Looking to Oscar 2015: Whiplash Exceeds a Good Job

BY: ORANGECHAIR

Sometimes the most remarkable films come from the least likely of stories and places. Had you told me that a film about a drummer would be nominated for Best Picture in 2015 and simultaneously be one of my favorite films of the year, I would have been very skeptical. Whiplash is a phenomenal film with a unique story and unique characters. I believe it has some of the best acting performances of the year and an ending that forces audiences to get on their feet and cheer.

Nineteen year old Andrew Neimann (Miles Teller) has a singular dream and that is to be the best. Attending the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory Music School, it becomes clear early on in the film that Neimann thinks of little else past growing as a drummer. Working at Shaffer is the legendary conductor Terrence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons). Despite being a verbally, physically and emotionally abusive conductor, being a part of Fletcher’s band is Neimann’s ultimate goal as he knows that it can make his career. Neimann is given a chance to play in Fletcher’s band after Fletcher walks in on him practicing and spends the rest of the film under the abusive tutelage of the conductor. Neimann gives everything he has physically and emotionally to attempt to gain Fletcher’s approval and stay in the band. It is not until the end of the film that Neimann realizes what he needs to do to gain Fletcher’s coveted approval and truly be the best.

Ultimately there were only two main characters in this film, Fletcher and Neimann. There were two drummers that were fighting for Neimann’s spot but their characters did not get much development at all. Neimann’s father (Paul Reiser) shows up a few times and for a while Neimann romantically pursues a young woman named Nichole (Melissa Benoist) but Neimann leaves these characters behind as he continues to pursue his dream. The film focuses on Fletcher and Neimann and they are two very rich characters. There is a scene in the film where Fletcher attempts to explain why he acts the way he does, explaining that he expects his musicians to go beyond what they are capable of. During this scene Fletcher explains that “there are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job.” Fletcher does not want his students to do a good job, they are to do their best or better. This is a goal he tries to accomplish through humiliation, bullying, anger, fear and abuse. All he wants however is a student to go above and beyond to become the best. Neimann and Fletcher’s goals line up  but it takes Neimann a while to realize that simply the approval of his abusive conductor will not make him the best. It is something he must do on his own.

This film has been nominated for 5 Oscars, including Best Picture. I can say that in my opinion Whiplash is the only film I have seen so far that gives Birdman a run for its money as Best Picture of the Year. Of course this is just my opinion and the world’s opinion does not match up with mine, which so often happens. Though it was one of my favorite and most well done films of the year, I do not see anyway that it will win Best Picture. The film was also nominated for Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing. J. K. Simmons earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor and he is clearly the front runner for this award. His performance was absolutely brilliant. The film’s writer and director Damien Chazelle earned a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. This is a 10 out of 10 film and a must see for 2014.

Looking to Oscar 2015- American Sniper’s Black and White World

BY: ORANGECHAIR

It couldn’t be Oscar season without controversy or hype and American Sniper has quickly brought both to the table. Clint Eastwood’s most recent film is based on the true story of the man deemed to be the world’s deadliest sniper, Chris Kyle. This film was very similar to the Hurt Locker (2008) but cultivated more controversy and mixed feelings because it is the story of a real man. It was a well shot film with a subject matter to cultivate endless conversation.

Based on the book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History written by Chris Kyle, the novel’s title explains the basic plot of the film. The story of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) begins with a momentary blip of his childhood, a single scene the speaks volumes about how Chris Kyle and his brother Jeff Kyle (Keir O’Donnell) were raised. The story then follows Chris as he trains to be a Navy SEAL sniper. He meets and marries Taya (Sienna Miller) before he is sent to Iraq. Kyle’s remarkable skill and accuracy with a sniper rifle makes him a quick legend. Despite having two kids and growing more and more distant from his family, Kyle finds that he has a harder time leaving behind war than his family and completes four tours. The film ends as Kyle tries to rebuild his relationship with his family and acclimate to life stateside.

It was very difficult to decipher how to feel about this film. On one hand there are scenes where Chris Kyle is thanked for all the men he saved and his only response was that he was haunted by all the men he could not save. This scene all but defines Chris Kyle as a hero. On the other hand there are many scenes where the war itself and killing seem to affect the main character like a drug, as if he is completely addicted to killing every person he is told or sees as an enemy. The film seems to act as if the world is black and white or as if each person in the world fits into two categories: ally or enemy. Chris Kyle’s main goal throughout the film is to save Americans which is admirable but that virtue is stripped away as it is realized that anybody that stands in the way, knowingly or not, is expendable including the family trying to simply have their father/husband home. The film presents our very grey world through they eyes of someone who sees it in black and white and in my opinion, that view is terrifying.

Beyond the material in the film, controversy has leaked out in the form of public response. Rather than focusing on some of the heroic acts Chris Kyle accomplishes in the film or the struggle the man has leaving war, some of the public has used this film to vilify the Muslin religion. This film is not an attack on the Muslin religion, it is an attack on war itself. Eastwood himself defines this film as anti-war. My opinion is that people are horribly misunderstanding this film and are not paying attention to the truth of what is being said. This was a film that was supposed to make the audience realize the horrors of war affect people in ways we cannot even imagine. I found it to be very difficult to watch and cannot believe how this film could be so misinterpreted.

This film was nominated for 6 Oscars. It earned itself a Best Picture nomination, Bradley Cooper earned a nomination for Best Actor, Jason Hall was nominated for Best Screenplay and the film was also nominated for Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing. This was a very well done film but I do not believe it will take home Best Writing, Best Actor or Best Picture. I support its nomination for Best Picture but cannot vote for it to win. While watching American Sniper I couldn’t help but think “I remember this movie when it was called Hurt Locker.” The acting and directing were great but the story and message was already given during the Hurt Locker in 2008. Ultimately this is an 8 out of 10 film for me, something to watch, analyze and learn from but not the Best Picture of 2014.

Looking to Oscar 2015: An Enjoyably Amusing Trip Into the Woods

BY: ORANGECHAIR

I will admit I saw this film almost a full month before I wrote this review. I was not going to write a review of it not because it was a bad film but I was working on other things. I really did not there was much in it that would be nominated for an Oscar but once I again I underestimated the wondrous Actress that is Meryl Streep. This film was pure fun with solid, though not Oscar worthy, performances from every man and woman in it.

Based on a play of the same name, Into the Woods takes a number of famous fairy tales and weaves their stories together to create something wholly unique and entertaining. The story begins with a number of main characters making wishes, the most important wish being made by the Baker (James Corden) and the Baker’s Wife (Emily Blunt). The two wish for a child and it is quickly revealed that they are having such trouble because the Baker’s father angered a Witch (Meryl Streep) who then cast a curse on his house. The Baker and his wife still live in the same house so the curse has been passed down to them. The Witch offers to take away the curse if they bring her “the cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn and the slipper as pure as gold.” The Baker and his wife head into the woods to collect the items. While trying to break the curse the two encounter Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy), Prince Charming (Chris Pine), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), the Wolf (Johnny Depp), Jack (Daniel Huttlestone), Jack’s beanstalk and Jack’s giants.

This was a very well rounded film. Led by the always talented Meryl Streep, the cast of well known actors and actresses proved not only their acting skills but that they could also sing. The most surprising voice was that of Chris Pine who performed one of the two best songs in the film, the hilarious ‘Agony.’ While each character was nearly perfectly cast, the two most remarkable performances came from the youngest of the cast. Daniel Huttlestone, who played Jack, and Lilla Crawford, who played Little Red Riding Hood, commanded the screen as they sang and danced across it. The fact that the two actors came from Broadway explains their comfort with the musical but their ability to hold their own with Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep and many more made them the most engaging and entertaining characters in the film.

This film was very fun to watch but it does not surprise me that it did not get many big nominations. Every member of the cast did their part and the film was well shot but nothing stood out as Oscar worthy much beyond Costume or Production Design. Meryl Streep did earn a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her performance did warrant a nomination but I would be shocked if she won. The field is much too strong this season for Meryl’s role and performance to win. This is a 7 out of 10 film. While it is not necessarily an Oscar winning film, it is quite fun and worthwhile to watch.

Looking to Oscar 2015- Despite Oscar Snub, Fincher Wins With Gone Girl

BY: ORANGECHAIR

Shocking, brilliant, disturbing, the list of adjectives that describe David Fincher’s most recent masterpiece, Gone Girl, could go on forever. It will be quite a challenge to write a review of this film without giving away one of its many spoilers but it is a promise that the following is a spoiler free review. Prior to seeing this film, I had almost no knowledge of the story so Gillian Flynn’s screenplay and Fincher’s camera walked me through this highly disturbing story for the first time.

The plot overview section of this review is going to be a little bit light because the twists show up quickly in the film and don’t stop. The story begins when Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) comes home to find his wife, Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), missing and evidence of a struggle in the living room. Nick immediately calls the cops and it does not take long for the media to turn its attention towards the case.  The case grows like wild fire as lead Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) attempts to determine if Nick Dunne killed his wife or if it was someone else, all while America constantly chimes in. The truth about the disappearance of Amy Dunne is only finally revealed as the film’s twisted plot unravels itself.

David Fincher’s directing style can be best described as dark and Gone Girl is certainly no exception. Only those with strong moral mind and, for one scene specifically, a strong stomach should attempt to view this film. Gillian Flynn, who wrote the novel the film is based on, wrote the screenplay filled with twisted and morally ambiguous characters. Coupled with Fincher’s directing, the two created a dark tale that searches the depths of the human soul. The story is written to keep the audience guessing the entire time and Fincher uses the camera to make the film a thriller. Each line delivered has the same effect as a villain jumping out of the shadows and each new piece of information uncovered is a suspenseful chase through an abandoned warehouse. The film is a masterpiece but like many cinematic masterpieces, it is not easy to watch.

This film was subject to one of the worst snub years in the 2015 Oscars. Earning only one nomination, the film deserved to be nominated in at least three other categories. Rosamund Pike holds the films only nomination, earning one for Best Actress. From what I’ve seen of the other nominees, Rosamund Pike has a legitimate shot at the Oscar. Her performance was unreal, bringing a very dark character to life. The film should have been given a nomination for Best Picture, David Fincher should have been nominated for Best Director and it could be argued that Gillian Flynn earned herself a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Beyond simply what was and what should have been nominated, the rest of the film was great. Ben Affleck played Nick Dunne perfectly, playing the character without letting the audience easily decide if he was a mourning husband or a deranged killer. Every character was well acted, including Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris in unique roles for the two actors. This is a 9 out of 10 film, one of the best of the year. It is unfortunate that the 2015 Oscar nominations do not reflect how great a film it is.

Looking to Oscar 2015: Elegance and the Theory of Everything

BY: ORANGECHAIR

When walking out of a film a collection of adjectives are always the first thing to pop into my head, a handful of single words that can be used to describe the film. It has been quite some time since the word elegant has been the best word to describe a film I have seen. The Theory of Everything tells the heartbreaking yet hopeful story of Stephen and Jane Hawking. The film is based on a memoir from Jane Hawking herself and covers their entire life together.

The film begins when Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones) are both studying at Cambridge. Stephen and Jane are both at a point in their studies that they need to start thinking about what they are going to do next. As the two try and figure out what their next study will be, they also fall madly in love, beginning the relationship that serves as the focus of the entire film. Shortly after meeting, Hawking’s disease makes its first real appearance. One day while walking through campus his entire body shuts down and he collapses. After studies and tests Stephen Hawking is diagnosed with motor neuron disease, a disease that will slowly cause Stephen to lose control of his body. Initially given two years to live, Stephen and Jane decide to make the best of it and get married. The rest of the film follows their relationship as they create a family and learn how to make a life as Stephen long outlives his two year diagnoses.

This was an extremely well done film. The acting was great but the two leads easily stole the show. Redmayne was an unstoppable acting force, portraying Hawking in all stages of his debilitating disease. Redmayne plays Hawking as a charming, witty, brilliant young man and expertly captures the extreme frustration as his body debilitates while his mind stays as sharp as ever. Redmayne uses everything at his disposal in his performance, mimicking Hawkings voice, movements and motions with impressive precision. The only performance in the film that rivals Redmayne’s is the one given by Felicity Jones. Matching Redmayne’s charm and wit, Jones gives the audience a Jane Hawking that is strong and will do anything to help her husband. The two have perfect chemistry on screen, brilliantly telling the couple’s tragic and hopeful tale.

The best single word to describe this film is elegant. The directing was subtle yet compelling, moving the story forward and at times giving the audience very real insight into the pain of Hawking’s condition. A well written script was elevated by outstanding performances from everybody involved in film. Both Jones and Redmayne have a legitimate shot at being nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress and the film could also easily be in the running for Best Picture. This is an 8 out of 10 film, a film that expertly balances tragedy and feel good moments to create a thoroughly entertaining experience.

Looking to Oscar 2015: The Incredibly Unique Birdman

BY: ORANGECHAIR

Unique films are not always that easy to come by currently. So many films and television shows have done so much that often times walking out of a theater you can’t help but think that was really good but it reminded me of ______.  Alejandro Inarritu’s new film Birdman is about as unique as they come. A daring film that will make the audience think about it for weeks, Birdman should make some waves come Oscar time.

At its most basic level, Birdman is about Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton). Famous worldwide for playing comic book super hero Birdman in a film franchise, Riggan has decided he wants to be seen as more than just Birdman. Twenty years after the final Birdman film Riggan has decided to adapt a short story onto Broadway and to direct and star in the play. The film follows Riggan as he attempts to restart his career all while dealing with his just out of rehab daughter Sam Thompson (Emma Stone), pompous Broadway star Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), his best friend and lawyer Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and first time Broadway performer Lesley (Naomi Watts). To top it all off Riggan seems to be losing his mind. Birdman continuously talks to Riggan and often Riggan believes he can move things with his mind using his Birdman powers. There is even a sequence where Riggan flies around the city while a giant bird attacks, something that can only be assumed to have come straight out of Birdman. Riggan tries to keep his mind and struggles to survive while reinventing himself, leading up to one of the most shocking opening shows in Broadway history.

A blog post about this film could go on and on and on. The film was very dense, with every shot perfectly composed and each line expertly delivered. One of the most fascinating aspects of the film was director Inarritu’s technique in making the film look like one, continuous shot. The camera follows characters through hallways and through the streets of New York as they walk and talk. There are very few transitions in the film and even still most of them are continuous shots sped up to show the passing of time. This is one of those films that a screenshot of almost any scene could be dissected. Each line, each vase of flowers and each poster in the background helped to enhance the scene and the film as a whole. Audiences walk out of this film exhausted but in the most satisfying of ways, if you enjoy dissecting film and being sent of of the theater with your brain abuzz with what you just watched.

The end of this film is very bizarre in fact, I’m still not quite sure what happened. I have theories, I have ideas but I cannot say definitively how the film ended. I believe that was Inarritu’s intention. Was the film about a star trying to re brand himself or a mentally unstable man? I think the answer will be different for each audience member. If I was given a vote I would certainly vote for Inarritu to get a Best Director nomination and I would be surprised if the film was not nomination for Best Picture. I also would not be surprised if Michael Keaton or Edward Norton’s appeared on the Oscar ballot. Every aspect of this film was executed with near perfection but the most refreshing part of this film was its uniqueness. This is a 9 out of 10, certainly something that is worth the trip to the theaters.

Looking to Oscar 2015: Fury and the Horrors of War

BY: ORANGECHAIR

There’s a wave coming and we are going to be the rock that breaks that wave.

Fury was one of the first films to come out this year that started to get talk of Oscar nominations. The story of five men in a tank during World War Two, this film is violent, powerful and disturbing. Filled with action the story does a nice job of not only highlighting the horrors of war but making time to make the five men in the tank very vivid and compelling characters.

One of the most important aspects of this film is revealed to the audience the moment the film begins. During World War Two American tanks were nowhere near as advanced as German tanks. With this piece of knowledge the film puts the audience directly into a tank that has lost its assistant driver. Lead by Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier (Brad Pitt), the crew consists of four men, Boyd ‘Bible’ Swan (Shia LaBeouf), Trini ‘Gordo’ Garcia (Michael Pina) and Grady ‘Coon-Ass’ Travis (Jon Bernthal), who have been together in their tank named Fury for years which is longer than any other squad in the army. Their assistant driver is replaced by Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman), a young man who joined the army to be a clerk and not to go into battle. The film follows the group of five men as they work their way through Germany in Fury, teaching Norman to survive and making him a part of their family.

This film can be talked about in thirds. The first third introduces the characters and the war. It is filled with action and violence and shows Fury getting a mission to take a German town. The second third of the film takes place when Fury and the other troops with it take over the German town. This third of the film has almost no action but serves to be as emotionally tense as the war scenes when the Fury crew finds two German women hiding in a house. The scene in the house is beautifully shot and allows the film to really delve deep into the characters inside the tank. While those audience members that went to see a war film may be bored during this third, it is an extremely important aspect of the film when it comes to understanding the characters, their motives and their connections with one another. The final third of the film is what all the of the film’s previews advertised. Fury is sent to protect a crossroads but upon arriving one of its treads breaks. The broken down tank and its crew must then protect the crossroads from a SS battalion, all without any mobility from the tank.

While a lot of violence is expect from any war film, Fury was also very graphic in its violence. There is a lot of blood throughout the film and the film is not afraid to show the horrors of war. Heads exploding from gunshots and soldiers burning alive committing suicide are just some of the violent aspects shown throughout the film. The action in this film is incredible. Early on it is described that every fifth bullet is a tracer so that the men shooting can see what they are shooting at. This gives the gun fights a visually stunning element as every fifth bullet looks like a laser streaking through the darkness. While the end climax of the movie is riveting with extremely well done action, the highlight of the action is a scene where Fury and two other American tanks encounter a German tank.

This is another film that has been tagged with Looking to Oscar but nominations are most likely going to sparse if they even exist for this film. Every actor did a great job while Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf gave outstanding performances but probably not good enough to earn nominations. There was no weak point in this film but at the same time there was nothing that screams nomination. Nominations could happen for Fury but they certainly are no guaranteed. This is an 8 out of 10 film. It is well done film but it fits in with the other Oscar possible films this year. It is very dark and at times difficult to watch.

Looking to Oscar 2015: The Dregs of Humanity in Nightcrawler

BY: ORANGECHAIR

The true price of success is what somebody’s willing to pay for it.

This post is being written a full weekend after seeing Nightcrawler and I still cannot quite decide what I think about this film. I can say that it was an extremely well done film because it has kept thinking about it for two straight days. What I can say with certainty is that this is not happy or a feel good film. In fact when I walked out of the theater the best word to describe my mood was disturbed and the only sentence my friend could utter is what named this post: “talk about the dregs of humanity.” I know I am not doing a very good job of selling this film but I would like to stress this was a great film that should be seen. When you do see it however you need to be prepared for what you are going to see.

This film follows Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a man whose background and past do not play into the film at all. In fact Bloom’s past is so unimportant that it is barely mentioned throughout the course of the film. What does matter is that Bloom is a hard worker and a fast learner, once he sets his mind to it of course. Desperately searching a job while savaging for money, Bloom finds a new passion after observing a camera man taking footage of a violent car crash. The slang term for the job is being a nightcrawler and Bloom immediately becomes obsessed with it. He purchases a camera, a police scanner and hires an assistant, Rick (Riz Ahmed). The job basically involves chasing death and selling footage of it to local news stations. Bloom begins by simply trying to beat police officers to murders and crash sites but as he starts making money off his footage, Bloom easily compromises his morality to get better shots. It starts off simply with crossing police tape he is not supposed to cross but quickly escalates to incomprehensible acts of horror. By the end of the film it is impossible to see any morality in Bloom’s actions or his character as a whole. He compromises every piece of his morality and his humanity to get a better shot and create a lucrative business as a nightcrawler.

As I mentioned before this film is difficult to watch but at the same time it is extremely well done. The film’s tone was very difficult to comprehend, purposely confusing the audiences emotions as they try to comprehend Louis Bloom. Gyllenhaal gave a great performance a Louis Bloom, a performance that ranks as one of his darkest to date (and Gyllenhaal has played some of the darkest characters to grace the screen). I want to refer to Bloom as a sociopath but there are so many layers to him that I cannot find the correct term to define him. The one thing I do know is that Louis Bloom has no sense of humanity. The directing in this film was unbelievable. Director Dan Gilroy purposely plays with audience emotion making it difficult to get a read on the plot and the characters. Though an out of place tone would make it appear as if Gilroy did not know what he was doing, the misleading tone was intentional, helping to build the suspense and shock that is present throughout the film.

Just like my review of St. Vincent, I have prematurely labeled this Looking to Oscar 2015. While nominations are not out yet I do think that this is a film that could gather some noms. The main category that Nightcrawler has a chance to get an Oscar nomination is Best Director. Gyllenhaal may pull himself a nomination for Best Actor and Rene Russo may grab a nomination for Best Supporting Actress (though I really doubt it). As far as a Best Picture nomination I really can’t say at this point in time. I need to see more films to determine how strong of a year this is but I would not be surprised if Nightcrawler made it onto the Best Picture list.

Unique and disturbing, this was a very well done film. Script, tone, directing and acting all blend together to create a cinematic experience that push the limits of the audiences emotion and really makes you begin to doubt humanity. I want to again stress that though I have admitted this film is hard to watch it is worth watching. I give Nightcrawler an 8 out of 10.

Looking To Oscar 2015: The Humanity of Saints in St. Vincent

BY: ORANGECHAIR

After many phone calls and much begging, somehow director/writer Theodore Melfi managed to lock down Bill Murray as the leading character in his first feature length film, St. Vincent. A cast of ridiculously eclectic characters drives this well written, hilarious yet moving film about a young boy who befriends his crotchety, mad at the world neighbor. Though it is a little early to make informed speculations, this film definitely has some potential for Oscar Nomination but at the same time certainly isn’t guaranteed any.

There are two overarching themes in this film. The first is a simple phrase uttered by Vincent MacKenna (Bill Murray) many times throughout the film: “You don’t know me.” The second theme is the fact that while a Saint has saintly qualities, ever saint is also human. When Maggie Bronstein (Melissa McCarthy) and her young son Oliver Bronstein (Jaeden Lieberher) meet their new neighbor Vincent they find that they are living next to a crabby alcoholic. A newly single mother, Maggie works at the local hospital and quickly realizes that she is going to need some extra help to support her child so she begins to pay Vincent to watch Oliver after school. What initially seems to be a very dangerous pairing turns into a unique learning experience for Oliver and a new friend for Vincent. As the two form a strong yet strange bond they help one another through custody court (between Maggie and her ex-husband), medical issues, bullies and basic life.

The chemistry between Murray and Lieberher makes their relationship the most interesting aspect of the film but the rest of the cast is comprised of talented, witty characters. Chris O’dowd plays Oliver’s Catholic school teacher and Naomi Watts is almost unrecognizable as Daka, Vincent’s lady of the night. There was not a weak aspect to this film. While there was humor throughout from the cast of veteran comedians this film is just as depressing and tragic as it is funny. A strong witty script fuels great performances, the pinnacle being Murray with a Brooklyn accent and Lieberher’s debut role. Little bursts of symbolism push their way through the dialogue, helping to frame the films themes. The most impressive part of the film is its following of the motto “you don’t know me.” The way the characters are presented and developed makes the audience feel as if they know everything about the characters until the film calls the audience out. It is not until the end that it becomes clear that the audience really does not know anything about the characters.

This post was tagged as a Looking to Oscar 2015 post and probably done prematurely. The Oscar nominations have not been made yet and I do not necessarily expect St. Vincent to be nominated but I also would not be surprised if it received a nomination or two. The script was extremely well written with original characters and the directing led to an entertaining film. If it is a weak year for Best Actor (which I don’t expect it to be) Murray may be able to snag himself a nomination. Overall this was a great film that deserves an 8 out 10. Commercials make this film look like a comedy and it has many funny moments but be warned, those with a weepy disposition may want to bring a pocket full of tissue.