83rd Academy Awards Nominees

By now you've surely seen the list of nominees for this year's Oscars ceremony. I've looked over the list once or twice, but I haven't really formed any conclusions yet. Perhaps that's because I've seen hardly any of the films. Last year, I managed eight of the 10 Best Picture nominees before Oscar Night (that number actually didn't change after Oscar Night, but I'm still hoping to pick up the spare one day). This year, I've seen a measly three of the nominees already (Black Swan, Inception and Toy Story 3). I've got my work cut out for me over the next month.

Now, the nominees:

BEST PICTURE
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

Favorite Films of 2010

10. Tangled (2010)  
I only saw Tangled last week, but it made quite an impression on me. What I loved most was how Classic Disney it felt. Yes, it was computer animated, but the character design seemed to fit the Disney canon, as it were. The king reminded me so much of a classic king, but I can't recall which one. Sleeping Beauty, perhaps? Particularly, I was struck by how perfect the songs were. I think that was the biggest failing of The Princess and the Frog - the songs were too jazzy and not catchy enough. The songs in Tangled were much simpler, and it may have been my imagination, but each one reminded me of an earlier Disney movie. "When Will My Life Begin" and "Mother Knows Best" evoked The Little Mermaid, and "I've Got a Dream" reminded me so much of Mulan. I loved the simplicity of the plot and the dialogue - funny, but not filled with pop culture references or cynicism like other recent animated features.

9. Holiday (1938)
My love affair with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn continues. From the moment he takes a bite out the apple in her hand, I was hooked. Maybe I'm a little dense, but I genuinely wasn't sure they would get together in the end. Let's chalk it up to excellent writing. All around, a great movie.

8. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
I had got a little disillusioned with Wes Anderson's films recently - too twee and whimsical, sacrificing substance for detail. For me, this was the perfect project for him. Stop motion is a genre that benefits from an obsessive attention to detail, and Roald Dahl is always good for a little whimsy. I loved too much about the film to mention everything, but I can't leave out Jason Schwartzman's incredible voice work as Ash - his character design was also perfect. I know too many people who haven't seen this movie yet, and for some reason, they keep ignoring my incessant recommendations. Such a bummer because I don't know anyone who wouldn't love it.




7. The Godfather Part II (1974)
It's kind of funny to watch old movies and then gush to your friends - "I just watched this amazing movie. It's called The Godfather, you should check it out." But really, so good. I think I had more of an idea of the plot of this film than of the original, so it may have taken out some of the suspense. I was on the edge of my seat every time I saw Fredo, for example. Still, it's a beautifully made film and exceptionally well-acted. I even set aside my usual apathy about DeNiro. I think what I found most devastating was how much each character had changed since the first film, particularly Tom and Kay. Pretty much no one was likable anymore, so it became an interesting viewing experience. Can you still root for Kay when she does what she does? Just a great movie. I still haven't seen the third film, and I wish I didn't have so many preconceptions about it.

6. It Happened One Night (1934)
Another classic that I just got around to seeing, and it's every bit as funny and romantic as promised. I'm always sad that people seem to be afraid to try classic movies. The banter is as fresh as the dialogue in modern-day romantic comedies - probably more so, judging by the tired cliches I keep seeing in trailers. The chemistry between Gable and Colbert is great - he especially is the epitome of charm. I think this should be mandatory viewing for anyone involved in making a romantic comedy. Man, I sound old. They just don't make films like this anymore.

5. Inception (2010)
Does it have faults? Um, yes. Does it open the door for infinite terrible copycats? Absolutely. But it's also an incredible combination of film-making prowess, intelligent plotting and excellent acting that made me excited to watch films again. Inception was the first movie I had seen in theaters since January 1, and it was kind of a wake-up call (pun not intended): Movies are awesome! I had some initial mixed feelings about the film, but I think those have softened over time. I can't deny that it's been occupying my thoughts pretty consistently over the past few months. Even though it's still at #4 in my Nolan ranking (see link above), let's be honest: when I think back about 2010 in film, I'll think about Inception. For that reason alone, it deserves a spot on this list.

4. El Orfanato (2007)
I wasn't expecting to like this film at all. Sometimes I get into a horror film mood, but I tend to prefer broader horror (slashers, vampires, etc.) to psychological themes. Obviously, I loved this one. It's so unusual to find a film that will terrify you and also reduce you to a sobbing wreck. Because yes, I was a total mess by the end. Belén Rueda was so convincing in her portrayal of a grieving mother that it broke my heart. And it was also a genuine horror film at the same time, with some real scares. I think this may have been the first Spanish film I've ever seen. I've heard some great things about Spanish horror as a genre, so this made me interested to see more.

3. Das Weisse Band (2009)
I've been mostly unable to describe my thoughts about The White Ribbon since I saw it months ago. It was such a staggering film. Beautifully shot, directed and acted, with such powerful and often disturbing images. There was something about it that felt genuinely vintage - it was almost eerie how realistic it felt.

2. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
2010 was, for me, the year of Woody Allen. It was the year I was committed to figuring out why people loved him or just giving him up as a lost cause. I watched 5 films with only minimal success before I saw this one. Finally, it all made sense to me. I understood his blend of comedy and drama, and I actually felt for his characters instead of being vaguely annoyed by them. I attribute a lot of this to Dianne Wiest and to Allen himself - the Holly/Mickey subplot was my favorite part.

1. The Great Escape (1963)
I'm not sure I could pin down exactly what it was I loved about The Great Escape. Brilliant cast, to be sure, but I think it was the writing. For a movie that's pushing 3 hours, it was very well-paced and taut. As the final credits rolled, I was really disappointed. I could have kept watching for at least another 3 hours, probably more. It's weird to admit this, but I love an unhappy ending. The film is based on a true story, albeit massaged into a more Hollywood-friendly form, but I appreciated that they didn't sugarcoat the ending. Some people didn't make it out - that's the reality of war, and it's important to remember that even with the levity of other parts of the film. Like I said when I first wrote about it, this film has secured a place in my nebulous top 5 - some days it's #1, some days it isn't, but it's definitely one of the very best movies I've ever seen.

2010 Round-Up

Well hello there, and Happy New Year! I just got back from my monthlong vacation, so I'm a couple of days late in posting my 2010 wrap-up. I watched 94 movies last year (that is, movies I was watching for the first time), all of which are represented in the graphic above. Later today I'll post a short round-up of my top 10 favorites (Edit: It's here!), but here's the alphabetical shortlist as a teaser.

Fantastic Mr Fox
The Godfather Part II
The Great Escape
Hannah and Her Sisters
Holiday
Inception
It Happened One Night
El Orfanato
Tangled
Das Weisse Band

As we begin 2011, I've been thinking about the changes I'll make to this blog in the new year. For now, I just want it to be more of the same. And by that, I really do mean more. More posts on a more regular basis, more movie diversity, more planned-ahead pieces and more features. I'm committed to this, so I hope it works well.

From The Trenches: Top 10 Favorite Actors - Serkis & Thompson

Top 10 favorite actors, continued...

• Andy Serkis

Long before Avatar, Andy Serkis started the dialogue for considering motion capture performances for major acting awards. And rightly so. While I found most of the Avatar performances to be cheesy and way over-the-top, Serkis did brilliant, subtle work in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, not to mention his underappreciated role in King Kong. Of course, he's also great in real-life roles - he was so much fun in 13 Going On 30, for example, and he held together the sloppy The Cottage. He has some real humdingers coming up: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Burke & Hare, The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn (probably the most anticipated movie of my life) and, if it ever gets made, The Hobbit. I can't wait. 

Favorite role: Gollum in The Lord of the Rings

• Emma Thompson

I'm not sure I can put into words what I love about Emma Thompson. I think it's this: even though she's a brilliant, talented, beautiful, multiple Oscar-winning star, she seems like someone you would know in real life. I'm thinking of Love Actually or her devastating performance in the TV movie Wit. By the time she's listening to her Joni Mitchell CD in the former or having The Runaway Bunny read to her in the latter, I'm a wreck; Thompson plays the scenes perfectly, but it's how relatable and raw she is that pushes them over the edge. She makes her characters real and believable in a way few actors really can. I think there's something particular about the way she delivers her lines - she's very careful and deliberate with her words, which makes it seem like she's actually thinking about what to say. When I heard that she was wearing a fat suit in Love Actually, I was completely amazed. It suddenly became clear to me that the whole thing wasn't real at all - obviously I know that Love Actually was not a documentary, but she sold the character so well that such a thing had never occurred to me. And then, on the other hand, she plays angels, wizards and whatever Nanny McPhee is. That's some range.

Favorite role: Vivian Bearing in Wit (TV)

(Branagh & Grant)
(Hepburn & Hoffman)
(Keaton & Lemmon)
(Posey & Rockwell)
(Serkis & Thompson)

From the Trenches: Top 10 Favorite Actors - Branagh & Grant

I started this post several weeks ago on a slow day at work. I was planning to do a top 5 actors and top 5 actresses, but I ended up with 6 actors and 4 actresses so I thought it was more fair to combine them into a top 10. For some reason, I'm just not as interested in actresses - maybe that's a topic for another day...

 

• Kenneth Branagh

I think most of Kenneth Branagh's roles can be split into two broad categories. The first category is the classical roles - his adaptations of Shakespeare, for example, or Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He's very good in these kind of roles. The second category is the roles where he is, for lack of a better word, kind of a dick - like in Peter's Friends, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Celebrity (don't get me started on that one again), and so many more. I really love this latter group. For some reason, I enjoy watching villainous characters, and while most of Branagh's roles are not in the hammy vein of super-villain Dr. Arliss Loveless (yes, I'm even willing to defend him in Wild Wild West. Within reason.), he seems to play unlikable characters easily and well. For me, his very best performances are where the two categories overlap, specifically in Othello and Much Ado About Nothing. Here he has the benefit of a rock-solid script and a three-dimensional character, which can only elevate his strong performance. Of all Shakespeare's characters, Iago has the third-most lines, after Hamlet and Richard III. Compared to Othello himself, Iago is always the more intriguing character, and Branagh makes him mesmerizing. (Side note: my favorite Shakespeare play is Richard III - Branagh played that role on stage, but I really hope he makes a movie one day.)

Favorite role: Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing

• Cary Grant 

Unlike most of the actors on this list, I don't remember the first time I saw Cary Grant on screen. Doesn't it feel like you've just always known who he was? What I love about watching him is how effortless he makes everything look. His line readings are so natural, with that unmistakable accent, and I really like how silly he's willing to look for a laugh. Consensus seems to say that George Clooney is Grant's modern-day equivalent; obviously Clooney is also effortlessly handsome, but there's something about him I sometimes find grating. He can seem smug and condescending, like he knows how superior he is, but I never get that feeling from Grant. Not that he doesn't think highly of himself, just there are more important things on his mind. I made it my mission to watch his whole filmography (so far: only 12 of 75), and so far, most of them are gems. Of course, I love when he stars opposite Katharine Hepburn, who also makes this list. Their chemistry is so sharp, they're a joy to watch together. At the beginning of Holiday (1938), when he takes a bite out of the apple in her hand, there's absolutely no doubt that they're meant to end up together. As idiosyncratic as he is as a performer, he makes every role believable; maybe that's because he's just so fun to watch that you cut him more slack, but I think he's a supremely talented actor and I'm sticking to that.

Favorite role: C.K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story

(Branagh & Grant)

(Hepburn & Hoffman)

(Keaton & Lemmon)

(Posey & Rockwell)

(Serkis & Thompson)

You Mustn't Be Afraid to Dream a Little Bigger: Ranking Christopher Nolan

I saw Inception yesterday, and because I am who I am, I was already ranking it within Christopher Nolan's work before the movie was over. Below, my ranking based on 24 hours of reflection on Inception. 

A couple of notes on this list: the first three movies all rank in my top 100 favorites, with #1 placing in the top 10 and #2 probably cracking the top 25. In parentheses at the end are the number of times I've seen each - I think this is important because repeat viewings of Inception will probably improve it for me. Obviously, this is your possible SPOILER ALERT.

1. Memento

I remember the first time I saw Memento. I sat on the edge of my seat, open-mouthed and tense, my eyes darting around the screen. When it was over, I sat back and thought about it for who knows how long. Then I watched it again, this time from the edge of the coffee table, about a foot away from the TV. Not a lot of movies prompt an immediate rewatch, but Memento blew my mind. I read about the option on certain versions of the DVD to watch the film in chronological order, but I don't think I would want to. The thrill of it is watching Leonard get closer to the truth while you know the clock is ticking away. The ratcheting tension works well to keep your mind focused on the details, which is essential; I'm sure there are a lot of parallels between Memento and Inception, which I'll have to revisit when I see the latter film again. Memento has three great performances from Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss, which only get better on repeat viewings. It's been a while since I saw it last and my opinion of what actually happened is solidifying in my mind, so it's probably about time I watched it again. The longer you wait, the more sure you are of what you understand about the film, but each viewing yields something a little different. I think it's a genuine classic. (4 times)

2. The Prestige

I would guess that my high ranking of this movie is where I differ from most other Nolan fans, although everyone I know who has seen the movie loved it so I may be wrong. I read the book it was based on and wasn't hugely impressed - I felt the author tipped his hand on the big twist way too early, and there was a framing device that I thought didn't work. However, Nolan managed to take that material and make a clever, entertaining and thrilling film. There are great performances throughout, but particularly from Rebecca Hall, David Bowie and Hugh Jackman. The high rewatch value of The Prestige doesn't come from scouring it again for clues - the ending is not as ambiguous as some others on the list - but from sheer enjoyment of a beautifully crafted film filled with skilled actors who are clearly having a great time. (6 times)

3. The Dark Knight

It's hard to talk about something that's already had so much said about it, but The Dark Knight is an amazing movie. Its crowning achievement is, of course, Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker. It's the kind of performance that makes you think, "I've never seen anyone do anything like this before." He was manic, hilarious, tragic and spellbinding. Completely deserving of the Oscar, and really, a performance that hopefully will go down in history as one of the best. As for the rest of the movie, it matches Ledger's intensity, and the other actors are all excellent. The make-up/special effects work on Aaron Eckhart (who is great in the part of Harvey Dent) is amazing, and all of the larger-scale effects are stunning. It's a comic book movie without the cheese, the immaturity and the pandering; it's bleak and kind of a downer, and I love that. The hero is not always heroic, he doesn't always get the girl (and wow, sometimes she doesn't make it at all - I really didn't expect that) and sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. I can't wait to see how Nolan finishes out the trilogy, but I don't want it to end. (once)

4. Inception

On the whole, I liked Inception. I had a weirdly muted reaction to it though, and I'm still trying to process why that is. The acting was across the board excellent - Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard were especially good, and I thought Ellen Page and Tom Hardy were very impressive - so no complaints there. The effects, which we've glimpsed in trailers and stills, were spectacular. The plot... well, here's an issue. I understood the plot and I understood the basic physics of extraction, but the climax of the film hinges on the characters being kicked out of each level of the dream. Based on what we had seen so far and what I know about dreaming, I didn't understand the problem - wouldn't one kick from the base level of the dream work through all the levels to wake them up, instead of needing a series of kicks from every level? So there's one problem: the movie's world required a lot of explanation, and it's hard to balance that much exposition with enough action to stop the film dragging. I'm not sure the ratio was right - just a smidge too little explanation goes a long way in a film like this - but another viewing may clear that up. Another big stumbling block for me was, weirdly enough, Shutter Island. I saw it just a few weeks ago, and I was constantly reminded of the relationship between Teddy and Dolores (the ghostly visions, the mysterious death and the constant guilt) in the scenes between Dom and Mal. If DiCaprio hadn't been in both films, I probably wouldn't have even noticed a parallel, but he was so I did. I think the connection just took me out of the movie and broke my concentration, which didn't help because there was a lot of information to process. This is why I think I need to see Inception again when it comes out on DVD. That should be enough distance to judge it again on its own merits. (once)

5. Batman Begins

As an origin story, Batman Begins works really well. Christian Bale makes a very convincing Bruce Wayne - brooding and moody in private, but a charming playboy in public - and the tone captures the darker tone of the better Batman comics. Nolan does well to balance the heavy back story with a compelling villain, Scarecrow, who doesn't play a major role in the Batman canon (and the surprise reveal of a more compelling villain, R'as al Ghul, who does). To start with Batman battling the Joker, as Tim Burton did, feels too compressed - such an important villain needs more space to operate than an origin story can provide. Batman Begins works well in setting a tone and mood, introducing a well-developed hero (well, hero-ish) and a host of other key characters (good work too from Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman), and with the final reveal of the Joker card, starting a feverish anticipation for what promised to be an even more impressive sequel. (twice)

6. Following

Of all seven of the films, this is the one that I could see being remade in 20 or so years. Visually, it doesn't feel idiosyncratically Nolan's; obviously the low budget comes into play there, and the inexperience (although that is not noticeable at all). Structurally, it's him to a tee. The film employs the same circular storytelling used in Memento and Inception, and once again, he's a few steps ahead of the viewer. I love trying to figure out a twist before the film arrives there, and if a writer manages to stump me, I have two possible reactions: either I feel cheated because the solution is unguessable, totally out of the logic and evidence of the film to that point, or it doubles my enjoyment of the picture because it was in front of me all the time. I find Nolan's films to be the latter; I love that I don't see the endings coming, yet they make perfect sense. The black and white cinematography helps in this film's twist ending. It's disorienting. The viewer is never quite sure of the day or time or chronology; all we have to go on is Bill's hair and wounds. For a first feature, it's very impressive, and I see why Nolan was given the chance to do more. One day, though, I can see another young filmmaker taking the dynamite plot and developing it further. (once)

7. Insomnia

Insomnia is definitely an enjoyable film - twisty and ambiguous enough to provoke plenty of thought and debate and of course, beautifully shot. Somehow, though, it doesn't fit with the rest of the films. I just did a quick IMDB search and confirmed what I already assumed: unlike every other film on the list, Nolan didn't write this one. I wonder if it's really that simple an explanation (my first thought was, "well, of course that's the problem." But we have no other evidence to prove or disprove this rule, so I can't be sure). One other issue I found: while Al Pacino gives a fine performance, I don't know if he's a good fit with Nolan. He always threatens to take over the picture, unlike Robin Williams or Hilary Swank, who fit better into the ensemble. I think Nolan's films require a balanced cast, and this one felt a little too focused on Pacino. (once)