Oscar Best Picture Nominees

That’s right! This coming Monday is the 88^th Academy Awards 2016.

It’s that time of the year again, when actors strut on the red carpet and bask in Hollywood glory. It’s that time of the year when fashion designers earn a yea or a nay from the critics and the public for the outfit and the pieces that they created for our favourite personalities. It’s that time of the year when the famous people earn an A+ for their suits and gowns, or even thumbs down for their wardrobe disaster.

But most importantly, the Academy Awards is the time of the year when the films get to bag home that coveted Academy Award of Merit (popularly known as the Oscar statuette). People from across the globe look forward to this prestigious awarding ceremony year after year.

This year, who’s going to win the Oscar Best Picture? Let’s check out the following films nominated for Best Picture.

The Big Short
This comedy-drama, directed by Adam McKay, is one of the strongest contenders this year. This movie, which is regarding the 2007-2008 financial crisis and the mortgage market problems in the US, is based on a 2010 non-fiction book of the same title, which is authored by Michael Lewis. It’s about four people who took advantage of the declining economic situation in the housing market to make a fortune.

This might not seem like a typical moviegoer’s cup of tea because of finance. Aside from people adept in the technical world of money, who else likes casually talking about banks, loans, mortgages, and credit? But because of the genius of this written gem, moviegoers are entertained and, at the same time, educated. What happened during that time? What caused the economic crisis? Despite the complexity of the plot, the world of finance is made accessible and understandable. Go watch it if you want to know what we mean.

This movie has Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell. This film is relevant to almost everyone who had seen that decade. Five nominations are garnered by this film, including Best Picture. Will “The Big Short” win this year?

Bridge Of Spies
This drama-thriller, which is based on a 1960 Cold War incident involving a U-20 spy plane, is directed by esteemed director Steven Spielberg. Tom Hanks, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, and Mark Rylance are the stellar cast in this movie.

The Bridge Of Spies DVD is a heavy drama which will keep you at the edge of your seat, and keep you guessing until the end. Tom Hanks is impressive in his role as insurance lawyer, James B. Donovan, who is hired by the CIA to be lawyer for an arrested Soviet Union spy, brought to life by Mark Rylance. Will the negotiation go as planned? Will each country release its detained spy in exchange for the other country’s detained spy?

This movie is based on real events with real personalities. With an impressive direction, powerful storytelling, and realistic acting, you will be drawn to this movie. With 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, will this win?

Brooklyn
Another historical drama is in the list, and yes, it’s “Brooklyn,” starring Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, and Domhnall Gleeson. Love abounds in this movie. Love knows no bound, even distance between countries. Or does it?

We are given the life story of Eilis, a youthful Irish woman who travelled to America from Ireland for greener pastures. It does get getting used to another place, but by time, Eilis was able to adjust to Brooklyn and even found love. But when things go back in her birthland, will she leave her love behind? Or will she travel back home to look into the matter of things?

If you want to see how love blossoms in the 1950s, we tell you, you better check this movie out. This is not your usual historical romance movie. And oh, do you know this movie garners three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture? We hope the judges love this one.

Mad Max: Fury Road
Dystopian movies everywhere! But make “Mad Max: Fury Road” as an exception. Unlike most dystopian movies that rely on special effects to cover up for the lack of a solid plot, “Mad Max: Fury Road” boasts of a convincing plot, an excellent storyline, and effects that can take your breath away.

If the dystopian world in “Mad Max: Fury Road” is real in real-time, we can be sure that Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron will save the day because they know exactly what they are doing. Thank goodness for real actors like them! Even if Hardy’s character has less spoken lines, his actions deliver. The most part of the movie grips you into action, and the cinematography makes you feel like you are a character in the movie itself. Super cool, right?

Thanks to director George Miller, we get to see a real live-action film instead of a computer-animated production. This is a dream come true for him, considering the many times that the production of this movie had been delayed.

Would you believe that this action-packed movie is nominated for ten different categories, including Best Picture? We will never wonder if this movie gains that golden Oscar for said category.

The Martian
Another movie based on a novel is nominated for Best Picture in the Oscars this year, and yes, this is “The Martian.” Matt Damon really convinced us that surviving on a planet without the same atmosphere as ours can be feasible, but that is only if you have your smarts and limited equipment to get by.

This movie, which is based on the 2011 sci-fi novel by Andy Weir, and directed by Ridley Scott, is a riveting tale of Mark Watney who was left for dead in an out-of-Earth mission after an unforgiving dust storm, only to find himself alive and doing all he can to provide for himself and contact home (aka Earth) lightyears away. Adding to the excitement of this movie is the arduous rescue mission while racing against time to bring Watney home safely.

Seven nominations including Best Picture, we are sure that this movie deserves the accolades.

Room
This movie, based on Emma Donoghue’s novel of the same title, is sure to tug your heartstrings. “Room” is directed by Lenny Abrahamson, and stars Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, and Sean Bridgers.

One will probably think that nothing significant happens in an enclosed space, or that no story ever happens, but Ma (Larson) and her five-year-old son, Jack, create their own universe. Ma gives love and affection to her son, even going as far as to make the young boy believe that the Room is the world to him, that Room is the only thing real, unlike the fake outside. But when Mother and Child are able to escape the Room, Jack sees the world for the first time. Their discoveries of the world (an outside world revisited for Ma, and a new world for Jack) will give them a new perspective in their life.

Four nominations including Best Picture for this movie. Be sure to watch this.

Spotlight
Another story based on real-life events, “Spotlight” is a film that discloses all that is hidden.

When abuses inside the Church had been allegedly hidden, a team of journalists from The Boston Globe investigates and found out cover-up that had been around for decades.

This movie is directed by Tom McCarthy, and stars Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and Michael Keaton. It has six nominations in the Oscars, including Best Picture.

The Revenant
If you think Leonardo diCaprio is just all about playing dashing characters, drop that image of him. What you are going to see is a different Leo, a Leo that takes on a difficult role that can make you applaud and say that he is, indeed, a well-rounded actor.

diCaprio stars as fur trapper Hugh Glass in The Revenant DVD, which is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. This film is based on a novel by Michael Punke, which was inspired by Glass’ hardships in 1823. The story is about a man from the frontier who is involved in the fur trade, but who fights for his life to survive after a bear mauling, all alone in a snowy hell. With a life as brutal as he had experienced after being left behind by his comrades and being mauled, you can never imagine how survival would be. It’s intense enough even for the viewers.

“The Revenant” has garnered an amazing feat of having 12 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Hopefully, diCaprio will win the Oscars this time, and hopefully, this movie will bring home the trophy.

So, what movie do you think will win the desired-for Oscars for Best Picture? All of them are good, and it’s hard to choose!

We have a bunch of great New Release DVDs coming out this week. If you’re planning on a DVD marathon this week here’s the pick of the bunch of these week’s best new release DVDs.

#5 – NCIS LA Season 6

If your idea of an interesting Friday night is a military-police procedural drama instead of going to the club, then NCIS is a great treat for you! Millions around the world are hooked on this show. Some of us in the office think this is better that the original NCIS show because of the high tech stuff or it may be because Chris O’Donnell is easy to watch.

#4 – Longest Ride

This can be criticised as a chick flick but it’s a hugely popular chick flick ready to make your romantic weekend . This movie received negative reviews from critics, but nah, forget about Rotten Tomatoes see it for yourself and tell us what you think.

#3 – Two Strong Hearts Newton-John & Farnham

The collaboration from the Aussie music royalty should not be missed! If you didn’t see their sold-out concert series, now is the time to own your very own Two Strong Hearts Newton-John & Farnham DVD! Fantastic Father’s Day gift idea. It’s been described as The Main Event mark 2 or a John Farnham concert now with added Olivia but whilst it’s fair to say they are a little passed their best, their voices are still so good and so entertaining. This one is already in stock and available for same-day dispatch.

#2 – Wayward Pines

This is the surprise packet of the year. Not many saw this one coming as being so popular but it has been and for good reason. It’s not the normal type show, some of us here have likened it a bit to Twin Peaks from the 1990s where you’re really second guessing what is really happening.

Once you come in to Wayward Pines, you can never go out. How will Ethan Burke solve the mystery in Wayward Pines? Why do people behave like they do? For people who try to escape, what prevents them from doing so? And what is this they call the ‘reckoning’? This one will keep you guessing all the way through. Are the bad guys really the bad guys or are they the good guys. No spoilers here, binge watch this one this weekend.

#1 – NCIS Season 12

No surprises here with NCIS Season 12 dominating the top spot in this week’s new releases. Gibbs is back in this epic TV show that some how keeps getting better. We all know this show by now and it’s already in store and available for same day dispatch.

That’s the best of this week’s releases but there are dozens more new releases out this week you’ll find on our website.

The death of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse came as a shocking news throughout the world, not just in the music scene. Fans were left in shock that Amy, who died of alcoholic poisoning on 23 July 2011, was only 27 at that time. Indeed, she was gone too soon become a member of the sad 27 club.

At a young age, Amy Winehouse was a musical legend that left a wonderful legacy behind. She had a great contribution to music in contemporary times. It is true that the music scene is mostly dominated by pop, electronic, hip hop, and rock, but Winehouse was able to seamlessly and splendidly harmonize different musical genres such as soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues into her songs. Her deep vocal colors also allured fans worldwide. For her unique style, she won five Grammys, and she was the first British female artist to do so.

Many an Amy Winehouse fan may have questions left unanswered, but this time, a documentary movie is going to shed some light into the life of a legend. This movie is directed by Asif Kapadia, director of documentary film, Senna. The movie tackles Amy Winehouse’s life as a child, to her discovery of her passion for music, her success in breaking through mainstream music with her album “Frank,” her relationships, the controversies, her addiction to drugs and alcohol, and her death in 2011.

What you see on TV is definitely not everything, and with this movie, you get to see clips which were unreleased. You’d see footage on Amy Winehouse like you’ve never seen before, and you’ve get to hear tracks which you’ll only get to hear in this movie.

The movie, though, received backlash from Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch Winehouse. He stated that the movie painted a negative picture of him, making him look like he and his daughter Amy had bad blood. He would have wanted the movie to be edited, but the crew had stated that they made the movie objectively. Much as Mitch Winehouse wanted moviegoers to avoid the movie, he would also want people to watch the wonderful clips of his daughter, and to listen to the beautiful songs that Amy offered to the world.

Don’t miss out on this new bio-pic by pre-ordering your very own copy of the Amy DVD, which will be released here in Australia on 25 October 2015. You have to have this one, whether you are a faithful fan of Amy Winehouse or someone who’s a nerd for documentary films. An Amy DVD in your DVD collection is a must.

This week’s top 5 movies at the Australian box office.

It’s the middle of the week, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong in planning for the weekend. If you didn’t visit the cinema last week (or if you haven’t for ages), then we can give you some cool info on what you can watch this weekend.

Minions and Inside Out are still going strong in Aussie cinemas and are still clinging to the Top 10 movies of the week! But you can skip them and order them on DVD now.

And now, we are going to dish out this week’s Top 5 movies that are sizzling at the Aussie box office! This is fresh and hot, straight from the latest charts.

#5 – Ant-Man
This week opens with Marvel Comics’ “Ant-Man” in the fifth spot, dropping three notches from number 2 last week. It had a weekend gross of $672,152. Who said we had too many Marvel DVDs recently?

If you haven’t any idea what Ant-Man is about, this movie is about Scott Lang, who dons a super-suit that allows him to shrink his size and augment his power. He helps the developer of the suit, Dr. Hank Pym, and trains under him to protect the technology against people who are deeming to use it for evil means. It’s a good movie about second chances and turning over a new leaf. And hey, who says you can’t be a hero just because you’re the size of an ant? This movie is a must-see, if you haven’t yet. The character isn’t as famous as the other Marvel characters like Iron Man and Thor but well worth a watch.

#4 – Last Cab to Darwin
It’s great to see an Aussie in the top 5. This new movie is at number 4 this week, with a weekend gross of $851,921. So, what makes this movie a must-see?

You see, this movie is about a man who must come to terms with the end of his life and meet it as he wants to when he was told he isn’t going to live long. But before he dies, he embarks on a journey from Broken Hill to Darwin. Along his journey, he discovers that he has to make the most of his life.

#3 – Fantastic Four
Yes, again. A new take on the Marvel Comics reboot debuts at number 3 in the Aussie box office, and we’re talking about “Fantastic Four.”

This movie tells about four individuals who must use their superpowers which they gain while being transported to an alternate universe. And in this universe, they have to face and fight a friend who now has some bad blood with them.

Despite the negative reviews from critics and low ratings in IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, it should not deter you from watching this awesome superhero action flick! Fantastic Four had a weekend gross of $1,943,963.

#2 – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Tom Cruise is still definitely relevant, even though his movie drops a spot this week from being number 1 last week. But hey, it might still climb back to number 1! Now that would be mission impossible.

Tom Cruise still continues to get raves as Ethan Hunt, who, with his team, must stop a new enemy called the Syndicate. Just what is the Syndicate? If you haven’t watched this yet, where have you been?

#1 – Trainwreck
Jumping 2 places from number 3 last week to the top spot this week is Trainwreck.

Who says romantic comedies are so passe? RomComs still lead the date night cinema visits. With many people falling in love everyday, romcoms just never gets out of style.

What is this movie about? It’s about Amy, a writer for a men’s magazine and a woman who is afraid of commitment. Despite not wanting the assignment initially, she meets to interview a sports doctor, who just might teach her about a thing or two on what monogamy really is about. It sounds like a cliche movie and that’s a fair criticism, but what makes this movie so popular? Oh, you should watch this to see for yourself! (And here’s an extra for basketball fans out there: LeBron James play as himself in the movie.)

There goes our top 5 movies this week. Hope you get to enjoy your weekend coming up with some cool movies that are sure to bring the movie house down!

New NCIS DVDs are at DVDLand!

We’re only days away from the newest releases of NCIS, NCIS LA and NCIS New Orleans.

A good TV series is one that has a good plot, storyline, and acting, and it arrests the attention of viewers. In effect, when there is a large following, the show will have good ratings. And good ratings will essentially have demands for more installments. A good TV series is one that is so imbibed in popular culture that it is mentioned in talk shows or in other forms of media. The popularity of a good TV series can also result to an adaptation in another setting, state, or country, or a spin-off from an episode. Or, a good TV series itself can even be a spin-off from a previous show! Look at where innovation can take you!

There are a lot of TV series that we can name, but let me tell you of this exciting and nerve-wracking police-style procedural drama called NCIS. For those who didn’t know, NCIS is originally a spin-off based from two episodes from another TV series, the legal drama JAG. The original NCIS started back in 2003, and to date, the show has 12 seasons. Not only that, this TV series is so good that two spin-offs had been born from it: NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans.

The NCIS TV franchise basically follows the same formula: the show deals with investigating criminal activities in the military. Special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service who are tasked to do the investigation are the main characters in each franchise. Both NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans TV shows utilize police procedural drama and military drama.

The original NCIS currently stars Mark Harmon and Micheal Weatherly. Back in 2011, it was voted as a favorite TV show by the Americans. It is now on its twelfth season, and with CBS have already ordered a thirteenth season. Look at how amazing the reputation of this series is!

In 2009, the spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was born after the success of the first NCIS franchise. Due to the popularity of this series, it had two crossovers in another TV series, Hawaii Five-0, back in 2011 and 2012. The latest season, Season 6, premiered September of 2014. Just this May of this year, it was announced that a seventh season was approved by CBS. Starring in this successful franchise are Chris O’ Donell and LL Cool J.

The third franchise, NCIS: New Orleans, started in September of last year. It is currently on its first season, and with a second season being announced last January of this year. Scott Bakula stars in the TV franchise, which is set in the Crescent City.

Just look at these cool developments for all NCIS fans! Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newbie just starting to love all three TV series, you should start owning your very own NCIS DVDs from DVDLand. And what’s more, be updated and order your own NCIS Season 12 DVD, NCIS LA Season 6 DVD, and NCIS New Orleans Season 1 DVD. Both NCIS Season 12 DVD and NCIS LA Season 6 DVD will be released next week, and NCIS New Orleans Season 1 will be released next month. So, what are you waiting for? You can be the first to own these new seasons. Order now and own these exciting TV series at the time of the official release.