Hello Blogosphere, long time no talk I'm back, for real this time. No really, I promise. Well, maybe. (Indecisive much?) I loved my 10-month review adventure back in 2009, and I miss putting my thoughts into cyberspace. But reviews aren't enough. There are many other people out there "reviewing" and doing it much better than I (read: they're funny, and I'm not so much). I need my own Julie/Julia Project -- and that's not because I want Amy Adams to play me in romantic comedy. I just need inspiration. Julia Child, where are you?
So while I figure out the direction of my tiny, tiny blog, I'll leave you with my Oscar predictions and opinions. My longest-running (and favorite) "blog theme."
Best Picture
When I started my own "awards in 2007 my Best Picture picks varied widely with the Academy's, but now that they've expanded to ten my choices have become far less interesting. Christopher Nolan's Inception was my favorite film of the year. The score, direction, visual effects, and performances were all dreamlike. It's a film that will redefine the summer blockbuster. However, I will go away disappointed when Steven Spielberg announces The King's Speech as winner. It's not a bad film. It's just not as superb as much of 2010's cinema.
Nominees: Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The Kings Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, and Winter's Bone
Will Win: The King's Speech
Should Win: Inception
Jason's Top Ten (in order of adoration): Inception, The Kids Are All Right, Toy Story 3, The Fighter, 127 Hours, The Social Network, Rabbit Hole, Blue Valentine, Shutter Island, and True Grit
Direction
I'm a firm believer that you should win Best Picture without winning Best Director, so that makes this category easy. Inception was my favorite film, and Christopher Nolan wasn't nominated so that rules out my first choice. According to my Top Ten list David O' Russell is best here. Tom Hooper should (undeservedly) win this though in a King's Speech sweep.
Nominees: Black Swan Darren Aronofsky, The Fighter David O. Russell, The King's Speech, Tom Hooper, The Social Network David Fincher, True Grit Joel Coen and Ethan Coen Who Will Will Win: Tom Hooper for The King's Speech
Who Should Win and Who Should've Been Nominated: Christopher Nolan for Inception
Best Actor
For the first time in a long time this category is weaker than the Best Actress category. Any one of the Best Actress nominees could beat out any one of these men for Best Performance of 2010.
If I were voting, James Franco would top my ballot. His tour-de-force performance in 127 Hours was impeccable. Few actors could have infused such vitality and vibrancy into such a stationary role. But again, Oscar voters won't agree. They'll much up for last year's mistake of not giving Colin Firth the trophy for A Single Man and award him this year for his stuttering, lovable King.
Nominees: Javier Bardem in Biutiful, Jeff Bridges in True Grit, Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network, Colin Firth in The King's Speech, James Franco in 127 Hours
Will Win: Colin Firth
Should Win: James Franco
Should've Been Nominated: Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine and Aaron Eckhart in Rabbit Hole (in place of Bardem and Bridges)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
This is one of the easiest categories to call this year. Game, set, match for Batman. Christian Bale will walk home with his first (very much deserved) Oscar. It's just a shame that this is also his first nomination.
Nominees: Christian Bale in The Fighter, John Hawkes in Winter's Bone, Jeremy Renner in The Town, Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right, Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech
Who Will & Should Win: Christian Bale
Who Should've Been Nominated: Andrew Garfield in The Social Network and Miles Teller in Rabbit Hole (in place of Renner and Rush)
Actress in a Leading Role
My favorite Best Actress performance isn't even nominated. Julianne Moore was brilliant in The Kids Are All Right - navigating a role that would've overcome most actresses. However, this slate is pretty stellar. Given the strength of all the nominees is baffles me how Natalie Portman how won every precursor award -- she's nowhere near leagues better than everyone else, but she'll walk away with the Oscar anyway.
Nominees: Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right, Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone, Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine
Who Will Win: Natalie Portman
Who Should Win: Nicole Kidman
Who Should've Been Nominated: Julianne Moore (!!!!) in The Kids Are All Right (in place of Lawrence)
Actress in a Supporting Role
Yet another category where my favorite isn't nominated (Marion Cotillard in Inception), but this is easily the night's most competitive category and the most likely to have a surprise winner. Melissa Leo is the popular choice as she was darn good in The Fighter, but if I were voting I'd choose her co-star Amy Adams. Adams' performance is just as, if not more, memorable than Leo's, and while Leo's role was written t0 be flashy Adams wins you over with her nuance. I'm not predicting either to win though. I'm predicting Hailee Steinfeld, the True Grit youngster, to surprise all the cinema veterans.
Nominees: Amy Adams in The Fighter, Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech, Melissa Leo in The Fighter, Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit, Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom
Who Will Win: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Who Should Win: Amy Adams, The Fighter
Who Should've Been Nominated: Blake Lively in The Town and Marion Cotillard in Inception (in place of Bonham Carter and Steinfeld)
Adapted Screenplay
The Social Network takes this in a cake walk. There's not much else to say.
Nominees: 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter's Bone
Who Will & Should Win: The Social Network
Who Should've Been Nominated: Rabbit Hole and Shutter Island (in place of True Grit and Winter's Bone)
Original Screenplay
Oscar night will be a King's Speech sweep, as mentioned, so it should take this easily. However, it's stiffest competition will likely come from the deserving winner - The Kids Are All Right, a film the succeeded because of its simplicity.
Nominees: Another Year, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech
Will Win: The King's Speech
Should Win: The Kids Are All Right
Should've Been Nominated: Blue Valentine (in place of Another Year)
The rest (sans analysis)....
Animated Feature Film
Nominees: How to Train Your Dragon, The Illusionist, Toy Story 3
Who Will & Should Win: Toy Story 3
Should've Been Nominated: Despicable Me (in place of The Illusionist)
Art Direction
Nominees: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Inception, The King's Speech, True Grit
Will Win: The King's Speech
Should Win: Inception
Should've Been Nominated: Shutter Island
Cinematograpy
Nominees: Black Swan, Inception, The King's Speech, The Social Network, True Grit
Will Win: True Grit
Should Win: Inception
Should've Been Nominated: Blue Valentine
Costume Design
Nominees: Alice in Wonderland, I am Love, The King's Speech, The Tempest, True Grit
Who Will Win: The King's Speech
Who Should Win: Alice in Wonderland
Who Should've Been Nominated: Tron Legacy
Documentary Feature
Nominees: Exit through the Gift Shop, Gasland, Inside Job, Restrepo, Waste Land
Will Win: Exit through the Gift Shop
Should Win: Waiting for Superman. Oh wait...
Should've Been Nominated: The aforementioned Superman and The Tillman Story
Documentary Short Subject
Nominees: Killing in the Name, Poster Girl, Strangers No More, Sun Come Up, The Warriors of Qiugang
Will Win: The Warriors of Qiugang
Editing
Nominees: Black Swan, The Fighter, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network
Will Win: The King's Speech
Should Win: 127 Hours
Should've Been Nominated: Inception
Foreign Language Film
Nominees: Biutiful, Dogtooth, In a Better World, Incendies, Outside the Law
Will Win: Biutiful
Makeup
Nominees: Barney's Version, The Way Back, The Wolfman
Who Will Win: The Wolfman
Should've Been Nominated: The Fighter
Original Score
Nominees: How to Train Your Dragon, Inception, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network
Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: Inception
Who Should've Been Nominated: Tron: Legacy
Original Song
Nominees: "Coming Home" from Country Strong, "I See the Light" from Tangled, "If I Rise" from 127 Hours, "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3
Will Win: "If I Rise"
Should Win: "I See the Light"
Should've Been Nominated: "When Will My Life Begin" from Tangled
Animated Short Film
Nominees: Day & Night, The Gruffalo, Let's Pollute, The Lost Thing, Madagascar, carnet de voyage
Will Win: Day & Night
Live Action Short Film
Nominees: The Confession, The Crush, God of Love, Na Wewe, Wish 143
Will Win: God of Love
Sound Editing
Nominees: Inception, Toy Story 3, Tron: Legacy, True Grit, Unstoppable
Will and Should Win: Inception
Should've Been Nominated: How to Train Your Dragon
Sound Mixing
Nominees: Inception, The King's Speech, Salt, The Social Network, True Grit
Who Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: Inception
Visual Effects
Nominees: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Hereafter, Inception, Iron Man 2
Will & Should Win: Inception
Should've Been Nominated: TRON: Legacy
Adapted Screenplay
Nominees: 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter's Bone
Who Will & Should Win: The Social Network
Who Should've Been Nominated: Rabbit Hole and Shutter Island
Original Screenplay
Nominees: Another Year, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech
Will Win: The King's Speech
Should Win: The Kids Are All Right
Should've Been Nominated: Blue Valentine
Nomination Count (not including Foreign Language, Doc and Short categories):
The King's Speech - 7 statues
The Social Network - 3 statues
Inception - 2 statues
True Grit - 2 statues
127 Hours - 1 statue
Black Swan - 1 statue
The Fighter - 1 statue
Toy Story 3 - 1 statue
The Wolfman - 1 statue
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
If We Were the HFPA
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Best Motion Picture - Drama
Should Win: The King's Speech (Brian); Inception (Jason)Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Should've Been Nominated: True Grit (Brian); Shutter Island (Jason)
Brian Says: Jason obviously has a crush on Leonard DiCaprio (more on that later) and Brian can't get enough of period pieces.
Jason Says: I can't help it that Leo makes every picture better, and Shutter Island is this year's best most-forgotten film.
Should Win: The Kids Are All Right (Brian and Jason)Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Should've Been Nominated: Since Toy Story 3 isn't eligible... Morning Glory (Brian); Easy A (Jason)
Jason Says: Kids is my favorite movie of the year, behind Inception. Yes, that's likely because I managed to see it at Sundance. Easy A was this year's Mean Girls and given the weak comedy category it should've been nominated. Plus, Emma Stone > Lindsay Lohan.
Brian Says: Speaking of Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams' Morning Glory was SO underrated! If Alice in Wonderland wins this, I might throw a remote through the TV. Actually, anything except a Kids victory will elicit violent behavior.
Should Win: Natalie Portman, Black Swan (Brian and Jason)Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Should've Been Nominated: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit (Brian and Jason)
Brian Says: We occasionally have the same brain. Natalie's performance is miles ahead of the competition. I'll let Jason explain Hailee's appearance here.
Jason Says: Maybe I'm bitter, but this is definitely one of my most passionate thoughts of the awards season! Despite what critics will have you think, Hailee Steinfield is NOT a supporting actress contender. She was great, but belongs in this category. Oh yeah, and Natalie Portman was great too, but I haven't seen any of the other nominated performances, so she wins by default.
Should Win: Colin Firth, The King's Speech (Brian); James Franco, 127 Hours (Jason)Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Should've Been Nominated: Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception (Brian and Jason)
Jason Says: Again, living in the land of the Great Salty Lake has it's drawbacks, I haven't seen Firth's performance yet, so I can't weigh in there. However, since I think he was robbed last year I think I'll be riding the Firth train come Oscar time. As it stands now, I pick Franco. He carried 127 Hours. Oh yeah, and my crush on Leo continues.
Brian Says: Back-to-back years of phenomenal performances from Firth prove he is one of the great actors of our time. Leo was in Titanic, so he gets extra points from me.
Should Win: Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right (Brian and Jason)Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Should've Been Nominated: Rachel McAdams, Morning Glory (Brian); Chloe Moretz, Kick Ass (Jason)
Brian Says: I tend to empathize with characters who are equally as obsessed with red wine as I am (more on that later), plus Annette was a true force in Kids. And Rachel McAdams was the shining star of the underrated Morning Glory.
Jason Says: I really wanted to pick Julianne just because I love Boston University alums, but Annette was so effortless in Kids that I didn't even notice she was acting. Chloe Moretz had a breakthrough year with Kick Ass and Let Me In, so the HFPA should've thrown her a bone here.
Should Win: No One (Brian); Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland (Jason)Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Should've Been Nominated: Michael Cera, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Brian); Mark Wahlberg, The Other Guys (Jason)
Jason Says: I was one of five people who enjoyed Alice in Wonderland, so I vote Depp. I was actually surprised The Other Guys didn't get any nods - it was one of the few films this year that actually made me laugh. Plus, who doesn't love Marky Mark?
Brian Says: This group of nominees is miserable. I almost voted for Jake Gyllenhaal, except Love & Other Drugs was the opposite of funny. Michael Cera was fantastic as Scott Pilgrim—perfectly fit to his "type" but elevated by all of the great action sequences.
Should Win: Amy Adams, The Fighter (Brian); Tie - Melissa Leo/Amy Adams, The Fighter (Jason)Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Should've Been Nominated: Barbara Hershey, Black Swan (Brian); Marion Cotillard (Jason)
Brian Says: This is no doubt a knock out battle between the ladies of The Fighter (get it?), who both transformed themselves into true women of Lowell, MA. And I'm still waiting for someone to explain why Barbara Hershey is getting zero love for her great performance in Black Swan.
Jason Says: I'll agree with you on that. Though Black Swan wasn't my cup of tea, Barbara Hershey was much better than the overrated Mila Kunis. Though my biggest pet peeve is the lack of love for Marion Cotillard. She was the best performance in Inception. She navigated an incredibly delicate role perfectly.
Should Win: Christian Bale, The Fighter (Brian and Jason)Best Director - Motion Picture
Should've Been Nominated: Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right (Brian); Justin Timberlake, The Social Network (Jason)
Jason Says: Christian Bale scores a knockout (see I can make Fighter jokes, too!). Given my obsession with The Kids are All Right it was hard not to pick Ruffalo, but Justin WAS Sean Parker in The Social Network and deserves at least a little recognition.
Brian Says: To be fair, Justin was my second choice for the "should have" category, so we pretty much agree here, too.
Should Win: David Fincher, The Social Network (Brian); Christopher Nolan, Inception (Jason)Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Should've Been Nominated: Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit (Brian); Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right (Jason)
Brian Says: Putting all the pieces together for the much whispered-about "Facebook movie" was no easy feat, and it was pulled off brilliantly by Fincher. And it really takes true grit to remake a John Wayne classic, but the Coen brothers did it with style.
Jason Says: I voted Inception for the best film of the year, so it only makes sense to pick Nolan as the best director. Lisa Chodolenko directed The Kids are All Right effortlessly, drawing superb performances from the entire cast. She deserves to be among the boys.
Should Win: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network (Brian and Jason)Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Should've Been Nominated: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson The Fighter (Brian); Michael Ardnt, Toy Story 3 (Jason)
Jason Says: Sorkin's dialogue in TSN was brilliant. Enough said. Animated films don't get enough credit, and Toy Story 3's story was a brilliant way to end the beloved trilogy.
Brian Says: Totally agree about Social Network. As for The Fighter? "If you call me a skank one more time I'll rip your ugly hair off your f***ing head." Done.
Should Win: Hans Zimmer, Inception (Brian and Jason)Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Should've Been Nominated: Pharrell Williams, Despicable Me (Brian); Daft Punk, TRON: Legacy (Jason)
Brian Says: Just go on YouTube and you'll quickly see what a cultural impact Hans Zimmer's score had this year. And Pharrell's score brought a great groove and quirkiness to Despicable Me.
Jason Says: It'd be a shock if anyone other than Zimmer won. If you saw TRON: Legacy you know how much cooler Daft Punk's score made the film—leagues and leagues ahead of the original.
Should Win: "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," Burlesque (Brian and Jason)
Should've Been Nominated: "Despicable Me," Despicable Me (Brian); "When Will My Life Begin," Tangled (Jason)
We Say: Cher. 'Nuff said.
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