And now, my top ten of 2011:
10. Super 8. As almost everyone has noted, this is an excellent throwback to the 80s filmmaking of Steven Spielberg. And as alsost everyone has noted, Elle Fanning proves here she is an absolute movie star. And almost everyone was right.
9. The Muppets. As a lifelong Muppet fan, I have been dismayed as The Muppets couldn't seem to find their way over the past decade or so. This film is on my list simply becasue it got the tone right, and was the first time I really felt that about the Muppets than about circa Muppets Christmas Carol.
8. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. The funniest movie of the year. If you haven't heard of it, it takes the tired horror movie trope of threatening hillbillies, tells the story from the point of view of the hillbillies, and milks every last cliche for all the humor it can.
7. Incendies. A devestating drama about the pain Middle Eastern fighting over religion causes and the power of forgiveness.
6. Hugo. Of course Martin Scorsese's first family film is also a call for film preservation. Of course it is also stunningly beautiful and the best use of 3D since Avatar.
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Since the original was on my list last year, how does an English language remake show up this year? Because of Rooney Mara's performance. Noomi Rapace played the lead in orginal as damaged, but Mara throws in an emotional disconnect (clearly a suggestion of Asperger's) that puts a frsh spin on it.
4. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. What a rush. The best action movie in years, with one set piece that will make you scared of heights, but pedal to the floor pacing throughout.
3. The Descendants. It's nice to see Alexander Payne writing and directing again. If George Clooney is not the most consistantly interesting actor working today, then I don't know who tops him.
2. Blue Valentine. I really need to write a full column on this film. It captures the frustration of working class males, and how those frustrations go on to destroy relationships, in a way I have never seen before.
1. The Tree of Life. Well it's my list, so I don't care if you disagree. The film may have polarized audiences, but it spoke to me like no other. This was the one film I saw this year that was inventing new film language.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Top Ten of 2011: Runners-Up
As I unveil my list of the movies that most impressed, effected, and entertained me of 2012, I open with the same caveat as always: my year is based on what opened near me. If a movie did not open in Columbus or Dayton in the year of 2011, it is not eligible. Sorry, The Artist. You will be on my 2012 list. Meanwhile, one 2010 Oscar nominee is in my top five for 2011.
Before unveiling my top ten, these are my ten runners-up, in alphabetical order:
Beginners. If Chritopher Plummer's supporting performance wasn't the most entertaining performance of 2011, then I didn't see what topped it. But the sweet romance at the heart of this film is what truly won me over.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Werner Herzog always has a unique take on life. His decision to shoot these cabe drawings in 3D is one of the best cinematic decisions he ever made.
Crazy Stupid Love. Not quite the laugh riot I expected, but a film with more emotional truth than I expected, and a plot with some great twists and turns.
Drive. Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. And a couple of harch reminders of how shocking violence is when played for real.
Friends with Benefits. Yeah, just a romantic comedy with dirty words, but with appealing leads in Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, and dialogue that still makes me laugh on repeat viewings, a lot less has been celebrated.
Hanna. Brutal, but exciting, with a ferocious lead performance by Saorise Ronan and tehno score to match by The Chemical Brothers.
Horrible Bosses. Flat out the major studio film that made me laugh the hardest. (There is an independent film in my top ten that had me laughing harder.)
Martha Marcy May Marlene. It's not just for Elizabeth Olsen, though she gave one of my favorite performances of the year. Its for the way the film, with its jump back and forth structure, had me feeling her paranoia.
Midnight in Paris. Just made me smile the whole time. No one does that better than Woody Allen at the top of his game.
Win WIn. Director Tom McCarthy is a master of the telling detail, which makes his films so rewarding. Plus in this one he has Paul Giamati in the lead.
Before unveiling my top ten, these are my ten runners-up, in alphabetical order:
Beginners. If Chritopher Plummer's supporting performance wasn't the most entertaining performance of 2011, then I didn't see what topped it. But the sweet romance at the heart of this film is what truly won me over.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Werner Herzog always has a unique take on life. His decision to shoot these cabe drawings in 3D is one of the best cinematic decisions he ever made.
Crazy Stupid Love. Not quite the laugh riot I expected, but a film with more emotional truth than I expected, and a plot with some great twists and turns.
Drive. Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. And a couple of harch reminders of how shocking violence is when played for real.
Friends with Benefits. Yeah, just a romantic comedy with dirty words, but with appealing leads in Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, and dialogue that still makes me laugh on repeat viewings, a lot less has been celebrated.
Hanna. Brutal, but exciting, with a ferocious lead performance by Saorise Ronan and tehno score to match by The Chemical Brothers.
Horrible Bosses. Flat out the major studio film that made me laugh the hardest. (There is an independent film in my top ten that had me laughing harder.)
Martha Marcy May Marlene. It's not just for Elizabeth Olsen, though she gave one of my favorite performances of the year. Its for the way the film, with its jump back and forth structure, had me feeling her paranoia.
Midnight in Paris. Just made me smile the whole time. No one does that better than Woody Allen at the top of his game.
Win WIn. Director Tom McCarthy is a master of the telling detail, which makes his films so rewarding. Plus in this one he has Paul Giamati in the lead.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Oscar predictions 2012
Yes, I'm waiting until the last minute. But I'm still on time: the show isn't until tonight. So here goes:
BEST PICTURE: The Artist
It is indeed rare when an early front runner never loses the top ranking, but that is indeed what happened this year when The Artist came out of Cannes looking like the film to beat and never lost that status. As a valentine to early sound era Hollywood it hits the Academy target as a bullseye. Hugo, as a valentine to film preservation, is the spoiler and would have won many years (including last year). But I think the tiebreaker is The Artist is seen as more fun than Hugo.
BEST DIRECTOR: Micel Hazanivicius, The Artist
To pull off a black and white film with (almost) no dialogue and in the technical limitations of that era and yet not for a second make it feel like homework is an achievement worth rewarding. Martin Scorsese also came from the heart with Hugo, but this seems to me to be the year of The Artist.
BEST ACTOR: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt and George Clooney are excellent, as always. But to pull of The Artist without dialogue is a one of a kind achievement.
BEST ACTRESS: Viola Davis, The Help
A popular prediction is Streep. But The Iron Lady isn't one of her best roles, and The Help may well be the best role Davis has ever had. She's a great actress and she's due.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
He's Hollywood royalty. He's never won. And he's really good in this role. The easiest pick of the night.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer, The Help
In a role designed for her, she knocks it out of the park. She's up against some great performances, but none of them have ever materialized as competition.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Midnight in Paris
The Artist definitely could make Hazanivicius a double winner, but this seems like a good place to reward Woody Allen, who hasn't won in over 25 years.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: The Descendants
I see this a a race between former winners for Best Picture nominees who will likely not win any other category. While Moneyball may be the tougher task (the novel was a bunch of statistics -- dramatize that!), Oscar voters usually vote with their heart. The heartstrings are best plucked by The Descendants.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Rango
Terrible field this year. Rango wins essentially by default.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Paradise Lost 3
The always wacky documentary branch omitted a lot of deserving nominees, but the totality of the Paradise Lost achievement, helping to free three men wrongfully convicted of three horrible murders, seems to me like the kind of achievement Oscar would like to reward.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE: A Separation
The most acclaim and the only film in this category with another nomination (for screenplay) makes this the obvious choice.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Tree of Life
Emmanuel Lubetzki is waaaay overdue. And while dramatically people have issue with the film, no one disputes it is frequently stunningly beautiful.
BEST FILM EDITING: The Artist
Probably the toughest category of the night. I could build a good case for Hugo, Moneyball, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But when in doubt in this category, do for the Best Picture winner. So that's what I'm doing.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: The Artist
Any claim that The Artist is the best picture goes hand and hand with its score, which is essential to the film's mood.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG: "Man or Muppet", The Muppets
The Rio song is forgettable, and the other songs that deserved to be nominated were "Life's a Happy Song" and "Pictures in My Head", both from The Muppets. So here's one for the song that should win.
BEST ART DIRECTION: Hugo
Dante Ferretti is a legend in his field. And his work on Hugo was stunning, to boot.
BEST COSTUMES: Hugo
Sandy Powell is a legend in her field. And her work on Hugo was stunning, to boot.
BEST MAKEUP: The Iron Lady
In an odd field for this category, I'm guessing transforming Meryl Streep into Margaret Thatcher will be rewarded.
BEST SOUND EDITING: War Horse
BEST SOUND MIXING: War Horse
I'm guessing epic sweep gets rewarded. If the awards goes to Most Sound (and it often does) then Transformers 3 wins here.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Usually, this goes to the film that shows us something new. The effects of the apes was a leap forward from previous motion capture efforts.
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: La Luna
Pixar may have missed with its feature this year, but it sure didn't with its short. None of the other nominees were as good as Pixar's two Toy Story shorts, for that matter.
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT: The Shore
The funniest, the most emotional, and from director Terry George, who made the well respected feature Hotal Rwanda. Its a stron field, but this clearly the stongest.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Saving Face
This is a two film race with "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" but I'm going with the film that illuminates a subject, survivors of acid attacks in Pakistan, that is much less well known than the Japanese tsunami and how its culture survived.
BEST PICTURE: The Artist
It is indeed rare when an early front runner never loses the top ranking, but that is indeed what happened this year when The Artist came out of Cannes looking like the film to beat and never lost that status. As a valentine to early sound era Hollywood it hits the Academy target as a bullseye. Hugo, as a valentine to film preservation, is the spoiler and would have won many years (including last year). But I think the tiebreaker is The Artist is seen as more fun than Hugo.
BEST DIRECTOR: Micel Hazanivicius, The Artist
To pull off a black and white film with (almost) no dialogue and in the technical limitations of that era and yet not for a second make it feel like homework is an achievement worth rewarding. Martin Scorsese also came from the heart with Hugo, but this seems to me to be the year of The Artist.
BEST ACTOR: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt and George Clooney are excellent, as always. But to pull of The Artist without dialogue is a one of a kind achievement.
BEST ACTRESS: Viola Davis, The Help
A popular prediction is Streep. But The Iron Lady isn't one of her best roles, and The Help may well be the best role Davis has ever had. She's a great actress and she's due.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
He's Hollywood royalty. He's never won. And he's really good in this role. The easiest pick of the night.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer, The Help
In a role designed for her, she knocks it out of the park. She's up against some great performances, but none of them have ever materialized as competition.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Midnight in Paris
The Artist definitely could make Hazanivicius a double winner, but this seems like a good place to reward Woody Allen, who hasn't won in over 25 years.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: The Descendants
I see this a a race between former winners for Best Picture nominees who will likely not win any other category. While Moneyball may be the tougher task (the novel was a bunch of statistics -- dramatize that!), Oscar voters usually vote with their heart. The heartstrings are best plucked by The Descendants.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Rango
Terrible field this year. Rango wins essentially by default.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Paradise Lost 3
The always wacky documentary branch omitted a lot of deserving nominees, but the totality of the Paradise Lost achievement, helping to free three men wrongfully convicted of three horrible murders, seems to me like the kind of achievement Oscar would like to reward.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE: A Separation
The most acclaim and the only film in this category with another nomination (for screenplay) makes this the obvious choice.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Tree of Life
Emmanuel Lubetzki is waaaay overdue. And while dramatically people have issue with the film, no one disputes it is frequently stunningly beautiful.
BEST FILM EDITING: The Artist
Probably the toughest category of the night. I could build a good case for Hugo, Moneyball, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But when in doubt in this category, do for the Best Picture winner. So that's what I'm doing.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: The Artist
Any claim that The Artist is the best picture goes hand and hand with its score, which is essential to the film's mood.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG: "Man or Muppet", The Muppets
The Rio song is forgettable, and the other songs that deserved to be nominated were "Life's a Happy Song" and "Pictures in My Head", both from The Muppets. So here's one for the song that should win.
BEST ART DIRECTION: Hugo
Dante Ferretti is a legend in his field. And his work on Hugo was stunning, to boot.
BEST COSTUMES: Hugo
Sandy Powell is a legend in her field. And her work on Hugo was stunning, to boot.
BEST MAKEUP: The Iron Lady
In an odd field for this category, I'm guessing transforming Meryl Streep into Margaret Thatcher will be rewarded.
BEST SOUND EDITING: War Horse
BEST SOUND MIXING: War Horse
I'm guessing epic sweep gets rewarded. If the awards goes to Most Sound (and it often does) then Transformers 3 wins here.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Usually, this goes to the film that shows us something new. The effects of the apes was a leap forward from previous motion capture efforts.
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: La Luna
Pixar may have missed with its feature this year, but it sure didn't with its short. None of the other nominees were as good as Pixar's two Toy Story shorts, for that matter.
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT: The Shore
The funniest, the most emotional, and from director Terry George, who made the well respected feature Hotal Rwanda. Its a stron field, but this clearly the stongest.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Saving Face
This is a two film race with "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" but I'm going with the film that illuminates a subject, survivors of acid attacks in Pakistan, that is much less well known than the Japanese tsunami and how its culture survived.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Oscar nomination predictions (part 2)
Here's the "big" categories, with commentary after. Note I am alphabetizing the predictions, not ranking the likelihood.
PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Given the guild nominations, I have added The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and subtracted The Tree of Life from my list since my last analysis. I can't see anything else cracking the list besides the seven above, The Tree of Life, or War Horse.
DIRECTOR
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Michel Hazanavivius (The Artist)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
I can't believe I'm leaving out Terence Malick for The Tree of Life, but I can't figure out how he would replace any of these five. Which means that yes, I am matching the list of the director's guild.
ACTOR
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Michael Fassbender (Shame)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Clooney, Dujardin, and Pitt are all shoo-ins, and the three contenders in this category in likely best picture nominees. Fassbender is in a small film, but has had a good year, which often gets rewarded. Most of the other main contenders are in smaller films: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter, Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Demian Bachir in A Better Life. DiCaprio's film may be considered a disappointment, but it still grossed twice what those three films did combined. So I have DiCaprio almost by default.
ACTRESS
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Willaims (My Week with Marilyn)
Streep and David are locks. Williams is in a poor performing film, but she abaolutely nails it. Then this gets trickier. I'm very shaky about Close, and would not be surprised is she is out. I've got her in basically by name recognition. Tilda Swinton has made alot of list, but no one has seen We Need to Talk About Kevin. So I have Mara partially due to the film getting several other nods. I considered Charlize Theron, but didn't put her in because Young Adult I don't conceive as well liked.
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn)
Albert Brooks (Drive)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Nick Nolte (Warrior)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Plummer's a shoo-in -- in fact, I've got him winning the award easily. I would be surprised in Branagh and Brooks are passed over, both former nominees. And any misgivings about Hill were washed away by the crowd reaction at the Golden Globes. But that fifth slot has me wavering.
Max von Sydow seemed assured early in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, but the tide for that film never arrived. Same with another former nominee, Viggo Mortenson in A Dangerous Method. When Young Adult faltered, Patton Oswalt's chances went with it. Same with Armie Hammer in J. Edgar. Robert Forster is great in The Descendants, but has only a couple of scenes. I almost went with Ben Kingsley as Hugo is beloved. But there is a definite buzz around Nolte's performance. So I went with him.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)
Spencer and Bejo are shoo-ins. Chastain has had a great year, and I think would have been nominated for The Tree of Life had not The Help been in the same year. This has been a good category for comic scene stealers, and that certainly describes McCarthy's performance.
The fifth slot had some big former nominees contending: Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs, Vanessa Redgrave in Coriolanus, and Carey Mulligan in Shame. But none of their films were big. So I'm going with Woodley, who's in a likely best picture nominee.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist (Michel Hazanivicius)
Bridesmaids (Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig)
Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)
A Separation (Asghar Farhadi)
Win Win (Thomas McCarthy & Joe Tibani)
The Artist is getting a ton of nominations and the writers love Woody, so write those two down in ink. Other than supporting actress, this seems the category to honor Bridesmaids' surprise success. McCathy always writes great characters, so I expect that to be honored. And with the fifth category wide open, I did not find any contender strong enough to prevent a surprise foreign nominee in A Separation.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants (Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne, Jim Rash)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stephen Zaillian)
The Help (Tate Taylor)
Hugo (John Logan)
Moneyball (Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian)
Only best picture nominees need apply in my predictions.
PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Given the guild nominations, I have added The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and subtracted The Tree of Life from my list since my last analysis. I can't see anything else cracking the list besides the seven above, The Tree of Life, or War Horse.
DIRECTOR
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Michel Hazanavivius (The Artist)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
I can't believe I'm leaving out Terence Malick for The Tree of Life, but I can't figure out how he would replace any of these five. Which means that yes, I am matching the list of the director's guild.
ACTOR
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Michael Fassbender (Shame)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Clooney, Dujardin, and Pitt are all shoo-ins, and the three contenders in this category in likely best picture nominees. Fassbender is in a small film, but has had a good year, which often gets rewarded. Most of the other main contenders are in smaller films: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter, Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Demian Bachir in A Better Life. DiCaprio's film may be considered a disappointment, but it still grossed twice what those three films did combined. So I have DiCaprio almost by default.
ACTRESS
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Willaims (My Week with Marilyn)
Streep and David are locks. Williams is in a poor performing film, but she abaolutely nails it. Then this gets trickier. I'm very shaky about Close, and would not be surprised is she is out. I've got her in basically by name recognition. Tilda Swinton has made alot of list, but no one has seen We Need to Talk About Kevin. So I have Mara partially due to the film getting several other nods. I considered Charlize Theron, but didn't put her in because Young Adult I don't conceive as well liked.
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn)
Albert Brooks (Drive)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Nick Nolte (Warrior)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Plummer's a shoo-in -- in fact, I've got him winning the award easily. I would be surprised in Branagh and Brooks are passed over, both former nominees. And any misgivings about Hill were washed away by the crowd reaction at the Golden Globes. But that fifth slot has me wavering.
Max von Sydow seemed assured early in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, but the tide for that film never arrived. Same with another former nominee, Viggo Mortenson in A Dangerous Method. When Young Adult faltered, Patton Oswalt's chances went with it. Same with Armie Hammer in J. Edgar. Robert Forster is great in The Descendants, but has only a couple of scenes. I almost went with Ben Kingsley as Hugo is beloved. But there is a definite buzz around Nolte's performance. So I went with him.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)
Spencer and Bejo are shoo-ins. Chastain has had a great year, and I think would have been nominated for The Tree of Life had not The Help been in the same year. This has been a good category for comic scene stealers, and that certainly describes McCarthy's performance.
The fifth slot had some big former nominees contending: Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs, Vanessa Redgrave in Coriolanus, and Carey Mulligan in Shame. But none of their films were big. So I'm going with Woodley, who's in a likely best picture nominee.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist (Michel Hazanivicius)
Bridesmaids (Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig)
Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)
A Separation (Asghar Farhadi)
Win Win (Thomas McCarthy & Joe Tibani)
The Artist is getting a ton of nominations and the writers love Woody, so write those two down in ink. Other than supporting actress, this seems the category to honor Bridesmaids' surprise success. McCathy always writes great characters, so I expect that to be honored. And with the fifth category wide open, I did not find any contender strong enough to prevent a surprise foreign nominee in A Separation.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants (Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne, Jim Rash)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stephen Zaillian)
The Help (Tate Taylor)
Hugo (John Logan)
Moneyball (Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian)
Only best picture nominees need apply in my predictions.
Oscar nomination predictions (part 1)
Before I get to the writing, directing and acting categories, not to mention best picture, here is my predictions in the other categories (with some commentary):
ART DIRECTION
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two
Hugo
The Tree of Life
Wae Horse
Always go for the period pieces. The Artist and Hugo are locks and should fight for the award.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
This is one branch that is quite name driven, which is why my one change from the guild nominees is to delete the relative unknown who shot Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and replace him with the two time Oscar winner who shot War Horse.
COSTUME DESIGN
Anonymous
The Artist
The Help
Hugo
Jane Eyre
Even more beholden to period pieces than the Art Direction branch. If W/E gets in for that reason I may start throwing things.
EDITING
The Artist
Contagion
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
My wildcard pick is Contagion, but with multiple storylines balanced its name editor has the best shot that film has of scoring a nom.
MAKEUP
Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady
Yeah, I haven't heard of it either, but it did make the shortlist, so I expect a little film like Harry Potter has a chance against these two much bigger films.
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SCORE
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
War Horse
Yes, I am predicting John Williams to get two more nominations in this category. And then have zero chance of winning it.
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SONG
"Lay Your Head Down" (Albert Nobbs)
"The Living Proof" (The Help)
"Life's a Happy Song" (The Muppets)
"Pictures in My Head" (The Muppets)
As a result of a stupid rule change, only two songs from a given movie can be nominated now. That cost The Muppets a nomination, as I believe "Man or Muppet" would have been nominated as well. I can't find any other eligible song that I think will score high enough to be nominated. (The Madonna song which won the Golden Globe is not eligible.) If I were to pick a fifth song, it would be "So Long" from Winnie the Pooh.
SOUND EDITING
The Adventures of Tintin
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
With Transformers winning the MOST SOUND award, of course.
SOUND MIXING
Hanna
Hugo
Super 8
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
I really hate the sound categories. I have a harder time picking them as any.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Captain America: The First Avenger
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Tree of Life
The Apes have the best shot here.
ANIMATED FEATURE
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Puss in Boots
Rango
Winnie the Pooh
In an off year for animation, I think this year is ripe for a film out of nowhere to be nominated. Problem is, which one? Arrugas (Wrinkles)? Chico & Rita? A Cat in Paris? So instead, above is my timid prediction five studio pictures get nominated.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Bill Cunningham: New York
Hell and Back Again
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Project Nim
I chose Hell and Back Again due to subject matter and the other four for their critical acclaim. Which is dangerous in this category, as there is always a bizarre snub.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
Pina (Germany)
A Separation (Iran)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Heavy favorite A Separation seems to be the one lock in this category.
ART DIRECTION
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two
Hugo
The Tree of Life
Wae Horse
Always go for the period pieces. The Artist and Hugo are locks and should fight for the award.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
This is one branch that is quite name driven, which is why my one change from the guild nominees is to delete the relative unknown who shot Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and replace him with the two time Oscar winner who shot War Horse.
COSTUME DESIGN
Anonymous
The Artist
The Help
Hugo
Jane Eyre
Even more beholden to period pieces than the Art Direction branch. If W/E gets in for that reason I may start throwing things.
EDITING
The Artist
Contagion
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
My wildcard pick is Contagion, but with multiple storylines balanced its name editor has the best shot that film has of scoring a nom.
MAKEUP
Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady
Yeah, I haven't heard of it either, but it did make the shortlist, so I expect a little film like Harry Potter has a chance against these two much bigger films.
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SCORE
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
War Horse
Yes, I am predicting John Williams to get two more nominations in this category. And then have zero chance of winning it.
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SONG
"Lay Your Head Down" (Albert Nobbs)
"The Living Proof" (The Help)
"Life's a Happy Song" (The Muppets)
"Pictures in My Head" (The Muppets)
As a result of a stupid rule change, only two songs from a given movie can be nominated now. That cost The Muppets a nomination, as I believe "Man or Muppet" would have been nominated as well. I can't find any other eligible song that I think will score high enough to be nominated. (The Madonna song which won the Golden Globe is not eligible.) If I were to pick a fifth song, it would be "So Long" from Winnie the Pooh.
SOUND EDITING
The Adventures of Tintin
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
With Transformers winning the MOST SOUND award, of course.
SOUND MIXING
Hanna
Hugo
Super 8
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
I really hate the sound categories. I have a harder time picking them as any.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Captain America: The First Avenger
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Tree of Life
The Apes have the best shot here.
ANIMATED FEATURE
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Puss in Boots
Rango
Winnie the Pooh
In an off year for animation, I think this year is ripe for a film out of nowhere to be nominated. Problem is, which one? Arrugas (Wrinkles)? Chico & Rita? A Cat in Paris? So instead, above is my timid prediction five studio pictures get nominated.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Bill Cunningham: New York
Hell and Back Again
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Project Nim
I chose Hell and Back Again due to subject matter and the other four for their critical acclaim. Which is dangerous in this category, as there is always a bizarre snub.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
Pina (Germany)
A Separation (Iran)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Heavy favorite A Separation seems to be the one lock in this category.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
When a film is directed by Steven Spielberg, there is a level of expectation that comes with it. He has been so good for so long, that excellence is assumed. So when he delivers a good, but not great, film there is a bit of a letdown, even though if the film were from someone else you would leave the theatre fully satisfied.
That is precisely the problem with The Adventures of Tintin. It's a lot of fun, with high-flying adventure and breakneck pacing; a film that takes joy with using the motion capture technology to the best of its ability. (However, it must be said that the 3D is an afterthought. I saw it in 3D and it added nothing.)
For me, what keeps the film from reaching the skies if the opening. I have very little knowledge of Tintin, other than my favorite rock group in '80s took there name from supporting characters (Thompson Twins). The film was off and running before I knew who this Tintin is and whatever his dog is named.
So I felt like I had began reading a book at chapter two. That left me not experiencing the movie, like the way one wraps you up when it really works. Instead, I was watching it.
But there is a lot to admire. I mentioned the motion capture earlier. There is an unbroken shot used for an action sequence which would be impossible to do in live action. It is truly something to see. About halfway through that sequence, I began to laugh, just due to the crazyness of it all. This may be the best swooping shot of 2011 (not directed by Martin Scorsese).
The voice work is solid across the board, but Andy Serkis has to be singled out. He is having a high old time as the captain who, to put it mildly, likes his drink. The character is a bit broad for my tastes, but Serkis's brings out the humor.
If you are a big fan of the character, by all means go see it. Up my grade a bit. But if you are not, prepare to feel a bit left out. There is plenty to see here, plenty to enjoy or marvel. But I still feel a bit disapointed. Grade: B
That is precisely the problem with The Adventures of Tintin. It's a lot of fun, with high-flying adventure and breakneck pacing; a film that takes joy with using the motion capture technology to the best of its ability. (However, it must be said that the 3D is an afterthought. I saw it in 3D and it added nothing.)
For me, what keeps the film from reaching the skies if the opening. I have very little knowledge of Tintin, other than my favorite rock group in '80s took there name from supporting characters (Thompson Twins). The film was off and running before I knew who this Tintin is and whatever his dog is named.
So I felt like I had began reading a book at chapter two. That left me not experiencing the movie, like the way one wraps you up when it really works. Instead, I was watching it.
But there is a lot to admire. I mentioned the motion capture earlier. There is an unbroken shot used for an action sequence which would be impossible to do in live action. It is truly something to see. About halfway through that sequence, I began to laugh, just due to the crazyness of it all. This may be the best swooping shot of 2011 (not directed by Martin Scorsese).
The voice work is solid across the board, but Andy Serkis has to be singled out. He is having a high old time as the captain who, to put it mildly, likes his drink. The character is a bit broad for my tastes, but Serkis's brings out the humor.
If you are a big fan of the character, by all means go see it. Up my grade a bit. But if you are not, prepare to feel a bit left out. There is plenty to see here, plenty to enjoy or marvel. But I still feel a bit disapointed. Grade: B
Saturday, December 31, 2011
30 Minutes or Less (2011)
I wanted to start my end of the year reviews with 30 Minutes or Less because of director Ruben Fleischer, whose Zombieland was the most pleasant surprise of 2009, a genuinely funny take on the zombie genre. And again Fleischer has surprised me with 30 Minutes or Less.
This time, however, it is not a pleasant surprise.
It is worth noting that the films do not share writers. 30 Minutes or Less is the first film of a Michael Diliberti screenplay. I have tried and failed to understand what drew people to this screenplay.
Was it the central plot? A pizza delivery driver is strpped to a bomb and told to rob a bank. When told the film is supposed to be a comedy, did anyone ever say, "Wait a minute. That's not a funny idea."
Even worse, didn't anyone say that the script didn't have much in the way of humor? Or that the guys who hook up this bomb are brain dead idiots, with nothing whatsoever interesting or appealing about them?
So since those characters are idiots, casting puts Danny McBride and Nick Swardson in the roles of the instigators. McBride can play this role in his sleep, and Swardson has minimal comic ability, so this compounds the problem.
Fleischer still has a flair as a director, and Jesse Eisenberg and especially Aziz Ansari try their best in the lead roles. But this script simply shouldn't have been filmed. Someone should have strapped a bomb to the script, and detonated. Grade: D-
This time, however, it is not a pleasant surprise.
It is worth noting that the films do not share writers. 30 Minutes or Less is the first film of a Michael Diliberti screenplay. I have tried and failed to understand what drew people to this screenplay.
Was it the central plot? A pizza delivery driver is strpped to a bomb and told to rob a bank. When told the film is supposed to be a comedy, did anyone ever say, "Wait a minute. That's not a funny idea."
Even worse, didn't anyone say that the script didn't have much in the way of humor? Or that the guys who hook up this bomb are brain dead idiots, with nothing whatsoever interesting or appealing about them?
So since those characters are idiots, casting puts Danny McBride and Nick Swardson in the roles of the instigators. McBride can play this role in his sleep, and Swardson has minimal comic ability, so this compounds the problem.
Fleischer still has a flair as a director, and Jesse Eisenberg and especially Aziz Ansari try their best in the lead roles. But this script simply shouldn't have been filmed. Someone should have strapped a bomb to the script, and detonated. Grade: D-
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