Oscar wrap-up and other things

So much to do, so little time. I'm going on a mini-vacation tomorrow so I don't have as much disposable time right now as I'd like to have, (pesky work keeps getting in the way) I'd like to get a couple of thoughts down and get caught up on my reviews, if possible.

The Oscars were incredibly predictable, but I was happy with that Bigelow and The Hurt Locker won. I was trying to remember when the Oscars weren't a foregone conclusion, but the last time I can remember there being a surprise for the better was Adrien Brody, and for the worse was Crash. Maybe I was young and naive, but I seem to remember there being a bit more suspense involved in years past. Anyway, I managed to see all but 5 of the films that were remotely available to me, which meant seeing about 30 films, most of them good, a couple of them stinkers.

Realizing that there is a lot of derision toward The Oscars (a lot of it understandable) I still maintain that A) It's fun to judge and guess the winners and B) I end up seeing a lot of films I probably wouldn't have - both good and bad. It's kind of like watching the Independent Spirit Awards on IFC. I'm constantly saying, "I've never even heard of that movie" but I'm also taking notes for my Netflix queue because so many of them look well done and compelling.

I'm going to have my Oscar nominated film reviews up on the front page of my Web site through the end of March so take a look if you're interested in a film that caught your interest during the ceremony or in the pre- and post- ceremony buzz.

In other movie related news, I seem to have chosen to work on the work of the wrong director for my Great Directors Project . March is apparently Akira Kurosawa month on Turner Classic Movies, and they are featuring a fantastic slate of films that are going to burn up my DVR. At least now I don't have to wonder who I'm going to work on next!

Speaking of the Great Directors Project, though I haven't had time to truly begin it yet, please check out my Great Directors Project blog and give me your feedback on what directors I should be looking at.

And finally, I leave you with another reason to love Christoph Waltz.

2010 Oscar Picks

Below are my picks for the 2010 Academy Awards. I normally do a separate "should" and "will" win ballot, but I'm just going to lay out the wills and hope to hell that a couple of my "renegade" picks actually make it. My dear friend Jay has somehow been the reigning champ for the last two years for getting the Oscar picks right, so I'm not sure why I keep insisting on making non-mainstream picks but eh, what the hell. It's all in good fun.

Incidentally, I only am doing picks for the categories I can speak for (meaning, I've seen more than half of the nominees) since there were some categories I couldn't participate in because the films weren't available in a podunk town like...Milwaukee. However, at the time of this post, I have seen all but 5 of the films available to me in any category; approximately 30 films. I know. Nerd.

BEST ACTOR - COLIN FIRTH

He was devastatingly good in A Single Man and his subtle performance literally made me weep. He deserves it the most, but I'm sure Jeff Bridges will get it instead because he's due. I still feel strongly enough where I'm voting for Firth though.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - CHRISTOPH WALTZ

This is always a strong category, and with the exception of the baffling nomination of Matt Damon, this year is no exception. However, Waltz was the best part of a fantastic movie, and even back when I saw this last fall, we all were in agreement that he better get nominated.

BEST ACTRESS - MERYL STREEP

I know that this is Sandra Bullock's year, and yeah, she did a great job in The Blind Side, but Meryl Streep so embodied this role and did it with such ease that I was completely charmed with an otherwise mediocre movie. I think the general consensus of the film was, "It was okay but I wish there was more Julia." But, I imagine we'll see Sandra Bullock win, and that's okay, but damn I want Streep to win! (And if not her, Helen Mirren)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MO'NIQUE
She's going to win this one and she deserves to win. It's not as strong of a category as in years past, (Penelope Cruz was really good in Nine, but really? And Maggie Gyllenhaal, who I actually really like, shouldn't be on this list) but even in a better year, Mo'Nique would be a lock. She was absolutely fantastic.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - UP

Though I'm a huge Wes Anderson fan (but admittedly haven't seen The Fantastic Mr. Fox by this writing) I can't imagine Up not winning this category. I am no fan of Pixar, but this film really won me over, and regardless of how many times I see the film, I still can't get through the beautiful and tear-jerking first act without bawling my eyes out. Then I proceed to laugh hysterically for the rest of the film.

BEST ART DIRECTION - SHERLOCK HOLMES

If there was anything that stood out in this film, it was the art direction, and it was phenomenal. It gave me hope that Guy Ritchie hasn't completely lost his mind. A close second was definitely Nine, because, like it or hate it, it sure was gorgeous to look at.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - THE HURT LOCKER

The stunning cinematography helped create the air of tension in this film, particularly when we're looking at an expanse of desert and wondering where that lone sniper is.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN - THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS

I'm actually basing this one on the pictures and articles I've seen about the film, and also because the other nominees aren't so hot.

BEST DIRECTING - KATHRYN BIGELOW

Though all of the nominees with one exception (I'm looking in your direction, Cameron) Bigelow did the most with the least amount of resources and created an absolutely amazing film with The Hurt Locker. Oh, and GIRL POWER!

BEST FILM EDITING - THE HURT LOCKER

Not much to say about it. The editing was great? It was.

BEST MAKEUP - STAR TREK

I haven't seen Il Divo yet, but I will before the telecast, but I can't imagine that Star Trek's nerdy alien makeup isn't going take the prize. Plus, I just thought this was a really funny and super gay picture.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - UP

Since I'm more attenuated to noticing the visual aspects of a film rather than the audio ones, a film score has to either be really good or really bad for me to notice it. I noticed the film score for Up immediately and loved it.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - "THE WEARY KIND" FROM CRAZY HEART

I don't think this is a great song, or even a really good song for that matter, but I'm sick of 300 Disney songs being nominated every year, and the song from Nine is probably one of the weakest songs of the film. So, go Crazy Heart. I hope it's the only award you win.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM - GRANNY O'GRIMM'S SLEEPING BEAUTY

Completely hilarious, irreverent and clever, I really hope this one gets it because it's just really down-to-earth, great animation with an awesome premise.

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM - THE NEW TENANTS

I honestly don't think this one is going to win, because the other nominees actually had "important" themes. (Okay, other than Instead of Abracadabra which was also brilliant) But I think that this edgy gem should get the prize. I'm going on record in stating that I would be almost as happy if Abracadabra won as well.

BEST SOUND EDITING/SOUND MIXING - THE HURT LOCKER

I don't know! The sound editing was good, as well as the sound mixing. (shrug)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - AVATAR

Don't ask me... I Google Image Searched "Avatar" and this guy came up, and since this picture was a lot more entertaining to me than any of the 7 hours of the actual movie, I'm running with it. Meanwhile, though I think that District 9's visual effects were more impressive based on their limited resources, I can't imagine that Avatar won't get this one. Again, I hope it's the only one they win.

BEST SCREENPLAY: ADAPTED - UP IN THE AIR

This is a really tough category (it usually is) and though Up in the Air is nominated in several other categories, I really think this is the only one it's going to win. And it really deserves this win; any movie that has me walking out of it saying, "I want to read that book" is a successful adaptation.

BEST SCREENPLAY: ORIGINAL - A SERIOUS MAN

All I've been hearing about is that this category is a cage match between two films: The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds. While both are deserving of the nomination (especially Basterds) let's not forget about the brilliant script by Joel and Ethan Coen. It's probably not going to win, but I'm putting my money on the bros.

BEST PICTURE - THE HURT LOCKER

Every year I'm actually okay with a few of the nominees winning this category, and actively root for the others to not win. This year is no exception, it's only grown to the 40th power because there are 312 movies nominated in this category. Up should win Animated, but doesn't deserve a spot on this list. The Blind Side was a good movie, but doesn't deserve a spot on this list. Avatar, don't even get me started. However, every other movie I'm kind of okay with to varying degrees, BUT, The Hurt Locker absolutely deserves the win and it SHOULD win. This was an absolutely amazing film that blew me away (bad choice of words) and completely surprised me. So I have to root for The Hurt Locker. And proceed to boycott the 83rd Academy Awards if Avatar wins.

Agree? Disagree? Don't care? I'm cool with comments concerning all three.

Film Review - 2010 Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films

Following are very short capsule reviews of the 2010 Oscar nominated live action shorts. Though not feature length films, I am "counting" the animated and the live action films as one movie each for the purposes of the 100 Movie Challenge.

Film #32 of 2010 - 2010 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts

KAVI
19 minutes - India/USA

Kavi, a young boy in India, is forced into slavery due to his father's debts to the owner of a brick kiln, when all he really wants to do is go to school and play cricket with other boys his age.

This was a very good short film, with a lot of depth and feeling, but it was not easy to watch, particularly knowing that adults and many children are truly faced with this reality. Heart breaking but somewhat hopeful, Kavi was an impressive beginning to the live action slate. 3.5 out of 5 stars

THE NEW TENANTS
20 minutes - Denmark/USA

A gay couple who have recently moved into their new apartment meet a couple of their neighbors and learn the history of the whereabouts of the former tenants.

Intelligent, bizarre and hilarious, this was the only live action short to feature easily recognizable stars, including Vincent D'onofrio, David Rakoff , Jamie Harrold and Kevin Corrigan, and the acting was both subtle and over the top, depending on the actor. I laughed really hard throughout most of the film, even in the face of some pretty shocking violence. I loved everything about this film. 4.5 out of 5 stars

MIRACLE FISH
17 minutes - Australia

A young boy who is an outcast at his school celebrates his 8th birthday in an unusual way when he wakes from a nap in the nurse's office to find he is all alone in the school.

This was a really heavy, powerful film, and though I figured out what was going on fairly early on, the tension and dread was omnipresent throughout most of the film, helped along by the muted photography. 3.5 stars out of 5

THE DOOR
17 minutes - Ireland

Following the evacuation of their home and all of their belongings, a young family is forced to deal with the further life-affecting aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster.

I wish that I could say that I found this to be a powerful film, but it ended up being really disappointing, considering that this is still an interesting and relevant topic even decades later. The film seemed to last much longer than its 17 minutes and instead of feeling emotional and devastated I just looked forward to it being over. 2 out of 5 stars

INSTEAD OF ABRACADABRA
22 minutes - Sweden

An awkward man, still living with his parents, aspires to become a professional magician and impress his pretty new neighbor with his "prowess".

This was the only short I was familiar with, having previously seen it during last year's Milwaukee Film Festival. At that screening, I was struck by how much the audience enjoyed it (when it didn't really seem like the correct demographic) and I personally thought it was hilarious. Watching it a second time, I still laughed as hard as I did the first time (I still can't get over his gesticulations and "Chimay") because it is sweet and almost slapstick in its humor. It was somewhat reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite in terms of aesthetic, but the main difference was that Instead of Abracadabra was actually clever. 4 out of 5 stars

Film Review - 2010 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films

Following are very short capsule reviews of the 2010 Oscar nominated animated shorts. Though not feature length films, I am "counting" the animated and the live action films as one movie each for the purposes of the 100 Movie Challenge.

For the record - we saw three "Highly Commended" shorts that were also-rans for the Oscar nominations, and Runaway (8 minutes - Canada) was superb and was probably my second favorite out of all that we saw.

Film #31 of 2010 - Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts

FRENCH ROAST
8 minutes - France

A businessman realizes he is missing his wallet after he drinks a cup of coffee at a cafe.

With no dialogue, the strong animation helped save this short from being completely boring, as it was really pretty lackluster. I did like some of the character designs, however, especially the waiter. 2.5 out of 5 stars

THE LADY AND THE REAPER
8 minutes - Spain

An elderly woman longs to join her husband in the afterlife, but when the Grim Reaper finally comes calling, he becomes engaged in a battle of wills with a doctor determined to save her life.

Another short with little or no dialogue, I really enjoyed this one. I thought the animation was interesting and I thought the frenetic pace was a lot of fun. The Grim Reaper, in particular, was absolutely hilarious and I really liked a few of the humanizing touches he was given. 3.5 out of 5 stars

GRANNY O'GRIMM'S SLEEPING BEAUTY
6 minutes - Ireland

Granny O'Grimm tells her granddaughter her version of Sleeping Beauty, and we quickly learn why her granddaughter is reluctant and terrified to hear it.

This short film was by far my favorite of both the nominated and "highly commended" shorts that were shown. It featured both hand drawn (at least it looked it) and traditional computer animation and was absolutely hilarious. The voice of Granny was a riot and the old fairy godmother with the walker almost had me falling out of my seat laughing. I actually found it on YouTube and watched it again this morning. 4.5 out of 5 stars

WALLACE & GROMIT IN A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH
30 minutes - UK

Another Wallace & Gromit adventure where Wallace's daftness puts him in peril and Gromit has to save the day. This time, the two are bakers, and Wallace is next in line to become a victim of a serial killer who targets bakers.

Though I appreciate the stop motion medium for its challenging process, I honestly can't stand Wallace & Gromit. Part of it is aesthetic - I loathe the character designs with the oval /oblong mouths and full set of teeth showing - but I just don't find the whole Rube Goldberg -type inventions and daftness remotely charming. Gromit is usually somewhat entertaining as the silent straight "man" (I always think of Teller when I see him) but at 30 minutes this was almost unbearable to sit through. 2 out of 5 stars

LOGORAMA
16 minutes - France

In a reality where everything is made up of corporate logos, the cops (who are Michelin Men) try to stop the mayhem and murder spree of one Ronald McDonald.

I can't begin to fathom that the filmmakers obtained the rights to most (if any) of the seemingly hundreds of logos that were used in this short. I thought that the usage of most of them were clever, but I also think that the filmmaker(s) knew how clever they were. I totally get that this was a Pulp Fiction-esque scenario, and I thought it was entertaining, but a bunch of swearing logos, regardless of how beloved they are don't really equal edgy to me. Having said that, I liked the satire and the message that (I think) was trying to come through. 3 out of 5 stars

Banner Day on TCM

I just received TCM's monthly schedule for March and before I realized that today was indeed March 2nd and I would be missing most of these movies, today is a really great day for programming. (The following is pasted from the e-mail)

7:00 AM	Champ, The (1979)
	A washed-up prizefighter fights to keep his son. Cast: Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, Ricky Schroder. Dir: Franco Zeffirelli. C-123 mins, TV-14, CC, Letterbox Format
9:09 AM	Short Film: Forbidden Passage (1941)
	BW-21 mins,
9:30 AM	Maltese Falcon, The (1941)
	Hard-boiled detective Sam Spade gets caught up in the murderous search for a priceless statue. Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet. Dir: John Huston. BW-101 mins, TV-PG, CC, DVS
11:30 AM	Spanish Main, The (1945)
	Dutch rebels in the Caribbean turn pirate and kidnap the corrupt Spanish governor's bride-to-be. Cast: Paul Henreid, Maureen O'Hara, Walter Slezak. Dir: Frank Borzage. C-101 mins, TV-PG, CC
1:19 PM	Short Film: Goodbye, Miss Turlock (1947)
	BW-11 mins,
1:30 PM	Three Musketeers, The (1948)
	Athletic adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic adventure about the king's musketeers and their mission to protect France. Cast: Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, June Allyson. Dir: George Sidney. C-126 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
3:37 PM	Short Film: Movie Pests (1944)
	BW-11 mins,
4:00 PM	Royal Wedding (1951)
	A brother-and-sister musical team find romance when they tour to London for Elizabeth II's wedding. Cast: Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford. Dir: Stanley Donen. C-93 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
5:34 PM	Short Film: Battle Of Gettysburg, The (1956)
	C-30 mins, , Letterbox Format
6:00 PM	Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
	When their older brother marries, six lumberjacks decide it's time to go courting for themselves. Cast: Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn. Dir: Stanley Donen. C-102 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format, DVS
8:00 PM	West Side Story (1961)
	A young couple from dueling street gangs falls in love. Cast: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno. Dir: Robert Wise. C-152 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format
11:00 PM	Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
	An alienated teenager tries to handle life's troubles and an apron-wearing dad. Cast: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo. Dir: Nicholas Ray. C-111 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format
1:00 AM	Giant (1956)
	A Texas ranching family fights to survive changing times. Cast: James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson. Dir: George Stevens. C-201 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format
4:30 AM	Cimarron (1960)
	A pioneer couple plays a major role in the settling of Oklahoma. Cast: Glenn Ford, Maria Schell, Anne Baxter. Dir: Anthony Mann. C-148 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

Film Review - The Last Station

Film #30 of 2010 - The Last Station

Directed by Michael Hoffman, The Last Station focuses on the later life of legendary author Leo Tolstoy (played by Christopher Plummer) and the relationships he has with those closest to him; his wife, the Countess Sofya (Helen Mirren), his dear friend and leader of the Tolstoyan movement, Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti) and the newest addition to his flock, Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy), his new personal secretary. Though his health is failing, Tolstoy continues to work on both his Tolstoyan movement and his current work, while becoming entrenched in the middle of a battle of wills between Sofya and Chertkov over the disposition of his eventual estate, with Chertkov wanting all of Tolstoy's assets and future earnings to go to "the people" and Sofya desperately trying to hold on some assets for herself and their large family.


Going into The Last Station, I knew that I could expect some stellar performances at the very least. Plummer and Mirren are both amazing actors whose talents have only strengthened over the years. What I didn't expect was for the film to be so good. With a richly layered screenplay that gives the viewer things to think about long after the film is over, The Last Station is extremely intelligent and deep without becoming dry, boring or overstuffed. Even McAvoy, who, on his best days can usually eke out no more than a just decent performance, I have to admit that he had much more to offer in this film than simply being eye candy. Though the conflict between Sofya and Chertkov was the crux of the problem and the undoing of many things, I really liked that I had to really think about who was right or wrong in the situation, even after I had left the theater.

Certainly, The Last Station contains an excellent and compelling story, with great performances and beautiful scenery, costumes and camera work (who would have thought the director of Soapdish, one of my guilty pleasure movies could turn out such a respectable film?) but the real standout of the film is the beautiful love story between Tolstoy and Sofya. Their relationship is indeed volatile, and they seem to have more "downs" than "ups", but their love is truly passionate and romantic and true. Plummer and Mirren are astonishingly believable in their roles, and in expressing their love for one another. These are two actors who are legendary at this point, and deservedly so. Mirren is especially captivating, and was so amazing in her role that I'm starting to believe, after being on "Team Streep" for months in the Oscar race, it would be tragic if she didn't win the statue for this role. (She won't.)

I mentioned on my Twitter feed that if you want to see a real romance, forget the current films, Dear John and Valentine's Day. There is nothing real about films like that - it's beautiful movies like The Last Station that make my heart hurt and shows what true love really is.

4 stars out of 5

The Great Directors Project

I am thrilled to be starting a new project called The Great Directors Project, and have decided to set up a blog for it. I hope to get interactive with this because part of my mission is to learn more about directors that I may only have peripheral knowledge of, or about some directors who are long-forgotten geniuses, and to do that I need the help of readers.

I would love to hear from anyone with suggestions! Visit The Great Directors Project soon!