Happy New Year!

Thank you for reading this past year, and happy new year! Whoever has read my blog I highly appreciate it, and I hope you have a great 2014. During this year, I hope you see more films especially the films that are nominated that are nominated for Golden Globes and Oscars, including, "Her," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "American Hustle" and many others. Support the art of filmmaking.

Have a great year,

Jason Zoblin

"Everybody's Fine" is a Great Film that Displays Robert De Niro's Greatness

"Everybody's Fine" is a great film that displays Robert De Niro's greatness. It tells the story of Frank Goode, played by Robert De Niro, and his unplanned road trip to see his children and his grandchildren. He is a loving father and grandfather, but after his wife passing, he has lost touch with his kids, and wants to make sure he is still in his family's life. He visits his daughter the ad executive in Chicago, played by Kate Beckinsale, his son the conductor in Denver, played by Sam Rockwell, and his daughter who performs in Vegas played by Drew Barrymore. Frank knows he does not have much time left, and he wants to make sure he is in his children and grandchildren's lives before he its too late.

This film is great mainly because of the cast. Kate Beckinsale is a great actress. She is an English actress that learned an American accent for films and she does a great job in her films. She is still waiting for her amazing role, but she is very good at what she does. Sam Rockwell is a great actor. Everything he is in he is immaculate and he is one of the best. Drew Barrymore has always been a great actress, and she has been in the business since she was a little girl and she progressed throughout her career. However, Robert De Niro steals the show in this film. He is great in every role he does obviously, he is one of the best actors ever. Although, in this film he really became this character so well, and we felt for him, all throughout this film and we wanted him to have a better relationship with his family. And we felt that he deserves to have a better relationship with his family. Please watch this film.

Grade = 84/100 = B

"Philomena" is a Great Film to See

"Philomena" is a great film to see. It tells the true story of Philomena Lee, played by Judi Dench. She is a woman living in Ireland with her daughter, Jane, played by Anna Maxwell Martin. Philomena is older but she still remembers her past. She is a very religious woman and when she was a teenager, she had a one night stand, got pregnant, and was then forced to live in a convent. When her son, was about three he was taken away from Philomena and since then she has been trying to find him ever since. Philomena is distraught on what would have been her son's 50th birthday, and she decides to tell Jane about him and try to find him. With the help of weary journalist, Martin Sixsmith, played by Steve Coogan, they both try to find her long lost son.

This film is great to watch because it is intriguing to see what happens in her journey. The film is depressing at times, but it is exciting to see what happens next and how Judi Dench's character withstands the hardships of this journey. She does an amazing job for this film. She was spectacular to watch because you really felt like she was a heartwarming mother or grandmother trying to find her son, and to make sure she made enough of an impact in his life, regardless she was only in it for a few years of his life. Steve Coogan also did an a spectacular job for this film. He helped write the screenplay for this film and he also starred in this film. The film mostly consisted of these two actors and they worked very well together. It is a heartwarming true story coming to life on screen.

Grade = 90/100 = A-

"American Hustle" is a Great Film to See this Holiday Season

"American Hustle" is a great film to see this holiday season. It tells the story of Irving Rosenfeld, play by Christian Bale. He is a brilliant and successful con man, who partners with an incredibly gorgeous and intelligent British partner, Sydney played by Amy Adams. They soon get caught by an FBI agent, Richie Dimaso, played by Bradley Cooper. Richie forces them to join him to take down New Jersey powerbrokers and mafia. The mayor of Camden, Carmine Polito, played by Jeremy Renner is caught in the middle. One person that can hinder their plans is Irving's beautiful but sassy wife Rosalyn, played by Jennifer Lawrence. Irving tries to make sure his plans are ok for himself, Sydney, Rosalyn, and his son Danny.

This film is great and it is obvious that it will win many awards. The authenticity of this film was great. Even through the opening credits we jump right into the time period it takes place in. And with the soundtrack, the wardrobe we can clearly see that we were in 1970s New York and New Jersey. David O. Russell did a great job for this film. He wrote and directed this film and he really did an amazing job. The cast was very similar to "Silver Linings Playbook" and it worked very well, because the cast was spectacular. This film is hard to understand but if watched carefully it is a great thrill ride to see what happens next.

Grade = 92/100 = A-

"A Christmas Story" is a Great Way to Spend Christmas

Even though I am not Christian, I love Christmas movies. My favorites include "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Elf" but today I will talk about "A Christmas Story." This film is hilarious and it is great to watch even for 24 hours on TBS on Christmas. It tells the story of Ralphie, played by Peter Billingsley. He is a young kid living in suburbia in the 1940s. It is almost Christmas and Ralphie doesn't want anything for Christmas except a Red Rider BB gun. Everyone says it is too dangerous and he does not care, because he believes it is the greatest gift ever.

This film is a classic and it is great even in 2013, soon to be 2014. It is a timeless film that only gets better with age. It is so funny to watch Ralphie really try to get what he wants, but he cannot get through the holiday without constant hazing towards the gift he wants. There are countless memorable quotes and moments in this film need to be watched over again. It is great that it is on for 24 hours during Christmas. From the lamp scene, to Santa pushing him down the slide, it is an amazing and hilarious story to watch. It is a classic that will be remembered for awhile.

Grade = 87/100 = B+

"Anchorman 2" is Worth Seeing if you Loved the First One

"Anchorman 2" is worth seeing if you loved the first one. The story continues with Will Ferrell's character. Ron Burgundy. He is now on a national network in New York, alongside with his wife, Veronica Corningstone, played by Christina Applegate. He has a child, and things seem to be looking up for him, until he gets fired and Veronica gets a promotion. This leads to a huge fight between Veronica and Ron and they split up. Ron goes back to San Diego, and after losing his job at Sea World, he is offered an anchoring position at a new network that will run for 24 hours. He would love to do take this opportunity but he needs his news team back. He finds his news team and he starts his new life back in New York, trying to work against Veronica.

This film is funny and worth seeing but it is not as good as the first film. It is very ridiculous, but funny. The second film was a lot of different from the first film but it worked because of the hiatus. The fact that there was a ten year hiatus, worked well with the film because we wanted to know what the news team was doing, and we were intrigued. This film was longer, and it had more of a meaning, and it worked pretty well. It showed the true value of the news, we need to know what is going on not fluff.  There should not be a third film, but it is worth seeing, if you are a huge fan of the first film.

Grade = 83/100 = B

"Freaks and Geeks" was an Amazing Show

"Freaks and Geeks" was an amazing show. It tells the story of teenagers in high school trying to get by. It has actors and actresses that are very popular today, and this show was where they skyrocketed into stardom. Actors including, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, John Francis Daley, and the beautiful Linda Cardellini. The show was produced by Judd Apatow, the genius behind "Knocked Up" and "The 40 Year Old Virgin." It is a great laugh, every episode and it is great to see how these great, and hilarious actors got their start. you can watch the full series on Netflix. Check it out.

Grade = 88/100 = B+

Films to See This Christmas Season

Tis' a week before Christmas, and I would like to tell you a few films to see this time of year.

1."American Hustle" - This film tells the story of a con man and his beautiful British partner forced to work with a FBI agent. Problems arise and they are forced to deal with them. It has Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner. It should an amazing thrill ride.

2. "Wolf of Wall Street" - This film tells the true story of Jordan who lives the high life as a wealthy stockbroker but he gets through crime, betrayal, and corruption. It stars Leonardo Dicaprio, Jonah Hill, and Matthew McConaughey. It should be a hilarious, sexy, and thrilling film to watch.

3. "Saving Mr. Banks" - This film tells the story of author P. L. Travers and how she met Walt Disney and how Walt created her novel, Mary Poppins into film. This film has Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, and Jason Schwartzmann. This film should be a great film not only for kids but for the whole family.

4. "Anchorman 2" - This is the second film of the Anchorman series telling the fictional tale of the news reporter, Ron Burgundy. It will probably not be as good or funny as the first film but it is worth seeing because of how great the first film was. This film has Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Steve Carrell, and Christina Applegate.

5. "The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug" - This film is the second film of "the Hobbit" series and it tells more of the journey of the elves and Bilbo and Gandolf. It is an amazing journey not just for Bilbo but for everyone accompanying him. The films has Ian McKellan, Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom, and Evangeline Lilly.

"Anchorman 2" has Giant Shoes to Fill

"Anchorman 2" has giant shoes to fill. The first "Anchorman" will go down in history as one of the funniest slapstick comedies of all time. It has so many great comedic actors including, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, David Koechner, Paul F. Tompkins, the beautiful Christina Applegate, and many others. The film explained the story of a news reporter named Ron Burgundy, played by Will Ferrell. It showed his hilarious antics with his news team. Ron Burgundy was at the top of his game until a pretty young news anchor, named Veronica Corningstone, played by Christina Applegate. The film was a hysterical film that will no doubt be talked about for ages.

The second film comes out on Wednesday and I am discouraged. I am discouraged because I loved the first film so much and I hope it does not end up like the Hangover series and have a terrible sequels when the first movie of the series was fantastic. This film has giant shoes to fill because everyone has high expectations including me. I hope the movie is as funny as the first one. It is not going to be a great movie that will win Oscars but it is a comedic film that is very funny.

"Anchorman" Grade = 84/100 = B

"Invincible" is a Great Sports Film.

"Invincible" is a great sports film. I tells the true story of Vince Papale, played by Mark Wahlberg. Vince is a 30-year old bartender living in Philadelphia. He is down on his luck because his girlfriend leaves him and he is looking for a fresh start. He has been a decent football player his whole life, and he decides to try out for the Philadelphia Eagles when they hold open tryouts. Eventually, he is the only player drafted, and he is the heart and soul of the city because he is an older guy, home-grown trying to land a starting spot on the team. He is trying his hardest his best getting on the team but he is neglecting his loved ones, that helped him get there in the first place. He realizes this and tries to make sure his new life does not affect his old life.

This film is very special because the actual Vince Papale spoke at my 8th grade graduation because his daughter graduated with me, and the film came out that year also. It is a great film about determination, and triumph. He had his back against the wall, and achieved his goal. Mark Wahlberg was very good in this film. He has truly made a name for himself in Hollywood, after he was in the funky bunch. Other great roles in this film were by Elizabeth Banks, Greg Kinnear, and Kevin Conway. Being a Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL in general, I loved how they portrayed the 1976 team and it was interesting to see how they showed the NFL at that time. It is a great film that Mark Wahlberg flourishes in.

Grade = 83/100 = B

"Rudy" is One of the Best Sports Films of All Time

"Rudy" is one of the best sports films of all time. It tells the story of of Daniel "Rudy" Rettinger, played by Sean Astin. He is a young man trying to get through college at Holy Cross Junior College. He has big dreams though. His dream is to play college football at Notre Dame, not only for himself but for his family and everyone that has told him he could not make it. He finally gets accepted into Notre Dame and finally believes he can achieve his dream. He eventually joins the practice squad, because he is not good enough to be a starter. He is determined to fulfill his dream.

This film is so inspiring. It really truly shows if you have are determined, if you stay honest with yourself you can achieve great things. This film is based on a true story and Sean Astin did a fantastic job for this role. He was excellent in this film because we could clearly see how determined he was to succeed. Some great minor roles in this film were by Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, Lilli Taylor, and Vince Vaughn. It is a great film and it is powerful to watch.

Grade = 82/100 = B-

"The School of Rock" is One of Jack Black's Best Films.

"The School of Rock" is one of Jack Black's best films. It tells the story of Dewey, played by Jack Black, who is a rocker at heart. He plays guitar in a band, but the rest of the band does not like him to keep him enough in the band. He feels he needs to do something with his life because his roommate, Ned, played by Mike White, is mad at him for not paying the rent. Dewey decides to to substitute teach at a prep school. He soon learns that the kids in the class is very good at playing instruments are willing to help him win a Battle of the Bands competition and also help him get him striving again to be the person he is set out to be.

This film is great because it is funny, and very great to watch. Jack Black is very good at what he does. Yes he is a goofball, and very hilarious in most of his films. But he is a very good singer, and actor. He is in the band "Tenacious D" and he is also an actor. He is one of the few actors that can play comedic and dramatic roles. He is very entertaining in this role and it is a very exciting movie to watch because of the soundtrack, and the kids in this movie were fantastic also. It is a very good film to watch and it is has been ten years since it has been in theaters and it really should be considered one of Jack Black's best.

Grade = 85/100 = B

"Cyrus" is a Great Indie Comedy.

"Cyrus" is a great Indie comedy. It tells the story of John, played by John C. Reilly, is at a standstill. He is still depressed about his divorce from his wife, Jamie, played by Catherine Keener, and he is very lonely. One night he goes out to a party. He meets a very attractive and outgoing woman named Molly, played by Marisa Tomei. They hit it off, and John finally feels like he is alive again and feels like he has found someone new. John decides to spend more time with Molly, she is flattered but she is reluctant because of her overbearing son, Cyrus, played by Jonah Hill. Cyrus is a new age musician living with Molly and protects her from her new boyfriends. Molly tries to make Cyrus hold back on John because she really likes him. Cyrus does not like John so he does everything to try to break John and Molly up.

This film is great mainly because it is so funny. There are so many awkward sequences in this film, that help with the hilarity. Also, the actors in this film are all funny. Marisa Tomei is great in this film because of how she wanted to be the mother that wanted more out of his life. She epitomized how divorced mothers still needed love and had desires even if they had children. Jonah Hill is always hilarious and he is also a great actor. He proved that he is a great actor in this film, and "Moneyball" mainly because he can play in different kinds of roles comedic and dramatic, this film was both. Catherine Keener is one of my favorite actresses of all time. First off, she is hilarious in all of her films. And she is great at what she does mainly because she has worked her way from a manager at Mcdonald's and now acting in great independent roles. John C. Reilly is also a great actor. Yes, he is hilarious in films like "Step Brothers" and "Walk Hard" but he has been in a plethora of dramatic roles, and he even has an Oscar nomination for his amazing performance in "Chicago." All of these actors are great because of how they can act in different roles and succeed. This film is beautifully written and directed by Mark and Jay Duplass and it is really worth seeing.

Grade = 82/100 = B-

"The Avengers" is a Great Film for Marvel Fans, and Hopefully the New Marvel Films Coming Out Are As Good.

"The Avengers" is a Great Film for Marvel Fans, and hopefully the new Marvel films coming out are as good. The Avengers is a team of superheroes consisting of Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., The Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, Captain America, played by Chris Evans, Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, and Hawkeye, played by Jeremny Renner. They are all put on a team to take down Thor's brother Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. The superheroes are have to work together to take down their enemy.

This film is great for the fans. It involves some of the great superheroes from the comic books, and it is a very well done film. It is just a start to the tons of Marvel films that are coming out in the next few years, including a second "Avengers" film. There are a plethora of superheroes in Marvel but the films are very exciting because of the action and how it is very similar to the comic books. Personally, from the track record I like DC films better because of "Watchmen" "The Dark Knight" and "Batman Begins" but "The Avengers" is very entertaining to watch, especially because of all the superheroes and villains in the film and I am very excited for the second film.

Grade = 89/100 = B+

"La Jetee" is a Film that is Revolutionary

"La Jetee" is a film that is revolutionary. This is a film made by Chris Marker. He uses still images to tell a story of a man held prisoner. He is forced to take part in a experiment dealing with his past, present, and future. He is sent to specific memories of his involving a woman he was with. We as the audience, still do not know if she is real or a figment of his imagination. We do know that he intrigued by this woman. He is entrapped by his past and he is trapped by his current situation of his predicament. HE has to figure out what has happened to him, and what will happen to him.

This film is beautifully done mainly because of the still images. The images are photographs telling a story. With music and dissolves, and shadows and lighting we can still understand the story well enough regardless that there is no video being portrayed. Chris Marker was a great filmmaker because he really tried to portray film in a different way, and this film was one of his best. He mostly made short films and this is probably his best. The story this film portrays is amazing regardless that we can only see still images. It is a spectacular film to see.

Grade = 88/100 = B+

"Varsity Blues" is a Great Football Film.

"Varsity Blues" is a great film. It tells the story of a high school football team.  Mox, played by James Van Der Beek, is the quarterback of the team after the star QB, Lance, played by Paul Walker, gets injured. It is up to Mox to lead the team to an undefeated season. The coach, is a ruthless and cruel head coach named bud Kilmer, played by Jon Voight. The whole team deals with relationship problems, college acceptances, and pressure from the whole town. They are trying to get through their last years of high school.

This film is great mainly because the teenage stars really blossomed in this film. The actors were successful after this film, and they are still known today. It is a great football film, and also it shows how tough it can be for a teenager especially for a teenage athlete.

Grade = 80/100 = B-

R.I.P. Paul Walker

Paul Walker was killed in a car crash yesterday. Although I am not a fan of his, it is never good to see anyone die or get killed. He was best known for his role in " Varsity Blues" and the "Fast and Furious" Series. This series, is very popular and he will be missed.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is a Great Film to See This Holiday Season.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is a great film to see this holiday season. This is the second installment of "The Hunger Games" trilogy. The first film had Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, and Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, winning the 74th annual Hunger Games. The Capitol is not very happy about the outcome of the games. So they become the targets of the Capitol. President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland, advises a new rule to the 75th annual games. He proposed that the only participants of the games will be victors that are still alive of each district. Which means Katniss and Peeta will be participating again. But because Katniss is loved by most of the districts a revolution is starting. Which President Snow and Plutarch, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. An uprising of rebellion starts in the districts.

This film is very captivating and entertaining throughout. I have not read any of the books and I still know exactly what is going on, and I have a clear picture of what is to come in the next two films. Jennifer Lawrence is spectacular and beautiful. She is becoming one of the most well-known actresses mainly because she is great at what she does, I am really excited to see her in the new film, "American Hustle." Josh Hutcherson is also a very good actor, he is not blowing up as much as Jennifer Lawrence but he is very good in this series. This film is a lot more edgier and cruel, but it also has romance and betrayal. So it has everything for everyone. It is a great series, that really plays with your head about entertainment and how we rely on it to stay stable. Go see these films.

Grade = 86/100 = B