Curious about the Oscars 2011
As I sat to write this, a memory from my childhood flooded my mind, I started laughing to myself and I couldn't stop laughing tears were streaming down my face. The people around me definitely didn't get the joke and I am not sure if anyone else will either? Well my love for the Oscars has started from before I could even watch most of the movies, or any of the movies for that matter. This long show with adults about films I had never seen had awaken an excitement in me that I cannot really put to words, but at the same time I knew I loved the feeling. It was the 60th annual Academy Awards and on Sunday it will be the 83rd!!! My love for the Oscars has spanned 23 years, in these times of things not lasting that long, that sounds like commitment to me. The first time I consciously watched the Oscars it was 1987, the winner of Best Picture was the Last Emperor. It was up against Fatal Attraction, Broadcast News (one of my all time favorites of course when I was older), and even Moonstruck! Picture this, I am eight years old and my sisters and brother and I are being taken care of by our Great Uncle Tony, our parents, Mom dressed up in 80s glam are out for dinner and we are allowed to stay up past bedtime to watch this amazing show! Anyways we get into it, the red carpet, the iconic movie stars, and there is nothing more exciting then when the beautiful people with great enthusiasm announce , ˝...and the Oscar goes to...˝, we would go crazy with excitement, did our Uncle slip us a little too much sugar, whatever the case we were hooked on the excitement. The funny part, right well, the Last Emperor, a movie we never saw and knew nothing about kept winning the awards. With the opening of every sacred envelope, ˝...And the winner is...The Last Emperor...˝, we would go crazy but we found it very annoying that the movie kept winning and we didn't think it was in any way interesting. I don't think we really cared who won, but after every award going to this movie we weren't satisfied.
And then it happened, we lost our shit, when the final award was announced for Best Picture it went to the Last Emperor. We were mad, this show was stupid, and how could we sit there for three plus hours with only one film won everything? So in complete idiocy we started swearing, I am actually at the time just about to turn 8 because my birthday is in April and I am the oldest, therefore, one sister is 6, my brother is 4 and our baby sister who is not yet two doesn't know what is going on but loves all the jumping and cheering and she is in it with us! But the swearing, I can still feel the words escaping my mouth right now, I didn't know what they meant or how twisted black comedy this whole situation must have looked like but we were angry and frustrated at the Last Emperor's monopoly, we started screaming expletives at the screen, well I started it and of course like the best backup band in the world my brother and sisters followed behind. The issue that I even knew how to swear at this age is for another story but I haven't thought about that day in so long and the memory like a wave hit me as I started to prepare for this blog and I started laughing and it was one of those fits that you just have to let it all out.
Flash forward to 23 years later and I have to admit that I have never seen the Last Emperor; this is shocking because I have seen an above average amount of films, even more shocking because it was such a pivotal film in my whole film worshiping history. I am curious if I will like it? Another reason is that I am a big Bertolucci fan, I mean I really really like his films, the Last Tango in Paris screenplay is a part of my, if I got stuck on a deserted island what are the 10 books you'd bring list. I have to find the Last Emperor and watch it! Online I found that it was one of the least watched winners so I guess I am not the only one that completely missed it.
What is going on this year? Well this is the first year that I have officially seen 98% of the movies before the actual event, usually I see most and catch the rest just after. I feel the most prepared for this year's big show but to be honest I couldn't be further from truly knowing who the true winner should be. I actual feel farther away from certainty because I saw so many of them and there was so many good performances and yet they were so unique. Each actor was amazing in his or her role, every film, especially the ones that I saw were really great and as of tonight, in the Best Picture category I only missed, Winter's Bone, and I got my hands on it and it didn't work!!! Oh well, hopefully I can figure it out before the big night! The thing about the Oscars and life is that sometimes those who should win don't win and vice versa. Below is my Oscar roundup, so curious to know what you think?
In the category of Best Actor, James Franco (127 Hours), wow, I really avoided this film, I didn't see the point, I knew what was going to happen and did I really want to witness the horrible thing this real life man had to do, when he had to save his own life. James Franco did a great job and the film was surprisingly great. He is someone to keep an eye on, not because he is not bad to look at but because he is good. I am also super excited to see him as host, curious to see if he can pull that off too. His resume is very diverse; don’t get the whole General Hospital thing, though. I think that nominee, Javier Bardem (Biutiful) played an amazing character in this movie, Javier again proves he is one of Hollywood's heavy hitters, by the way, I have seen him in real life and he is not disappointing like some when you actually get the chance to see them outside of my favourite box. He is not going to win but I think he definitely deserved the nomination. Jeff Bridges (True Grit) brought the Dude's great grandfather out in this role, (the Dude is in reference to, the Big Lebowski, if you haven't seen that movie, I highly recommend it), I love him and like this movie but he's not going to win. Jesse Eisenberg (Social Network), I loved him in Adventureland on a sidenote. Though I am a big fan of the movie, I don't think any of the individual actors in the film were Oscar worthy as a cast they were definitely impressive and the Facebook movie is a must see. Colin Firth (The King's Speech) I love him, he will always be my Mr. Darcy or the dad in, What a Girl Wants, but he is an amazing actor, when he plays the serious stuff he does it well and I really enjoyed this movie and loved him portray the stiff and stuttering Royal who softens, in his own way. The actor who plays a King is my choice for Best Actor in 2011, great role, great character and great job. Especially following his amazing performance when he was nominated in the same category last year, he was fantastic in the Single Man, if you haven’t seen it check it out.
There is always a real woman in every relationship, Annette Bening was a whole lot of emotional woman in this movie and I enjoyed watching the dynamic in a family where the parents were lesbians, because it just proves to me even more that we are all the same, same, but different, no matter of our sexual orientation. I will be surprised if she wins not because she didn’t deserve it. I watched the Rabbit Hole, I was disappointed with the film and thought Sandra Oh did an amazing job without any fanfare but didn’t feel Nicole’s performance was Oscar worthy. I didn’t rush to watch this film because I hadn’t seen the play and wasn’t ready for the whole deeply tragic plot. In the end I felt that Nicole underacted! Blue Valentine, I was so excited to see this movie because of all the controversy, and also because from the preview and from the info online about the plot of the film I was enthralled. She did a great job because I actually really didn’t like her character and I think that was the point and that is great acting. I really can’t believe she started out on Dawson’s Creek , she really has proven to be a great young actress. I am so sorry that I missed out on Winter’s Bone but definitely want to watch it because I saw the preview , the movie looks very good, a little rough and heavy but good. From the preview she deserved her nomination but I truly believe and feel that, Natalie Portman, will and deserves to win. I thought she was amazing. She is the actress who not only acted like one, she actually became a prima ballerina before the audience’s eyes, the psychological tension was only able to be created by an amazing performance, like her character in the film I believe that Natalie gave it her all to be, ¨perfect˝, in this role and that should be awarded.
As for supporting roles, Christian Bale was amazing in the Fighter and he definitely deserves to win. At the same time so does Geoffrey Rush, without him, Colin Firth might not have even been nominated. I am a fan, if you haven’t seen the movie, Shine, it is a must see, Rush is a legend. I missed out on John Hawkes’ performance in Winter’s Bone but am curious to watch it. I thought the Town was a great film and I am very impressed that Jeremy Renner got back to back nominations, but I think it is Christian’s statue. I loved the movie and would watch it again just to see Mark Ruffalo’s garden in the film and thought he did a great job but Oscar nom, a little confused? This brings me to a question that I have been pondering since I started this Oscar watching frenzy this year, as I watched the nominated movies, I also watched other films and I wonder why are some nominated and not others? Of all the films this year, yes Ruffalo’s character was 100% definable as supporting, he was essential to the triangle that the film presented but of all the film this year he was he really in the top five supporting actors? I am really curious as to how this process happens, how does the academy decipher, is everyone eligible? Supporting male will go to Christian Bale, but in my own little Oscar world, Geoffrey Rush is a very close second getting the runner up trophy.
The award for supporting actress is a very important one, above I questioned how out of all the films do certain actors get nominated? This question first arose when I watched, Animal Kingdom. This film is a dark and seedy film about the underworld of twisted criminals and a very dysfunctional family in Australia. A very interesting film, Jackie Weaver, was amazing and it is fantastic that she was even recognized. It would not have been a film without her. How on earth did they find her though? I have watched without exaggeration around fifty plus films in the last two months and how did they find, Jackie Weaver? She was powerful and I felt emotional reaction to just how desperate some people can be and that is why she deserved this nom, she is a good actress. Amy Adams did a great job in the Fighter and she truly supported. The real life character is the definition of supportive in a relationship. Melissa Leo, was amazing in her role in the same film and the family dynamics was amazing, I mean if you could give a group Supporting Actors award, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo and the actors who played the sisters of the main characters should get it but since it is difficult for me to define I am going to go against my gut which would be Melissa Leo to win and bet that Hailee Stanfield from True Grit wins the race, my reasons behind it are the fact that the supporting actress has been young and upcoming actors usually (think Anna Paquin, youngish Angelina, young Goldie Hawn, to name a few) that truly have stand out roles, they act with ability that is usually only seen among veterans. The attitude and poise she exhibited in the film were award winning. I look forward to watching her act in the future.
Finally even though there are so many other awards, I would like to review the nominees for, Best Picture, and the winner is…not the Last Emperor this year! Still can’t believe that it was 23 years ago. Time sure flies, well basically I am also concluding now that after doing all the watching and movie research around this show that I don’t care who wins and it really isn’t about winning. I think that for me it is about being nominated, and it is about the nominated films. I feel by being exposed to the Jackie Weavers and the John Hawkes’, I am curious about films that I might not have seen and watched. 127 Hours even though I really avoided it, but was determined to watch all the nominated films and have to say that it is a film that really stayed with me, it was a great movie and I highly recommend it. Just turn away at that scene, it really is gross. When I heard they were making it I immediately thought how are they going to do it? How are they going to make a film with one guy in it for most of the 90+ minutes? Danny Boyle pulled it off! I definitely believe the film deserved the nomination because of the story but I don’t think it will win. Black Swan was more about the intensity of the characters then being a great film or even a great story, according to me not going to win. I enjoyed this film especially because of everyone’s different reaction to it, everyone was so scared. When I saw the preview I knew her battle was with herself, my sisters were vocal in the theater and my one friend had to watch and fast forward at parts. I love diverse reactions.
The Kids are All Right, is a great movie, the definition of the traditional family is changing as a result new questions arising, interesting situations arising and am happy to see recognition for this in the mainstream. Toy Story 3 as with the others are great stories which is what the awards are all about and I appreciate it being nominated but will be very surprised if it wins, and unfortunately I cannot comment on Winter’s Bone, but from the preview definitely felt the intensity and seriousness of the story and the reality of such real life situations where kids have to be adults and even though I feel it is unfair, it is powerful storytelling. True Grit is a great cowboy movie, and if there was a country western movie awards, I would give it their version of Oscar. I really like Inception, I studied Lucid dreaming in University and use it as often as I can, I think with having a background in the concept, I was able to really appreciate this movie. Because of my knowledge in lucid dreaming, the toy stopped spinning and dropped, what do you think?
The top three, The King’s Speech is third in my final three; I guess my favorite part about this movie is that it shows when we deviate from tradition, when we let guards down, success can be achieved. The Fighter, I loved the family dynamics, I love true stories when the hard done by prevail, when the underdog overcomes his own demons to achieve and would give it the 1st runner up title. I think the Social Network should win, I think it was the best film, from beginning to end. It told a story clearly, we say the inception of an idea clearly, we saw the impact of that idea, and the result is prevalent so much in society today and that is a movie of the times, the best movie. I think it should be shown to children relatively young, I think it is inspirational and so effectively filmed.
Now since I am away from my various crews around the world, I would like to inspire those that are still reading at this point, to throw an Oscar party, have fun with it, get dressed up, get silly, swear at the screen, cry during the speeches, make ballots, have prizes for those who guess the most correct and definitely throw a tough category on the ballot for good measure, if your crew is the gambling kind sell ballots for say $5 a pop or whatever works for your pockets and the winner with the most correct wins the pot! Serve fun food and have a great time, I wish I was there with you! Next year’s early prediction for a movie that hasn’t even been filmed yet, Leo DiCaprio , wins best actor for his portrayal of the Scorcese version of the true story of the Wolf of Wall Street, great book if you haven’t read it!
Yours in curiosity,
Kat
