he can be which is pretty cool. I thought Mila Kunis looked like a fish out of water in this film, primarily with the action sequences. There is one part at the end that especially had me chuckling and I think you will agree. I will not give away any spoilers for this film but I will say that there is a doozy at the end. If you have seen it, without giving it away, did you see that coming?

The Bottom Line:

I felt the film was too preachy, but I went in suspecting that it would be. I did not like the long breaks between action sequences. They did not serve a purpose to build the story and therefore were a waste in my mind. The one thing that saves this film is the acting of Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman. I think that if I could go back this is a film I would definitely see on DVD instead of in the theaters.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.
128 Minutes



Directed By: Guy Ritchie
Written By: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham
Staring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, Geraldine James, Robert Maillet, William Houston, James Fox, Clive Russell

Review

Sherlock Holmes was the most enjoyable film I saw over my holiday break. Yes, it was even more enjoyable than Avatar. Do not get me wrong, Avatar was a great film and one that I don't even feel the need to write a review on since it has already been covered expertly by Heather. Sherlock Holmes is one film that I was truly pleased with on so many levels.

Growing up I fell in love with Young Sherlock Holmes and had hoped and prayed that one day Spielberg would make a sequel to that film. Since he has not done so I am currently content to have such a great version of Sherlock Holmes from Guy Ritchie. Many purists may have been put off by an unkempt characterization of Sherlock but let me assure you that you will soon fall in love with this version of Holmes and can truly understand why there are already plans for future films.

After many months on the trail of Lord Blackwood Holmes and Watson are able to put him behind bars. Unfortunately it is after he has already killed 6 women in his occult ceremonies. Lord Blackwood is sentenced to death but within 48 hours has risen from his tomb and is reekinghavoc on London and Holmes and Watson must step in once again to save the day and solve the crime.

Downey Jr. has had one hell of a come back since Iron Man. Sherlock Holmes continues to show his range as an actor and his ability to rake in the dollars for the production companies. This combination will allow him to remain in the spotlight for many years to come if we are lucky. Jude Law is fabulous as Watson for which I am happy because his last somewhat decent film was The Holiday. Watson is neat and well mannered and Holmes is unkempt and ill mannered and both are highly intelligent and make a wonderful crime solving duo. The excellent casting does not stop with Downey and Law. Mark Strong is an extremely menacing character and a great villain to Holmes and Watson. Rachel McAdams has begun to have meatier roles and compared to Mean Girls and The Notebook which is a great sign at her range as an actor as well. Eddie Marsan has been having a great run lately with some wonderful character bits and I must say that he is a true master of becoming various characters and can handle a variety of accents.

For films where accents are required it is alway a concern if the actor will be able to properly pull off their accent. Downey did a fantastic job with the English accent. It was neat hearing the various dialects of the English speaking characters. Watson's accent is very polished which is fitting because of his character being well educated and a physician. Eddie Marsan who plays Inspector Lestrade has a thicker cockney accent.

One sign for me of a strong film is one that has excellent production quality and realistic props. This film is a prime example of a period piece that spared no expense with costuming and props and that are realistic for the era. I really enjoy quality costuming, and that is a big part of this film. There are some extravagantly detailed costume pieces worn by the characters. In addition, loved the house that Watson and Holmes shared. Holmes room is completely disheveled which matches his personality yet everything is exactly where it belongs in his mind. The complete opposite end of the spectrum is Watson who is clean in his quarters as well as his appearance.

The Bottom Line:

If you are looking for a great time in the theater then this is the movie for you. It is not your standard action adventure and has enough suspense and thrills to get your moneys worth in the theater. One of the only downfalls of the film is its length. I kept reminding myself that this film needed to be a little longer so that we could become accustom to the characters again. I think that worked and I for one am craving more clever deductions in the years to come. Rumor has it that Brad Pitt may star in the next film which would be wonderful in my opinion!

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Up In The Air (2009)

Directed By: Jason Reitman

Written By: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliott, Danny McBride, Zach Galifianakis, Melanie Lynskey

Review:

1/2

George Clooney has done it again. He consistently proves that he is an A list actor worthy of strong recognition. He is an all around class act individual and that makes him shine both on and off of the screen. Up In The Air is the perfect film for him to show how well rounded he is. He is able to one moment be funny and the next be deeply compassionate. I believe he excels in dramedies like this film.

The film follows Ryan Bingham as he flies around the country delivering bad news to employees. He is hired out to companies and bosses that cannot handle firing their employees and does it withprecision and without blinking. His life is compartmentalized, he does not have any attachments that don’t fit inside his luggage and he craves the elite status that frequent flier miles bring him. His life is thrown for a loop when he has to mentor a new hire , Natalie, played by Anna Kendrick, and show her the tricks of the trade on the road.

There are some great character actors in this film. Jason Bateman is perfect as Ryan's smarmy boss. J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis are both humorous and dramatic examples of the employees that he has to fire on a daily basis. Melanie Lynskey plays Ryan's sister Julie. She is set to marry Jim, played by the humorous Danny McBride. Alex, played by Vera Formiga, is Ryan's love interest and "plus one" to his sisters memorable wedding.

As you can imagine a lot of the scenes take place in airport terminals and in airplanes. I enjoyed trying to figure out if I could recognize any of the airports from my travels. Jason Reitman uses overhead scenes of each city to highlight the transition between scenes. This is extremely unique and a nice way to bookend each chapter.

This is a funny, heartwarming film that makes you take stock in your own life without being overly preachy. It is real and the topic is poignant. People are losing their jobs everyday, yet this film has found a way to add humor to this delicate subject. Up In The Air is definitely worth seeing and it would be a great movie to take someone you care about to see and have long winded conversations with over coffee afterward. Go see this film before it leaves theaters. It will more than likely be nominated for an Oscar.

The Road (2009)

Directed by: John Hillcoat

Written By: Cormac McCarthy (novel), Joe Penhall (adaptation)

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce

Review:

This movie was dead when I saw it two days before Christmas. I can completely understand why. The Road is not your typical holiday cheery film that movie goers latch onto. It is a film that I had been looking forward to seeing forward to seeing. After seeing it I must admit I was let down by film as a whole. Do not get me wrong, there are many great attributes that make this film endearing and powerful but at the same time I did not feel that the film felt complete for one primary reason, pacing. I liked the film, just not as much as I thought I would initially have loved it.

Before I get ahead of myself by saying what I do not like I will lfocus on the positive of this movie. Viggo Mortenson is a fabulous actor and The Road is a prime example of the lenghts that he will go to embody the character. The scruffy beard caked with dirt, the emaciated body that is skin and bones, the tired and weary look in his eyes are all reasons why Viggo is not only an A list actor but a strong character actor as well. This is something that not many actors can successfully pull off, but Viggo does it with style and grace.

The costumes were well done and are extensions of the characters themselves to an extent. The torn and tattered clothing, shoes kept together with duct tape are all strong parts of the film.

The Road transports the audience into the bleak world after a nuclear war has wiped out the entire population and the remaining survivors are fighting for their lives against the elements of the environment and the cannibals the roam the roads looking for survivors to feast on. Viggo Mortenson and his son are traveling south in hopes of finding shelter and warmth. The Road is follows them on their journey to survive.

The film was advertised poorly. Charlize Theron was not in the film that much which was a little misleading. I cannot fault the decision since Charlize Theron is also an A list actor. I also wish this could have been released earlier so that it could have had a wider release in theaters before the holidays.

As I mentioned my main gripe about this film is pacing. It is a very slow and methodical story with lots of flash backs which I did not feel were necessary. I felt that these scenes dragged the movie down and effected the pacing and flow. This is not a huge deal, just one of my pet peeves. The good outweigh the bad aspects of The Road, making it a worthwhile film to see. This may be something you should consider catching on DVD.

Me and Orson Welles (2008)

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Written By: Holly Gent Palmo (screenplay), Robert Kaplow (novel)

Starring: Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, James Tupper, Zoe Kazan

Review:

Me and Orson Welles is one of the best comedic dramas I have seen lately. It feels like a wonderful play that is unfolding before your eyes but on the big screen. Luckily this was playing near me this holiday in Tampa at an AMC Select theater. I was worried that I would not like this movie because I am not a huge fan of Zac Efron. I should say that I "was" not a fan of Efron because that has changed.

The film follows high school student Richard Samuels played by Zac Efron on his frenzied brush with fame and the stage during his portrayal of Lucius in the production of "Julius Ceasar" by a young Orson Welles, played by Christian McKay, at the Mercury Theater. Along his meteoric brush with stardom Richard falls for the hard-to-get Sonja Jones played by Claire Danes.

This film is a work of magic and Christian Mckay IS Orson Welles. He has nailed his performance for Welles in everything from the way he walked to the way he talked. I am hopeful that he will receive an Oscar nomination. Zac Efron really stands out in this performance. This is his most likeable and real role to date. He has fully captured the emotion of the moment in every scene and passes that on in his performance. I hope that this is what we have to look forward to in future performances from him. I thought Claire Danes looked amazing and had an excellent presence on screen amongst the rest of the cast.

The film follows the production of the play during the final week of rehersal up until opening night. Having been in a couple of plays myself I know how hectic, tiring yet energizing that time can be, it is almost magical. The mad dash to rehearse the lines and prepare the stage and props creates a euphoric mood amongst the cast and crew and everyone is running on adrenaline. These feelings and emotions are not lost in this film. Richard Linklater has deftly captured this feeling and put it to film. The audience feels as though they are right there watching everything unfold on stage and off.

The costuming and production for this film is astounding. I love the feel of New York City in 1937 that was clearly portrayed on screen. I wonder how many stages were actually used. Whatever the number they did a phenomenal job of production. Every detail was thought for and in place properly. I could not notice any mistakes in the film which is a good sign.

The Bottom Line:

If you are looking for a great comedy/drama with wonderful characters and excellent acting then Me and Orson Welles is for you.