Hello all. So, the 82nd Academy Awards are less than a month away. This means that I'm probably thinking about Oscar more often than not. In an attempt to spread my love of these dubious awards of quality, as well as provide a crash-course in film history, I'll be spending the next month doing something of an Oscar Retrospective. Today, for your viewing pleasure, I'll be profiling the ten best and five worst picture winners (in my opinion, of course). Following, because I can, is a list of the Best Picture winners to refresh your memory. In bold are the films that I've seen.
(And I know you didn't ask, but this list is from memory. Because I'm that good.)
Slumdog Millionaire
No Country For Old Men
The Departed
Crash
Million Dollar Baby
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Chicago
A Beautiful Mind
Gladiator
American Beauty
Shakespeare in Love
Titanic
The English Patient
Braveheart
Forrest Gump
Schindler's List
Unforgiven
The Silence of the Lambs
Dances With Wolves
Driving Miss Daisy
Rain Man
The Last Emperor
Platoon
Out of Africa
Amadeus
Terms of Endearment
Gandhi
Chariots of Fire
Ordinary People
Kramer Vs. Kramer
The Deer Hunter
Annie Hall
Rocky
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Godfather Part 2
The Sting
The Godfather
The French Connection
Patton
Midnight Cowboy
Oliver!
In the Heat of the Night
A Man For All Seasons
The Sound of Music
My Fair Lady
Tom Jones
Lawrence of Arabia
West Side Story
The Apartment
Ben-hur
Gigi
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Marty
On the Waterfront
From Here to Eternity
The Greatest Show on Earth
An American in Paris
All About Eve
All the King's Men
Hamlet
Gentlemen's Agreement
The Best Years of Our Lives
The Lost Weekend
Going My Way
Casablanca
Mrs. Miniver
How Green Was My Valley
Rebecca
Gone With the Wind
You Can't Take it With You
The Life of Emile Zola
The Great Zeigfeld
Mutiny on the Bounty
It Happened One Night
Cavalcade
Grand Hotel
Cimmaron
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Broadway Melody
Wings
As you've surely deciphered by now, these lists will be highly subjective, as I've only seen about half of these. They will also obviously skew toward more modern fare, as the half I've seen errs toward the present (my viewing is particularly shabby in the 40s, which begins with All the King's Men and ends with Rebecca; I've only seen one). Also bear in mind that this is more my list of favorites than anything else: I'm not going with the boldest decisions, or the most atypical; I'm going with the ones I like the best. We can debate greatness another time.
The Best
10. Titanic (1997. Other nominees: As Good as it Gets, The Full Monty, Good Will Hunting, LA Confidential)
I'll start with the most controversial choice right now so we can get it out of our hair. No, Titanic is not a great film. No, James Cameron is not an inspired auteur. What Titanic accomplishes, however, is pure cinema. Cameron lays his hand on the same lightning rod that Selznick, Cooper, and Fields all found to create old-fashioned, decidedly epic film. This is the one bone that escapism gets on my list: Titanic isn't concerned with being overly thought-provoking, or introducing new ideas. No, the film is slavishly devoted to delivering an experience, and it doesn't fail on those terms.
9. Shakespeare in Love (1998. Other Nominees: Elizabeth, Life is Beautiful, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line)
It might not be the best of the nominees, and it sure as hell caught crap for defeating Steven Spielberg's WW2 epic, but something about this little romance grips me in a way, I suspect, it gripped Academy voters. John Madden's only film of interest, Shakespeare in Love is a pitch-perfect combo of humor, intrigue, and emotional honesty. The film's effect is no doubt increased through the charismatic turns of Gwyneth Platrow, Joseph Fiennes, Judi Dench, and Geoffrey Rush, and the score remains one of the most by-turns whimsical and melancholy pieces of music written for film in recent years. Shakespeare in Love may feel like a light-weight, but it's got one hell of a punch.
8. No Country For Old Men (2007. Other nominees: Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood)
I'm honestly still confused about how this film walked away with the big prize. Sure, it was unanimously acclaimed, and is a staggering piece of work, but it's so...dark. Nihilistic. Graphic. The Academy normally loves something safe, warm, and mildly inspiring. No Country For Old Men is none of these things. I'm glad the Academy decided to head way out on a limb and reward a film outside their comfort zone. No Country For Old Men is easily one of the best films of the new millennium. As this is a favorite, not greatest, list, however, it's relegated to the 8th spot.
7. The Departed (2006. Other nominees: Babel, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen)
Here's another atypical work. I can understand how The Departed won, however: though gritty and profane, it plays safely within an Oscar-loved genre (the gangster picture), and was helmed by modern directing legend Martin Scorcese. To try and understand the politics, however, is to undersell Scorcese's best film since GoodFellas. The Departed is vibrant, tense, and altogether thrilling, anchored by stellar performances from its youthful leads: Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, and Vera Farmiga. Add an outstanding ensemble (Jack Nicholson, Ray Winstone, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, so on and so forth), and the editing genius of Thelma Schoonmaker, and you have a completely unique, fantastic film.
6. It Happened One Night (1934. Other nominees: Cleopatra, Flirtation Walk, Here Comes the Navy, Imitation of Life, One Night of Love, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, The Gay Divorcee, The House of Rothchild, The Thin Man, The White Parade, Viva Villa)
Admittedly, I've hardly even heard of any of the other nominees, much less seen them, so I can't intelligently comment on the worthiness of It Happened One Night as compared to its fellow nominees. What I can do is attempt to share the 100 CCs of joy that were injected straight into my veins whilst watching this film. The original cliche, It Happened One Night is arguably the first romantic comedy. It is also, arguably, the best. Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable practically invented the concept of screen chemistry while filming, and the script, despite being 76 years old, never fails to feel timelessly modern.
5. The Godfather (1972. Other nominees: Cabaret, Deliverance, Sounder, Utvandrarna)
If we were listing the greatest Picture winners, The Godfather would be even higher on the list. Francis Ford Coppola's signature piece is still the crowning achievement of cinema in the 70s; the world of Don Corleone is incredibly complicated, vividly realized, and endlessly engrossing. Containing one of the most indelible screen performances (Marlon Brando, of course), some of the most shocking screen violence seen in its time, and one of the most memorable endings in film history, The Godfather is richly deserving of all the accolades it receives.
4. Amadeus (1984. Other nominees: The Killing Fields, A Passage to India, Places in the Heart, A Soldier's Story)
I might be a little biased here. I love Mozart. Needless to say, a film concerned entirely with the life and death of the famous composer is bound to play my heartstrings (pun intended) quite a bit. That doesn't change the fact that the film is amazing. Milos Forman breathes joyous life into the dull, dusty public image of Mozart, warping him into a foppish, ridiculous young man for whom genius isn't a burden so much as an amusing inconvenience. F. Murray Abraham, as his rival Salieri, provides the perfect ballast to Mozart's raucous vivacity: Salieri acts as if every moment is an exercise in tragic dignity. The performances, as well as the film itself, pulse with an unrestrained joy of a kind seldom seen in theaters.
3. The Silence of the Lambs (1991. Other nominees: Beauty and the Beast, Bugsy, JFK, The Prince of Tides)
The Silence of the Lambs is not the Academy's cup of tea: it remains the only horror film to win the big award (indeed, one of only two nominees for the genre). The Academy found the film impossible to ignore, however, and with good reason. Containing what might be the most electric leading couple to grace the silver screen (Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins), as well as one of the most intelligent, surgically horrific screenplay in recent memory, Lambs proves a difficult film to shake. After rewarding this film, the Academy, in its infinite wisdom, would spend most of the 90s rewarding large, inspirational, contrived films.
2. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930. Other nominees: The Big House, Disraeli, The Divorcee, The Love Parade)
Needless to say, I haven't seen any of the other nominees. Doesn't matter. All Quiet on the Western Front is, arguably, the only true anti-war film ever made (at least to play within the war genre), and, as such, is also, arguably, the greatest war film ever made. The movie juxtaposes lengthy sections of waiting, wondering, and worrying with spans of almost sadistic battle scenes. All Quiet...allows us to become attached to a classroom full of impressionable young men, then forces us to watch as it horrifically maims and murders them. This film is one of the most pessimistic and cynical of any I've seen: completely fitting, given its subject matter.
1. American Beauty (1999. Other nominees: The Cider House Rules, The Green Mile, The Insider, The Sixth Sense)
I debated for a while about whether or not my longtime favorite should cede this spot to All Quiet on the Western Front, but, in the end, I had to vote with my heart. And, as stated before, this is a list of favorites. I honestly don't know what else to write about this movie that I haven't written recently. Suffice to say it's got a lot of heart, and hits a lot of people, including me, in all the right places. Thank God the Oscar didn't go to The Cider House Rules.
Now, a tougher list. The five worst. No, let me rephrase that: these aren't the five worst films. They're the five that disappointed me the most. The five that let me down. The five that should have become close friends, but ended up stabbing me in the back. I highly doubt these would find themselves in a Five Worst list had I seen all the winners. See, I tend to avoid films that I hear are terrible, and, as such, have avoided the worst best picture winners.
5. Crash (2005. Other nominees: Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Good Night and Good Luck, Munich)
Crash is a skillful manipulator, but little more. I'll admit that there good acting lurks around the edges (particularly Matt Dillon, Michael Pena, and Don Cheadle), and the film contains some truly affecting moments. When viewed with an objective eye, however, Crash can't escape the creakiness of its own screenplay, which relies on contrived coincidence.
4. Braveheart (1995. Other nominees: Apollo 13, Babe, The Postman, Sense and Sensibility)
Braveheart is very big, and very pretty, and somewhat inspirational. It's also incredibly sophomoric, filled with toilet humor and homophobia, and is helmed by a painfully ham-handed director. Braveheart is enjoyable enough. But a good film? Please. Like I said: pretty, exciting, big. Also crude, intolerant, and stupid. And not inventive enough to be forgiven for any of its sins.
3. Terms of Endearment (1983. Other nominees: The Big Chill, The Dresser, The Right Stuff, Tender Mercies)
This movie plays like a daytime soap opera. We have star-crossed lovers, worrying mothers, terminal illness, cute kids, and every other Movie-of-the-Week cliche worth its salt. None of elements every congeal into anything compelling, however, despite the noble efforts of Debra Winger and Shirley Maclaine. Jack Nicholson does nothing to help, either: his normal 'Crazy Jack' schtick feels grotesquely out of place.
2. Forrest Gump (1994. Other nominees: Four Weddings and A Funeral, Pulp Fiction, Quiz Show, The Shawshank Redemption)
I know I'm going to catch some heat for this, as most if not all of my regular reader love this movie, but I'm going there anyway. Forrest Gump is the Academy at its most conservative. The film itself is safe, conservative, almost condescending. I know I'm a pretentious film dick, but I tend to prefer new, or original, or daring in some way. Forrest Gump is as safe as it gets. I'm not saying it's a terrible film. It's just the kind of movie I'll never enjoy.
1. A Beautiful Mind (2001. Other nominees: Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Moulin Rouge!)
I will say that this one is a terrible film, though. Director Ron Howard is the master of faux-inspirational, historical garbage, and this is the creative nadir of his not-so-illustrious career. The fact that this film won is downright offensive. A Beautiful Mind's success is the best proof that sometimes, the Academy just doesn't care about quality.
Well, there you have it. Sorry, long post. I know. I got carried away. If anyone's still reading, what do you think? Am I being too hard on some films, and too easy on others? Willing to show me how wrong I am about Forrest Gump? I'll never learn if someone doesn't try to teach me.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Review: Edge of Darkness
Edge of Darkness
1/2/****
As I sat in the theater, Edge of Darkness unraveling itself in front of me, I couldn't help but be gripped with apprehension. I shifted in my seat, anxious, tense, totally involved. I had to know how this mystery would play out. The wait was almost unbearable, and the potential consequences severe.
I'm referring, of course, to the burned-out light bulb in the right corner of the ceiling. The theater was dark. Someone could have tripped.
Obviously, you must be aware of my general stance on this film, given both its rating, and that I spent the majority of the film looking at the ceiling, but allow me to break Edge of Darkness down a little further.
Mel Gibson stars as Thomas Craven, a simple man touchingly afflicted with horrific mental illness...Nope. I'll start again. Mel Gibson stars as Ridiculous Caricature McI'mFromBoston,YouCanTellBecauseofMyAccent...Smith. His relationship with his daughter might be described by some as loving, but this writer shall hereby refer to it as 'creepily infatuated to the point of incest.' When his daughter is poisoned (briefly), and then shot in the stomach (so the poison can take effect, I guess), Gibson launches into a Shakespearean tale of grief, revenge, and intrigue.
Or at least the film would like you to think it's Shakespearean. I hate how seriously Edge of Darkness takes itself. Some movies can get away with referring to themselves in hushed third-person, but not this one. Its attempts at drama are blocked at every corner by Gibson's thoroughly terrible performance. All levity aside, what the hell is with that accent? Or anything in the performance, for that matter? I'm not fond of Mel Gibson as a director, but it might be worth it to keep him behind the camera, so innocent people never have to suffer this kind of torture again. Watching Gibson's thirty-foot tall face mope across the screen is akin to waterboarding, in that it feels like drowning, and after ten seconds you're likely to beg for death. Gibson is joined in ridiculousness by the normally formidable Ray Winstone, whose shady, death-obsessed special agent is an exercise in stupidity, and Danny Huston, whose corporation leader might as well wear a "kick me, I'm the antagonist" sign on his back.
The script was penned by Peter Monaghan, whose most famous film is The Departed. Now, The Departed had a great script: tense, lean, and resonant. You can tell that Monaghan desperately wants to write another Departed, but, sadly, this movie ain't gonna cut it. The script supplies all the actors with endless amounts of poor dialogue, ridiculous observations, and supposedly-revealing platitudes. Fortune cookies contain far more insight than this movie.
Theoretically, Edge of Darkness is an action movie. What it lacks most, however, are action scenes. Mel Gibson gets to throw a punch or two, but never in any appealing sense. The film tries too hard to be a serious drama, and fails miserably at that. Tragically, it doesn't toss in enough action to distract the masses, and, as such, fails as an action film as well. In fact, Edge of Darkness fails at absolutely everything. Please, do me a favor, and never see this movie. It deserves to be hidden away where no one will ever, ever find it.
1/2/****
As I sat in the theater, Edge of Darkness unraveling itself in front of me, I couldn't help but be gripped with apprehension. I shifted in my seat, anxious, tense, totally involved. I had to know how this mystery would play out. The wait was almost unbearable, and the potential consequences severe.
I'm referring, of course, to the burned-out light bulb in the right corner of the ceiling. The theater was dark. Someone could have tripped.
Obviously, you must be aware of my general stance on this film, given both its rating, and that I spent the majority of the film looking at the ceiling, but allow me to break Edge of Darkness down a little further.
Mel Gibson stars as Thomas Craven, a simple man touchingly afflicted with horrific mental illness...Nope. I'll start again. Mel Gibson stars as Ridiculous Caricature McI'mFromBoston,YouCanTellBecauseofMyAccent...Smith. His relationship with his daughter might be described by some as loving, but this writer shall hereby refer to it as 'creepily infatuated to the point of incest.' When his daughter is poisoned (briefly), and then shot in the stomach (so the poison can take effect, I guess), Gibson launches into a Shakespearean tale of grief, revenge, and intrigue.
Or at least the film would like you to think it's Shakespearean. I hate how seriously Edge of Darkness takes itself. Some movies can get away with referring to themselves in hushed third-person, but not this one. Its attempts at drama are blocked at every corner by Gibson's thoroughly terrible performance. All levity aside, what the hell is with that accent? Or anything in the performance, for that matter? I'm not fond of Mel Gibson as a director, but it might be worth it to keep him behind the camera, so innocent people never have to suffer this kind of torture again. Watching Gibson's thirty-foot tall face mope across the screen is akin to waterboarding, in that it feels like drowning, and after ten seconds you're likely to beg for death. Gibson is joined in ridiculousness by the normally formidable Ray Winstone, whose shady, death-obsessed special agent is an exercise in stupidity, and Danny Huston, whose corporation leader might as well wear a "kick me, I'm the antagonist" sign on his back.
The script was penned by Peter Monaghan, whose most famous film is The Departed. Now, The Departed had a great script: tense, lean, and resonant. You can tell that Monaghan desperately wants to write another Departed, but, sadly, this movie ain't gonna cut it. The script supplies all the actors with endless amounts of poor dialogue, ridiculous observations, and supposedly-revealing platitudes. Fortune cookies contain far more insight than this movie.
Theoretically, Edge of Darkness is an action movie. What it lacks most, however, are action scenes. Mel Gibson gets to throw a punch or two, but never in any appealing sense. The film tries too hard to be a serious drama, and fails miserably at that. Tragically, it doesn't toss in enough action to distract the masses, and, as such, fails as an action film as well. In fact, Edge of Darkness fails at absolutely everything. Please, do me a favor, and never see this movie. It deserves to be hidden away where no one will ever, ever find it.
Review: Legion
Legion
1/2/****
Legion: Thus far, the best feel-good comedy of the year. This delightful little film is like Juno meets Little Miss Sunshine: it's rife with single mom jokes, hilarious small town life, lovable encounters with the elderly, two (2) colored people (Twice the fun! They Shuck! They Jive! They speak Ebonics! Fried Chicken while you wait!), and Paul Bettany as Michael, a free-wheeling, rule-breaking angel, ready to learn quirky life lessons in the local diner. Also, a guy named Jeep (you may have heard about his siblings, Dodge and Chrysler, who were recently killed in Detroit) blows away a possessed, ceiling-crawling Grannie with a shotgun. What? This wasn't supposed to be a comedy?
Legion has got to be one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. It's completely inane 'plot' involves Archangel Michael, who gives up his divine powers to come save Dennis Quaid and friends from the coming Apocalypse. Michael will test his (and the ridiculous supporting cast's) mettle against an army of angels. And by angels, I mean people with shark teeth (that's what the movie calls them, not me) and prodigious head-banging/ceiling crawling/limb-extending abilities. So, it's like, I dunno, The Exorcist meets Jaws meets The Fantastic Four. That's heaven, folks. Somehow, our Angel and his lovable group of adorable scamps manage to take a stand, stationed in the local diner that must give Fort Knox a run for its money, as far as heavily fortified locations are concerned.
Recurring horror motifs faithfully march across the screen, without ever really attempting to make sense as part of a whole. We get the crazy old woman, the murderous child with an adult voice, the summary execution of the minorities in the group (yup, the oldest horror motif in the book happens twice in this movie), the young couple upon whom everything, improbably relies, and, of course, that oldest film adage: the man who is crucified upside down, before erupting into acid-y puss. Not even joking here, folks. It's that kind of movie, I guess.
The cast approaches something near perfection in its total embrace of one-dimensional, wooden line reading. If Keanu Reeves had an acting school, these performances would be used there as examples of how to act poorly. I suppose Paul Bettany tries hard, and Willa Holland, as a rebellious teen, manages to not embarrass herself (though the script does it for her). From there on out, however, it's a dignity massacre of biblical proportions. Dennis Quaid, whose general silliness can sometimes be used for the greater good, seems to be convinced that he's starring in some kind of regional comedy, and Tyrese Gibson and Charles S. Dutton undoubtedly attended many minstrel shows to gain insight into how to play their characters. The acting laurels, however, must be given to Lucas Black. His character's name is Jeep, which is really rather wonderful, because I've seen many a jeep give better performances than this perfect exercise in the profoundly retarded. This actor would struggle to play a mannequin.
Technically speaking, the film looks cheap, which, admittedly, it was. Still, that's not swaying me: District 9 cost less than this film, and looks amazing. Legion's special effects look like they were created by orphans. The rest of the visual concept for this film is similarly sub-par. It's rare to find a film this universally awful.
One factor I have yet to really comment on: you will enjoy this film, because it's hilarious. It's one redeeming quality is being able to watch a complete and utter train-wreck from the safety of a theater seat. Or better yet, your couch. This movie should get its DVD release in about three weeks. If you have to see this movie, wait for it: for the love of all that is good and holy, do not see it in theaters. The people who waste ten dollars on this abomination go straight to the Special Hell. I might be going there. You don't have to.
1/2/****
Legion: Thus far, the best feel-good comedy of the year. This delightful little film is like Juno meets Little Miss Sunshine: it's rife with single mom jokes, hilarious small town life, lovable encounters with the elderly, two (2) colored people (Twice the fun! They Shuck! They Jive! They speak Ebonics! Fried Chicken while you wait!), and Paul Bettany as Michael, a free-wheeling, rule-breaking angel, ready to learn quirky life lessons in the local diner. Also, a guy named Jeep (you may have heard about his siblings, Dodge and Chrysler, who were recently killed in Detroit) blows away a possessed, ceiling-crawling Grannie with a shotgun. What? This wasn't supposed to be a comedy?
Legion has got to be one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. It's completely inane 'plot' involves Archangel Michael, who gives up his divine powers to come save Dennis Quaid and friends from the coming Apocalypse. Michael will test his (and the ridiculous supporting cast's) mettle against an army of angels. And by angels, I mean people with shark teeth (that's what the movie calls them, not me) and prodigious head-banging/ceiling crawling/limb-extending abilities. So, it's like, I dunno, The Exorcist meets Jaws meets The Fantastic Four. That's heaven, folks. Somehow, our Angel and his lovable group of adorable scamps manage to take a stand, stationed in the local diner that must give Fort Knox a run for its money, as far as heavily fortified locations are concerned.
Recurring horror motifs faithfully march across the screen, without ever really attempting to make sense as part of a whole. We get the crazy old woman, the murderous child with an adult voice, the summary execution of the minorities in the group (yup, the oldest horror motif in the book happens twice in this movie), the young couple upon whom everything, improbably relies, and, of course, that oldest film adage: the man who is crucified upside down, before erupting into acid-y puss. Not even joking here, folks. It's that kind of movie, I guess.
The cast approaches something near perfection in its total embrace of one-dimensional, wooden line reading. If Keanu Reeves had an acting school, these performances would be used there as examples of how to act poorly. I suppose Paul Bettany tries hard, and Willa Holland, as a rebellious teen, manages to not embarrass herself (though the script does it for her). From there on out, however, it's a dignity massacre of biblical proportions. Dennis Quaid, whose general silliness can sometimes be used for the greater good, seems to be convinced that he's starring in some kind of regional comedy, and Tyrese Gibson and Charles S. Dutton undoubtedly attended many minstrel shows to gain insight into how to play their characters. The acting laurels, however, must be given to Lucas Black. His character's name is Jeep, which is really rather wonderful, because I've seen many a jeep give better performances than this perfect exercise in the profoundly retarded. This actor would struggle to play a mannequin.
Technically speaking, the film looks cheap, which, admittedly, it was. Still, that's not swaying me: District 9 cost less than this film, and looks amazing. Legion's special effects look like they were created by orphans. The rest of the visual concept for this film is similarly sub-par. It's rare to find a film this universally awful.
One factor I have yet to really comment on: you will enjoy this film, because it's hilarious. It's one redeeming quality is being able to watch a complete and utter train-wreck from the safety of a theater seat. Or better yet, your couch. This movie should get its DVD release in about three weeks. If you have to see this movie, wait for it: for the love of all that is good and holy, do not see it in theaters. The people who waste ten dollars on this abomination go straight to the Special Hell. I might be going there. You don't have to.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Review: Crazy Heart
Crazy Heart
**1/2/****
Perfunctory. There's just no other word for this movie. Or maybe there is. Let me try. Perfunctory. Stale. By-the-numbers. Routine. Staid. Stolid. And I didn't even have to open my thesaurus.
Crazy Heart revolves around Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges), a boozy, broken-down country singer travelling around the country, playing small venues for pocket change. His life changes, however, when he meets Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist and single mother who inspires him to change his life. Now, raise your hand if you've heard that plot description before. Crazy Heart sure ain't reinventing the wheel. Now, any story can be elevated by a good script, strong performances, or a unique stylistic view. Sadly, Crazy Heart only has one of these qualities, and even that's stretching it.
Let me say this right now: I don't understand the veritable avalanche of awards that has buried Jeff Bridges this season. His Bad Blake isn't a terrible performance. Best of the year, though? Bridges has all the mannerisms, but none of the soul. His performance is skin-deep. Having seen the film, I still know little about Bad Blake as a human being. He drinks a lot, he performs, every now and again he throws up in the bathroom and cries, but I don't know him. I don't understand him as a human the way that strong performances make possible. The fact that Bridges will almost undoubtedly win an Oscar for this, as opposed to fellow nominees Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Colin Firth (A Single Man), and George Clooney (Up in the Air), as well as other, better, not nominated performances like Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer), Sam Rockwell (Moon), Willem Dafoe (Antichrist), Sharlto Copley (District 9) and plenty of others is almost insulting. I understand that these awards are more of a career achievement than for this particular performance, but I admit that I'm not fond enough of Jeff Bridges' career to want to award him over his other, more effective peers. Maggie Gyllenhaal (also Oscar-nominated for this film) fares slightly better. Her character is more of a person and less of an impersonation, and I suppose I'm more OK with her accolade than his. Gyllenhaal is an appealing actress, and deserves her first nomination. Not necessarily for this movie, but I suppose we all have to take what we can get.
Beyond acting, the film has little to offer. The script, by Scott Cooper, is amusing and times, but is most likely the source of the problems I have with Jeff Bridges' performance. The same can be said for Cooper's directorial style. For lack of a better phrase, the man doesn't really have any vision. This is fine, I suppose. The world needs directors who make average, standard, pedestrian films. Crazy Heart, however, needed a stylistic edge to elevate it from its shoddy source material, and one can only fault Cooper for not giving it that edge.
I suppose I might have also enjoyed this film more were I a country music fan. Crazy Heart is chock-full of new tunes, penned by T-Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham, but I can't say many of them moved me. The notable exception is the final song, "The Weary Kind," which is sort of beautiful in its own melancholy way, and "Feels Like Flyin'," which isn't a great song, but is damnably catchy.
Final verdict? Movie of the week. Not a complete waste of time, but not memorable either. Why awards voters keep mistaking this mediocre film for a memorable one is anybody's guess. I'm sure stumped.
**1/2/****
Perfunctory. There's just no other word for this movie. Or maybe there is. Let me try. Perfunctory. Stale. By-the-numbers. Routine. Staid. Stolid. And I didn't even have to open my thesaurus.
Crazy Heart revolves around Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges), a boozy, broken-down country singer travelling around the country, playing small venues for pocket change. His life changes, however, when he meets Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist and single mother who inspires him to change his life. Now, raise your hand if you've heard that plot description before. Crazy Heart sure ain't reinventing the wheel. Now, any story can be elevated by a good script, strong performances, or a unique stylistic view. Sadly, Crazy Heart only has one of these qualities, and even that's stretching it.
Let me say this right now: I don't understand the veritable avalanche of awards that has buried Jeff Bridges this season. His Bad Blake isn't a terrible performance. Best of the year, though? Bridges has all the mannerisms, but none of the soul. His performance is skin-deep. Having seen the film, I still know little about Bad Blake as a human being. He drinks a lot, he performs, every now and again he throws up in the bathroom and cries, but I don't know him. I don't understand him as a human the way that strong performances make possible. The fact that Bridges will almost undoubtedly win an Oscar for this, as opposed to fellow nominees Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Colin Firth (A Single Man), and George Clooney (Up in the Air), as well as other, better, not nominated performances like Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer), Sam Rockwell (Moon), Willem Dafoe (Antichrist), Sharlto Copley (District 9) and plenty of others is almost insulting. I understand that these awards are more of a career achievement than for this particular performance, but I admit that I'm not fond enough of Jeff Bridges' career to want to award him over his other, more effective peers. Maggie Gyllenhaal (also Oscar-nominated for this film) fares slightly better. Her character is more of a person and less of an impersonation, and I suppose I'm more OK with her accolade than his. Gyllenhaal is an appealing actress, and deserves her first nomination. Not necessarily for this movie, but I suppose we all have to take what we can get.
Beyond acting, the film has little to offer. The script, by Scott Cooper, is amusing and times, but is most likely the source of the problems I have with Jeff Bridges' performance. The same can be said for Cooper's directorial style. For lack of a better phrase, the man doesn't really have any vision. This is fine, I suppose. The world needs directors who make average, standard, pedestrian films. Crazy Heart, however, needed a stylistic edge to elevate it from its shoddy source material, and one can only fault Cooper for not giving it that edge.
I suppose I might have also enjoyed this film more were I a country music fan. Crazy Heart is chock-full of new tunes, penned by T-Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham, but I can't say many of them moved me. The notable exception is the final song, "The Weary Kind," which is sort of beautiful in its own melancholy way, and "Feels Like Flyin'," which isn't a great song, but is damnably catchy.
Final verdict? Movie of the week. Not a complete waste of time, but not memorable either. Why awards voters keep mistaking this mediocre film for a memorable one is anybody's guess. I'm sure stumped.
Review: The White Ribbon
The White Ribbon
****/****
Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon would play wonderfully as a companion piece to 2009's Antichrist. Originally, I thought the major similarity between films, besides certain stylistic sensibilities, was the attempt to convey a world free of moral or ethical bounds. Upon reflection, however, I've decided that, rather than showing a world with no rules, The White Ribbon and Antichrist portray worlds governed by merciless, absolute rules: you play by the game, and if you break the rules, you're punished. The White Ribbon isn't as openly graphic or aggressive, but it's disturbing nonetheless. I don't know if I've ever before encountered a movie so casually horrific. Terrible, terrible things happen in this film that go largely unnoticed, unpunished, and unspoken. Terrible things happen, and people move on. End of story.
The White Ribbon takes place in a small German Village the year before World War One announces itself across the continent. Small, violent events begin to happen to members of the town. A trip wire is strung for someone's horse. Cabbages are destroyed. A barn is lit on fire. The events soon escalate into truly horrific punishments. One villager finds a note at the scene of the crime which quotes a verse from the Bible about how the Israelites' children will be punished for the sins of their parents.
The film never directly reveals who is behind the attacks (though many an inference can be drawn), but the who isn't terribly important in this story. No, what The White Ribbon is concerned with is the how and the why. The plot supplies five households to watch the goings-on: the local pastor, a conservative, abusive father of six children. The doctor, whose wife has died, and relies on the local midwife to help with his two children. The Baron and Baroness, whose plantation provides work for most of the villages. The farmer, whose wife dies early in the film by a plantation-related accident, and whose children may or may not want revenge. And finally, the school teacher, just a decent young man trying to live his life. The film is told via flashback narration from his perspective. The film sets itself up as a mystery: surely, we think, we'll spend the film wondering what terrible human beings could be responsible for the heinous crimes committed. And we do wonder, to an extent. The mystery falls into the background, however, yielding first billing to the horrific crimes that occur in almost every household. Without giving away too much, I'll simply say that there's enough abuse, incest, rape, adultery, and deceit to fill two good-sized Wal-Marts. And therein, I think, lies the point of the film. The mysterious crimes committed are undeniably terrible, but are they worse than the events happening at the core of every home? Director Michael Haneke might be trying to say something about the tolerance of evil: when it's out in the open, it causes quite a stir. But when it's considered "a family matter," it's swept under the rug. Indeed, the perpetrators of the plot's central crimes could almost be considered the heroes of the story: they see the evil that no one else sees, and they dole out punishment as they see fit. It's a chilling idea: that someone is always watching, and will punish you in ways you can neither expect nor fully comprehend.
The below-the-line work is all fantastic: the sets are both sparse and evocative, and the editing is wound as tightly as a trip-wire. The cinematography deserves special mention: Christian Berger's black-and-white template is hauntingly beautiful.
The film's true success may be dependent on its fantastic ensemble, which takes the concept of community and runs with it for all it's worth. Without this sense of established social order, the film might have lost some of its power. The social order is there, however, as well as all the mistrust, secrets, and hidden agendas incumbent of any small community. The final shot, of a group of churchgoers, all unsure of who is attacking whom, and who will be attacked next, is enough to make the blood run cold. The White Ribbon isn't for all tastes, but those who are willing to try it will find something endlessly thought-provoking and all together worthwhile.
****/****
Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon would play wonderfully as a companion piece to 2009's Antichrist. Originally, I thought the major similarity between films, besides certain stylistic sensibilities, was the attempt to convey a world free of moral or ethical bounds. Upon reflection, however, I've decided that, rather than showing a world with no rules, The White Ribbon and Antichrist portray worlds governed by merciless, absolute rules: you play by the game, and if you break the rules, you're punished. The White Ribbon isn't as openly graphic or aggressive, but it's disturbing nonetheless. I don't know if I've ever before encountered a movie so casually horrific. Terrible, terrible things happen in this film that go largely unnoticed, unpunished, and unspoken. Terrible things happen, and people move on. End of story.
The White Ribbon takes place in a small German Village the year before World War One announces itself across the continent. Small, violent events begin to happen to members of the town. A trip wire is strung for someone's horse. Cabbages are destroyed. A barn is lit on fire. The events soon escalate into truly horrific punishments. One villager finds a note at the scene of the crime which quotes a verse from the Bible about how the Israelites' children will be punished for the sins of their parents.
The film never directly reveals who is behind the attacks (though many an inference can be drawn), but the who isn't terribly important in this story. No, what The White Ribbon is concerned with is the how and the why. The plot supplies five households to watch the goings-on: the local pastor, a conservative, abusive father of six children. The doctor, whose wife has died, and relies on the local midwife to help with his two children. The Baron and Baroness, whose plantation provides work for most of the villages. The farmer, whose wife dies early in the film by a plantation-related accident, and whose children may or may not want revenge. And finally, the school teacher, just a decent young man trying to live his life. The film is told via flashback narration from his perspective. The film sets itself up as a mystery: surely, we think, we'll spend the film wondering what terrible human beings could be responsible for the heinous crimes committed. And we do wonder, to an extent. The mystery falls into the background, however, yielding first billing to the horrific crimes that occur in almost every household. Without giving away too much, I'll simply say that there's enough abuse, incest, rape, adultery, and deceit to fill two good-sized Wal-Marts. And therein, I think, lies the point of the film. The mysterious crimes committed are undeniably terrible, but are they worse than the events happening at the core of every home? Director Michael Haneke might be trying to say something about the tolerance of evil: when it's out in the open, it causes quite a stir. But when it's considered "a family matter," it's swept under the rug. Indeed, the perpetrators of the plot's central crimes could almost be considered the heroes of the story: they see the evil that no one else sees, and they dole out punishment as they see fit. It's a chilling idea: that someone is always watching, and will punish you in ways you can neither expect nor fully comprehend.
The below-the-line work is all fantastic: the sets are both sparse and evocative, and the editing is wound as tightly as a trip-wire. The cinematography deserves special mention: Christian Berger's black-and-white template is hauntingly beautiful.
The film's true success may be dependent on its fantastic ensemble, which takes the concept of community and runs with it for all it's worth. Without this sense of established social order, the film might have lost some of its power. The social order is there, however, as well as all the mistrust, secrets, and hidden agendas incumbent of any small community. The final shot, of a group of churchgoers, all unsure of who is attacking whom, and who will be attacked next, is enough to make the blood run cold. The White Ribbon isn't for all tastes, but those who are willing to try it will find something endlessly thought-provoking and all together worthwhile.
Oscar Nominations: For Better or Worse
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have spoken, and their awards have arrived. Here are the nominees (asterisks next to the ones I predicted)
Best Picture
Avatar*
The Blind Side
District 9*
An Eduation*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
Precious*
A Serious Man*
Up*
Up in the Air*
...The Blind Side? Really? Come on. I hate this game. Though, I guess I can't complain otherwise. Not the 10 I would have nominated, but solid enough (except for The Blind Side).
Early winner prediction: The Hurt Locker
Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker*
James Cameron, Avatar*
Lee Daniels, Precious*
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air*
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
5/5. Not too bad. Not a bad slate either. I'm not so fond of Lee Daniels' work, but it's not terrible. At least it's not Clint Eastwood.
Early Winner Prediction: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart*
George Clooney, Up in the Air*
Colin Firth, A Single Man*
Morgan Freeman, Invictus*
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker*
Not at all thrilled to see Morgan Freeman's soulless performance here, but I am thrilled that Jeremy Renner got in.
Early Winner Prediction: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side*
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education*
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious*
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia*
With The Blind Side's best picture nomination, I (very reluctantly) have to admit that this is Mrs. Bullock's category now. Crap.
Early Winner Prediction: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger*
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station*
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones*
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds*
Not my favorite category. I haven't seen The Messenger or The Last Station, but Damon and Tucci's performances did nothing for me. Luckily, none of them will win.
Early Winner Prediction: Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air*
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air*
Mo'Nique, Precious*
I love Gyllenhaal and Cruz, but not in these roles. Really, voters? Oh well.
Early Winner Prediction: Mo'Nique, Precious
Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
The Messenger
A Serious Man*
Up*
Sad to see (500) Days of Summer left out, but glad that The Messenger is getting some attention.
Early Winner Prediction: The Hurt Locker
Adapted Screenplay
District 9*
An Education*
In the Loop
Precious*
Up in the Air*
Pleasantly surprised to see Crazy Heart left out here. Now, if only Hollywood Video would get a copy of In the Loop...
Early Winner Prediction: Up in the Air
Art Direction
Avatar*
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes*
The Young Victoria
Where the hell is Inglorious Basterds? What are Nine and The Young Victoria doing here? This category is disappointing. There were much better-designed films out there, though I'm happy Avatar showed up, and Sherlock Holmes and Imaginarium are good enough, I suppose.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Costume Design
Bright Star*
Coco Avant Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine*
The Young Victoria*
Again, where the hell is Inglorious Basterds? The costumes in that movie were friggin' amazing. I'm happy to see Imaginarium show up here, though annoyed by The Young Victoria's success; the costumes were competent enough, but boring. I haven't seen Bright Star or Coco Avant Chanel (yet), so I can't complain here.
Early Winner Prediction: The Young Victoria
Visual Effects
Avatar*
District 9*
Star Trek*
No complaints. These were the best three options.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek*
The Young Victoria
This was weird. I haven't seen Il Divo, but I don't understand how The Young Victoria got in here. Yes, the hair was nice. But what about District 9? The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? The Road? Oh well.
Early Winner Prediction: Star Trek
Film Editing
Avatar*
District 9*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
Precious
It's interesting to note that Up in the Air didn't score here. Best Picture winners almost always have editing nominations. It's safe to say that Up in the Air has almost no chance to win picture now.
Early Winner Prediction: The Hurt Locker
Cinematography
Avatar*
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
The White Ribbon*
It's fun to see Harry Potter here; the sixth installment was easily the prettiest. Also good to see Avatar. I'm disappointed that A Single Man didn't make the cut, but Nine didn't either, so that's something.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Original Score
Avatar*
The Fantastic Mr. Fox*
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up*
Can't really complain on this category. I wish A Single Man had made it, but there's nothing wrong with any of these nominees.
Early Winner Prediction: Up
Sound Mixing
Avatar*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
Star Trek*
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
How Transformers got in over District 9 is a mystery to me.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Sound Effects Editing
Avatar*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds
Star Trek*
Up*
If I were to honor Transformers in any category, it would have been this one. Still, can't say I'm sad to see it lose.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Original Song
"Almost There"-The Princess and the Frog*
"Down in New Orleans"-The Princess and the Frog
"Loin de Paname"-Paris 36
"Take it All"-Nine
"The Weary Kind"-Crazy Heart*
I've never even heard of Paris 36, and I hated all the new songs from Nine. Where is Avatar's power ballad? Sure it was a bad song, but it was a POWER BALLAD.
Early Winner Prediction: "The Weary Kind"-Crazy Heart
Animated Film
Coraline*
The Fantastic Mr. Fox*
The Princess and the Frog*
The Secret of Kells
Up*
Where did The Secret of Kells come from? That was a bolt from the blue.
Early Winner Prediction: Up
Foreign Language Film
Ajami-Israel*
The Milk of Sorrow-Peru
A Prophet-France*
The Secrets of Her Eyes-Argentina
The White Ribbon-Germany*
Glad to see The White Ribbon made it. Also fun to see two South American films, as well as Israel's third consecutive nomination in this category. They've sure hit their cinematic stride of late.
Early Winner Prediction: The White Ribbon-Germany
Documentary Feature
Burma VJ
The Cove*
Food, Inc.*
The Most Dangerous Man in America
Which Way Home
I really can't speak on these intelligently. I still haven't seen any of them.
Well, there you have it. For those counting at home, the most nominated films are:
1. The Hurt Locker-9
2. Avatar-9
3. Inglorious Basterds-8
4. Up in the Air-6
5. Precious-6
6. Up-5
7. District 9-4
8. Nine-4
9. Star Trek-4
10. An Education-3
Thoughts? Reactions? Disappointments? Let me know.
Best Picture
Avatar*
The Blind Side
District 9*
An Eduation*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
Precious*
A Serious Man*
Up*
Up in the Air*
...The Blind Side? Really? Come on. I hate this game. Though, I guess I can't complain otherwise. Not the 10 I would have nominated, but solid enough (except for The Blind Side).
Early winner prediction: The Hurt Locker
Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker*
James Cameron, Avatar*
Lee Daniels, Precious*
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air*
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
5/5. Not too bad. Not a bad slate either. I'm not so fond of Lee Daniels' work, but it's not terrible. At least it's not Clint Eastwood.
Early Winner Prediction: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart*
George Clooney, Up in the Air*
Colin Firth, A Single Man*
Morgan Freeman, Invictus*
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker*
Not at all thrilled to see Morgan Freeman's soulless performance here, but I am thrilled that Jeremy Renner got in.
Early Winner Prediction: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side*
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education*
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious*
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia*
With The Blind Side's best picture nomination, I (very reluctantly) have to admit that this is Mrs. Bullock's category now. Crap.
Early Winner Prediction: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger*
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station*
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones*
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds*
Not my favorite category. I haven't seen The Messenger or The Last Station, but Damon and Tucci's performances did nothing for me. Luckily, none of them will win.
Early Winner Prediction: Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air*
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air*
Mo'Nique, Precious*
I love Gyllenhaal and Cruz, but not in these roles. Really, voters? Oh well.
Early Winner Prediction: Mo'Nique, Precious
Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
The Messenger
A Serious Man*
Up*
Sad to see (500) Days of Summer left out, but glad that The Messenger is getting some attention.
Early Winner Prediction: The Hurt Locker
Adapted Screenplay
District 9*
An Education*
In the Loop
Precious*
Up in the Air*
Pleasantly surprised to see Crazy Heart left out here. Now, if only Hollywood Video would get a copy of In the Loop...
Early Winner Prediction: Up in the Air
Art Direction
Avatar*
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes*
The Young Victoria
Where the hell is Inglorious Basterds? What are Nine and The Young Victoria doing here? This category is disappointing. There were much better-designed films out there, though I'm happy Avatar showed up, and Sherlock Holmes and Imaginarium are good enough, I suppose.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Costume Design
Bright Star*
Coco Avant Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine*
The Young Victoria*
Again, where the hell is Inglorious Basterds? The costumes in that movie were friggin' amazing. I'm happy to see Imaginarium show up here, though annoyed by The Young Victoria's success; the costumes were competent enough, but boring. I haven't seen Bright Star or Coco Avant Chanel (yet), so I can't complain here.
Early Winner Prediction: The Young Victoria
Visual Effects
Avatar*
District 9*
Star Trek*
No complaints. These were the best three options.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek*
The Young Victoria
This was weird. I haven't seen Il Divo, but I don't understand how The Young Victoria got in here. Yes, the hair was nice. But what about District 9? The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? The Road? Oh well.
Early Winner Prediction: Star Trek
Film Editing
Avatar*
District 9*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
Precious
It's interesting to note that Up in the Air didn't score here. Best Picture winners almost always have editing nominations. It's safe to say that Up in the Air has almost no chance to win picture now.
Early Winner Prediction: The Hurt Locker
Cinematography
Avatar*
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
The White Ribbon*
It's fun to see Harry Potter here; the sixth installment was easily the prettiest. Also good to see Avatar. I'm disappointed that A Single Man didn't make the cut, but Nine didn't either, so that's something.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Original Score
Avatar*
The Fantastic Mr. Fox*
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up*
Can't really complain on this category. I wish A Single Man had made it, but there's nothing wrong with any of these nominees.
Early Winner Prediction: Up
Sound Mixing
Avatar*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds*
Star Trek*
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
How Transformers got in over District 9 is a mystery to me.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Sound Effects Editing
Avatar*
The Hurt Locker*
Inglorious Basterds
Star Trek*
Up*
If I were to honor Transformers in any category, it would have been this one. Still, can't say I'm sad to see it lose.
Early Winner Prediction: Avatar
Original Song
"Almost There"-The Princess and the Frog*
"Down in New Orleans"-The Princess and the Frog
"Loin de Paname"-Paris 36
"Take it All"-Nine
"The Weary Kind"-Crazy Heart*
I've never even heard of Paris 36, and I hated all the new songs from Nine. Where is Avatar's power ballad? Sure it was a bad song, but it was a POWER BALLAD.
Early Winner Prediction: "The Weary Kind"-Crazy Heart
Animated Film
Coraline*
The Fantastic Mr. Fox*
The Princess and the Frog*
The Secret of Kells
Up*
Where did The Secret of Kells come from? That was a bolt from the blue.
Early Winner Prediction: Up
Foreign Language Film
Ajami-Israel*
The Milk of Sorrow-Peru
A Prophet-France*
The Secrets of Her Eyes-Argentina
The White Ribbon-Germany*
Glad to see The White Ribbon made it. Also fun to see two South American films, as well as Israel's third consecutive nomination in this category. They've sure hit their cinematic stride of late.
Early Winner Prediction: The White Ribbon-Germany
Documentary Feature
Burma VJ
The Cove*
Food, Inc.*
The Most Dangerous Man in America
Which Way Home
I really can't speak on these intelligently. I still haven't seen any of them.
Well, there you have it. For those counting at home, the most nominated films are:
1. The Hurt Locker-9
2. Avatar-9
3. Inglorious Basterds-8
4. Up in the Air-6
5. Precious-6
6. Up-5
7. District 9-4
8. Nine-4
9. Star Trek-4
10. An Education-3
Thoughts? Reactions? Disappointments? Let me know.
Monday, February 1, 2010
This is it: Final Oscar Predictions
For real, this time. Really. No more changes from here on out. Here, set in stone, forever and ever amen, are my Oscar Predictions for 2009, which will be rendered completely irrelevant in less than twelve hours. Why I spend so much time on these, I don't know. I'll try to spare the commentary, but I'll just say a few things here: I've gone crazy, and am predicting big hauls for all three critically acclaimed sci-fi films this year (Avatar, Star Trek, District 9). The likelihood of all three of these making it into Best Picture is very slim; Invictus or (gasp) The Blind Side are more likely. I didn't have the balls to predict a Last Station snub in all categories, but I came close. I also am over-predicting Inglorious Basterds, but hey, predictions are supposed to be fun. I'm aiming for out-on-a-limb here, not complete accuracy. So, here we go. Join me again tomorrow to see all the places I went wrong. All predictions are in order of likelihood.
Best Picture
The Hurt Locker
Avatar
Inglorious Basterds
Up in the Air
Precious
An Education
Up
A Serious Man
District 9
Star Trek
or: Invictus, The Blind Side
Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Lee Daniels, Precious
or: Neil Blomkamp, District 9, Clint Eastwood, Invictus
Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
or: Sharlto Copley, District 9, Viggo Mortensen, The Road
Actress
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Melanie Laurent, Inglorious Basterds
or: Helen Mirren, The Last Station, Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
or: Alfred Molina, An Education, Anthony Mackie, The Hurt Locker
Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique, Precious
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Samantha Morton, The Messenger
Diane Kruger, Inglorious Basterds
or: Julianne Moore, A Single Man, Penelope Cruz, Nine
Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
A Serious Man
Up
(500) Days of Summer
or: Avatar, The Hangover
Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air
An Education
Precious
District 9
Crazy Heart
or: The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Julie and Julia
Art Direction
Avatar
Inglorious Basterds
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Sherlock Holmes
Star Trek
or: Nine, A Serious Man
Costume Design
Inglorious Basterds
The Young Victoria
Nine
Bright Star
An Education
or: Sherlock Holmes, Julie and Julia
Visual Effects
Avatar
Star Trek
District 9
or: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Makeup
Star Trek
District 9
The Road
or: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Film Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air
Inglorious Basterds
District 9
or: Star Trek, Precious
Cinematography
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Avatar
Nine
The White Ribbon
or: A Single Man, Bright Star
Original Score
Up
Avatar
The Informant!
A Single Man
Star Trek
or: The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Sherlock Holmes
Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
or: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Up
Sound Effects Editing
Avatar
Star Trek
The Hurt Locker
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Up
or: District 9, Inglorious Basterds
Original Song
"The Weary Kind"-Crazy Heart
"Almost There"-The Princess and the Frog
"Cinema Italiano"-Nine
"I See You"-Avatar
"(I Want To) Come Home"-Everybody's Fine
or: "Down in New Orleans"-The Princess and the Frog, "Take it All"-Nine
Animated Film
Up
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Coraline
The Princess and the Frog
Ponyo
or: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Mary and Max
Foreign Language Film
The White Ribbon-Germany
A Prophet-France
Ajami-Israel
Samson and Delilah-Australia
Winter in Wartime-The Netherlands
or: The Secrets of Her Eyes-Argentina, The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner-Bulgaria
Documentary Feature
The Cove
Food, Inc.
Every Little Step
Mugabe and the White African
The Beaches of Agnes
or: Under Our Skin, Burma VJ
There we have it. Tune in tomorrow for the actual nominations.
Best Picture
The Hurt Locker
Avatar
Inglorious Basterds
Up in the Air
Precious
An Education
Up
A Serious Man
District 9
Star Trek
or: Invictus, The Blind Side
Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Lee Daniels, Precious
or: Neil Blomkamp, District 9, Clint Eastwood, Invictus
Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
or: Sharlto Copley, District 9, Viggo Mortensen, The Road
Actress
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Melanie Laurent, Inglorious Basterds
or: Helen Mirren, The Last Station, Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
or: Alfred Molina, An Education, Anthony Mackie, The Hurt Locker
Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique, Precious
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Samantha Morton, The Messenger
Diane Kruger, Inglorious Basterds
or: Julianne Moore, A Single Man, Penelope Cruz, Nine
Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
A Serious Man
Up
(500) Days of Summer
or: Avatar, The Hangover
Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air
An Education
Precious
District 9
Crazy Heart
or: The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Julie and Julia
Art Direction
Avatar
Inglorious Basterds
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Sherlock Holmes
Star Trek
or: Nine, A Serious Man
Costume Design
Inglorious Basterds
The Young Victoria
Nine
Bright Star
An Education
or: Sherlock Holmes, Julie and Julia
Visual Effects
Avatar
Star Trek
District 9
or: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Makeup
Star Trek
District 9
The Road
or: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Film Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air
Inglorious Basterds
District 9
or: Star Trek, Precious
Cinematography
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Avatar
Nine
The White Ribbon
or: A Single Man, Bright Star
Original Score
Up
Avatar
The Informant!
A Single Man
Star Trek
or: The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Sherlock Holmes
Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
or: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Up
Sound Effects Editing
Avatar
Star Trek
The Hurt Locker
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Up
or: District 9, Inglorious Basterds
Original Song
"The Weary Kind"-Crazy Heart
"Almost There"-The Princess and the Frog
"Cinema Italiano"-Nine
"I See You"-Avatar
"(I Want To) Come Home"-Everybody's Fine
or: "Down in New Orleans"-The Princess and the Frog, "Take it All"-Nine
Animated Film
Up
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Coraline
The Princess and the Frog
Ponyo
or: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Mary and Max
Foreign Language Film
The White Ribbon-Germany
A Prophet-France
Ajami-Israel
Samson and Delilah-Australia
Winter in Wartime-The Netherlands
or: The Secrets of Her Eyes-Argentina, The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner-Bulgaria
Documentary Feature
The Cove
Food, Inc.
Every Little Step
Mugabe and the White African
The Beaches of Agnes
or: Under Our Skin, Burma VJ
There we have it. Tune in tomorrow for the actual nominations.
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