Tag Archives: Christian Dimartino

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Films that Got Away: Magnolia

2 Comments

By Christian DiMartino

Title: Magnolia

Genre: Drama

Release Date: December 17, 1999

Film Rating: R

Leads: Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

In the opening sequence of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, the narrator (Ricky Jay) tells three very bizarre tales of murder. At the end of this scene, the narrator leaves the audience with a question: Does fate really exist, or does everything happen out of coincidence? This is actually the film’s main theme, and it leaves the viewer with this thought the entire way through.

Magnolia revolves around a group of people living in San Fernando Valley, California. On one very rainy day, each of the character’s lives is changed, for better or for worse. Some are seeking happiness, some are seeking forgiveness, and some, simply, are dying. Even though the characters have already been classified, they can be more specifically surmised.

The characters are thrown into three main classes: the do-gooders (John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman), the evil-doers (Julianne Moore, Philip Baker Hall, Jason Robards), and those traumatized as children (Melora Walters, William H. Macy, Tom Cruise, Jeremy Blackman). Each of these characters is connected in some way, and all of it is leading up to a climax that will leave you saying, ”Huh?”

Let’s start off by saying that Magnolia is an amazing movie.  Each of these stories and characters is more fascinating than the next. Jon Brion and Aimee Mann’s constant tunes help these three hours flow by gracefully. There is not a boring second in this contraption. Each scene is funny, very powerful, or very sad. It is difficult choosing which scene is the best.

The three hour length may be off-putting to some, but I have watched Magnolia almost religiously for months. That said, some things still do not quite add up (The story involving “the worm”; the climax, which will only make sense if it is Googled) and it is a little long. But even with its flaws, Magnolia is one big, ambitious masterpiece. It is Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece. I love his other films too, but none of his previous films (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights) or later (Punch Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master) have quite matched this level of perfection. Anderson is arguably one of the greatest living directors, and even he agrees that Magnolia is the best of his work.

It is also an achievement for some of its actors. The acting alone in this movie adds to its perfection, but there is mainly one actor of the bunch that truly stands out: his name is Tom Cruise. Before seeing this movie, I was not a believer of Tom Cruise. He seemed a little wacko (still sort of does). But after seeing this movie, he has developed a fan.

He plays a guru named Frank T. J. Mackey, and basically his expertise is teaching guys how to seduce women. He is amazing in this movie. It is, without a doubt, his best work. It does not take very long to be convinced. Within a minute of Cruise’s presence on screen, it will leave you floored. The same goes for the rest of his scenes. It is bizarre how here he is in a supporting role and does better work here than ever before and after.

Cruise won a Golden Globe for his work here. He was also nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Michael Caine in The Cider House Rules, probably because, well, Michael Caine is Michael Caine.
Caine is great, but in other movies. Cruise should have won. Deep down, it is obviously true.

It also got two other Oscar nominations, for Original Screenplay (Anderson) and Original Song (Mann). That is it. Really? There is so much to admire here. It should have been nominated for Best Picture, Director, Editing, and probably a few acting nominations. I understand it not winning screenplay (American Beauty won). But the Best Picture (American Beauty won that too) snub is the most outrageous, considering it blows some of the nominees of that year away (The Cider House Rules is dull, The Sixth Sense is special for nothing more than a good twist).

Magnolia is the best movie of 1999. I will even go as far as to say that it is the best movie of the 1990s. Obviously, not many will agree, and that is fine. It is a beautiful, thought-provoking, powerful piece of work. One that only got three Oscar nominations, and that is why it is a film that got away.

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Columnist anticipates upcoming summer releases

2 Comments

Summer is the season that I wait for year after year. Not just because school is out. I am talking about the movies. Most of the big blockbusters come out in the summer, and it is drawing near. To get in the spirit, here are the five movies I am dying to see this summer.

5. Man of Steel (June 14, PG-13)

I have honestly never been a fan of Superman, but I am open for surprises. Man of Steel is produced by a master, Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception) and judging from the trailer, it seems like he has brought some of that Dark Knight-ness to this movie. If Nolan is involved, I am there.  

4. World War Z (June 21, PG-13)

After nearly six years in development, World War Z is finally coming to the big screen. I honestly do not know anything about this movie other than that it is about zombies. On another note, this is bound to be one of the more ambitious movies of the summer, so for that I am interested to see Brad Pitt and director Marc Forester (Finding Neverland, Quantum of Solace) pull it off.

3. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17, Not Yet Rated)

After being pleasantly surprised by director J.J. Abrams previous Star Trek movie (I was a non-believer , and ashamed), I have been patiently waiting for the sequel. Well, it is coming very soon to a theater near me, and I cannot wait. I am interested to see Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch go really bad.  I like my movies with a bit of darkness in it, and judging from the title and the trailer, I doubt that Star Trek Into Darkness will disappoint.

2. Iron Man 3 (May 3, Not Yet Rated)

The first two Iron Man movies were pretty light, but it seems like Iron man is in real trouble this time, and that is just what I like. What a better way to kick off the summer movie season than with a movie that looks as stunning as this. With Robert Downey Jr. in it, it may not be as dark as it seems. But hopefully it is the perfect blend of light and dark. This might be The Dark Knight of the series. But let’s not go that far.

1. The Great Gatsby (May 10, Not Yet Rated)

Summer is the time for big budget blockbusters, but yet Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby looks better than all of the big blockbusters combined. The trailer is so dreamy and enchanting I am mainly curious to see just how Luhrmann pulls it off. Luhrmann, who also directed Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, is a visionary, and is the perfect choice to direct this.   Initially meant for release last Christmas, Warner Bros. pushed it back mainly to avoid the clutter of Oscar season (Les Miserables, Django Unchained, and Zero Dark Thirty were all released around that time), because they felt it was worthy. That alone is a sign of greatness. DiCaprio seems perfect for this role also. By the end of the summer, The Great Gatsby will probably not be the most successful. But it will be one of few with purpose.

This summer seems like a promising ones. Sure, there are a few that the world could do without ( Is Fast and the Furious 6 and The Smurfs 2 really necessary?), but then again there are some that did not even make the cut(the apocalypse comedy This is the End and Johnny Depp doing his thing in The Lone Ranger.) Summer could not get here faster. 

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Columnist proposes dreary Spring Break movie solutions

Leave a comment

By Christian DiMartino

Hopefully, just hopefully, Spring Break will be nice and fun, but hopefully not too much fun if you know what I mean. But the weather has been dreadful lately, and what is there left to do on such long, miserable days? Watch a movie. Or two. Or three. Maybe five will do. Here are five movies guaranteed to make your rainy day a better one.

5. Die Hard (1988) – Nobody knows about being trapped in a boring building for a day better than NY cop John McLane (Bruce Willis). But try being stuck in a building with a group of German terrorists taking hostages. Die Hard is basically a guy playing cat-and-mouse with a lunatic for two hours. But those two hours are quite an adventure. The presence of Willis and Alan Rickman (the bad guy) is key.

4. Airplane (1980) – Airplane is a comedy that simply never grows up, and that is what is awesome about it. Even with repeated viewings, it always remains consistently entertaining and hilarious. So why should a rainy day be an exception? It is dumb, possibly the dumbest movie of all. But it is guaranteed to slap a smile.

3. Back to the Future (1985) – This is the epitome of a rainy day movie. Back to the Future will be entertaining whether it is on an airplane, in a house, or in a Delorean, It is a smart, fun, and sort of creepy (the main character’s mom falls in love with him). But it is funny in the way that it is creepy. All it takes is a Huey Lewis song, and the mood to watch this movie will suddenly increase.

2. Titanic (1997) – Rainy days feel like the longest days. So it seems like the perfect time to commit to James Cameron’s big, romantic, three hour disaster epic. It is amazing how this film still has such an influence on us today. Cameron went on to make Avatar 12 years later, but that is not this movie. Titanic is groundbreaking for its time. It is big, it is adventurous, and it will and has left people talking for years. Titanic, we will never let go.

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – Imagine the adventure that can happen on a sunny day. Well, it is supposed to be a rainy day, so that option is out. But instead, join Indiana Jones on his first and best adventure, which is arguably the best adventure of all. Raiders of the Lost Ark is the definition of adventure, and since this is a list of rainy day movies, no adventure will entertain more than this one. It is a sure thing.

Christian DiMartino, Features, Peter Hyle

Student Spotlight: Musical Talent inside FC

Leave a comment

By Peter Hyle and Christian DiMartino

For a new personality profile, reporters went behind the scenes and asked Floyd Central’s music teachers who some of the best and brightest they taught were. Click below to hear about sophomore Madeline Coffey and senior Christian Thomas.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_csMYIlrmE]

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Columnist weighs in on this year’s Oscars

1 Comment

By Christian DiMartino

For the first time ever, I have seen all of the Best Picture nominees before the big night (The Oscars airs Sunday, Feb. 24), so I consider myself a bit of an Oscar expert. This year, the competition is tough, and only two of the awards seem to be a sure thing. Here is what I think is going to win, and what should win:

Best Director

Michael Haneke – Amour

Ang Lee – Life of Pi

David O’Russell- Silver Linings Playbook

Steven Spielberg- Lincoln

Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild

Will Win: Steven Spielberg

Since both Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow are excluded from the ballot, Spielberg is almost a sure thing. It is been 15 years since he won an Oscar for Saving Private Ryan, and 20 years since Schindler’s List. He is overdue. If anyone is going to stop him, it is Ang Lee, but it will most likely go to Spielberg.

Should Win: Steven Spielberg

Again, he is over-due. I choose Spielberg mainly because the academy snubbed him of awards for movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., and Saving Private Ryan (he won best director, but best picture went to Shakespeare in Love for some reason), so I think it is time. Also, he is my favorite director on the list, and Lincoln is my favorite movie nominated [Read: Best Picture]

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams- The Master

Sally Field- Lincoln

Anne Hathaway- Les Miserables

Helen Hunt- The Sessions

Jacki Weaver- Silver Linings Playbook

Will Win: Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway has been sweeping all of the award shows for her performance as the tragic Fantine. I do not think she has lost a single award.

Should Win: Sally Field

Hathaway is great, but she is only in a small amount of a long, long movie. She does not quite deserve it yet because she has been better, such as in Rachel Getting Married and The Dark Knight Rises. My vote goes to two time winner Field, who does such a wonderful job as Honest Abe’s sad, supportive wife.

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Arkin- Argo

Robert De Niro- Silver Linings Playbook

Philip Seymour Hoffman- The Master

Tommy Lee Jones- Lincoln

Christoph Waltz- Django Unchained

Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones

Each actor in this category already has an award. Alan Arkin, Christoph Waltz, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman are more recent winners, so it is down to De Niro and Jones. De Niro has not been getting many nominations for this movie, so I think it will be Jones.

Should Win: Philip Seymour Hoffman

By using the “eanie, meanie, minie, moe” system, my vote is for Hoffman. This is a difficult category because each nominee is so good. Hoffman is not getting any love for this movie, and the movie is not getting any love either, and it is outrageous. It is better than any of the movies nominated. The Master is a bizarre movie, but that is part of its hypnosis. This may not have worked without Hoffman’s suave, sophisticated performance.

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain- Zero Dark Thirty

Jennifer Lawrence- Silver Linings Playbook

Emmanuelle Riva- Amour

Quvenzhane Wallis- Beasts of the Southern Wild

Naomi Watts- The Impossible

Will Win: Emmanuelle Riva

Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain seem to be winning a lot, but Riva is the oldest best actress nominee in Oscar history, it is her first nomination, and her birthday is on the night of the Oscars. I rest my case.

Should Win: Jennifer Lawrence

This is another difficult one, but I have to go with J-Law. She is incredibly sexy in Silver Linings Playbook. She brings so much life to her character, Tiffany. Tiffany is feisty, neurotic, wild, mysterious, bizarre, and I loved watching her. When someone outdoes Robert De Niro, then that proves Oscar worthy.

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper- Silver Linings Playbook

Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln

Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables

Joaquin Phoenix – The Master

Denzel Washington – Flight

Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis

There is absolutely no competition. Daniel Day Lewis is winning every award under the sun and he is a lock-in for a third Oscar. If anyone has a chance, it is Joaquin Phoenix. But not even his career-best performance can take down Lewis.

Should Win: Daniel Day- Lewis

A part of me wants to choose Phoenix, but I have to choose Lewis. He is the best actor alive. He always sinks deep into his roles, and he is nothing short of magical in Lincoln. If I did not know any better, I would of thought that he was possessed by the ghost of Lincoln himself. He is freaky good. Every performance of his feels so authentic. His performance here makes you feel as if you are in a room with Lincoln, listening to him tell a story. This award has his name written all over it.

Best Picture

Amour                                                            Life of Pi

Argo                                                               Lincoln

Beasts of the Southern Wild                  Silver Linings Playbook

Django Unchained                                   Zero Dark Thirty

Les Miserables

Will Win: Lincoln

Argo seems to be taking home the top prize at a lot of award shows, but Ben Affleck is not nominated for Best Director. Since 2006’s The Departed, every movie that wins Best Picture wins Best Director. They could switch it up a bit, but do not count on it. Argo is out, Lincoln is in. Lincoln has 12 nominations, which is the most this year, and it most likely will not go home empty handed.

Should Win: Lincoln

Lincoln is not my favorite movie of the year, but it is the best of the nominees. It’s a powerful, sharply written biopic that ranks up there Spielberg’s best films and other great biopics. Dryly funny, fascinated, and acted to perfection, this is Spielberg’s best work in some time. The academy loves movies like this, and it could and should win Best Picture.