Best of the Best: The Kings Speech vs. The Artist

BEST OF THE BEST

I've decided to try something new here at the Oscars Project. It's something I've entitled "Best of the Best". I'm going to pit 2 Best Pictures against each other, and lay out who I think would win. I'll try to make it as random and unbiased as possible. Sometimes I'll pit similar films against each other, sometimes old vs recent, sometimes I'll randomly select 2 films.

To start it off, I thought I'd do something recent, and relevant. The King's Speech (2010) vs. The Artist (2011). To me these 2 films are, in a way, similar. Both are about a man struggling with finding his voice. While Bertie, in the King's Speech was thrust into the limelight or being a King, George, in the Artist, was highly regarded and was suddenly cast down. Both are about a man's journey as he finds where he's meant to be, and finds their voice. Both learn to "speak".

The King's Speech was met with critical acclaim. It was first shown at the Telluride Film Festival, but really got it's start just a little bit later in September at the Toronto International Film Festival where it got a standing ovation and won the People's Choice Award. From there it picked up steam. However, when it came to awards season, there was another movie that came along. The Social Network. Most of the awards were pretty split between TKS and TSN. However, many called The King's Speech an Oscar-bait film, being a period piece, a true story, and about British Royalty, with a dab of WWII. It was also deemed a "feel good" film, many people saying it is a good thing, and others, not so much. While it sits with a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, many also felt it was the "safe" choice that year, beating out edgier films like The Social Network and Black Swan.

Aside from that, the King's Speech gave some incredible performances. Colin Firth picked up his first Oscar for the performance, and rightly so. He played the stuttering future King Bertie to perfection, and made us feel empathetic. He was able to capture the humor, but also the sorrow of the situation delightfully. Geoffrey Rush was also nominated, and did a splendid performance as Bertie's speech coach, Lionel. He was quirky and spunky, but was brave and honest. Helena Bonham Carter was charming and a bit snooty, but very loving. Also nominated.

The Artist, on the other hand, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2011 and is a silent, black and white film. Jean Dujardin won the Best Actor Award, and the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or. The film was popular in many Film festivals, and when it came to Awards Season, the movie picked up tons of awards, with no real "second place" movie. It sits with a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. And while it was extremely popular, many called it "gimmicky", because of it being a silent films, shot in the aspect ratios of the 20s/30s, and being in black and white. They said the story was a mix of Singin' In the Rain, and A Star is Born, and that it wasn't very original, and was predictable. Another film that was deemed Oscar-bait, for being different and not being "very daring".  However, the music, the performances, the costumes, were all praised. Jean Dujardin spent most of the season in a tight race with  George Clooney for Best Actor, but won out on Oscar Night.

Being silent, the performances and the music were on a pretty high expectation. The music would have to carry the film in a way that sound movies don't. And the actors would have to express everything without talking. However, these worries were quickly set aside. Jean Dujardin, who plays the charming George Valentin, looks as though he really is from another era. He has the most expressive face, and has such a smile. And his little mustache! You'd think you were actually watching a movie from the 1930s. Berenice Bejo, additionally, was so phenomenal. She was perky and peppy (excuse the pun), and just a bubble of fun. You'd believe she really was a film star from the silent days.

But who wins? Both films had similar complaints laid against them. They were too feel good, they were too safe, and the performances were stronger than the story line. The films were even nominated for the same things. The Artist, having 10 nominations, and the King's Speech having 12, all 10 that The Artist was nominated for, The King's Speech was too (the only difference being screenplay and supporting actor).

What the King's Speech has going for it is the performances. Colin Firth is thrilling and perfect, and Geoffrey Rush is great. What the Artist has going for it is the performances, and the fact that it's a silent film, in black and white.

Verdict: I think the Artist is going to take this one. (Though I enjoy The King's Speech more than The Artist, though I love them both)

Not only was it more loved than The King's Speech, but it also had no other competition that year, like The King's Speech had The Social Network. The Artist is a lot more different than The King's Speech, and it did something unique. How can a cute, well-acted and directed film, that's silent and b&w lose? It's something that sticks out in your mind a bit more than a period piece about a British Monarch. However, I'd say that Colin Firth would beat out Jean Dujardin. Dujardin was great, but Firth truly, truly nailed it for me.

Sound off in the comments if you agree/disagree. Did I pick the right winner? For the right reasons? Or was I completely off? You let me know!
Or if you have suggestions for next time's Best of the Best, write them down there too.

300th Post: Oscar Chances for "The Avengers", and Other Stuff

This will be my 300^th post and I never figured my blogging efforts would last this long. I wanted to do something special for my 300^th post, but was at a loss as to what to write about.

I had a couple of topics in mind, but couldn’t make a final decision. You would think I was deciding the fate of the world.

No more muddling though, so this post will be a mix of those topics, ideas that have been noodling around in my mind of late, with the recent box office sensation “The Avengers” at the center of all this upcoming meandering. I beg for lots of indulgence.

I’ve been happily participating in the weekly Alternate Oscars series at the wonderful Wonders in the Dark website. They’re up to 1941 now, the year John Ford’s “How Green Was My Valley” beat “Citizen Kane” for Best Oscar honors.

I love “Citizen Kane” and, audaciousness and inventiveness aside, I think it’s a hugely entertaining movie. But “How Green Was My Valley” is an equally glorious achievement in its own way, and I don’t have a problem with it earning top prize that year.

It’s very easy to pick on the Oscars, and how they often get it wrong, and how they honor conservative, playing-it-safe movies instead of more groundbreaking work. How rarely, we say, the Oscars get it right.  

But I love the Oscars and always have, and while the Oscars may not always get it right, I think the Oscars often act as a fascinating barometer reflecting society – and movies – in that given year.

The Artist’s Oscar Win

The 2011 Best Picture Oscar winner was the charming “The Artist”, a black and white silent movie about a matinee idol’s fear of the upcoming talking picture revolution. Some might think “The Artist” to be a slight fable, a nice enough movie, but hardly Best Picture material.

I’m wondering how it may have resonated with Academy voters. “The Artist” is set in the late 1920s when silent movies were giving way to talkies. There was much fear in the air in the early years. Stars were afraid how their voices would record, there were sound synchronization problems and the formerly mobile cameras were now still.

Today, the motion picture industry is facing a different kind of revolution, but one that has many in the industry looking similarly askance.  35mm film gives way to digital projection, distribution patterns change from theaters to home viewing, not to mention watching the latest blockbusters on handheld devices. There’s also the fear that someday, CGI figures will replace the performers themselves. Not to mention costume designers, set designers or construction crew people who will see their jobs go away as more and more images are added via greenscreen in the post-production process.

I wonder if many Academy members were subconsciously identifying with George Valentin, the lead character in “The Artist” and wondering what their futures hold. The clothing styles may change, but the trepidation of what new technology means to the motion picture industry is the same whether its 1928 or 2012.

The Amazing Popularity of “The Avengers”

Like I said, there is often more to popular entertainment than meets the eye. I wonder what is so appealing about “The Avengers?” I know two people who loved it, and thought it was one of the best movies they had ever seen. But the Marvel Comes universe was new to them, had never seen any of the Marvel movies that preceded “The Avengers.” and no idea of the back stories of Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, etc. So it wasn’t the continuation of the story they were responding to, or the appeal of seeing their comic book heroes come to life.

 

“The Avengers” is a happy surprise, well cast in a smart screenplay, and a marvelous turn by Tom Huddleston as the villain Loki, There’s some solid laughs here, and a couple of crowd-pleasing moments that elicited more audience cheers than any movie I’ve seen in ages.

Still, I wonder how much of it may be wish fulfillment? For the first half of the movie, The Avengers are a most dysfunctional group bickering and sparring. But when the alien menace attacks New York City, differences are put aside, the Avengers work together as a team and defeat the enemy, all for the common good.

Surely I was not the only one thinking why couldn’t this happen in real life with our politicians? The country is currently faced with seemingly insurmountable problems, yet much of Washington remains fiercely partisan. Instead of coming together to face our challenges, they continue to bicker, stall and point fingers at each other. Nothing gets done.

I think audiences may be seeing “The Avengers” as a wish fulfillment experience, especially as its coming in the midst of ever-increasing bad economic news. If the idiots in Washington can’t get their act get together, at least our movie heroes can.

Could “The Avengers” Be Nominated For Best Picture?

Back to the Oscars.

Like millions of other people around the world, I’ve seen “The Avengers” and found it a most enjoyable time at the movies. If I had to rate it on a scale of one to four stars, I would award it three stars.

Since its immense popularity among all age spectrums, I began to wonder if the Academy will honor it with a Best Picture nomination?

Initial thought tells me no, it doesn’t deserve it. Another thought tells me no comic book movie should get a Best Picture nomination. As enjoyable as some of them are, most of them come down to adults running around in costumes surrounded by CGI effects.  I can’t think of a single comic book movie deserving of a Best Picture nomination except for “Superman” (1979). (No, I haven’t forgotten about “The Dark Knight” (2008), and think it’s one of the 10 most overrated movies of all time.)

But then I began thinking of my Oscar history. The Academy has a long history of awarding a Best Picture nomination to the most financially successful movie of the year. If movies like “The Ten Commandments” (1956), “Airport” (1970), “The Towering Inferno” (1974) and “Star Wars” (1977) can get the nod, why not “The Avengers”?

Yet another thought tells me comic book movies are unworthy of serious Oscar consideration. As a genre, comic book movies are like swashbucklers. They have a pretty basic plot, good guys vs. bad guys, a pretty girl or two, action, intrigue, and a rousing action conclusion. Pretty basic stuff, and all cut pretty much from the same cloth.

But if I was a member of the Motion Picture Academy in 1938, I would not hesitate to mark my ballot for “The Adventures of Robin Hood” as Best Picture of the Year. It may be the easiest Oscar vote I’d ever make.

Sure, it’s as basic a plot as you can get, with little or no subtext at all. It’s an adventure film in the best sense, and while hardly a film for academic studies and one to be pondered over afterwards, it remains as satisfying a movie as I can imagine. It’s the one swashbuckler that I can see winning a Best Picture Oscar.

So maybe one day a comic book movie will come along as exhilarating as “The Adventures of Robin Hood”. It’s not “The Avengers”, but maybe the next one will be the comic book equivalent of Errol Flynn’s classic.  

More on “The Avengers”

If I do a Ten Best list at the end of the year, I don’t see “The Avengers” making the top 10, but top 20 for sure. I can’t get totally behind it for several reasons.  It’s a bit overlong (as most movies today tend to be), is lacking a good musical score and peters out with a wimpy final scene. Plus, the idea that superheroes on display here are seemingly invulnerable takes away from the overlong battle scene at the end.

 

Regular readers of this blog will know how important I consider a film’s musical score to be. Some films need minimal, or no scoring, and some can get along with just source music, But darn it, there are times when a big, brassy, triumphant, melodic, thematic score is called for. A movie like “The Avengers.”

Instead, the usually reliable Alan Silvestri delivers a routine score that could have been placed in any generic action movie.

It doesn’t ruin the movie, but it doesn’t do it any favors either.  I forget who said it, but a famous film composer once said a film composer’s job is akin to a mortician’s. They can’t bring a body to life, but they can make it look pretty.

A memorable score can’t save a bad movie. It’s never happened and never will. But a memorable score can make a bad film bearable, a memorable score can turn a good film into a great one and a memorable score can turn a great film into an iconic one.

I don’t blame Mr. Silvestri, as he probably delivered what was asked of him. Too many directors today are afraid of music and don’t know how it works. They’re afraid it will take away from their “vision.” So they ask for it to be as bland and unobtrusive as possible. Films today suffer because of it.

Also in the demerit column is the film’s final scene. I’m not talking about the scene showing an upcoming menace during the film’s credits or the hilarious post-credits sequence, but the film’s final scene. It’s a scene between non-superhero characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders and it’s dull. It’s so dull I can barely remember it. To end an exciting comic book movie with a scene as dull as anything found in the dullest night in Dullsville, USA is disappointing.  

I’m thinking of the final shot of a smiling Christopher Reeve flying over Earth in “Superman” (1978) backed by that exhilarating John Williams score. I wished “The Avengers” had ended in a similar way, something to send the audience out soaring.

I swear filmmakers today are afraid of using music to elicit an emotional response from viewers, as if that were a bad thing. I recently saw the teaser trailer for the new 007 film “Skyfall” and it’s OK, but it’s backed by the most generic music imaginable, making it look, and sound, like every other action movie in the marketplace. It’s a Bond movie, for God’s sake, put the Bond theme in there and make it something special. It’s not rocket science folks.

 

I promise to be more cohesive in Post #301. I do hope to blog several more times before my participation in the William Wyler blogathon, hosted by The Movie Projector,  June 24-29. I’m thrilled to be writing about the great western classic “The Big Country” (1958) on Tuesday, June 26. That post will also be more cohesive.

The Artist (re-review)

The Artist, 2011
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Nominated for 10 Oscars, Won 5
Up Against: Moneyball, War Horse, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Midnight in Paris, The Help, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, Hugo

Yes, I reviewed this movie already. I reviewed upon first seeing back in January. However, I went and saw it again after it won Best Picture and just thought I'd give it another very brief review/thoughts.

I really, really enjoy this film. And a lot of what I wasn't sure of last time, I was more warmed up to. I love, love, love the soundtrack now. At first I thought it was alright, but I guess hearing it all awards season, every time it won something, got me to warm up to it. I love it now. I thought the style of music was better suited and it felt like it stopped and started again at better times than I had originally thought the first time.

Jean Dujardin was just as brilliant as always. His performance was so expressive and everything that silent film stars were. And does anyone else think Berenice Bejo's performance was underrated? I know she was up for all the Supporting Actress awards, but I thought was she also incredibly charming and brilliant, and didn't get as much recognition as it deserved.

Also, what's interesting about this film is that it would've worked just as well as a non-silent movie. While the whole silent-black-and-white thing was a gimmick, it still would've been just as good a movie, and the performances just as charming had it been in colour and with sound.

While I really loved this movie, it came in tied for 4th place in my BP nominee rankings. (Moneyball first, then War Horse and Descendants, and tied with the Help). It's an extremely well put together movie. It's charming, yet has depth to it. Peppy and George were incredibly well developed for a silent movie (and just a movie in general!). The acting was superb, and the sets, design, and costumes were great. While the story was a little slow-moving, and not the most in-depth one, it's a charming film, and a great movie.

8/.2510

Oscar Winners Breakdown!

So the Oscars had it's fair share of upsets, surprises, and obvious 

winners. Here I'll go through all the winners (minus the documentary/animated feature/shorts) in the order announced. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Hugo"- Robert Richardson. 

The very first award of the night, and I knew it was off to an interesting start. The Tree of Life was supposed to be the obvious winner here, having picked up several awards, including the American Cinematographer's Association Award. This came as a big shock to me. Plus I was already 0/1. I knew this wasn't going to be a good night. 

ART DIRECTION

"Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

While I had predicted Hugo for this win. I was a) disappointed Harry Potter didn't steal it and b) already tired of Hugo winning. Winning the first 2 awards, announced beside each other, I knew where this was going. I wasn't the biggest fan of Hugo, obviously, but was hoping the surprising wins were over. 1/2. 

COSTUME DESIGN

"The Artist" Mark Bridges

While I also predicted Hugo for this one, it was nice to see the Artist win something early on. There were some great costumes here, and it was a deserved win. 1/3. 

MAKEUP

"The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Arguably the only award Harry Potter had a true shot on, and it lost. While I felt HP's makeup work for goblins and Voldemort were fantastic, Meryl's makeup as an old Thatcher was fantastic as well. I wrongly predicted HP to win. Why? I don't know. Silly me. 1/4. 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

"A Separation" Iran

While I know nothing of foreign films, I did get this one right! 2/5. 

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

While this was no surprise at all, I was still extraordinarily happy. Octavia looked great, and was so great in the Help. She truly deserved every award she got for the role, including this one. 3/6. 

FILM EDITING

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

A bit of a surprise, really. Most people (including myself) predicted either Hugo or the Artist to win it when The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo really took it. In a way, I'm not too surprised. While it wasn't up for BP it looked like a well edited film. Still, I didn't get this one right. 3/7. 

SOUND EDITING

"Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

Surprisingly, I did get this one correct! I figured it was going to be either Hugo or War Horse that would either win both, or just one, so I predicted Hugo for this and War Horse for Mixing, figuring I'd get at least one right, since I'm by no means a sound expert. And I got this one correct! Besides that I have no comments. 4/8. 

SOUND MIXING

"Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

And, well, Hugo ended up taking both, so I got one of them correct. 4/9. 

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

"Rango" Gore Verbinski

While I figured Rango would win, and predicted rightly so, I still secretly hoped Kung-Fu Panda 2 would win. Sadly it didn't, but I predicted correctly. 5/10. 

VISUAL EFFECTS

"Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning

Well, this was a huge, huge shocker, in my opinion. Rise of the Planet of the Apes has been a big winner this season. The apes were completely made via motion capture and visual effects, and while I didn't think they looked that great with people around them, it was pretty darn good. My second place was Harry Potter. I hadn't thought past that because I assumed they were the only 2 contenders (HP barely being one). But Hugo stole it away for it's "cool" use of 3D. Dangit. 5/11. 

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"

Was anyone really surprised? 6/12. 

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

"The Artist" Ludovic Bource

At the rate things had been going, I was worried Howard Shore's work for Hugo would steal this too. Thankfully, Bource's charming score and backbone of the film prevailed. 7/13. 

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

Again, obviously. 8/14. 

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

"The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Everyone predicted this to win, while I predicted an upset of Zaillian and Sorkin winning for Moneyball. Sadly, I was wrong. 8/15. 

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen

Thank goodness for obvious winners. I thought I had known what I was predicting. Clearly I'm a rookie. 9/16. 

DIRECTING

"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius

Honestly so excited. He was fantastic, and his direction really showed through in this film. Glad to see him win. Very touching moment. 10/17. 

ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE

Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"

I was very torn on who to win. Initially I was hardcore Clooney, but Dujardin ended up stealing my heart as the time came closer and I found myself rooting for him, though I loved both performances. The first Frenchman to win Best Actor. And a very deserving win, too. 11/18. 

ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE

Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"

While Meryl Streep is fab, this movie really was not. She's been long overdue for a win, but this shouldn't have been her year. I'd have rather seen her win for an amazing role in an amazing film. This win felt slightly underwhelming as she was the only good part in the film. I was truly rooting for Viola, and she really deserved it. Meryl should've won over Bullock for her portrayal as Julia Child. Disappointed, though Meryl is fab. 11/19. 

BEST MOTION PICTURE

"The Artist"

As the night progressed, I felt myself liking this movie more and more as I was getting a little worried Hugo had more backing from the Academy than I thought. I was utterly relieved to see this win, and was very glad it had. It was such a well made film, and it is so utterly deserving. 12/20. 

Overall, I got 12/20 (and then 2/4 for the Documentary/Animated area, in which were blind guesses based on others guesses). Giving me a total of  60% on the 20 I did breakdowns for. I didn't do so well, but this was my first year of getting into things, and only really got into it around September. It was a fun award season, though I hope next year is a lot better (:

2012 Academy Award Winners

Academy Awards 2012
[for films released in 2011]





Most Awards: The Artist (Michel Hazanavicius) and Hugo (Martin Scorsese), 5 each [Iron Lady won 2]

Best Picture: The Artist 
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Best Actress: Meryl Streep, Iron Lady [This was Streep's third Oscar, and her 17th nomination, the most ever; her 3rd for acting ties her with Katharine Hepburn]
Best

2012 Independent Spirit Awards

Indie Spirit Awards 2012 (for films released in 2011)




This continues the recent tide of approval for The Artist, which has now passed The Tree of Life with the most awards for the year, raising it's total to 69 awards overall, with certainly more to follow at tonight's Oscars®.




Best Feature: "The Artist"
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Best Female Lead: Michelle Williams

Winner Breakdown: Best Picture

Best Picture

Best Picture
-The Artist
-Moneyball
-Hugo
-The Descendants
-War Horse
-Midnight in Paris
-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
-The Help
-The Tree of Life

And here we are! Best Picture. I thought I'd give a little, tiny, mini review of each film, just a couple of thoughts, and then tell you who I think is going to/could/possibly/who I want to win is. 

Hugo: I wasn't a huge fan of Hugo. I think that was mostly because I couldn't stand the 3D. While I know a lot of others found it revolutionary, I felt like I was watching a motion capture film for the first little bit, and was confused at the beginning, because I knew it was supposed to be live action. I'm picky, so this bothered me a lot, because it was excessive 3D, and made everything look unrealistic. However, the acting was great. Asa Butterfield was very strong, and held his own as Hugo. And of course, Ben Kingsley was great. The pacing of the story I found to be a little off. The last 45 minutes or so were very strong, while the first hour or so were a little weak. Not my favourite, but very willing to give it a 2nd chance. 

Moneyball: Moneyball was my absolute favourite film of the year. And I do not like baseball. Wittily wrote by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, with fantastic performances from Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, this movie is not a typical underdog movie. I went into this movie not expecting much, but I came out adoring it. Brad Pitt's work was subtle but just great. Jonah Hill did extremely well in his first drama, and rightfully nominated. It was a great story, different, but had a good point to it, and didn't go overboard on the underdog thing. Well paced, well told, well acted. I would NOT mind it winning at all. 

The Descendants: Honestly, I really, really enjoyed this movie. It was the very first R-rated film I saw in theaters (no, The King's Speech was not rated R in Canada), and I thought it was great. It's a sad, yet comedic story, and I found myself laughing one moment and tearing up the next. Clooney does so well as the clueless father, and Shailene Woodley steps up to the plate and really owns all the material she's written. Another well told story, with lots of emotions, but it never tries too hard like....

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: I went and saw this one with one of my best friends who has read the book. So naturally I felt bad telling her I didn't enjoy the movie much. Granted, I feel it would work a lot better as a book, and am willing to read it. I just felt everyone making this movie tried way too hard to make it emotional, and sad, but didn't follow through with a lot of things Oskar told us about himself. There were inconsistencies, and it was just an okay movie. 

War Horse: I adored War Horse. I'd read the book before seeing the movie, and recently went and saw the stage production in Toronto. It was a really well done movie. While most people thought it was a little choppy, the beginning too long, and just very sappy, I'd disagree. While I agree the beginning was long, I loved every second of it. I would've been happy watching 2 hours of Albert and Joey bonding on the farm, to be honest. I like character development the best. But this film I just genuinely really enjoyed. WWI is so hopeless, and while they didn't touch on it as much as they did in the book/play, I can't help feeling sad and emotionally attached to films about WWI. All the performances were great, and you saw a lot of different sides to the war. (However, after watching the play, which was a lot more war focused, I'd have loved to seen the movie version of that. Which was gritty, and sad, and just so.. war sucks). 

Midnight in Paris: I didn't love this movie the same way other people did. It was quite good, and charming, but it wasn't my favourite movie of the year. It was a clever idea, and really talked about nostalgia in a clever way. Owen Wilson surprised me as being a decent actor. Rachel McAdams was as adorable as ever (even though she was a stupid character). And of course, Marion Cottilard was great. Along with a huge list of cameos, including those of Allison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates, etc. A cute movie, that I felt I would've enjoyed more had I picked up on a lot more of the literary references. 

The Help: I read the book before seeing the film. The book was just so good, and the movie was too. I'm a sucker for enjoying these movies. Things like the Blindside, and Dolphin Tale, and The Help. The Help had a truly magnificent cast, and they were all brilliant in their own. It was a great story, with fantastic performances from all the cast; Emma Stone (though her accent wasn't great all the time), Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, etc. A good girly movie. 

The Tree of Life: Reading reviews before this movie, I saw 95% of the reviews either looooved the film, or despised it with all their hearts. Wondering which box I was going to be in after watching, I found it was neither. I enjoyed the movie, yes, but it wasn't my favourite of the year, nor did I lurrrve it. It was an interesting story, with Jessica Chastain being awesome, Brad Pitt being boss, and lots of lovely cinematography. it was  a very good picture, but certainly not for everyone. 

The Artist: And this movie, ladies and gentlemen, it our very clear winner. The Artist has been winning everything in sight since it debuted at Cannes last year. Sure, many saw it as a gimmick, but most agree that even if there had been talking in the film, it still put out the 2 most charming performances of the year. Jean Dujardin was fabulous as George Valentin. He has the most expressive face, and carried the story so well. Berenice Bejo was equally charming, overacting the way they did in silent films, but still giving us a cute and powerful performance. This movie was simply a charming, charming movie, which was incredibly well done. While Moneyball was my favourite film of the year, I'm not unhappy to see the Artist take this. These newcomers to Hollywood were fantastic, and truly deserve recognition for their film. Any film that could take this from The Artist, is most likely Hugo. Hugo is up for the most nominations this year (11), and has won a Best Picture here and there (though not very often), it's another homage to silent films, and it's helmed by Scorsese. Others film to make a little competition (though not very much), are The Descendants and The Help. But count on The Artist winning. Really. 

Will Win: The Artist
Could Win: Hugo
Dark Horse: The Descendants/The Help
Who I Want to Win: Moneyball

Winner Breakdown: Best Actor

Oscar Predictions

Best Actor
- Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
- George Clooney (The Descendants)
-Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
- Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
- Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

And here we are, with another big showdown. This time, Jean Dujardin vs George Clooney. Jean Dujardin is a star over in France, having worked with Artist director Michel Hazanavicius many times. But this year is his "American" debut (really worldwide). He stars as the silent film star being left behind while talking pictures are on the rise, and he truly gives the most charming performance of this year. He has such an expressive face, which is so essential to silent films. He is extraordinarily charming, but also gives a very moving performance, in the latter half of the film, dealing with his fall from fame, and loss of fortune. The second to last scene (spoiler: the potential suicide scene) is really amazing. Spoiler: the scene with the gun in his mouth is just so perfect, and so well done. End spoiler. On the other hand we have George Clooney. George has been around for sometime, has 3 (now 4) Acting Nominations, 2 writing nominations and a directing nomination. He won for his first acting nomination, Supporting Actor in Syriana back in 2006. This year's The Descendants brings a much subtler piece for Clooney. He plays a clueless father who needs to look after and get to know his children after their mother is in a coma and will be taken off life support, but also discovers his wife was cheating on him. Clooney was quite brilliant in this role too. It was a much subtler role than Dujardin's was, but he played it so well. We have comedic moments where he shines (when Matt King confronts his wife's lover), and emotional moments where he is his best (saying goodbye to his wife). And I'd say George and Jean are pretty neck in neck. George won the Critics Choice, The Golden Globe (Drama), National Board of Review, while Jean won the BAFTA, The Cannes Best Actor, Golden Globe (Comedy), and the SAG. Dujardin has recently been picking up steam, having won 2 awards in a row (BAFTA and SAG). But either of them could really win it. I'm going to predict Jean Dujardin for the win right now. He's a big newcomer, and isn't likely to return to the Oscar race next year, while Clooney might. Clooney already has 1 statute, and very few Frenchman have won this award. Dujardin's role was also in the Artist, which is the frontrunner, giving him an edge over Clooney. So Dujardin it is. And really, I'm happy either either winning. They both had great performances, and both deserve awards. I'm happy either way!

Will Win: Jean Dujardin
Could Win: George Clooney
Dark Horse: Brad Pitt
Who I Want to Win: George Clooney/Jean Dujardin

Winner Breakdown: Screenplays

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
- The Descendants
- Hugo
- The Ides of March
- Moneyball
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy


This year was very much composed of book adaptations in the best picture category. Of the 9 nominees, 6 are based upon books, though surprisingly only 3 of those made it in (Moneyball, Descendants and Hugo). So far, it looks like the competition will be between the 3 Best Picture nominees. Behind The Descendants we have Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon. Payne previously won an Oscar (his only) for his writing for Sideways. Behind Hugo is John Logan, who hasn't won an Oscar yet, but was previously nominated for Gladiator and The Aviator. And for Moneyball we have Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Zaillian has been nominated 4 times and won for Schindler's List, and Sorkin has been nominated twice, winning for his work on last year's The Social Network. (Ides writers both have been nominated for 1 other film, and TTSS are first time nominees). So we're really looking at the BP nominees. But personally, I feel the award will go to Moneyball. Zaillian and Sorkin made a smart baseball film, with some humour, but also with some wit, and passion. It's a well-written script, and may be Moneyball's best shot at anything. It's won lots of Film Critics awards (Toronto, San Diago, etc), and it has the powerhouse's of Zaillian and Sorkin. If anything is to upset this award, it'll be The Descendants, which just won the WGA Award for Best Adapted. Payne has previously won for Sideways, and both films will be duking it out for (possibly) the only awards they have shots at. But I'm going to have to put Moneyball as the winner, just over The Descendants, though I wouldn't be shocked if The Descendants took it.

Will Win: Moneyball
Could Win: The Descendants
Dark Horse: The Ides of March
Who I Want to Win: Moneyball



Writing (Original Screenplay):
- The Artist
- Bridesmaids
- Margin Call
- Midnight in Paris
- A Separation


This category was interesting since there weren't too many Original Screenplay's this year. This is Margin Call's only nomination, and it's not likely to win. The clear winner here is Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. It won the Golden Globe and the Writers Guild Award. I'd say it's pretty much a lock-in, with Allen previously winning 2 Writing Awards, and being nominated a total of 15 times (just for writing). This one is a pretty clear winner. However, The Artist could make an upset (as could Bridesmaids), but I wouldn't seriously think on it, as it's not at all likely. 




Will Win: Midnight in Paris
Could Win: The Artist
Dark Horse: Bridesmaids 
Who I Want to Win: Midnight in Paris

Winner Breakdown: Best Cinematography

Cinematography:- The Artist
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Hugo
- The Tree of Life
- War Horse


Once again, another solid category. While this may have been a weak year for really good films (is that just me?), but it's a strong year for the arts in movies, between Makeup, costumes, art direction, cinematography, etc. All 5 nominees here have great cinematography (while I haven't seen TGWTDT, the trailer alone showcases the bleak, Swedish landscapes, and I already knew it would likely be nominated). Hugo, which people are saying has been revolutionizing 3D, the sweeping shots of the train station, and of Paris, included. The Artist perfectly captured the time period of the film, and also filmed it in such a way that many films used to be shot, including aspect ratio, and capturing the light perfectly (light/shadows being a large focus in the film). War Horse has sweeping shots of the beautiful British landscapes, gorgeous shots that completely swallow Albert and Joey, and the scenes of war. All were so effective. And then there's the Tree of Life, the film that many people argue is the obvious winner. And I'd have to agree. While I was firmly on War Horse's side prior to watching ToL, I am now a convert. The Tree of Life perfectly captured so many things. The sun shining through the trees, Jessica Chastain walking (whether on the street, or through the woods, or on a beach), and following the character through the film, rather than having the characters follow the cinematographer. While I still would love War Horse to win, simply because the cinematography was beautifully overwhelming, The Tree of Life was both subtle at times, and so obvious at others that it's the clear winner. And yes, it won the top prize at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards.

Will Win: The Tree of Life
Could Win: War Horse
Dark Horse: Hugo
Who I Want to Win: War Horse

Winner Breakdown: Art Direction

Art Direction:
- The Artist
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
- Hugo
- Midnight in Paris
- War Horse


This is another category that I feel is super strong. There were again, so many other films that could've been nominated here too. It was definitely a good year for the Arts categories! But the 3 big contenders in this arena are Hugo, The Artist, and Harry Potter. Hugo was fantasic looking, with it's 1930's Gard du Nord train station setting, the silent films settings, and the automaton. The Artist had the glitzy 1920/30's Hollywood look, with snazzy set designs, and just making everything look genuinely old. And then Harry Potter. Harry Potter has been nominated for Art Direction, 3 times before, making this its 4th time. And it's been deserving every single year. We had the destroyed Hogwarts, the glass boat house, the flashback scenes, etc. The 3 big winners at the Art Directors Guild awards was The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, and Harry Potter. While that doesn't exactly rule who wins, it gives Harry Potter a step up, and the Artist a step down, though only slightly. Again, Hugo has tons of nominations, and I expect it'll win a lot of them. Hugo probably has the best chance of winning it here. However, the Academy could decide to give it to Potter, after all the times it's been nominated, and not excluding the great Direction it had again for this film. If anyone will upset Hugo, it'll be Harry Potter, though don't count the Artist out. It may sweep because of it's front-runner status. 

Will Win: Hugo
Could Win: Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part II
Dark Horse: Midnight in Paris
Who I Want to Win: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part II

Winner Breakdown: Costume Design

Costume Design:- Anonymous
- The Artist
- Hugo
- Jane Eyre
- W.E.


To be honest, I'd say there's a pretty solid year for costume design, and there were many other's that could've made the list (My Week With Marilyn, Midnight in Paris, War Horse, etc). So, this is really anyone's game in this category, though I'd say most likely to win is Hugo. Hugo's been nominated in all technical/art categories except Makeup, and I expect, for the most part, it'll sweep, here in included. Hugo had a great array of costumes, from the Paris 1930's, to the Silent Film era, and all those film costumes. However, hot on it's heels is The Artist, which was 1930's Hollywood, filled with Tuxedos, flapper dresses, and an array of costumes used in- lookie here- Silent films! However, I'd say it'll most likely go to Hugo, though I'd love to see something like Jane Eyre win, simply because it did have great costumes and it's not up for anything else. But I'd say count on Hugo, but I'm not ruling anything out to steal it. Anyone could easily take it. 

Will Win: Hugo
Could Win: The Artist
Dark Horse:W.E.
Who I Want to Win: Hugo

Winner Breakdown: Film Editing

Film Editing:
- The Artist
- The Descendants
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Hugo
- Moneyball


This is another one of those categories where I understand it, but have a hard time noticing it when I watch the actual films. But what I do know about this category is has correlations with Best Picture. 5 our of the last 10 awards has the Best Picture winner also won editing. And those within the editing nominees are usually also Best Picture nominees. While TGWTDT was not a Best Picture nominee, I don't think you should count it out just yet. However, Hugo, having nabbed tons of nominations in the technical fields, and The Artist being the frontrunner, I'd say the race is between these two. But I wouldn't count any of these films out of the race. Yes, The Descendants and Moneyball are less likely, but I'd say they still have a shot. I'd even like to see Moneyball win, since I thought it was extremely well put together, and isn't likely to win much (or anything) this year. However, I'm officially predicting Hugo to win, but if anyone will steal it, it'll be The Artist, and equally challenging opponent.


Will Win: Hugo
Could Win: The Artist
Dark Horse: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Who I Want to Win: Moneyball

Winner Breakdown: Original Song and Score

Music (Original Score):- The Adventures of Tintin (John Williams)
- The Artist (Ludovic Bource)
- Hugo (Howard Shore)
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Albert Iglesias)
- War Horse (John Williams)


This was a really good year for music, with Alexandre Desplat scoring six different films, Thomas Newman doing one or two, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross also in there. I was slightly disappointed to see that none of these people made it in, and we got 2 John Williams nominations instead. I have no qualms against Williams, but would've loved to see Desplat in there again, or even the others I named. But this year's nominees are all really good. By far, my favourite is John William's War Horse. I'm not even a very big Williams fan, but I adored his work. However, Ludovic Bource's music carried The Artist. While I thought it was a charming score, I thought it was a little wrong in some places, or cut off mid scenes, but I suppose that's not Bource's fault. However, the score that could pose the upset, I think, would be Howard Shore's work for Hugo. It is so unlike Howard Shore's other music, and is so typically French, and is quite charming. However, I don't see Shore winning this year, nor do I see Iglesias or Williams winning either. Undoubtedly it'll go to Bource... and who can blame him?

Will Win: The Artist
Could Win: Hugo
Dark Horse: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy
Who I Want to Win: War Horse


Music (Original Song):- Man or Muppet (The Muppets)
- Real in Rio (Rio)


The big news is that there will not be live performances of the Original Songs this year at the Oscars. Personally, I don't mind, because I never really knew any of the songs anyways, and always changed the channel, or went for popcorn during this time. But it's interesting, having only 2 nominees. Many were predicting Mary J. Blidge's "The Living Proof" from The Help to win, however she wasn't nominated. But I think it's fairly obvious that "Man or Muppet" from the Muppets. While I love Rio, and the music from it, it really don't stand a chance against the Muppets. 

Will Win: Man or Muppet
Could Win: -
Dark Horse: Real in Rio
Who I Want to Win: Man or Muppet

2012 Academy Award Nominations

2012 Oscar Nominations (for 2011 films)
My predictions are in gold


Best Picture



“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris”

Complete Oscar Nomination Predictions Breakdown (Part 1)

With the nominations being released on Tuesday, only 6 days away, I thought I'd update my predictions one last time, and give a full break down! So here we go!

Best Picture
The only real locks we really have right now in this category are 'The Artist' and 'The Descendants'. Pretty much everything else is up for grabs. I'm going to wager that Midnight in Paris gets in (due to it getting nominated by all 4 guild awards + the original screenplay shoe-in), Moneyball (acting + adapted screenplay lock), Hugo (directing + visual/tech locks) and The Help (acting locks/wins), which leaves us with 6 pictures. Should the field extend wider (which it very well could), it'll be War Horse next in, followed by The Tree of Life, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Nominated: The Artist, The Descendants, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, Hugo, The Help
Close/Potential: War Horse, The Tree of Life, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Almost, but not quite: The Ides of March, Drive, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridesmaids

Best Lead Actor 
The current frontrunner right now would be George Clooney. Having scooped up both the Critics Choice Award and the Golden Globe, Clooney is definitely a lock. As is Jean Dujardin, who won the Globe for Comedy/Musical, and have a very strong performance in the Artist. Next, we have Brad Pitt, who was solid in Moneyball and is looking good to get in, having been nominated all places. All 3 are locks there, but the other 2 spots are up for grabs. We have Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edger), Michael Fassbender (Shame) and Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). It's a tough toss up, but it'll probably go to DiCap, and Fassbender. Both have been nominated in several different places, with Oldman having been snubbed a lot.

Nominated: George Clooney, Jean Dujardin, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender
Close, but not quite: Gary Oldman, Ryan Gosling, Demain Bichir

Best Lead Actress
Right now, Viola Davis and Meryl Streep are completely locked in, if not battling it out for the win already. Michelle Williams as her portrayal as Marilyn Monroe is a close third, leaving, again, the 4th and 5th spots quite open. Both Tilda Swinton and Glen Close are looking good, but the likes of Elizabeth Olsen, Felicity Jones and Rooney Mara follow quite close behind. I'm going to go with the seasoned veterans other the newcomers on this one, and say Swinton and Close are in.

Nominated: Viola Davis, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Tilda Swinton, Glen Close
Close, but Not Quite: Elizabeth Olsen, Rooney Mara, Felicity Jones

Best Supporting Actor
Personally, I think this is the weakest of any category this year. The last few years saw the likes of Christian Bale, Christoph Waltz, Heath Ledger and Javier Bardem, all who gave powerhouse performances. This year, not so much. We have Christopher Plummer who is the only front-runner (or even a runner at all), and is already going to win. This category is pretty up in the air, and we could see anyone nominated on Tuesday. Jonah Hill, who's been getting some attention will likely be nominated, along with Kenneth Branagh, Albert Brooks and Nick Nolte. But I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see them called. The only one I"m sure about is Christopher Plummer, right now.

Nominated: Christopher Plummer
Other People Who Have Slight Potential: Jonah Hill, Kenneth Branagh, Albert Brooks, Nick Nolte

Best Supporting Actress
Have I mentioned that though this year was overall pretty weak for films, it was a really strong year for women. The Help and Bridesmaids were very prominent movies this year, and were helmed by females. And there's the Iron Lady, and My Week With Marilyn. It's the year of the woman, in film. That being said, the supporting actress slots are filled and overflowing. The frontrunner right now is Octavia Spencer, for her role in the Help. She's been picking up awards all over the places, and very deservedly so. Coming up behind her, costar Jessica Chastain. She's had a brilliant year, and will most likely be nominated for her role in the Help. Then there's Berenice Bejo, who was charming in the Artist, Shailene Woodley who was potty-mouthed and snarky in the Descendants, Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs, Melissa McCarthy's dirty attitude in Bridesmaids, Carey Mulligan in Shame, and Jessica Chastain's other 5 performances this year. This is a tough one, ladies and gentleman.

Nominated: Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Berenice Bejo, Shailene Woodley Janet McTeer
Close, but Not Quite: Melissa McCarthy, Jessica Chastain's other roles, Carey Mulligan

Best Director
For Best Director, we seem to have about 4 locks. We have Michel Hazanavicius, who helmed the Artist, the front-runner for Best Picture. We have Alexander Payne, the man behind the Descendants, the picture most likely to be a contender against the Artist. We have Woody Allen, who wrote and directed Midnight in Paris, the seasoned veteran. And a second veteran, being Martin Scorsese, who won the Golden Globe for directing. But the fifth spot has several people vying for attention. We have Steven Spielburg for War Horse (Spielburg is much-loved, but his movie received mediocre reviews), David Fincher for The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo (which is getting some awards attention, though not a lot), Terrence Malik who's masterpiece was the Tree of Life, and Bennett Miller, the man behind Moneyball. And Tate Taylor, though a long shot, for directing the fan-favourite, the Help. It's a tough call, but I'm going to put my money on Fincher for this one, who received a DGA nomination.

Nominated: Michel Hazanavicius, Alexander Payne, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, David Fincher
Close, but Not Quite: Steven Spielburg, Terrence Malik, Bennett Miller and Tate Taylor

Best Adapted Screenplay
This year we've seen several films being adapted from novels. So far, locks would be Moneyball and The Descendants. But who after that? We have, again, many possibilities. We have War Horse, The Help, The Ides of March, Hugo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Drive. This is tough competition if you ask me. While Moneyball and The Descendants are "for sures", I'm going to go with The Help, Hugo and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo up next. The Ides of March and Drive are not getting as much attention as they were previously, War Horse isn't high enough reviewed and could be snubbed, while Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is getting hardly any attention at all.

Nominated: Moneyball, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Close, but not quite: The Ides of March, Drive, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse

Best Original Screenplay
While this category is still strong, it's not quite as competitive as Adapted Screenplay is. For locks, we have Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, which received the award at both the Critics Choice and Golden Globe awards. Also, The Artist is in contention, being a front-runner for Best Picture. After that, we have several choices, mostly comedies. We have 50/50, Young Adult, Bridesmaids and Win Win. All of these have all received nominations several places, so here are my predictions:

Nominated: Midnight in Paris, The Artist, 50/50, Win Win, Young Adult
Close, but not quite: Bridesmaids, Beginners, The Tree of Life

Best Animated Feature
Having seen very few Animated films this year, these predictions are all based on other's predictions. Right now, Rango has won a few awards, and so has The Adventures of Tin-Tin. Both are locked. What else? Well, people have been saying films like Arthur Christmas, Chico and Rita, Winnie the Pooh, Kung-Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots, etc. So I'm just going to guess on this one.

Nominated: Rango, Tin-Tin, Arthur Christmas, Chico & Rita, Puss in Boots
Close, but not Quite: Kung-Fu Panda 2, Winnie the Pooh


Part 2 (Art and Technical Predictions) coming up soon!

Golden Globe Awards for 2011

Golden Globe winners (for 2011 releases)

Film Awards


Best Film, drama: The Descendants (Alexander Payne)
Best Film, comedy/musical: The Artist (Michel Havanavicius)

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best Actor, drama: George Clooney, The Descendents
Best Actor, comedy/musical: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Actress, drama: Meryl Streep, Iron Lady
Best Actress, comedy/musical: Michelle

The Artist

James J Lee is my very first guest reviewer and I'm really glad about it. James seemed simply ecstatic about the movie and his enthusiasm has put The Artist on the top of my must watch list. His review follows;

Like Someone Has Just Uncovered A Lost Masterpiece

It may have been a cold night in Leicester Square tonight but I left the cinema with a glow, my faith completely restored in cinema having just seen this heartwarming classic.

There's little point going through the deeply romantic/dramatic plot set in stark contrast against the shallow world of 1920's Hollywood as it may only spoil it for those yet to see, but in summary this film is a real gem, a true joy to behold with a clever little unpredictable twist at the end. Fabulous acting, superb score, great cinematography and look out for a star turn from a little performing dog which is quite amazing at times.

With lots of classic touches woven throughout this movie, expect to laugh out loud, cry real tears and go through a roller-coaster of emotions as you will no doubt watch in fascination, the vivid recreation of an exceptional time in the history of cinema (the advent of talkies)and the history of the America (Wall St Crash/Great Depression).

Though it is a silent film, sound is used in a very clever way. Similarly the director meshes subtle modern cinema techniques with some classic framing and detail. This is a glorious mixture of the old and the new and has great balance between light comedy/entertainment and dark and intense emotions. The result being interesting characters that engage on many levels.

It's worth mentioning the nods to some of cinema's all time classic films like Singing in the Rain, Sunset Boulevard and Citizen Kane(and several Chaplin classics) but it's not plagiarism, parody or irreverence - it's a beautiful pastiche of the cinema's finest. Watching The Artist, feels like someone was clearing out an old Hollywood Studio and stumbled upon one of the greatest silents (if not films) of them all and suddenly the lost masterpiece is revealed to the world.

Emerging from the Cinema and into the crisp night air of Leicester Square, my thoughts were on one thing...how many Oscars will this instant classic win come February? It will certainly take something very special to beat it in most categories.

A big thank you to all who were involved in this magnificent production, a truly wonderful film, delivering a great cinematic experience.


James is a film buff, budding screenwriter and film reviewer. He love the oldies especially comedy, film noir and crime/thriller. In his student days, he did make some short films and was an extra in a mainstream which was good experience to learn how the process works. In 2012, his resolution is to watch more movies, submit more scripts and come up with more ideas to entertain before he goes to that big cinema in the sky! 


The review of The Artist by James is also available on IMDB at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/reviews-106

The Artist

The Artist, 2011
Directed by Michel Hazanavicus
Possible nominations include: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score.

Synopsis: George Valentin is the top star in Hollywood. It's 1927, and he's a silent film star, incredibly hansome, and completely dashing. And then there's Peppy Miller. She's a starstruck fan of George, and an aspiring actress of her own. She briefly meets George, but starts to rise to fame after she is an extra in George's new film. They are interested in each other, but both go their own ways as she's rising to fame in silent films and, eventually talkies, and George Valentin is wondered how to stay afloat as a silent actor while talking films are rising and the public wants "new meat" and "fresh faces"

Knowing only the synopsis of the film, I wondered if this was basically going to be the silent, black & white, dramatic version of Singin' In the Rain. It sounded similar, a silent film star, the rise of talking films, an aspiring actress, etc. Even the opening of the film was quite similar. We see the opening of George Valentin's new film, we see him out on stage, wooing the crowds, and how much he is loved. We see Peppy Miller as an extra on set, as a good dancer (though admittedly, Peppy loves George, whereas Kathy hated Don in SitR), and we see the studio view a talking movie (a short clip), and George scoffing at it. But the similarities stop between the two films there.

Admittedly, I thought this was going to be a light, fluffy film, as I'd read those words in a few reviews. Though that's not exactly how I'd describe this movie. In fact, some of the movie was really quite sad. We see a man refusing to go along with the times, to become more "modern", and loosing everything around him. While it didn't  have a hugely complex story, it wasn't rainbows and butterflies either.

What I really enjoyed about this film was how legitimately "old" looking it was! Everything from the ratio (it wasn't wide screen, but was almost square, since there wasn't wide screen back in the day), to the beginning credits with the old type face, the score, and the title cards rather than subtitles, like they used to use. Knowing a little bit about silent film from the film class I took last semester, I was impressed. It didn't look modern in any way, it had a really amateur 1920's look and feel to it, and I loved that. Michel Hazanavicius went the whole nine yards on the silent film thing, and I'm glad he did.

Additionally, Jean Dujardin was very, very impressive in this film. He really expressed himself so well, without using words. He had so much passion, and was very into his character and you can tell. Especially the last scene (the one before the tap-dancing one) was especially impressive as well as the fire scene. Trying not to spoil, but all his best work came later on in the film. Also, Berenice Bejo, wife of the director who didn't audition for the part was extremely charming. She was over-dramatic and charming and silly, just like actors and actresses were then. She didn't go too overboard, nor did she hold back. She's a very skillful woman, and between the two of them, I would forget the film was silent because they can both communicate so well by their expressions and body language. I would put Dujardin higher up on my list of Best Actor, having had just as good a performance as Brad Pitt, though still not as good as Clooney. However, he was very impressive, and I really enjoyed him. And the dog. The dog was so cute, and so good.

What I also thought was so neat was the use of shadows and reflects in the film. We see lots of shadows play a part, and lots of scene showing reflections. Both of those are a huge part of George Valentin. The shadow of who he used to be, and the reflection of who he is now. It was subtle, the use of both, but were extremely effective, and added so much to the film.

(spoiler paragraph)
Another metaphor, was the use of silence itself. It represented, once again, so much of how George Valentin was. He's a silent film star, and that's who he wants to stay being. He is scared of "talking" and that reflects in the first of the two scenes with sound used in the film. The one mentioned, being his nightmare, in which the world around him is filled with noise but he remains silent. He is a prideful man, wanting not to change for anyone, being vain enough to think he himself will draw fans, but is scared he is losing his star quality, his "voice". But what fans really want are the new and exciting. He is living a dull home life, and is loosing everything around him. The second use of sound was the ending, when he finally accepts what is happening, and agrees to take a chance on it, and dance with Peppy in their new film together. George has accepted this new step in his life, has lost all his pride and is no longer so independent that he pushes people away, he has found his "voice" again, and he has become happier. He has sound in his life. And I thought that was a very effective way of putting it. It was well thought-out, and an effective metaphorical tool. (end spoiler)

The only complain I had was that the music wasn't always well placed. Several times it lingered too long before starting up again, or the music just didn't go with what was happening in the scene. Many times it would've been better suited to have a more sad and melancholy piece than an angry, loud piece, but that's just my musical opinion. The score was quite enchanting, and I enjoyed it overall, even if it wasn't 100% perfectly used.

Overall, I enjoyed the film. It was really, really well done, and certainly deserved a Best Directing award, no doubt. Will it win best picture? Most likely, yes. It's the front-runner right now, with only The Descendants as it's biggest challenger. It was a well-done, perfect homage to the silent film era, and was so genuine. Was it my favourite film? No, it wasn't. It was very good, but I still preferred War Horse and Moneyball over it, though I thought it was quite on par with The Descendants and The Help, and definitely better than Hugo. Still, I see the appeal for Best Picture winner (which I predict it will be). It's different, it's homage, it's old-fashioned, and it's a nice movie. It's not deep and loaded with serious issues and heavy stuff (like the Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionarie, etc). It can, and most likely will sweep the awards circuit this year. Don't be surprised if they call it out for the Last Prize come Oscar night.

8.25/10