TRAVIS BYRAM'S MOVIE REVIEWS

10. CLOUD ATLAS This may be where I lose some of you. Goodness knows the Wachowski sisters and Tom Tykwer lost a lot of the audience for their 2012 sci-fi time zooming epic. This might be the most ambitious film of the decade (Linklater's 12 years has nothing on filming Tom Hanks as a Russian gangster, Halle Berry as an old Asian man, and a Jim Broadbent subplot about escaping a nursing home?!) They all tie in to form one of the most bizarre mosaics of cinema ever assembled. I lapped up every second, all 10,320 of them. Perhaps I'm fascinated by the ripple effect of time, how maybe nothing we do is original because we've been humans for so long, but I plan on rewatching Cloud Atlas for the years to come, fruitlessly and lovingly trying to decipher its message. 9. FRUITVALE STATION We've been blessed by a decade of Michael B. Jordan, and before franchises started deciding to put him in all their properties, he gave us the greatest tragic performance of the 2010's...

I'm happy to report 2013 was another fantastic year for cinema, making the top five list and the honorable mentions a difficult but wonderful chore to select from. For me, it was not a strong year for superhero movies, (except "Man of Steel," which was underrated in my opinion) though with the likes of "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Avengers" last year, it is pretty hard to follow up.  On this list you'll find superheroes of a different sort, men and women undergoing hardships, tight situations and impossible circumstances, some rising, some falling. It was a great year for movies with characters against unthinkable adversity. Keep in mind I'm not a professional critic, and only count movies I've seen from 1/1/13-12/31/13. I'm still heavily anticipating seeing critical favorites like "Her," "August: Osage County," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Nebraska" and "Inside Llewyn Davis." Now tha...

On this the week of the 12th anniversary of the worst day ever and America's possible involvement with yet another war, (along with the second week of school, but I'd put that low on the list) I figured we could all use a pick me up, so I put together a list of films that have affected me the most after I've watched them. Now, this is to not say that these are my five favorite movies. These are the films that when I left the theater or when the credits rolled on the DVD screen. These are the movies that left me feeling mystified, blown away, heartbroken and enchanted. I'm excluding movies I would see at day cares (AKA Disney childhood staples I've seen at least 30 times a pop like "Tarzan," "Lion King" and "Aladdin.) and was too young to fully experience them. You might disagree with a few, and feel free to take a moment to reminisce what movies hit you the hardest, made you laugh the loudest, and just feel wowed for a few days after see...

School is rearing its head again, but I don't mind because that means it's time for ridiculously early Best Picture predictions, in which, on September 1, I take a slightly more educated stab in the dark then my previous attempt on April 25. Despite not knowing if the number will be from five to ten, I always plan for the most and guess ten. THE RETURNING NOMINEES: Fruitvale Station (after seeing this movie and being floored by it a nomination is certain) The Wolf of Wall Street (now that the trailer's been released it seems like an even safer bet) The Monuments Men Inside Llewyn Davis Captain Phillips August: Osage County Right now, "Fruitvale" and "August" seem the only for-sure films to earn a slot, with "Fruitvale's" timely themes and "August's" powerhouse female performances. But these next four movies have nearly the same buzz, three of which I can confirm I've seen, and all of them I wouldn't min...

There is an impending doom that runs through Ryan Coogler's feature film directorial debut "Fruitvale Station." Like the movie that landed in my top five films of 2012 last year, "Lincoln," "Fruitvale Station" is actual history, and from the opening sequence with actual cell phone footage shot from an onlooker at the train station you know the fate of Mr. Oscar Grant III. A cop who allegedly thought he was tasering Grant shot him in the back, fatally wounding him. But fatally wounded is such a politically correct word, the cop killed Grant. He murdered him, albeit maybe unintentionally, but the movie takes no bias and clearly shows the cops aggravated and eager to ruffle up Grant and his friends in order to "keep the peace." Only eye witnesses know what happened that day, but I have to review the movie in front of me. If the officers were pistol-whipping Grant and his crew and laughing at them, then yes, I'd say there were liberties t...

It's been a hectic last few weeks, but just yesterday when coming up blank on ideas to post on this blog, I thought I was going to be attending a screening of "Evil Dead" with some friends, but that didn't pan out.  Not to fear, I looked at the calendar and realized that it was April 25th!  This date might not mean anything to you, but to me it's one of three very essential dates: my stab in the dark at what might be nominated for Best Picture come January.  I partake in this every 4/25, every 9/1 and every post-Golden Globes day.  It's stupid, but sometimes the little things are what keep you going in life! BEST PICTURE NOMINEES 2013: (I do it out of 10, even though the range could be 5-10 films nominated, though ever since this bizarre system came into fruition its been 9) The Great Gatsby (actually on the list last year, but it was delayed til summer '13) The Wolf of Wall Street ( a safe Scorsese bet) August: Osage County...