Inception, Inception, Inception. It's the talk of the town, isn't it? I know I, for one, have been fangirling all over that thing for months. But, to be quite honest, I've quieted down a lot about it in recent weeks as it really approached. I've been excited for it, yes, but I was avoiding learning too much, theorizing too much, because I really like the experience of seeing a movie without truly knowing what you are going to get out of it. I had seen the basic trailers, but I avoided the spoilers, the plot details, pretty much all of it beyond the very basics everyone knew.
It paid off for me. I didn't even see the movie on opening day; I'd been thinking about a midnight screening, but had made plans to see it today and thought I might as well wait a couple extra days. I took my time, heard bits and pieces of the critiques, and just went into the movie without knowing precisely what I was getting.
I personally quite loved Inception. It was smart without being pretentious or much over my head, its cast was amazing, its technical side was stunning (that score! that cinematography! that EDITING!), and it was just an engrossing tale. Of course I applaud Christopher Nolan for his originality, but also for his dedication and his skill in bringing this fascinating tale to life. I thought the pace was tremendous as well, and like my favorite "long" movies, it didn't feel long in the least. I was thrilled to see more and more and more.
If I am to make a small comparison to The Dark Knight, however, I would say that the pace is better in Inception. I know there is some criticism about the ever-high tension of The Dark Knight, which I personally loved, and is still very much apparent in Inception. However, as Inception works in the layers that it does of the dream world, rather than through a straight time-line of different conflicts in The Dark Knight, the ever-heightened tension works better for Inception. That is really the only comparison I want to make between the two, because their handling is not so different despite their much different stories and tones in regards to the pacing of the films.
I want to watch Inception again, of course, before I really decide how much I liked it. I do know that I want the Academy to recognize it because it is brilliant and it is well-crafted and it is original. I know that many will argue that Christopher Nolan deserves his due because of the snub for The Dark Knight, but that's not why I want him to get recognized. I want him to get recognized because he has done consistently great work and this may not be his most critically-acclaimed film, but it is clearly one he poured himself into and is so very much his.
No matter if the Academy ends up acknowledging Nolan despite their snub of The Dark Knight and his work on it, they still snubbed a great modern film two years ago. Call me a fangirl all you want, but The Dark Knight is a freakin' fantastic movie and of all the Academy snubs in recent years, that is one of the most egregious, in my opinion.
But back to Inception. I really don't have a whole lot to say about it because though certain things stand out, every moment was as well-crafted as the last and the next. I did not see and points that made it weak. In its own concept, in its own world, it was done just right. Are there better movies, better tales both original and adapted? Sure, probably. But that does not take away from Inception's perfection in and of itself. I, personally, wouldn't change a thing about it. I wouldn't dare touch it.
Showing posts with label the dark knight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the dark knight. Show all posts
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Not quite seasons of love.
With two days left until the Oscars, I haven't entirely slowed my blog reading. Of course, sometimes I am infuriated with the level of snobbery I encounter (and people call me a movie snob), but then I acknowledge that I'm just an undergraduate film student and my opinion matters pretty much not at all.
Doesn't mean I don't have one though.
So I wanted to offer my wishful thinking winners for the Oscars. I haven't seen all of the films and I am not commented on foreign, documentary, or the shorts. But here goes anyway...
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Colin Firth
Best Actress: Meryl Streep OR Gabourney Sidibe
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Best Original Screenplay: A Serious Man
Best Adapted Screenplay: District 9
Best Editing: District 9
Best Cinematography: The Hurt Locker
Best Art Direction: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Best Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Best Sound Editing: Star Trek
Best Costume Design: Bright Star
Best Original Score: Up
Best Animated Feature: Up
Best Visual Effects: Avatar OR Star Trek
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Song: "The Weary Kind"
This is, of course, ignoring those nominees I wish were there at all. If they were nominated, I would change...
Best Actor: Sharlto Copley
Best Cinematography: Bright Star
Best Makeup: District 9
Best Original Score: A Single Man
But for the most part, I'm not DISPLEASED with the nominees. Not much of it particularly thrills me as this wasn't a year where I was particularly passionate about too many of the movies. There were several films I really, really liked, many I really liked, lots I liked, and several that had some awesome elements. But, unlike last year, there was no Dark Knight or WALL-E that made me fall in love with it (over and over and over again; I've seen both films probably a dozen times and they've been out for barely more than a year and a half). I'd go with Up as my favorite movie of the year, but it's still not on par with most other movies I've ever loved. The Hurt Locker is magnificent, in my opinion, but I don't love it quite like I've loved other movies. If anything, this year, I found several elements of movies that I loved (i.e. A Serious Man's script and leading man, Sharlto Copley's performance in District 9, the escapist feeling of Avatar, the artistry of The Hurt Locker, the haunting beauty both in Colin Firth's performance and in the score of A Single Man, the fantastic crafts of Bright Star, and so on and so forth). But none of those made for movies I can say I love as much as many other films. I've seen Up about five times now, but I don't know that I want to see The Hurt Locker for a third time now, or Avatar, or Inglourious Basterds.
Essentially, what I'm saying is that, I loved Avatar, Star Trek, and District 9, but I've loved other sci-fi more. I loved Up, but I've loved other Pixar more. I loved The Hurt Locker, but I've loved other war films more. I liked Inglourious Basterds, but I've liked other Tarantino more.
If I had to argue that any of the films this year were among the best of a category in my mind, I'd go with Bright Star. Period romances are pretty to watch and fun, but Bright Star was also beautifully made, well-written, and all around stunning. If any period romance were to rival it in my mind, I might go with Sense and Sensibility, but really, I'd love to see Bright Star again.
But even then, I've loved other movies more.
I look forward to the Oscars nonetheless. I always do.
Doesn't mean I don't have one though.
So I wanted to offer my wishful thinking winners for the Oscars. I haven't seen all of the films and I am not commented on foreign, documentary, or the shorts. But here goes anyway...
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Colin Firth
Best Actress: Meryl Streep OR Gabourney Sidibe
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Best Original Screenplay: A Serious Man
Best Adapted Screenplay: District 9
Best Editing: District 9
Best Cinematography: The Hurt Locker
Best Art Direction: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Best Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Best Sound Editing: Star Trek
Best Costume Design: Bright Star
Best Original Score: Up
Best Animated Feature: Up
Best Visual Effects: Avatar OR Star Trek
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Song: "The Weary Kind"
This is, of course, ignoring those nominees I wish were there at all. If they were nominated, I would change...
Best Actor: Sharlto Copley
Best Cinematography: Bright Star
Best Makeup: District 9
Best Original Score: A Single Man
But for the most part, I'm not DISPLEASED with the nominees. Not much of it particularly thrills me as this wasn't a year where I was particularly passionate about too many of the movies. There were several films I really, really liked, many I really liked, lots I liked, and several that had some awesome elements. But, unlike last year, there was no Dark Knight or WALL-E that made me fall in love with it (over and over and over again; I've seen both films probably a dozen times and they've been out for barely more than a year and a half). I'd go with Up as my favorite movie of the year, but it's still not on par with most other movies I've ever loved. The Hurt Locker is magnificent, in my opinion, but I don't love it quite like I've loved other movies. If anything, this year, I found several elements of movies that I loved (i.e. A Serious Man's script and leading man, Sharlto Copley's performance in District 9, the escapist feeling of Avatar, the artistry of The Hurt Locker, the haunting beauty both in Colin Firth's performance and in the score of A Single Man, the fantastic crafts of Bright Star, and so on and so forth). But none of those made for movies I can say I love as much as many other films. I've seen Up about five times now, but I don't know that I want to see The Hurt Locker for a third time now, or Avatar, or Inglourious Basterds.
Essentially, what I'm saying is that, I loved Avatar, Star Trek, and District 9, but I've loved other sci-fi more. I loved Up, but I've loved other Pixar more. I loved The Hurt Locker, but I've loved other war films more. I liked Inglourious Basterds, but I've liked other Tarantino more.
If I had to argue that any of the films this year were among the best of a category in my mind, I'd go with Bright Star. Period romances are pretty to watch and fun, but Bright Star was also beautifully made, well-written, and all around stunning. If any period romance were to rival it in my mind, I might go with Sense and Sensibility, but really, I'd love to see Bright Star again.
But even then, I've loved other movies more.
I look forward to the Oscars nonetheless. I always do.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Ancitipating District 9... and a TDK rant.
So here I was all sad that there wasn't a movie both adventurous and interesting, a movie in the same vein as The Dark Knight, that both excites and provokes me, and here comes District 9, a movie that I have not yet seen but deeply want to now. I hadn't heard much of it beyond a title and that Peter Jackson was involved until recently, when Entertainment Weekly did a cover story on it last week. Since then, I have really wanted to watch this movie and have heard a great deal about it.
Unfortunately, I am currently on vacation in Venezuela, but when I get home, I am getting to the nearest movie theatre and watching District 9 (...and then Julie & Julia, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, and Taking Woodstock).
Don't tell me what happens! I want to see for myself. I don't want to be overexposed because I want to be thrilled by what I see not thinking, "oh I remember reading about this part" (although, I have to admit, reading about and seeing the Joker in a nurse's uniform is still different enough for the visual to be hilariously awesome).
BTW, I am skimming rottentomatoes at the moment in a slight pit of boredom and saw that some critic, I forget who, commented that The Dark Knight does not seem to recognize the absurdity of its premise, or something similarly phrased. And, in return, I say, you, sir, are full of shit. "Oh man, a guy who dresses up like a bat and fights crime." Yeah, it sounds ridiculous. So does "a bunch of hobbits going on a journey with elves, dwarves, and men to fight evil and destroy a ring of power." It upsets me when people have to reduce a telling story to the superficial premise. I did it with Harry Potter ("ooh a book about some boy wizard. sounds stupid") before I read the books and realized that I was mistaken; yes, the superficial premise is there, but that's not what the story's about. And why not dress up like a bat to fight crime? It seems pretty practical: you have a dark exterior, you can hold out your "wings" to fly and... yeah, that's about all that's different about Batman's get together and, let's say, a dude who just dresses up in armour with weapons to fight crime.
Yeah, that is clearly totally absurd. Oh wait, I'm forgetting about the maniac who is known as the Joker. Hmm... well, firstly, he's insane... and secondly, ...he dresses funny and refers to himself as the Joker? I think the first one covers it all: he's insane, Mr. Movie Critic, and why not do crazy things like pretend you're a court jester with some grenades and guns if you're insane?
Anyway, this started out as excitement and anticipation to see District 9 and ended with The Dark Knight. Don't all my posts? My apologies, as I've said before, The Dark Knight is simply among the best films I've ever seen.
Unfortunately, I am currently on vacation in Venezuela, but when I get home, I am getting to the nearest movie theatre and watching District 9 (...and then Julie & Julia, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, and Taking Woodstock).
Don't tell me what happens! I want to see for myself. I don't want to be overexposed because I want to be thrilled by what I see not thinking, "oh I remember reading about this part" (although, I have to admit, reading about and seeing the Joker in a nurse's uniform is still different enough for the visual to be hilariously awesome).
BTW, I am skimming rottentomatoes at the moment in a slight pit of boredom and saw that some critic, I forget who, commented that The Dark Knight does not seem to recognize the absurdity of its premise, or something similarly phrased. And, in return, I say, you, sir, are full of shit. "Oh man, a guy who dresses up like a bat and fights crime." Yeah, it sounds ridiculous. So does "a bunch of hobbits going on a journey with elves, dwarves, and men to fight evil and destroy a ring of power." It upsets me when people have to reduce a telling story to the superficial premise. I did it with Harry Potter ("ooh a book about some boy wizard. sounds stupid") before I read the books and realized that I was mistaken; yes, the superficial premise is there, but that's not what the story's about. And why not dress up like a bat to fight crime? It seems pretty practical: you have a dark exterior, you can hold out your "wings" to fly and... yeah, that's about all that's different about Batman's get together and, let's say, a dude who just dresses up in armour with weapons to fight crime.
Yeah, that is clearly totally absurd. Oh wait, I'm forgetting about the maniac who is known as the Joker. Hmm... well, firstly, he's insane... and secondly, ...he dresses funny and refers to himself as the Joker? I think the first one covers it all: he's insane, Mr. Movie Critic, and why not do crazy things like pretend you're a court jester with some grenades and guns if you're insane?
Anyway, this started out as excitement and anticipation to see District 9 and ended with The Dark Knight. Don't all my posts? My apologies, as I've said before, The Dark Knight is simply among the best films I've ever seen.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Stealing From My Livejournal Part XXXII
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From June 30, 2009:
"I saw Up again. I cried at least on three, maybe four, occasions. Although it's not my favourite Pixar films because, as good as it is, it's no WALL-E/Toy Story, it definitely got to me more than probably any of those other films ever has. I mean, I cry during most movies I see, or at least tear up, if I like them at all, but I don't usually cry more than once or twice. Kudos, Up!
Speaking of movies, let me count how many people want to go see Public Enemies with me. Hmm... seven off of the top of my head. This will be interesting to actually make happen. BUT I AM PSYCHED. I am way excited to see that movie.
I was thinking yesterday, as I fled the house and my dramatically upset pissiness, about why I love movies, and I realize that it's for the same reasons as everyone else, really. I went to go see Up to escape my life, to thoroughly enjoy a good-looking, well-written story, and that's really why I see all movies, even the prestigious ones, even the bad ones, even the BAMF ones - I see them because I love getting lost in movies.
It's also really sad to think about too because there is this deep love I have for movies that is just so different than love I have for anything, or anyone, else. And when I'm not experiencing that, it's hard for me. It's like I suffer from withdrawal (isn't this just a wee bit pathetic when you think about it?). I have to see movies, and I particularly enjoy seeing new, amazing movies.
I admit, I am deeply upset that there is nothing like The Dark Knight coming soon to theatres. I was so excited for that movie and it was just so unbelievably amazingly awesome on so many levels (it satisfied my childhood Batman-fanatic geek, my Heath Ledger-loving soul, my Morgan-Freeman-Is-The-Awesomest-Badass-Ever side, my action-adventure love, my Deep-Yet-Not-Pretentious-Storyline obsession, and my fangirl like obsession with awesome filmmaking - the soundtrack! the editing! the cinematography! the sets!) and there isn't a movie quite like that this summer. Granted, I am hyping for Public Enemies like there is no tomorrow, but I know it won't be the same.
Regardless, I love movies, if you all didn't already know.
I rented a bunch recently. I watched The Forbidden Kingdom the other day and I liked it a lot. I remember the previews for it and I thought it looked wicked cool but I never got to see it in theatres (I admit, I was pushing for it on senior skip day, but nobody really cared and Liz was all like "NARNIA! NARNIA!" ...at least Ben Barnes is hot...) and I got to see it now and it was very cool. I'm returning to my action-adventure love, I think, especially since I also watched Hero today. It started with the English dub and I was like "uh, no" and went to setup to change it back to Mandarin.
Hero was awesome. It felt so Rashomon in the story-telling style, but with the action flair of the best martial arts films ever. And I loved Tony Leung in that movie. Everyone was great, but he always stands out to me when I see him (i.e. 2046, Infernal Affairs) for whatever reason. The art direction was fabulous, and although the moral of the story, the stance it takes, has a really frightening political meaning, there's a part of me that agrees with the idea that sometimes we do have to make sacrifices to have peace. Of course, this depends on the peace, and we don't want something like the third ending of Jade Empire (aka: totalitarianism and militaristically forced peace) to hold true, but fighting gets tiresome and not all battles are worth fighting.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. I just thought I'd share my latest film feelings since, as I said, there is this inexplicable relationship between me and the movies, a bond that I feel so strongly, and that allows me to bore everyone with extensive movie-chatter.
But I hope y'all love me anyway.
Peace (the good sort)."
From June 30, 2009:
"I saw Up again. I cried at least on three, maybe four, occasions. Although it's not my favourite Pixar films because, as good as it is, it's no WALL-E/Toy Story, it definitely got to me more than probably any of those other films ever has. I mean, I cry during most movies I see, or at least tear up, if I like them at all, but I don't usually cry more than once or twice. Kudos, Up!
Speaking of movies, let me count how many people want to go see Public Enemies with me. Hmm... seven off of the top of my head. This will be interesting to actually make happen. BUT I AM PSYCHED. I am way excited to see that movie.
I was thinking yesterday, as I fled the house and my dramatically upset pissiness, about why I love movies, and I realize that it's for the same reasons as everyone else, really. I went to go see Up to escape my life, to thoroughly enjoy a good-looking, well-written story, and that's really why I see all movies, even the prestigious ones, even the bad ones, even the BAMF ones - I see them because I love getting lost in movies.
It's also really sad to think about too because there is this deep love I have for movies that is just so different than love I have for anything, or anyone, else. And when I'm not experiencing that, it's hard for me. It's like I suffer from withdrawal (isn't this just a wee bit pathetic when you think about it?). I have to see movies, and I particularly enjoy seeing new, amazing movies.
I admit, I am deeply upset that there is nothing like The Dark Knight coming soon to theatres. I was so excited for that movie and it was just so unbelievably amazingly awesome on so many levels (it satisfied my childhood Batman-fanatic geek, my Heath Ledger-loving soul, my Morgan-Freeman-Is-The-Awesomest-Badass-Ever side, my action-adventure love, my Deep-Yet-Not-Pretentious-Storyline obsession, and my fangirl like obsession with awesome filmmaking - the soundtrack! the editing! the cinematography! the sets!) and there isn't a movie quite like that this summer. Granted, I am hyping for Public Enemies like there is no tomorrow, but I know it won't be the same.
Regardless, I love movies, if you all didn't already know.
I rented a bunch recently. I watched The Forbidden Kingdom the other day and I liked it a lot. I remember the previews for it and I thought it looked wicked cool but I never got to see it in theatres (I admit, I was pushing for it on senior skip day, but nobody really cared and Liz was all like "NARNIA! NARNIA!" ...at least Ben Barnes is hot...) and I got to see it now and it was very cool. I'm returning to my action-adventure love, I think, especially since I also watched Hero today. It started with the English dub and I was like "uh, no" and went to setup to change it back to Mandarin.
Hero was awesome. It felt so Rashomon in the story-telling style, but with the action flair of the best martial arts films ever. And I loved Tony Leung in that movie. Everyone was great, but he always stands out to me when I see him (i.e. 2046, Infernal Affairs) for whatever reason. The art direction was fabulous, and although the moral of the story, the stance it takes, has a really frightening political meaning, there's a part of me that agrees with the idea that sometimes we do have to make sacrifices to have peace. Of course, this depends on the peace, and we don't want something like the third ending of Jade Empire (aka: totalitarianism and militaristically forced peace) to hold true, but fighting gets tiresome and not all battles are worth fighting.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. I just thought I'd share my latest film feelings since, as I said, there is this inexplicable relationship between me and the movies, a bond that I feel so strongly, and that allows me to bore everyone with extensive movie-chatter.
But I hope y'all love me anyway.
Peace (the good sort)."
Stealing From My Livejournal Part XXIV
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From January 23, 2009:
"Okay, so, I haven't seen all the films from 2008 (obviously) and I haven't even seen all the big name films. But I wanted to do this now anyway. I've been considering my list for a long while and I think I've finally come up with a proper top ten. I can't think of an order though so you're just going to get my top ten in alphabetical order. There were other good films, other great films either, and plenty of films I haven't had a chance to see yet and therefore have not made my list. But, anyway, enough of my blabbering, here's the list:
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
In Bruges
Iron Man
Man on Wire
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Slumdog Millionaire
The Visitor
Wall-E
I also admit that unlike a lot of critics, I really liked Australia. If I had seen Waltz with Bashir yet I'd probably add it to this list, but I haven't. Role Models and Tropic Thunder were my favourite straight out comedies of the year, but I can't say I liked either of them as much as the ten on this list. I also liked Oscar-bait The Reader, Revolutionary Road, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but not nearly as much as these ten. To round out the other contenders I was considering, The Wrestler, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, and Wendy and Lucy were movies I considered. Oh and there are two extra honourable mentions of movies I saw at Woodstock that haven't been released yet so far as I know: Gospel Hill and The Prince of Broadway. I was SO SAD to be torn away from watching the latter to do actual volunteer work. (I also saw Wendy and Lucy at Woodstock, but that has been released some places, and will be here before long, also it was screened at my school since Kelly Reichardt is a professor at Bard, so it wasn't difficult for me to catch.)
Anyway, there you go. There's my unpolished movie-fanatic opinion. Wonderful, isn't it?
(note how I snubbed two Best Pic noms. SHAME I DON'T HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE ACADEMY.)"
From January 23, 2009:
"Okay, so, I haven't seen all the films from 2008 (obviously) and I haven't even seen all the big name films. But I wanted to do this now anyway. I've been considering my list for a long while and I think I've finally come up with a proper top ten. I can't think of an order though so you're just going to get my top ten in alphabetical order. There were other good films, other great films either, and plenty of films I haven't had a chance to see yet and therefore have not made my list. But, anyway, enough of my blabbering, here's the list:
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
In Bruges
Iron Man
Man on Wire
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Slumdog Millionaire
The Visitor
Wall-E
I also admit that unlike a lot of critics, I really liked Australia. If I had seen Waltz with Bashir yet I'd probably add it to this list, but I haven't. Role Models and Tropic Thunder were my favourite straight out comedies of the year, but I can't say I liked either of them as much as the ten on this list. I also liked Oscar-bait The Reader, Revolutionary Road, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but not nearly as much as these ten. To round out the other contenders I was considering, The Wrestler, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, and Wendy and Lucy were movies I considered. Oh and there are two extra honourable mentions of movies I saw at Woodstock that haven't been released yet so far as I know: Gospel Hill and The Prince of Broadway. I was SO SAD to be torn away from watching the latter to do actual volunteer work. (I also saw Wendy and Lucy at Woodstock, but that has been released some places, and will be here before long, also it was screened at my school since Kelly Reichardt is a professor at Bard, so it wasn't difficult for me to catch.)
Anyway, there you go. There's my unpolished movie-fanatic opinion. Wonderful, isn't it?
(note how I snubbed two Best Pic noms. SHAME I DON'T HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE ACADEMY.)"
Stealing From My Livejournal Part XXIII
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From January 22, 2009:
"FUCK YOU HOLLYWOOD.
(And your non-love for The Dark Knight!)
I'm surprised you bitches didn't leave Heath Ledger off in ignoring it for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. I am so furious with them right now. The Reader is a good film, no doubt, but seriously! The Dark Knight is even better. Stupid freakin' prestige, biased against the giant blockbuster just because it is a blockbuster and not caring that on top of that you have one of the best movies of the year. You just cost yourself big time, Academy. Considering that Best Supporting Actor is the first category announced at the Oscars, I'm betting a nice portion of your viewers will come for Heath and then leave after he wins (and if he doesn't, I'll know just how lightly you take "comic book movies").
I'll admit there were a couple pleasant surprises in the nominee list:
Amy Adams for Doubt, which was personally my favourite performance in the whole movie. I'm glad Wall-E nabbed a much deserving Best Original Screenplay nod. Richard Jenkins got a nomination over Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor for The Visitor. In Bruges got a Best Original Screenplay nomination.
And a couple surprises almost as bad as The Dark Knight snubs:
Sally Hawkins is ignored for Best Actress. Kate Winslet was pushed up to Best Actress for The Reader (not so much a bad surprise, but a surprise nonetheless - I think this makes her the front-runner in the category, but I could be wrong).
...I'm just so pissed off about ignoring The Dark Knight so strongly. Here's to hoping it makes a comeback in the smaller categories. Man, am I pissed at you Academy. And sorely disappointed. The Dark Knight was a gem of a movie. Fuck it, at least they made money, but I'm sure if I were in the shoes of anyone who took part in The Dark Knight, I'd want more. I'd want someone to see my hard work, my brilliant film, and give it a little more notice than just having paid for it.
It deserved better. Shame on you, Academy."
From January 22, 2009:
"FUCK YOU HOLLYWOOD.
(And your non-love for The Dark Knight!)
I'm surprised you bitches didn't leave Heath Ledger off in ignoring it for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. I am so furious with them right now. The Reader is a good film, no doubt, but seriously! The Dark Knight is even better. Stupid freakin' prestige, biased against the giant blockbuster just because it is a blockbuster and not caring that on top of that you have one of the best movies of the year. You just cost yourself big time, Academy. Considering that Best Supporting Actor is the first category announced at the Oscars, I'm betting a nice portion of your viewers will come for Heath and then leave after he wins (and if he doesn't, I'll know just how lightly you take "comic book movies").
I'll admit there were a couple pleasant surprises in the nominee list:
Amy Adams for Doubt, which was personally my favourite performance in the whole movie. I'm glad Wall-E nabbed a much deserving Best Original Screenplay nod. Richard Jenkins got a nomination over Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor for The Visitor. In Bruges got a Best Original Screenplay nomination.
And a couple surprises almost as bad as The Dark Knight snubs:
Sally Hawkins is ignored for Best Actress. Kate Winslet was pushed up to Best Actress for The Reader (not so much a bad surprise, but a surprise nonetheless - I think this makes her the front-runner in the category, but I could be wrong).
...I'm just so pissed off about ignoring The Dark Knight so strongly. Here's to hoping it makes a comeback in the smaller categories. Man, am I pissed at you Academy. And sorely disappointed. The Dark Knight was a gem of a movie. Fuck it, at least they made money, but I'm sure if I were in the shoes of anyone who took part in The Dark Knight, I'd want more. I'd want someone to see my hard work, my brilliant film, and give it a little more notice than just having paid for it.
It deserved better. Shame on you, Academy."
Stealing From My Livejournal Part XXI
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From January 9, 2009:
"For The Dark Knight?
So, I might be getting ahead of myself here but The Dark Knight is on the short list (7 movies) for Makeup and Visual Effects... and may I say that the main competition for both has got to be The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which, for all its nods, hasn't actually been achieving too many awards). Although I doubt TDK will steal a Best Picture award (although the odds are looking good for a Best Picture nod), it has good chances in most of its other categories and... if nothing else... we can all expect a teary moment to kick off the award show when Heath Ledger wins. (What pisses me off is that the Best Supporting Actor Oscar is always first! The most awesome moment of the night... will be over after fifteen minutes. Jeezum crow, man!). Regardless, I have pretty high hopes for The Dark Knight to score a lot of nods, and at least one statuette.
I'm still banking on Slumdog Millionaire to win Best Picture.
Anyway, I saw Australia today. I disagree with the harsh reviews it garnered; it was a good movie. Definitely of an epic length and scope, at times way too much so, but I've always enjoyed my movies jam-packed with stuff, so maybe that makes me partial to the somewhat bloated plot. And boy oh boy, I see why Hugh Jackman was voted sexiest man alive. I look forward to seeing him emcee the Oscars! In a slower year, he would totally deserve a Best Actor nod for his role in the film too. Anyway, I liked Australia, although it's not in my favourite films of the year list nor is it my favourite Baz Luhrmann film (well... he did make Moulin Rouge!). It's on the short list for visual effects, which I think it will end up getting a nod for, and some other more visual categories seem appropriate for the movie, as, if nothing else, it is beautiful to look at (and so is Hugh Jackman shirtless... mmm...).
Watched the People's Choice Awards yesterday (LAME). Here is an article that really explains how sucky the PCAs were better than me. And I watched the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards this evening. A MUCH better assessment, if I do say so myself. And... jeezum crow, I can't remember which award show this happened at... I think it was the People's Choice Awards... because Christopher Nolan accepted Heath's BFCA award... but... hm... okay, well, whatever award show it was (I think it was the PCAs), Christian Bale merely said, on behalf of something for The Dark Knight, something along the lines of "this is for Heath." It was freakin beautiful. It was all he said, aside from "thank you" trying to shut the crowd up (which makes me almost certain it was the PCAs now).
Hooray for Heath. It's an absolute shame he can't be present for one of the best parts that should have been his life."
From January 9, 2009:
"For The Dark Knight?
So, I might be getting ahead of myself here but The Dark Knight is on the short list (7 movies) for Makeup and Visual Effects... and may I say that the main competition for both has got to be The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which, for all its nods, hasn't actually been achieving too many awards). Although I doubt TDK will steal a Best Picture award (although the odds are looking good for a Best Picture nod), it has good chances in most of its other categories and... if nothing else... we can all expect a teary moment to kick off the award show when Heath Ledger wins. (What pisses me off is that the Best Supporting Actor Oscar is always first! The most awesome moment of the night... will be over after fifteen minutes. Jeezum crow, man!). Regardless, I have pretty high hopes for The Dark Knight to score a lot of nods, and at least one statuette.
I'm still banking on Slumdog Millionaire to win Best Picture.
Anyway, I saw Australia today. I disagree with the harsh reviews it garnered; it was a good movie. Definitely of an epic length and scope, at times way too much so, but I've always enjoyed my movies jam-packed with stuff, so maybe that makes me partial to the somewhat bloated plot. And boy oh boy, I see why Hugh Jackman was voted sexiest man alive. I look forward to seeing him emcee the Oscars! In a slower year, he would totally deserve a Best Actor nod for his role in the film too. Anyway, I liked Australia, although it's not in my favourite films of the year list nor is it my favourite Baz Luhrmann film (well... he did make Moulin Rouge!). It's on the short list for visual effects, which I think it will end up getting a nod for, and some other more visual categories seem appropriate for the movie, as, if nothing else, it is beautiful to look at (and so is Hugh Jackman shirtless... mmm...).
Watched the People's Choice Awards yesterday (LAME). Here is an article that really explains how sucky the PCAs were better than me. And I watched the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards this evening. A MUCH better assessment, if I do say so myself. And... jeezum crow, I can't remember which award show this happened at... I think it was the People's Choice Awards... because Christopher Nolan accepted Heath's BFCA award... but... hm... okay, well, whatever award show it was (I think it was the PCAs), Christian Bale merely said, on behalf of something for The Dark Knight, something along the lines of "this is for Heath." It was freakin beautiful. It was all he said, aside from "thank you" trying to shut the crowd up (which makes me almost certain it was the PCAs now).
Hooray for Heath. It's an absolute shame he can't be present for one of the best parts that should have been his life."
Stealing From My Livejournal Part XII
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From December 6, 2008:
"Okay, so, back to my favourite topic which has been gone from recent livejournal posts: film and, specifically, the coming Oscars.
So, yeah, this is going to be WAY long. But if you like films, like me, it might be worth perusing.
Right. So, I haven't seen that many Oscar-buzz films yet, being devoid of easy transportation and multiplexes at college, but there are quite a few I'm keen on seeing and a few I have already seen. And there are others that might not actually end up with any noms but are, at least in my opinion, deserving. So here's a run down of the films I've seen, want to see, and opinions.
seen:
~ Wall-E: If this doesn't win Best Animated Feature (aka The Pixar Award >.>) I will be beyond shocked. I hear Kung Fu Panda and Bolt were also good, but I'm betting neither could really top Wall-E. I'd expect at least Kung Fu Panda to snag one of the other two nomination slots though. I haven't seen it yet, but I plan on renting it over break. I also think Wall-E should grab some Sound nominations if not awards, and maybe even a slot in the Original Screenplay department (Ratatouille got a nom there last year and although I really liked Ratatouille, Wall-E wipes it off the map).
~ The Dark Knight: Two words: Heath Ledger. He will definitely get nominated but I really think he's the strongest candidate in the Supporting Actor category at the moment. And after reading Entertainment Weekly's disappointments in early favourites for Best Picture Doubt and Australia, I'm hoping there's a slot for The Dark Knight to nab a nom (although I'm not sure it should win, but I haven't seen most of the other Best Picture contenders yet, especially since a bunch aren't even released yet). And I wonder to myself if TDK would be considered an Original Screenplay or an Adapted Screenplay. I think it's strong enough to be nominated there. And maybe even Christopher Nolan for directing, but he's got some stiff competition so who knows? Of course, a lot of technical noms for TDK are on the horizon as well, but I think that a lot of films this year have technical glory to them, so TDK may have quality rivals, perhaps even in summer superhero blockbuster special Iron Man. And speaking of that...
~ Iron Man: Unlikely to get any noms except some technical ones, although I'm hoping that in the more wide Golden Globe world, Robert Downey, Jr. might get a Best Actor nomination (would Iron Man count as a comedy or a drama? Drama would be much tougher...).
~ The Visitor: Will this bittersweet indie flick get some love? Specifically, will Richard Jenkins get some love? If only the Best Actor race wasn't so tight this year...
~ Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day: I was talking with my friend Carley earlier about this film actually and how it was probably the sweetest and most adorable film this year. But released in the off season and as more of a surprise treat than an award-winning machine, it's unlikely to garner much attention. This makes me sad, however. Amy Adams is a wonderful actress that is so charming in this movie that even Frances McDormand's presence can't overrules this woman's performance. And the costumes and set design! It was all such great eye candy while staying true to the times. I really hope that it gets some attention in the visuals department; it's just such an underappreciated film.
~ Rachel Getting Married: Well, Anne Hathaway is a dead giveaway for Best Actress. She may have some quality competition, but she's definitely a shoo-in for a nom. She was wonderful in it. The whole film was such a sad-but-wonderful indie flick. Seriously, I want my wedding to be like the wedding in that film; it was the most beautiful wedding on film I've ever seen. It'd be nice to sneak into the writing awards, but I don't know how much competition it might garner there.
~ Wendy and Lucy: I'm slightly favourable to this film but that's because I have a streak of pride that the director is a film professor here at Bard. I saw it at Woodstock and although I thought it was good, I don't think it'll have a chance in the Oscar race, but in case some of the future prospects for Best Actress fall flat, Michelle Williams has been talked up a lot in the film as a potential surprise nom.
~ In Bruges: ...is going to be totally ignored, but I wanted to mention it anyway because it was an excellent film nonetheless. x)
~ The Incredible Hulk: Might snag a technical nom or two; it takes some skill to make gigantic fighting green monsteresque things.
~ Tropic Thunder: Some people have been pulling for a Robert Downey, Jr. Supporting Actor nod, but I really don't think that's going to happen. The movie was hilarious, don't get me wrong, and definitely good, but the only thing that stood out to me as really extraordinary was seeing Tom Cruise being so fucking amazingly hilarious as the studio exec. Come on, that dance at the end? PRICELESS. I actually stopped caring that he's batshit insane for a few minutes! That is impressive.
unseen:
~ Australia: Despite mixed reviews from critics which have thrashed any leading chances at major categories at the Oscars, I still would like to see this film. I think it still has a shot at visual categories, for sure, and I think it'd be enjoyable for anyone who can sit through a long movie (which I can totally do) and deal with Baz Luhrmann's style (which I also can totally do).
~ Milk: Sean Penn with JAMES FRANCO as his gay lover? omgomgomgomgomg. I love James Franco. Seriously. Even if this movie wasn't as critically strong as it is, I would still want to see it just for that (James Franco in Pineapple Express was LOVE). But the fact that Sean Penn is supposedly amazing in it and that the film itself is great (and likely guaranteed a coveted spot in The Five) and the screenplay's certainly getting attention makes it even more appealing to the Oscar nut in me.
~ Doubt: Although if other critics echo Entertainment Weekly's thrashing of it, I might end up passing on this one. I am a fan of the cast presented to me (I've already expressed my love for Amy Adams and I definitely enjoy Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Viola Davis is supposed to be good), and maybe EW is just a fluke. This film has been Oscar bait since I first heard about it a few months ago, so it may still end up grabbing something.
~ Kung Fu Panda: Probably the second best animated film of 2008 (although I haven't heard anything negative about Bolt yet), although I think Wall-E is bound to kick this film's ass in the Animated Film Category, I like to see all the nominees. Plus, it looks beyond adorable.
~ Bolt: I was a bit surprised to see this film doing so critically well. I was originally planning to write it off, maybe see it, but now I'd really like to see it. It looks adorable and as long as I don't actually see Miley Cyrus, I think I can deal with her being a part of it (especially with John Travolta in the lead).
~ Frost/Nixon: Definite Oscar bait, and it sounds genuinely interesting. Potentially one of The Five, with pretty good chances.
~ Revolutionary Road: I'm as excited as anyone else to see Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunited on screen and in an interesting assessment of The American Dream, as it appears. Oscar bait for sure, but like most of the Oscar bait films I haven't seen, it's not just the buzz but also the story that makes me interested. Kate Winslet is a great actress so I think she has a great chance of stealing a slot in the Best Actress category for this. Leo, not so much with all the stiff competition for Best Actor. Sam Mendes for Best Director? I think it's a definite possibility.
~ The Reader: And speaking of Kate Winslet, here's her Supporting Actress nom to take over Cate Blanchett's position of last year (one nom in each acting category). I don't remember exactly what I read about the content of the film but I know it interested me. x)
~ The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Who ISN'T excited for this movie? Seriously? Is anyone who likes movies not looking forward to this one? Almost definitely guaranteed a spot in The Five, starring Brad Pitt who I believe to be an underappreciated excellent actor (often given roles that don't stretch his acting ability; as much as I love the Ocean's films they don't exactly show off amazing acting ability, but just take a look at Fight Club and acknowledge how amazing Brad is as Tyler Durden). Although the Best Actor race is tight, I hope that Brad Pitt steals one of the noms there (although I personally think Sean Penn might have it locked; it seems like biopics are a favourite for Best Acting categories (i.e. Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland, Jamie Foxx for Ray, Marion Cottilard for La Vie En Rose, and Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood - which is really much more of a character film than anything else, etc.)). And Cate Blanchett is wonderful and likely to steal one of the Best Actress nods. And, of course, the film overall just looks so wonderful. I'm excited. And if you aren't, get excited.
~ Slumdog Millionaire: There was an article in this week's Entertainment Weekly about how the attacks in Mumbai suddenly changed the mood of this film. As opposed to those who have already seen it, I'm sure when I see it it'll be so much different from this side of the calendar. As the Choice Indie for The Five this year, Slumdog is practically a shoo-in, but mostly it just looks like the sweetest rags to riches tale I've ever not-yet-seen. I'm hoping it shows up in my theatres because it's definitely on my to-see list.
~ The Wrestler: All I've heard about is Mickey Rourke's comeback role that's close to the chest and that he is destined to get a Best Actor nom. Sounds like enough to convince me to catch it if I can.
~ I've Loved You So Long: I finally saw an actual preview for this movie and it looked enticing. A strong support for a Best Actress nom for Kristin Scott Thomas also draws my Oscar-love attention for sure.
~ Pride and Glory: Unlikely to snag any noms, Colin Farrell and Edward Norton as brothers in a The Departed-esque film? I'm definitely renting this when it comes out on DVD.
~ Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: Also almost definitely not getting any noms, I think it just looks adorable. I missed it in theatres but I'll catch it on DVD.
~ The Brothers Bloom: Although like the two above it almost definitely not getting any noms (not getting a single bit of notice from anyone aside from me it seems), it is sneaking into limited release just before the new year. As I am a HUGE fan of Rian Johnson's first film, Brick, I am beyond psyched to see his second film coming out and looking so great. And starring Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo and, well, the whole cast seems great. I'm excited. It comes into wide release in January, and I'm definitely planning on catching it when it does and I suggest you do too. I have high hopes for Rian Johnson's future.
~ The Duchess: I am really kinda sick of Keira Knightley, but Ralph Fiennes is amazing and might be worth renting this.
So... my take on the Oscars this season? Here's a summary with some redundancy from above. Well, without having seen a lot of these films, I have a few favourites from films I have seen and films I've heard a lot about and might change my mind after seeing. I'd LOVE for The Dark Knight to get a Best Picture nod (I'd totally understand if it didn't win, but a nom would be beautiful). I'd love for Amy Adams to get a nom (although I'm not sure Doubt will carry her as well as I might have hoped and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day has been forgotten by everyone which sucks because it's great). I would like Brad Pitt to get a nod for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I'm pretty behind Kate Winslet's double nomination. I'm definitely all for Anne Hathaway's nom for Best Actress and I'd like to see Rosemarie DeWitt snag a Best Supporting Actress nod for Rachel Getting Married. I'm very enthusiastic about any rumour of James Franco getting a Best Supporting Actor nod for Milk, and I am totally and completely and utterly and beyond belief for Heath Ledger getting a posthumous nom for The Dark Knight (this could be bias for just loving The Joker character so much and being a superhero sucker, but oh my freaking god he better at least get nominated, even though I, unfortunately, understand that posthumous awards happen infrequently). Of course, I'm way behind Wall-E for Best Animated and for the Sound categories. I hope Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day snags at least one visual nod.
Oh and I'm totally WTFing over Clint Eastwood nomination talk. I'm a bit annoyed because I hadn't even heard like anything about Gran Torino until I heard that Clint Eastwood was angling for a Best Actor nod with it. He's a good actor and filmmaker and stuff, but with the tight race that is Best Actor, I have other favourites I'd rather see getting nominated. But he has a sense of prestige which might nudge other potentially more deserving candidates aside. But since I haven't seen a lot of the Best Actor buzz films yet, I haven't formed a full opinion yet.
Anyway, I've got a lot of films left to view to really round out my Oscar perspective and luckily I've got a month of winter break to see all that I'd like to see. Unfortunately, the nominees will be nominated at the very tail end of my break, but hopefully I'll be informed enough on the films involved that I can be either rightfully outraged or enthusiastic.
And, Academy, a small word. You know yourself that The Dark Knight has drawn way more viewers than any of the other films you nominate are likely to attract. Considering your dropping viewership in the past few years, a Heath Ledger nod or even a Best Picture nod could realllllllly help you get some ratings and make the night actually interesting, which it hasn't been since The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King swept the awards in 2004. So, please, nominate Heath Ledger, goddammit!"
From December 6, 2008:
"Okay, so, back to my favourite topic which has been gone from recent livejournal posts: film and, specifically, the coming Oscars.
So, yeah, this is going to be WAY long. But if you like films, like me, it might be worth perusing.
Right. So, I haven't seen that many Oscar-buzz films yet, being devoid of easy transportation and multiplexes at college, but there are quite a few I'm keen on seeing and a few I have already seen. And there are others that might not actually end up with any noms but are, at least in my opinion, deserving. So here's a run down of the films I've seen, want to see, and opinions.
seen:
~ Wall-E: If this doesn't win Best Animated Feature (aka The Pixar Award >.>) I will be beyond shocked. I hear Kung Fu Panda and Bolt were also good, but I'm betting neither could really top Wall-E. I'd expect at least Kung Fu Panda to snag one of the other two nomination slots though. I haven't seen it yet, but I plan on renting it over break. I also think Wall-E should grab some Sound nominations if not awards, and maybe even a slot in the Original Screenplay department (Ratatouille got a nom there last year and although I really liked Ratatouille, Wall-E wipes it off the map).
~ The Dark Knight: Two words: Heath Ledger. He will definitely get nominated but I really think he's the strongest candidate in the Supporting Actor category at the moment. And after reading Entertainment Weekly's disappointments in early favourites for Best Picture Doubt and Australia, I'm hoping there's a slot for The Dark Knight to nab a nom (although I'm not sure it should win, but I haven't seen most of the other Best Picture contenders yet, especially since a bunch aren't even released yet). And I wonder to myself if TDK would be considered an Original Screenplay or an Adapted Screenplay. I think it's strong enough to be nominated there. And maybe even Christopher Nolan for directing, but he's got some stiff competition so who knows? Of course, a lot of technical noms for TDK are on the horizon as well, but I think that a lot of films this year have technical glory to them, so TDK may have quality rivals, perhaps even in summer superhero blockbuster special Iron Man. And speaking of that...
~ Iron Man: Unlikely to get any noms except some technical ones, although I'm hoping that in the more wide Golden Globe world, Robert Downey, Jr. might get a Best Actor nomination (would Iron Man count as a comedy or a drama? Drama would be much tougher...).
~ The Visitor: Will this bittersweet indie flick get some love? Specifically, will Richard Jenkins get some love? If only the Best Actor race wasn't so tight this year...
~ Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day: I was talking with my friend Carley earlier about this film actually and how it was probably the sweetest and most adorable film this year. But released in the off season and as more of a surprise treat than an award-winning machine, it's unlikely to garner much attention. This makes me sad, however. Amy Adams is a wonderful actress that is so charming in this movie that even Frances McDormand's presence can't overrules this woman's performance. And the costumes and set design! It was all such great eye candy while staying true to the times. I really hope that it gets some attention in the visuals department; it's just such an underappreciated film.
~ Rachel Getting Married: Well, Anne Hathaway is a dead giveaway for Best Actress. She may have some quality competition, but she's definitely a shoo-in for a nom. She was wonderful in it. The whole film was such a sad-but-wonderful indie flick. Seriously, I want my wedding to be like the wedding in that film; it was the most beautiful wedding on film I've ever seen. It'd be nice to sneak into the writing awards, but I don't know how much competition it might garner there.
~ Wendy and Lucy: I'm slightly favourable to this film but that's because I have a streak of pride that the director is a film professor here at Bard. I saw it at Woodstock and although I thought it was good, I don't think it'll have a chance in the Oscar race, but in case some of the future prospects for Best Actress fall flat, Michelle Williams has been talked up a lot in the film as a potential surprise nom.
~ In Bruges: ...is going to be totally ignored, but I wanted to mention it anyway because it was an excellent film nonetheless. x)
~ The Incredible Hulk: Might snag a technical nom or two; it takes some skill to make gigantic fighting green monsteresque things.
~ Tropic Thunder: Some people have been pulling for a Robert Downey, Jr. Supporting Actor nod, but I really don't think that's going to happen. The movie was hilarious, don't get me wrong, and definitely good, but the only thing that stood out to me as really extraordinary was seeing Tom Cruise being so fucking amazingly hilarious as the studio exec. Come on, that dance at the end? PRICELESS. I actually stopped caring that he's batshit insane for a few minutes! That is impressive.
unseen:
~ Australia: Despite mixed reviews from critics which have thrashed any leading chances at major categories at the Oscars, I still would like to see this film. I think it still has a shot at visual categories, for sure, and I think it'd be enjoyable for anyone who can sit through a long movie (which I can totally do) and deal with Baz Luhrmann's style (which I also can totally do).
~ Milk: Sean Penn with JAMES FRANCO as his gay lover? omgomgomgomgomg. I love James Franco. Seriously. Even if this movie wasn't as critically strong as it is, I would still want to see it just for that (James Franco in Pineapple Express was LOVE). But the fact that Sean Penn is supposedly amazing in it and that the film itself is great (and likely guaranteed a coveted spot in The Five) and the screenplay's certainly getting attention makes it even more appealing to the Oscar nut in me.
~ Doubt: Although if other critics echo Entertainment Weekly's thrashing of it, I might end up passing on this one. I am a fan of the cast presented to me (I've already expressed my love for Amy Adams and I definitely enjoy Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Viola Davis is supposed to be good), and maybe EW is just a fluke. This film has been Oscar bait since I first heard about it a few months ago, so it may still end up grabbing something.
~ Kung Fu Panda: Probably the second best animated film of 2008 (although I haven't heard anything negative about Bolt yet), although I think Wall-E is bound to kick this film's ass in the Animated Film Category, I like to see all the nominees. Plus, it looks beyond adorable.
~ Bolt: I was a bit surprised to see this film doing so critically well. I was originally planning to write it off, maybe see it, but now I'd really like to see it. It looks adorable and as long as I don't actually see Miley Cyrus, I think I can deal with her being a part of it (especially with John Travolta in the lead).
~ Frost/Nixon: Definite Oscar bait, and it sounds genuinely interesting. Potentially one of The Five, with pretty good chances.
~ Revolutionary Road: I'm as excited as anyone else to see Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunited on screen and in an interesting assessment of The American Dream, as it appears. Oscar bait for sure, but like most of the Oscar bait films I haven't seen, it's not just the buzz but also the story that makes me interested. Kate Winslet is a great actress so I think she has a great chance of stealing a slot in the Best Actress category for this. Leo, not so much with all the stiff competition for Best Actor. Sam Mendes for Best Director? I think it's a definite possibility.
~ The Reader: And speaking of Kate Winslet, here's her Supporting Actress nom to take over Cate Blanchett's position of last year (one nom in each acting category). I don't remember exactly what I read about the content of the film but I know it interested me. x)
~ The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Who ISN'T excited for this movie? Seriously? Is anyone who likes movies not looking forward to this one? Almost definitely guaranteed a spot in The Five, starring Brad Pitt who I believe to be an underappreciated excellent actor (often given roles that don't stretch his acting ability; as much as I love the Ocean's films they don't exactly show off amazing acting ability, but just take a look at Fight Club and acknowledge how amazing Brad is as Tyler Durden). Although the Best Actor race is tight, I hope that Brad Pitt steals one of the noms there (although I personally think Sean Penn might have it locked; it seems like biopics are a favourite for Best Acting categories (i.e. Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland, Jamie Foxx for Ray, Marion Cottilard for La Vie En Rose, and Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood - which is really much more of a character film than anything else, etc.)). And Cate Blanchett is wonderful and likely to steal one of the Best Actress nods. And, of course, the film overall just looks so wonderful. I'm excited. And if you aren't, get excited.
~ Slumdog Millionaire: There was an article in this week's Entertainment Weekly about how the attacks in Mumbai suddenly changed the mood of this film. As opposed to those who have already seen it, I'm sure when I see it it'll be so much different from this side of the calendar. As the Choice Indie for The Five this year, Slumdog is practically a shoo-in, but mostly it just looks like the sweetest rags to riches tale I've ever not-yet-seen. I'm hoping it shows up in my theatres because it's definitely on my to-see list.
~ The Wrestler: All I've heard about is Mickey Rourke's comeback role that's close to the chest and that he is destined to get a Best Actor nom. Sounds like enough to convince me to catch it if I can.
~ I've Loved You So Long: I finally saw an actual preview for this movie and it looked enticing. A strong support for a Best Actress nom for Kristin Scott Thomas also draws my Oscar-love attention for sure.
~ Pride and Glory: Unlikely to snag any noms, Colin Farrell and Edward Norton as brothers in a The Departed-esque film? I'm definitely renting this when it comes out on DVD.
~ Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: Also almost definitely not getting any noms, I think it just looks adorable. I missed it in theatres but I'll catch it on DVD.
~ The Brothers Bloom: Although like the two above it almost definitely not getting any noms (not getting a single bit of notice from anyone aside from me it seems), it is sneaking into limited release just before the new year. As I am a HUGE fan of Rian Johnson's first film, Brick, I am beyond psyched to see his second film coming out and looking so great. And starring Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo and, well, the whole cast seems great. I'm excited. It comes into wide release in January, and I'm definitely planning on catching it when it does and I suggest you do too. I have high hopes for Rian Johnson's future.
~ The Duchess: I am really kinda sick of Keira Knightley, but Ralph Fiennes is amazing and might be worth renting this.
So... my take on the Oscars this season? Here's a summary with some redundancy from above. Well, without having seen a lot of these films, I have a few favourites from films I have seen and films I've heard a lot about and might change my mind after seeing. I'd LOVE for The Dark Knight to get a Best Picture nod (I'd totally understand if it didn't win, but a nom would be beautiful). I'd love for Amy Adams to get a nom (although I'm not sure Doubt will carry her as well as I might have hoped and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day has been forgotten by everyone which sucks because it's great). I would like Brad Pitt to get a nod for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I'm pretty behind Kate Winslet's double nomination. I'm definitely all for Anne Hathaway's nom for Best Actress and I'd like to see Rosemarie DeWitt snag a Best Supporting Actress nod for Rachel Getting Married. I'm very enthusiastic about any rumour of James Franco getting a Best Supporting Actor nod for Milk, and I am totally and completely and utterly and beyond belief for Heath Ledger getting a posthumous nom for The Dark Knight (this could be bias for just loving The Joker character so much and being a superhero sucker, but oh my freaking god he better at least get nominated, even though I, unfortunately, understand that posthumous awards happen infrequently). Of course, I'm way behind Wall-E for Best Animated and for the Sound categories. I hope Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day snags at least one visual nod.
Oh and I'm totally WTFing over Clint Eastwood nomination talk. I'm a bit annoyed because I hadn't even heard like anything about Gran Torino until I heard that Clint Eastwood was angling for a Best Actor nod with it. He's a good actor and filmmaker and stuff, but with the tight race that is Best Actor, I have other favourites I'd rather see getting nominated. But he has a sense of prestige which might nudge other potentially more deserving candidates aside. But since I haven't seen a lot of the Best Actor buzz films yet, I haven't formed a full opinion yet.
Anyway, I've got a lot of films left to view to really round out my Oscar perspective and luckily I've got a month of winter break to see all that I'd like to see. Unfortunately, the nominees will be nominated at the very tail end of my break, but hopefully I'll be informed enough on the films involved that I can be either rightfully outraged or enthusiastic.
And, Academy, a small word. You know yourself that The Dark Knight has drawn way more viewers than any of the other films you nominate are likely to attract. Considering your dropping viewership in the past few years, a Heath Ledger nod or even a Best Picture nod could realllllllly help you get some ratings and make the night actually interesting, which it hasn't been since The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King swept the awards in 2004. So, please, nominate Heath Ledger, goddammit!"
Stealing From My Livejournal Part XI
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From September 16, 2008:
"How much of a nerd does it make me when I look back on the 2004 Oscars as beautiful? Probably a huge nerd, but I was just browsing through the wikipedia articles on the recent Oscar ceremonies, trying to spot an instance other than the Lord of the Rings sweep in which unconventionality reigned in Hollywood.
Why was I doing this? Because The Dark Knight is being rereleased, at least in IMAX, maybe in traditional theaters, in January, to throw it into prominence for the Oscars. At this point, there aren't that many excellent films of 2008, so I can see the appeal, but there are a lot of movies coming out that I am highly anticipating and that Hollywood surely is looking towards as potential Oscar material. I was trying to convince Julie as to why the "strange" happening that Heath Ledger might get an Oscar is possible. I love unconventionality. And it is unconventional for a dead man to win an Academy Award. But if any performance deserved it, it's that one.
But anyways, this leads me into another movie rant.
Buzz is already surrounding Keira Knightley, unfortunately, for The Dutchess. What I am more excited for, however, is the buzz surrounding Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married. Maybe this is because Anne Hathaway does not play all the same roles and is a good actress with a promising career ahead of her, whereas Keira Knightley does play all the same roles and is getting kind of annoying. I get it, you made a good Elizabeth Bennet, can you try something new now? Angelina Jolie is getting some buzz too for Changeling. I haven't been paying that movie much attention at all, however, so I can't really voice my opinion there. I'm reserving judgment, because I've never really seen Angelina Jolie act since Girl, Interrupted and that was like a decade ago.
I am really excited for Australia. REALLY excited. I missed Baz Luhrmann. I am just really excited for this movie and I hope it does well. I think Revolutionary Road is also certainly garnering some attention, starring Leo and Kate and with Mendes as director. Other movies I predict might be contenders in some form, whether acting or feature, include Doubt and Frost/Nixon. Of course, I've been hearing buzz about Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button since I first saw a preview for it months ago. We'll see how that works out. And Seven Pounds might get Will Smith some more attention (not that he really needs it). Milk is a movie I'm a bit excited about and looking forward to. James Franco is in it!!! This excites me. And I still really want to see August, which stars Josh Hartnett and is apparently a very good movie.
On a lighter note, Fanboys is FINALLY coming out. The official release date, announced on the production website, is November 26th. It better finally come out. I mean, dammit, I've been waiting for this movie for like two years. And, obviously, I'm still excited for The Brothers Bloom. In my wildest dreams, it becomes somehow famous and garners so much attention and becomes the underdog of the year. But realistically speaking, I'm hoping the honour of underdog goes more in the direction of The Visitor, which better not get neglected or else I'll be very sad.
But as for The Dark Knight, if all these other movies don't live up to the expectations, which I'd be surprised by, who knows? Maybe it could get a Best Picture nod. I really don't think it will, but if the coming season doesn't live up to expectations, it could happen. For now, I'll settle for a Best Supporting Actor nod (at minimum), and some awards in the sound, effects, and design department. But the popularity and general acclaim the movie has, it has me wondering... would it count as Adapted Screenplay or Original Screenplay? I mean, does it have to be directly adapted to be adapted? I would think it'd be an adapted screenplay, considering it's not original material, but it's something worth wondering over.
I don't know... Hollywood's been pretty boring the past couple years. Maybe it's about time for another unconventional sweep. Unlikely... but it's nice to dream isn't it? (Because in my dream, Rian Johnson gets a Best Director nod. Hahahaha, my dreams are crazy).
At least one thing's for certain. If Wall-E doesn't win Best Animated Feature, something's wrong with this world."
From September 16, 2008:
"How much of a nerd does it make me when I look back on the 2004 Oscars as beautiful? Probably a huge nerd, but I was just browsing through the wikipedia articles on the recent Oscar ceremonies, trying to spot an instance other than the Lord of the Rings sweep in which unconventionality reigned in Hollywood.
Why was I doing this? Because The Dark Knight is being rereleased, at least in IMAX, maybe in traditional theaters, in January, to throw it into prominence for the Oscars. At this point, there aren't that many excellent films of 2008, so I can see the appeal, but there are a lot of movies coming out that I am highly anticipating and that Hollywood surely is looking towards as potential Oscar material. I was trying to convince Julie as to why the "strange" happening that Heath Ledger might get an Oscar is possible. I love unconventionality. And it is unconventional for a dead man to win an Academy Award. But if any performance deserved it, it's that one.
But anyways, this leads me into another movie rant.
Buzz is already surrounding Keira Knightley, unfortunately, for The Dutchess. What I am more excited for, however, is the buzz surrounding Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married. Maybe this is because Anne Hathaway does not play all the same roles and is a good actress with a promising career ahead of her, whereas Keira Knightley does play all the same roles and is getting kind of annoying. I get it, you made a good Elizabeth Bennet, can you try something new now? Angelina Jolie is getting some buzz too for Changeling. I haven't been paying that movie much attention at all, however, so I can't really voice my opinion there. I'm reserving judgment, because I've never really seen Angelina Jolie act since Girl, Interrupted and that was like a decade ago.
I am really excited for Australia. REALLY excited. I missed Baz Luhrmann. I am just really excited for this movie and I hope it does well. I think Revolutionary Road is also certainly garnering some attention, starring Leo and Kate and with Mendes as director. Other movies I predict might be contenders in some form, whether acting or feature, include Doubt and Frost/Nixon. Of course, I've been hearing buzz about Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button since I first saw a preview for it months ago. We'll see how that works out. And Seven Pounds might get Will Smith some more attention (not that he really needs it). Milk is a movie I'm a bit excited about and looking forward to. James Franco is in it!!! This excites me. And I still really want to see August, which stars Josh Hartnett and is apparently a very good movie.
On a lighter note, Fanboys is FINALLY coming out. The official release date, announced on the production website, is November 26th. It better finally come out. I mean, dammit, I've been waiting for this movie for like two years. And, obviously, I'm still excited for The Brothers Bloom. In my wildest dreams, it becomes somehow famous and garners so much attention and becomes the underdog of the year. But realistically speaking, I'm hoping the honour of underdog goes more in the direction of The Visitor, which better not get neglected or else I'll be very sad.
But as for The Dark Knight, if all these other movies don't live up to the expectations, which I'd be surprised by, who knows? Maybe it could get a Best Picture nod. I really don't think it will, but if the coming season doesn't live up to expectations, it could happen. For now, I'll settle for a Best Supporting Actor nod (at minimum), and some awards in the sound, effects, and design department. But the popularity and general acclaim the movie has, it has me wondering... would it count as Adapted Screenplay or Original Screenplay? I mean, does it have to be directly adapted to be adapted? I would think it'd be an adapted screenplay, considering it's not original material, but it's something worth wondering over.
I don't know... Hollywood's been pretty boring the past couple years. Maybe it's about time for another unconventional sweep. Unlikely... but it's nice to dream isn't it? (Because in my dream, Rian Johnson gets a Best Director nod. Hahahaha, my dreams are crazy).
At least one thing's for certain. If Wall-E doesn't win Best Animated Feature, something's wrong with this world."
Stealing From My Livejournal Part VII
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From July 18, 2008:
"SO I saw The Dark Knight at midnight (closer to 12:30. Normally I love previews but a) IT WAS THE DARK KNIGHT and b) they were boring previews, except for the Watchmen preview... ooh shiny...) last night and the spoiler-free version of my reaction to the movie is pretty much incoherent babblings about how amazing the movie is and how absolutely freaking brilliant the Joker was.
Now for the spoilered version of my reaction...
*****
*****
I read in Entertainment Weekly as we were building up to the premiere about the Joker prancing around the street in a nurse's outfit. I read that, did a double-take, and then grinned wildly. The thing about the Dark Knight, the most surprising and fun thing, is that there is more to it than just in the preview, which is incredible because the preview is already so much. Don't get me wrong, there were things I didn't like so much, which I will get to, but overall, the movie was so incredibly GOOD. And as I will tell everyone and anyone for the rest of my life, Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is, in my opinion, one of the best acting jobs ever performed. Fuck you, Academy, I don't care that he's dead, at this point in the game, Heath Ledger's performance has earned him the Best Supporting Actor fifty thousand times over. Jack Nicholson's Joker? Screw him, not nearly as brilliant.
See, when I first saw Joker on the screen, I was so excited, but because of the hype, just like everyone else. But by the second or third appearance on the screen, it wasn't about the hype anymore. I wanted to see him because he was so great to watch. The Joker is my favourite villain now, that perfect character that is performed so well and has the most simplistic motivations that make him all the more interesting. And the Batman/Joker relationship itself is just so magnificent and interesting... he's such a great archnemesis. And the script was so good, and I was so incredibly jealous of the writer, especially for the Joker's lines. He must have been such a great character to write.
As for other brilliant things, Christian Bale was, of course, great. He and Heath worked together so flawlessly in their scenes that I never wanted them to end. All of the acting was good, even the tiniest part in the movie was performed well. But I was so gleeful when Rachel Dawes was killed off. It's not that she was an annoying character yet, but that she would have become such a burden had she continued to be used. I am very glad that she's gone (not in the least because this could totally make room for Catwoman to waltz into the next movie, cough >.>).
Now... Harvy Dent. Aaron Eckhart did a very good job acting-wise, I thought. He wasn't the best performance on screen, of course, but he managed quite well against the brilliant performances left and right and did a good job himself. Unfortunately, it was his character that bugged me at times. Mostly, I'm just a bit upset at the sudden demise. I'm not sure how I could see it happening much differently, and he might not be dead, but regardless, it was a small bit of disappointment that I felt when he just came as a villain and went as a villain, especially since he had no time to shine in his own right with Joker being Joker left and right. Also, his face. The CGI was showing off a bit too much and it lost a sense of realism in the way his voice and eye were not affected by the major facial changes going on there. This notice I blame on Nicole, since she's the one that paid it attention, but regardless, I was expecting something closer to the Tommy Lee Jones' version in Batman Forever. It was more theatrical, but the face itself would be more tolerable to my tastes, at least. >.<
I've gotta go see it again sometime soon. :)"
From July 18, 2008:
"SO I saw The Dark Knight at midnight (closer to 12:30. Normally I love previews but a) IT WAS THE DARK KNIGHT and b) they were boring previews, except for the Watchmen preview... ooh shiny...) last night and the spoiler-free version of my reaction to the movie is pretty much incoherent babblings about how amazing the movie is and how absolutely freaking brilliant the Joker was.
Now for the spoilered version of my reaction...
*****
*****
I read in Entertainment Weekly as we were building up to the premiere about the Joker prancing around the street in a nurse's outfit. I read that, did a double-take, and then grinned wildly. The thing about the Dark Knight, the most surprising and fun thing, is that there is more to it than just in the preview, which is incredible because the preview is already so much. Don't get me wrong, there were things I didn't like so much, which I will get to, but overall, the movie was so incredibly GOOD. And as I will tell everyone and anyone for the rest of my life, Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is, in my opinion, one of the best acting jobs ever performed. Fuck you, Academy, I don't care that he's dead, at this point in the game, Heath Ledger's performance has earned him the Best Supporting Actor fifty thousand times over. Jack Nicholson's Joker? Screw him, not nearly as brilliant.
See, when I first saw Joker on the screen, I was so excited, but because of the hype, just like everyone else. But by the second or third appearance on the screen, it wasn't about the hype anymore. I wanted to see him because he was so great to watch. The Joker is my favourite villain now, that perfect character that is performed so well and has the most simplistic motivations that make him all the more interesting. And the Batman/Joker relationship itself is just so magnificent and interesting... he's such a great archnemesis. And the script was so good, and I was so incredibly jealous of the writer, especially for the Joker's lines. He must have been such a great character to write.
As for other brilliant things, Christian Bale was, of course, great. He and Heath worked together so flawlessly in their scenes that I never wanted them to end. All of the acting was good, even the tiniest part in the movie was performed well. But I was so gleeful when Rachel Dawes was killed off. It's not that she was an annoying character yet, but that she would have become such a burden had she continued to be used. I am very glad that she's gone (not in the least because this could totally make room for Catwoman to waltz into the next movie, cough >.>).
Now... Harvy Dent. Aaron Eckhart did a very good job acting-wise, I thought. He wasn't the best performance on screen, of course, but he managed quite well against the brilliant performances left and right and did a good job himself. Unfortunately, it was his character that bugged me at times. Mostly, I'm just a bit upset at the sudden demise. I'm not sure how I could see it happening much differently, and he might not be dead, but regardless, it was a small bit of disappointment that I felt when he just came as a villain and went as a villain, especially since he had no time to shine in his own right with Joker being Joker left and right. Also, his face. The CGI was showing off a bit too much and it lost a sense of realism in the way his voice and eye were not affected by the major facial changes going on there. This notice I blame on Nicole, since she's the one that paid it attention, but regardless, I was expecting something closer to the Tommy Lee Jones' version in Batman Forever. It was more theatrical, but the face itself would be more tolerable to my tastes, at least. >.<
I've gotta go see it again sometime soon. :)"
Stealing From My Livejournal Part VI
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From July 12, 2008:
"As a film nerd, I was excited to read in Entertainment Weekly (and everyone else who is talking about The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger) that I wasn't the only person in the midst of summer blockbuster season to be looking towards the Oscars. After seeing Wall-E, which is at least one of the best, if not the best, Disney/Pixar film (and I agree with anyone pushing for a Best Picture nom rather than just an Animated Picture nom (or more likely, win)), and after hearing all the buzz about The Dark Knight, I've just been waiting for February to get here already.
I rely on my brother's subscription to Entertainment Weekly as my portal into the media and the film industry (aside from my online escapades), and so was extremely glad to see when they spoke of the few contenders for Oscars thus far this year, to see at least a passing mention for Richard Jenkins in The Visitor. This got me to thinking, of all the films already out there, what films are good contenders? And today, I remembered another early contender, In Bruges. In January/February/March, you don't expect many, if any, good films to come out, but I remember seeing that in theatres back when it came out and it was excellent. I think that it should definitely be included on any list of good movies of 2008 so far. The Visitor is the tiny indie film of the year, except that it has much more indie cred than that fucker Juno ever had imo, and I hope that it doesn't get ignored. Everything about that film was excellent.
Another film that came out in the off-season was the surprise Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Not the best movie I've ever seen, hardly, but it was adorable in its own right. Amy Adams and Frances McDormand were great in it, to say the least, and it was certainly a visually pleasing movie. It was a genuinely sweet film but in the best way possible, and although not in the same caliber as The Visitor or In Bruges, also good.
Now, these aren't my votes for Best Picture; I'm still waiting to see some Best Picture qualifiers aside from Wall-E (which is a tough competitor because not only is it a Disney/Pixar film, which speaks for itself as a brilliant animated feature film, but also, I think, the best film of the year thus far). But I do think The Visitor and In Bruges should not be forgotten when critics start to reflect on the year come fall and columnists start making Oscars guesses. I wouldn't be shocked that, if the fall lacks some proper Oscar contenders, The Dark Knight or Iron Man might take a stab at more notable noms than the special effects departments.
Also, because I like to think of the less dramatic Oscars, I think the sound effect and sound mixing ones should go to Wall-E. SERIOUSLY, man, the sound put into that movie is AMAZING. I notice these things; I disliked Atonement, but loved the soundtrack and thought that deserved the Oscar it got (although all of last year's soundtracks were great, like 3:10 to Yuma, which was totally shunted elsewhere in its awesomeness). I'd make a guess right now that Horton Hears a Who! and Kung Fu Panda will attempt to rival Wall-E for the Best Animated Feature. With the abundance of superhero films this summer, I'm sure the special effects categories are well-covered.
But my opinions right now might change. It seems to me that Oscar contenders are going to come late in the year, considering what there is to work with thus far.
In other film news, I am looking forward to the Coen Brothers' new film, Burn After Reading. I remember seeing a preview at some point and wondered just how many Oscar-vets they were trying to fit into the movie, but it also looked funny. And, of course, I need to see about fifty other movies this year, surely. x)"
From July 12, 2008:
"As a film nerd, I was excited to read in Entertainment Weekly (and everyone else who is talking about The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger) that I wasn't the only person in the midst of summer blockbuster season to be looking towards the Oscars. After seeing Wall-E, which is at least one of the best, if not the best, Disney/Pixar film (and I agree with anyone pushing for a Best Picture nom rather than just an Animated Picture nom (or more likely, win)), and after hearing all the buzz about The Dark Knight, I've just been waiting for February to get here already.
I rely on my brother's subscription to Entertainment Weekly as my portal into the media and the film industry (aside from my online escapades), and so was extremely glad to see when they spoke of the few contenders for Oscars thus far this year, to see at least a passing mention for Richard Jenkins in The Visitor. This got me to thinking, of all the films already out there, what films are good contenders? And today, I remembered another early contender, In Bruges. In January/February/March, you don't expect many, if any, good films to come out, but I remember seeing that in theatres back when it came out and it was excellent. I think that it should definitely be included on any list of good movies of 2008 so far. The Visitor is the tiny indie film of the year, except that it has much more indie cred than that fucker Juno ever had imo, and I hope that it doesn't get ignored. Everything about that film was excellent.
Another film that came out in the off-season was the surprise Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Not the best movie I've ever seen, hardly, but it was adorable in its own right. Amy Adams and Frances McDormand were great in it, to say the least, and it was certainly a visually pleasing movie. It was a genuinely sweet film but in the best way possible, and although not in the same caliber as The Visitor or In Bruges, also good.
Now, these aren't my votes for Best Picture; I'm still waiting to see some Best Picture qualifiers aside from Wall-E (which is a tough competitor because not only is it a Disney/Pixar film, which speaks for itself as a brilliant animated feature film, but also, I think, the best film of the year thus far). But I do think The Visitor and In Bruges should not be forgotten when critics start to reflect on the year come fall and columnists start making Oscars guesses. I wouldn't be shocked that, if the fall lacks some proper Oscar contenders, The Dark Knight or Iron Man might take a stab at more notable noms than the special effects departments.
Also, because I like to think of the less dramatic Oscars, I think the sound effect and sound mixing ones should go to Wall-E. SERIOUSLY, man, the sound put into that movie is AMAZING. I notice these things; I disliked Atonement, but loved the soundtrack and thought that deserved the Oscar it got (although all of last year's soundtracks were great, like 3:10 to Yuma, which was totally shunted elsewhere in its awesomeness). I'd make a guess right now that Horton Hears a Who! and Kung Fu Panda will attempt to rival Wall-E for the Best Animated Feature. With the abundance of superhero films this summer, I'm sure the special effects categories are well-covered.
But my opinions right now might change. It seems to me that Oscar contenders are going to come late in the year, considering what there is to work with thus far.
In other film news, I am looking forward to the Coen Brothers' new film, Burn After Reading. I remember seeing a preview at some point and wondered just how many Oscar-vets they were trying to fit into the movie, but it also looked funny. And, of course, I need to see about fifty other movies this year, surely. x)"
Stealing From My Livejournal Part IV
As I use my livejournal for little else except for movie rants and decided to switch over here, I thought I'd recruit some older posts so as to show a history. I'll bother with new ones as they come to me.
From May 24, 2008:
"I'm excited for films. I am looking forward to the long anticipated Fanboys movie, finally being released this year. The Visitor looks really excellent and like the kind of relatively unknown films that attract me. The Brothers Bloom is being done by Rian Johnson, the mind behind Brick. Like everyone else, I'm dying to see The Dark Knight. Because I have faith in Pixar, I will, of course, see Wall-E. And these are just some films. There are the bajillion other summer blockbusters we all know about and then we will see some previews for the films that will surely be contending for Oscars.
I am a huge film nerd. And I love it."
From May 24, 2008:
"I'm excited for films. I am looking forward to the long anticipated Fanboys movie, finally being released this year. The Visitor looks really excellent and like the kind of relatively unknown films that attract me. The Brothers Bloom is being done by Rian Johnson, the mind behind Brick. Like everyone else, I'm dying to see The Dark Knight. Because I have faith in Pixar, I will, of course, see Wall-E. And these are just some films. There are the bajillion other summer blockbusters we all know about and then we will see some previews for the films that will surely be contending for Oscars.
I am a huge film nerd. And I love it."
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