With the Oscar films being called into nomination for awards, students may begin to wonder which big screen titles will hold the most interest for their personal tastes. A brief description of each film has been compiled along with the actors starring in the 2015 nominations.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Winning Best Picture at the Oscars, this film is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and stars Michael Keaton and Emma Stone. The story follows the life of Riggan Thomson, an actor who once played the superhero, Birdman, in a series of films. Haunted by self-doubt, Thomson (Keaton) tries to land a serious role by leading his own dramatic production on Broadway. Rated R for language and violence.
American Sniper
Directed by Clint Eastwood and starred by Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, this film follows the story of a Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle, who becomes one of the most skilled snipers in U.S. military history. Balancing the stress that comes with four tours of duty takes a heavy toll on his personal life. Rated R for language, sexual content/nudity, brief violence and some drug use.
Boyhood
Directed by Richard Linklater and starred by Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater and Ellar Coltrane, this film depicts the experiences of a young boy, Mason, over the course of 12 years. Being the child of divorced and troubled parents facing their own set of challenges, Mason (Coltrane) and his sister, Samantha (Linklater), learn to get through life based on the strengths and shortcomings of the adults around them. Rated R for language, drug and alcohol use.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Awarded Best Foreign Film and directed by Wes Anderson, this film showcases such actors as Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan and Ralph Fiennes. Following the tales of once-luxurious Alpine hotel, the owner reminisces over his time as a lobby boy studying under the direction of the hotel’s concierge, Monsieur Gustave (Fiennes). Rated R for language, sexual content and violence.
The Imitation Game
Directed by Morten Tyldum and starring such actors as Keira Knightley and Benedict Cumberbatch, this film centers around World War II and a group of English mathematicians who assemble to work in secret on cracking the code of a captured German Enigma encryption machine. With England’s fate hanging in the balance, the group’s leader, eccentric Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), must hide his homosexuality or risk arrest and persecution by the country he is fighting to save. Rated PG-13 for sexual references, mature thematic material and historical smoking.
Selma
Directed by Ava DuVernay and starring Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo, this film examines the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. (Oyelowo) through the dramatic events surrounding the historic 1965 freedom marches from Selma to Montgomery. Determined to fight injustice and discrimination King (Oyelowo) chooses Selma as the starting point for the peaceful protest marches that will focus the nation’s attention on the city and its response. Rated PG-13 for violence and language.
The Theory of Everything
Directed by James Marsh and starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, this film explores the life of Stephen Hawking (Redmayne), a brilliant Cambridge graduate student, who learns of a progressive motor neuron disease that may result in his death within the next two years. For Jane Wilde (Jones), Stephen’s fellow student and future wife, the prognosis represents a challenge that her faith and Stephen’s determination must work to overcome. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and suggestive material.
Whiplash
Directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons and Melissa Benoist, this film focuses on Andrew (Teller), a 19-year-old music conservatory student, who is determined to become a great jazz drummer. His talent and passion draw the attention of the school’s most intimidating teacher, Terence Fletcher (Simmons), who believes that students excel through relentless humiliation and fear. Rated R for language and sexual references.
Did you watch the Academy Awards? Who would you give the Oscar to? Which film was your favorite? Tweet us your comments @CS_NewsNet using the hashtag #2015oscars.
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