Sunday, February 22, 2009

In which there are no more sleeps!

Well, if you're reading this, I guess you asked for it:


Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

It seems like it's pretty much a given here that Slumdog Millionaire will take out the big prize. And I'm pretty damn happy with that. I never saw Milk or The Reader, but I'm still pulling for Slumdog. It's a really touching film, and manages, despite such despair and pain, to leave you feeling really good. I'd be just as happy if Frost/Nixon won, but I'd say the runner up is Milk, and possibly (though not necessarily justifiably) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Who Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry for The Reader
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant for Milk

It's funny that it's sort of unusual for all the directors whose films have been nominated for Picture to show up here in the Director category. Ususally there's a wildcard, but here I think they've got it right (Batman fans will disagree, and possibly Chris Nolan should have been considered). Frost/Nixon is Howard's most subtle film to date, and it's really elegantly handled. I was really impressed with it. Benjamin Button is capable, and looks gorgeous, but possibly a tad overlong. I think, though, that Mr Boyle is going to get his just desserts for Slumdog. And when you look at the film, it's really hard to argue with that.

Who Should Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Who Will Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire


Best Actor
Richard Jenkins for The Visitor
Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn for Milk
Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Oh, Frank Langella. How I wish you would win in this category. He's amazing as Nixon, and he's certainly paid his dues. Sadly, I don't think he'll get it. I haven't seen The Wrestler, so I can't really comment, but by all accounts Mickey Rourke is the one to beat here. He certainly gives a great acceptance speech, so there's that to look forward to (hands on buzzers, censors!). If it's not Rourke, I think it's Penn's again, although the Academy has never been a fan of his. Pitt has done better (see Burn After Reading), and Richard Jenkins is too much of a wild card.

Who Should Win: Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon
Who Will Win: Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler


Best Actress
Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie for The Changeling
Melissa Leo for Frozen River
Meryl Streep for Doubt
Kate Winslet for The Reader


Speaking of people who have paid their dues. Kate Winslet has been nominated, what, five times now? Give the girl the damn Oscar! It's pretty much Winslet's to lose, although Ms Streep, who gives a powerhouse performance in Doubt, can never really be discounted. And while there's a big to do about whether filmmakers are using the Holocaust to gain awards (seems a pretty dumb thing to say, if you ask me) I still do hope that Kate mentions Ricky Gervais in her speech.

Who Should Win: Kate Winslet for The Reader
Who Will Win: Kate Winslet for The Reader

Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin for Milk
Robert Downey Jr for Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour "Icky Man" Hoffman for Doubt
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road


This is the one people are calling a lock. It's Ledger's,
they say. And I tell you what, the Academy is facing a riot if it's not. And I do believe that it's not just sentimental. I think he really earned it with this role. Anyone who can look that demented and terrifying in a nurse's uniform knows what they're doing. You watch this tour de force (look at me, being all French) and you really do feel how much of a loss it is that such a talent is gone. Michael Shannon, it has to be said, is in Revolutionary Road for about five minutes, but jayzus, he packs a punch. I'm looking forward to Robert Downey Jr's clip the most, and I'm hoping it's the "you people" scene. As for Mr Ledger, I'm gunning for the pencil scene, not just because of the magic trick, but because I think that was some damn fine acting.

Who Should Win: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight


Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams for Doubt
Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis for Doubt
Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler


This one really could be anyone's Oscar. I'm leaning towards Cruz, because I think she's better than her earlier movies (Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses) indicated. Otherwise, it could be Tomei, about whom much has been said (see Rourke's BAFTA speech: "I think she was very brave to take her clothes off...I enjoyed looking at her") -- no no! Of her performance. But there's still a little ill will there in the Academy for her My Cousin Vinny Oscar (legend has it that the presenter, one Jack Palance, may have been a little drunk and read out the wrong name...). I really liked Taraji P. Henson, and Viola Davis (again, about 5 minutes on screen) was powerful, but I'm going with Cruz.

Who Should Win: Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Who Will Win: Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona



Best Original Screenplay
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
Wall*E

I do think it's rough that neither Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky or Colin Farrell for In Bruges got a nomination, despite both of them winning at the Golden Globes. Nevertheless. I'd say it's between In Bruges and Wall*E, but that my just be because I'd love to see Pixar get recognition for bringing intelligent, witty stories back to animation. Possibly the BAFTAs have given In Bruges an edge, and I wouldn't mind if it won, really.

Who Should Win: Wall*E
Who Will Win: In Bruges


Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire



Again, it's kind of open, although I do think that Slumdog deserves all its nominations to be awarded. It feels odd having that much confidence in a movie, but there you go. If it's not Slumdog, I'd really, REALLY like it to be Frost/Nixon, based on the play that both lead actors starred in prior to the film. I just want this film to win something, damnit!

Who Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Cinematography
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Again, I think Slumdog earned this one, but if not, I'd be happy to see it go to Wally Pfister for The Dark Knight. He's won a couple of cinematography awards so far, so it's not that unlikely. (Sorry these are getting short, but I'm running against the clock here!)

Who Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire


Best Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

I'm thinking it's one of three: The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon or Slumdog Millionaire, and I think that the one for which it was most significantly used was Slumdog.

Who Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Hmmm. Lost of period dramas here, but I think perhaps The Dark Knight's elaborate sets will push it over the line. Possibly not far enough to beat The Duchess, as we all know how much the Academy likes ye olde extravagancee.

Who Should Win: The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: The Duchess

Best Costume
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

It's all about fantasy and periods. Mostly periods. And while I love the Joker's costume in The Dark Knight, I think it's more likely that either The Duchess or Australia (because you never discount Catherine Martin) will win.

Who Should Win: The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: The Duchess

Best Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army



Another person you can't ever discount in the artistic
categories is Guillarmo Del Toro's crew. So don't be surprised if there's an upset by Hellboy 2. As it is, I think it'll be Benjamin Button's major win. And when you look at Mr Pitt it's kind of understandable.

Who Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Who Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Original Score
Alexandre Desplat for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard for Defiance
Danny Elfman for Milk
A. R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman for WALL*E



I love saying Alexandre Desplat. I'm really, really pulling for Mr Newman, although that probably comes as no surprise. It's probably going to be A. R. Rahman, and that's kind of ok, because I'd like Newman to win it for something really extraordinary.

Who Should Win: Thomas Newman for WALL*E
Who Will Win: A. R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire

Original Song

"Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire

"O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire

"Down to Earth" from WALL*E

Dear Oscar God. If Thomas Newman can't win for Original Score, please let him win for the Song instead. Having said that, the Slumdog songs are so catchy...

Who Should Win: "Down to Earth" from WALL*E
Who Will Win: "Down to Earth" from WALL*E

Best Sound
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (I now hate this movie for its long title)
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E
Wanted

I'd say The Dark Knight has a clear shot here.

Who Should Win: The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: The Dark Knight

Best Sound Editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E
Wanted

So much has been said about WALL*E's sound, and all of it manufactured in a junkyard, that I think it might FINALLY be Pixar's time for an Oscar here. Yaaay!


Who Should Win: WALL*E
Who Will Win: WALL*E


Best Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (CURSES)
The Dark Knight
Iron Man



This one I think is either Iron Man's or BB's (yeah, I'm not even going to try). Maybe Brad Pitt's transformation from old to cute.

Who Should Win: That Button film.
Who Will Win: That Button film.

Best Animated Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL*E

If it's not WALL*E, I really don't know what they think they're doing. Such an adorable film about a really gorgeous character.

Who Should Win: WALL*E
Who Will Win: WALL*E

Best Foreign Language Film
Der Baader Meinhoff Komplex
Entre les Murs
Revanche
Okuribito
Vals Im Bashir

The only one I've heard of, and it's gotten some really high praise.

Who Should Win:Vals Im Bashir
Who Will Win: Vals Im Bashir

Best Documentary, Feature
The Betrayal - Nerakhoon
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man On Wire
Trouble the Water

One. You don't often hear a lot about documentaries, and this one just won the BAFTA for best British Film. Two. It looks freaking TERRIFYING.

Who Should Win: Man on Wire
Who Will Win: Man on Wire

Best Documentary, Short

The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306


No idea. Let's go for Smile Pinki. And that balcony one.

Who Should Win: Smile Pinki
Who Will Win: The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306

Best Short film, Animated
Les Maison en petits cubes
Ubornaya istoriya - lyubovnaya istoriya
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up


Presto is AWESOME. Although I do REALLY like the House of the Little Cubes.



Who Should Win: Presto!
Who Will Win: Presto!


Best Short film, Live Action
Auf de Strecke
Manon sur le bitume
New Boy
Grisen
Spielzeugland

Er.....um....


Who Should Win: Auf de Strecke
Who Will Win: New Boy

THAT's IT! Phew! In the nick of time! Good luck everyone!!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

In which the rat symbolises obviousness

Captain's Log: 20 February
Last movie watched: Election
Song currently stuck in head: "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys. Listen to it. Thank me later.

We're down to the penultimate oblog, finishing off the last of the Best Picture winners. Speaking of which, the last awards are those for Best Director and Best Motion Picture. Apparently the latter has changed several times over the years, from Outstanding Picture to Outstanding Motion Picture to Best Picture...ladies and gentlemen, enter the most boring piece of trivia yet. Something that I like, though, is the fact that every so often the Academy discusses new categories to include.

Best Casting (rejected in 1999)
Best Stunt Coordination (rejected in 1999 and 2005)
Best Title Design (rejected in 1999)

Ok, though it says they meet every year it looks as though they only did anything in 1999. Shame. I'd like to see an award for Best Performance by an Inanimate Object (this year's nominees include The Pencil in The Dark Knight, and the Magician's Hat in Presto!). Or Best Performance by a Meal. It'd be great. I do understand the Stunt guys' beef, though, I mean, no one else is lighting themselves on fire or jumping out of windows. Seems the least they could do is give 'em a little gold statue.

Almost forgot to include this, but guess what happened in 2003? Finally, the Oscar Went To the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King! Yay! First Fantasy film EVER to win, and I was stoked. I sort of think the first one deserved it most, but I was happy it was being honoured at all. Plot? Come on, have you not seen it yet? It's the third in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and all hell is breaking loose. The armies of Rohan (hi Rohan!), Gondor and, well, the dead, are bonding together to fight the evil army of Mordor, while several hobbits, an elf, a dwarf, a man and a wizard kick ass in various ways, shapes and forms. Most of all, Frodo, Sam and a brilliantly brought-to-life Gollum destroy the One Ring. If none of this means anything to you, you might as well skip ahead, because it ain't getting any clearer. The effects are amazing, the performances uniformally great, and the script extraordinarily well done. I've spoken to a couple of people involved in this film and they all seem to just love being a part of it, which makes a great deal of difference. The legendary multiple endings were fine with me, I never liked their posters much, because they all ended up being a bit much. They all seemed to have teaser posters, though, which were much simpler and in my opinion more effective. So I've found the teaser poster.

Speaking of things that didn't happen, it's time for the winner* of Best Picture 2005. It's Brokeback Mountain. Now I know what you're saying, popular myth has it that some other movie won, despite the former winning just about EVERY SINGLE OTHER AWARD. But those people are, in the words of Shakespeare, wrongity wrong wrong. It was Brokeback Mountain. The tale of two people who fall in love and are unable to be together. Sure it's usually described as "that gay cowboy movie", but I think the people are right who say that it's really just a love story, and a beautifully-told one, at that. Ang Lee's direction is pretty much pitch perfect, and he makes sure that every shot is important. You just don't see that kind of commitment in many movies these days. It was the first movie I've seen where I was really, REALLY impressed with Heath Ledger's performance -- he's got this angry, jaw-clenching mannerism going through the whole thing, and it's a really great choice. Heh. Apparently he almost broke Jake Gyllenhaal's nose during a kiss. Not too shabby. Jake is also impressive, and incredibly good looking, but that's not the only reason I like this movie. I like it because halfway through you actually are able to see it solely as a love story - it's not about sexuality any more, it's about love and tragedy. And pretty, pretty guys. Ahem.

Apparently the poster was modelled after Titanic's, which is kind of cool.

Right, next it was one of my favourite films of the last few years, 2006's The Departed. It's been mentioned to me that it's a complete copy of Hong Kong's Infernal Affairs, but I haven't seen that, so too bad. I will say this though, the director of the Hong Kong version says: "Of course I think my version is better. But the Hollywood version is pretty good too." Heh. This is also the movie in which the song mentioned above features prominently. I challenge you to find better lyrics. The plot is this: one police school graduate becomes a member of the State Police. He is also a spy for Boston's biggest crime lord, Jack Nicholson. Oh, er, Frank Costello. Another graduate is chosen by the State Police to become an insider in Costello's gang, working for the cops as a spy. One gets promoted, the other gets sent to jail to make his expulsion from the police force look real. Nice. But it becomes about the subject of identity, and the importance of that. Leonardo DiCaprio is just getting better and better, and Mark Wahlberg kicks ass, although I'm impressed they found a scene to show in his Best Supporting Actor nominee clip that didn't include the 'f' word. Jack Nicholson is insane and Alec Baldwin also has one of the best and most telling lines of the film, during a police bugging of an illegal exchange, about how much he loves the Patriot Act.

"The Simpsons" also did a spoof episode of this film called "The De-Barted", and while I love the movie, I have to admit this was pretty genius, and includes a quote from one Ralph Wiggum at the end that'll make sense to anyone who's seen the movie:

"The rat symbolises obviousness!"

Mr Scorsese, I love you, but... Hee.

And at the end, we come to 2007's winner, No Country for Old Men. For me, it's really a movie that's made by the presence of the lovely (but here not so lovely) Javier Bardem. Sporting one of the most famously worst hairstyles of all kind, he's chilling and quietly violent (does that even make sense?) as the bounty hunter who just won't freaking stop. The petrol station coin-tossing scene is legendary for good reason, and his whole sense of calm is what's so unnerving. The whole film, in fact, has VERY little dialogue, or even sound. It's all about the long silences and the vast expanses of wasteland. How far each character has come, how far there is to go. And this is a film made by the same people who made Burn After Reading. Go figure.

There's only one to go, and that's my incredibly LONG blog on final predictions.

Byee.

"Who the fuck are you?"
"I'm the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy."
--- Anthony Estrella, Mark Wahlberg - The Departed ---

*at least in MY Oscars

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

In which the Lord of the Rings doesn't win twice

Captain's log: 17 February
Last movie watched: Sleeping With the Enemy (never has tinned food been so creepy)
Song currently stuck in head: An awesome reggae version of "Knocking on Heaven's Door"

Currently plastered, barnacle-like, in front of the heater and thinking healthy, healthy thoughts. All I want to do when I'm feeling like this is drink hot chocolate and sit in front of some source of heat.

But I'm here now, and it's time to talk about the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress. Quite often given not given to the person I think should win, and so shall it be this year, when I'm dying for Frank Langella to pull off a coup for Frost/Nixon, and they'll give it to Mickey Rourke, probably. (He does give a good speech, though, if his BAFTA one is anything to go by.) As for Best Actress, I suspect Winslet will get it for The Reader, which I'm ok with, because I love Kate Winslet, and although I haven't seen this one, she's usually pretty awesome. Also, I kind of want to see if she mentions Ricky Gervais. (See season 1 of extras)

Now it's sort of timely that the first movie up is Gladiator, winner 2000. Timely because here is the best case you're going to come across of the Best Actor award being given to someone who really has done better (see how polite I'm being?). It's Russell Crowe, whose off-screen antics make it difficult to see as a decent actor, but he is. But clearly the Oscars are not consulting me on matters like this, so all I can do is complain on blogs like this. Now what about this movie. It's ok, I guess, but in my opinion it was a pretty thin-on-the-ground year. Although I can't vouch for Quills, since I left part-way through it (let's just say it is not a film to see with your grandmother). Anyway, back to Gladiator. This might explain a lot of what I just don't warm to about this film:

"Nicholson, the third and final screenwriter, says Crowe told him, “Your lines are garbage but I’m the greatest actor in the world, and I can make even garbage sound good.” "

It's Ridley Scott, too, because I've never really felt he was a "heart" director. But for those of you who have missed this one, it's about a Roman general who royally pisses off the crazy son of emperor, and then pays the price by getting captured into slavery and eventually drafted into "working" as a Gladiator in the Colosseum. Battles ensue, with a musical cue which would later become the theme to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Although it never seems to be acknowledged formally. But as they're both done by Hans Zimmer, I suppose he has the right to plagiarise his own stuff.


Crowe (sorry, The Greatest Actor In The World) was back the next year in 2001's A Beautiful Mind. There's a lot I like about this film, but I would've given the award to one of two others: Gosford Park, or Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Yeah, I said it! But the movie. It's about mathematician John Nash, who developed highly influential works in game theory. It's about his descent into mental illness, and his struggle to re-enter the world of mathematics. It's about his wife and how she stood by him. (This, incidentally, is pretty fictitious, since they divorced in 1963, but remained friends from 1970 onwards.) It's a nice take on the theme of courage and love, and Ron Howard has always seemed to me to be a person interested in theme and heart than harsh reality. As for trivia, there are a lot of things I could comment on here. Like the fact that Paul Bettany (who I actually quite like) was cast solely due to his performance in A Knight's Tale. I'm sorry, but formation boy-band dancing in vaguely medieval dress is not what I call a great feat of artistry. The best things about this film are the lead performances, from Crowe and Jennifer Connelly. Connelly won the Supporting Actress Oscar, Crowe, who shouldn't have won the year before, lost this year to Denzel Washington. Swings and roundabouts.

The year 2002, Lord of the Rings Doesn't Win Again. I can let this go a little easier, I suppose, because Chicago, 2002's winner, is a lot of fun. Renee Zellweger and her disappearing eyes notwithstanding (seriously: look at her in Jerry Maguire and then look at her now). And I've got nothing against giving awards to films that are fun. It's certainly the polar opposite of The Pianist. So what's it about? It's based on the musical, about two murderesses trying to play the publicity game to get themselves out of a death sentence. Catherine Zeta-Jones's performance is best described by the words "brassy" and "awesome", and she and Richard Gere (who knew he could sing and dance?) steal the show, and Gere's tap-dance is my favourite part of it. Unless it's the touching rendition of "Mr Cellophane" by John C. Reilly. It's got so much vigour and so many great sets and ideas for choreography. It's just really good fun.

Oh yes, boys and girls. Today's lesson is: "Fun is good."

Only a couple more oblogs to go!

"They'd love you a lot more if you were hanged. You know why? Because it would sell more papers. That's Chicago."
--- Richard Gere - Chicago ---

Sunday, February 15, 2009

In which I'm slightly bitter and mostly twisted

Captain's log: 15 February
Last movie watched: P.S. I Love You
Song currently stuck in head: Galway Girl, from the above.


Ever had one of those evenings when you feel like the opening credits of Bridget Jones' Diary? You know, the mental equivalent of listening to sad pop music and rocking back and forth in your pajamas while quaffing (hi bethini!) glass after glass of wine? No? Me neither. But that's why you shouldn't send job applications off without proofreading and then watch P.S. I Love You. Live and learn.

I don't honestly know why I hated this film so much in the day, and suspect I need to re-watch it, but that would mean three hours in the desert. Literally. Yes, it's Sandfest '96, the late Anthony Minghella's Tribute to Sand, 1996's The English Patient. What's it about? Sand, mostly. Also about Kirsten Scott Thomas falling in love with Ralph Fiennes, and this all being told to Juliette Binoche by a very crispy burns victim. I know, harsh, but see the above paragraph for the mood I'm in right now. Binoche won an Oscar for her Supporting Actress work, and I lost 3 hours of my life. I really need to see this again.

We're going to take a break at this point to talk about the awards given to Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. I know I've said a couple of the other awards are my favourite categories, but I really mean it this time. I always think the supporting actor categories have more tension and possibility for upset in them. Little people can get through with these awards, and I kind of like that aspect. This year, of course, Heath Ledger is ALL BUT a lock to take out the Supp. Actor Oscar. I'm not saying he's a lock because there's ALWAYS the possibility that it'll go to someone else. I'll be discussing an example later on, but for now let's just look at Daniel Day Lewis, the year he (and his yellow trousers) were nominated for Gangs of New York. He won just about every award there was in the lead up, but come Oscar-time and BOOM! They put him in the wrong category and Adrien Brody swoops in and wins (justifiably) for The Pianist. So while I think it's likely Mr Ledger will win, I'm not betting the house on it.

Next! A movie that started off being everyone's favourite, and now is loudly criticised, it's 1997's Titanic. Just as big as Ben-Hur, it won 11 Academy Awards. And you know what? I loved it. Its script is admittedly one whose dialogue could have used some substantial work, and the song, which seems to garner the most hatred, had some shocking lyrics but was otherwise quite beautiful. And the rest? Very impressive. It's massive, and touching and downright heartbreaking towards the end. I defy anyone to say they didn't at least tear up. It's one of those movies I am happy to enjoy, without picking at its flaws. So ner. I maintain that anyone who can make a 3 hour film about the world's most famous ship sinking suspenseful is doing rather well.

The next year Spielberg was back with Saving Private Ryan, but it was the witty-yet-Paltrow-hampered Shakespeare In Love that walked away with 1998's Oscar. Tom Stoppard is at his lovely best writing a clever and often hilarious take on what might possibly maybe could have happened when young William Shakespeare sat down to write Romeo and Juliet. It makes no claims to historical accuracy, and indeed barely anything is known about Shakespeare, so these filmmakers can pretty much go hell bent for leather. It was the first comedy to win Best Picture since Annie Hall, which is a sad state of affairs. There's a lot of fun to be had watching this, even if it's just for the little bits and pieces of Shakespeare they've thrown in. And when all else fails, Geoffrey Rush is awesome. And Judi Dench, who won her Oscar (though we all know it was really for the previous year's Her Majesty Mrs Brown) for 8 minutes on screen, has one of the best lines:

"I know something of a woman in a man's profession. Yes by God I do know about that."

In addition to this, Ms Dench apparently had to wear such high heels (one supposes to keep the dress off the ground) that the director nicknamed her "Tudor Spice". Best. Nickname. Ever.


And as the last Best Picture Winner of the 20th century, we come to 1999's American Beauty, Sam Mendes' love letter to the despair and emptiness of the American dream. It says on the net that Robert Altman apparently "hated" this movie. Which is kind of harsh. What's most impressive is that this was Sam Mendes' first film directing job EVER. He was a theatre director, made a movie, won an Oscar. Pfft! Nothin' to it! So it's about a family, mostly a man, who finds himself in the ruttiest rut that ever rutted. Its his (often odd, occasionally perverted) attempts to dig himself out and into the life he actually wants. It's not my favourite film, but I wouldn't agree with Altman either. I'm certainly an admirer of the artistry that went into making it. What else can I tell you about it? Apparently there was an Hungarian film made called Hungarian Beauty, which was, shot for shot, a copy of American Beauty. This was evidently fine with everyone, and won a major Hungarian film award. Wish I knew this was ok. Think I'll go out and shoot The Departed in my backyard.

I'm out! Time for more sad music.

Brad: "Got a minute?"
Lester: "For you, Brad, I've got five!"
--- Barry Del Sherman, Kevin Spacey - American Beauty ---

Thursday, February 12, 2009

In which I go all gooey over Scottish films

Captain's Log: 13 February
Last movie watched: Doubt (Um. Ummm. All I'll say is if you want to make it ambiguous as to whether a character has committed sexual assault, you might want to pay more attention to casting. Or maybe that was what they were going for.)
Song currently in head: Every Day and Every Night, or whatever it's really called, by Bob Marley.

The Writers Guild of America awards were announced in the last few days, which is exceptionally convenient, seeing as today's oblog is brought to you by the awards for Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay. There doesn't seem to be any outright winner so far, although the WGA winners were Milk (original) and Slumdog Millionaire (adapted). I still like WALL*E for original screenplay, because I'm intrigued by screenplays that depict action with little dialogue. Not to say I don't like the dialogue. Because I'm also intrigued by In Bruges' dialogue (still have to see this one). I'd say Slumdog has the best chance for adapted screenplay, and that's just fine with me. But the rest is up for grabs, which makes it kind of exciting.

I've been reading about this category, and apparently there was this massive kerfuffle when Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (or should that be Kenneth Branagh's William Shakespeare's Hamlet?) was nominated for Adapted Screenplay, because some thought all he had done was put William Shakespeare's words on screen. Well I am here to side with Roger Ebert in defending this, because it's much more than that. It's visual, character depiction, timing -- there's a whole essay to be written on the topic of whether or not Ophelia was present during the "To Be or Not To Be" speech. And come ON, have you seen that scene? It's gorgeous.

Ahem.

Sooo. Films of the 1990s. I did well here too - I only have to see Unforgiven to complete the decade! We'll start, in the words of Julie Andrews, at the very beginning.

1990's Dances With Wolves is not only long, it's the last time Kevin Costner was taken seriously. Too harsh? Probably. He wasn't half bad in Mr Brooks. Ok, back to the point. This was Costner's masterpiece, about a Civil War lieutenant (question: why does this word get pronounced "left-tenant"? Why?) who travels to a remote military post and befriends the Native Americans. And then...whoa! Crazy officers, scalping, awesome nicknames, gorgeous-as-all-get-out animals, and then DEATH! DEATH! DEATH! And not of people! Talk about disturbing. There's apparently a sequal being planned, with Viggo Mortensen rumoured to take on the role of Dunbar. The soundtrack was also reportedly Pope John Paul 2nd's favourite piece of music. Talk about your recommendations.

He didn't say it, but I suspect that 1991's The Silence of the Lambs was the Pope's favourite movie. Probably. The last movie so far to win the Big Five Oscars, and Anthony Hopkins' performance is the shortest ever to win a Leading Actor Oscar (at just over 16 minutes on screen). It's also awesome. My favourite bit of trivia surrounding this film is to do with how Hopkins fashioned the voice of LEcter, apparently based on Truman Capote and (this is the good bit) Katharine Hepburn. Dunn!! I bet she'd be pleased. Probably.

Wait! Wait! I've just found a piece of trivia to match it:

The first moth cocoon found in one of the victim's throats was made from a combination of "Tootsie-Rolls" and gummy bears, so that if she swallowed it, it would be edible.

Man, somebody missed a marketing strategy just begging to be used.


Next! The last film shot in black and white (ok, and a tiny bit of red) to win Best Picture, it's Schindler's List, 1993. Feels a long time ago now. And there's very little that's funny that I can relate about this one. Unless it's the fact that I gave a speech once about how Steven Spielberg doesn't use sex scenes in his films (as a rule) and SOMEONE piped up that there's a sex scene in Schindler's List. Thanks ever so much. So what's it about? Oskar Schindler, to be brief, who risked his fortune and life to save the lives of Jews during the Holocaust by giving them employment. It was Spielberg's first directing Oscar, and it was absolutely right that he did win. He took no salary, and reportedly often found shooting days overwhelming. Also, it turns out Robin Williams used to call him up each day to cheer him up. Aw.

1994's Forrest Gump coined many a phrase, none more annoyingly-utilised than "Run, Forrest! Run!" And who among us hasn't used it? I visited the Bubba Gump Shrimp Corp. in New York, which is a restaurant, in case you were wondering, and they had signs on the tables saying either "Run, Forrest! Run!" or "Stop, Forrest! Stop!", depending on whether you wanted the waiter's attention or not. Anyway, back to the film. Apparently there are a lot of people who thought it was rubbish. I never heard any of that at the time. There's a lot of guff on the web about whether it's "pop propaganda" or "very sweet", but I don't see why it can't just be simpler than that. It's a good film. I liked it a lot. And Tom Hanks was amazing in it. Yes, it knocked The Shawshank Redemption out of the Oscars, but that's just how things go. This film was also the basis for my love for Gary Sinise, and his scene on the hospital floor is just about as good as you're ever going to see. There's one piece of trivia that says a studio (*cough*warnerbros*cough*) gave up the rights to this film because they thought the premise had already been exhausted in Rain Man. I hate studios for this reason.

Last but by no means least, it's 1995's Braveheart, and while just about all of it is different to what actually happened (and "Braveheart" itself is a reference to Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace), I still love it, for the music, the spectacle, the scenery and the major theme, which never fails to make me well up, being that of a brave fight for freedom against mountainous odds. For those of you who don't know (honestly), it's the story of William Wallace, a Scotsman who led the Scottish people in a war against the British, which was at the time attempting to clear Scotland of the Scots, and to keep it under the cruel thumb of King Edward 1 of England (by many accounts a great King for England, but a crappy King for Scotland). It's about the individual's right to freedom, to the basic human rights of life, love and justice, and the strength it takes to stand up to oppression, when bending is the easiest thing to do. A bit of trivia I've probably mentioned before, because I love it, is that Edward 1 demanded that his body, once deceased, be taken to Stirling castle and buried as a claim to the land as his own. His son, Edward 2 (the sequal) obeyed in as much as he took his father's bones most of the way, but somewhere near the border they were lost forever. I should probably note that this was told to me by a Scotsman, who while lovely and part of my favourite people in the world, has been known to tell a porky or two.

There's also controversy about a particular statue that has been erected at the base of the hill which holds the original Wallace monument (7 feet tall, just like the man himself). This second statue is of Mel Gibson as Wallace, and has the word "Freedom" inscribed at its base. It has not been popular and, well, you can see why. However, I will say this. It was commissioned by a man who was in hospital with what was thought to be a terminal illness, and he says that the film and its message of hope and strength is what got him through, and so he had the statue made to commemorate this. So I salute the sentiment, if not the actual statue.

Ok folks, I think that's about all I've got for tonight. Go see a movie.

Toodles!

"In the Year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland - starving and outnumbered - charged the fields of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets; they fought like Scotsmen, and won their freedom."
YEAH!
--- Angus Macfadyen, Braveheart ---

Monday, February 9, 2009

In which I didn't realise I'd seen so many 80s movies

Captain’s Log: 9 February
Last movie watched: Bobby
Song currently stuck in head: Actually it's pretty empty right now, but if I dig around it's "Hey you get off of my cloud".

I’ve just been in a conversation about what a pile of crap the awards shows are. To them I say, Pppppppllllpppp! :P

On Sunday the BAFTAs were announced, and I caught a little of it, right when James McAvoy was on stage, so that was a bonus. Winners were mainly Slumdog Millionaire, Benjamin Button picked up the technical awards, whereas the acting awards went to Mickey Rourke, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz and Heath Ledger. Fantastic moment when Danny Boyle won the Directing award: his son jumped up and yelled “WOO! I LOVE YOU DAD!” More sons should do that.

Today’s topic is that of the awards for Cinematography and Editing. I’ve gotten a new respect for Editors in the past few years, having seen a number of films which would have benefited from a little more in the way of edits. As for Cinematography, it’s another of my favourite categories, although I have somewhat patchy luck in predicting the winner. I actually like Slumdog Millionaire for both these awards, largely because they did a lot of the filming in a kind of guerrilla way, on prototype digital cameras, and managed to pull it off.

Meanwhile, it’s time for the 1980s!

We kick off with 1981’s Chariots of Fire, which apart from being identifiable by its lovely musical score, was a film about the three r’s: race, religion and running. It gets slightly unnerving when you delve into the true story and how it was tweaked to make the end result, but the fact is I love the film, and I don’t want to ruin that, so we’re not talking about it. The film’s original title was “Running”, and I think we’re all happy that they changed it. The opening sequence (including the eulogy) is one of my favourite cinematic moments. I’m also really digging the poster.

In 1982 (an excellent, excellent year) the winner was David Attenborough’s Gandhi. The most memorable and indeed one of the most impressive things about this film is Ben Kingsley, who in no uncertain terms kicks ass. Jayzus, though, there are an awful lot of big name actors here. John Gielgud, Martin Sheen, Daniel Day Lewis and Nigel Hawthorne, to name a few. But I also really like the disclaimer at the beginning, which basically says that yes, there are some events we’re not going to be able to fit into this film. What is included is done faithfully to the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, as much a figure of hope as a real man, who chose non-violent protest as his weapon against injustice. Look at me getting all teary.

Guess what! This year I made it a little mission to see a bunch of Oscar-winning movies, and one of them was 1984’s Amadeus, which is an odd, but beautiful film. It depicts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a rock star of his time; bawdy, rude, but unequivocally brilliant. It’s all told from the point of view of Antonio Salieri, a composer – the Court Composer for the Austrian emperor, in fact – who all his life has been unswervingly devoted to music, desiring nothing more than a God-given talent with which to astound the masses. Enter Mozart: undisciplined, uncouth, with a glib attitude to music in general, despite being brilliant. Really brilliant. Overcome by frustration and jealousy, Salieri vows to bring Mozart down. Seriously. You never thought classical music could be so freaking awesome. It’s a fantastic, tragic film, and F. Murray Abraham is equally fantastic as Salieri. Also, apparently Tom Hulce, who plays Mozart, based his erratic performance on Jon McEnroe, and I think that’s awesome.

Next year’s Out of Africa (1985) was another film I finally got around to watching last year. It’s about a German woman who is taken out to Africa in 1914 to start a coffee plantation – it follows how she undertook the operation of the plantation with no experience and no familiarity with the harsh realities of Africa. It’s got Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Africa, music, syphilis...quite an epic, and it’s got this lovely languid, golden movement, which is there to reflect the philosophies of African versus European people. Directed by the late, great Sydney Pollock. It’s quite a commitment, but worth taking a look at.

Yet another real-life-adapted film, it’s 1986’s Platoon. Talk about committing. Fairly intense, with one of the most indelible images in cinema, starring Willem Defoe. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about I don’t know what to tell you (hint, it's pictured over there on the left). Anyway, it’s about war. War is bad. But really, we all know that, so what this is really about is how to keep your moral certainty, how to define yourself, in a place and situation that’s about as horrible as it gets. Charlie Sheen, Defoe, Tom Berenger, John C. McGinley and a very young Johnny Depp feature in Oliver Stone’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece. It’s not a fun movie.
Good lord. Only two to go. I’m losing the ability to focus. I’m just saying.

Also not a “fun” movie, despite an amusing scene about an Australian airline, it’s 1988’s Rain Man, where Dustin Hoffman was awesome, and before Tom Cruise went mad. Again, it’s Hoffman’s performance that makes this film: apparently the character wasn’t even supposed to be autistic before Hoffman brought it up...this is an odd idea, considering how central the autism plot is, and I’m not sure it wasn’t made up.
Lastly, but not least, we come to Driving Miss Daisy, from 1989, and I’ve never seen this film without tearing up (ohh, remember when Morgan Freeman got decent roles?). Turns out it was based on real people, but it also has some lovely performances. A word about the posters. See, here were a bunch of really dramatic and artistic ideas. Now it’s all artistic underneath and massive headshots at the top. I don’t approve.

Well, finally, that’s it. I’m going to bed. I should say I’ve changed the settings so that comments are now allowed on this blog, so please feel free to tell me to shut up. I’ll think about it.

I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint.
--- F. Murray Abraham – Amadeus ---

Thursday, February 5, 2009

In which there are a lot of different Newmans

Captain’s Log: 6 February
Last movie watched: Cool Hand Luke (completely flipped out – there’s a scene where they’re tarring the road where the score is – and I SWEAR this is true – the theme song for the National Nine News. Seriously. Whose idea was that? Because nothing says authority in newstelling like a chain gang?)
Song currently stuck in head: The Baywatch theme song. Don’t judge me.

I feel I should have come up with a different, or at least more significant song for the above, seeing as today’s oblog is about the awards for Best Original Song and Original Score. I suppose a case could be made for the idea that the only reason “I’ll Be There” didn’t win an Oscar was because it was used on a TV show and not a movie. Maybe.

Ok, so these are two of my favourite categories, largely because I finally feel like I know what I’m talking about. Doesn’t always work out with the winner, or Thomas Newman would’ve won about a million times by now (seriously, listen to the theme from How To Make An American Quilt). But most of the time I can find something redeeming, even if it's only sheer awe at anyone who can put an orchestration together. What confuses me is the term “original”. Several composers have been nominated for scores that derive heavily from their own previous work. Don’t believe me? Listen to the scores for The Ghost and the Darkness and LA Confidential, and then you tell me that Jerry Goldsmith wasn’t plagiarising his own work. It doesn’t really bother me, but I do wonder how it’s justified. Anyway. Needless to say I shall be rooting for Mr Newman (nominated for a lovely score in WALL*E), and also A.R Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire.

Now. Songs. I adore this category. How can you not love a category whose nominees have included Elton John, Burt Bacharach and Alan Menken, as well as Eminem, U2 and The Counting Crows. I like the capability here to really go for something weird and wonderful. And yes, when they choose something I don’t agree with, I get mad. Case in point: Randy Newman, and my preoccupation with his Song. Well, they gave him an Oscar a couple of years ago, so maybe he’ll be content and leave me alone.

Quite fortuitous that some of the movies in the 1970s had some great music behind them. Take 1973’s The Sting, one of my all-time favourite movies, and my favourite Redford/Newman (another Newman!) vehicle. Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” underscores a rollicking good yarn about fleecing the rich evil guys. Tremendously entertaining and with fantastic performances from Newman (rarely will you find a better performance within a performance than his card game) and Redford (my, he was young). It's smart but not overproduced, and so much fun. I love the period-ness of it all. The poster, the costumes, the sets...all of it spot on.

So we’ve reached a bit of an awkward part. I’ve seen both 1972’s The Godfather and 1974’s The Godfather Part 2, but whatever it is that makes people plotz over these films...well, they just didn’t get me. I’m willing to acknowledge that so many people are in love with them that there must be something extraordinary about them. And the music is definitely one of those memorable tunes. Daaaa, dadada daa...da daaaaa. You know. The plot is your basic multi-level epic mafia family thing (read: pretty darn good) and it’s got a packload of great actors (Pacino, Brando, Caan, Duvall...). I'm not sure I remember much of the second movie, and I do remember vividly some little scenes of the first. The horse's head. Tomato sauce (?). A phone booth riddled with bullets. Oranges. Sounds just odd enough to be sinister, yes?

My word they were suckers for black and white posters in the 70s. Moving on to 1975’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Anti-authoritarian Randall P. McMurphy is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, presided over by one terrifying nurse (Louise Fletcher, being awesome). It becomes a battle of wills between these two powerhouses: fiery exuberance on one side, icy quiet determination on the other. It was the second of only three movies to win the Big Five (remember we talked about It Happened One Night? You'll be quizzed on this later...) Oscars, and one of Jack Nicholson’s most indelible roles. Special appearances from Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd and Brad Dourif. Apparently Ken Kesey, the author of the book upon which it was based, hated the movie. Writers are weird.

Last of all, it’s Annie Hall (rhymes!), Woody Allen’s 1977 film about a nervy, neurotic guy named Alvy, and his obsession with a woman named Annie Hall. As distinguished from the other Woody Allen movies featuring a nervy, neurotic guy with an obsession. It’s sort of classic Allen, with rambling discussions on the nature of things, and was one of the first movies to use the “breaking of the fourth wall” technique. Its tagline is "A new comedy", which is, I suppose, an attainable goal... It’s also fairly famous for introducing the “Annie Hall look”, which I think was really Diane Keaton’s own fashion sense. That being, in a nutshell, pants.

Well, I think we’ve learned something today, and I’m well on my way to becoming a hermit, so I should probably try to get outside for a minute or two.

Not long to go now...

[on being presented with Luca Brasi’s bullet-proof vest, wrapped around a fish]
“It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.”
--- Richard S. Castellano – The Godfather ---

Those crafty Sicilians.