And the Suzanne goes to...

Is this thing on?

2010-04-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I know that I made a promise that I would continue to write through the off-season. I haven't broken that promise; however, I will not be writing in this space anymore.

I've had an incredible year of keeping up with this blog, writing almost every day about what's going on during the Oscar season. But a new year means new beginnings, and I'm hoping you will follow me over at my new website:

www.UnknownCritics.com

A friend and I will be sharing our reviews, commentary, and criticism in this new online space. I hope you will be there (with comments?) in good spirit. But if you can't find your way there, I hope you've enjoyed this space as much as I have.

Best,
Suzanne

And on the 82nd ceremony, the Academy rewrites their own history

2010-03-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

As the 82nd Oscar ceremony made its way down the red carpet last Sunday, the Academy made history by awarding its first female director for Best Directing (Kathryn Bigelow, of The Hurt Locker) and its first African American screenwriter (Geoffrey Fletcher, of Precious) for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In a year when both ABC and the Academy have ostentatiously fought for viewership and higher ratings, you might expect that the biggest cash cow on the ballot would win Best Picture. However, Academy voters served up the greatest slice of irony by honoring The Hurt Locker, which is now one of the lowest grossing Best Picture winners in years, instead of Avatar. Quality has trumped box office, and Bigelow and her screenwriter, Mark Boal, have the critical community to thank for that. Although I'm disappointed that two of my favorite films of the nominees, Inglourious Basterds and Up in the Air, were left with one and zero Oscars, respectively, I'm happy that The Hurt Locker has defeated some more garish threats from Avatar, which is a technically brilliant picture but not a well-rounded one.

The Hurt Locker managed to rake in six awards—Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, and both of the Sound categories (apologies to those who followed my lead and went for Avatar in sound—thought it was a sure thing!). Avatar took three technicals, and Precious took two awards (Best Supporting Actress for Monique and Best Adapted Screenplay for Fletcher). After watching juggernauts like Titanic and even last year's Slumdog Millionaire take away almost the entire pie, I'd say that that's spreading the wealth pretty evenly, which makes for a much more exciting ceremony. With each technical award on deck, I wondered if it would go to Avatar or The Hurt Locker.

But although the Academy commendably got most of the awards right, the producers delivered what was probably the worst telecast I've ever seen live.

My list of grievances:
-The American Idol-style opener with acting nominees onstage waving at the audience.
-Boring, albeit underused hosts
-Poor direction and lighting
-A horror movie montage (note to Producers—New Moon is not a horror film)
-The John Hughes tribute—A prolific director? Yes, but if Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella didn't get this type of treatment, why should John Highes, who has never even been nominated at the Oscars.
-The cutting of Best Original Song performances in favor of an interpretive dance sequence for Best Original Score.
-Overlong Best Actor and Actress tributes, especially when the supporting categories didn't get the same treatment.
-An incomplete In Memoriam segment (um, what about Farrah Fawcett? Bea Arthur?)
-Cutting people off in their speeches. The worst offense was when the orchestra prevented The Cove's director Louie Psihoyos from giving his speech. You can (and should) read what he would have said here.

Surprisingly enough, ratings were up this year. If you tuned in, what did you think?

Final Predictions

2010-03-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Oscar Day, folks!

Best Picture: “The Hurt Locker”
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Adapted Screenplay: “Up in the Air”
Original Screenplay: “Inglourious Basterds”
Animated Feature: “Up”
Foreign Language Film: “El Secreto de Sus Ojos”
Art Direction: “Avatar”
Cinematography: “Avatar”
Costume Design: “The Young Victoria”
Film Editing: “The Hurt Locker”
Makeup: “Star Trek”
Original Score: “Up”
Original Song: “The Weary Kind”
Sound Editing: “Avatar”
Sound Mixing: “Avatar”
Visual Effects: “Avatar”
Documentary Feature: “The Cove”
Documentary Short: “The Last Truck”
Animated Short Film: “Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death”
Live Action Short Film: “The Door”

And finally, I'm sure there will be some action on my twitter feed tonight. Follow me @suzanneday. Enjoy the show!

The Home Stretch

2010-03-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Oscars are three days away, folks. As I expressed in an earlier post, it has been a particularly long season for this Oscar watcher.

This year, the Oscars were pushed back about two weeks to prevent a ratings clash with NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics. As a result, the season's schedule has shifted in an odd way that allowed several precursors to unfold before the nominations were even announced. It's been about a month since the nomination unveiling, and we've only had the BAFTAs, the SAGs, and a handful of guild awards to talk about. In other words, just give out the damn awards already.

Starting around two weeks ago, the smear campaign began against the current frontrunner, The Hurt Locker. There's already some great stuff out there written on this subject (like this piece from the NYT), but the big question is "what are the consequences?"

Last year, the smear campaign began against Slumdog Millionaire when stories popped up on the internet about the modest salaries of the child actors. This year, it's interviews with Iraq soldiers on how The Hurt Locker's portrait is inaccurate. The LA Times published 11 stories over 4 days that put The Hurt Locker in a negative light, culminating in the Chartier email and his ultimate banishment from the ceremony. Last year, Slumdog Millionaire was unstoppable. I'm not so sure that The Hurt Locker is.

I'm of the opinion that this year's smear campaign was simply too little, too late. With the Chartier story breaking just under a week before the ballots were due, I have a feeling that most voters had 1) already turned in their ballots, or 2) enough sense not to punish Bigelow and Boal for one financier's stupid move.

That being said, I'm not all that attached to any of the nominated films for Best Picture this year. And if an upset is on its way, I'll be grateful for the excitement.

Cheers, and check back on Saturday for my final predictions.

Watch the Oscar nominated Animated Shorts

2010-02-28T18:03:00.000-08:00

The animated short category is among the most difficult categories to predict, not unlike best documentary short, or best documentary for that matter. Voters must see all the nominees in order to vote.

My instinct is to predict the film that draws the greatest emotional response. Derive from that what you will. Which do you think has the best shot at Oscar?

Have a look at the films after the cut. Unfortunately, the Wallace and Gromit one is not available to us; but really, I doubt they'll go for another Wallace and Gromit.

Embedded videos after the cut!

Thoughts on EmailGate

2010-02-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

The latest scandal on the awards circuit, yet again, involves The Hurt Locker. First-time nominee Nicolas Chartier, who is one of the producers nominated for Best Picture, sent out an email last week to an undisclosed amount of Academy members asking them flat-out to vote for his film: "If everyone tells one or two of their friends, we will win and not a $500M film."

Once the higher-ups at AMPAS caught on, they demanded that Chartier send an apology to the entire Academy. They have also suggested that they may revoke his tickets to the ceremony. Chartier has since apologized, but the talk continues.

The good news for Chartier and The Hurt Locker camp is that most ballots are likely already in the mail. And really, I'm inclined to refrain from slandering this guy the way others have been carrying on. Sure, he's a prized idiot for sending an EMAIL, which can always be traced and come back to haunt you; but really, this sort of "vote for me!" plea happens all the time in Hollywood. The only difference is that most nominees have the sense to say it in person, off the record, in a way that can't be traced back to them.

As a first-time nominee, Chartier likely just wasn't aware of the rules here. And trust me, this is no worse than some of the things Harvey Weinstein has pulled in the past.

Just give out the awards already.

2010-02-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Every so often, I join some friends of mine in watching stand-up comedy around Boston. Usually we thoroughly enjoy the experience, but every so often, you watch someone sink like a ship. Case in point: Once, the emcee of an event alluded several times over an hour to a joke he was "going to tell later." As you might expect, by the time he actually delivered the joke he continually alluded to, it was dead on arrival.

This is how I feel about the current awards season. This has got to be the longest, most drawn out season we've had since moving the show up to February in 2004 (before, we had to wait until the end of March...yeah, think on that). Since the nominations were announced two weeks ago, I have seen Oscar bloggers ruminate over and over, trying to find some way for an upset to creep in.

Here's my question: How much of this rumination might reach the voters? We still have six days until ballots are due; meanwhile, studios are hard at work to remind us that Meryl Streep really hasn't won anything in the past two decades and that Inglourious Basterds was the most fun we've had in the theater in a while.

It's also worth mentioning that backlash has indeed settled in for The Hurt Locker.

As the PR machines in Hollywood are hard at work, I'm doing everything I can not to forget that the Oscars are in 11 days.

Creation: Where is the science?

2010-02-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

Until recently, I was under the false impression that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is not nearly as controversial today as it was when my parents were in school.

The filmmakers of Creation, the first feature-length biopic of English naturalist Charles Darwin, had hoped to open their film in 2009, the year that marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s famous book-length study of his theory of evolution, The Origin of Species. They accomplished this throughout most of Europe including Darwin’s home country of England; however, it took several months for an American distributor to bite. And by the time that Newmarket Films—a small independent studio that, from the looks of its website, hasn’t distributed a project since 2007—took Creation under its wing, it decided to push its release into January 2010.

With about a three-week window to see Creation on the big screen, I dashed over to a small, art house cinema in Cambridge, MA. Surrounded by a handful of other filmgoers who came through for this little movie with hardly any advertising, I settled in for Darwin’s story.

Directed by Jon Amiel (Somersby, The Core) and starring Paul Bettany as the English naturalist, the film is introduced as an account of Darwin’s efforts to bring his ideas on natural selection and evolution to the public by writing The Origin of Species. In the opener, however, Darwin’s bereavement over the loss of his eldest daughter serves as the focus.

Darwin’s daughter, Annie (Martha West), is a precocious child who indelibly supports her father’s career in science. She shares his curiosity and sense of wonder, constantly asking him to tell her stories of his adventures and travels. In Annie, Darwin finds the sole naturalist advocate in his family, and when she dies (presumably from spending a winter afternoon on the beach), Darwin finds himself unable to connect with his remaining family

The story is told in a nonlinear narrative of flashbacks/flashforwards, and at times, it’s unclear whether Annie is alive or if Darwin is interacting with her apparition. I found the style a bit disorienting at times, but there were moments where the disconnect is quite powerfully edited—like the parallel sequences of Annie’s illness and Darwin’s (his health declines later in the film).

Much of the film operates around a buildup of tension between Darwin and his wife, Emma (played by Bettany’s off-screen spouse, Jennifer Connelly). Their discord begins long before Annie’s death, as Emma is a devoutly religious woman inconveniently married to a man whose theory of evolution adequately disproves the creationist teachings of the church. Throughout the film’s two-hour run, it appears that Darwin is constantly trying to appease his wife, to convince her that his findings will not send him to hell.

When Annie dies, the rift between the two parents becomes something incapable of healing. And when they finally confront one another, the tension between them erodes without much explanation. It’s difficult to know what the two are feeling and how they have achieved such a resolution by the end of the film. I’d like to have been able to get inside the characters’ thoughts more easily, to have understood and believed in their eventual reconnection.

While this portrait of the Darwin family’s grief and internal struggle of identity is beautifully captured, I can’t get past one question: Where is the science? Had I not paid attention in my high school biology class, I wouldn’t have been able to determine what it is Darwin poured his life’s work into based on this film. There is no mention of adapting bird beaks, or of giant armadillos in South America. Instead, much of the spectacle takes place in Darwin’s backyard—a scene with his children watching a fox prey on a bunny rabbit, or a discussion at tea on the varying types of earthworms. Considering the great miles Darwin traveled in the name of scientific discovery, I thought we might at least see him journey to the Galapagos Islands.

Given the resistance that Creation’s producers had to overcome to get their film distributed to an American audience, I’m surprised to see so little of what studios were actually afraid of show up in the film—a defense of science. In this story of Darwin’s life, the conflict between religion and science takes a back seat to the family’s struggle to cope with the loss of a child. Creation packs an emotional punch, but I’m afraid it’s in the wrong direction.

BAFTA results and the incredibly skewed 2009 WGA awards...

2010-02-21T17:20:00.000-08:00

This evening in London, BAFTA ( the British equivalent of our Academy) recognized The Hurt Locker, Colin Firth, Carey Mulligan, Christoph Waltz, and Mo'Nique.

It's hard to say how reliable a precursor BAFTA is to the Oscars. Two years ago, Marion Cotillard interrupted Julie Christie's season sweep with a BAFTA win and went on to nab the Oscar for Best Actress—and BAFTA won't let you forget it. They have since touted their achievement as a strong predictor of the Oscars.

Most of the time, they do align with Oscar, except when something more British seems a plausible upset. This year, Carey Mulligan is such a case.

Before you consider Mulligan's win a surprise, it's important to note that the current frontrunner, Sandra Bullock, was ineligible for BAFTA. So, really the win doesn't mean a whole lot. One could argue that the win hurts Meryl Streep, but I don't really think so. Mulligan is championed in her home country, and I think this is a classic case of voting for someone "more British."

The same could really be said for Colin Firth, who is the British alternative to Bridges. But I'm absolutely elated that Firth managed to win something. His performance in A Single Man seriously rivals that of Bridges in Crazy Heart. In fact, I'd say he tops him. This is not to say that I think Bridges will lose; I'm just happy that Firth has been recognized here. He deserved to win something.

It's also worth mentioning that while I still think that Inglourious Basterds has major upset potential in the Best Picture race, its loss of Best Original Screenplay to The Hurt Locker at the BAFTAS was somewhat of a blow. Perhaps the Brits just don't like Tarantino? I'm not sure what to make of it, but if he loses Screenplay on Oscar night, the door is shut for Best Picture.

In other news, despite naming almost half the contending films ineligible for their award, WGA has awarded The Hurt Locker for Best Original Screenplay and Up in the Air for Best Adapted Screenplay. But again, Inglourious Basterds was ineligible here. Otherwise, I'm almost certain that Tarantino would have taken the award.

Oscar Class of 2009

2010-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

*Click on the above photo to see the full size.

One of my favorite Oscar events of each year is the Nominees Luncheon, where actors will mingle with film editors, cinematographers with composers and the like. For some reason, the stars just seem a bit more like human beings in the photographs from this event. And what's in the gift bag? A special monogrammed hoodie. Oscar has never looked so casual.

Ordinarily, I'd be scouring Getty images this evening, hoping that the various photographs would somehow reveal some narrative of the event. But this year, Oscar has reached out to the public by offering up a live stream. A few highlights—especially the scuffle to assemble the class photo—were worth your three hours. Others, not so much. I'm a little disappointed in myself for indulging in such a time suck.

The stream began with a press conference in which reporters asked nominees about the Oscar experience, who they'd like to meet, and other gratuitous questions that lent themselves to name-dropping. The class photo followed (seriously, the best part of the entire charade), and then the show's producer's addressed the nominees.

Their plea? Keep your speeches interesting. Supposedly this suggestion is customary at this event (this is just the first time the public has been made aware of it), but I couldn't help but feel that the producers were being entirely selfish. They essentially coached everyone on what they thought was a good speech. Had I been in the room, I would have asked one of the caterers to pass me a bucket of tomatoes.

Is an Inglourious Basterds upset on the horizon?

2010-02-11T20:53:00.001-08:00

While I'm still fairly convinced that the Best Picture race is a race between Avatar and The Hurt Locker (with The Hurt Locker maintaining a slight edge), there's a dark horse on the track that we should consider a threat to both—Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

This is one example of where a contender might substantially benefit from the newly implemented preferential voting system. I'm still hazy on the details, but in layman's terms, the system will be advantageous to films with an intense following, those that are likely to be placed #1 on many ballots. From where I'm sitting, Inglourious Basterds may not have the greatest number of followers, but they might have the loudest.

There's also another factor that only just now came to my attention—Inglourious Basterds has the Oscar Agent himself, Harvey Weinstein, behind it. And in an interview with The Envelope's Pete Hammond today (which I read via Awards Daily), Weinstein made it perfectly clear that he's pulling out the big guns:

"We're going to win best picture. This is the movie people love and it's Quentin's time. We are going for it and we are gonna get it."

Add to this that Inglourious Basterds has every kind of support it needs—the actors (with the SAG ensemble win), directors (DGA), writers (WGA), and that key editing nomination.

And in all honesty, I'd probably cheer my face off if they actually pull this off.

A month is a long time to wait...

2010-02-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

The nominations were announced last Tuesday, but we still have just under a month to go before the envelopes are opened.

At the very least, this means that there's still time for voters to change their minds. For the past three months, the acting categories have settled into four frontrunners—Bridges, Bullock, Waltz, and Mo'Nique.

It's probable that they won't budge, but backlash is already underway, especially for Sandra Bullock. Voters will actually see the movies, and when a performance doesn't live up to the hype, the frontrunner might lose some votes. And when they don't want to just vote with the general consensus, they tend to vote from the underdog pile. Perhaps they love an upset just like the rest of us.

If you're eager to find an upset like I certainly am, I'll direct you to the two lead acting categories:

Bridges appears to have the support of everyone in the business right now. You might have noticed that he was the only winner at the Critic's Choice, the Globes, and at the SAGs to receive standing ovations. Not to mention, with four unsuccessful nominations under his belt, the man is painfully overdue by Academy standards. But for some reason, something just doesn't feel right here. For one, Crazy Heart did not receive a Best Picture nomination. And with the fast moving Hurt Locker train of support, I'm wondering if Jeremy Renner might be able to pull off an Adrien Brody-like upset. The Academy loves a newcomer, and Renner has had their support from the beginning.

And if you're already cursing Sandra Bullock for what might be one of the most controversial Best Actress wins in Oscar history, don't get worked up just yet. There's no doubt that the actors have shown their support for her in a big way leading up to the nominations. They even nominated her movie for Best Picture. But again, something feels off. Her advantage over Meryl Streep is her SAG award, but does anyone remember that Streep just won last year for Doubt? Perhaps SAG just didn't like the idea of a followup award? And again, there's still time for the voting community to actually see The Blind Side.

It's still very likely that the Academy will go 4/4 with the current frontrunners, but a month is quite a long time for voters to change their minds.

Today the final ballots were mailed out to Academy members. Who would you like them to vote for?

Hurt Locker-9, Avatar-9, Inglourious Basterds-8...

2010-02-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

"The Perfect Storm," Kris Tapley of InContention.com has called it. As if you weren't already convinced that this year is a close call, the academy has decided to spread the love in their nominations, which were announced yesterday morning at around 5:30am in Los Angeles.

I don't want to overstate the fact that this year is unpredictable, because I think we do have a frontrunner in each category. Some are clearer than others, but it's not as if we have no way of narrowing it down.

The Best Picture Race
In the case of Best Picture, I think we can go ahead and call it for The Hurt Locker (but only if there were a gun to my head and I just had to give you an answer). The Hurt Locker is the only nominee to carry nominations in three important areas—acting, writing, and editing, whereas Avatar only has support in the editing category. The last film to win without a writing nomination was Titanic (which Cameron directed, of course) in 1998, and the last film to win without writing OR acting was Grand Hotel in 1932. So, history advises us that The Hurt Locker is ahead of Avatar; however, as I've said before, these rules were made to be broken. Certainly, anything is possible, but the lack of support in those areas for Avatar is a notable handicap.

Up in the Air, which has taken quite a few steps back since its early lead, has been wounded further by its failure to receive an editing nomination. The last film to win without an editing nomination was Ordinary People in 1980, and it only happened a handful of times before that. Editing is often an understated category at the Oscars, but it's also a huge indicator of the winner. I think we're looking at a sole win for Up in the Air at this point, in the Adapted Screenplay category.

I still see Inglourious Basterds as the upset in the Avatar/Hurt Locker battle, but in the end, I think IB will probably only win two—Best Supporting Actor and Original Screenplay (and even that one is a bit shakey—they could easily give it to The Hurt Locker if they're feeling generous).

So, how did "the 10" pan out? Just like they wanted, I suppose. Plenty of mainstream films in the lot, and I imagine that they will get their viewership from that. However, if you want to know who the "real" Best Picture nominees are, just match them with the Best Director category.

The Snubs
Honestly, there was not a whole lot to be surprised about yesterday morning. After the Globes, the SAGs, and the BFCA, awards season often turns into a bit of an echo chamber by the time we get to the Oscar noms, and this year is no exception.

Maggie Gyllenhaal's inclusion is certainly not something we've seen yet (and it's very, very well deserved). However, if they were going to kick someone out, I'd rather it were Penelope Cruz and not Julianne Moore (a casualty I will begrudge them for until further notice).

Another long shot I was hoping might make it into the Best Supporting Actor category is Anthony Mackie of The Hurt Locker. There's been a lot of "Hey, Mackie was great, too!" talk in conjunction with Jeremy Renner's buzz, and I just thought it might have been a possible upset. Instead, they went with their usuals (but seriously, what did Matt Damon do that was so great?).

And on that note, the last snub I'll address is one that I'm elated over—Invictus. Eastwood simply did not give us the best Nelson Mandela movie he could, and I'm grateful that they did not just give him the nomination because of who he is. However, is The Blind Side really what should take its place?

If anything, The Blind Side's inclusion tells us that Sandra Bullock now has everything she needs to win Best Actress—momentum, charisma, and a Best Picture-nominated film.

God help us.

What are your thoughts on this year's nominations?

The Complete Oscar Nominations 2010

2010-02-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

In case you missed them elsewhere...

Analysis tomorrow, when I have time.

Best Picture
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9”
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”

Best Director
James Cameron, “Avatar”
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
“Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
“Lee Daniels, “Precious”
Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air”

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, “Invictus”
Woody Harrelon, “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique, “Precious”

Best Adapted Screenplay
“District 9”
“An Education”
“In the Loop”
“Precious”
“Up in the Air”

Best Original Screenplay
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“The Messenger”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”

More after the jump...

Best Animated Feature Film
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Ajami” (Israel)
“The Milk of Sorrow” (Peru)
“A Prophet” (France)
“The Secret in Their Eyes” (Argentina)
“The White Ribbon” (Germany)

Best Art Direction
“Avatar”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“Sherlock Holmes”
“The Young Victoria”

Best Cinematography
“Avatar”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
“The Hurt Locker”
“The White Ribbon”

Best Costume Design
“Bright Star”
“Coco Before Chanel”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“The Young Victoria”

Best Film Editing
“Avatar”
“District 9”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”

Best Makeup
“Il Divo”
“Star Trek”
“The Young Victoria”

Best Music (Original Score)
“Avatar”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Sherlock Holmes”
“Up”

Best Music (Original Song)
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36″
“Take it All” from “Nine”
“The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart”

Best Sound Editing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Up”

Best Sound Mixing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

Best Visual Effects
“Avatar”
“District 9”
“Star Trek”

Best Documentary Feature
“Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country”
“The Cove”
“Food, Inc.”
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
“Which Way Home”

Best Documentary Short
“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
“The Last Campaign of Booth Gardener”
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
“Music by Prudence”
“Rabbit a la Berlin”

Best Short Film (Animated)
“French Roast”
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty”
“The Lady and the Reaper”
“Logorama”
“A Matter of Loaf and Death”

Best Short Film (Live Action)
“The Door”
“Instead of Abracadabra”
“Kavi”
“Miracle Fish”
“The New Tenants”

Predicting the Oscars...

2010-02-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

As I'm trying to gather together my thoughts on the unveiling we're in for tomorrow morning, I can't help but feel unprepared. This year is as difficult as ever to predict, given rule changes, the ten (ugh...) slots for best picture, and the general even playing field across the board.

But that's what we want, right? We've had plenty of predictable years over the past decade, and for the first time in a while, Best Picture is wide open. Sure, The Hurt Locker is gaining steam after it's recent sweep of the PGA and DGA, but Avatar is still very much in the race, and I'd argue that Inglourious Basterds is close on their heels (especially, in the case that THL and Avatar split the votes). This year is very unpredictable, and I can't very well complain about that.

To be honest, I'm most looking forward to the snubs and upsets that tomorrow could bring.

One change that will certainly affect the game is the newly implemented preferential voting system. Academy members are asked to rank their nominees on their ballots for Best Picture 1-10, and #1 is weighted higher than #7, #2 higher than #9, etc. So, I think we're going to see films with really strong support like District 9 and hopefully A Serious Man over something like Invictus, which would most likely wind up at #9 on most ballots. Then again, this has never been done before, so it's hard to say what effect it will have. That's just an observation.

Whatever happens, I hope there are a few surprises. Again, unpredictable is what we want in an Oscar race, what makes it all the more interesting. But for the love of God, I just hope they don't make too many stupid decisions...

Predictions after the cut.

Best Picture
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air
Precious
Inglorious Basterds
Up
An Education
District 9
A Serious Man
Invictus

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
Lee Daniels, Precious

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Best Actress
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Alfred Molina, An Education
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station

Best Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique, Precious
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
Up, Bob Peterson and Pete Docter
A Serious Man, Joel and Ethan Coen
(500) Days of Summer, Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber

Best Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
An Education, Nick Hornby
District 9, Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
Precious, Geoffrey Fletcher
A Single Man, Tom Ford

For Your Consideration: District 9, Best Picture

2010-01-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

Many filmmakers have tackled the idea of humans confronted with aliens on earth before. In Independence Day, we saw Will Smith hunt down a pack of them as they threatened to take over the White House; Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix examined crop circles in Signs; and a young Richard Dreyfuss encounters UFO's in the first film to scare the shit out of me as a child. Each of these were unique and progressive works of filmmaking at the time of their release. However, I don't think I've ever been so affected by an "alien movie" (for lack of a better classification) than by District 9.

From first-time director Neill Blomkamp (there have been a few freshmen directors this year, eh?), District 9 tells the story of aliens forced to live in the slums of South Africa, the governing society who keeps them in captivity, and a man who is thrown in the middle of the conflict. The protagonist, Wikus, is a government worker whose body, after an accident in which he is exposed to alien biotechnology, begins to mutate and transform into an alien. On the run from authorities who would rather just exterminate him, he is forced to leave his life behind and to assimilate into the alien ghettos.

The first act of the film plays out like an hour of CNN reporting of third world devastation, as we see Wikus and other South African officials confronting aliens with documents, legalities, and medical experiments. And just like that, Wikus' place in the story takes an abrupt turn, and the second half of the movie pulls the audience into his struggle to regain his identity.

As you might have guessed, the segregation of aliens from humans in the film serves as a parallel to the segregation of South Africa in the 20th Century. Indeed, there were two films released in 2009 that dealt with South African segregation, and I'll let you guess which one I think is better.

The academy has consistently ignored films of the science fiction or fantasy genres. However, rules were made to be broken, and I'm almost certain that we will see at least two included this year in the Best Picture category.

Thoughts on last night's SAG Awards...

2010-01-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

Last night, the Screen Actors Guild handed out their highest honors to Monique, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, and the ensemble cast of Inglourious Basterds.

As you might guess, the most surprising out of the bunch is the recognition for Sandra Bullock, and to be honest—I think the statue is her's to lose at this point. Bullock continues to hit all the right notes in her publicity walk, delivering witty acceptance speeches that only strengthen her likability. Streep is, of course, still very much in the running, but this is a huge loss for her. The actors make up a very significant portion of the Academy, so their awarding Bullock is indicative of a notable power shift in the race.

The truth is that in regards to Best Actress, we just won't know who wins until the envelope is opened. BAFTA will not help, considering Bullock's ineligibility. So there you have it—while the other three acting categories are locked in place, Best Actress is the toss up.

The Best Picture race, similarly, continues to remain wide open. It appears to be a two-horse race between Avatar and The Hurt Locker, but I think there are arguments to be made for Inglourious Basterds as well, especially after their ensemble acting win last night.

The Producers Guild will announce their winner tonight, and whoever wins that will gain some serious ground.

The Awards Season, from across the pond...

2010-01-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

This morning, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced their nominations for the films of 2009.

I'm a little disappointed in this list. Other than some amplified (and undeserved) recognition of An Education, this really just cements the growing Avatar—Hurt Locker battle that ensues this Oscar season. I'd hoped to see at least some of a departure from what we've been seeing all season long.

And really, I'm shocked that not even the Brit's can love Jane Campion's Bright Star, which scored a measly costume nomination. What a waste.

Here are the top categories, with the full list after the cut:

Best Film
Avatar
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Precious
Up in the Air

Best British Film
An Education
Fish Tank
In the Loop
Moon
Nowhere Boy

Best Director
James Cameron, Avatar
Neill Blomkamp, District 9
Lone Scherfig, An Education
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Andy Serkis, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Saoirse Ronan, The Lovely Bones
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Audrey Tautou, Coco Before Chanel

Best Supporting Actor
Alec Baldwin, It’s Complicated
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Alfred Molina, An Education
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Anne-Marie Duff, Nowhere Boy
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo’Nique, Precious
Kristin Scott Thomas, Nowhere Boy

Best Original Screenplay
The Hangover
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
A Serious Man
Up

Best Adapted Screenplay
District 9
An Education
In the Loop
Precious
Up in the Air

Best Foreign Language Film
Broken Embraces
Coco Before Chanel
Let the Right One In
A Prophet
The White Ribbon

Best Animated Film
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Up

Best Cinematography
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The Road

Best Production Design
Avatar
District 9
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Inglourious Basterds

Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
An Education
A Single Man
The Young Victoria

Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Up in the Air

Best Makeup & Hair
Coco Before Chanel
An Education
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria

Best Music
Avatar
Crazy Heart
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Up

Best Sound
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Up

Best Special Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek

Best Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
Stuart Hazeldine (writer/director), Exam
Duncan Jones (director), Moon
Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock and David Pearson (directors and producers), Mugabe and the White African
Sam Taylor-Wood (director), Nowhere Boy
Eran Creevy (writer/director), Shifty

Rising Star Award
Jesse Eisenberg
Nicholas Hoult
Carey Mulligan
Tahar Rahim
Kristen Stewart

Best Short Film
14
I Do Air
Jade
Mixtape
Off Season

Best Animated Short
The Gruffalo
The Happy Duckling
Mother of Many

Golden Globes: The Morning After...

2010-01-18T19:55:00.000-08:00

Clearly, predicting the Globes is not my forte. But to explain myself a bit, I thought that if some of these underdogs had any chance at the awards season pie (see Up in the Air and Carey Mulligan), the Globes was their best shot. That obviously didn't pan out.

As the Globes coincided with the return of many of my classmates from our winter break, I spent the evening mostly not paying attention and catching up with friends. However, after spending some quality time with youtube this morning, I think I've pieced most of the night together. Here are some things I learned:

1. If there is any sort of uncertainty over who should win, the HFPA continues to default to awarding the biggest stars in each category. Although, how much do I care, really, that Robert Downey Jr. won the Globe for Sherlock Holmes? His speech was one of the most entertaining of the evening.

2. Kathryn Bigelow, at 59 years old, looks absolutely amazing. I'd like to get in on that fountain of youth she's been imbibing from.

3. Sandra Bullock is a threat to Meryl Streep...sort of. At this point, we can be sure that Sandra will be nominated. And because neither of the performances are *really* very good, it's now a matter of who they decide is most overdue and most charming in the publicity circuit. Regardless, I still refuse to see The Blind Side.

4. Jeff Bridges is officially a lock to win Best Actor. After two standing ovations this weekend (one at the BFCA on Friday and another at the Globes), it's safe to say that the acting community is well behind him in the race. And, I'm sure it took a lot for the HFPA not to just give it to Clooney.

5. It's not over until it's over. Some contenders need to watch their egos a bit, and I'm looking at James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino. If you want an Oscar, you have to show them that you don't think you deserve it. Thanking your actors for "doing my poetry" in your acceptance speech is likely to hurt your case.

And despite a complete shut out for The Hurt Locker, I still think it has a very good chance of winning Best Picture. I also have no doubt that Kathryn Bigelow will rain on the parade of her ex-husband, James Cameron, as she becomes the first woman to win Best Director at the Oscars in March.

Predicting the Golden Globes

2010-01-17T13:36:00.000-08:00

I slacked off a bit this weekend in not mentioning the BFCA awards, which aired on VH1 Friday night. You may want to google the winners, because BFCA surprisingly has one of the best track records as far as precursors go. Personally, I wish they hadn't signed the show over to VH1 a few years back, as the actual ceremony was pure trash (Chenowith included). I preferred the BFCA when their show was more of an intimate press conference, like this video from almost ten years ago:

Tonight, we have the Golden Globes, which really get far too much credit than they deserve. The nominations and winners are determined by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which shares very few members with the Academy.

However, they're still fun to watch, maybe even moreso than the Oscars.

Predictions after the cut (but only for film—I don't watch enough TV!)

Best Motion Picture: Drama
Up in the Air

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Screenplay
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture: Drama
Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture: Drama
George Clooney, Up In The Air

Best Motion Picture: Comedy Or Musical
Nine 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture: Comedy Or Musical
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture: Comedy Or Musical
Matt Damon, The Informant!

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Mo’nique, Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Animated Feature Film
Up

Best Foreign Language Film
Broken Embraces (Spain)

Best Original Score: Motion Picture
James Horner, Avatar

Best Original Song: Motion Picture
“The Weary Kind”

The Actors: Crazy Heart and A Single Man

2010-01-15T20:27:00.000-08:00

In a generalized sense, there are two identities that an actor's performance is typically tethered to by the critics: The first is an all out transformation, a performance that completely disengages the character from the actor, a performance that is completely unrecognizable. The second is one that retains subtlety—the performance is a natural extension of the actor.

I'll be the first to admit that I generally rally behind those complete transformations, and not the subtle performances. But really, both can be done well, and very well in some cases.

Jeff Bridges' performance in Crazy Heart undoubtedly belongs to the first paradigm, as he becomes Bad Blake, an aging alcoholic country music singer—a spent man in need of redemption. Bridges swimmingly counters this alcoholic mess with scenes of true vitality onstage.

I enjoyed the film quite a lot more than I expected, honestly, as I thought we were in for a rip off of last year's The Wrestler. But Crazy Heart has a mind and direction of its own, and Bridges really carries the film to something that makes you feel so much for its protagonist.

For many years, Colin Firth has played one thing well—the charming Englishman. And for years, he's gone generally unnoticed by the critics because of that. However, this year he has, very deservedly, been recognized for his work in A Single Man. Firth plays a gay professor living in Los Angeles coming to terms with his grief over the loss of his lover of 16 years in the only way he knows how—a meticulously planned suicide.

The story takes place in one day, and in that day we watch him tidy up the loose ends of his life, taking in his last moments with attention and observation. At first glance, Firth is exactly as he's always been—that charming Englishman. But really, the performance is so much more than that. With his imminent suicide, Firth's isolation is really astounding. The beautiful surroundings of his life are so easily taken away, and Firth shows a real commitment to taking it all in for one last time.

The Academy of MTV Movie Awards Oscar Ceremony

2010-01-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

In the past two years, there has been substantial effort on the part of AMPAS and its network ABC to bring the Oscar ceremony to a broader audience. The most ostentatious was, of course, the expansion of the Best Picture category to 10 nominees, with the hope that more mainstream popcorn flicks will be recognized with the extra slots available. The second is our ceremony last year, which featured musical numbers with stars from Mamma Mia! and High School Musical. Reese Witherspoon even described to the audience what a director does. This year, producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic are hoping to take this "to the next level." *Gulp*

First of all, you might be wondering who the hell these guys are, as I asked myself when they were announced as this year's conductors. Adam Shankman has directed Hairspray and Bedtime Stories (what?), and he is a choreographer and judge on the hit reality show, "So You Think You Can Dance." Bill Mechanic's resume includes a lifetime of work in and out of studios and production companies. In other words, he's the guy who we hope will talk Shankman out of doing anything too trashy.

However, in recent weeks, I'm becoming more and more terrified of just what kind of show we're in for on March 7th.

HitFix's Gregory Ellwood published an article yesterday with some "inside information" on what we can expect from our producers. You can read it here, but here are some of the highlights:

-An opening number with over 500 dancers on stage
-A tribute to John Hughes (who does not have an Oscar and has never been nominated, I might add) separate from the In Memoriam segment
-The five previous winners presenting the acting categories has been ditched; instead, friends of the nominees will present their category.
-An appearance from Taylor Lautner is being sought after like the Holy Grail.

Again, I'm terrified.

It's also worth mentioning that Shankman has been talking rather candidly about his plans on twitter (by the way, you can follow me, @suzanneday, if you'd like—and sorry about the shameless plug). Here are a few noteworthy updates:

"So weird question; would u watch the oscars with more exitement if I cast some sytycd dancers if there are musical #s"

"Finally watched Inglorious Basterds this morning. I LOVED IT! Congrats to all involved. Awesome movie. Quentin, you rocked it." ...is this the only Best Picture nominee he will see?

"Scenario: what of, due to scheduling. , pats isn't avail? Shall we Go Stewart. And lautner ? Or no twilighters"

and, best of all...

"Remmber : oscars are bigger the n prese mgtdx B"

If someone can provide a translation of the last one, I'd be very appreciative.

"He's invited me to tea." "Who?" "The President."

2010-01-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

As one of the most talked about projects of the past two years, Clint Eastwood's Nelson Mandella bio-pic Invictus has been on my radar for quite some time.

The story is an inspiring one: Nelson Mandella, recently released from prison following the fall of the Apartheid, forgoes any angst he might have towards the people who supported his captivity (something most human beings would not be capable of) in favor of working diligently to unite the people of South Africa. He looks to their rugby team for a source of team spirit and national accord in the heated race to win the World Cup. Morgan Freeman is spectacular as the venerable President Mandella, who led South Africa through its transition to multi-racial democracy. Matt Damon plays Francois, the South African rugby coach charged with winning the World Cup. Damon is fine in the role, but there are higher level issues that inhibit each actor's performance.

If you asked me five years ago what I thought of Clint Eastwood's work as a director, I'd say that he is a master manipulator of emotion, as demonstrated through his behind the camera work in Mystic River, Letters from Iwo Jima, and (although many would disagree with me) Million Dollar Baby. However, his last few projects have crossed the line into maudlin terrain, and Invictus unfortunately follows suit. As Morgan Freeman arrived via helicopter in slow motion to greet Damon's team on the field with lyrics like "It's not just a game to meeee. I'm colorbliiind," I nearly imploded. Might I also suggest that Clint HIRE SOMEONE ELSE to write his scores? Eastwood has served up a huge block of cheddar with this project, and it absolutely ruins what should be a meaningful film about a revered political leader.

For Your Consideration: The Cove, Best Documentary Feature

2010-01-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

Forty years ago, Ric O'Barry captured and trained the five dolphins used to portray the title character of the popular television show, Flipper. At the time, he was trying to make a career for himself as a dolphin trainer in show business. But as he came to understand these creatures and the destructive nature of their lives in captivity, O'Barry took it upon himself to free every dolphin he could. The Cove is one such effort to expose the abuse against dolphins taking place in an infamous lagoon in Taiji, Japan.

With each episode of Flipper, the public became more enamored with dolphins. These days, you can see dolphins performing in just about every aquarium, even swim with them (as I've done myself—Cancun, 2004). Our infatuation with them has led to their commodification, which is exactly what you'll see in The Cove. Over 20,000 dolphins captured every year—3% are sent into captivity for our entertainment, and the others are slaughtered and packaged as "whale meat."

I didn't start writing this with the intention of getting into the larger issues that are brought to the foreground in this documentary (is this not that far removed from what we do to cows, chickens, etc on a regular basis here in America?), but the very fact that a film can raise so many ethical questions is a testament to its high quality of storytelling.

The filmmakers and subjects of the film took some substantial risks for the project, considering that several fisherman have threatened to kill O'Barry and his crew if they saw him in the cove again. As a result, it's really more of a thriller than a "save the whales" wildlife conservation doc.

The Cove is as moving as any drama I've seen this year.

Directors, Producers, and Writers Guilds

2010-01-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

We've now entered what many refer to as the "guild phase" of awards season.

You might remember two years ago when the Writers Guild went on strike, resulting in a long, drawn out series of reruns on many a popular television show. It even threatened the Golden Globes, as no movie star would cross the picket lines of WGA members (let's not talk about the press conference fiasco we were left with in the ceremony's stead). Of course, the strike was not without justifiable cause, and thankfully they were able to settle everything by the time the Oscars rolled around.

Anyway, the guilds are a union, essentially. There's a guild for just about every job in show business, but the four big ones are made up of directors, producers, writers, and actors (the nominees of which we've already discussed in the SAG post). This week, the DGA, PGA, and WGA announced their nominees for the 2009-2010 season.

The DGA decided to go with a very predictable lineup (although, I'm pleasantly surprised that Eastwood's not on here). DGA is one of the greatest indicators of what we'll eventually see in the Best Picture category, and you'll see below each frontrunner of the year:

Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

I'm willing to bet that this is exactly what we'll see in the Best Director category at the Oscars as well.

The PGA did indeed surprise me a bit, as they chose all three of the great sci-fi films that came out this year. I don't think all three will make it in for Best Picture at the Oscars, but I think two will. Avatar and...? I'm leaning towards District 9.

Avatar
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Precious
Star Trek
Up
Up in the Air

The PGA previously selected just five nominees, but they decided to follow AMPAS' lead this year and up it to ten. Before this year, I'd say that the DGA combined with PGA was a very good indication of what the Best Picture category would look like. But with this ten nominee nonsense, I'm not quite sure how it will measure up.

There has been quite a lot of talk about ineligibility over the past two weeks, from both AMPAS and the WGA (really, WGA?). I won't go into the rules specifically, but basically An Education, District 9, A Single Man, and a handful of others deserving of recognition for their writing were deemed ineligible. Also, both WGA and AMPAS have conveniently decided to place Bright Star in the adapted screenplay category (because Keats' 50-page book of poems clearly constitutes the story Jane Campion wrote for the screen). As if the film needed anymore uphill battles.

Here's our list of WGA nominees:

Adapted Screenplay
Crazy Heart, Scott Cooper
Julie & Julia, Nora Ephron
Precious, Geoffrey Fletcher
Star Trek, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Original Screenplay
(500) Days of Summer, Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Avatar, James Cameron
The Hangover, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
A Serious Man, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Avatar gets writing recognition? Really? Don't worry, they nominated Cameron for Titanic, too. I strongly doubt the Academy will follow suit.

Best films from 2000-2009

2010-01-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

Compiling a list of the decade's best films is somewhat like what I imagine college admissions counselors go through. There's no way to really give every applicant an honest look, and I have passionate attachments to some that cloud my judgment a bit. It feels a bit like tossing a large stack of notable candidate profiles into the air and choosing the ones that fall in front of my feet first.

In other words, don't flame me for choosing something you consider flawed or unworthy of such a mention. I can't exactly place why I chose these ten, the reasons varying from technical achievement to a generally pleasant theater experience.

Without further ado...

10. The New World
Discovery and the merging of two cultures, all shot on 65mm film stock.

9. Bright Star
The level of detail in this film is astounding, with an incandescent performance from Abbie Cornish.

8. Moulin Rouge!
The film that single-handedly resurrected the musical genre.

7. Lost in Translation
A stunning look at two misfits who find complacency and each other in a foreign country.

6. The Hours
Loneliness through three generations, and the acting. Dear God, the acting.

5. Brokeback Mountain
One of the greatest love stories ever told.

4. Children of Men
A futuristic tale amid technical brilliance.

3. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Quite simply the best example of how to pull your audience into the character's perspective.

2. There Will Be Blood
The best character study I've seen, well, ever.

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
It's unoriginal for me to place this at the top spot, but nothing else comes close. Peter Jackson risked his life, his money, and his career on this project, and we're left with a true masterpiece of cinema.

Jason Reitman's Press Tour Video

2010-01-07T10:35:00.001-08:00

If I haven't already convinced you that Jason Reitman is a grounded, handsomely cool dude, check out this video he's made in tribute to the journalists covering his movie.

Lost In The Air: The Jason Reitman Press Tour Simulator from Jason Reitman on Vimeo.

Slow motion punches and Italian cinema...

2010-01-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone.

I can't say I've been at the theater as much as I'd have liked this past week. Instead, I'm visiting my family in Virginia, drinking and arguing politics entirely too much. I did, however, have the chance to catch Sherlock Holmes and Nine. Both are disappointments for various reasons.

In the hands of Guy Ritchie, Sherlock Holmes is a film that endeavors to please the same crowds that went for something like Pirates of the Caribbean, an action film that offers a wild ride, a few laughs, and plenty of combat. On the surface, it achieves just that, but it does not offer enough depth or story development to rival Pirates. Also, Pirates had a powerhouse performance from Johnny Depp carrying the film to mild Oscar recognition, and unfortunately Robert Downey, Jr. does not deliver such a striking performance.

My greatest complaint, and I suspect other admirers of the Sherlock Holmes canon might agree, is that the character is written as an action hero and not the sage maverick of the original story. Sure, there is acknowledgement of his intellectual prowess, but the original Holmes would never throw such agressive punches at his nemesis. It's a new take on the old story, and it just doesn't work for me.

I'm not sure that I can even really assert that the film is "a good time" like many other critics are saying. It's been about a week since I saw it, and I can't remember much of the plot details at this point. I do, however, recall the excitement and effectiveness of the score from Hans Zimmer.

And in the other corner, Rob Marshall applies every dazzling trick up his sleeve from his first hit musical, Chicago, to his latest film Nine. The only problem is that this time, those borrowed techniques have translated into a sour critical and commercial response. The main character of the musical, Guido (played by a half-assed Daniel Day-Lewis--yikes, it really hurts to say that) worries that his next film will flop, and indeed Marshall's does as well.

I'm not familiar with the stage musical, so I can't comment on any sort of discrepancies there, but I have to say that all things considered, I was still pretty entertained by this hot mess. It reminds me very much of another guilty pleasure film I'm sporting in my dvd collection these days, Across the Universe. Both films are a string of music videos that barely resemble one another, resulting in a disjointed storyline (or lack of story altogether). However, each individual section is a production in its own right. Does that make a good film? Absolutely not, but it's still a good time.

On pre-screening hype alone, Nine has been on many predictions lists for a while now. But now we have to consider whether or not Nine's critical and box office failure will keep it out of the Best Picture category. I'm going to say, quite confidently, that this one is out of the race for all categories but Best Costume Design and Best Supporting Actress (for Penelope, because Harvey Weinstein decided to screw Cotillard's chances and campaign her for lead).

What did you see over the holidays?

Relax and let your mind go blank.

2009-12-24T13:41:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not the only one who, rather baselessly, declared that Avatar would disappoint us. I thought Cameron's Avatar would fall completely on its $300 mil ass. But I'm pleased to say that I left the theater this morning swelling with emotion; it is truly a film experience like nothing you've seen before.

Cameron's Avatar pulls you into the mysterious world of his own creation, Pandora. The only production that slightly compares is Peter Jackson's Middle Earth from The Lord of the Rings (which was designed by WETA, who also worked on Avatar's visuals and miniatures). Really, I haven't felt the same magic in watching film since Lord of the Rings; Avatar shares that same innovation.

The film, rather surprisingly, offers some great acting amid all the production and visual effects. This is an accomplishment on any film that employs a heavy amount of CGI or green screen, because it's hard for actors to connect with technology in the same way that they do other human beings. Sure, Sam Worthington's Australian accent peeks through on occasion and Sigourney Weaver's dialogue delivery is at times cringe-worthy, but overall they held it together in a way that is ordinarily not possible in such a heavily produced film.

The criticism towards Avatar is mostly fixated on the story, and while I won't make a case for James Cameron's writing here (was he ever really on anyone's list for a Screenplay nomination?), I will say that his story has extraordinary imagination. I agree that the dialogue was, at times, like watching an episode of Lois and Clark, but it didn't hurt the experience for me (I also don't want to rehash the same things you've already read). My complaints mostly have to do with the last act, and I don't want to spoil it here, so we'll just let that go.

I can't remember the last time I felt that Best Picture was so tight, and Avatar is very much in the running at this point. As we're moving towards the guild recognition part of the season, we may get some more insight. But really, I hope it stays this unpredictable.

My crazy, outandish, devastatingly premature prediction...

2009-12-23T12:01:00.001-08:00

Best Picture: Avatar
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Original Screenplay: Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

Somehow I see them spreading the love in this way...

Anyone else have a crazy early prediction they want to share?

It's not over until it's over.

2009-12-21T15:27:00.001-08:00

This is the part where I have to share a small victory with you that has entirely nothing to do with the subject of this blog...

I'm done with finals!

This may sound like a small feat to you, but after this semester of research, reading, writing, revising, lather, rinse, repeat, I'm feeling like a million bucks. It was a challenging one, but I am so happy with the work I've gotten out of myself.

That being said, the Oscars are just over two months away now, and despite spending several Saturdays in the theater, I feel so behind!

In the coming weeks, I will be seeing/reviewing the following films:
The Lovely Bones
Invictus
The Blind Side
~~Avatar~~
Crazy Heart
It's Complicated
A Single Man
~~Nine~~
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Messenger
The Last Station
~~Sherlock Holmes~~ (you know you want to see this one...)
The Young Victoria

Along with as many eligible docs and foreign films I can get my hands on.

I will also be taking on the completely unoriginal task of compiling my top ten of the decade, and perhaps a few other extras. Hold on to your hats, kids.

I think it's worth mentioning that although I've shown favoritism to The Hurt Locker recently, especially after it's recent critical awards success, this race is not even close to being over.

Last night, I learned from Anne Thompson's twitter feed that the Academy screening of Avatar was a resounding success—"packed house, huge applause," she says. I'm tempted to agree with her when she says, "it's now the one to beat," but again, it's not over until it's over.

A look at 2009

2009-12-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

This video has been circulating the web today, and I thought it served as a nice reminder of how much I've enjoyed this year in film.

Many have said to me that they think it's a weak year, but I just can't agree with them. Especially coming off of last year (now THAT, my friends, is a weak year...), I have really enjoyed the innovation and variety that 2009 has offered me.

There's quite a bit missing from the video—namely Bright Star (did ANYONE else besides me see this beautiful little movie?), An Education, and A Single Man.

Enjoy. And AMPAS should really consider themselves lucky that this is the first year of ten Best Picture nominations.

SAG Nominations: The Hurt Locker continues to build momentum...

2009-12-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

It's still hard for me to believe that this little movie I saw over the summer has turned out to be such a frontrunner in this year's Oscar race.

When I saw Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker this past July, I knew I had seen something we'd be talking about for years—a war drama that elegantly focuses on a core of three characters. The film tackles the Middle East like no other film, divorced from politics and agenda-pushing. It's an incredible look at one of the most dangerous jobs anyone has ever had to do (disarming bombs), and it let's us into the minds of three men who must do this every day.

I won't be so bold as to say that the film will win Best Picture, but I will say that it is the clear frontrunner at this time. That is, especially after the SAG nominations were announced this morning.

The important thing to remember about the SAGs is that they are a very good indicator of what AMPAS might go for. SAG and AMPAS have many mutual members, and the actors make up a large part of the AMPAS collective.

The biggest winner here, as you might gather from above, is The Hurt Locker, which scored both an Ensemble Acting nomination (the SAG equivalent of Best Picture) and a nomination for Jeremy Renner for Best Lead Actor.

Another film that was heavily rewarded today is Inglourious Basterds, which I believe we can now safely include in our predictions for a Best Picture nomination. Tarrantino's film nabbed nominations for Best Ensemble, Best Supporting Actor (I think Waltz's name is already engraved on that Oscar...) and Best Supporting Actress, Diane Kruger. It's not likely that Kruger's nomination will translate to the Oscar (I believe that spot will go to Julianne Moore), but it's a surefire indication that Harvey Wenstein's campaign engine is hard at work these days.

And while I'm very pleased with the nominations for Kendrick, Clooney, and Farminga, I'm shocked to learn that Up in the Air missed out on Best Ensemble. It really doesn't quite make sense, given the other nominations it received. I don't think it will have a great effect on the film's nomination chances for Best Picture, but it does seem to say something about it's chances of winning. If the acting section of voters did not recognize the film for Best Ensemble at the SAGS, it might mean that they're not thinking about the film as a frontrunner for Best Picture. Just a thought.

Oh, and I think I need to retire Bright Star to my list of films that are too good for AMPAS.

Full list of the film acting nominations after the cut.

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds
Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Ensemble
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
Precious

Best Stunt Ensemble
Public Enemies
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Golden Globe Nominations—Reactions

2009-12-15T16:32:00.001-08:00

I wish my time management skills were in better shape (and you'd think they would be, considering I'm going on my 20th year of continuous education), but they're not. And I didn't get a chance to properly report the Oscar happenings of this week.

If you'd like to know the winners of the Los Angeles Film Critics, the New York Film Critics, the Boston Film Critics, or any other small critical awards extension, visit one of the sites on the sidebar for an update. You'll likely find the name The Hurt Locker in there somewhere.

The BFCA (Broadcast Film Critics Association) announced their nominations a few days ago, and you can see who they've recognized here.

If you're into predicting the Oscars, in all honesty, you should probably pay more attention to the above information than what I'm about to show you.

This morning, the nominations for the 67th Golden Globe Awards show were announced. Some were bad, some were good, some were surprising, and a whole lot of them were unsurprising. However, there's something to keep in mind here...

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the organization that hosts and votes for the GG awards) shares about 7 or 8 members with AMPAS. And for that reason, we shouldn't place too much stock into their choices. If it sounds like it shouldn't be there, it probably won't be in the Oscar nominations.

And with that in mind, I'd say that the following people got a boost today:
500 Days of Summer
Sandra Bullock (for The Blind Side)
Inglourious Basterds
District 9 (for screenplay)
Woody Harrelson
Vera Farminga
The Fantastic Mr. Fox (may give Up a run for its money...)

These people were snubbed, but it doesn't really matter:
Jeremy Renner
If he gets a SAG nomination on Thursday, he's in for Oscar—just ask Melissa Leo and Richard Jenkins.
Abbie Cornish
I'm still aboard the Cornish/Bright Star train, and I'm not convinced by her Globe snub that she's out of contention. After a SAG snub, I'll concede.
A Serious Man
It's just not their style—no big stars, pint-sized budget, and a little too eccentric.

All in all, I'm actually quite pleased with HFPA.

Creation misses out on 2009 awards consideration

2009-12-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

A week or so ago, my friend Veronica asked me something I had been wondering myself lately:

"Whatever happened to Creation?"

Caught up in exams and catching up with new releases, I had forgotten about one of the films I was so looking forward to earlier this year. (If you're still unsure of what film I'm referring to, revisit the trailer here.)

According to the film's website, the film's U.S. distributors have stuck Creation with a January release date (the dump month for films—it will never be considered for Oscars here). As such, the film is past the deadline of release for 2009 awards consideration in America. However, as it will be released across the pond later this month, it could still pull some BAFTA noms, and I hope that it does.

And on an unrelated note, posting may be somewhat light over the next two weeks. I'm wrapping up a challenging semester at school, and I'm just not sure what I'll be able to commit to at this time. Of course, it's also possible that I'll post more than ever, especially considering that I *should* be writing a paper this very minute and not posting in my blog.

We'll see what happens.

Trailer Tuesday: Broken Embraces

2009-12-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how much longer Trailer Tuesday will be able to sustain itself, seeing as most of the films we're talking about have either already been released or are well on their way to the theaters. Also, I'm just running out of ideas. This should be apparent by today's feature, considering it is not even eligible for the Best Foreign Picture Oscar.

This is an example of a tragedy caused by some of the asinine rules for Oscar voting. In the Foreign Film category, each country can only submit ONE FILM for consideration. Can you imagine? What if the BAFTA's did this to us? Unbelievable.

Anyway, that's the rule, and like it or not, the Spanish selection committee decided to go with The Dancer and the Thief (say what?) instead. Because Almodover is somewhat of a celebrity (or at least closer to a household name than any other Spanish director), some might find this shocking. However, his relationship with Spain is somewhat questionable. This was especially apparent in 2002 when he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Talk to Her, his film that they did not submit for the Best Foreign Picture award (idiots).

So, while this film will not likely play a role in the 2010 Oscar ceremony (although I'm still hoping the Academy will recognize Penelope Cruz here, and not for Nine), ~~I'm running out of options~~ I felt it was worth a look.

NBR loves Up in the Air

2009-12-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Since 1920, the National Board of Review has selected its top ten best films of the year in December, naming one winner from the ten. They have since expanded their ceremony to include a full set of categories, including the usual Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and Best Director.

This year, Up in the Air has been selected as their winner for Best Picture (the film also nabbed Best Adapted Screenplay for Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner). This is great news for the film, as only one of the past ten NBR winners have failed to receive a Best Picture nomination from AMPAS (Quills, in 2001). And while I don't have a solid statistic off the top of my head, their top tens are often a good estimate of what we might see in January when the nominations are announced.

So what's surprising here? Well, you may notice that Nine, The Lovely Bones, and Precious are absent from the list. And while I'm not convinced that this will hurt Precious *that* much in the race, it certainly does not bode well for the other two titles. I say that mostly because the NBR tends to be drawn to flashier, visual films (see their inclusion of Star Trek and Where the Wild Things Are), and Precious is neither of those things. Though, their snubbing Mo'Nique for Best Supporting Actress stings a bit.

Don't be too alarmed by the Eastwood lovin'. NBR is notorious for handing out undeserved recognition to Clint.

Full list of winners after the cut.

Best Picture
Up in the Air by Jason Reitman

Ten Best Films
(in alphabetical order)
An Education
(500) Days of Summer
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
The Messenger
A Serious Man
Star Trek
Up
Where the Wild Things Are

Best Director
Clint Eastwood, Invictus

Best Actor
Morgan Freeman, Invictus and George Clooney, Up In The Air (tie)

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Supporting Actor
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Best Supporting Actress
Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air

Best Foreign Film
A Prophet

Best Documentary
The Cove

Best Animated Feature
Up

Best Ensemble Cast
It’s Complicated

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Breakthrough Performance by an Actress
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut
Duncan Jones, Moon, Oren Moverman, The Messenger and Marc Webb, (500) Days of Summer (tie)

Best Original Screenplay
Joel & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up In The Air

Special Filmmaking Achievement Award
Wes Anderson, The Fantastic Mr. Fox

William K. Everson Film History Award
Jean Picker Firstenberg

NBR Freedom of Expression
Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country
Invictus
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellseberg and the Pentagon Papers

Five Best Foreign-Language Films
(in alphabetical order)
The Maid
Revanche
Song of Sparrows
Three Monkeys
The White Ribbon

Five Best Documentaries
(in alphabetical order)
Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country
Crude
Food Inc.
Good Hair
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellseberg and the Pentagon Papers

Top Ten Independent Films
(in alphabetical order)
Amreeka
District 9
Goodbye Solo
Humpday
In the Loop
Julia
Me and Orson Welles
Moon
Sugar
Two Lovers

Trailer Tuesday: Avatar

2009-12-01T17:37:00.000-08:00

Director James Cameron has had Avatar on his to-do list for quite a while. Fifteen YEARS, in fact. To say that this is a project he feels strongly about would be a cruel understatement.

According to various sources, Cameron has said ever since completing that giant vessel of profit, Titanic, he would go on to make Avatar. Earlier still, he began developing the script in 1994 (which, to be frank, is what scares me most about this film). He envisioned a science fiction story brought to life with cutting edge technology. After seeing Gollum in Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Cameron reportedly saw Avatar as a real possibility amid breakthroughs in CGI and visual effects.

As I alluded to in my last post, Avatar has not and will not be screened before an audience until December 10th, which is a bit risky in many ways. From an awards perspective, that's extremely late in the game; and while it builds hype, it shuts the film outside the nomination window for a handful of precursors. From a box office perspective, it means that word of mouth is not as strong, and a film with this type of budget can't afford to lose viewers.

Have a look at the trailer:

Avatar is a science fiction story about a young parapalegic man who is offered a second chance when selected to participate in an "Avatar" program. He is sent to Pandora, an extraterrestrial moon and home of the indigenous Navi. A war breaks out pitting humans against the Navi when they threaten the Navi's land and indigenous culture.

I'm intrigued, but I have to say that I have very little confidence in James Cameron's writing (okay, again with the understatements). We all cringed through Titanic's abysmal dialogue ten years ago, and I'm betting that Avatar will have some similar moments.

However, the effects. Oh, the visual effects. They are clearly the work of a masterful artist. And for that reason alone, I'm on the edge of my seat.

Final Four: Invictus, The Lovely Bones, Nine, and the mysterious Avatar...

2009-11-28T17:26:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how elated I am in having managed to see this many films so far this season when we haven't even rolled into December yet. Thank you, Boston theaters, for acquiring the good stuff while it's still fresh (you know, before the slate's been dirtied by hundreds of other reviewers).

That being said, there are still four whoppers left on my list that I will need to see before the season's over—Invictus, The Lovely Bones, Nine, and Avatar. Of course, there are likely others that we are still unaware of at this point, hidden behind studio doors.

Reviews are slowly trickling in for the first three, but many bloggers whose sites I frequent (again, my links on the side should be a sufficient citation), have been asked not to technically review the films yet. They can talk about them, mention them in passing, etc. (I'm still not really clear on the rules of this "embargo" many of them have been complaining about), but they cannot draft a full-fledged review. However, some thoughts here and there have made it through the gate...

Invictus
Seems to be a solid contender for Best Picture and Best Actor (Morgan Freeman). Anne Thompson of The Hollywood Reporter (a critic I've admired for years) appears to be very touched by the subtlety Clint has managed here, but she says that that may backfire for him in the Director race.

The Lovely Bones
Kris Tapley called this one "dangerously close to a masterpiece," which makes me very excited. However, he appears to be in the minority, as the others have asserted that the film is overproduced and perhaps too much of a departure from the original source (sign me up). Seems like Best Picture is looking less likely for this one, but Ronan and Tucci are as strong as ever for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

Nine
All style, no substance (which is what I'd feared since the beginning). Looks like another Memoirs of a Geisha for Rob Marshall.

...and then there is Avatar, which NO ONE has seen, perhaps not even James Cameron himself. This is an interesting marketing approach for a film that some reports show cost its studio a couple billion dollars to make. I'm still getting to know this film (expect an analysis of the trailer sometime soon), but I have a feeling this has disaster written all over it. Regardless, its surrounding mystery has kept it in the running.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving holiday this morning.

For various reasons, I'm spending my first major holiday away from my family in favor of spending it with friends in Boston. It feels strange, but in the spirit of new traditions, I'm making the best of my time today.

For example, I'll be watching Pieces of April (2003), and perhaps I'll be able to persuade you to do the same.

Written and directed by Peter Hedges (What's Eating Gilbert Grape), Pieces of April details the Thanksgiving holiday of a rebellious daughter (played by Katie Holmes, but I promise you she's not awful here) living in New York City with her boyfriend who invites her estranged family over for dinner. Patricia Clarkson plays her mother, and she was even nominated for an Oscar for this role in 2004.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for, and that includes everyone reading this blog.

Life is Precious.

2009-11-22T17:27:00.000-08:00

This is the part where I admit that I was wrong to judge a film by its trailer; although, I suppose about 50% of this blog does just that...

Lee Daniels' Precious does not descend into the manipulative melodrama I had anticipated. Rather, it is a raw, honest look into a child's journey towards self-empowerment. I'm now convinced that the Tyler Perry, Lifetime crowd-pleasing trailer is nothing but a marketing ploy that misrepresents the film to draw in a more mainstream audience. Whatever works, I suppose, but it completely lowered my expectations going in.

The film possesses perhaps the greatest ensemble of actors I've seen in the past three years, with not a weak link to be found in the mix. For her first movie, Gabby Sibide is mesmerizing as our leading lady. To watch her grow from a child who has kept mum for years about her abuse to a strong, confidant young woman is fascinating, and Sibide never falters. Given that the Academy loves a great first-time performance, I think she's a safe bet for Best Actress.

But the real surprise here is Mo'Nique, longtime standup and comedic actress, who plays Precious' abusive mother. With her command of this dramatic performance, you'd think Mo'Nique has been doing this for years. She made me feel so much hate and pity towards her character in those two hours.

This review does not come without criticisms though, and at the top of my list is credibility. At a glance, Precious appears to be a composite character of many headlines from the 1980s, as a victim of depression, illiteracy, poverty, HIV, unwanted pregnancies, and physical and sexual abuse. It just seems to me like a lot of problems to load onto one character, however insensitive that may sound.

Regardless, Precious is a well-crafted drama that the Academy will likely fawn over, and I'm now predicting nominations in many major categories.

Trailer Tuesday: A Single Man

2009-11-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

After taking stock of some of the films we've been talking about this season, I realize that we're dealing with a really interesting collective of directors. There are the old dogs—Clint Eastwood of Invictus and Lee Daniels of Precious; women *gasp* directors—Jane Campion of Bright Star, Kathryn Bigelow of The Hurt Locker, and Lone Scherfig of An Education; and then there those of the next generation—Jason Reitman of Up in the Air.

From our last category, Tom Ford emerges as the first-time director of A Single Man.

Not to be confused with A Serious Man, the latest brainchild of Joel and Ethan Coen, A Single Man tells the story of an English professor coping with the death of his longtime partner. Colin Firth plays the protagonist, George, and Julianne Moore plays his closest friend, Charlotte, who helps him through this rough time.

This is quite possibly the most beautiful trailer I have seen yet for a film to be released this year. I'm not sure about Ford's background, but for a first-time director, he has an impressive grasp of movement, color, and cuts; the trailer reminds me of Daldry's The Hours or the underrated de Palma film, The Black Dahlia. It appears to visually capture 1960s style and culture very well, perhaps much to the chagrin of the filmmakers of An Education. Here we have a high tension thriller that looks and feels like an Oscar winner. Will it deliver?

Many have already singled (no pun intended) out Firth for a nomination, asserting that he's A) well-liked and possibly considered overdue within the community, and B) his performance is subtle, yet meticulous and moving. However, subtle does not necessarily win you an Oscar, especially when Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) and Bill Murray (Lost in Translation) couldn't pull it off.

A Trailer Tuesday Update

2009-11-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

The trailer for Jeff Bridges vehicle, Crazy Heart:

Have a look and let me know what you think. ~~I told you so.~~

How much does your life weigh?

2009-11-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

In fact, my life appears to weigh quite a bit, because it's taken me nearly a week to write a review of Up in the Air. Somewhere between midterms and a trip home to Virginia, I just haven't gotten around to sharing my thoughts until today.

As I said in my comments on the trailer, Up in the Air follows Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a man who fires people for a living. Faced with new technology from recent college grad Natalie (Anna Kendrick) that could potentially eliminate the need for his life of travel, Bingham defends his techniques on a cross country jetset accompanied by Natalie. Somewhere along the way, he finds himself confronting issues he'd never encountered before, grappling with the idea that maybe he wants exactly what he has always dismissed as uninteresting and conventional desires in life.

As I gushed in an earlier entry, I have seen and loved everything Jason Reitman has ever filmed, and that now includes Up in the Air. Reitman takes us right inside the first class, frequent-flyer lifestyle of Ryan Bingham's travels, and in the same two hours, we begin to see how easily his tough exterior is penetrated as he begins to consider what life might be like with some attachments, some added weight to his backpack.

I wish there was some way Clooney could give back that Oscar for Syriana he received in 2006, as it gives a whole new meaning to the term "make-up award." That's the problem with awarding someone an Oscar just because they're overdue (many Academy voters have actually admitted to voting this way), a couple years later, they'll turn out a performance that is actually deserving and they won't win.

I've been somewhat hard on actors like Clooney in the past, because when you're that much of a movie star, sometimes it's hard to distinguish the performance from the way the actor is perceived in real life. Clooney is certainly guilty of playing himself in many roles, and I really thought that given the similarities Clooney shares with the character of Ryan Bingham, this performance would be no different. However, in my opinion, Clooney acted his heart out in this movie, and it may not be a total transformation (Like Penn's Harvey Milk or Day-Lewis' Daniel Plainview), but if anyone BUT Clooney had taken on this role, we wouldn't care about the character or believe him, and in that situation, the film would fall flat. It wouldn't work if Ryan Bingham were a one-dimensional, self-absorbed ass we couldn't care less about.

And if we're talking about performances in this film, the supporting ladies are just as integral to the film's success. I didn't know who Anna Kendrick was before seeing this film (her second or third movie?), but she brings to the table an unforgettable performance that is commanding, layered, and vulnerable. As a woman just out of college, Natalie is at a point in her life where we want to do it all--plan and nurture a successful career, meet someone, make a family, etc. It's not as easy as it looks, but Kendrick brings that sense of urgency to her character in a way that is extremely relatable. Vera Farminga, Clooney's love interest, is equally brilliant as Alex, a women just as driven and ambitious as Natalie, just 15 years older. The two characters collide in a very poignant way.

For Jason Reitman's third movie, Up in the Air is a captivating triumph. Neither drama or comedy, the film is a study of its characters' desires in life. It's also worth mentioning that Reitman handles the timeliness of his subject beautifully--portraying a man who fires people for a living in a time when more than 10% of Americans are out of work. His use of recently laid off Americans as extras for the firing scenes is particularly affecting. Reitman's direction is thoughtful and meticulous, letting the actors do the heavy lifting by not adding in bars of score to signal an emotional scene. It's a pleasure to watch him grow as a director, and Up in the Air is undoubtedly his greatest achievement thus far.

Trailer Tuesday: Crazy Heart

2009-11-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm bending the rules for Trailer Tuesday slightly, because the film I'd like to discuss does not actually have one yet. In fact, it's still in the editing room, but after a few very successful test screens, Crazy Heart's 2010 release date has been moved to a more Oscar-friendly December 1l, 2009 (but only in very limited LA and NYC coverage, of course).

Here's a short clip of Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell filming:

Crazy Heart will explore the life of the fictitious "Bad Blake," an aging country music legend coming to terms with his dwindling fame at the hands of younger talent. Reduced to smokey bar gigs and opening acts, Bad Blake grapples with the slow and merciless death of his career.

Sound familiar?

If it's anything close to last year's critical darling, Aronofsky's The Wrestler, this will likely make for a strong Oscar vehicle for veteran (and Oscarless) actor, Jeff Bridges. Of course, I'm making a loaded statement off of plot description alone, but you can't deny that the similarities are substantial. Perhaps Bridges will fare better than Rourke did in last year's race? In all honesty, I hope he pulls it off.

It's hard to say whether the film will garner awards recognition in other categories; most of the praise has singled out Bridges' performance. Although, there is opportunity for Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays Bad Blake's journalist, single mother love interest (Marisa Tomei, anyone? I suppose journalist is not that far removed from stripper). Not unlike The Wrestler, the film also has considerable potential in music categories, although the rules for anything music-related in the Academy are pretty messed up, which is why we saw Bollywood, and not Bruce Springsteen, onstage making a clean sweep last year.

Again, I hate to make such generalizations without having actually seen the film, but I can't ignore such a blatantly obvious comparison. But having said that, this piggybacking has not been an issue in the past (from Ray to Walk the Line, from Traffic to 21 Grams...) It's hard to say whether the similarities will help for hinder the film's (or Bridges') chances.

And I haven't forgotten about Up in the Air (quite the opposite). A review is in the works...

A Night with Jason Reitman

2009-11-08T20:30:00.001-08:00

Around 10pm last night, as I'm working away diligently on a Saturday night finishing up a paper, I discovered via Jason Reitman's twitter account that Paramount was offering a free screening of Up in the Air this evening, with a Q&A with Reitman thereafter.

Of course, my initial reaction was to text everyone I knew in Boston, perform an exhaustive Google search for details, and plan to see the film I was most anticipating. This was too good to be true, and I was going no matter what.

Although we had to jump through some hoops to actually get into the theater, my friends and I were able to weasel our way in. I was reminded of the time Hannah and I held up a long line of PT Anderson fans to see There Will Be Blood in Chicago. I can be scary sometimes when it comes to film screenings.

The film was absolutely fantastic. I will write up a review tomorrow (I need some time to let it sink in a little), but I should mention that it was my favorite film experience of the year so far.

The Q&A with Reitman was an absolute blast. He kept saying that this is the film he's wanted to make since he started directing, his most important and personal project.

For some reason, I was completely starstruck and nervous when I went up to him for an autograph after the film. Rather than saying something intelligent like:

1. Hey, my father is a management consultant. Thanks for a compelling and thoughtful portrayal of someone in that profession.
2. I'm excited that I can still say that I've loved every film you've made so far.
3. Thank you for your time. I really enjoyed it.

Instead, I found myself babbling something about how I'm sorry I only had a ratty notebook for him to sign, that I was writing my thesis in this notebook and that it was the only thing I had on me for him to sign.

Here's his message to me:

Do we have a host?

2009-11-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

AMPAS' announcement of their Oscar host — or, it would seem, "hosts" — must be upon us. Throughout the day, there has been some quiet gossip about who we might see on stage at the Kodak Theater this March. Any guesses? Alright...

A few days ago, the AP reported that Hugh Jackman had been offered the gig again...

Jackman respectfully declined, citing scheduling conflicts. And to be honest, it's got to be a tough gig to prepare for two years in a row. So, another offer was extended...

This unusual pair also declined. Thank GOD.

So, here's option C.

Fingers crossed. Way to go, AMPAS!

FYC: Where the Wild Things Are, Best Art Direction

2009-10-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

In thinking about Where the Wild Things Are, I'd like to use other children's book adaptations as a reference for comparison...except that I honestly haven't seen that many. To add to my ignorance, I also have never read the book (I did, however, beg my parents to rent this and this about 7 million times — the very beginning of my modest career as a film buff). I went into the theater with a clear mind, as an alternative to the recently panned Amelia, and with no expectations.

Where the Wild Things Are is an impressive exploration of a lonely child's imagination, complete with conflict, characterization, and life lessons in integrity. Yet, in the same two hours, we're subjected to absurdity, slapstick comedy, and goop. While I'm amazed that writers Spike Jonze and David Eggers (yawn) were able to accomplish what they did — turn a 15 page picture book into a 2 hour feature that tackles the complex realities of childhood — I can't help but feel that they were stuck between two worlds. The films attempts to offer something for both young and old audiences, and I'm afraid that they've bit off more than they could chew.

This is not to say that there is nothing to admire here. The film visually and emotionally captures what it's like to be a child, from the uncertainty of your surroundings to the manic highs and lows. An eclectic soundtrack set to reels of beautifully vast forests and panoramic shots of mini-villages will leave you feeling as though you're right inside Max's imagination. For me, that's not enough, but it's something you'll have to see for yourself.

Trailer Tuesday: Invictus

2009-10-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

After several months of keeping tight-lipped on the details of his latest film, Clint Eastwood, that wretched genius of a man, has finally decided to grace us with a trailer for Invictus.

Click Here for the Apple Exclusive.

Here's the catch. I can't embed it here; you need to follow the above link to Apple and watch it in Quicktime. If you can't be bothered to do so, check back in a bit. I'll embed as soon as I can get my pirate's hook on a YouTube upload.

As long as I keep my eyes away from last year's Gran Torino, I can boast nothing but praise for the legendary director who brought Unforgiven, Mystic River, and Letters from Iwo Jima to the screen. He may have the social grace of a venomous cobra, but Eastwood knows how to pack an emotional punch in a masterful way. And judging from the trailer, his biography of Nelson Mandella appears to be just what we expected it might be all along — without so much as a screencap to go on — a real contender for Best Picture.

Updated 10/29 — Now let me know what you think!

My Top Ten of the Year—so far...

2009-10-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

With November approaching, Oscar Season is officially in full swing. Some films have emerged out of nowhere, now gaining momentum that could propel into December and January. Others that entertained massive amounts of hype prior to their release have since fizzled out of the race. As of right now, what films are in your top 10 of the year so far? Have a look at mine...

10. An Education

9. Public Enemies

8. Away We Go

7. Capitalism: A Love Story

6. (500) Days of Summer

5. Up

4. A Serious Man

3. Inglourious Basterds

2. Bright Star

1. The Hurt Locker

And for the love of God, don't mention the names Amelia or Hilary Swank after this weekend's critical bomb...

Catching up with October releases...

2009-10-18T19:32:00.001-07:00

One great advantage of living in Boston, for someone like me, is the wealth of arty films available to me in the theater. Living in Virginia for 22 years, I rarely watched anything worth my 10 bucks in the month of October.

This year, I'm making the most of my resources, and I've now seen Moore's audacious doc, Capitalism: A Love Story, the Coen Brothers' latest, A Serious Man, and one of the year's most anticipated dramas, An Education.

While I'm still pissed that I'm not seeing Scorsese's Shutter Island this month, I have plenty to say about our October releases.

FYC: Best Documentary Feature, Capitalism: A Love Story

Although often controversial and heavy-handed, Michael Moore has worked to unearth the US government's best kept secrets for twenty years now. His better films skillfully combine comedy, tragedy, and historical perspective, and he achieves this mixture with Capitalism. While I can't assert that Moore's investigation is impartial, I can tell you that he succeeds in telling a story that calls attention to some of the most appalling corruption you'll ever hear about. Moore digs up the dirt, and it's up to you to educate yourself. I spent a handful of hours looking up "Dead Peasants Insurance" following the conclusion of the film. Of course, technically, there's nothing here to rave about, but as I watched Moore wrap crime scene tape around the corporate offices of AIG, I knew Moore had done his best work since Bowling for Columbine.

FYC: Best Actor, Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man

In perhaps their darkest comedy yet, the Coens explore somewhat personal territory in A Serious Man, which follows a Jewish family in the 1960s Midwestern suburbs. Michael Stuhlbarg plays Larry Gopnik, a physics professor who is so down on his luck, with an unraveling marriage, a deadbeat brother, and his pending tenure appointment. Gopnik is one of my favorite Coen characters ever brought to the screen, and I can't imagine anyone but Stuhlbarg in the role.

The Coens are never in the business of making films to please the crowds, and A Serious Man is no exception. *Slight spoilers ahead* I remember watching the Coen's adaptation of No Country for Old Men in 2007, and more importantly, I remember the audience's reaction to the ending. When Tommy Lee Jones finished his ending monologue and the screen faded to black, the air was thick with uncertainty. Some people said they wanted their money back, or that they wanted to see the confrontation between Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones that never happened. Meanwhile, others of us in the theater left in thoughtful silence. The lack of resolution, in many of the Coens' films, A Serious Man included, is more powerful than any climactic duel could manage. The resolution is obsolete.

FYC: Best Actress, Carey Mulligan, An Education

I can't help but feel as though, as one of the most anticipated films of the year, An Education was a complete letdown. The film felt rushed in some places, slow in others. A few subplots were dropped in here and there, but then not carried out by the end of the film. Some of the film seemed very maudlin and contrived. I can't help but feel like the story had so much potential, but the writing and directing prevented any sort of edge. We're left with a dull, formulaic Lolita tale that attempts to literally spell out the message behind its title.

However, the actors entirely make up for all this. While Mulligan did not quite live up to her deafening hype this season, her performance is a beautiful collision of innocence and intellect. Sarsgaard equally throws himself into the character of Jenny's smarmy suitor, and he is superb in his role. I felt uncomfortable every minute he was on screen. Even the supporting performances, especially from Molina and Pike, carried us through this pretentious mess.

But then again, the Academy does need ten nominees this year...

Trailer Tuesday: Nine

2009-10-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Musicals often hit or miss with the Academy. In the early part of the 20th Century, they were awarded Best Picture left and right. But after Cabaret's nomination in 1972, the musical genre went generally unrecognized until the new millennium. Nowadays, when they're kind of good, they win Best Picture (Chicago in 2003), and when they're great but perhaps too edgy, they don't (Moulin Rouge! in 2002). Based on the above trailer, I'd say that Rob Marshall's Nine is something the Academy will fawn over.

I'll preface this by saying that I know almost nothing about the stage version of Nine. In fact, I'm not a big fan of musicals on the stage in general. I am, however, a fan of well made film versions of stage musicals, and I drooled over this trailer when I saw it before Bright Star on Sunday. Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, and Rob Marshall? Yes, please.

With Rob Marshall at the helm, the best we can hope for Nine is that it's over-the-top, but not too over-the-top (as in, Chicago, not Memoirs of a Geisha). If he manages to pull this off, Marshall will have multiple nominations on hand for Nine.

My real question is, with so many contenders, where will the acting be recognized? My bets are on for a Day-Lewis nomination, because really, he's been nominated for almost all of the performances on his resume. I'm having more trouble deciding which of the ladies will be recognized. And with so little knowledge of the content, it's hard for me to play that guessing game.

It looks like, at the very least, there's a lot of opportunity for technical recognition. And if it's really a hit, we're looking at multiple major category nominations here.

FYC: Bright Star—Best Actress, Abbie Cornish

2009-10-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

In an earlier Trailer Tuesday, I discussed the highly anticipated Jane Campion project, Bright Star.

Having now seen the film, I can safely say that, after fifteen years, Campion remains one of the industry's most skilled directors. She holds the genre of period pieces firmly in hand.

For Campion, Bright Star is a beautiful triumph. Everything from costumes to lighting to color to editing to dialogue (and lack of dialogue) was absolutely stunning. Forget Joe Wright, Campion has been doing this for years, and her latest project is as visually and emotionally enchanting as ever.

The two leads, Cornish and Whishaw, have taken on the nearly impossible task of creating a credible romance out of longing looks and minimal contact. The film offers one of the hottest sex scenes of the decade, and the actors were fully clothed and chaste.

But the real standout of the film is Abbie Cornish, and this will likely be her career best performance. She pulls off an incredible balancing act of playing a woman who is both rebellious and outspoken, but also delicate and capable of love.

Look out for a clean sweep in visuals: cinematography, costumes, and art direction are all locked up as far as I'm concerned.

Trailer Tuesday: Precious

2009-09-29T18:13:00.001-07:00

I have been avoiding this post for months now.

You may recall from the Guide to 2009 my complete disinterest in Lee Daniels' Precious.

Endorsed by Tyler Perry and Oprah (Crash, anyone?), Precious details the life of a young girl with unwanted pregnancies, an abusive mother, and a reluctance to rise above it all.

As I said, I've been avoiding the deafening buzz surrounding this film for several months now, since its trailer release in front of Away We Go (which I saw with my friend Caitlin, Hey Walls!). However, everyone's talking about this ~~Lifetime Television for Women~~ film, and I would be remiss as your resident Oscarologist not to share the trailer with you.

I'll gladly man up and admit that I've been wrong in the past about several films, most recently Slumdog Millionaire. However, I can tell you right now that, if the right reviews come in, I'll be dragging my feet to Loews with lead in my shoes.

Let's talk 2010 Host...

2009-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to sidestep the fact that I've not written in this blog for TWELVE DAYS (blame my graduate education) and dive right into an issue that is very important to me.

Who will host the 2010 Oscars?

We still have a few months before they'll release this information (last year's host Hugh Jackman was not announced until mid-December), but many are already speculating that it will be the return of Billy Crystal, which would make me as happy as a german shepherd on a snow day.

See video for further explanation:

Crystal has hosted the Oscars a total of eight times in his career, which puts him right behind Bob Hope in most ceremonies hosted. With his signature montages, engaging musical numbers, and hilarious jokes that rarely come at the expense of those targeted in the industry, Crystal has something for everyone to love. His ceremonies are among the highest rated of the show's history.

However, there's no denying that Hugh Jackman breathed new life into the ceremony last year. The show saw a 6 percent increase in viewership and was met with overwhelmingly enthusiastic praise. Jackman rocked it, and we can't ignore that.

See video for further explanation:

So, while many have asserted other exciting possibilities like Neil Patrick Harris (who hosted the 2009 Emmy's), Ricky Gervais, and Conan O'Brien, I'd rather have Crystal back for one last hurrah. Jackman will likely not want to come back for a double header. And if we can't have Jackman, I'd like to see Mr. Crystal take the stage again.

Trailer Tuesday: Up in the Air

2009-09-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for several weeks now to talk about Jason Reitman's third film, Up in the Air. Reitman has openly discussed his production process on Twitter, often posting pictures of his crew and sharing small successes with his fans (like when he got the film under two hours). Since I've been along for the ride for a few months now, I feel prematurely invested in the project. Thankfully, it appears to have paid off, as evidenced by the raves out of Toronto.

As far as I'm concerned, Reitman has already hit two out of the park with Thank You For Smoking in 2005 and Juno in 2007. It's refreshing to see a young filmmaker (Reitman is 32) who really knows how to develop a group of characters, to make his audience care about them in a way that seems effortless.

Up in the Air stars George Clooney, in what many are referring to as an incredibly vulnerable and powerful performance (I'd better not see Danny Ocean on screen again!), as a "corporate downsizing expert" whose job inherently requires him to travel several days a week. He grapples with his life of travel, a bad economy, and a reluctance to form close relationships.

Reitman has said in many interviews that Up in the Air is his "most personal" film yet. It's interesting that he says so, because this film appears to tackle familiar territory for me as well. As a "management consultant," my father has spent the majority of his career (and my childhood) flying out Monday morning, returning Thursday evening. I can't tell you how much respect I have for my parents in making their relationship work through the distance.

Perhaps I'm a victim of my own optimism, but I really feel that Reitman's film will be among the best of the year. The trailer (which I believe Reitman cut himself) beautifully captures the blend of comedy and drama that we saw in Thank You For Smoking.

I absolutely cannot wait to see this film.

Toronto, Telluride, and Venice...

2009-09-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

Although we are three quarters of the way through the calendar year, the awards season has only just begun. Each September, I find myself feeling more and more drawn to the theater, as we're now getting to the good stuff.

That is not to say that I haven't already seen a handful of award worthy films — I hope that the Academy will remember Up, The Hurt Locker, and *gasp* Inglourious Basterds come January. I doubt that (500) Days of Summer will make it, and I also don't know if I still believe it ought to.

Another reason to be excited for September is that the film festivals are in full swing, and many critics, journalists, and industry insiders are now beginning to see the films the rest of us are really anticipating. One year, when I have the cash, I'd like to visit Toronto for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) myself. TIFF is widely considered the "launch pad" for the most buzzed about films.

Since I can't be there myself, I've been reliant on other bloggers (see links to your right) for their thoughts, reactions, and reviews to films opening this week. And in a sweeping generalization, this is what I've gathered:

1. Films with overwhelmingly outstanding reviews and very little criticism:
A Serious Man (Coen Brothers)
Up in the Air (Jason Reitman)
Capitalism: A Love Story (Michael Moore)
Precious (Lee Daniels)
An Education (Lone Scherfig)

2. Films that are met with mixed reviews:
Creation (Jon Amiel)
The Informant! (Steven Soderbergh)

3. Films that are disappointing:
Bright Star (Jane Campion)
The Road (John Hillcoat...who?)

...and we still have ten more days of Toronto to go.

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling very optimistic at this point in the season. Kris Tapley has already projected that this year will be the best of the decade for film (although, the man does seem overly positive at times). After the disaster we were served last year, I'm excited to go to the movies again.

Trailer Tuesday: The Informant!

2009-09-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

I don't have very much to say, other than 1) this looks very similar to last year's Coen brothers conundrum, Burn After Reading, and 2) Matt Damon is widely considered overdue (gag).

Trailer Tuesday: Amelia

2009-09-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Hey! Didn't you get the memo that today is actually Tuesday? No? Okay...

So, I had to miss yet another TT this week, but I have a great reason this time.

For about a week, my eyes have been kinda-sorta sensitive to light. I figured it was probably just too much time in front of the tube; but by Monday night, I realized that looking at a computer screen for more than 30 second felt like fifteen serrated knives into my corneas. After some scary internet searches that offered many "potentially blinding" suggestions, I made a trip to my optomitrist for some antibiotics. And if you are a fellow contact lens wearer, might I recommend that you NEVER SLEEP IN YOUR LENSES.

Anyway, for the sake of reviving Trailer Tuesday, I'd like to pretend that today is not Thursday. After all, there are many trailers to discuss...

I've been following Mira Nair's Amelia Earhart project for a little over a year now. And while most other bloggers seem unenthused about its Oscar prospects, I think it's just the sort of film that the Academy will love, not unlike Capote, Ray, and countless other bio-pics that go relatively unnoticed until their release.

I'd like to suggest that Swank looks, if I may, phenomenal in the title role. However, I'm aware that the heads of many a Meryl Streep fan will explode if Swank wins a third Best Actress Oscar (although, really, can you dispute her wins thus far?).

We know what Mira Nair is capable of achieving based on her meticulous direction of the 2001 film Monsoon Wedding. However, Vanity Fair and The Namesake both left something to be desired. But again, I know that Nair is capable of turning out a great film, so we shouldn't count her out yet.

Based on what we've seen from the trailer, I'm beyond excited about the film. Amelia Earhart was an incredibly progressive and interesting woman, and I can't see anyone but the talented Hilary Swank in the title role. I'm also excited to see Richard Gere take on the role of her manager and husband, George Putnam. The greatest obstacle I can see lies in how Nair handles the end of the film. No one knows what happened to Earhart. I'm hoping the film doesn't drop off in a forced "inspirational" anti-climax in the last half hour. Nevertheless, I'm excited that after over 70 years, we're getting a feature-length biography of the legendary American pilot.

For Your Consideration: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

2009-08-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

I've tried to appreciate Quentin Tarantino many times, to no avail.

I cringed through Reservoir Dogs at the ripe age of 11 or 12 (I'm beginning to think that I'll need to apologize to my mother at the start of each entry), suffering through nightmares of severed limbs and exploding heads for weeks thereafter. I tried my hand at the Kill Bill series in high school, and again...with the nightmares...

I can't seem to get past Tarantino's fixation on blood and guts. It wasn't until I saw Pulp Fiction a few years ago that I began to see what others saw in him. I have since asserted that Pulp Fiction, although severely overrated, is a fluke on the resume of an otherwise talentless, gore-obsessed hack. That is, until I dragged myself to see Inglourious Basterds this evening, and...

Holy swastika, it was fantastic! I won't be writing a proper review here, but I have to mention two things:

1. What rock has Christoph Waltz been hiding under all these years? His performance as the Col. Landa, an Anti-Semite with a disturbing God complex was nothing short of spectacular. I'm jumping right on the fast moving train of support for his Best Supporting Actor nomination.

2. Tarantino deserves a double nomination. I know; I'm shocked as well. But really, the story and direction deserve the Academy's attention. The first 3/4 of the film is serious and suspenseful, while the last quarter unravels into an over-the-top, bombastic finish. It's somewhat of a brilliant mess, but it works.

Others for your consideration: Melanie Laurent, Best Supporting Actress; Brad Pitt, Best Actor; Best Art Direction; Best Sound Editing

RIP Shutter Island

2009-08-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

A part of me has died inside.

Why? Because those BITCHES (sorry, Mom) at Paramount have moved Scorsese's Shutter Island, my most anticipated film of the year, to February 2010.

Not only am I upset that I'm going to have to wait another four months to see Scorsese's next film, but I also realize that this release date demolishes any chance for the film to perform well in the awards season. I remember a similar feeling when David Fincher's Zodiac was pushed back to a January release date. And although the film turned out to be a fantastic, award-worthy thriller, it was brutally ignored by the Academy come December. I can tell you right now that unless 2010 turns out to be a complete disaster, Shutter Island will suffer the same fate.

With an impeccable trailer, a talented (and overdue) cast, and a bestselling Dennis Lehane novel behind the adaptation, I can't imagine what they are thinking. Perhaps Paramount really is throwing all their eggs into the Lovely Bones basket (a grave mistake, in my opinion). Or, maybe they feel that Reitman's Up in the Air deserves more attention (although, really? Scorsese > Reitman.)

All this is to say that I am severely disappointed in this move. Uncle Marty deserves much better than this kind of BS.

Here's the trailer, which we've seen in theaters since June.

Trailer Tuesday: Sherlock Holmes

2009-08-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

I had a somewhat difficult time deciding what to show you this week. If I had to guess, you've probably already seen the Sherlock Holmes trailer. So, what do you think? Oscars? Or will this be considered just a popcorn flick? The Christmas day release date suggests that the studio is pushing it for awards, but there are a few things that I'm skeptical about...

At the top of that list is the director, Guy Ritchie. Ritchie (yes, former Mr. Madonna) is perhaps the most inconsistent director ever. He has two great films on his resume in Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; however, he's also responsible for the 2002 disaster, Swept Away. Sherlock Holmes does seem similar to the first two in style, but there's really no telling what we're going to get from this director (anyone catch the slow motion punch halfway through the trailer? yeesh.)

The film does have three strong actors in Downey Jr., Law, and McAdams. The fact that Downey Jr. was nominated last year could actually work in his favor (especially since he didn't win). Jude Law has been somewhat absent from the awards circuit in the past few years, but he did have a good run in the early part of the decade with well deserved nominations for The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain. And as for McAdams, well, I'm of the opinion that her time will eventually come. Her role in Holmes does not seem particularly baity, but when watching this trailer, a part of me was reminded of Nicole Kidman's Satine from Moulin Rouge!. In the title role, Robert Downey Jr. appears to be the best situated for awards attention.

As far as I'm concerned, this is really a tough call. The movie looks like a lot of fun, and if it's done well, I think it has a shot in some of the major categories.

Trailer Tuesday: The Lovely Bones

2009-08-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

I fought the urge to post about this trailer a few days ago, as it was released last Thursday. And because The Lovely Bones is one of the most buzzed about films of this year, no one can stop talking about this trailer.

Most say it looks incredible. But, really? Here's what I see:

In a word, I think the film looks overproduced. I was hoping Jackson would draw inspiration from his older films, akin to Heavenly Creatures, with a subtle yet powerful direction. However, effects and CGI appear to play a great role in The Lovely Bones. They look beautiful, but are they appropriate? Tasteful?

I also worry that the film's fantasy and thriller/dramatic elements will be hard to reconcile. The transitioning in the trailer feels very abrupt, but then again, that is not necessarily an indication of how the film will be edited. However, it does seem to highlight this discord.

And lastly, the performances. While I am confident that Ronan and especially Tucci will get some awards attention, the others seem a little miscast. Susan Sarandon even looks kind of bad, with her "You have a TOMB in this HOUSE" delivery. I also lament the loss of Ryan Gossling on this project. Marky Mark looks entirely out of place.

That being said, I'm not yet counting this one out. While I have not read the script, others have assured me that Boyens and Walsh effected great improvements to the story (here's hoping for an alternate ending...). Also, Peter Jackson has not let me down yet, so I know the film is in good hands.

If I'm gonna die, I want to die comfortably.

2009-08-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

I've been avoiding seeing The Hurt Locker for about a month now, despite rave reviews and a glowing response from other Oscar bloggers.

Why? I haven't the slightest idea. I approached Slumdog Millionaire in a similar fashion, scoffing at the trailer for months before finally dragging myself into the theater.

Hands down, The Hurt Locker is the best film I've seen so far this year. Although we are only a bit past the halfway mark of the season, I think this film may have the momentum and the support behind it to sustain itself into the final stretch (but then again, that is very hard to say...)

The Hurt Locker draws you into the Middle East like no film has done before. Unlike the failures of war films of the past (The Kingdom, Stop Loss, Body of Lies...), The Hurt Locker leaves politics at the door while focusing on a small unit of men performing one of the most dangerous jobs in the military — disarming bombs. Each individual sequence laden with suspense and tension, my heart was pounding throughout the entire two and a half hours. But this is not to say that the film is nothing but action sequences; rather, the entire film is a moving development of the three characters of its focus.

This year is shaping up to be a promising one for female directors, as Kathryn Bigelow helms this project with a skilled hand. Her documentary-esque filmmaking makes The Hurt Locker that much more real and emotional for the viewer.

Also check out two fantastic cameos by Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes.

Trailer Tuesday: Bright Star

2009-08-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

I realize that this week's Trailer Tuesday film is very similar to the last two, but I have it on good authority that the Academy loves a well made period piece. And, I can't wait another week to gush about the trailer I have just seen for Bright Star.

At last, a film has been made to explore the life and love of John Keats, the 19th Century poet you read in your 7th grade English classroom. If I tried to give you a brief summation of Keats' life, I'd show my ignorance. But from the trailer, I gather that the film focuses mostly on his relationship with Fanny Brawne, with whom Keats shared a tumultuous relationship until his death at 25 years old. And although I don't know much about Keats' life or his relationship with Brawne, I can tell you that the scenes shown in the trailer ooze chemistry.

Abbie Cornish failed to amount herself to more than Ryan Phillipe's mistress until her performance in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, where she somewhat held her own on screen with the formidable Cate Blanchett. I can't say she looks particularly ground-breaking in this trailer, but I'm eager to see what she can do. And while I've never seen him before, Ben Whishaw has been praised by early criticism as the perfect Keats.

The main reason I'll be buying a Bright Star ticket is for writer/director Jane Campion, whose work from The Piano shows how meticulous and intoxicating a director she is. The Piano is an elegantly sculpted masterpiece, and if Bright Star is as visually stunning and moving as its predecessor of 15 years, we may have a serious contender on our hands.

And for the love of God, the costumes look amazing.

Trailer Tuesday: Creation

2009-07-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

I first heard about Creation when I learned that it will open the Toronto Film Festival in September. As far as I know, no one has seen the film yet, but the trailer suggests that this biopic will delve into some of Darwin's most critical and controversial strides towards his theory of evolution, which includes everything from his personal life to his implications against the existence of God.

I'm interested to see Paul Bettany, who has already made a great impression from his supporting performances in Oscar winning films A Beautiful Mind and Master and Commander (Are they planning on ever doing a sequel?), take command in a leading role. I'm also excited to see both Jennifer Connelly (who is married to Bettany both on screen and off) and Jeremy Northam (of The Tudors!) in supporting roles.

My initial reaction to the trailer is that this looks very much like Master and Commander; Paul Bettany even looks like he may be playing the same character of Russell Crowe's doctor all over again. However, the production looks breathtaking, so I'm prematurely fixated on a cinematography nomination. And if the writing and directing reach great heights, this film could go as far as Best Picture.

I think I'm in love with Summer

2009-07-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

For Your Consideration: (500) Days of Summer, Best Original Screenplay

*Mild Spoilers, but not really...

I can't tell you how rare it is to find a smart, witty, and original romantic comedy. A few years ago I made a deal with myself that I would only pay to see the "boy meets girl" films after careful consideration and a thorough background check. There are a couple factors that went into my decision to take a leap with (500) Days of Summer, with the names "Joseph Gordon-Levitt" and "Zooey Deschanel" at the top of that list. The trailer before Public Enemies also suggested that this would be something different, something real, and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed.

At first glance, (500) Days seems entirely predictable (boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy redeems himself). But instead, the story takes an entirely different turn, giving us an outcome that separates the film from all other conventional romantic comedies. This is the story of a breakup, not a celebration of Tom's relationship with Summer, as you might expect going into the film.

First time director Marc Webb (apparently his only prior experience is in music videos) turns out a solid, confident first feature. The film is nothing revolutionary, but I admired his use of split screens, color (much of the film is blue, like Deschanel's eyes), and varying perspectives (LOVED the scene of Tom's expectation vs. reality).

My only real gripes are the pretentious-indie soundtrack and an irritating Captain Obvious voiceover.

Many have labeled (500) Days as a "lesser version of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," to which I ask, "Have you actually seen either film?" The only comparison is that both look into a breakup, and both are exceptionally well made films. Otherwise, they differ in just about every other aspect. If I really wanted to cast this "lesser version of..." label, I'd compare it to Annie Hall. But really, what's the point? (500) Days is no Annie Hall, but it is still the best film I've seen this year.

*I should mention that I have also seen The Film of the Boy Wizard, and I will discuss it in a later post.

Trailer Tuesday: An Education

2009-07-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

In an effort to keep myself posting more, I'd like to introduce Trailer Tuesday. Each Tuesday, I'll post the trailer of an upcoming film with Oscar potential.

This week, let's take a look at An Education, which has been performing well in the festival circuit and will release in major cities on October 9th.

On paper, An Education doesn't seem like anything special. There are a few big names in the cast list—namely, Peter Saarsgard, Emma Thompson, and Rosamund Pike. However, the star, Carey Mulligan, has very little on her resume at this point outside of a small role in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

I'd never heard of director Lone Scherfig until about 15 minutes ago, but after some quick IMDb research, I see that she's a German writer and director with a handful of projects (not ones I've ever heard of) under her belt. So really, my only experience with her direction is from the above trailer.

Then, there's the screenwriter—Nick Hornby. Although I'm not a wild fan of Hornby's work, I know that he has produced two solid screenplays in High Fidelity and About a Boy.

So, I can't say there are any names associated with the project that worry me (like "Nora Ephron" to Julie and Julia or "Guy Ritchie" to Sherlock Holmes), but there also aren't any that have me boiled over with excitement.

However, I can tell you that the above trailer suggests that this will be good. No, fantastic.

Shameful Regulars from my DVD collection...

2009-07-18T17:09:00.001-07:00

Out of the 100+ films I own on DVD, I watch about 20 of them on a regular basis — before bed, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or sometimes as a substitute for white noise as I'm writing or homeworking. Especially since I no longer have digital cable in my apartment (Bravo, I miss you dearly), I pop in a DVD pretty much every time I turn on the my TV.

I have a hard time admitting that I sometimes enjoy bad movies, especially when I roll my eyes incessantly at others' enthusiasm for Michael Bay, Judd Apatow, and Kevin Smith. There are other subjects that I freely admit to championing the bad stuff — music being where my taste is most offensive. However, as someone who's generally snobbish in regards to film, this post may leave me feeling quite exposed.

Want to know what skeletons are hiding in my (3) dvd binder(s)? Bend thine ear...

1. What Dreams May Come (1998)

This movie is nothing but two hours of death, heaven, hell, and slow moving development towards an unearned ending. Regardless, I find it visually captivating. Who doesn't want to watch an interpretation of heaven painted (literally) on a velvety canvas?

2. The Patriot (2000)

Roland Emmerich has managed to chalk up the American Revolution to one man's quest to avenge his son's death. However, I just can't help myself.

3. Dracula (1992)

The biggest problem with this film is Keanu Reeves, but in all honesty, his wooden, laughably bad acting is one of the main reasons I'm so entertained by this adaptation.

4. The Terminal (2004)

Not much actually happens in the 90 minutes that make up Spielberg's The Terminal, but I consistently watch this film because the things that come out of Tom Hanks' mouth are so hilariously funny.

Enrique: So, she had a boyfriend, for how long?
Viktor: [nods yes, holds up two fingers]
Enrique: Two years, what happened?
Viktor: He chit.
Enrique: What?
Viktor: He chit.
Enrique: Eat shit?
Viktor: He chit, he chit, he chit.
Enrique: Okay, try to repeat exactly what she said.
Viktor: He chit, she catch him so...
Enrique: Oh! He cheats!
Viktor: Yes, yes, yes! What we call Krushkach. We say Krushkach. One man, two womans. So, hmm, crowded. You know? Ha!
Enrique: Okay, he *cheats*! You say cheats.

5. The Stepford Wives (2004)

Many say that this film marks the demise of Nicole Kidman's post-Oscar career, but for me, this is her best comedic performance since To Die For.

What's hiding in your DVD collection?

For Your Consideration...?

2009-07-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, I don't normally watch films in the theater during the summer. However, the day I decided to schlep to Boston, the Northeast decided to do some nasty things like pour rain for 9 months straight. Consequently, I made a few exceptions.

For Your Consideration: Up, Best Animated Feature

On the heels of Pixar's last film, Wall-E, Up similarly showcases their commitment to well crafted stories and innovative effects. The first 20 minutes are a beautiful summation of an old man's life, relying completely on animation, without words. Not unlike Wall-E, the story leans a bit left at times, but I found the message to be less obtrusive than it's predecessor's. In other words, I didn't walk away with images of earth covered in skyscrapers of filth while fat humans dwell lightyears away in hoverounds and sippy cups. Up is story-driven, textured, and aesthetically inventive. And DEAR GOD see it in 3D if you can.

For Your Consideration: Away We Go, Best Director, Sam Mendes

Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm not in any way predicting that Mendes will get in for Director for this film. Away We Go is no American Beauty, but his artistic choices shine through Away We Go, and I found myself enchanted by his use of tracking shots and understated lighting in lieu of tradition indie filmmaking. John Krasinski plays the adorable goofball (think Jim with a beard and too many espresso shots), while the talented Maya Rudolph shows off her comedic timing and expression as his girlfriend. The two travel cross country in search of a place to settle down and raise their daughter. Each stop contributes supporting characters that range from hilariously absurd (Maggie Gyllenhaal as a crazed hippy mom) to the surprisingly poignant (Melanie Lynskey as an adoptive parent who continually miscarries). The film doesn't endeavor to solve the life problems it portrays, but rather celebrates them.

For Your Consideration: Public Enemies, Best Sound Editing

As a fan of Michael Mann's Heat and Collateral, I anticipated the release of Public Enemies ever since pre-production. In some ways, it reminds me of how I felt leading up to the release of Ridley Scott's American Gangster in 2007. And like American Gangster, I was somewhat let down by Public Enemies. Rather than a 150 minute analysis of what these villainous men DID, I'd like to see a thoughtful exploration of who they WERE. I found myself lost in supporting characters and a meandering plot, while I was frustrated by the shockingly underdeveloped character of John Dillinger.

Ratings, ratings, ratings...

2009-07-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

As someone who has ~~completed two unpaid internships~~ worked in marketing, publicity, and development at various points in my career, I understand outreach. When launching a magazine, there's a fine line you have to walk in considering audience. You want your magazine to circulate through as many readers as possible, but in order to do so, you need to tailor your content to where readers feel they are part of a small niche. If your content becomes unfocused, readers fail to identify, and you're looking at a future of never making back your start-up costs.

Although I'm not a television producer, I'm assuming that this medium works in a similar manner. So, in regards to the recent desperation from the Oscar telecast's producers, I hope they are cautious. As a member of their core audience, if I begin to see films like Transformers and Star Trek dipping their fingers in any category other than the techs, I'm going to feel less like I'm watching the Oscars and more like I'm watching the MTV Movie Awards.

In short, I'm getting awfully concerned that the Academy is leaving film nerds like myself in the dust as they pander to the average movie goer who saw two films last year — both on the internet.

So by all means, continue to incorporate lesser films into the telecast. If you want, throw all the filler* categories into one short presentation. We could even present them in the aisles again as well. But while I'm sure that some may enjoy flipping back and forth between the Oscars and America's Got Talent stoned on their couches, there are some of us who have enjoyed the telecast for years as a celebration of film and its cultural contribution to art.

*Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Film Editing, Foreign Language Film, Makeup, Musical Score, Adapted Screenplay, and Original Screenplay

As AMPAS nominates ten films for Best Picture this year, Harvey Weinstein hires dozens of new interns...

2009-06-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Because it's the off season, I don't expect to have any remarkable film news to share with you. However, while reading the NY Times this morning in my cubicle, I discovered THIS.

The Academy's President, Sid Ganis, has decided that they will hand out not the usual five, but TEN Best Picture nominations at the beginning of next year.

As a creature of habit, I can't say I'm not outraged by this. The Oscar ceremony went relatively unchanged for many years, right up until this past year's ceremony. Ganis offered a few alterations to spice up the ceremony, break from tradition, and ~~gain viewership~~ bring excitement back to the stage with frequent montages, musical numbers, and unorthodox awards presentations. While I was, at first, resistant to these changes, I now realize how they made this past year's ceremony that much more innovative and enjoyable.

However, I can't get behind this change. The idea of ten nominations is absolutely absurd!

The increase lessens the prestige that comes with a nomination. If it's a strong year, the extra spots will be fine. In a year like 2007, ten nominees would have been desirable, considering the wealth of strong films released that year. However, in a WEAK year (Hello, 2008), the academy will be reaching into the "mediocre" pile to fill those spots. Or, Weinstein will hand them the dvd screeners mid-January.

DVDs that tie me over until September...

2009-06-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

I've never really been a big fan of summer. I know; I don't expect you to understand. Growing up in Virginia, I hated the heat and humidity of July and August (and lately, it has lasted through October...) I also loathe the idea of taking odd jobs between the school year, the details of which are too embarrassing to discuss at length. But most of all, I miss the opportunity to see great films in the theater.

In 2008, I saw two films between January and August— The Dark Knight, which received critical acclaim despite its summer release date, and Sex and the City, because I'm female. In 2009, I have officially seen one film so far— The Soloist, which was entirely forgettable, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I don't expect to set foot in a theater until July 1st, upon release of Michael Mann's Public Enemies.

To beat the off-season blues, I've been catching up on all the television I've missed over the past five years. I've just upgraded my Netflix account to the 3 DVD unlimited plan, ditched my basic cable, and as a result, I've been living in dvd box set bliss ever since. Here's what I'm watching:

Weeds explores the life of a suburban single mom, who achieves financial stability by dealing pot. It's a dark comedy that I find actually improves upon rewatch. Not to mention, Mary Louise Parker serves as our leading lady, and it's probably some of her best work to date.

Although the writers of The Tudors have essentially thrown historical accuracy out the window, this historical drama does not disappoint in terms of sex, murder, and politics. I never took a class on English history in college (and perhaps that is why I enjoy this show in ignorant bliss), but I find the story of Henry VIII and his wives fascinating. Jonathan Rhys Meyers overacts a bit, and nitpickers say he's severely miscast, but I prefer to just sit back and enjoy the intrigue.

In truth, I actually plowed through the first season of Mad Men back in February. However, this series is so good, I'm enjoying it for the second time only three months later. Mad Men really captures 1960s Manhattan, with office politics, recurring sexism, and an overall evocative view of the corporate and social atmosphere of the time. The story takes place in the office of an advertising agency, quickly unfolding the lives of the employees, from the ad executives to their secretaries. I'm anxiously awaiting the release of Season Two.

Others on my queue:
Rome
The L Word
True Blood
Big Love
Dexter

A Guide to 2009...

2009-04-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

As evidenced by this post, I can't say there is a point to what I'm about to do. However, year after year, I can't resist looking forward. I want to know what films I should be looking out for, regardless of the inevitable certainty that the vast majority of them will amount to nothing. Here's what we can look forward to in 2009:

Films currently getting the most buzz:

Amelia, Fox Searchlight

Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake), this film will star Hilary Swank in the title role of Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while attempting to fly around the world in 1937. As a history major at VT, I read a biography of Earhart from which the film has taken its material. And for me, that's all I need to know. Earhart was an incredible woman, and her attitude towards life and the social expectations of women was both progressive and fascinating. If Swank really gets into the role, I honestly think she may be onto her third Oscar. Hate on her if you want, but she's a phenomenal actress, and I think she will make a strong contender this year.

The Lovely Bones, Paramount

Okay, let me preface this with something— I HATED the book. However, this is really Peter Jackson's return to form. After his beautiful direction of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and King Kong, Jackson decided to take on this project that tells the tale of a teenage girl who is murdered, then watches over her family from heaven. I'm interested to see where this goes. I have faith in Peter Jackson, and I hope he can take this too often saccharine-sweet story and turn it into the drama it deserves to be.

Shutter Island, Paramount

Behold the next Martin Scorsese film. Of course, DiCaprio will play the lead role as US Marshal Teddy Daniels as he investigates the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from an asylum and supposedly escaped to the remote "Shutter Island." This sounds interesting, and it's definitely a break from Scorsese's mob movie streak. The teaser poster just makes me think, "Why so serious?" As a Scorsese fan, I'm behind this project, even if it turns into The Aviator II.

Push, Lionsgate

"I don't want to consider this a contender." I said this to myself last year as Slumdog moved into the ring, and I'm saying it now about Push. Push is based on a novel about an illiterate teen with unwanted pregnancies to deal with, trying to turn her life around. Stars include Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz. Sounds great, right? Sundance seems to think so.

Untitled Clint Eastwood Project, Warner Bros.

OF COURSE Eastwood has a film coming out this year. Why? Because he loves to step on Marty's toes (see 2004's The Aviator vs. Million Dollar Baby and 2006's Letters from Iwo Jimi vs. The Departed). I'm told this film is going to be a biopic of Nelson Mandela, with Morgan Freeman in the lead. This does sound extremely baity.

Films I predict will be terrible:

Avatar, directed by James Cameron

Nine, directed by Rob Marshall

Inglourious Basterds, directed by Quentin Tarantino

Sherlock Holmes, directed by Guy Ritchie

Films that seem promising, but I don't know enough about them yet:

Broken Embraces, directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Cheri, directed by Stephen Frears

Creation, directed by Jon Amiel

An Education, directed by Lone Scherfig

Julie and Julia, directed by Nora Ephron (ugh)

Taking Woodstock, directed by Ang Lee

Benjamin Button makes the Criterion Collection!

2009-03-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Once again, I apologize for another hiatus. Actually, I don't. I just haven't had many appealing blog ideas lately, and I don't feel the need to churn out daily scoop when I don't feel strongly about anything. That is, until now...

Take that, haters!

The Criterion Collection has announced that they have made a deal with Paramount to produce The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on DVD and Blu-ray for a May 5th release. If you're unfamiliar, Criterion is widely recognized as the authority in DVD/Blu-ray production. To be released by Criterion is to be part of an exclusive collection of the best in classic and contemporary film.

I anticipate a special feature on Brad's transformation into Benjamin, director commentary, and much more. May 5th can't arrive soon enough.

"Have you seen The Reader?"

2009-02-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

With the conclusion of last night's celebration, the 2008 awards season has officially come to a close. A part of me is saddened with the knowledge that I probably won't be paying regular visits to the theater for a long time, while the other half screams...

"GOOD RIDDANCE, 2008!"

As with the bad economic times of this past year, I'm ready to move on from the mediocrity that was the 2008 film awards season. While 2007 gave us the brilliance of No Country and There Will Be Blood (among many others), 2008 shafted the triumphs of Wall-E and The Dark Knight in favor of Weinstein's baby, The Reader.

But anyway, back to the telecast. Although I was initially turned off by the nuances and breaks from tradition, I soon realized that this was the most energetic and charming Oscar ceremony of recent memory. Bravo, Condon.

The Good

1. Dustin Lance Black's speech for his Best Original Screenplay win for Milk. It brought me to tears, especially after a rewatch.

2. Penelope Cruz's win. I heard a lot of buzz in the last few weeks about a possible upset, and I'm so glad that it didn't happen here.

3. Jackman's opening number. When those spandex clad hip hop dancers bounced onto the stage behind Hugh's "Have you seen the Reader?" monotone, I was dying in laughter.

4. Tina Fey and Steve Martin. Can they host together next year?

5. The presentation of the acting categories. I'll admit that I was at first enraged over the lack of clips, but really. This was such a powerful way of acknowledging each nomination as an achievement. Well done, and bring this back next year. Thank you.

The Bad

1. Alan Arkin's stumble over "Seymour Philip Hoffman." Poor guy.

2. Jackman's second musical number. I did not see High School Musical 3 or Mamma Mia!. I don't care to see them, and I wasn't moved by this poorly arranged, oddly staged musical treat. It's a shame, as I was anticipating this Baz/Hugh collaboration. Also, can we leave Beyonce out of the Oscars next year? And, if they had cut this monstrosity by a quarter, Peter Gabriel would have performed. Just saying.

3. The "In Memoriam" montage. Am I supposed to look at Queen Latifah or the floating screenshots in the back? I'm dizzy. While Latifah's performance was breathtaking, there was just too much going on here.

4. Excessive camera pans from Jennifer Aniston's presentation with Jack Black to Angelina Jolie. While I'm not surprised, I'm still disgusted.

5. The extreme brevity of Jerry Lewis' recognition. Is it just me, or did the Lifetime Achievement Award presentation FLY by?

The Ugly

Guess where I got this last photo from.

All things considered, well done Academy. Bring on 2009!

Playing it Safe

2009-02-21T16:45:00.000-08:00

For the last three years, I wrote columns for the Collegiate Crap® predicting the Oscar winners. Last year, I was spot on.

Although I'm not surprised, I noticed that they decided to forgo an Oscars column this year. Instead, they have published a half-wit's review of Benjamin Button (which was released back in December, kids).

This year, after a tumultuous season, I've decided to play it safe with my predictions. The acting categories have certainly been adventurous, but I think things have fizzled into four rather boring choices, with one case of the Academy's signature make-up award. However, I do acknowledge that there is a strong possibility of some sort of upset tomorrow night— most likely in the Best Supporting Actress category.

I'm leaving out Best Picture and Best Director, as I think both statuette's already have Slumdog and Danny Boyle, respectively, engraved upon their shiny goodness.

Best Actor

This is the one category where I refuse to play it safe. While Mickey has now nabbed the Globe and the BAFTA, bringing his "important precursor" tab to 2 over Penn's 1 SAG, I believe Sean Penn will walk away with his second Oscar tomorrow evening. While the Globe and the BAFTA are nice trinkets, the voters of the SAG are a much more reliable representation of those voting for the Oscars. Of course, this is really a toss up. I have been in Penn's camp all season, though, and I'm not yielding until I see Marion hand it over to Mickey.

Best Actress

For perhaps my least favorite performance of her career, Kate Winslet now has a real chance at Oscar gold. Does she deserve it? Yes, for Revolutionary Road. Streep could, of course, swoop in, but I think her buzz has subsided over the past few weeks. Even more interesting, Melissa Leo could win if the two ladies split the vote.

Best Supporting Actor

Heath Ledger will win posthumously. If Robert Downey Jr. upsets, I feel sorry for the poor bastard.

Best Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz will and should win. However, I can honestly see any of the other women take it from her. The Academy loves to surprise in this category. However, I have loved watching Cruz grow as an actress, and I really hope she is rewarded for a phenomenal comedic performance tomorrow night.

Spoilers ahead.

2009-02-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

Not exactly.

As I was perusing Cinematical the other day, I came across a delightful story. Apparently, just 1 hour and 53 minutes after Academy ballots were due, the winners were leaked onto the internet. Credible, eh? Yes, and Anne Hathaway is polishing her Globe for Best Dramatic Actress right now.

There's no way in hell that these are the winners, but some of these suggestions are tempting choices. I feel that since this happened, the flood gates have been opened and suddenly Amy Adams appears to be an actual contender...

I, for one, would be disappointed.

Here are our "winners":

Actor in a leading role: Mickey Rourke
Actor in a supporting role: Heath Ledger
Actress in a leading role: Kate Winslet
Actress in a supporting role: Amy Adams
Animated Feature Film: Wall-E
Art Direction: The Dark Knight
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Costume Design: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Directing: Slumdog Millionaire
Documentary feature: Man on Wire
Documentary short: The Conscience of Nhem En
Film editing: Milk
Foreign language film: Departures
Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Music (Score): Defiance
Music (Song): Down to Earth (Wall-E)
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Short film (animated): Presto
Short film (live action): Auf Der Strecke (On The Line)
Sound editing: Wall-E
Sound mixing: The Dark Knight
Visual effects: Iron Man
Writing (Adapted screenplay): The Reader
Writing (Original screenplay): In Bruges

My early, failed predictions as of April 2, 2008.

2009-02-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, as I was deleting some old files off my computer, I came across a list of projected nominees for the 2009 Oscars. Of course, I hadn't seen any of these films yet. I conjured these predictions based solely on buzz, early criticism, and perhaps my own wishful thinking. Either way, some of these are pretty hilarious.

Best Picture
Changeling
Doubt
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Australia

Best Director
Clint Eastwood- Changeling
Baz Luhrmann- Australia
David Fincher- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard- Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes- Revolutionary Road

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio- Revolutionary Road
Sean Penn- Milk
Frank Langella- Frost/Nixon
Benicio Del Toro- Che
Brad Pitt- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actress
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Keira Knightley, The Duchess

Best Supporting Actor
Michael Sheen- Frost/Nixon
Josh Brolin- Milk
John Malkovich- Changeling
Phllip Seymour Hoffman- Doubt
Javier Bardem- Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams- Doubt
Kate Winslet- The Reader
Penelope Cruz- Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Amy Ryan- Changeling
Kathy Bates- Revolutionary Road

The Power of Weinstein

2009-01-22T20:09:00.000-08:00

As evidenced by the outcome of this morning's press conference, there are plenty of politics at play with the selection of the Academy Award nominees. In the weeks preceding the collection of ballots, studios mail out DVD screeners, actors work the publicity circuit, and—if they're really invested—producers will launch elaborate campaigns in a last minute attempt to get their films into the race. There is one man out west who has never wavered in his support and commitment to pushing his films and actors.

I'm quite convinced that Harvey Weinstein is the architect behind the awards season. In fact, he may be the architect of Hollywood.

Weinstein is best known for his production company, Miramax films, and now The Weinstein Company, which he co-owns with his brother Bob, about whom we mysteriously never hear anything.

Here are some of his greatest accomplishments:

Roberto Begnini, Best Actor 1998, Life is Beautiful

Gwyneth Paltrow, Best Actress 1998, Shakespeare in Love

Catherine Zeta Jones, Best Supporting Actress 2002, Chicago

Renee Zellweger, Best Supporting Actress 2003, Cold Mountain

Best Picture 1996, The English Patient

Best Picture Nominee 1999, The Cider House Rules

Best Picture 2002, Chicago

...and finally, this gem:

Best Picture Nominee 2008, The Reader

Although I have admittedly not seen The Reader yet, the general consensus from Oscarologists is that the Weinstein influence strikes back.

See, in 2003, a few key adjustments were effected. One, the ceremony was moved forward from late March to late February, which cut out a full month of prime campaign time. And two, AMPAS set forth new guidelines for campaigning (but really, I'm of the opinion that campaigning for an Oscar itself is just ludicrous). They even banned the distribution of screeners, but that was overturned quite quickly in a plight led by Harvey himself.

As I watched the screen reveal the Best Picture nominees this morning, my immediate thought was, "This is the work of Harvey Weinstein."

While Weinstein's power may have diminished a bit in the past few years, The Reader's presence in the Best Picture category this year proves that Harvey still has a few cronies in the Academy.

Final Predictions.

2009-01-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

You have no idea how unprepared I feel for this post. Although I've seen nearly all of the contenders (with the exception of The Reader, for which the motivation has escaped me several times), this year continues to play the game completely against the rules.

Here goes nothing.

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Screenplay
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Milk
The Wrestler
Happy-Go-Lucky
Wall-E

Best Adapted Screenplay
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Doubt
The Dark Knight

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Sean Penn, Milk
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Josh Brolin, Milk
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder

Best Supporting Actress
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Viola Davis, Doubt
Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married

If you're feeling as excited as I am about the nominations, get your ass out of bed at 8:00 AM Thursday and tune into E!.

Let's talk Best Actor.

2009-01-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

Since seeing The Wrestler last week, I have grappled with the difficult comparison of Mickey Rourke (I still wince each time I talk about him in an "Oscar" context) and Sean Penn of Milk.

First off, I have to praise director Darren Aronofsky (take notes, Katy Perry...) for so eloquently capturing the world of a man so driven by the thrills of a screaming crowd at the expense of his health and familial responsibility. The film works well because it feels so real. The wrestling scenes put you right in the ring, with all the pressure to entertain the crowd through violence. Rourke's character is not just a wrestler, he is a wrestling star. Aronofsky delivers a brilliant character study.

If Rourke wins the Oscar, I'll be thrilled for him. Rourke’s portrayal of a spent man in need of a comeback was astonishing (albeit ironic...). Athough he was certainly aided by Aronofsky's skill behind the camera and the documentary-esque cinematography, he was natural, flawless, and beautiful. You can feel his desperation through the last frame.

That being said, I have to restate my recognition of Sean Penn's heartbreaking performance of Harvey Milk. Penn transformed himself the way I never thought he could. Yes, he's always been a phenomenal actor, but this character is so out of range, so unlike Sean Penn. He loses himself in this role like he never has before.

If I'm thinking like an Academy member, I'd be giving the edge to Rourke. While Sean Penn has always and will continue to be one of the greatest actors of our time, delivering above and beyond performances one after another, Rourke will most likely be a one hit wonder. Granted, his one hit was a tremendous home run.

Backing away from the Penn/Rourke faceoff, here are my current predictions for the Best Actor category:

Sean Penn, Milk
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road

I'd better not see Eastwood anywhere in here.

"Oh God, who's the other one?!"

2009-01-12T01:06:00.000-08:00

So, my wishful thinking on Benjamin Button's Globe potential was, well, just that. Oh, well. At this point, I wish I could slow the Slumdog Millionaire train, but I have to say...

Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press, for throwing the acting race completely on its ass!

I loved every minute of tonight's Kate Winslet show, and I hope she's well on her way to an Oscar. With very few critical awards to date, she managed to snag BOTH Best Dramatic Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Hell, with this kind of momentum, a double win might even happen at the Oscars.

I was a sobbing idiot when she won for her performance in Revolutionary Road (which I have seen, but if I told you how, I'd have to kill you...) It's not her career best performance, but I genuinely believe that it makes for a strong contender for the best performance by an actress this year.

Although I still maintain that this year is weak, I'm definitely enjoying the uncertainty of this year's Oscar race.

The Race for Best Picture is Narrowing...

2009-01-05T16:23:00.000-08:00

Locks:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk

Fillers:
Frost/Nixon
The Dark Knight
Wall-E

Dark Horses:
Revolutionary Road
The Wrestler

Happy New Year!

Catching Up

2008-12-28T11:54:00.000-08:00

Over the past week and a half, I've had about eight blog ideas dancing around in my head. However, my lazy ass also hasn't been able to do much other than drink wine and watch tv. So, this blog may be a bit unfocused.

I've seen Slumdog Millionaire. I've seen Milk. I've seen The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. All are worthy contenders in the Best Picture race. None have me shouting in the streets.

For Your Consideration: Slumdog Millionaire, Best Achievement in Film Editing

Slumdog follows the rags to riches story of Jamal Malik, a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? who grew up in the slums of Mumbai. The film, which had virtually no buzz up until its release, is a triumph for director Danny Boyle. The story is layered with themes of greed, lust, and survival, and Boyle's choppy, raw editing complements the subject matter. I felt tense throughout the entire film, just like the characters on screen.

However, Slumdog is not a great film. It is measured, predictable, and delivers its messages with an iron fist. I generally prefer something a bit more subtle...like...Milk.

For Your Consideration: Milk, Best Actor: Sean Penn

Unlike Slumdog and to an extent Benjamin Button, Milk is a film that is driven by its actors. Slumdog is the Danny Boyle show, with fast and innovative direction. On the contrary, Milk is a character study in which Sean Penn delivers one of his greatest performances ever (and that is saying a lot). Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to a public office in 1977. After only one year in office, he was assassinated. However, his legacy is not modest, and Gus Van Sant's film pays tribute to him beautifully.

Sean Penn is sensational in the title role. Once again, he transforms himself into his character, and I hardly recognize him. At this point, the only other performance I've heard such praise for is Rourke's in The Wrestler, which I have yet to see.

The supporting performances in Milk will probably be ignored by AMPAS, but they are worthy of mention. Josh Brolin seems to be getting a moderate amount of buzz, but I was most impressed by Emile Hirsch (who was snubbed last year for Into the Wild). James Franco was also fantastic in the role of Harvey's lover.

For Your Consideration: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Best Achievement in Makeup

In Benjamin Button, I have personally found my favorite film of the year. The screenplay was adapted from an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story by Eric Roth, who penned the 1994 film Forrest Gump. And not unlike Forrest Gump, Benjamin Button follows its title character from birth to death. However, in Benjamin's case, he is born an old man and "grows backwards." Brad Pitt plays Benjamin (and managed to surprise me on many levels), and Cate Blanchett plays his friend and lover, Daisy.

I went into this film with low expectations (this is NOT typical David Fincher), and I walked out thinking I'd just seen the most beautiful film ever put on screen. The aesthetics of the film were spot on. Makeup, Cinematography, and Art Direction are all locked in. Pitt and Blanchett both deliver fantastic performances, but the film is really all about soft, subtle direction and a beautiful story. Fincher and Roth should both be rewarded, but they do face some tough competition in their categories.

At this point, I'd say all three of these films are in for Best Picture. And if I have to call it this early, it's going to be The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

And the hosting gig goes to...Hugh Jackman?

2008-12-15T15:24:00.000-08:00

AMPAS has asked Australia star, People's Sexiest Man Alive, Mr. Woverine, Hugh Jackman to host the 2009 Oscar ceremony.

I think this is actually an inspired choice. Jackman is not going to get nominated for Australia, but he's still an entertaining guy and a prominent figure of the film industry. Unlike his talk show predecessors, Jackman actually knows a thing or two about film (and he's made some good ones!). It is my hope that he will appropriately bring the movies back to the Oscars, leaving behind the dull political jabs and snarky humor of failed emcees Chris Rock, David Letterman, and (although it pains me to say it...) Jon Stewart.

However, I don't think any host will ever outdo this man:

For Your Consideration: Australia, Best Cinematography

2008-12-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

Prior to its release, Baz Luhrmann's Australia was on my buzz-list for nominations for Best Picture, Director, and Actress.

Now that I've read reviews, mulled over the competition, and seen the film myself, I have to say that it will most likely fail to reach those categories.

I've been following this project for years. Yes, years. This is Luhrmann's follow-up for his 2001 picture, Moulin Rouge!, which garnered eight nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress. The project took a very long time to get off the ground and suffered many setbacks, like dealing with Russell Crowe's PMS (he was originally cast in Hugh Jackman's role) and finding a studio to back the project.

Not unlike Moulin Rouge!, Australia has managed to polarize audiences with its fast cuts, cutesy humor, and extensive runtime. The film is mostly criticized for its camp; however, being an admirer of Luhrmann's work, I recognize that the director's kangaroo mishaps and awkward moments are entirely intentional. Unlike a Michael Bay film, where humor is found where the director did not intend, Australia's finest moments are complemented by a wink from Luhrmann. The film is edgy, fresh, and gorgeous.

If the film is recognized by AMPAS, I'm predicting a nomination for Cinematography. Never having been to the land down under, I was absolutely enamored with the panoramic shots of the Australian outback. The film delivers the perfect balance between fast cutting comedic shots and slow-moving pans over broad, elegant landscapes.

In the race for Best Picture, I'd say Australia is a dud. However, as 2008 is shaping up to be a relatively weak year for film, I'm not counting it out entirely.

For Your Consideration: Changeling, Best Original Screenplay

2008-11-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago, I finally got around to seeing Eastwood's recent almost-masterpiece, Changeling, which tells the story of Christine Collins and her struggles with the corrupt Los Angeles Police Department of the late 1920s. Angelina Jolie delivers perhaps the performance of her career as the courageous Christine, whose son suddenly disappears in March of 1928. Although I'm not one to drool over Jolie's performances, I was in awe of her ability to create such a complex character, one that perfectly combined the audacity and demureness of Collins.

Changeling is not Eastwood's best work. I question his decisions as a director in dealing with some of these disturbing scenes (I will not go into detail to protect you from spoilers), and the score failed to accurately complement the emotions of the film. The beginning of the film was far too expeditious, and the second and third acts moved at snail's pace. The real achievement of Changeling is the original screenplay, written by J. Michael Straczynski, journalist and television screenwriter.

I found Straczynski's screenplay to be the perfect blend of emotional disturbance and compassion. Then, after some research, I discovered that Changeling's screenplay is entirely accurate, therefore achieving the label of a "true story." Straczynski spent a year after completing the screenplay diligently citing sources and fact checking every detail. He even included clips and excerpts from newspapers and court docs for the actors as they read through the scenes. Straczynski's story is not only a beautiful piece of writing, but it's also a candid look into history. And believe me, it gets ugly.

New Beginnings

2008-11-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

Fall represents change.

This past September, I took the greatest leap of my 22 years. I unpacked my Virginia Tech life. I waded through old memorabilia, clothing, books, and junk that I've hoarded over the last four years, packed my things into a controlled amount of boxes, and drove 500 miles to Boston to attend grad school for publishing.

The weight of this life change will most likely take some time to sink in, but I find myself completely enchanted by my surroundings. Mid-November, I'm freezing my ass off, but each day presents a new challenge or adventure, and I feel as though I'm taking advantage of what life has to offer me.

I've come to notice something about myself. When I was in college, I would find myself discomforted by the transition of going home for Christmas break, or the transition of coming back to school in January. It only lasts a few days, or hours even, but I somehow lose a bit of comfort when I change scenery. Of course, I've experienced a huge change of scenery over the past few months. I'm still in my "transition period." However, I'm placated in the knowledge that things will eventually be comfortable. But for now, I'm still in the transition period.