Oscars 2011: First Glance

It's Oscar Season. Followers of this blog know that I love this time of year and like to draw it out as much as possible. So while I do plan on doing a post on my predictions for the awards, first here are a few things that caught my eye.

I knew that The King's Speech would be Oscar bait, I didn't think it would be leading the pack with 12 nominations. I thought it would be The Social Network. But the movie leading with all the best picture awards already didn't even garner second place. True Grit, which is a fun movie don't get wrong, took second with ten nominations.

This may be because of the glaring omission of Andrew Garfield as Supporting Actor. I genuinely thought all three men, Garfield, Justin Timberlake and Armie Hammer all deserved nominations for their performances, but that wasn't legitimately possible. Instead none get nominated and that is unfortunate.

Where was Nolan's nomination for director? Two years ago they expanded the Best Picture field to include blockbusters that don't get love from the Academy. So while Inception is rightly included in the best picture field it didn't get any love in the directing field. Nolan probably deserved more accolades for his directing than his screen writing. But if it were the other way around I'd probably still be bitching about it.

For lead actors Ryan Gosling got robbed. His performance with Michelle Williams is symbiotic, how is it possible for one to get nominatted and not the other. I imagine it was Javier Bardem who took his spot. Like most of America though I haven't seen Biutiful but I plan on getting to the bottom of this. I hear good things though, and to his credit Bardem becomes the first actor to be nominated as solely specking in Spanish throughout the film.

Call me crazy but I enjoyed Julianne Moore's performance more than Annette Bening's from The Kids Are Alright. Both deserved nominations and if only one was going to get the honor everyone knew it was going to be Bening but I thought Bening had a one strong moment where as Moore was consistently good throughout the movie.

Wasn't Waiting for "Superman" supposed to be the documentary everyone had to see to save our children? How did this movie not get nominated?

I love that Melissa Leo earned a nomination as the maniacal mother in The Fighter but where is the love for Barbara Hershey an equally if not more sinister parental figure for Black Swan because I'm not actually even sure if she was that evil or not.

Everyone is saying that The Town deserved more accolades. And with ten pictures being nominated for Best Picture it is really hard to snub a film anymore when it really only comes down to one or two films. What about directing or the screenplay. I actually agreed with the Academy on this one, and while it was a fun movie, unlike Nolan (who I would gladly substitute for Tom Hooper) I couldn't take anyone off the directing list for Ben Affleck.

What did you think. Am I wrong in any of these nomiantions? Is there someone else you thought got snubbed? Let me know

The King's Speech

Well if this isn't Oscar bait I don't know what is. A movie about the British monarchs that comes out in December. The only thing that is holding it back from pure gold is that it is actually doing well in the box office, people are going to see it.

It seems that come award season a couple movies always make it across the pond and infiltrate the system. This movie follows the same formula as the ones before it. It humanizes the monarch while still telling a story of perseverance. Already nabbing a couple awards it is sure to win a couple of Oscars as well. Had it not been for the suburb acting in this movie I'm sure this would just be another British film nabbing awards that no one would see.

The title of the film references two things. Both the slammer that Albert Fredrick Arthur George (His Majesty to you) possessed since an early age. It is this stammer he must overcome to deliver his most important address to the nation at the dawn of World War II with Hitler knocking on the doorstep.

But Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush make it worth it. Firth plays the stammering king who lives in the shadow of his father and brother, hauntingly played by Michael Gambon and Guy Pearce respectively. He once again dives into the role that calls for quiet restraint. He has become known for this type of role and continues to flourish with it. But his best moments are when he steps out of his quiet demeanor and stands up for himself. He is a shoo-in for best actor this year.

Firth's strong performance of the damaged son lacking confidence allows for his supporting cast to step out and excel as they try to raise him up. Helena Bonham Carter does well as the Queen Mum, her strong personality fits well as she interacts with some of the commoners. Her role is more limited in this story so most of the accolades not given to Firth will likely be given to his other costar. Geoffrey Rush steals every scene as the eccentric speech therapist who believes in his king. He delivers most of, if not all the laughs in the movie (Timothy Spall has some as Winston Churchill but I'm not sure if that's the writing or the fact that Timothy Spall is playing Winston Churchill). There is little to no nuance to the performance and while it may be the big named actors that get you in the theater it will be Rush who keeps you in your seat.

That seems to be what the problem with so many other English movies, they are often so serious that they keep fun loving American movie goers away from the theater. The performances and writing in the movie will keep the viewer engaged. All the characters are believable and it isn't until the final sequence that all the king talk really hits home, it is less about the monarch and more about the man looking to fulfill his duty.

Writer David Seidler had been looking to make this film for some time. And although he didn't need to, he asked for permission from the Queen Mum to make the movie. She in turn asked him to wait till after her death as the memories were still to fresh for her. After she passed away at the age of 150 he was finally able to tell the story of a man who fell by the wayside with so many larger personalities during this time period.

The story is an interesting one, but the execution is what brings the movie down a peg, it is formulaic. Fortunately the formula is how to win a lot of awards so it is a good path to follow. Even more fortunate are the male leads in the movie as they take the this story over the top which will have one of these men (though both deserve it) walking away with gold in February. A-

The Fighter

Recently it seems like a lot of movies are moving Northeast. The cities here seem to have split personalities from hoity-toity, ivy league elitism to gritty drug filled cesspools. Seeing this movie in Boston added a little something special to the screening. Boston often gets depicted as a tough place to live with a lot of characters who tend to be rough around the edges. The Boston accent is one of the most notorious out there and often gets butchered as actors try to pick up the nuances of Boston, but really just turn into a caricature of the city. The accent even trips up people who previously lived here, looking at you Affleck. It has been tough for Boston to shed this image even though Lowell, where the story takes place, is actually 30 miles north of Boston.

Cut to inside the theater where a man in his 60s is smoking the same unfiltered camels he has clearly been smoking for the past 40 years. A fight almost breaks out on the left side of the auditorium over the incident. Sorry Menino, the caricature is hear to stay, time to embrace it. That is exactly what director David Russell does with The Fighter, he allows the city of Lowell to breathe and really come into its own. Whether it's them walking down the street, talking with everyone they pass, or its the training they do in preparation for the fight. Lowell is heavily featured in this movie, for better or worse.

In fact one of the most subtle performances in the movie comes from the man who has tried to get this movie made for four years. Mark Wahlberg (here to be known as Marky Mark) stars and produces in this movie about the Irish boxer Mickey Ward looking to keep his career going as long as possible. He trained everyday for four years in preparation for this film to look and understand the part. He also shopped the film around to as many people as possible including Martin Scorsese. It wasn't until Russell came along, whom he previously worked with on Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees that all his efforts came to fruition. For all the effort Marky Mark puts into his film he chooses to stand aside as the lead character and let his co-stars do the heavy hitting. It is to his credit as his understated performance really helps the movie excel.

The hardest hitting performance in the movie is hands down Christina Bale as Mickey's half-brother and trainer Dickie. Just as Dickie stole the spotlight off Mickey in the family, Bale steals it away from Marky Mark. He is infectious, loyal and tragic all rolled into one as Dickie is cursed with addictions to both the lime light and crack that nearly destroy him. In his past life he was able to knock down Sugar Ray Leonard and it seems to be in that life that Dickie wants to live, and almost everyone is willing to cater to that. There is no one out there in Hollywood who would be better suited to take on this character. His method tendencies, which have gotten him in trouble in the past is what makes him perfect for this role in what is sure to finally get him a Oscar Nomination, and most likely be the heavy favorite to win among the Academy. Seriously how has Bale never even been nominated for the award?

Although it may be tough to see past Christian Bale, Melissa Leo also pulls out a fantastic performance as the mother of the boxing duo. She is trying to manage Mickey's career but it is never clear whose interests she really has at heart. It would be silly to try to cast her singularly as the monstrous mother as she is so much more than that. She is strong and determined to make sure the family stays together and has an army of daughters to ensure she achieves her goal at whatever expense. Opposing his mother is Amy Adams as the underachieving girlfriend, she proves her versatility as an actor branching out from her typical sweet demeanor. In this movie she shines as a character hardened by strife and the only one strong enough to pull Mickey away from the talons of his mother.

It is the relationships in Mickey's life that drives the heart of the movie. All the characters seem to know what is best as they battle over Mickey's soul. Marky Mark understands the talent he has surrounded himself with and it is to his credit that he decides to step back and allow the chemistry of the project to take over.

Inside the ring the cinematography differs from other boxing movie. In Rocky, for example, every hit seems to be a haymaker and for the most part that is what the audience wants to see, but not how a real boxing match takes place. To capture the feel of the fights Russell chose to use Beta Cameras, which is what would have been used to capture the fights in the early nineties. They also received help from the HBO film crews whose years of experience around the ring helped the fight scenes feel more plausible than previous boxing movies.

Boxing as a sport seems to be headed to the wayside with the emergence of mixed martial arts. Leaving most of us to only admire times and stories gone by. Wahlberg proves that he cares about this project and his passion is projected off the screen to the viewers. A-

Black Swan

The beginning of the movie, is the movie. It tells the whole story of what is to come the rest of the way. Unlike the movie it takes place while our main character is asleep so we know that this isn't happening, the rest of the way the audience can never be sure what in the movie is real and what is not. From there we dip in and out of the mind of Darren Aronofsky as he places Natalie Portman in prime position to win an Oscar.

SYNOPSIS

Portman plays Nina Sayers, a girl with the singular obsession of becoming the prima ballerina at her New York Company. She works the hardest and her technique is perfect making her the best choice for the White Swan but the artistic director has decided to combine the White and Black Swan into one role and she lacks the passion to play the antagonist. Enter Mila Kunis, the sexy, free spirited transfer from San Fransisco. Her character Lily is everything that Nina wishes she could be and embodies the spirit of the Black Swan. In any other production the casting would be clear, in this production Nina must take Lily in as a rival, friend, and mentor.

FIN

The movie entices you in the opening sequence, the music will keep you entranced. Clint Mansell was brought on to score the film, and has worked with Aronofsky before. For Black Swan he created the entire score using only elements from the original 1876 ballet. The music elevates every sensation during the movie and hits at all the right times. While many will want to forget some of the things they have just witnessed it will be impossible to leave the theater without Tchaikovsky's original composition stuck in your head.

Portman's performance as the singularly minded professional is haunting. The character's transformation to reach perfection seems almost effortless. The most challenging part of the performance was no doubt the ten months of dance lessons along with the 20 pounds she needed to drop to look like a dancer. It pays off as Portman looks solid doing most of her own dancing. Her own transformation helps makes the character's transformation more believable. If she had not gone through ten hour days of training, seven days a week her performance may have suffered. Instead we get nothing but intensity. The rise of evil is a story not usually shared as it tends to do so poorly box-office. Plus there are many of us who have been Disney-fied to believe that all stories have a happy ending, when in actuality the story of Swan Lake itself is a tragedy. Nina seems to suffer from an idealistic state of naivety exemplified by her pink room filled with dolls. She is forced to go through both a psychological and physical transformation to achieve her ultimate goal.

The people Nina surrounds herself with do little to help with finding the correct balance to achieve her goal. Vincent Cassel plays the director pushing her to embrace her sensual side to become The Black Swan. Her desire for his approval allows him to take full advantage of his pupil, Nina speaks highly of her director yet we see her being treated in a poor manner. It's tough to tell if this is a power play and deception or a brilliant artist looking to get the most out of his players. The ambiguity leaves the audience to wonder whose side is he on, is he playing the part of Prince Siegfried or von Rothbart. In all actuality it is probably intended to be a combination of both, much like his leading lady.

Nina still lives with her mother, played perfectly by Barbara Hershey, and is a former ballerina herself, who no doubt pushed her daughter into this career path. Her mother simultaneously tries to coddle Nina and subvert her as she is envious of her daughter becoming more successful than she could ever be. The other older figure we see is the former prima ballerina, forced into retirement. Winona Ryder shows our lead what happens after the limelight is taken away, and what could be awaiting her. Her presence in the film adds to her fear of being overtook by another actress in the company.

Then there is the seductress Mila Kunis, who mirrors Portman in almost every facet. The difference being the free-spirited nature she posses which threaten Nina as the prima ballerina. Lily is the most difficult character to decipher in the film as Nina may be influencing the audience by projecting onto her rival slash fried. Lily leaves the audience enchanted and unsure what to believe as she shares the same ambition as Nina and seems willing to do what is necessary. She, along with some of the other ballerinas, highlight the competitive nature of the theater and adds to the pressure of the protagonist to excel or risk being bypassed. It is a delicate balance of ruthlessness and friendship that Kunis shows well on the screen. Rarely are there many movies that deliver so many strong female characters, it is a credit to writers Mark Haymen and Andres Heinz. Oh and the girl on girl stuff is hot.

Taking away from the character development and evolution in the film is some of the dialouge. There is little to no subtlty in this film. Darren Aronofsky has a certain way he wants his viewers to feel and then beats you over the head with it. The writing also possess this trait by having the characters around Nina scream things at her that the audience should be inferring for themselves. This is in direct conflict with the rest of the film as Aronofsky rarely gives up his hand in showing what is real.

Similar to The Wrestler, Aronofsky chooses to use a hand held camera for most of the movie, using a lot of medium and close-up shots. The shakey camera work adds to the rocky experience that embodies the transformation. It forces the viewer quickly to encompass the style of movie and emerge yourself completely into the film or risk being left by the wayside. And no one wants to walk out of a movie disheartened, especially after spending all that money on popcorn. The movie at points is very ridiculous, in its premise and writing. To fully enjoy it, much like the performers in the play the directors ask you to submerge fully into the art, allowing it to take complete control.

The movie is all about artistic obsession and if the art is supposed to reflect the artist than you have to wonder what is going on in Aronofsky's head. Especially considering so many of his films deal with a protagonist reaching for greatness in their career at the cost of everything else around them (read: The Wrestler, Pi). I just want someone to make sure he is okay, and let him know that people like his stuff. A

True Grit

The Coen Brothers know their way around a film. That much has been established over the years. And after a few films that were not seen by too many, they return to the West, but this time around with the clock set back a few years.

True Grit is based of the 1968 novel of the same name. And while it shares its source material with the 1969 film that won John Wayne his only Oscar, it would be unfair to call this a remake. Lost is the tone of the previous film, it loses some of the laughs and but increases the darker parts of the Western lifestyle that was featured in the novel as Wayne still had an image to maintain and could not be as dirty as the original text intended.

That is not to say that this movie is not heavy on some outstanding deadpan writing and delivery, far from it. The Coen Brothers excel with their character introductions showing in the first frames what we can expect the rest of the way. Our first introduction to Rooster Cogburn sets the tone and his scene in the court room goes on to solidify it. He shows off a great balance of comedy and badassary that only Jeff Bridges could pull off, The Dude was the perfect replacement for The Duke.

This movie also differs with the original in that it does not revolve around The Duke/Dude, but rather a 14-year-old girl. Usually I can't stand child actors but Haliee Steinfeld does a fantastic job as Mattie Ross, who is looking to avenge her father's death. Her introduction to the audience features a confrontation with a store clerk over money. In this scene she proves that not only can she hold her own in the Western frontier, but this young actor belongs in the company of these big time Hollywood names.

Not enough can be said about how the Coen's handle this movie, their strength lies not only in their writing but in their ability to gather the best talent to achieve their goal. Cinematographer Roger Deakins highlights the Western backdrops, both its vast frontiers and deep inside the forest. Carter Burwell uses an elegant score to highlight some of the more serious notes in the movie. Thankfully the music in this movie is all instrumental and the people behind the camera choose to leave out the singing cowboys.

Much like any movie that takes place in the old West and involves searching for someone across great distances this movie does have a tendency to drag on. But all the points prior should make up for this. If you are either a fan of the Coen Brothers, a fan of the actors, or a fan of the genre or any combination there of you should enjoy this movie. B+

Yogi Bear: The Alternate Ending

Yogi Bear comes out this weekend. While I don't want to ruin the movie for any fans out there an alternate ending for the movie has been leaked onto the web. I believe it to be my duty to at least allow you to see it. Enjoy.

The Tourist

For some reason with so much star power and Oscar winners working on the script I somehow expected more from this movie. But now it seems the reason this movie was signed on by so many was for a paid vacation to Venice. Not to say I blame them, but I would hesitate before I indulge their fantasies, unless of course you want to get away a little yourself.

This is a classic tale of a female temptress and a bumbling hero. Angelina Jolie fills the role, and every part of her dresses, perfectly. While there aren't too many wide shots of Venice there are plenty of Jolie posing and strutting from place to place, which seemed to be the only requirement for this role. She is not asked to show off any of her acting in this one, but rather just allow the camera to follow her, both the movie's camera and the ones from the surveillance teams that are following her.

Johnny Depp plays a math teacher from Wisconsin who gets caught up in the whole game by looking similar to the man that everyone is trying to find. Happens to me all the time, they tell me George don’t you have to get ready for your show in LA, I’m quick to clarify. For a role that requires him to jump into a canopy and subsequently into a fruit cart he plays this role pretty straight, and takes it probably more serious than he should.

The supporting cast all fall into cliché parts. From the cops that are after them to the mobsters who want all their money back. Both sides of the law seem to have the aim of stormtroopers, so it is very clear that no one at any point in this movie is in any real danger. The most telling part of their acting is the nonchalance these characters take to capturing the two leads, which reflects the effort put in by the people who wrote the script.

I could go into what happens in the movie, but it doesn’t seem to be all that important to the people who worked on it, so why should you concern yourself with it. The script was written by Oscar winners all around which makes me wonder what happened. The screenplay is done by Christopher McQuarrie and Julian Fellows who won Oscars for their writing of "The Usual Suspects" and "Gosford Park" respectively. And the director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarch, just won an Oscar in 2007 for best foreign film. My theory is they are using these awards as paper weights to keep all the money they got for this movie from flying away.

I'm not entirely sure what this movie wants to be, I'm not sure if they are trying to make this an amazing action movie, a farce, or one that keeps you guessing throughout the movie. In all honesty the movie fails in all of these categories. Fail may actually be too strong a word, in all actuality the movie just doesn't succeed. But on the plus side for the cast and crew they did get a paid trip to Venice. D