A 13:13 Road to the Oscars (Part 3)

When the Oscars decided to up the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten, I was skeptical at first. It seemed excessive. That being said, now that I have seen the result of that change, I'm happy they made it. The ten, or this year nine (still haven't heard an explanation for that), films are a sort of showcase of the year's best work. While we all know that there are only two or three real contenders for the award, it's good to recognize the movies that were good enough to be eligible for the award. So instead of doing the Who will win/who should win thing, first I'm just going to highlight each film (except War Horse, the only one I haven't seen), then I will say who will and should win in my opinion.

The Tree of Life:
This movie, while on the artsy side, was very interesting. The movie bases itself on the premise of there being two paths in life, that of Grace and that of Nature. The story follows a boy, who you later see as an adult, and his upbringing under a mother who represents Grace and a father who represents Nature. The film deals with some pretty big themes such as the death of a relative, the meaning of existence, and emotional abuse. There are long periods of the film that consist mainly of visual images. They are stunning. I don't think this movie has a chance at winning Best Picture, but if it doesn't win best cinematography, it's a crime. It's also worth mentioning that Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt are two of the main actors in this film and they are both nominated in acting categories for other films.

Midnight in Paris:
I'm normally not a huge Woody Allen fan, but sometimes his creativeness outdoes his oddness, an that is the case with Midnight in Paris. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, because if you haven't seen it, there is a bit of a twist that I guarantee you won't see coming. What I will say is that if you are a fan of history, literature, or the arts, you should look into this movie. It's well acted, creatively written, and certainly worth a watch. No, this movie won't win Best Picture, but it might win best original screenplay and it definitely deserves the nomination.

Moneyball:
It's always good to see a true story that is well told on film. Moneyball isn't your traditional sports film. Yes baseball is a part of the film, but it's really more about the inner workings of the sport and what it takes for a small market team to compete. I really liked the human struggles that you see depicted in this movie. A lot of sports films deal in grand gestures and cliches, but this movie looks at the struggles that people deal with on an everyday basis, such as building a relationship with you child, or providing for a family. It's a good film, but again, it won't win the Best Picture award. It is worth noting that Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are both nominated for their acting roles in this film.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close:
This film hasn't gotten the respect that it deserves. It's a well acted film that shows a great range of human emotions. The film has a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I think that this is a testament just how cynical movie critics have become. This movie depicts such a range of human issues and emotions, that I think it definitely deserves this nomination. Also of note is that Max von Sydow is nominated for his performance in this film.

Hugo:
This was a really good movie. The story revolves around a young boy who is orphaned and living in a Paris train station, while trying to reconnect with is dead father. While it is supposed to be a children's film, it deals with many adult elements. There is also a nice look back at the era of silent film in this movie, much like its fellow nominee The Artist. This film probably won't win Best Picture, but there is a good chance that it will grab the Best Director award.


The Artist:
The Artist is easily one of the three best films of the year. What has drawn many to it is the novelty of being a 21st Century silent film. The way the film deals with this aspect is creative and worthy of praise. Beyond the silent film aspect of the movie, this is just a really well made movie. It is creatively written (although I do have a problem with a film that doesn't have any real dialog being nominated for best original screenplay), well acted, and overall very charming. The story may not be the most original, but it goes to a fairly deep place and does so creatively. For all of these reasons it is indeed a contender to win this award. Also worth noting is that this film won the Golden Globe for Best Picture Comedy/Musical

The Descendants:
This is one of my two favorite films of the year. It deals with the story of a family dealing with their mother/wife suffering from a boating accident. The emotion in this movie is on a level beyond most movies I have seen. The acting in the movie is also some of the best in any movie I've seen this year. Shaileen Woodley should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and George Clooney rightfully earned the Best Actor nomination, which he very well could win. It also won the Golden Globe for Best Picture Drama.

The Help:
This is the other movie that makes my top two list. The story (based on a book) deals with the struggles of African-American maids in the South. Some critics have expressed problems with this film, under the claim that it portrays African-Americans in a disparaging light. I couldn't disagree more. Yes, the women in the film are maids and aren't well educated. That's the tragedy of the time that the story takes place in, but it is an accurate portrayal for the most part. What is so great about the story is that the characters, while living in a horrible situation that they had no control over, rise up and do great things in the face of adversity and danger. The movie shows that the women are greater than their situation. That's why I think it's great. Is this a contender for Best Picture? Some say yes and some say no. I think the fact that the question is even being asked makes it a contender. Also keep in mind, it's worth noting that this film did win Best Ensemble Cast at the SAG Awards and that make up the biggest voting group at the Oscars. The win is very possible, but the nomination alone is a great recognition of the movie.

Who will win?/Who should win?
Like I said, I think the three contenders for this award are The Artist, The Descendants, and The Help. Who will win? At this point I'm guessing that The Artist will win just because of the novelty. Not that it isn't an amazing movie, but of these three movies I would put it at number three. Who should win? I'm having a hard time deciding if The Help or The Descendants is the better movie. I like them both a lot. But I think when it comes down to it, I would have to go with The Help, just because of the multitude of great acting performances and the power of the story being told. Whoever wins, make sure you watch the Oscars tomorrow night on ABC!

A 13:13 Road to the Oscars (Part 2)

In this post I will be covering the Best Leading Actor/Actress categories. For the most part I'm pretty impressed with the nominations this year, so I'll just jump right in.

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

1. Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
2. George Clooney (The Descendants) 
3. Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
4. Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
5. Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

Who will win the Oscar?/Who should win the Oscar?

I'm putting these two together here because I think this one is really up in the air. The winner will definitely be either Jean Dujardin or George Clooney, I'm sure of that, but I don't know for sure which one will win. For the sake of argument and because of the way things have happened so far, I'm going to say that Jean Dujardin will win, but that George Clooney should win. I could honestly see both winning. Clooney won the Golden Globe for Leading Actor in a Drama, while Dujardin won the Golden Globe for Leading Actor in a Comedy/Musical, and the SAG for Leading Actor. Dujardin was impressive this year and deserves the nomination. He works flawlessly within the medium of silent film, with the emotion of the performance transcending the silence of the film. That beings said, I feel like Clooney's performance in The Descendants is easily the best of his career. The range of human emotions that Clooney presents in this film is nothing short of amazing. For that, I believe he deserves the Oscar, and Academy voters very well may agree with me on that one. I think this will be the closest race in any of the acting categories this year.

The rest of the nominees?

I haven't seen A Better Life or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, so I can't really comment on Bichir and Oldman. I did see Moneyball however, and I found Brad Pitt's performance to be impressive. I'm not normally a Brad Pitt fan. He normally chooses roles that are a little too odd and abstract for my taste. What I like about Pitt in this movie is that he does a good job of balancing a character who is struggling to be both an aggressive businessman and a caring father. He's good, but Clooney and Dujardin are just better. 

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

1. Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
2. Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)
3. Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
4. Viola Davis (The Help)
5. Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)

Who will win the Oscar/Who should win the Oscar?

Again, I think there is a bit of a tight race here. I don't think it is nearly as up in the air as the Best Actor category, but I think there is a somewhat competitive race. The two front runners in this category are Viola Davis and Meryl Streep. I honestly think the answer to both of these questions is Viola Davis. She won the SAG for Leading Actress. Davis performance in The Help really makes the movie. Some critics have said of this movie that it makes the white people look like the heroes, but if you come away from this movie and don't see the hero that Davis creates in this performance, you weren't paying attention. There is dignity and emotion in this performance and as much as critics might want to take away from Davis, she's amazing. Meryl Streep on the other hand won the Golden Globe for Leading Actress in a Drama. This is the only reason I could possibly see her taking the Oscar from Davis. Yes I said taking, because while Streep is good in this movie, she is far from the best this year. I will give credit to Streep, she is a beacon in what is one of the worst films I've seen this year. Nobody could fill this role like she does. She really is great here, but Davis gave a performance that no other actress can touch this year. 

The other nominees?

I haven't seen Albert Nobbs and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so I can't really comment on the performances, though I have heard good things about Mara's performance from my brother who read the book and saw the movie. Michelle Williams however gave one of my favorite performances this year in My Week With Marilyn. I heard one critic who complained that Williams makes Marilyn look ditsy, when in reality Marilyn was sexy. I couldn't agree less. I think that Williams' performance in this movie makes Marilyn an actual human beings. Most people see Marilyn as a figure or an icon. Hardly as a person. The Marilyn that Williams portrays in this movie has hopes, dreams, and fears that make her seem more human than ever, and yes this is based on a true story. Well those are my thoughts on this year's Best Actor/Actress nominees. 

A 13:13 Road to the Oscars (Part 1)

I love movies. To me, film is the highest form of the performing arts. There's nothing like a great movie. In honor of the Oscars this year, I'm doing a three part blog post on the nominees for the Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Leading Actor/Actress, and Best Picture. I haven't seen every movie or performance from this year's nominees, but I will try to cover as much as I can. This won't be exact, but I'm going to try and cover who I think will win, who I think should win (which might be the same as who I think will win), and other notable performances or snubs. So for today I'm starting with Best Supporting Actor/Actress.

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)
2. Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
3. Nick Nolte (Warrior)
4. Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
5. Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)

 Who will win the Oscar?
Simple answer? Christopher Plummer. He won both the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and the Golden Globe. Odds are that he will win the Oscar too. I haven't personally seen Beginners, so I can't really comment on Plummer's performance.

Who should win the Oscar?
Since I haven't seen Christopher Plummer's performance, so I'm not exactly saying he doesn't deserve it. I have seen three of the performances by the actors in this category however, and I can say that some of them were pretty impressive. I was most impressed however by Max von Sydow, who is nominated for his role in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. In a year that saw a return to silent film with The Artist, what impressed me was that Max von Sydow gave a silent performance in a film that wasn't silent, and he gave a very compelling performance. Max von Sydow was really one of the best parts of this movie and I'm glad that he's getting recognized for it with an Oscar nomination.

The other nominees and any snubs?
Jonah Hill and Kenneth Branagh are both deserving nominees this year. Hill, gives a surprisingly good dramatic performance for an actor that is known mostly for his comedy work. Branagh gives the kind of polished performance that you would expect from the veteran Shakespearean actor. I can't honestly say that there are any noticeable snubs in this category this year. Great performances by supporting actors were a little limited this year, but I think the Oscars pretty much got it right with this year's nominees.

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Octavia Spencer (The Help)
2. Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
3. Jessica Chastain (The Help)
4. Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
5. Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)

Who will win the Oscar? 

Unless there is some unforeseen disaster, this award easily belongs to Octavia Spencer. She won both the Golden Globe and the SAG, and all signs point to her winning the Oscar as well. Some critics say however that she could split the vote with Jessica Chastain, who is also from The Help, giving someone else a chance to sneak by and win. It's possible, but I doubt it. 

Who should win?

Octavia Spencer. Like I said, this award easily belongs to her, and rightfully so. Spencer's performance in The Help is the kind of performance that makes a career. What makes this even greater for Spencer is that she came out of nowhere and rose to such a high level of acting. I honestly can't say enough about how great Spencer's performance is in this move. In this one character she reaches both dramatic and comedic excellence. 

The other nominees/snubs?

This is probably my favorite category this year. I mean don't get me wrong the other categories are pretty exciting, but this category just looks great this year. For starters you have Berenice Bejo in the Artist. She's charming, and she really is the grounding element of The Artist which gives it that extra edge as a great movie. Melissa McCarthy, while I really do like her as an actress, is another story. I don't think that she deserves this nomination. Yes, it's good for the women that they could do a female based comedy like Bridemaids, but that being said this movie is no different than any other Judd Apatow movie. Yes, McCarthy is good in the movie but to nominate her for the Oscar seems unwarranted. I can't help but make comparisons to other supporting actresses that have won or been nominated for this award for comedic performances. Namely Marisa Tomei comes to mind for her performance in My Cousin Vinny. To say that McCarthy's performance is even half as good as Tomei's is a joke itself. Flatulence on camera isn't enough to warrant the nomination. One of the true tragedies of this year's Oscars is that Jessica Chastain can't also win an Oscar. Chastain and Spencer both give amazing, and unassuming, performances in The Help, and the best part is that most of their scenes in the movie are done together. If Spencer hadn't given the amazing performance that she did, I honestly believe that Jessica Chastain would be winning an Oscar this year. She's that good. It's also worth noting that at the SAG Awards, The Help won best ensamble cast, and that Jessica Chastain had major roles in two of this years Best Picture Oscar nominated films, The Help and The Tree of Life. I have not seen Albert Nobbs, so I can't really comment on Janet McTeer's performance this year. Snubs? Yes there is one major snub in my opinion. Shaileen Woodley for The Descendants. This is one of my favorite performances of the year. I would put it right behind Spencer and Chastain's performances this year in the supporting actress category. Instead the Oscars decided to nominate Melissa McCarthy, which is extremely unfortunate. Well those are my opinions on this year's supporting categories.