Movie observers: The King's Speech

Showing posts with label The King's Speech. Show all posts

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

Saturday, June 2, 2012

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.

The King's Speech

Saturday, April 28, 2012

The King's Speech, 2010
Directed by Tom Hooper
Nominated for 12 Oscars, Won 4.
Up Against: The Social Network, Black Swan, The Fighter, True Grit, Inception, Toy Story 3, The Kid's Are Alright, Winter's Bone, 127 Hours

As I've said in a previous post, The King's Speech makes into my favourite movies arena. I seriously enjoyed it, and I'm putting that up front right now before I do a little analysis and say what I liked and didn't like about it.

For those of you who don't know, this movie is the story on King George VI, known as Bertie. Bertie is the Duke of York, and struggles with a speech impediment that makes it very difficult for him to speak (much less in front of an audience). His wife, Elizabeth is reffered to a quirky speech therapist named Lionel. While Bertie is hesitant at first, he finds himself needing help, and knows Lionel can help him. Soon, he is thrust on the throne very unexpectedly. How can Bertie lead a country if he can hardly speak?

This is Tom Hooper's second feature film after having done great work doing several different mini-series. He and the crew knew that they had to get some sort of star attached to this project or it may never lift off the ground. Someone in the crew lived near Geoffrey Rush and they got them to slip the script through Rush's mailbox, with a note attached to it apologizing that it was unsolicited but they desperately wanted him to do the film. Who knew the act of slipping an unsolicited script through a mailbox started the process in what ended up to be the next Best Picture winner.

The crew were able to find their star-studded cast, having Colin Firth, Helena Bonham-Carter, along with Geoffrey Rush, to play the three lead. Geoffrey Rush was such a treat in this film. He was quirky and zany, but he was also inspiring. Rush really nailed the part of quirky, Aussie Lionel (though the accent was only sort of there). Helena Bonham-Carter was lovely, which is in stark contrast with her character Bellatrix LeStrange in Harry Potter, which she was filming at the same time as the King's Speech. She was supportive of her husband, but she was broken-hearted over this hurt her husband was going through. And she was a little bit uppity, but Helena is wonderful, and was able to play all of it convincingly, and with lots of grace and poise.

And then there's Colin Firth. Honestly, we was so phenomenal in this role. His stuttering was heartbreaking, especially the beginning speech in the movie, just those horrible echoing noises, and just not knowing how to get his words out. Colin Firth both broke my heart and made me laugh throughout this movie. He was able to strike the right balance between humor and sorrow, especially in the scene while talking about his childhood with Lionel. Colin Firth really embraced this role, and seemed to truly get into the heart of the character. His speech impediment, and his stuttering were perfect and were never too overboard, or too subtle. He struck the right amount, making it more severe in some situations, and less so in others.

The scenery and artwork and costumes were all great. Alexandre Desplat gives us a lovely score. Nothing too brilliant, though in some of the more emotional tracks (Queen Elizabeth, Memories of Childhood), he replays a single not over and over, almost as though it is stuttering and can't get farther. But that may be me reading into Desplats music (though I doubt it, he's played themes backwards and forward before).

One thing that bothered me is sometimes the cinematography tried to be too "artsy". There were a lot of awkward, character in the very corner of the shot, sometimes cutting the person beside them out. It's hard to explain without showing. Google didn't have many good examples. This was as close as I could get

Overall, the film told it's story well. It showed the problem right up front, and showed how Bertie dealt with it (or didn't), and how exactly it affected his life, and why.

Many will say this is one of the most competitive and disputed years. You'll hear such debates as Shakespeare in Love vs Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump vs Pulp Fiction, and I know that list has come to include The King's Speech vs The Social Network. Like the 2 debates mentioned above, both are incredibly different and very opposite movies. The King's Speech is a classy period piece, while The Social Network was very modern and dealt with something very current. Both have pros and cons about them, but for this one, I'm going to have to side with The King's Speech. It took me a few tries to warm up to the Social Network and appreciate what it is. While it had good acting, the acting in TKS is much stronger, though TSN excelled in the music (the music and movie had amazing chemistry) and cinematography.

Unpopular(ish) opinion, but I dearly love The King's Speech. It was an uplifting, yet sad, movie, and had some very wonderful performances.

8.75/10

Top 10 Favourite Movies of All-Time

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Top 10 Favourite Films (In no particular order)

Since awards seasons is pretty dry right now, and I haven't had too much time to watch/review any past winners, I thought I'd compile a list of my top 10 favourite films, in no particular order. It's a variety of Best Pictures, Indie favourites, and musicals, and animated films. Here we go!

1. Pride & Prejudice (2005)

I was only thirteen when previews for this movie came out. And I was swept away. I had only briefly heard of the book, and had no idea what it was about. My parents were surprised I was interested in such a movie. After watching the movie, I bought the book several years later. I have read it several times over since then, after buying it at 16 years old. I loved how the film was portrayed. The costumes were varied from simple and plain (The Bennetts), and grandiose (Ms. De Burgh, etc). Keira Knightly was well suited for Elizabeth, the fiesty young girl, and Matthew MacFayden had the look that was able to convince you he could be sinister, but was heartbreaking when painted with the face of someone in love (something I thought Colin Firth didn't quite get. I had a hard time believing anyone could find him proud and mean). It's romantic, and it was well-received, gained Kinghtly a Best Actress nod. Rightly so.

2. Julie & Julia (2009)

This movie is the story of 2 women, living in very different times. One is Julie Powell, a young woman living in Queens, New York and decides to blog about cooking through Julia Child's cookbook in 1 year, as a way of finding happiness and a hobby in her life. The other half of the story is about Julia Child herself, about her life in Paris and how she came to be who she is. Julie is portrayed by the cute and iridescent Amy Adams, and Julia is played by the famous Meryl Streep. I love the 2 stories about these 2 women, and feel empowered by both of them. Both portray their very different marriages (Julie and her husband are very young and presumably not been married very long, and Julia and her husband have been together a long time). Meryl streep is absolutely fantastic (obviously) and we also get performances from Stanley Tucci (who's a favourite of mine), and Jane Lynch.

3. The King's Speech (2010)

Yes this movie only came out last year, and yes many people didn't think it deserved Best Picture as it was very Oscar-bait and very British. But I honestly loved this film. It's the moving story of King George VI (Bertie), and his unforseen ascension to the throne- and his struggle with a speech impediment. It has an All-Star cast, and the story is moving, funny, and very feel-good (in a good way!). This movie never fails to make me a little teary in the beginning, and Colin Firth is absolutely extraordinary, along with the lovely Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

4. Oliver! (1968)

Another Best Picture, but this one very different from the last. Oliver! is the story about Oliver Twist, an orphan who runs away from the funeral home and orphanage in England, to "seek his fortune" in London. He gets involved in the company of child pick-pocketers, and mixed up in the crimes of the older thieves as well. All in musical form. I watched this movie several times growing up, and still love it to this day. The musical is fabulous and catchy, and the story is complex and interesting. I just love it, ok?

5. Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

I've been a Harry Potter fan since just after the 3rd movie was released in theaters. And while there were 8 movies to choose from (I loved them all), Prisoner of Azkaban is almost tied with Deathly Hallows Part I for my favourite, though I've loved this one longer than the other, and decided to include it instead. (DH1 is a runner up for the top 10 list). It's the first more grown up tale of Harry Potter and his friends, and is brilliantly done. Sirius Black is a notorious killer and he's escaped from prison, and he's after Harry. The tale deals with time-travel, criminals, and further secrets about Hogwarts and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Alfonso Cuaron took this film over from Chris Columbus, the director of the 1st 2 and put a new spin and a new look to the series. Everything looks a lot smoother, and artistically, is fabulous. While it isn't as true to the book as the 1st two, it captures the spirit and tone of the book perfectly, and the characters are more "teenaged" and look very much how the fans had pictured them.

6. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

I thoroughly enjoy animated films, and it was hard to choose which one to include on this list. I'm a huge fan of Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc, but decided to go with How to Train Your Dragon, which I watched far more than I do the other 2. It's the fun tale about a young viking named Hiccup who lives on the island of Berk, which is frequently attacked by dragons. Dragons are the enemy of the people, and they are trained to kill them. But when Hiccup befriends an injured dragon, the one supposed to be the most vicious of all, he realizes maybe these animals have been misunderstood...all the while trying to fix the dragon's tail so he can fly again. It's a hilarious film which is funny for both kids and adults. And the score is amazing. Pretty much Scottish music meets Hans Zimmer.

7. Dan In Real Life (2007)

This movie is severely underrated. It's the story of Dan, a widower with 3 daughter, 2 of them teenagers, and one a pre-teen. He's a "good father, but a bad dad", as his youngest daughter tells him. He and the girls go up to a cottage for a large family reunion, and while out in town at a bookstore, meets a woman named Marie. Dan hasn't met a woman in a long time. They talk for hours, and then she leaves. And when Dan gets back to the cottage he realizes the woman he met is actually his brothers new girlfriend. You can imagine what ensues after this. This movie features Steve Carell as Dan, and Juliette Binoche as Marie, as well as fun supporting cast including Dane Cook as Dan's brother who dates Marie, Alison Pill as Dan's eldest daughter, and Emily Blunt as a hot blind date. It's a nice movie to snuggle up with on a rainy day. It's cute, romantic, and funny.

8. The Dark Knight (2008)

Do I even need to explain anything about why I love this movie or what it's about? This movie is complex and epic, and the acting is top-notch. This movie is actually perfect. The Joker is just so insane, and Heath Ledger was brilliant. I have no doubts whatsoever that he truly deserved his Supporting Actor Oscar. Yeah, I think he would've still gotten it had he been alive. He really brought it and immersed himself in the Joker. Christian Bale, I don't know, I love him as Batman honestly. He plays a fantastic Bruce Wayne, and I really like him. Of course Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman as great, and the Harvey Dent storyline is also great. It's a complex story told in perfect, unfolding at just the right speed, with one of the best opening sequences ever.

9. (500) Day of Summer (2009)

Cult classic and I love it. (500) Days of Summer tells the story of Tom, a young man who works at a Greeting Card company. He meets Summer, and the movie tells us their 500 day 'relationship', in no order. Zooey Deschanel's big break into the entertainment world (if we don't include Elf). Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the adorable and aggravating Tom. The story is told in such an interesting way, very reminiscent of Woody Allen's Annie Hall. We get musical numbers, and Expectations vs Reality sequences and character interviews. And the story has more to it than it appears, look closely and you'll see the scenes parallel each other, and we see Tom's bias opinion of their relationship and of Summer herself. It's a cute, fun movie, but is also smart, and complex.

10. Singin' In The Rain (1952)

Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, some extremely memorable songs and dances, and tap dancing. All together in one film called Singin In the Rain. I was introduced to this movie in my film class in college. And oh, how I loved it. It's exactly my kind of humor, and I discovered tap-dancing is pretty much the coolest thing ever. For those who don't know about this movie, it's about Don Lockwood, a silent film star who finds he has to adjust to the transition from silent films to talkies. While it may sound similar to the Artist, this film is a comedy in which Don agrees to continue in his career, but tries to figure out how to deal with his obnoxious co-star with an annoying voice, and is falling in love with an aspiring actress. And how to solve the fact that they're having troubles recording their voices at all? And the audience found their romantic, dramatic film exceedingly comical? This movie is just so hilarious, and it's just so good. One of my favourite movies, ever.

There you have it! My top 10 favourite movies thus far. Wide variety, some Award winners, so not at all.

The Boy From Les Miz

Thursday, June 16, 2011

"Who am I? Wolverine or 24601?"

Some hit Broadway musicals are adapted to film right away, some wait a couple years, and if you're a Cameron Mackintosh show, you take over two decades to hit the silver screen.

In the aftermath of this years Oscars, where Tom Hooper was crowned best Director for his helming of The King's Speech, news came that he was the favorite to direct the (finally!) adaptation of one of the world's biggest musical: Les Misérables.

News came yesterday that song and dance man Hugh Jackman (who's never graced film with his talents) was in talks to play one of the musical's famous two leading roles: hero Jean Valjean and antagonistic (not villain, but I'll get to that another day) Inspector Javert. When word broke that Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World's Paul Bettany had read and sung for Javert, all eyes turned towards Jackman as the cursed tragic hero Valjean. Initially, I was more on the side of Jackman as Javert...but it seems Hollywood won't allow their leading man to be a bad guy. Yet, oddly, they want him in what is a brooding man role but also a very paternal one. Jackman's done the paternal thing before, over a decade ago with X-Men, but his relationship with rogue was just weird if you ask me.

So there we have it. Our two leading men. Jackman as Valjean and Bettany as Javert. I'm thrilled to see how the rest of the cast materializes. I've always thought Geoffrey Rush would be brilliant as Thénardier, but with him having already played Javert in a film adaptation of Les Miz (not the musical), I doubt to see him back on the streets of Paris. Who's in your dream cast?

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Oscars, Oscars, Oscars, ACK!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

This is my attempt to sound as not pretentious as possible. Not to claim that I'm in any position to criticize the Oscars, or to criticize those who criticize the Oscar, because I'm not sure anyone is. When we judge the Oscars, praise or bash winners, I feel people sometimes forget just what the Oscars are: a bunch of people who vote with their hearts not their head. And you want to know the trick?--that's perfectly okay.

I don't think the Oscars voters think like critics, and they really shouldn't. Critically praised films have their own way of lasting in the ether, especially if they're fortunate enough to lose the Oscar for Best Picture (more on that later). The voters cast their ballots with their heart, what movie they love the most. This year it was The King's Speech, not my favorite film of the year but a fine win nevertheless. Is it up to the caliber of The Social Network? Well that's everyone's personal opinion. The general bash-loving consensus wills us to believe that The Social Network is better, but apparently it wasn't.

I don't want to suggest that I consider the AMPAS the Alpha and Omega in film praise, but more often than not their "rights" outweigh their "wrongs." You have to view the Oscars and the award season objectively--devoid of bias or personal opinion. The King's Speech, much like Dances with Wolves, Shakespeare in Love, and Driving Miss Daisy of past, it was their favorite movie, not merely the one everyone told them should be their favorite. As often as the AMPAS is criticized for their group-think mentality, their against-the-grain voting speaks otherwise. The English Patient may seem like a soft lob, but really it was the movie they liked better. They're average movie voters, not pedestal placers. They like what they like, they don't need to vote with the crowd or be forced into a place in history.

Julie Harris nominated for Best Actress
for Member of the Wedding

I just find it hard to bash the Oscars for their supposed missteps. What the Oscars are...are an encapsulation of cinema that year. Sure the winners are remembered in the collective, but film buffs DVR movies that were merely nominated for Cinematography or Score. It's because of the Oscars that movies like The Goddess, Member of the Wedding, Sunset Blvd., and The Jagged Edge are still viewed today. To me, whatever film or actor wins is a nice bonus, but I look at the nomination slate as a whole. Only four actors walk away with Oscars, but sixteen other performances will be remembered one way or another...and that's what matters to me. That's why I get excited for John Hawkes in Winter's Bone, who didn't have a chance of winning in 2010, but will hopefully serve a pleasant surprise in twenty years to a film buff like myself scouring for nominated performances.

The biggest misconception when judging whether or not a film "should" have won Best Picture--or other categories--is to judge it by what it beat out. Such reasons is why Oliver! is receives heavy sighs because 2001: A Space Odyssey didn't win (or receive a nomination) or the groans Ordinary People elicits only because it bested Raging Bull. In hindsight, it's very easy to say what was best or better, but Oscars are voted upon in the moment, and for what works in the then and now. Judge a win solely on the quality of the win, not on what film didn't win that year instead.

So basically, they matter, I just feel that people hold them in too critical of a light. They're just people who vote for what they like and people they like.

Check in soon for my series Get Over It, where I go to bat for historically-bashed Oscar wins of all shape and size, from The Last Emperor to Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets.

The 2010 Mouton d'Or Awards

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Welcome to the 2010 Mouton d'Or Awards, brought to you by Black Sheep Reviews for the sixth and, as it turns out, final time. This is not the end of the Mouton d'Or Awards, but rather just the last time they will be presented on this website. Sometime in the weeks to come, Black Sheep Reviews will go dark. When I first started this blog, I had no intention of doing anything with it other than pass the time. As Black Sheep grew though, I started to see where it could go and that was further than I had ever really anticipated. And so, Black Sheep Reviews will be reborn as a new site, one that is more professional and focused and that should (technically) make my job easier and your reading experience even better. And don't worry! Sheldon will not be left behind. Details to follow ...

And now, on with the awards! This year's five Best Picture nominees all find their way to shine in some way amongst the Mouton d'Or winners, but only one gets to claim the honour of a big, gold, digital sheep to print out and stick on their fridge. Will it be the one about the ballerina who ties her shoes too tight, loses her mind and sprouts wings? Or the one with that boxer who has like 18 sisters with huge hair and even bigger mouths? Maybe it will be the one with the annoying little computer geek who taught us all that we don't need friends in real life if we have lots of virtual ones. Perhaps Woody and Buzz will finally go to infinity and beyond! Or maybe, just maybe, it will be the one you all expected to be crowned king. You'll just have to read on to find out.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, here are the winners of the 2010 Mouton d'Or Awards ... (Scroll over any film title for the full Black Sheep review.)

NOMINEES

EASY A

INCEPTION

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

SHUTTER ISLAND

TOY STORY 3

Although it might be hard to see at times, films are inherently designed to entertain you. Of all the films I saw this year, these were the five that provided me with the best times and there was certainly no better time to be had at the movies this year than at TOY STORY 3. What was originally expected to be an unnecessary sequel ended up capping the series so perfectly and inspiring big laughs, incredible tension and a ton of tears as we all said goodbye to our toys of yesteryear.

NOMINEES

ANOTHER YEAR

CATFISH

I AM LOVE

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

WINTER'S BONE

As a film critic, I see a lot of movies and some of the smaller ones inevitably get missed from time to time. There is no better experience for me than when I sit down to a movie, knowing very little about it, expecting just as little, and then being floored. All five of these films had varying degrees of this effect on me but none more than I AM LOVE. This Italian film by Luca Guadagnino is breathaking and unabashedly romantic, in both imagery and content. It is a grand experience and one that I want to get lost in again and again.

NOMINEES

CLASH OF THE TITANS

GREEN ZONE

JACK GOES BOATING

SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL

WILD GRASS

Obviously, I do not see everything that is released each year. I try to avoid whatever I think will be dreadful but some crap always manages to get past my filter, either because I have to see it to review it or because I make a horrible judgment call. Though it may be considered rude to spit on a home team player, Michael McGowan's SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL is as insipid as the title suggests it will be. If you're going to make such a ludicrous movie than do it right, man. Instead, what we have here is a bunch of forgettable, meandering songs, and a lot of crude, fumbling dancing on ice. There isn't even any great hockey playing in it! I left before the last number. I couldn't have cared less to see who won the big game if it meant having to watch them sing again.

NOMINEES

I AM LOVE

After a four-week voting session, the Black Sheep readers have chosen wisely. Although I did not love INCEPTION when it was first released, I have since seen it two more times and I am now a firm believer. And I am happy to get in line with my readers on this one as each year they choose a great winner amongst a stellar list of nominees. Thank you to all who participated in the survey and I'd like to extend that thanks further to all who read Black Sheep regularly. This one's for you!

NOMINEES

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

THE ILLUSIONIST

TOY STORY 3

As it already picked up Best Big Movie, it is not a big surprise to see TOY STORY 3 take the Animated Feature category. I do truly love and admire the other two nominees for their passionate artistry but I consider TOY STORY 3 to be a near perfect film.

NOMINEES

I AM LOVE

There are always a few categories I get stuck on each year and this was certainly one of them. I love getting lost in the style of a film, from the cinematography to the editing to the art direction and costume design. Simply put, I like pretty things. And all of these elements come together to make THE SOCIAL NETWORK very, very pretty.

NOMINEES

I AM LOVE

If there is anything I like more than movies, it is music and all of these nominees have beautiful scores that incorporate a lot of innovation into their bold works. As much as I would really like to reward Hans Zimmer for his incredibly stirring INCEPTION score, I must give the prize to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their trippy electronic score to THE SOCIAL NETWORK. It works so symbiotically with the visuals that it often turns the film into a digital symphony.

NOMINEES

CHRISTIAN BALE in THE FIGHTER

ARMIE HAMMER in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

JOHN HAWKES in WINTER'S BONE

MARK RUFFALO in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

GEOFFREY RUSH in THE KING'S SPEECH

I have not found Christian Bale's work to be very impressive in the last little while. It felt like he was distracted, not really pushing himself. From the moment he first appears on screen though in THE FIGHTER, it is clear that Bale is about to give a revelatory performance. He looks thin, sickly and cracked out of his head. His grip on his past, and reality for that matter, is strained, but his devotion to his brother is always there underneath all of his own junk. It is very good to see him fight for something again.

NOMINEES

AMY ADAMS in THE FIGHTER

HELENA BONHAM CARTER in THE KING'S SPEECH

MELISSA LEO in THE FIGHTER

LESLEY MANVILLE in ANOTHER YEAR

DIANNE WEIST in RABBIT HOLE

Melissa Leo, a veteran character actor, seemed to come out of nowhere two years ago when she earned great acclaim for her lead performance in FROZEN RIVER. That recognition led to her being cast in THE FIGHTER, allowing her to solidify herself as one of the most talented actresses working in Hollywood today. As a mother torn between her sons and taken in by the allure of fame and fortune, her struggle to convince herself that she is still a good mother is being fought on her face in every frame. Judging from how much she actually says with her face, it could not have been an easy fight.

NOMINEES

ANOTHER YEAR

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

I like to be surprised by the movies and David Seidler's screenplay for THE KING'S SPEECH is certainly an original one. Sure it is based on real events but it is a period piece that is devoid of stuffiness and pretense. In fact, it is often shockingly droll. The relationship between a king and his subordinate speech therapist is certainly a unique one and it is fascinating to watch as it goes from purely professional to personal, a gap that should be bridged way more often than it probably is. A screenwriter for many years now, Seidler has written about a man who finds his voice and thus finds his own in the process.

NOMINEES

My apologies to the rest of the nominees in this category. You are all excellent writers and have given us great works but there is truly no contest here. Aaron Sorkin's screenplay for THE SOCIAL NETWORK is a revelation. It is fast paced and runs around in so many circles, it is amazing we are able to keep up with it. Not only is the dialogue beautiful but it also stretches to such unexpected depths that it turns a movie about the creation of a website into a biting commentary on obsession, class, our dwindling privacy, our increased distance from each other and the ever evolving definition of what it now means to be someone's friend.

NOMINEES

JAVIER BARDEM in BIUTIFUL

JEFF BRIDGES in TRUE GRIT

JESSE EISENBERG in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

JAMES FRANCO in 127 HOURS

COLIN FIRTH in THE KING'S SPEECH

This was the other category I struggled the most with this year. I thought it was a no-brainer. Colin Firth is performing at a new level as of late but I recognized that last year when I rewarded him for his heartbreaking work in A SINGLE MAN. I wanted to give it to him again for THE KING'S SPEECH (and seriously considered Jesse Eisenberg as I suspect he will never be this good again in his career) but Javier Bardem is just too good to ignore in Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu's BIUTIFUL. As a dying man trying to put his affairs in order for his children before he goes, Bardem gives a heavy performance that is stretched in so many directions but never feels thin. With a ton of weight on his back, he always walks tall.

NOMINEES

ANNETTE BENING in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

NICOLE KIDMAN in RABBIT HOLE

JENNIFER LAWRENCE in WINTER'S BONE

NATALIE PORTMAN in BLACK SWAN

MICHELLE WILLIAMS in BLUE VALENTINE

This is, in my opinion, the most competitive category this year. These five performances are all worthy of winning and the combined talent of these five women is overwhelming. To some extent, it puts the boys to shame. And so, as hard as it was to make a decision, I am throwing my bouquet of roses at Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN. Her descent into madness is so palpable that you cannot help but feel like you're falling down that hole right alongside her. The weakness in her voice, the resolve in her face when she dances, the passion she exudes as she transforms on stage, all of it is completely transfixing - as beautiful and majestic as say, a swan.

NOMINEES

DARREN ARONOFSKY for BLACK SWAN

DAVID FINCHER for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOM HOOPER for THE KING'S SPEECH

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN for INCEPTION

DAVID O. RUSSELL for THE FIGHTER

David Fincher has been making great movies for years now. He is an innovator and he likes to push people with his films. His command in THE SOCIAL NETWORK is evident from that very first scene in the bar, the moment that unknowingly catapulted the world into a new era. Fincher knows where he wants to go, where he wants to take us and what he wants us to see at all times. The journey he takes us on is so smooth that we hardly realize we're being taken on any kind of ride. Fincher's direction is confidant, bold and just plain triumphant.

And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for ... or reading quickly in hopes of getting to anyway, I am pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 Mouton d'Or Award for Best Picture of the year ...

NOMINEES

I watched THE SOCIAL NETWORK for the third time the other day and I am still floored by how outstanding it is. It is such a self-assured piece of filmmaking, where all of the elements come together so seamlessly and with such masterful execution, that they make the film a modern masterpiece. Who knew a movie about Facebook could be so profound? The truth is no one really expected Fincher and friends to pull this off to begin with. I commend the entire SOCIAL NETWORK team for not only proving everyone wrong but for unexpectedly going one further and blowing everyone away as well.

Thank you all for joining me for the celebration of the best films of 2010. There were clearly a great deal of reasons to do so. As always, I appreciate your continued support and look forward to another great year of film and discussion in the year ahead. Bon cinema!

2011 BAFTA Award Winners

Monday, February 14, 2011

BAFTA Awards – 2011 (for 2010 films)
British Association of Film and Television Arts
The King's Speech was the big winner, winning seven awards overall. Ironically it's director, Tom Hooper, lost the direction award to David Fincher for The Social Network, which was second in awards with three, along with Inception, while Alice in Wonderland got two.

Now that King's Speech has won all the

Black Sheep's Oscar Screening Guide

Saturday, February 5, 2011

The Academy Awards are but three weeks away and, with 56 different films nominated for Oscars this year, if you have not started your academy screening yet, it doesn't seem likely you will be able to see them all unless you basically have nothing else to do between now and February 27. Fear not though, with a little planning, you can still catch all the likely winners in all the major categories. Those are the only one's anyone ever remembers anyway, right? (wink.) Allow me to demonstrate ...

First things first, get thee to ye olde video shoppe, if one still happens to exist in your neighborhood. One quick visit and you can pick up half the Best Picture nominees. Better yet, don't even get up. Order them all on demand. In one weekend you can knock off INCEPTION, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TOY STORY 3 and WINTER'S BONE.

INCEPTION is a serious contender in the Original Screenplay category, as well as in Art Direction and Cinematography. It is also practically a lock in both Sound Mixing and Editing as well as the Visual Effects category. I see it walking away with 3-4 and it is an awesome good time so definitely see it if by some freak accident, you have not already done so.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK has lost serious steam in the Best Picture race after it's win at the Golden Globes but it still remains the biggest competition for the big prize. I don't think anyone has ruled it out just yet and rightfully so. Aside from a potential Best Picture triumph, David Fincher is still tipped to win Best Director despite his loss with the Director's Guild. Also, Aaron Sorkin is all but guaranteed to win the Best Adapted Screenplay prize and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are the favorites in the Original Score category. I don't see it taking home any more than 3-4 prizes but what it does take will be big. Must see before Oscar night for sure.

TOY STORY 3 will almost certainly win Best Animated Feature but it will likely stop there. Annette Bening is the biggest threat in the Best Actress category and the best hope for THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT to take home an award. I don't see WINTER'S BONE unfortunately taking any of the four categories it is nominated in but you should see it regardless. There are very great reasons this little movie got so much recognition from the Academy and, if you aren't able to see it before the ceremony, be sure to watch it afterward.

If you have any extra time on your hands, you can also catch Best Supporting Actor nominee Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN, surprise Best Supporting Actress nominee, Jackie Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM and Best Animated Feature and Original Score nominee, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. All are available to rent now. None will actually win but if you want to be thorough, you should see them.

Now, next weekend is Valentine's Day weekend and this year's romantic offerings at the movies are insulting - an Adam Sandler mess, Shakespeare retold with animated gnomes and Justin Bieber in 3D. If your first Valentine's Day movie is any of these, you are guaranteed to break up, I'm sure.

Ladies, why not show your men you can take things a little rough and bring him to THE FIGHTER? You will get to enjoy Marky Mark and the numerous cat fights and big hair while he will be amazed you chose to "suffer" through a boxing movie just for him. And fellas, why not bring your gals to the ballet? BLACK SWAN may take place in a ballet company but you get to see Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis make out and the film is so intense, no one will want to be sleeping alone that night. As an added bonus, you will see the likely winners for Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Christian Bale and Melissa Leo) as well as the likely Best Actress winner (Portman).

127 HOURS and TRUE GRIT are still both playing in theatres and you could easily see them if you had the time but I honestly don't see either film walking away with any gold. The Coens might surprise me with a Cinematography win but if you miss either of these, I can't see it having too big an impact on your Oscar night.

What does that leave? Oh right, the official front-runner, Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH. After taking home the Producers, Directors and Screen Actors Guilds' top honours, it seems unstoppable. The good news is that it is a fine piece of filmmaking and well deserving of all its praise. Why not see everything you can before Oscar weekend and save this one for last? Treat yourself to a royal dinner and then enjoy the film that is poised to take Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth. It could also easily walk away with Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design and Art Direction. I have a distinct feeling Oscar night will be a regal affair so if you miss THE KING'S SPEECH, you might as well not bother watching.

Black Sheep will be posting reviews for all the Best Picture nominees in the days to follow and will also post an interview with Oscar nominee, Javier Bardem (Best Actor for BIUTIFUL), next weekend.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your screenings!

2011 Director's Guild Awards

Monday, January 31, 2011

Director's Guild Winners for 2010 (63rd Annual DGA Awards)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2010: Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
[The cast also won the SAG for b..b..b..best film ensemble]

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2010: Charles Ferguson, Inside Job

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-series for 2010:

Tis the Season: The Academy Award Nominations

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

(Scroll over any film title for the full Black Sheep review.)

I know it's late but I just got in not too long ago from that meeting. I have now seen the nominations for the 83rd edition of the Academy Awards, which I recorded so I could pretend like I saw them live. This actually worked. I was tense as Mo'Nique called out the nominations and thrilled to hear that many of my secret hopefuls made the final cut. Shall we break it down then?

THE KING'S SPEECH leads the Oscar tally with 12 nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Direction of course, as well as one for each of the principal cast members. TRUE GRIT follows closely in second place with 10 nominations, thanks to an unexpected direction nod for Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. THE SOCIAL NETWORK and INCEPTION, then come in third place with 8 nominations between them. I was expecting a stronger showing for these two films and slightly less for the Coen Brothers picture to be honest, but in general, I am very happy with the direction the Academy went in this year with their nominees. There were a number of surprises and snubs, which is inevitable, but for the most part, I think Oscar got it right. Shall we break it down even further then?

Most of the Best Picture nominees were considered locks this year. Really, it seemed as though three films were fighting for the ninth and tenth slot when it came down to it. Those three films would be 127 HOURS, WINTER'S BONE and THE TOWN. Ultimately, it was THE TOWN, Ben Affleck's critically acclaimed dramatic thriller, that missed out. It actually only garnered one nomination, in the Supporting Actor category for Jeremy Renner, when it was considered a strong contender in the Best Picture race, as well as the Adapted Screenplay category. Both 127 HOURS and WINTER'S BONE fared much better than expected and will certainly benefit from these nominations. 127 HOURS, which scored nods for its screenplay as well as the lead performance by Oscar host, James Franco, rolls into 600 theatres this weekend and could use the boost at the box office. WINTER'S BONE meanwhile, is already available to rent or own. This fantastic indie picked up well deserved nominations for it's star, Jennifer Lawrence, and supporting actor, John Hawkes, as well as a nod for its screenplay.

The lead acting categories played out exactly as I wanted them to. The most triumphant success amongst them may be Javier Bardem's seemingly miraculous nomination for his incredible performance in BIUTIFUL, a Mexican film that has not been seen by many at this point. The Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu directed picture, also nabbed a Best Foreign Language spot. Michelle Williams scored her second career nod for her performance in BLUE VALENTINE. This was also not a lock so I am thrilled to see her get this well deserved accolade, as it will also drive more people to see this bleak film. Her co-star, Ryan Gosling, did not make the cut finally.

The supporting acting categories provided some of this morning's biggest surprises. The biggest of those would certainly have to be Jacki Weaver, nominated for her performance in the little seen, ANIMAL KINGDOM. She was always a contender but there was a great deal of confusion in this category this year. Ultimately, Hailee Steinfeld, scored her nomination for TRUE GRIT in the supporting category, when there was much debate over whether she would end up in the lead actress race. Lesley Manville, in ANOTHER YEAR, had a similar confusion and ended up not being recognized in either category, not that she was a shoe-in for either really. A notable absence here would have to be Mila Kunis, in BLACK SWAN. I never saw her performance as award worthy but it was certainly being talked up quite a bit in recent weeks and I thought she would end up on the list. On the men's side, it was the aforementioned nod for Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE that blocked out another young hopeful, Andrew Garfield, in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

Perhaps the biggest snub amidst this morning's nominations is Christopher Nolan being locked out of the Best Director race once again. He did earn his second nomination for writing INCEPTION today but he was considered a sure thing is the directing category. He has been nominated three times by the Director's Guild of America, including this year, but is consistently shut out here. Instead, the fifth slot went to the Coen Brothers, as mentioned before. Aside from THE SOCIAL NETWORK director, David Fincherm and the Coens, the remaining three nominees are all here for the first time. They are Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN, Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH and David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER.

The rest of my shocks and disappointments are as follows. While I am thrilled to see Mike Leigh score a nomination for the beautiful original screenplay, ANOTHER YEAR, I am surprised not to see BLACK SWAN there. In fact, I am a little surprised that BLACK SWAN only managed 5 nominations in total the way that film's momentum has been building. I didn't truly expect Daft Punk to score a Best Original Score nomination for TRON: LEGACY but it would have been a hoot if they did. I was very happy to see the progressive Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score for THE SOCIAL NETWORK make the list though. Oh, and I know BURLESQUE was bad but you could have found at least one song from that the film to round up the Original Song nominees to five. There was another glaring INCEPTION snub in the editing category. I thought for sure that was a lock. I'm very pleased to see great films like Banksy documentary, EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP and Pixar animated short, DAY & NIGHT, earn their spots in their respective categories. Speaking of Pixar, TOY STORY 3, picked up five nominations of its own, including Best Picture and Original Screenplay. And finally, represent Canada! Denis Villeneuve's INCENDIES scored Canada a nomination in the Best Foreign Language race.

I've done the math and I was 87% accurate in my predictions. I got all the lead acting nods right (even Bardem!) and suffered one wrong answer in each of the other categories I made predictions for. Look for reviews of many of the nominated films to come in the weeks ahead on Black Sheep Reviews and I invite you to share your opinions on the Oscar nominations below.

The 83rd annual Academy Awards will be presented on February 27, and hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway. This is the full list of nominations:

BEST PICTURE

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT