[DVD] Tuesdays with Mell 3/18/2014 Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, American Hustle, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, "Flashpoint" Final Season, A Touch of Sin

2013 Animated
2014 Oscar winner: Best animated film & Best Song "Let Go"

Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Stars: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff

Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. 

2013 Biopic
Starring: Tom Hanks & Emma Thompson
Plot: Biopic about Disney getting the right from the author to produce the film Mary Poppins.

2013 True Crime
Directed by: David O'Russell
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence & Jeremy Renner
Plot: Some of these events actually happened. Con man Bale & gf Adams help a FBI agent Cooper take down New Jersey corrupt politicians.
Review: The only reason this got so many Oscar nods was because everyone loves David O'Russell. Though the acting in this is outstanding, Lawrence & Adams the standouts here, this film suffered from uneven tone, a laughable soundtrack, poor sound mixing, & oh yeah the fact that this film is fake. Most of the stuff here is made up. So the writing then is, as to be expected, laughably dumb. I loved the premise of this and wanted to like it, but it shifted from comedy to melodrama so much I wasn't sure what the director was going for and made even more ridiculous by the over the top score by Danny Elfman who's great in Tim Burton films but doesn't belong here. The characters got themselves in situations that were unrealistic for a film based on events that happened. None of the characters were likable in any shape way or form so it was hard to root for anyone which made it all for the more difficult to watch. The only saving grace was the acting. These actors through themselves hardcore into their roles, man perm and all. Adams is always outstanding, but I was most pleasantly surprised by Ms Lawrence who finally really played a woman. In most roles she comes off too childlike and is often inconsistent from film to film. She rally felt like a crazy, drunken mom in this and absolutely deserved her Oscar nod. Oh, and the costumes were amazing. I want like everything Adams & Lawrence wore in this. However, due to the many other problems I simply cannot recommend this film for anyone other than die hard Adams & Lawrence fans.
Rating: Not the brightest crayon in the box but sure is pretty.
Watch instead: Silver Linings Playbook & Ocean's 11.

2013 Biopic

Directed by: Justin Chadwick

Starring: Idris Elba & Naomie Harris

Plot: Based on the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, this film depicts Nelson Mandela from his childhood through becoming South Africa's first black president. 

Review: Though it felt overlong it felt epic, which is the treatment a man like him deserves from a biopic. I remember the Free Mandela campaign when I was a child, and how my parents were cheering when he got released. We watched it on TV. I remember getting in trouble at school for wearing a sticker that said Free Mandela, because at that time the U.S. politically was not in favor of Mandela and depicted him mostly as a terrorist. I hope that some people who might still think those things about him  watch this film. I've done much research on him so I know that this film is pretty accurate. Idris Elba was wonderful in this role, but his accent was not. Harris had a much better accent. She was also fantastic. Winnie became very violent towards the end of her life, but Harris portrayed her so well that still found myself rooting for her even when she went of the path of peace. My only complaint aside from perhaps it was a hair too long, was that the jumps in time to various important historically significant parts of Mendela's life seemed abrupt with the captions a bit too long to read in the short amount  of time they were on the screen.Overall, I enjoyed this film very much and would recommend it. Also, I hate to admit it, but the Bono song at the end of the film is very good and was deserving of the Oscar nod. I never thought I 'd say that about Bono.

Rating: Noteworthy

Watch with: Winnie Mandela & Invictus

Action TV Series

Final Season
Starring: Amy Jo Johnson
Plot: Long running ABC action drama about a swat-team.
Review: I'm only on S1 right now, but am enjoying the series so far.
Watch with: Criminal Minds & Law & Order: SVU

Foreign Film

A Touch of Sin 
Plot: 2013 Oscar nominee for Bet Foreign film, involves many different sotires with interconnected themes.