Post Oscar results

Well, I am a little surprised that "Birdman" won The Best Picture category over "Boyhood".

"Boyhood" took over twelve years to film with the same cast including the young character Mason (Ellar Coltrane) who literally grew up during the duration of this massive undertaking. 

I do know that "Birdman" was a very strong contender and that is why I chose  "Birdman" as my very close second choice.

Other than The Best Picture, I called all of my other predictions. I guess five out of six isn't too bad.

Thanks to everyone who follows me on Utahmoviemom!!! I really appreciate your support and your confidence in me!!! I will keep trying to keep you informed with my best opinions on the movies, to help you have the enjoyment and entertainment that you deserve. 

With movie tickets as expensive as they are these days and even more important to me...

 are your children and your family's well being, that is first and foremost to me!!!

I will honestly try to always do my best!!!

Once again,

Thank you so much

Marilyn Phillips, Utahmoviemom

My personal Academy Awards predictions 2015

Ok-here I go, out on a limb again this year for the biggest night in Motion Pictures.
My predictions are as follows, simply my own opinion, but time will tell tonight how my choices pan out.
*Best Picture- "Boyhood" with "Birdman" coming in as a close second.

*Best Actor- Eddie Redmayne for "The Theory Of Everything" with Michael Keaton coming in as a close second for  "Birdman".

*Best Actress- Julianne Moore for " Still Alice".

*Best Supporting Actor- JK Simmons for "Whiplash".

*Best Supporting Actress- Patricia Arquette for "Boyhood".

*Best Animated Feature- "Big Hero 6"

Ok, Let's watch The Oscars now. Hope everyone enjoys the program.

McFarland, USA

PG
Starring: Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz,
Rafael Martinez, Hector Duran, Sergio Avelar and Michael Aguero
Running Time: 2 Hours and 8 Minutes

This is the true story about a small town in central California in 1987. McFarland High School is in dire need of a new PE and Life Science teacher. Enter Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) who is also in dire need of a new teaching job!
Coach White had been living in Boise, Idaho coaching the high school football team there when he was dismissed for trying to teach a smart alec kid a lesson about respect.
He uprooted his wife Cheryl (Maria Bello), two daughters, Julie (Morgan Saylor), and
Jamie (Elsie Fisher) and relocated to McFarland, California where they were definitely the minority.
They moved into a very small home that was unlike any they had lived in before. They were total misfits! It took some time and patience for them to feel comfortable and accepted by the community.
McFarland was almost completely comprised of Latinos who referred to themselves as "pickers". They made their living by picking crops in central California, day in and day out.
They expected their young sons to help them out as well. They were required to work every morning before attending school and again after school. A very difficult and tedious schedule for them to maintain. Their parents did not have any expectations for their children, they just assumed they would eventually end up being "pickers" full time like they themselves were.
Coach White had the opportunity to observe the students in PE class and noticed while they were running track that several of them had a real gift of running exceptionally fast! As time went by he continued to be impressed with their ability and decided to look at the school rules to see if he could implement a track team. When he was able to get the okay and decided to approach the students about it, most of them were against it. He needed seven boys to qualify to run in the State meets.
Finally, after convincing them to give it a try, he was on a mission.
This was a really good and inspirational story about sportsmanship, responsibility, human interaction and relationships, but to me, more importantly, it was mostly about learning how to trust!
How to overcome boundaries and finding a side of yourself that you never knew you had.
I was very pleasantly surprised with this movie and the warmth and tender feelings I ended up with after watching it. This is definitely a sports and relationships "feel good movie"!
On a side note, Kevin Costner said in an interview that he grew up not far from McFarland and he used to play against the McFarland High School teams when he was in high school, so this movie was very personal to him!
Parents be advised:This movie is rated PG, I found nothing unsuitable in this movie and feel that it is appropriate for children ages eight and over.
I am giving "McFarland, USA" three and a half bags of popcorn.

Jupiter Ascending

PG-13
Starring: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne and Douglas Booth
Running Time: 2 Hours and 7 Minutes

I was anticipating a lot of computer generated imagery in this movie, but this movie took it to a whole new level. It absolutely consumed the moviegoer, it was both completely ridiculous and fatiguing at the same time!
The story-line was weak and without any redeeming quality whatsoever! Another so-called dystopian  sci-fi flick! I felt as if this movie was a colossal waste of my time and my energy.
Channing Tatum stars as Caine Wise, an ex-military hunter, a magical, rollerblading humble hero of sorts who can skate himself all over the universe. He is able to jump off of towering high-rise buildings as well as different planets. How he developed these super powers of his are questionable.
Mila Kunis stars as the humble little Jupiter Jones from Chicago, the early morning toilet scrubber with a repetitive life that she is most unsatisfied with.
Suddenly she is thrust into a world that she totally unfamiliar with. She is wanted by several different characters and finds out that she has a genetic signature that makes her an offspring of royal lineage and an heiress of an extraordinary fortune.
This movie just gets totally lost. Tatum and Kunis in another setting could have been very good together, but they just couldn't keep up with all of the cgi and the crazy characters in this one.
I would advise passing on this movie.
Parents be advised: There are many scary and strange characters in this movie, Some of them were quite frightening and intimidating. There were some little alien like creatures that were very freaky!
I would suggest this for children ages ten and over.
I am giving "Jupiter Ascending" two bags of popcorn.