Anton Corbijn is one of the most prolific and influential artist of our generation. The documentary Inside Out takes an in-depth look at the workings of Corbijn and how he has been able to generate such a tremendous following amongst people from all facets of life.
Below you can find the Trailer of the film along with the press release for the DVD.
Photographer, filmmaker and video artist Anton Corbijn is one of the most prolific artists of our time. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the World including Joy Division, U2, Nirvana, David Bowie, Metallica, Depeche Mode,Clint Eastwood, The Rolling Stones, and R.E.M.
Anton Corbijn has shaped his subjects’ images for many years with his unique iconography, but who is the man behind the camera and what drives him?
Inside Out explores Corbijn’s persona, uncovering his motivation and inherent conflict as an artist, between audience's admiration and personal loneliness. It comes to DVD on 17 September 2012 courtesy of Momentum Pictures.
Director Klaartje Quirijns uses critical and insightful interviews with artists such as Bono, George Clooney and Corbijn’s family and follows the man himself, to his home, where he grew up, his studio and places of work to reveal his inspiration, his drive and his own demons.
Featuring appearances from U2, Metallica, Lou Reed, Arcade Fire, Depeche Mode and an outstanding soundtrack including Joy Division, Nirvana, Depeche Mode, U2 and original music by Gavin Friday, this is a fascinating and revealing portrait of one
of the most significant artists of post-modern pop culture.
Title: Anton Corbijn Inside Out
Release Date: 17 September 2012
RRP: £12.99 Cert: 15
Cat. No.: MP1171D Barcode: 5060116727289
Running time: 80 mins approx Language: English/Dutch with subs
Showing posts with label Artist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Artist. Show all posts
Best of Black Sheep: THE ARTIST
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
THE MEN BEHIND THE ARTISTAn interview with THE ARTIST director, Michel Hazanavicius and star, Jean Dujardin
As is ordinarily the rule during the holiday season, film audiences are inundated with grandiose family fare and a slew of prestige pictures designed to use the power of words to move people to both laughter and tears. One notable exception this year falls somewhere in the middle of this spectrum but does so without uttering a single syllable.
THE ARTIST, French director, Michel Hazanavicius’s ode to an era of cinema that has long been forgotten, will most certainly differentiate itself from the glut of awards season contenders this year, simply by being the charming delight of a film that it is. There is one other factor that will likely get everyone talking about it though; it’s silent.
As I’m sure you can imagine, getting THE ARTIST made was no easy feat. “At the very beginning, I felt very lonely because nobody wanted to make this movie,” Hazanavicius tells me when we meet at the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the many carefully chosen festival stops THE ARTIST made on its path towards tentative Oscar gold. “Now, to see so many people delighted to see the film, it’s very gratifying,” he concludes, with sincere and evident appreciation.
The idea to make a silent movie was one Hazanavicius tossed around for years and one that he is certain he is not alone in having. “It is a fantasy that I think many directors have,” he claims. “A lot of us would love to at least try to do it. Maybe I wanted it a little bit more.” It was not until after he found success with his OSS 117 spy film series that anyone took his idea seriously though. “Once you have some success, people don’t see you the same way,” he admits. “Suddenly, something that could be insane becomes doable.”
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| Hazanavicius, watching the magic happen. |
And so Hazanavicius enlisted the help of his OSS 117 stars, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo (who is, incidentally, also his wife), to take on the leads in his crazy dream project. According to Hazanavicius, Bejo was on board from the start, but Dujardin was somewhat concerned when he first heard of the idea. “Yes, I thought he was crazy but Michel is incredibly hard working,” Dujardin confided to me, when we too met at this year’s TIFF. “Michel’s preparation ahead of time made everything go smooth though and he has advanced his career ten years with this film.”
Hazanavicius’s research included screening several silent films, his favorites being the American examples from the final years of the silent era (1924-1929). “I watched a lot of silent films to understand the rules and there are more rules than in a usual movie,” he explains. “In many ways though, it was more freeing. You can go places you usually don’t go because it does not have to be so realistic.”
Despite all his well researched knowledge on the subject, Hazanavicius knew that selling THE ARTIST to mainstream audiences would not be so simple. This awareness directly influenced the story of the film. “I thought that to tell a story about a silent actor would make things easier for the audience to accept it was a silent movie,” he says of the story’s origins. In keeping with that, Dujardin plays a successful Hollywood star who falls out of favour when he refuses to acknowledge the “talkies” as anything but a passing fad.
Modern audiences might find the shift in pace to be an adjustment at first, but what makes THE ARTIST so successful is its inherent celebration of the cinema itself. By scaling everything back, Hazanavicius reminds us what true movie magic is. The fact that he and his incredibly talented cast, which also includes John Goodman and James Cromwell, do so without any dialogue, begs the question, do today’s movies talk way too much?
“Language is very practical but it is usually just information,” Hazanavicius responds. “It’s so rich to communicate in other ways and it is too easy to just use words.” This is a sentiment that Dujardin also agrees on. “The overuse of dialogue in modern movies is just a sign of not trusting the actor’s performance. Many things can be expressed without words.”
Whether general filmgoers embrace THE ARTIST remains to be seen but at this stage, that almost seems beside the point. “The arch of this film’s journey is such a nice story,” says a very proud, Hazanavicius. “And it’s still barely beginning.”
THE ARTISTWritten and Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman and James Cromwell
George Valentin (on a title card): I won’t talk. I won’t say a word!
Some critics would be hard pressed to find genuine artistry in the film industry today, but they needn’t look any further than THE ARTIST, French director, Michel Hazanavicius’s homage to another era. It is a fine celebration of the cinema and the art involved in making the movies feel magical. True to the period in which it is set (Hollywood, 1927), the film is black and white, shot in the more box-y 1.33:1 aspect ratio and, perhaps most notably, the film is silent. Somehow though, without a single word uttered throughout, THE ARTIST keeps you hanging on every frame.
George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), the artist in THE ARTIST, believes the introduction of sound into film to be a gimmick, a passing fad. You and I both know how very wrong he was but he held true to the cinema’s authentic and humble origins. His refusal to grow and change with the times finds him falling out of favour with his studio and subsequently continuing to fall, only this time on hard times. Meanwhile, the woman he is in love with, actress Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo, Hazanavicius’s wife) is being swept up in the emerging success of the “talkies”. Valentin must essentially adapt or die; he must find his voice again in order to finally be heard by his public and the woman he loves. As simple as the plot is, it is its refined execution that makes the whole exercise seem effortless, allowing nothing but great warmth and passion to emanate from the screen.
It’s funny how we take things like dialogue for granted and it’s hard to believe that the movies really were like this at one point in time. As demonstrated in the film’s opening sequence, elegant theatres would be filled to capacity with patrons decked out in their finest wares, anxiously awaiting the latest screen adventures of their favorite Hollywood stars. An orchestra would not only fill the room with music but it would also fill the silence between the actors on the screen. Emotion and intention needed to be clearly communicated without speaking in order for the film to be successful. And while it may at times come off as exaggerated or false, the point was usually made. By honouring the silent film and doing it such great justice, THE ARTIST almost renders the usage of words completely pointless.
PressPausePlay (Documentary)
Saturday, March 24, 2012
PressPausePlay is a documentary that looks at the changing impression of art all around the world over the last few years. It focuses on different aspects of this change keeping in mind the improvements in technology and how this has revolutionized arts in all its forms, be it painting, writing, acting, or music.
With technology becoming extensively mobile and its easy availability becoming more and more widespread, there has been an increase in the number of so called "artists". The documentary looks at how, in the present day and age it is easy to self publish a book or promote oneself on YouTube (or elsewhere) as an actor or a musician or in any other art.
With Blogging, Twitter, Facebook making everyone a mini-celebrity in their own right the documentary raises an important question of differentiating the mediocre from the talented. While this change has resulted in new discoveries in different fields of art, it has also, because of the extreme numbers, hidden true talent in-between the vast sea of mediocrity.
On a personal note, I do disagree with the notion that talent is getting sidelined because of the huge influx of mediocre or poor artists. I have always believed that just like beauty, talent too lies in the eyes or the beholder. What might be music to your ears could simply be noise for me. So who really has the right to judge talent? Keeping this in mind, if technology has given everyone of us a method and a way to express what we believe to be as our talent, then there should not be a problem with that. True talent, popular talent, will eventually crawl out of this pile of artists and eventually rise up.
PressPausePlay is a well made documentary with quite a few famous personalities giving their two cents worth of opinions on the progression of art in the present century. It's a documentary that encourages everyone, artist or non-artist, to go out and experiment and showcase their hidden talents.
PressPausePlay is an important documentary that should be watched by everyone who has any link whatsoever with art because it gives a hint of the “artistic” future; and asks us to be a part of it in whichever way we can.
The documentary PressPausePlay is available on Vimeo.
Black Sheep Reviews presents the 2011 Mouton d'Or Awards
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Last year I welcomed you to the sixth annual Mouton d'Or Awards and announced that they would be the last time they would be brought to you by Black Sheep Reviews. The intent was to start a new site but life got awful busy, as it tends to do, and here we are. Still Black Sheep presenting and do you know what? I'm happy it worked out this way. It's not about the site; it's about the work. OK, it's a little bit about the site but it is primarily about the work and this last year led to a lot of work for me outside Black Sheep in the world of film criticism. And I get to bring all that work back here to Black Sheep week after week. I'm not sure where Black Sheep was supposed to end up at this point but wherever this is, is pretty great.
And with that Black Sheep Reviews welcomes you to the 2011 Mouton d'Or Awards! The little silent film that could, THE ARTIST, leads this year's nominations with a total of seven but will it take the top prize? Or will it go to the one where reclusive director, Terrence Malick, attempts to capture the meaning of life on film? Perhaps it will be the one where people barely speak and spend a lot of time in cars or the one about the hot sex addict in NYC or maybe even the one where George Clooney wears Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops. It could be any one of these films. I joke about them casually here but they are all incredible films and I have fond memories of discovering each one of them. They all find some way to be honoured here but only one can take the Mouton d'Or for Best Picture.
Without further a due, ladies and gentlemen, the 2011 Mouton d'Or Awards ...
(Scroll over any title to read the original Black Sheep review.)
Contrary to what some people think, film critics do like movies. They do enjoy being entertained. Sometimes, they even enjoy big Hollywood productions like these five nominees. I chose THE HELP in this category because I was completely swept up in it, like a great deal of people out there. I finished reading the book about 20 minutes before I saw the movie and watching it come to life, albeit flawed in a few spots, was great fun for me and furthermore, I am proud to see that this film has touched so many people around the world.
It seems strange to even to suggest that a movie about the end of the world is little on any level whatsoever but when you see how striking Lars von Trier's MELANCHOLIA is, you will marvel at how little it supposedly cost to make. It is one of the most concise and effective films I've seen all year and my personal favourite from this elusive artist.
FRENCH IMMERSION
GREEN LANTERN
I don't like to spend too much time on these nominees. They have already wasted enough of mine as it is. Just look at those photos! How ridiculous do they all look? You should avoid all five but that being said, you should avoid David Gordon Green's YOUR HIGHNESS more than any other. It is pure torture from start to finish and an embarrassment for all involved.
I have to say I am completely blown away by this choice. THE TREE OF LIFE is by far one of the most polarizing films I've ever seen. People who love it, LOVE it but people who hate it, well they're willing to throw down over it. Personally, I love it. So to see that my readers overwhelmingly chose to honour it over some of the more populist choices in this category is incredible to me. Great choice, guys, and thank you to all who participated and voted in for this prize.
It still saddens me to only see two nominees in this category. I admit to not having seen some of the bigger animated films this year but that is just because they did nothing to excite me. These two are both fantastic films but the scale tips towards RANGO for being just so darn different and delicately detailed.
No matter what you think of Malick's opus, THE TREE OF LIFE, you cannot deny its exquisite beauty. This can be credited to Malick himself of course but also to his brilliant cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, his whip smart editor, Mark Yoshikawa, and special effects genius, Douglas Trumbull, who came out of retirement to help recreate the creation of the universe.
Electronic music artists taking stabs at film scores is becoming increasingly more and more popular but the inventive and unexpectedly successful work of The Chemical Brothers on HANNA makes an already exciting film experience that much more memorable. It's also a lot of fun to listen to outside of the context of the film.
KENNETH BRANNAGH in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
ALBERT BROOKS in DRIVE
ARMIE HAMMER in J. EDGAR
BRAD PITT in THE TREE OF LIFE
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER in BEGINNERS
MAX VON SYDOW in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
This category came down to two choices for me and one had to be made. There is something so infectious about Christopher Plummer's interpretation of a 75-year-old man who has just come out of the closet and been diagnosed with cancer in BEGINNERS. He has waited his whole life for this time to be himself and there is no way he is going to let a little thing like death stop him from experiencing every aspect gay life has to offer. It is truly inspiring and his performance is moving.
JESSICA CHASTAIN in THE TREE OF LIFE
MELISSA MCCARTHY in BRIDESMAIDS
JANET MCTEER in ALBERT NOBBS
CAREY MULLIGAN in SHAME
OCTAVIA SPENCER in THE HELP
SHAILENE WOODLEY in THE DESCENDANTS
Much of the awards season attention for Jessica Chastain has been for THE HELP but I fell completely in love with her in THE TREE OF LIFE. She has done plenty since then but nothing will compare to the first time for me. She deserves this all the more though for being amazing in everything she's put out this year but her work in THE TREE OF LIFE is almost angelic. She is simply luminous.
Mike Mills wrote BEGINNERS about his very own parents' relationship. By fearlessly sharing such a personal aspect of his life and weaving in such specific and vulnerable details, he created a piece that is surprisingly universal. It is quirky and insightful and just embodies for me everything than an original screenplay should. Perhaps most importantly, it is brave and honest.
THE DESCENDANTS tells a complex story and it does so sparingly and without playing to sentimentality when it so easily could considering its sensitive subject matter. Written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, this family drama is delightfully unique, oscillating between moments of light hearted humour, awkward bewilderment and real heart. It exudes a warmth that heals without even trying.
This is a new category this year. The reason it is here is because I am always blown away every year by what first time filmmakers can accomplish. All five of these films are bold, daring and stylistically fascinating works but Sean Durkin's MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE has haunted me ever since I first saw it. And despite its dark and disturbing nature, it is constantly drawing me back to it. I cannot wait to see what Durkin does next.
GEORGE CLOONEY in THE DESCENDANTS
JEAN DUJARDIN in THE ARTIST
MICHAEL FASSBENDER in SHAME
GARY OLDMAN in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
BRAD PITT in MONEYBALL
MICHAEL SHANNON in TAKE SHELTER
I would hate to be an Academy member right now. I'm not sure how I would choose between Clooney and Dujardin for the win in this category. Fortunately for me, I don't have to. I have Michael Fassbender to reward for his unforgettable turn as Brandon, a sex addict living in New York City, who is coming undone. It is too easy to say in this case but Fassbender does literally put it all out there for this character. His nakedness in SHAME, as impressive as it is, is still nothing in comparison to how naked his soul is.
GLENN CLOSE in ALBERT NOBBS
VIOLA DAVIS in THE HELP
ELIZABETH OLSEN in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
MERYL STREEP in THE IRON LADY
TILDA SWINTON in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
MICHELLE WILLIAMS in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
What an incredible year for women in film. In fact, it was this category specifically that forced me to expand the acting nominees to six in each category. There is no way I could not honour one of these fine ladies. That said, there can only be one winner and I found it too difficult to choose between Davis and Streep so I went with Tilda Swinton instead. Her work in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN may not have gotten the notice it deserved but it is stellar. Her horror is unbearable and, fortunately for us or not, she is sure to share that horror with us at all times.
This is another new category this year. You cannot possibly single out every performance in every film you like. There are some times though that it is hard to overlook just how smoothly the entire cast works with each other. All five of these nominees boast impressive performances across the board and chemistry that is unmatched but the cast of 50/50 is a total dream. Joseph Gordon-Levitt leads, and strongly I might add, a sensitive Seth Rogen, a charming Anna Kendrick, a disturbing Bryce Dallas Howard and a heartbreaking Anjelica Huston. Together, they tow an incredibly difficult line between drama and comedy, making for a much more real look at dealing with cancer than any would have expected.
MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS for THE ARTIST
STEVE MCQUEEN for SHAME
ALEXANDER PAYNE for THE DESCENDANTS
NICOLAS WINDING REFN for DRIVE
LARS VON TRIER for MELANCHOLIA
All five of these directors knew what they wanted and got exactly that out of their pictures but one of them did so with an insane idea. Michel Hazanavicius has wanted to make a silent film for years now and he never gave up. He kept pushing until he finally found someone to back him and once he had the support, he didn't squander a single bit of it. His choices are all deliberate, all respect the rules of the era he is trying to capture and they subsequently allow for an enchanting film experience unlike any other I've had this year. I commend the man and his bravery for making a silent movie at a time when there is so much noise to distract us from the simpler things. Hazanavicius is THE ARTIST.
Out of the 130+ movies I saw last year, these five left the biggest mark on my soul. And while it was incredibly difficult to pick just one, I only had to think back to what it was like to experience these movies for the first time to make that choice. THE ARTIST was a delight. THE DESCENDANTS was cathartic. SHAME was gut wrenching. And THE TREE OF LIFE was monumental. But Nicolas Winding Refn's DRIVE was different. I hadn't seen anything quite like it before. It was quiet one moment and then uproarious the next. It was romantic and simple but then violent and disturbingly so. Everything about it exuded style, from the car chases to the soundtrack to mounting tension between leads, Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. I remember feeling like DRIVE had practically driven right over me by the time it was done. And all I knew was I wanted to take that drive all over again the moment it finished. No other movie got my motor running like this one and that is why the 2011 Mouton d'Or Award for Best Picture goes to
Thank you kindly for reading.
Here's to another great year at the movies!
THE OSCARS: Predictions
Here is the hard truth about Oscar predictions. For the most part, you are not going to win the pot by making inspired choices in the major categories. With a couple of notable exceptions, those are all pretty much sewn up already. So, don't be bold. Play it safe when you the know the general consensus is going in a particular direction. Just because you really loved Glenn Close in ALBERT NOBBS does not mean there is a genuine chance she will take the award tonight. Sentiment, at least when it comes to Oscar polls, is for losers.
Now, where you need to shine is in the smaller categories. Often times, nobody has even seen the nominees so with a little help from yours truly, perhaps we can get that money in your pocket by the time they call THE ARTIST as Best Picture. If we do win though, I expect 10% off the top.
(Click on any highlighted title for the original Black Sheep review.)
BEST PICTURE
Will Win: THE ARTIST
Should Win: THE ARTIST
Could Win: THE HELP, HUGO
Of the bunch, THE ARTIST is the most universally loved. It may not be the Best Picture amongst the nominees but it has less detractors than the rest and is truly a delight and deserving of the crown.
BEST ACTOR
Will Win: George Clooney for THE DESCENDANTS
Should Win: Jean Dujardin for THE ARTIST
Could Win: Jean Dujardin
Hollywood is in love with THE ARTIST and Dujardin is certainly a charmer. That said, I believe that Clooney, the early favourite for this honour, will still triumph. He is Hollywood royalty, has never won in this category and was at his best in THE DESCENDANTS. This is the closest race of the night.
BEST ACTRESS
Will Win: Viola Davis for THE HELP
Should Win: Viola Davis
Could Win: Meryl Streep for THE IRON LADY
Davis may have stumbled a little bit when she lost to Streep at the Golden Globes but even Streep seemed surprised by that. I believe the Academy will reward her tender performance in THE HELP but Streep is long overdue. What Streep has to do though is be her usual great self but in a better movie.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will Win: Christopher Plummer for BEGINNERS
Should Win: Christopher Plummer
Could Win: No one ... maybe Max Von Sydow, but not really
Plummer has this one wrapped up and deservedly so. Von Sydow is his only competition and that's just because he's been around a lot longer than the other nominees.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Will Win: Octavia Spender for THE HELP
Should Win: Octavia Spencer
Could Win: Again, not really anyone, maybe Melissa McCarthy
Spencer has won every major award thrown at her. I do not expect her to miss out here. Chastain could have been a bigger threat if she was nominated for another movie.
BEST DIRECTOR
Will Win: Michel Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST
Should Win: Michel Hazanavicius
Could Win: Martin Scorsese for HUGO
Hazanavicius is the clear front runner here. He also took the Director's Guild Award and the Academy tends to follow suit. Scorsese has a surprising amount of support for HUGO but he just won not too long ago, and for a much better film.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will Win: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Should Win: A SEPARATION
Could Win: THE ARTIST
I think this is Woody's to lose. The Academy will want to recognize the success of MIDNIGHT IN PARIS somehow and this is the easiest way to do that. It isn't fully undeserving but he has done better, in my opinion. A sweep for THE ARTIST could derail this though.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Will Win: THE DESCENDANTS
Should Win: THE DESCENDANTS
Could Win: MONEYBALL
I loved the screenplay for THE DESCENDANTS and much like the Original Screenplay category, the Academy will want to reward Alexander Payne somehow for his latest and this seems like the most apt way. Early favourite, MONEYBALL could still come back so beware of balls out of left field.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Will Win: A SEPARATION
Should Win: MONSIEUR LAZHAR
Could Win: IN DARKNESS
Being the only nominee with any love in any other category, Original Screenplay nominee, A SEPARATION, should continue its winning streak here. It's a fantastic film and I will be happy to see it win but I would love Canada to take it of course for MONSIEUR LAZHAR. Meanwhile, IN DARKNESS is a powerful underdog in this category.
ANIMATED FEATURE
Will Win: RANGO
Should Win: RANGO
Could Win: No competition
Admittedly, I have not seen the two smaller nominees in this category but who has? Aside from those, everything else in this category is too lame and populist to win. RANGO is a lock.
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Will Win: A MORNING STROLL
Should Win: LA LUNA
Could Win: THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE
I found A MORNING STROLL to be tight, concise and hilarious. I believe its commentary of the deterioration of society and courtesy will appeal to the Academy. That being said, the one about the flying books and how reading is sadly dying might take it. I hope it doesn't.
EDITING
Will Win: THE ARTIST
Should Win: HUGO
Could Win: HUGO
As THE ARTIST is poised for Best Picture, this category usually follows suit. That being said, HUGO is a much showier film and could easily triumph here. I am still betting on THE ARTIST though.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Will Win: THE TREE OF LIFE
Should Win: THE TREE OF LIFE
Could Win: HUGO, THE ARTIST
The one thing everyone can agree on when it comes to THE TREE OF LIFE is that it is gorgeous and breathtakingly so. It will not win anywhere else but there is nothing right with the world if it doesn't win here.
ART DIRECTION
Will Win: HUGO
Should Win: HUGO
Could Win: THE ARTIST
HUGO is the most nominated film this year and this is because it excels in the technical categories. It is a lushly elaborate production and I think it has this category in the bag.
COSTUME DESIGN
Will Win: THE ARTIST
Should Win: JANE EYRE
Could Win: W.E.
THE ARTIST is simple elegant and perfectly period so this category should get swept up with its momentum. Madonna's W.E. did take honours with the costume designers themselves though so she could be trouble.
MAKEUP
Will Win: THE IRON LADY
Should Win: THE IRON LADY
Could Win: ALBERT NOBBS
At the end of the day, making Streep look old should win out over making Close look like a man. This is primarily because Streep looks more genuinely old than Close looks genuinely like a man.
ORIGINAL SCORE
Will Win: THE ARTIST
Should Win: THE ARTIST
Could Win: HUGO
You try scoring a silent film! I'm pretty sure the Academy will recognize this undertaking unless HUGO seems to be gaining the favour of the night.
ORIGINAL SONG
Will Win: THE MUPPETS
Should Win: THE MUPPETS
Could Win: RIO
As there are only two nominees here (again, lame.), it is entirely possible RIO could take it over THE MUPPETS. Who else could? It won't though.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Will Win: THE RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Should Win: THE RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Could Win: HUGO
While no one could agree as to whether Andy Serkis deserved an Oscar nod for his role as Cesar the ape, everyone could agree he looked damn real.
SOUND MIXING and SOUND EDITING
Will Win: HUGO
Should Win: HUGO
Could Win: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
I lopped these two categories together because I just feel HUGO will take them both anyway. The film may not have the overall support but it does have the technical support for sure.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Will Win: PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY
Should Win: Cannot say
Could Win: PINA
I love documentaries but the one's I see never seem to be nominated. I have seen and loved PINA and Wim Wender's 3D dance film has a good chance at an upset but PARADISE LOST 3, about the West Memphis Three convicts, is certainly the most buzzed about.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Will Win: Cant's say
Should Win: Can't say
Could Win: Can't say
Sorry, I have not seen nor do I know anything about these titles. I cannot know everything! I'm going with what the generally accepted industry odds are here: SAVING FACE
LIVE ACTION SHORT
Will Win: THE SHORE
Should Win: TUBA ATLANTIC
Could Win: PENTECOST
Of the five, THE SHORE, was the least interesting to me but it is the only one with a name director and actor. That should give it the edge.
That's all of them! For those of you throwing a party, don't forget to get people to guess what time the Oscars will end on their ballot. It is the best way to break a tie.
Best of luck to all of you and enjoy the show!
The 84th Annual Academy Awards
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The nominations are finally out! The Academy went with nine Best Picture nominees. I went with eight in my predictions and all eight of those made the list. How could I have known EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE would snag a nod in the top category? And what? A tenth film would have really been that bad? Round it out, people!
First of all, I was 82% right with my predictions. My worst showing came from the Original Screenplay category. MARGIN CALL? Who knew? There are some mistakes I'm quite pleased about. The first is Terrence Malick for Best Director for THE TREE OF LIFE, which also made its way into the Best Picture race when so many people had written it off. The new Best Picture voting system favours films that have passionate followings and that definitely applies to this polarizing picture.
Other happy surprises this morning include Gary Oldman's Best Actor nomination for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, which also managed a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination; Melissa McCarthy for Best Supporting Actress in BRIDESMAIDS, which also scored a Best Original Screenplay nod; and Max von Sydow for Best Supporting Actor in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE. All three names were tossed around but were never sure things and I'm happy to see them amongst this list.
Unacceptable oversights on the Academy's part include Michael Fassbender for Best Actor in SHAME. This snub is reason enough for me to consider not watching the show. Tilda Swinton in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN was also overlooked. I never really thought she could make it in such a competitive year but Elizabeth Olsen was incredible in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE. 50/50 missed on the Best Original Screenplay category too. And Albert Brooks was overlooked for his delicious turn in DRIVE. Oh, and what about PROJECT NIM for Documentary Feature or the Golden Globe winner for Best Animated Feature, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN?! And to top it off, all of these incredible films were ignored completely in all the other categories (except for DRIVE, which scored a Sound Editing, and TINTIN, which scored an Original Score nod).
Oh, and did anyone notice that THE HELP did not score a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination? I guess that Best Picture win is looking a little less likely.
Here is the full list of nominees for the 84th annual Academy Awards. The winners will be announced on February 26, 2012.
(Scroll over any film title for the original Black Sheep review.)
BEST PICTURE
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
THE HELP
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MONEYBALL
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Demian Bichir in A BETTER LIFE
George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS
Jean Dujardin in THE ARTIST
Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Glenn Close in ALBERT NOBBS
Viola Davis in THE HELP
Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Meryl Streep in THE IRON LADY
Michelle Williams in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kenneth Brannagh in MY WEEK WITH MARIYLN
Jonah Hill in MONEYBALL
Nick Nolte in WARRIOR
Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS
Max von Sydow in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Berenice Bejo in THE ARTIST
Jessica Chastain in THE HELP
Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS
Janet McTeer in ALBERT NOBBS
Octavia Spencer in THE HELP
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
A CAT IN PARIS
CHICO AND RITA
KUNG FU PANDA 2
PUSS IN BOOTS
RANGO
CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE ARTIST
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE
ART DIRECTION
THE ARTIST
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
HUGO
WAR HORSE
COSTUME DESIGN
ANONYMOUS
THE ARTIST
HUGO
JANE EYRE
W.E.
DIRECTING
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
THE TREE OF LIFE
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
HELL AND BACK AGAIN
IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT
PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY
PINA
UNDEFEATED
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM: FOOT SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
GOD IS THE BIGGER ELVIS
INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD
SAVING FACE
THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM
FILM EDITING
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BULLHEAD (Belgium)
MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Canada)
A SEPARATION (Iran)
FOOTNOTE (Israel)
IN DARKNESS (Poland)
MAKEUP
ALBERT NOBBS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
THE IRON LADY
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
THE ARTIST
HUGO
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
WAR HORSE
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
MAN OR MUPPET from THE MUPPETS
REAL IN RIO from RIO
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
DIMANCHE/SUNDAY
THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE
LA LUNA
A MORNING STROLL
WILD LIFE
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
PENTECOST
RAJU
THE SHORE
TIME FREAK
TUBA ATLANTIC
SOUND EDITING
DRIVE
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE
SOUND MIXING
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE
VISUAL EFFECTS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
HUGO
REAL STEAL
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
THE IDES OF MARCH
MONEYBALL
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
THE ARTIST
BRIDESMAIDS
MARGIN CALL
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
A SEPARATION
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