Up In The Air

Though continuing the blog at this point may seem somewhat pointless (since Oscar night is long over), I've watched quite a few appraised films in the past few weeks. Even though awards season has come and passed, there's no reason to not still watch, and review, good films!

So, to start, I will review a film that seemed likely to sweep several Academy Awards just months before the ceremony, but was eventually ousted by The Hurt Locker: Up in the Air. Whereas The Hurt Locker deals with modern issues half a world away, Up in the Air confronts those problems that we deal with here in America on a daily basis.

The film centers around Ryan Bingham, portrayed by George Clooney, a man whose job it is to fire others. Though it may seem to be a dismal career, Bingham tends to enjoy the sense of detachment that both his job, and frequent-flying lifestyle, offer. Already, a number of modern domestic issues have arisen: the lay-off of workers due to a consistently downsizing economy, as well as an overall sense of detachment because of an incredibly fast-paced day-to-day schedule.

Following the film's exposition, Bingham is introduced to two new women: the young, uptight Natalie (Anna Kendrick) and the older, yet seductive Alex (Vera Farmiga). These characters send Bingham for a loop, as Natalie wishes to replace the face-to-face firing system with a system where employees are gotten rid of over a webcam conversation. Ryan is fearful of such a sudden, drastic change to his perfect career. Likewise, as he becomes increasingly involved with Alex, he becomes fearful of making a deeper, more meaningful connection, due to his detached way of life.

Though not necessarily the most eventful film, Up in the Air makes numerous powerful statements about modern American society. Clooney, Kendrick, and Farmiga all offer wonderful, if somewhat subdued, performances, while director Jason Reitman (who also helmed Juno) shows that he is still very much in-tune to what his audiences are interested in.

8/10

And....THE RESULTS

Unfortunately I've been too busy to write a follow-up article after Sunday night's ceremony, so here it is.

I will preface this post by stating that I was not especially pleased with this year's show, mainly because I found it to be painfully predictable. Aside from the short film and documentary categories, which I was not acquainted with, none of the winners came as an upsetting, or even pleasant, surprise to me.

To those who didn't watch on March 7th, here's the complete list of winners:
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique for Precious
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Best Animated Feature: Up
Best Foreign Language Feature: The Secret In Their Eyes
Best Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker
Best Adapted Screenplay: Precious
Best Original Score: Up
Best Original Song: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Documentary Feature: The Cove
Best Documentary Short Subject: Music By Prudence
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Animated Short Film: Logorama
Best Live Action Short: The New Tenants
Best Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Best Visual Effects: Avatar

I would argue that if you had any knowledge of the Oscars prior to the ceremony, then every single winning actor would come as no surprise. Mo'Nique and Waltz have been locked in for months, and over the last couple of weeks it became very evident that Bullock and Bridges would take home their awards too.

Some would argue that the Best Picture category was a tight race between The Hurt Locker and Avatar, but I think, that if you look with hindsight, Avatar probably wasn't a frontrunner because the Academy has a tendency to not favor commercial blockbusters. I also understand that it's a big deal that Kathryn Bigelow took home the Best Director award, as she is the first female director to do so. However, it's been expected that she would win for so long that I wasn't legitimately surprised with her win.

I will not deny that I'm very happy for some of the winners (Bridges, Up, Waltz, etc.), but I would've almost been happier if there were more upsets in more categories. A great awards show will be full of shocks and twists and turns. There were very few at the 82nd Academy Awards, and that's why I think this ceremony will be easily forgotten a few years down the road. I've watched the Oscars for the past few years, and I have to say that this is easily the least memorable ceremony I have viewed.

UP

Whenever Pixar releases a new film, it is nearly bound to receive a Best Animated Feature nomination (and has a good shot at winning in that category as well). The company's latest film, Up, has achieved just that, as well as also being nominated for Best Picture. Up's five Oscar nominations are well-deserved, as I would argue that this film is perhaps the best one to come out of Pixar's doors.

The film revolves around the life of Carl Fredericksen, a once beaming, world adventurer who has now been reduced to a stereotypical elderly curmudgeon after the death of his wife, Ellie. Carl's loneliness, and reclusiveness, has lead him to receiving insistent offers from retirement homes. When he simply can't take it anymore, Carl attaches thousands of balloons to his house and flies away.

The elderly man's mission is to reach Paradise Falls in South America, a place he always wanted to visit with Ellie, but never had the opportunity to. However, Carl has brought along an unexpected companion: a neighbordhood Boy Scout, Russell, who is eager to go on an adventure.

I don't want to delve into too many details anymore, but I will let you know that the movie deals with the two high-flying adventurers becoming entangled in a conspiracy involving endangered birds and talking dogs.

I will also tell you that Up is one of the finest films released in theaters this year, animated or otherwise. There's real, laught out loud humor in this movie, unlike some Disney films, which often only include kiddie jokes or jokes which will only get a chuckle or a smile out of a grown viewer. However, Up, like all Disney movies, has some seriously heart-wrenching, poignant moments, but, like the best Disney movies, the message it is trying to convey is never shoved down your throat.

Since this will probably be my last post before the Oscars air this Sunday night, I will let you know that I would personally love for either Up or Inglourious Basterds to take home the Best Picture statue. However, I know that the award will most likely go to either frontrunner, Avatar or The Hurt Locker. Nevertheless, as detailed in my earlier post, the super-sized Best Picture race could lead to a lot of mystery and suspense come March.

I feel that the acting nominations are pretty much already decided, with Jeff Bridges, Mo'Nique and Christoph Waltz all taking home statues. The only close call will be in the Best Actress race, with a deadlock between Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock.

Overall, I believe that Sunday night will be an exciting event for movie-goers, as evident by all of the pre-season buzz this year. Next week, assuming I don't post until Sunday, I will include a detailed wrap-up of how the night went, and probably how I felt it SHOULD have went.

As for Up, I give it a solid 10/10

District 9

Having a long February break, I was able to watch several movies that I was looking forward to for quite some time. One of them, District 9, is nominated for Best Picture, along with three other nods (for Editing, Visual Effects and Adapted Screenplay).

Yes, I realize that this film was released way back in the summer of last year, and I should have seen it a good long time ago, but my procrastination got in the way of that. Without further ado, I will review the aforementioned film

District 9 was produced by Peter Jackson, who saw special potential in the film's director and writer, Neill Blomkamp. The movie did quite well at the box office, and received critical acclaim, being considered one of the smartest science fiction films in years. And just recently the film scored its Academy Award nominations. To put it mildly, I was very excited to see this movie for a variety of reasons, and I think that is why I was inevitably disappointed by what I saw.

Yes, District 9 has one of the most clever concepts which the alien invasion genre has seen in years. When the ships land in South Africa, the invaders (here a crustacean-like species called Prawns) don't attack mercilessly; rather, they are malnourished creatures hardly capable of defending themselves. The Prawns are then placed in slums, and entirely segregated from the human population, in a smart allegory for apartheid in the 20th century.

Nevertheless, the premise and some great acting from Sharlto Copley (I would argue that Copley is more deserving of a Best Actor nod than Jeremy Renner of The Hurt Locker) are not enough to stop District 9 from being a slightly better than average sci-fi flick. It doesn't have the same intellectual punch like some of my favorite sci-fi flicks, such as Blade Runner, Aliens, Brazil or 12 Monkeys.

Don't get me wrong, the first half hour or so of the film was spectacular, with moments that were both humorous and jarring. Nevertheless, towards the end, the film slips into a somewhat stereotypical actionfest that is all too common in today's sci-fi.

Though certainly a fine movie, District 9 doesn't have the kind of attributes worthy of most other Best Picture nominees, and, therefore, I feel that it was one of the "filler" films included to round out the 10 movie race.

6/10

Double Feature Review: (500) Days of Summer AND The Hurt Locker

Even though my last couple of posts have been focused on accolades in general, I have realized that it's neccesary to return to my earlier review format.

In this post, I will be reviewing two films which I have recently viewed: the romantic "comedy" (500) Days of Summer, and the Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker. Despite the varied subject matter, the two movies are similar in that their stories are entirely realistic, and this pervading sense of realism can sometimes be uncomfortable to watch. We usually go to the movies to see things that help us escape from reality, not face it. However, the movies that DO make us face our everyday lives are sometimes the most important ones.

(500) Days of Summer follows the 500-day relationship between Tom (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel). The romance has its many highs and lows, but what is interesting is the non-chronological narrative. Since the film skips around to many points in Tom and Summer's relationship, we get a dizzying blend of the different emotions experienced between the two, rather than a linear, more straightforward progression. I personally fell in love with the narrative style, and I feel that it is these kinds of changes in presentation that will allow movies to evolve, instead of becoming overladen with CGI effects.

However, not meaning to spoil, I have to say that the film does NOT have a happy ending. Though it starts out as the well-worn story of two typical lovers (who, in this case, meet at the office), things quickly begin to go sour for Tom. Though he is convinced that he loves her, Summer's feelings for him begin to wane as the 500 days progress. Though I became angry when the relationship between the two didn't work out, it made me marvel at the power of the film; that I could become so wrapped up in the storyline that I truly wanted these two characters to be together. However, the film is also very honest in this way. Relationships often aren't perfect, and this is why the film seems so relatable.

Though it is a phenomenal film, part of me still wishes that (500) Days of Summer was a little more sweet than bitter.

9/10

On the other hand, Oscar buzz has been growing for Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker. Entertainment Weekly currently considers the war film to be the front-runner for both the Best Picture and Best Director. However, when I saw The Hurt Locker it did not have a tremendous impact on me; at least not the same kind of impact that made me so sure that Slumdog Millionaire would take away the Best Picture last year.

The Hurt Locker follows a bomb defusion squad in the Iraq War. Straight from the get-go, the movie thrusts you into an incredibly tense world, where death could await you at every corner. In this regard, the movie is a triumph, because it accurately depicts the war situation in a way no film has before. When reading an interview with Bigelow, she also commented on how she didn't want the film to have a political subtext. Though I didn't notice this when initially watching the film, I have to say that the lack of government jargon really helps you to focus on the war more for the combat itself, instead of the motives.

Unfortunately, the film falls short in making emotional connections. Though I can't help but root, while remain fearful, for the entire squad, I feel that I would do the same for any human being in their situation. It's hard to stay truly sympathetic with the characters, because we have very few glimpses of their actual emotions; we only see how they act under the intense pressure of war.

This is why I am baffled by Jeremy Renner's Oscar nomination. He certainly offers a fine portrayal of how a man acts in such an atrocious situation, but I can't latch on to his character of William James (or really any character in the movie, for the matter), or at least not in the way I can latch onto Tom or Summer.

Although the lack of character development probably revolves around the relatively sparse script, I still don't feel it has the kind of lasting, emotional power to merit a Best Picture win. Although the movie makes you cringe, and pity the poor soldiers who are working to promote democracy in the Middle East, a deep connection with the movie is difficult to sustain.

Instead, I am still rooting for this year's other pre-eminent war picture: Inglourious Basterds.

8/10

Oscar Nominations!

A few days ago, the Academy finally released their list of films nominated for the big night. One of the major amendments to the awards ceremony is the fact that there will be ten films in the running for Best Picture, instead of the usual five.

And the nominees are:
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air


Some cynicists say this devalues the importance of getting nominated, while others think that the extra five films allows for recognition that would've never been achieved, and (probably more importantly) nominations for films which the Academy which would usually be deemed too commercial. This is evident with Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, and Up, all of which were blockbusters that probably wouldn't be up for nominations if it weren't for this new amendment to the ceremony.

The fact is especially true for Up, which would otherwise have only been Best Animated Feature (it is only the second cartoon to be nominated for Best Picture; the other being Beauty and the Beast). Some would argue that Up's nomination, and really the blockbusters in general, is like the Academy searching too hard for extra candidates. Others would argue that their inclusion could be an attempt by the Academy to gain more viewer interest, as the ratings were generally low this past decade.

Personally, I'm not furious about the films nominated (mostly because my personal favorite, Inglourious Basterds, got a nod) but I do sense that some of the films are probably not the same caliber as others (ie, I don't think you can compare The Hurt Locker and The Blind Side). In addition, so many nominees makes the race seem less tight, and is overall far more confusing.

Last year's Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Milk and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button were all worthy films, and every movie had its own personal fanbase. With ten nominees, certain critics will find many of the nominees less than worthy, and there will unquestionably be divided fanbases with so many movies up for the award.

Right now, I see The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air as the frontrunners for this category, with movies like Avatar and Precious as definite possibilities for the win. Inglourious Basterds and An Education both have a chance, while I would consider District 9, Up, A Serious Man and The Blind Side all long-shots. Of course, this is all merely speculation and speculation has no influence on the Academy. However, over the past few years, the Academy has started a tradition of generally going with the flow in these larger categories. In fact, I would argue that the last huge upset in the Best Picture was at the 2006 Oscars when Crash beat Brokeback Mountain.

So perhaps the nicest thing about the increased number of nominations is that it will make the whole race more fair. In a year where, I would argue, there is no definite frontrunner (unlike last year's Slumdog Millionaire), the suspense, and subsequent interest, of the Oscars will increase considerably. With some commercial fare up for a few statues, audience interest will probably rise. The relevance of the ceremony will be rejuvenated, and that could be just what the Academy needs at this point in time.

The other major category nominees include:

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney - Up In The Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man
Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

BEST ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Gabourey Sibide - Precious
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon - Invictus
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz - Nine
Vera Farmiga - Up In The Air
Maggie Gylenhaal - Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air
Mo'Nique - Precious

BEST DIRECTOR
James Cameron - Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels - Precious
Jason Reitman - Up In The Air

Golden Globe Wins

The Golden Globes aired just this past Sunday, and, while I was unfortunately unable to watch, I was very fascinated by the results. I will be recapping only the award-winning films here (not the TV categories, due to the subject nature of this blog). Here is the list of winning films and people:

Best Motion Picture - Drama: Avatar
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: The Hangover
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Meryl Streep (Julie and Julia)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Mo'Nique (Precious)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Animated Feature Film: Up
Best Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon
Best Director - Motion Picture: James Cameron (Avatar)
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air)
Best Original Score - Motion Picture: Michael Giacchino (Up)
Best Original Song - Motion Picture: The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)

Although there are certainly some expected (and deserving) winners here, there is a notable number of upsets.

Christoph Waltz and Mo'Nique were both practically guaranteed awards for their phenomenal supporting turns, and the fact that Meryl Streep went home with a statue was no surprise to many. However, the other winning actors were not as expected.

Sandra Bullock's win for her commercial smash, The Blind Side, comes as a shock when she was up against critic's favorites, such as Gabourey Sibide and Carey Mulligan. In addition, I wasn't anticipating Robert Downey Jr to go home with a Globe, though I suppose he deserves it after his phenomenal comeback last year in films like Tropic Thunder, Iron Man and The Soloist.

Finally, Jeff Bridges beating George Clooney also came as a shock to some. Just a month or two ago, Up In The Air was expected to sweep all of the awards ceremonies, though it only won one award at the Globes (Best Screenplay). This is largely due to Avatar beating it out of the two main categories: Best Director and Best Picture (Drama). Now I understand that James Cameron invested about a decade of his life into making this film, and for that, I totally understand his win for director. But it still simply boggles my brain how Avatar (though cinematically breathtaking) beat out the other four (I feel, much more deserving films).

Finally, the last major upset is the crude commercial favorite The Hangover beating out more critically acclaimed movies like (500) Days of Summer and Julie & Julia. Though I have yet to see The Hangover, all of my friends assure me that it was a very deserving win.

That is all for now, and I hope that by the time I post my next entry, I will have seen many of the winning and nominated films!