Well, it's that time of year again (I love to use that phrase, don't I?), time for the Oscars! It's been a monumental year for the film industry, with endless heavy hitters wherevery you look, amazing performances, wonderful cinematography and overall cIass. I must say, I've never agreed with the Oscar board this much. Not 100%, but that's also expected. I won't go and lengthen what is an already long blog with a fancy introduction, but here I will list the nominees for my preferred categories, who I think will win and who I want to win.
Art Direction
"Alice in Wonderland"
Production Design: Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1"
Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"Inception"
Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat
"The King's Speech"
Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Judy Farr
"True Grit"
Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
Who I think will win: Hmm, probably True Grit
Who I want to win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception would come a close second. There were some strong contenders here (though I'd replace Alice in Wonderland with 127 Hours), but Deathly Hallows Part 1 is truly beautiful in its combination of magical wonder and dreary, dreary death. Great Britain's various locales are utilized perfectly and that chase scene in the woods is fantastic. It sets the atmosphere and is one of the reasons for it being simply the best HP film to date.
Cinematography
"Black Swan" Matthew Libatique
"Inception" Wally Pfister
"The King's Speech" Danny Cohen
"The Social Network" Jeff Cronenweth
"True Grit" Roger Deakins
Who I think will win: Matthew Libatique
Who I want to win: Matthew Libatique
A really difficult choice here. All of the nominations are incredibly worthy of the prize (again, though, where is 127 Hours?), but Black Swan's ligthing and camera angles are just fantastically implemented. Black Swan is largely about illusion and deception, which is present in every facet of the film. This is particularly present during the final performance, what a show that is.
Directing
"Black Swan" Darren Aronofsky
"The Fighter" David O. Russell
"The King's Speech" Tom Hooper
"The Social Network" David Fincher
"True Grit" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Who I think will win: Tom Hooper
Who I want to win: Darren Aronofsky
I'm tired of pointing out 127 Hours's absence, but seriously? Anyway, though I absolutely adore King's Speech, Aronofsky's vision is stunning. He makes the perfect choice regarding the main role (Natalie Portman) and he brings forth a film that is so brimming with raw emotion that it's at times frightening. Just superb in every way.
Film editing
"Black Swan" Andrew Weisblum
"The Fighter" Pamela Martin
"The King's Speech" Tariq Anwar
"127 Hours" Jon Harris
"The Social Network" Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter
Who I think will win: Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter
Who I want to win: Jon Harris
Very close battle here between Social Network and 127 Hours, but I personally appreciate the latter film's editing a bit more. It has to be a grueling task to make a pretty much solo performance supposed to stretch over 127 hours into a coherent experience. You never miss a beat, it feels taut throughout and there are some really clever uses of settings all over. A great job by Harris.
Music (Original Score)
"How to Train Your Dragon" John Powell
"Inception" Hans Zimmer
"The King's Speech" Alexandre Desplat
"127 Hours" A.R. Rahman
"The Social Network" Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Who I think will win: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Who I want to win: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Close second is Hans Zimmer for Inception. The Social Network is one of the few films where I remember the original score so clearly. It's both menacing and melancholy, and really sticks out in the best way possible.
Music (Original Song)
"Coming Home" from "Country Strong" Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
"I See the Light" from "Tangled" Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
"If I Rise" from "127 Hours" Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
"We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3" Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
Who I think will win: If I Rise
Who I want to win: If I Rise
Though I See the Light is really beautiful, If I Rise is a poignant summary of the message 127 Hours brings forth. It's beautifully sung by Dido and A. R. Rahman, with a great chorus near the end. A hauntingly beautiful piece in every way.
Visual Effects
"Alice in Wonderland" Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
"Hereafter" Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojansky and Joe Farrell
"Inception" Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
"Iron Man 2" Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick
Who I think will win: Inception
Who I want to win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
I always feel like I'm snubbing Inception, but in this category, Deathly Hallows really is spectacular. The rampant colors sprouting out of those wands, the explosions and the great balance of dark and bright. And for what it's worth, Alice in Wonderland did look good, so it deserves that nomination at least.
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"127 Hours" Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
"The Social Network" Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
"Toy Story 3" Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
"True Grit" Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"Winter's Bone" Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini
Who I think will win: Aaron Sorkin
Who I want to win: Aaron Sorkin
OK, here come the heavy hitters. The most wonderful part of The Social Network is the incredible screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, how it perfectly keeps up a steady pace and makes ever conversation an experience to behold. It's quite simply a work of art and is complimented further by David Fincher's direction. Some great teamwork there.
Writing (Original Screenplay)
"Another Year" Written by Mike Leigh
"The Fighter" Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson;Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
"Inception" Written by Christopher Nolan
"The Kids Are All Right" Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
"The King's Speech" Screenplay by David Seidler
Who I think will win: David Seidler
Who I want to win: David Seidler
Seidler's testament in bringing an authentic experience to the viewer is admirable. He treats the story with the utmost care and cIass. Like with Social Network, the conversations are absolute gold and it masterfully blends drama and light-hearted humor to create a joyful experience.
Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in "Biutiful"
Jeff Bridges in "True Grit"
Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network"
Colin Firth in "The King's Speech"
James Franco in "127 Hours"
Who I think will win: Colin Firth
Who I want to win: Either Colin Firth or James Franco
Fine, fine, I didn't quite make a final decision. But this one is really difficult. Colin Firth is incredible as the late king George VI, emulating a stammer *perfectly*, without a hitch. Meanwhile, James Franco is mind-blowing in 127 Hours, playing an utterly convincing Aron Rolston, who gets stuck in a crack in Blue John Canyon for 127 hours. In terms of the actual impact of the acting itself on the film, Franco has the edge. He's basically the solo star outside of some minor sides, while much of Firth's genious comes from his interaction with Geoffrey Rush. However, that doesn't downplay his portrayal one bit. Therefore, I cannot choose between them. Both were simply brilliant.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale in "The Fighter"
John Hawkes in "Winter's Bone"
Jeremy Renner in "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo in "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush in "The King's Speech"
Who I think will win: Christian Bale
Who I want to win: Christian Bale
A close call, but Bale just edges out Rush in my mind, simply due to his incredible devotion towards authenticity. He completely changes himself into his role, a drug-addict with serious issues of self-control. He's completely unforgettable and adapts to his role in a way few actors ever could.
Actress in a Leading Role
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"
Who I think will win: Natalie Portman
Who I want to win: Natalie Portman
If ever there was a slam-dunk in the Oscars, this is it. Not only does Natalie Portman show the best acting this year (IMO), but one of the greatest performances by any actor (or actress) ever. This role literally makes her one of the greatest actresses of her time and is a truly unforgettable instance of acting brilliance. You never doubt that her character has a fragile psyche about to burst, and her evolution into the black swan is mesmerizing. Absolutely astounding, she is brilliance caught on film.
Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech"
Melissa Leo in "The Fighter"
Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"
Jacki Weaver in "Animal Kingdom"
Who I think will win: Hailee Steinfeld
Who I want to win: *read below*
This category actually really annoys me for three reasons. One, though I haven't seen True Grit, Hailee Steinfeld seems to be one of, if not the most prominent character in the film. Why in the world is she here cIassified as in a supporting role? It's insulting, really. Two, though Helena Bonham Carter was good in King's Speech, I thought she was far better in Deathly Hallows Part 1. A truly definitive role for her, and it's ignored? Three, where is Chloe Moretz? I thought she was amazing in Kick-Ass, she would've been my choice for sure. And yet, she's missing. This category just disappoints me in so many ways, I choose to rather skip it.
Animated Feature Film
"How to Train Your Dragon" Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
"The Illusionist" Sylvain Chomet
"Toy Story 3" Lee Unkrich
Who I think will win: Toy Story 3
Who I want to win: Toy Story 3
Tangled's disappearance is really weird, and How to Train Your Dragon is amazing, but I think it's an impossibility to match the emotional, comic and dramatic depths present in Toy Story 3. It really is a film for the ages, a movie that transcends age and expectations, emphasizing how maturity shapes people, how one interest can disappear so suddenly and how that affects those you cared for. A beautiful, beautiful tale that left me both laughing and on the verge of tears.
Best Picture
"Black Swan" Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
"The Fighter" David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
"Inception" Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
"The Kids Are All Right" Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
"The King's Speech" Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
"127 Hours" Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
"The Social Network" Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
"Toy Story 3" Darla K. Anderson, Producer
"True Grit" Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"Winter's Bone" Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers
Who I think will win: The King's Speech
Who I want to win: Toy Story 3, The King's Speech, Black Swan, The Social Network, 127 Hours
Gah, who am I kidding? I can't choose my personal winner at all this year. It was really crystal clear last year for me (was District 9 before I saw Up in the Air, which then became my choice), but I'm flabbergasted at the sheer amount of quality here. I've seen 9 out of 10 of those films (have yet to see True Grit), and seven of them are definitely in my top 10. I'd replace Winter's Bone and The Kids Are All Right with Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Kick-Ass, but this is a really good list. I'll just try and explain why I love all of the films I mentioned above. I already talked about Toy Story 3, it's simply beautiful. The King's Speech is a prime example of British cinema and boasts some of the best chemistry of any actor duo between Firth and Rush. It's an astounding feat of storytelling excellence. Black Swan has one of the most memorable performances ever caught on screen in the form of Natalie Portman. Darren Aronofsky shows his true talent as a director and the film is in its entirety an engrossing look at a deteriorating mind. Few films I've seen have been so incredibly well put together. The Social Network is an expertly crafted retelling of the Facebook story, with amazing performances by the entire cast, amazing writing, David Fincher's tell-tale genius and great music. 127 Hours is another masterpiece from Danny Boyle, with superb writing and film editing. However, what's most prominent is the incredible performance by James Franco, he really is a contender to be wary of in the acting scene. Also, it's probably the most gut-wrenching film of this year for all the right reasons. I can't possibly pick one, I just can't. I love these films too much.
All right, this ends on quite a lazy note from me, but I hope you enjoyed the list. I'd love to hear the opinion of all of you, the readers. Variety is the spice of life, now let me taste it! Now, enjoy the Oscars tomorrow, film fans, it's sure to be amazing. It starts at around midnight here where I live, but I'll try and stay awake for as long as I can. Salut for now, friends.
-Calvinsora