Pirates of the Caribbean: On Familiar Tides

The writers for the Pirates films ought to be commended having now produced engaging storylines for an impressive four films based on a decades old ride at Disneyland. That must be some sort of record. Sadly though, the excitement of the original has since worn off. On Stranger Tides is by no means a poor film, but when compared to the series, as cannot be helped, it is lacking in a few major areas.

Now, as a whole, the Pirates series is a cut above others of its kind in terms of the quality of each successive film. In and of itself, On Stranger Tides is no worse a film than the second and third installments. But we have seen this all before.

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Thor: More than just an Avenger prelude

Nowadays, it does not really feel like summer until a superhero emerges on screen. The past decade of superhero/comic book features has changed what we require from such films. Movies like Spider-man 2, Iron Man and of course, The Dark Knight have set the bar very high indeed. No longer is it acceptable to have just a good superhero movie. Instead, we ask that it be a good movie that simply happens to be about a superhero. Regardless of the hero, expectations have grown.

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Scream 4: At long last

In this humble writer’s opinion, Scream 4 should have been Scream 3. We have waited far too long for a quality sequel to Scream 2. They should have waited until Kevin Williamson was available to write a script for his trilogy masterpiece, much of which seems to be part of Scream 4. Now, the rumor mill says Scream 4 is a rebooted beginning to a new trifecta. However, if you simply forget about Scream 3 (not difficult) and watch Scream 4 as a finale to the original trilogy, it sort of fits.

Scream 4 is a return to form for director Wes Craven. Paired again with Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream and Scream 2, Craven attempts once more to alter the future of the genre.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Scream 4: At long last - Medford Film | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/film-in-medford/scream-4-at-long-last-review#ixzz1LKYzoW9M

Fast 5 Film Review

Expectations for a fifth film in a series ought to be tempered. Generally speaking, the sequel debate proves that with some exceptions, films tend to deteriorate in quality as a series goes on if for no other reason than for lacking originality, an inherent flaw in sequels.

But let’s be honest, even the original film was not original, it was “Point Break” on wheels. “Fast 5” feels more like the furious gang decided to let Danny Ocean plan their next rendezvous. This is a heist film featuring a smattering of cast from the previous four installments, though as far as the primary story goes, only the first and fourth really matter, which is why “Fast 5” feels more like a trilogy wrap-up than the fifth in an endless series.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Fast 5 feels like Ocean's Five - Medford Film | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/film-in-medford/fast-5-feels-like-ocean-s-five-review#ixzz1L2HHODFT

Movie Reviews

As I am now writing film reviews for examiner.com, I will no longer (not that I had been for a while now anyway) be posting movie reviews here, at least not in full. I will try to remember to post a bit of each and a link to the examiner page. Please, if you like them, become a subscriber. This job pays, but not much. The more subscribers and viewers I get, the more I make, which, as I said, is not much. Thanks.


The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: Nicholas Cage could use some of the old magic

When a review begins with describing a movie as “not bad,” that usually means the movie is also not good. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” is not bad. If anyone goes into this film with high expectations, disappointment will likely ensue. However, if expectations are tempered, the film will not necessarily be a rewarding venture but at least an amusing one. CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE


Oscar buzz through July 2010

It is never too early to start thinking about the Oscars. Sure, awards season is still months away, and generally speaking, the majority of contenders do not release (wide) until November or later. Still though, most years see a few films sneak in that released early. If promoted right, they regain the momentum that ran out early in the year.

That being said, what films have emerged so far in 2010 that might still be in the talks when the nominations come out? CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE


Inception: Christopher Nolan’s latest masterpiece

Christopher Nolan has solidified himself as one of Hollywood’s premier storytellers. His reinvention of Batman put him on the short list, for at least those who never had the pleasure of seeing “Memento”, and his second act of “A Dark Knight” secured his position. How does one follow such a success? Inception, by definition, means a beginning. If this is still just the beginning for Nolan, audiences beware. CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Oscar AFTERMATH

Well, I do not have much to say. Many of the awards went as predicted. I will not hide my disappointment. I was really hoping for an upset for Best Picture, even if it was not Avatar taking the glory. I would not have been upset to see Inglourious Basterds or Up in the Air sneak in. Still, I expected The Hurt Locker to win, and it did. That is that.

However, I cannot let this year’s award season end without expressing my surprise and utter disapproval of the screenplay winners. The Hurt Locker is a great film, but the script for Inglourious Basterds is superb. In addition, The Hurt Locker writer, Mark Boal,is being sued over the script because a soldier he spent time with over in Iraq claims the lead character is based on him. He did not even have the rights to write the story and it is by no means a work of his imagination. Tarantino’s Basterds are!

Then there is Precious taking the Adapted Screenplay award. It is not that I am such a fan of Up in the Air, though it is very entertaining, but it is that I am so against the screenplay for Precious. It was a good movie, but it was half voice over with Gabby Sidibe reading from the novel. That is not an “Oscar” screenplay!

Aside from that, I was not too upset. The Oscars are what they are. I will still be watching next year.

Oscars 2010: Final Thoughts and Bedlam

I love movies. When it comes to film, I love the seasons. I love the summer blockbusters and the one or two November delayed ones (like the Potter films). I love Oscar potential season and the award season that follows. Even the calm before the summer storm starts again, I enjoy, more so because it is fun to pick out the diamonds in that rough batch of unknown potential (Shutter Island!). Unfortunately though, my love of film also leads me to constantly second guess myself when it comes to the Oscars. What I have written so far is from the heart, but with my head translating. So, I am going to list below the two lines of thought for me on the actual awards. My mini reviews aside, if I were a betting man, my money would be on the first list. I am not a betting man, so the second list is where my heart lies, and with it the winners I want to see based on my judgment of the films this year. I also wanted to include more categories because the reviews did not cover everything. Thanks for reading the reviews,and enjoy the show.


What I Think Will Win:

Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Makeup: The Young Victoria
Best Song: The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Best Original Score: Up
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Sound Editing: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Best Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Best Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique (Precious)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock (Blind Side)
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

What I Would Vote For:

Best Costume Design: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Song: The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Best Original Score: Up
Best Film Editing: Inglourious Basterds
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Sound Editing: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing: Avatar
Best Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Best Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan (An Education)
Best Actor: George Clooney (Up in the Air)
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Picture: Avatar

I guess I am never actually done talking about moves, so I would like finally to note the few omissions in my reviews. The most prominent would be my lack of comment on The Hurt Locker’s nomination for Best Original Score which I found odd since much of the film is lacking in background music. Also, after writing down what films I would actually vote for, I feel I need to admit how much I liked Inglourious Basterds. My review did not quite convey how impressed I was. I also realize that my final picks above do not exactly follow the reviews, but that is because I wrote the reviews as I viewed the films and my opinions changed the more films I watched.

The big night is now almost upon us. I am excited, as always, more so this year because I think Alec Baldwin is hilarious and am also a Steve Martin fan. The show should at least be entertaining. I am hoping for a few upsets, just so it is interesting. I also am hoping that The Hurt Locker does not simply sweep up most of its awards (though it will likely take 5 or more) because as good as it is, I really do not think it is far and away better than its competition. I will end with a bid of good luck to all the nominees and also with my prediction that Jeff Bridges will appear blazed out of his mind as he delivers his acceptance speech. So once again, enjoy the show.

An Education

AN EDUCATION (Nominations: 3)

Well, it has been a long road to get here, the final nominee. I admit, I felt a little tired and relieved as I sat down to watch An Education. I was not expecting too much because I already knew the story: teenage girl falls for a charming older guy . . . the end. Well, that is sort of true.

Seeing as I had already cast An Education aside with the rest of the rabble that was not directed by a current or former Cameron, it was going to be tough for the movie to impress me. Let me tell you all, it was up to the challenge. The film starts off at a strong pace and really grabbed my interest. I would like to say that it held my interest for the duration, but alas, I cannot. Still, the film is very good.

I am not sure who would argue this point, but Carey Mulligan is by far the best thing about this film. Her portrayal of a young girl who is naïve and innocent and yet curious and desirous is phenomenal. Even as you do not agree with her decisions, you can see why she is making them. She holds her own with some big names too: Alfred Molina (recall Doctor Octopus from Spidey 2) and Peter Sarsgaard (the young boy-toy in Kinsey). Molina has a presence whenever he is on screen, and if Mulligan is the best thing about the movie, he is certainly the second. She goes toe to toe with him (playing her father) and often comes out on top, impressive for a young actress.

As for Mr. Sarsgaard, I am biased because I am a real fan, perhaps not so much as Jake Gyllenhall, his brother-in-law, but still, I thought his performance was very good. He does not stand out so much though because his character is so flat. We learn a little bit about him at a time, but he does well enough that we are never quite comfortable with him, even if only because he is far too old to be chasing after young Jenny. With all the reservations felt about him, you want to tell Jenny to hold on, to stay away from him, but he is far too likeable. He has an explanation for everything and a silver tongue to boot. You want Jenny to say no to him, but you understand why she says yes.

In all, I think the nominations for this film were well deserved. It lost my attention about 30 minutes from the end. The pacing was fine. The length was fine. But after a while, the strong performances were not enough to keep the relatively obvious plot from holding my fascination. As for awards, like most of the films, it really does not have a shot at Best Picture. As for its adapted screenplay, the nomination is deserved if only for the discourse given to Sarsgaard to spew at Jenny’s parents. I do not see a victory here though against Up in the Air, but it could be an upset. The best shot at a statue will be for Carey Mulligan in her leading role. She is in elder company with frontrunner Sandra Bullock and the always nominated Meryl Streep. She probably will not win, but if she did, she would deserve it. She is just so loveable in this film, even when you want to slap some sense into her.

PREDICTED WINS: 0

A Serious Man

A SERIOUS MAN (Nominations: 2)

I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a movie when I could not name a single actor on screen throughout the duration of the film. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I even saw a movie where that occurred. Nevertheless, I was amused by this film, although, as much as I like the Coen brothers and have ever been impressed with their work, I am not sure this film deserved a Best Picture nomination. It is good, but certainly not the best we have seen from the Coen brothers.

The main character, Larry Gopnik, is basically going through a mid life crisis aided by his ready-to-divorce-him wife, pot smoking son, and nose-job-desiring daughter. To deal with his personal issues, Gopnik visits three rabbis, seeking guidance. The story is dark but funny, a common trait in scripts from the Coen brothers. Perhaps some of the humor was lost on me without much foreknowledge of Jewish culture as that plays a major role in the film. Still though, I think I was able to follow the story just fine, and really, I was amused just not necessarily impressed.

The Coen brothers also received a nomination for their original screenplay. Like Tarantino, the Coens are often on the short list of potential nominees prior to their films even being released. They just have a reputation for quality scripts, and rightly so. Perhaps the screenplay nomination is deserved. The script is witty and real, but I do not think the brothers have much of a shot at actually winning. Unusual as it may be, the Coen brothers are not even the second choice with this year’s nominees. Tarantino will likely take the award for Inglorious Basterds, but then again, The Hurt Locker might just sweep everything and take this one too. Either way, the Coens and their cast are just happy to have their own table at the ceremony. I would like to make it clear though that I eagerly await the Coen brothers’ next endeavor, the True Grit remake, and also that eventually, A Serious Man will join its brethren in my collection of their films. I liked it. I just did not love it. La’chaim!

PREDICTED WINS: 0

Inglourious Basterds

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Nominations: 8)

Considering all of the hype this year has been over The Hurt Locker and Avatar, I think it is pretty impressive that Quentin Tarantino’s version of WWII events garnered eight nominations, second to the nine that the aforementioned films each received. Tarantino’s films tend to be Oscar bait, especially for writing and acting. Inglorious Basterds is no exception.

Like his other films, Inglourious Basterds includes witty dialogue, suspense, some blood and gore that actually informs the story and in some ways is required by it rather than just for the sake of it, and of course, Samuel L. Jackson. The acting is superb, led by Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz. Pitt has been left out of most of the conversations and lacks a nomination this year, but Waltz on the other hand is the clear frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor and should get the chance to deliver an acceptance speech. That makes one win for the Basterds. Waltz portrays his Nazi officer so uniquely it is uncanny. We have seen the Nazi’s portrayed so many times over the years, yet Tarantino induced such distinctive characters it feels like a brand new story.

Of course, it is a brand new story. Tarantino actually rewrote WWII, leaving in a few truths here and there. The result though is a new take on an overdone story, and despite the criticism, portrays the other side (the non-Nazis) as just as cruel as Hitler’s men, something I do not recall ever seeing. For this, and for Tarantino’s incredible ability to write scenes you cannot help but laugh at while feeling terrible for doing so, his Original Screenplay should come away with the trophy. That makes two wins for the Basterds.

Alas, two wins will be the final tally as the Basterds must battle The Hurt Locker and Avatar in the other categories, enemies not so easily defeated as the Schutzstaffel(SS). Tarantino’s war epic received nominations for cinematography, film editing, sound editing, sound mixing and directing for the man himself. All the nominations were deserved and though I would love to see Quentin deliver an acceptance speech twice on the night, the one for his screenplay will be the only one we can expect to see from him, unless Christoph Waltz invites him to the stage as a thank-you.

PREDICTED WINS: 2

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

PRECIOUS(Nominations: 6)

Precious surprised me, and in my opinion does not deserve all the nominations it received. To be clear though, this is a very good movie. Let me start with the good. When I say that Precious surprised me, I mean that in a good way. I was not looking forward to the film, mainly because of the content. If not for the nomination for Best Picture, I would likely never have seen this film. That being said, it is a great film. If you know the story, you know how powerful it must be. Even a poorly made film about a sixteen year old pregnant girl living with an overly abusive mother would be compelling. This is not a poorly made film.

As has been stated with previous awards, Mo’Nique is fantastic as the abusive mother. I’ve never been a fan of her comedy, but this role is so far from her usual character, she is hardly recognizable. Her scenes are the ones that stick with the viewer long after the credits have rolled. Mo’Nique is the clear frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress. The biggest barrier to her winning would be that the character is cliché to a point. We have seen the abusive parent role so many times over the years. Her version is different though. As a viewer, you do not necessarily sympathize with her, but you do eventually understand her wrath even as you loathe her.

Now, as I said, I do not agree with all of the nominations for this film. Best Picture? Ok, I get that. It is one of the ten best films of the year even though it is the only one on the list that I am likely never to watch a second time. I simply do not need to see the abuse again to remember it. Best Supporting Actress for Mo’Nique? Absolutely, this one is deserved. Now the rest: Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Film Editing?

I’ll feel bad later about saying this, but I was just not that impressed with the way the film flowed, which reflects poorly on the director and the editor. Apparently, I am in the minority here considering the nominations, but I did not like the transitions. The film felt choppy. The screenplay is not bad, but it does utilize a ton of voiceover, something many novel adaptations do, but generally does not impress me. Finally, for Gabourey Sidibe as the title character, I am impressed that she has received the nominations because this was her first role. That being the case, her work is solid in the film, but did not necessarily standout as I watched. She plays the role subtly, very quietly for the most part with a few out bursts. She is overshadowed by Mo’Nique in all of their scenes together and actually by Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Paula Patton too. Sidibe is good, but much of the ensemble is better.

To be clear, this film is very good. My objections to the nominations are not to say that those particular parts of the film are bad, but just not in the top five best of the year. Precious deserves recognition, and so long as you do not have too weak of a stomach for abuse, is very worth seeing. As for its chances at the Oscars, the whole cast and crew will celebrate Mo’Nique’s trophy for Supporting Actress but nothing more.

PREDICTED WINS: 1

The Blind Side

THE BLIND SIDE (Nominations: 2)

I was pleasantly pleased with this film. I have not been so impressed with a sports-centered film since Remember the Titans. The film is emotional, well acted, and well paced. Hands down, Sandra Bullock is the best thing about the movie and deserving of all her recognition. She is just fun to watch in this role. Beyond her performance though is a real life tale of struggle, a tale of the “Haves” lending a hand to a “Have Not.” Michael Oher had a devastating childhood that most would have guessed would lead him to a life of drugs and crime. Instead, he stayed strong, kept pushing forward until someone with means noticed him and gave him a chance. It is impressive the charity that the Tuohy family provided, but Michael’s strength of character to not be lost before they had a chance to find him is more so. It is a beautiful film but one that I was surprised to see included in this list prior to my viewing.

Following it, I think it deserves the recognition, even if much of it comes from the spectacular work by Bullock. Most years, the list of Best Picture nominees includes a film that stands out due to a single performance, e.g., Milk for Sean Penn’s, There Will Be Blood for Daniel Day Lewis’, The Queen for Helen Mirren’s, Capote for Philip Seymour Hoffman’s, and Ray for Jamie Fox’s.

As for The Blind Side’s chances at gold, Bullock is the frontrunner for Best Actress and should come away with the win. It is worth noting the oddity that this year if perennial favorite Meryl Streep were to win the Best Actress award, it would actually be an upset. Streep poses the biggest threat to Bullock’s chance of glory, but I think we will be seeing another acceptance speech by the recently unretired Sandra Bullock. As for the film’s chances for Best Picture, they fall along the same line as the rest that are not titled Avatar or The Hurt Locker. It is just happy to be nominated, an acknowledgment it certainly deserves.

PREDICTED WINS: 1

Up

UP (Nominations: 5)

Up becomes the first animated film since Beauty and the Beast to be nominated for the top prize on Oscar night, which makes it only the second in Oscar history, though the extra five slots this year certainly helped its chances. It is a sure thing for the Animated Feature statue, but its chances for Best Picture are slim. It is a wonderful film, well written, with the emotion and sensitivity we have all come to expect from Pixar.

Pixar seems to be the “Oprah” of animation. Every story it touches turns to gold. Let’s look at the recent history: Wall-E (6 nominations), Ratatouille (5 nominations), Cars (2 nominations), The Incredibles (4 nominations. All but Cars won the Best Animated Feature category. It seems inevitable that whatever Pixar puts out each year will make the final cut, and likely be the front runner. However, Pixar’s elite status in the animation world should not detract from each films actual quality. Up deserves all the attention it has received, and out of a list of 10 Best Picture candidates, its presence absolutely warranted.

Up does what most of Pixar’s films have done, it transcends the gap between what children will like and what adults can also enjoy, but it does so in a way far more tasteful than Shrek or the fighting Panda have. I was far more impressed with Up than I was last year with Wall-E. From the opening montage of a full married life to the ending credits, the movie satisfies. You laugh with the characters’ joy, cry (if you are my wife) with their sorrow, and generally feel uplifted when it is all said and done. In the end, Up will take home the Animated Feature statue but not the Best Film. It would be a shock to see it win Best Sound Editing over Avatar or The Hurt Locker. However, it does have a long shot at Best Original Screenplay over The Hurt Locker or Inglorious Basterds and Best Original Score against both titans, Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Up has one statue locked up, and I think it may steal a second.

PREDICTED WINS: 2

District 9

DISTRICT 9 (Nominations: 4)

This was the shocker pick of the list. I cannot claim to have foreseen District 9 making the cut, but it was on my long list of potentials. So, it is not a complete surprise, having already had nominations for its screenplay at various ceremonies. However, had I not known of its other nominations, I would have been very surprised at its inclusion in the Best Picture category.

That being said, District 9 is a very good movie, unique, and powerful at times. It paints the human fear of the different and the unknown with an often graphic brush. The characters are dynamic and easy to get behind, but the plot is relatively austere. From the opening scenes, most viewers can guess where the film will take them, but the ride to the end is enjoyable. It is a good movie, but perhaps not one of my ten favorites of the year. I would have preferred Star Trek making an unexpected appearance to District 9, but alas, I do not get a vote.

District 9 has a small chance at taking home a trophy. Unfortunately, it is up against Avatar in the Visual Effects, Film Editing, and Best Picture categories (The Hurt Locker also in the latter two). Its only real shot at a win is with its Adapted Screenplay, however, Up in the Air, Precious, and An Education are all present in that category, along with the relatively unknown In the Loop. My guess is this award goes to Precious or Up in the Air, and District 9 fans will have to be content with their film just being part of the festivities.

PREDICTED WINS: 0

The Hurt Locker

THE HURT LOCKER (Nominations: 9)

Kathryn Bigelow’s film is this year’s little engine that could. The film released in the US in limited locations back in February of 2009. It was first viewed, however, in Italy, in October of 2008 at the Venice Film Festival. So its marathon run at awards has been long and arduous. It continued to gain speed and critical acclaim. Though most Oscar nominees do not appear until November and December, The Hurt Locker was strong enough to remain in the voters’ minds when it came time to make the nominations.

The Hurt Locker deserves its accolades. The film is powerful, wrought with emotion, and very relevant. It is a war film about Iraq, and yet it does not play out as a politically charged film. It neither advocates nor admonishes the US involvement in Iraq, but rather tells a story about one group of men, headlined by Jeremy Renner as the soldier who “gets” to disarm explosives. Renner is subtle with his performance, playing the character as someone always hiding his true self, but ultimately showing that what he does is who he is. He deserves his nomination, but should be happy to clap after Jeff Bridges’ acceptance speech. Along with Renner’s nomination, the film garnered 8 more, including the coveted Best Director and Best Picture nominations.

In the technical categories, The Hurt Locker should walk away with one or maybe two statues if it is really lucky. It has nominations for Cinematography, Film Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing. Though these nominations are very much deserved, Avatar will likely take 4 of the 5, or maybe all of them. I would say the two Sound awards are the most likely for The Hurt Locker if it gets any. The real chances for awards are in the big categories: Original Screenplay, Director, and Picture. The Hurt Locker should get the statue for Original Screenplay, though Tarantino might come away with the upset there. Director and Picture are a toss up with Avatar. My money is on a split. Kathryn Bigelow will get the top director award over her ex Husband, James Cameron, but Avatar will be the film of the year.

PREDICTED WINS: 3

AVATAR

AVATAR (Nominations: 9)

I have taken a couple days to get these next two reviews written because they are the most important. Everyone would agree that the Oscar races for Best Picture and Director only have two contenders: Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Avatar is by far the most impressive film of the year, perhaps the decade. James Cameron has time and again taken filmmaking to the limit. A couple examples would be The Abyss, Terminator 2, and of course his last outing, Titanic. Every time he decides to make a film, he decides to do something no one has ever done before.

Avatar is the epitome of this filmmaking strategy. Cameron spent over a decade creating the world where Avatar is set, waiting for the technology to catch up to his vision. The result is the most beautiful film I have ever seen. The fact is you could watch this film on mute and it would still be fantastic because it is visually that stunning. I think most fans who are rooting for Avatar at the big show might be a little blinded by that spectacle. In the technical categories, Avatar should take home most of the awards for which it is nominated: Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects. I would not be surprised to see one or two upsets in there (probably from The Hurt Locker) but Avatar is the front runner.

As for the two biggest awards though, based on the guild voting so far, Avatar is not necessarily the lead dog. My guess is that there will be a split between Avatar and The Hurt Locker with Avatar taking Best Picture and The Hurt Locker taking Best Director, however, it could easily go the other way, or one could take both.

PREDICTED WINS: 7

Movies Are Important

Well, my wife has shared her view on a few of the nominees for Best Picture this year, so I feel obligated to add my own opinions to the discussion. As she said, the fans of the awards ceremonies have double the nominees for which to route this year. Though the number may have increased, the real competition is very much the same as always. Two films are fighting for the coveted prize while the other eight are just happy to be in the same company. I admit, I have yet to see all of the nominees, so to say that only two are really in competition is not based solely on my own opinion of the movies, but also my knowledge of the given awards so far. I will follow with my thoughts on each of the 10 nominees for Best Picture in order of when I saw them. Hopefully, I will have seen them all by the big night.

UP IN THE AIR (Nominations: 6)

I found this film to be quite amusing. I know, watching a movie that revolves around people being fired should not be funny, but it is, and intentionally so at times. As good as this film is, I do not see it winning the Best Picture category. However, it is a showcase of acting talent, specifically for George Clooney, smug as he may be. Anna Kendrick is perhaps more impressive though as a young business woman trying to make firing people more efficient through digital means. The film is relevant today, which does put its long-term appeal in jeopardy. Then again, the awards are now, so now is what matters. I would love to see Kendrick take home a Supporting Actress statue, but she is far from the front runner. Clooney has a chance at a win, but will likely fall victim to Jeff Bridges. And while the film does deserve the Best Picture nomination and perhaps the Director nomination, I do not expect a victory save for the Screenplay.

PREDICTED WINS: 1

Award Season & Movie Reviews

With the Academy Awards just around the corner it is time Scott and I get out and about and see some movies. Crazy thing is this year my parents have seen more of the nominees than I have! This year the number we have to see has doubled! There are now 10 best picture nominees.

Here are my thoughts on the nominees we have seen so far . . .

Up in the Air
This was the first nominated movie that we watched. I really enjoyed it and would give it two thumbs up. Mr. George Clooney gave a great performance and is well deserving of the best actor nomination. The movie is definitely a drama, however, I found myself laughing quite often. It is a modern tale of the modern traveling businessman. All of the characters are great and very human. The film ends in a bit of a predictable way, a bit sad, but good at the same time. Overall a great movie.

Avatar

We went to see this movie on a random Monday in the middle of the afternoon and it was sold out! This film has made a ton of money, the most money ever, beating out Cameron's' last movie Titanic. Oooh that makes me think of an interesting question, if those movies were going head to head, which would win best picture? That is a difficult question. Both films are quite epic. Avatar is embarking on a new horizon of film and it is quite beautiful cinema. Scott's vote is Avatar, but I am not too sure. I love the story of Titanic.

Avatar is deserving of a best picture win. It has meaning and depth. The characters are dynamic and I even forgot that they were big and blue. The only complaint I guess I have is that it was a bit long. It is never a good sign if you look at your watch during a film. I was surprised that the majority of the film was not action packed. Overall the film was good and I would not be surprised if it took home the statue.

District 9
I wasn't intending to watch District 9, but Matt gave it to Scott for Christmas. We also had no idea that it would be nominated, although I am sure Scott would say that he knew it was a possibility.This movie was hard to pull away from. At times I didn't want to watch but just could not stop. It was a bit bizarre and quite a bit different in how it was filmed. It is made to look like a documentary. The main character I despised at first and then as he grew empathy toward the aliens I grew to like him. There are a number of messages that can be taken away from the story: human rights violations, the experience of refugees, and racism. Although it was a bit bloody in a strange way, I would recommend it.

The Blind Side
The movie was great and a wonderful surprise. I knew in the back of my mind that it must be good with Sandra Bullock winning so many awards. She was really at the heart of the film. The movie was warm, uplifting and overall very enjoyable.

UP
I really liked this movie, but I must admit that I had a pile of tissues next to me when it was over.

*It is going to be a difficult pick for best picture of the year. They are all so different and good in their own ways. I am excited to see the next batch of nominees, however, I am afraid it will make my vote even more difficult to cast.