The Adjustment Bureau

This film is about a promising young senator named David Norris who is played by Matt Damon. At the start of the film, he loses an election. After meeting a tenacious girl, he delivers an inspiring speech and reenters the world of politics. Meanwhile there are men watching Norris and discussing his actions. It is revealed that the men are guiding Norris, among others, to specific outcomes. When one small thing goes awry, the whole plan begins to fall apart and the watchers must reveal themselves to Norris as the Adjustment Bureau. Norris must fight for his own decisions and write his life the way he wants to despite the best efforts of the Adjustment Bureau to stop him and get him back on their track. Will he succeed in living his own life or will the Bureau convince him of the importance of their plan?

I actually found this film quite enjoyable. I thought the characters were compelling and the story was engrossing. I even found the love story more believable than usual. I actually like the love interest played by Emily Blunt. The dilemma is there. Does Norris follow his heart and be with the woman that every part of himself is telling him is the one for him, or does he let her go so that they can each fulfill their greater destinies apart from one another?

There were some things I was not thrilled about, however. I do wish they had gone back for another draft on the dialogue. I found the dialogue of the Bureau to be too contrived. They used it to explain too much to the audience and it just came across as forced. Also I feel, directing wise, they missed opportunities for action. The climactic chase scene is hugely anti-climactic.

My Opinion in a Nutshell:

Entertainment: 6- This was a very fun movie, just don’t try to over think it and you will enjoy yourself.

Award-worthy: 3- Nothing in this film stands out or takes your breath away in the manner that makes you want to root for it come award season.

Red Riding Hood

This film is a fun adaptation from the old fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. In this version, however, the wolf is in fact a werewolf. Intriguing right? Valerie, played by Amanda Seyfried of Mamma Mia, is red riding hood, but she is not little in this version. She is a young woman who is in love with one man, Peter played by the smoldering Shiloh Fernandez, but engaged to be married to another, Henry played by the elegant Max Irons. When Valerie’s village becomes plagued by the wolf, the villagers begin looking for ways to rid themselves of it. While some decide the best course is to hunt it and kill it themselves, others call upon the help of renowned werewolf hunter Solomon, Gary Oldman. Everything quickly descends into chaos as all fail to kill the wolf and Valerie realizes that she has a connection to the wolf. Can she discover who it is in time to save her family and friends?

I thought this movie was really fun. My expectations were low, however because of Catherine Hardwicke at the helm. You may remember her as the director of the first Twilight film who was not invited to direct the following installments. I take similar issue with this film as I did the Twilight film. As a director she relies heavily on cliché and tired old scenes that makes today’s discerning viewer roll their eyes. I found myself snickering at certain scenes that were meant to be poignant or meaningful but I just found them stupid.

That being said, the music choices were very intriguing. The music pulled the anachronistic elements together and made them seem less out of place and more cool. Also the visual element to this film was quite good. These were the two elements that drew me in on the first preview. While these elements make for an attention-grabbing and exciting preview, they don’t hold a film together very well. The dialogue cliché and borderline laughable, the story is quite formula in general, and all the characters are flat. But hey, this isn’t supposed to be Ben-Hur! This is made to be a fun way to pass a couple of hours. And it does that quite well. Am I going to buy it? No. Am I glad I went to see it? Yeah, it was fun. My personal experience was a bit ruined since the theater I was at kept cutting the sound out, but that almost made it more fun.

My opinion in a nutshell:

Entertainment- 7- The people are pleasant to look at, the costumes, sets and music are all appealing, and the violence and sexy bits are all adequately vibrant without being graphic. Just don’t expect too much and you will enjoy your two hours quite nicely.

Award-worthy- 2- This movie was made for fun. Not quality. Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?

District 9



This is a Sci Fi film that takes place in Johannesburg South Africa. In this version of reality, a flying saucer appears directly over Johannesburg South Africa and when nothing happens for weeks, the South Africans break in and find the bipedal bug-like aliens are starving and dying. Fast-forward about ten years and we see the aliens segregated in a slum known as district 9. The main character Is Wikus van der Merwe, played by Sharlto Copley ion his film debut. Wikus is a middle-management government official that a documentary crew is following as the government prepares to relocate the aliens to a new facility. During the course of his excursions into District 9, Wikus comes into contact with a mysterious alien substance and his life rapidly begins to change forever.

I was so happy to see this film on the list of nominees. There was, of course no real chance of it winning, but if Avatar was going to be nominated, this film should definitely be included. This film is what Sci Fi is really about. While Avatar was a stylized, high-handed, overblown, unsubtle commentary on a subject no one is unaware of that follows every plot formula, flat character and obvious camera work in the book, District 9 is a fresh, raw, unapologetic look at an issue that nearly all societies in today’s world faces in an unexpected way that utilizes believable characters, experimental film techniques and collaborative efforts from bright young artists from all disciplines.

This film is a commentary on the racism and apartheid seen throughout history and which can still be found world-wide. What makes this such an effective analogy is the fact that it is still believable. This film takes place today and so it can comment on current issues plausibly whereas when a Sci-Fi film takes place in the future like Avatar does, it should either show an optimistic view of the heights man can achieve when they work together, like Star Trek, or should show the horrific depths that will result from not resolving the issues of today by exaggerating them, like A Clockwork Orange. It is very believable to me that if helpless aliens arrived on Earth today it would not be over New York, D.C. or even London and that they would be immediately segregated, heavily regulated and tested by the government who uses fear and ignorance, albeit based slightly on fact, to keep the aliens hated by the general populace.

The beginning of the film was done in documentary style which is something a lot of filmmakers are playing with these days. It lends a sense of immediacy as well as takes the pressure off for bringing big dramatic scope in the cinematography. It also allows for a convenient explanation of the history involved while simultaneously affording opportunity for characterization. This film was also all adlibbed as far as dialogue and character reactions. This also made the film seem more real and immediate.

The most impressive thing about this film to me was the incredible character of Wikus and Copley’s portrayal of him. When I say “incredible” I don’t mean that Wikus is a hero in shining armor that saves everyone, instead, he is a flawed, sometimes pitiable character who reacts to his extraordinary circumstances in very ordinary ways that are sometimes much less than admirable. Because of his relatability, the viewer roots for Wikus even when his actions are disappointing. This movie put Sharlto Copley on my radar and you should watch out for him too. His next film was The A-Team where he stole the show. Keep your eyes peeled because I know we haven’t heard the last from this silly, but brilliant South African actor!

My opinion in a nutshell:

Entertainment- 6- If you love the non-sop action and bad-ass characters and yippy-kay-yay lines, you might be a bit disappointed in this film. It does take a while to get going since the beginning is a bit information-heavy. But if you like a thought-provoking look at a possibility presented in a different way, then this is the film for you! Also you may need to pay extra attention since everyone speaks with a South African accent.

Award-Worthy- 8- While this movie is impressive in many ways from the concept itself to the performances, it is a bit rough around the edges. This is writer-director Neill Blomkamp’s first feature-length film and while many of these ill-fitting edges are what makes this film so endearing, it also leaves room for Blomkamp’s improvement and I can’t wait to see what comes next!!

Results

Ok, so not my best year.  The past three years in a row I have correctly predicted all six of the big categories.  This year I have only gotten 4 of the six.  Still, the two that I guessed incorrectly, were my second choices, so not a total loss although I got almost all of the other categories wrong...Oh well, maybe next year!

Art Direction: My guess- The King’s Speech
Winner- Alice in Wonderland

Cinematography: My Guess- True Grit
Winner- Inception

Supporting Actress: My Guess- Melissa Leo
Winner- Melissa Leo

Animated Feature: My Guess- Toy Story 3
Winner- Toy Story 3

Adapted Screenplay: My Guess- True Grit
Winner- Social Network

Original Screenplay: My Guess- The Kids Are All Right
Winner- King’s Speech

Supporting Actor: My Guess- Christian Bale
Winner- Christian Bale

Costume Design: My Guess- Alice in Wonderland
Winner- Alice in Wonderland

Visual Effects: My Guess- Inception
Winner- Inception

Editing- My Guess- 127 Hours
Winner- Social Network

Director: My Guess- Darren Aronofsky
Winner- Tom Hooper

Leading Actor: My Guess- Colin Firth
Winner- Colin Firth

Leading Actress: My Guess- Natalie Portman
Winner- Natalie Portman

Best Picture: My Guess- Black Swan
Winner- King’s Speech


I'm just happy The Social Network didn't win!! 

The clock resets and I can continue my journey backward into Oscar History!!

Preditions!!

Tomorrow is the big night! I have to pos my official predictions.
Here are the big six:

Best Picture: I still think that Black Swan deserves the big prize for this year. The acting was mesmerizing, the directing was both lyrical and striking, the story is just edgy enough to set itself apart and all the costumes, sets and music lend the appropriate tone and mood to round it out nicely. The only reason I favor this film over The King’s Speech is because of content. The story of Black Swan is just more what I feel film has become and where it is going whereas The King’s Speech feels more like the glory days of Hollywood past.
Best Director: Here again I favor Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan. This is a tough one for me because I felt that The King’s Speech was brilliantly directed and I always like to back the Coen Brothers, but again I feel the vision of Aronofsky leads to the future of film. I do however see Tom Hooper being quite deserving of this award for The King’s Speech because although I felt the content was a little too formula, the directing in this film was cutting edge as well as visually striking.

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Although always the toughest acting category, best actor belongs to Colin Firth. His Portrayal of King George VI is flawless.

Best Actress in a Leading Roll: I think this one belongs to the intensity and dedication of Natalie Portman in Black SwanBest Actor in a Supporting Roll: I almost feel bad for the nominees up against Christian Bale this year.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: This one I would like to see go to Melissa Leo from The Fighter. I think it will be a tight race with Hailee Steinfeld from True Grit.
　
　
Here are the other categories I have a few thoughts on:
　
Best Animated Feature: They might as well call it “the annual award for Disney-Pixar.” Congrats to Toy Story 3.

Best Art Direction: Believe it of not, this is the category I am having the hardest time voting on just one. I know I will not be vindicated come the ceremony, but I am actually going to say The King’s Speech on this one. Although all the nominees in this category were visual masterpieces, I found the artistic direction in The King’s Speech to be the most unique and unexpected use of art direction I have seen in a long time.
　
Best Cinematography: I am Voting for True Grit because this award should always go to a Western!
　
Best Costume Design: My vote for this one actually wasn’t nominated. The only film where I felt the costumes made a significant contribution to the overall tone of the film was Winter’s Bone. However, I don’t think there was much actual design involved which is why it felt so real, but that doesn’t quite make for an award-winner. My vote therefore goes to Alice In Wonderland.
　
Best Film Editing: This one I am voting for 127 Hours. Flawlessly melding flash-backs with camcorder footage with landscape shots and traditional film style makes this one the obvious choice.
　
Best Visual Effects: Belongs to Christopher Nolan again for Inception.
　
Best Adapted Screenplay: This one is another tough one. The fornt runners, in my opinion, are 127 Hours and True Grit. Although 127 Hours is beautifully done, the book is a little too existential to be easily translated, whereas True Grit is far more literal. Since I have to chose, I am going to say True Grit, though I am just as likely to regret it as not.
　
Best Original Screenplay: I am really rooting for The Kids Are All Right. I found the writing for this film fresh and real as well as highly entertaining and relatable.
　
　These are my thoughts on tomorrow's ceremony.  Time will tell if I am of the same mind as The Academy!

Winter's Bone



Winter's Bone is about 17 year old girl named Ree living in the south with her two younger siblings and her mother.  They are clearly living on meager means and must accept food from neighbors and give up their horse.  When a police man arrives, he informs Ree that her father is missing and put their house up for bail.  If he didn't show up to court, Ree and her family would lose their house, which is the only thing they really have.  Ree is the one who cares for the family because her mother is mentally unstable and they haven't seen her father in months.  In order to keep her family together, Ree enters into  a world of highly secretive and violent drug dealers.  Will she find her father in time to save her family?

This film is a brilliant example of how a lower budget independent film can be well made and well received.  The beauty of this film is in the details.   Many times in film, you see the set and costumes that have been carefully prepared over a period of days, weeks or, in some cases, months to years.  In this film there was one point where I wondered if the actors were allowed to just wear their own clothes in the film.  The sets and costumes in this film felt comfortable and sort of "occupiable".   The worn jeans and remnants of a wasp nest in the light fixture lend the relationship to the film and the characters.  Because I can't relate to the character's situation, the relatability of the  places helps me feel connected to the film. 

Although I felt this film has a lot to offer from entertainment and film making standpoints, I also felt like this film didn't really have much to say.  I enjoyed it, but it didn't stand out to me as being a particularly special film.

Entertainment- 6-  not a whole lot actually happens in this film and it relies heavily on conversation.

Award-Worthy- 5- while there are a few technically interesting aspects to this film, I don't feel that it contributes anything really new or poignant to film as an art.

127 Hours



This film is based on a novel written by Aron Ralston who is the main character of this film.  It chronicles his experience in the desert on a weekend in 2003.  On what was expected to be a routine hike in the Utah wilderness, Aron, played by James Franco, falls into a small crevasse and a boulder traps his arm solidly against the rock wall.  he is trapped there for 127 hours before he finally takes drastic measures in order to break free and save his life. 

This is a story that is both dramatic and inspiring.  The recognizable Danny Boyle Style of directing is clear in this film.  The split-screen multiple pictures thing pops up several times.  the real genius in the making of this film is in how all of your senses are engaged.  The colors are all vibrant and almost palpable, you can almost feel the texture of the rocks as Aron hikes through the desert.  All of the sounds are larger than life and there are even a few scenes where you can almost smell and taste what Aron is experiencing.  The music in this film is also notable.  It ads to the tone of the film but does not distract from it.  This is a close intimate experience with a single character as he experiences a life-defining encounter.  The viewer gets to know Aron very well and becomes truly invested in his welfare.

This film has essentially one character and one set the whole time.  This film does a good job of not letting the viewer get bored with either.  Every detail of the set is engaged as Aron progresses through a self-examination process that is inevitable if he is to survive this experience physically, emotionally or mentally.  Although I think this film handles the single character the best that it possibly can, there still are some confusions about Aron's thoughts and motivations. 

Entertainment- 7-  I hesitate to call it entertaining because so much of it is difficult to watch, but the directing makes it visually impressive as well as being engaging and inspiring.

Award-Worthy-  6.  While I felt this film was magic at the start, it did lose a little steam and lustre later in the film from an artistic standpoint, but still a beautiful film.