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Oscar Time: Best Achievement in Directing

[Originally posted on MySpace]

I didn’t get a chance to post over the weekend - we got a ton of rain on Thursday, which required another evening snowboard trip Friday. Went cruising with a bunch of other Microsoft-ies on Saturday… Had a going away party for a friend on Sunday…. In any case, here are my picks for Best Achievement in Directing:

#5: George Clooney for Good Night & Good Luck

Watching this film, you can clearly recognize a number of choices & styles that speak to a strong-willed director. Choices that I found really interesting… One example: Clooney does a nice job contrasting the jovial atmosphere in the newsroom (gathering news stories, joking about personal lives) with the tension delivering his reports on air. I think this tactic really gives you a deeper appreciation for the characters - not only are they fighting the uphill battle that is McCarthy-ism, but they’re trying to lead normal lives at the same time. But, with that said - I don’t see George pushing himself to the next level with this film… It’s a strong performance, but I think there will be other opportunities for George to really strut his stuff in the future.

#4: Bennett Miller for Capote

I really enjoyed the pace of this film… I think more novice directors would have been tempted to rush the story, not taking the time to illustrate the different sides of Truman’s character… I also liked how the film never deviated from the story of Truman… That is, the movie never diverted into a story about the murder’s themselves, we never debated the merits of the killers, we never dug deep into the mind of the town sheriff… The film stayed focused on Truman’s investigation & his life. That made events more emotional, more memorable…

#3: Steven Spielberg for Munich

I really liked the attention to detail in this movie. I felt like I was in 70’s Europe. There wasn’t any one element that made me feel that way, but the combination of costume, scenery, props, even the way the actors carried themselves, all made me realize that the events in the film took place at a radically different time. I also liked the slow transition that Spielberg evokes from the leading character. He starts as a naive officer, but ends up as a cold blooded assassin and I have no idea when that change took place. Propelling that character down such a transition without any clear pivot point really gives me an appreciation for Spielberg’s film direction..

#2: Paul Haggis for Crash

I think there are two big reasons to acknowledge Paul’s direction in this film. The first is the subject matter - directing a film about stereotypes is no easy matter, but Paul does a good job not only getting you totally pissed at the bigotry these characters show, but he also gets you attached to the them. I feel a sense of compassion for their ignorance… The second reason is the intersecting plotlines. I know what you’re saying - it’s been done before. Sure it has, but Paul does it in a way that leaves you guessing. Predicting the intersections is impossible and when they suddenly appear they make the scene really pop - forcing characters to deal with their conflicts and make tough decisions. Each intersection makes the lives of both characters more memorable, and that’s really skillful.

#1: Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain

Ang must be the industry favorite for this category. He took a movie that Hollywood has passed on for years, the “gay cowboy” story and produced a really emotional & touching film. As a viewer you’re left with a sense of “what could have been” and even a hint of “forbidden love” … He weaves the wonderful landscapes of Wyoming into the film to give a sense of peace and tranquility to the time Jack & Ennis spend together, and he highlights the mundane off the mountain to further heighten the longing between the two main characters. For having such a delicate hand and weaving in such emotion, Ang Lee gets my pick for best director.

Next up, my last pick - Best Motion Picture of the Year…

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Oscar Time: Best Leading Actress

[Originally posted on MySpace]

Pride & Prejudice = DONE… So, here are my thoughts about the nominees for Best Leading Actress:

#5: Charlize Theron for North Country

On the whole, I wasn’t very impressed with Charlize in this movie. Her character did not provide her with enough fresh material to really shine… So she’s playing a tough girl, so she’s had a rough past, so she’s a single mom. These are all characters that I’ve seen before and I don’t think that Charlize did enough to elevate them to another level… Previous movies such as Monster, Sweet November (I liked it!), Reindeer Games, Devil’s Advocate, or even the Legend of Bagger Vance have required more creativity…

#4: Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents

I didn’t know what to expect from this movie before watching it. I didn’t know what the plot was about, and I assumed it would be a long boring period piece. It was actually pretty good, it was interesting, funny and peppy. The banter between crabby old Mrs. Henderson & Mr. Van Damm (Bob Hoskins) was witty & kept my attention. But other than that I don’t recall anything unique about Judi’s performance. I mean she did her job, but I don’t think it was a standout role for her… BTW - Which movie has more boobs? Mrs. Henderson presents or 40 days & 40 nights? - I honestly don’t know, you tell me..?

#3: Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice

I really liked Keira’s character in this movie… Man, Keira’s cute… Great face, eyes, eyebrows!, skin, teeth (I like her pointy teeth - mine are pointy too), she’s freakin hot!…. Ahem, wait… err… …. anyway, back to her performance.. Getting the role of Elizabeth is an accomplishment for any actress, her character is strong willed, a hopeless romantic & intelligent - starting with that it would be difficult for any actress to go wrong. There were many moments where I really enjoyed Keira’s performance - telling off Mr. Darcy in the rain, outside his estate, asking for her fathers marriage blessing, and her private moments with her sister Jane. There were also moments in this movie where I was confused about the director’s intent (the symbolism behind spinning on the swing, when she & Mr. Darcy are suddenly dancing alone, the focus on Mr. Darcy’s hand…) Anyway, Keira gets #3 on my list.

#2: Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line

I’m not sure what it was that I liked about Reese in this role. I’m not really a fan of her work as an actress, but I may be jaded when I try to evaluate her in a more critical role. I keep getting images of her in more teenage roles, like Legally Blonde, Election or Cruel Intentions… But that said, I think she did a really good job with Walk the Line - her character demanded a very wide range of emotions and she did a good job with them all (from anger, happiness, despair, hope, friendship, determination, compassion, love, sadness, the list goes on…) That’s why she gets #2 in my list.

#1: Felicity Huffman for Transamerica

This was a good movie - I had no idea where the story was going and I was unprepared for all the different situations that Bree gets into during the course of this movie. But what really amazed me was the entire concept of a woman, playing a transsexual who is desperate to complete her transition to womanhood by undergoing gender reassignment surgery. I was blown away by all the different elements that Felicity had to pull together to make this character believable while simultaneously getting the audience to really engage with her & her desires. Take one small element, such as the way Bree walks, she doesn’t walk like a woman. She doesn’t walk like a man. She walks like a man who desperately wants to be like a woman. She’s conscious of her height, her stride, the way she carries herself, the way her arms fall - Felicity blends all these elements together and keeps them in sync throughout the film… And walking around is just one tiny part of her overall performance… Felicity definitely deserves to go home with Oscar this year…

It’s been raining all day, hard at times - so that means fresh snow! I’ll post my pick for Best Director tomorrow night after I get back from the slopes… Later!

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Oscar Time: Best Supporting Actress

[Originally posted on MySpace]

Another night, another movie… Tonight I watched North Country which means I can bring you my picks for Best Supporting Actress…

#5: Catherine Keener for Capote

I remember Harper Lee as a mostly a sounding board for Capote’s brainstorming sessions… Sure, there’s a part of the movie where she basks in the success of her book (To Kill a Mockingbird), but her character fades into the background when I think back to what I enjoyed most. I don’t mean that to be a criticism of her acting, but she didn’t really need to do much to “support” as this character…

#4: Frances McDormand for North Country

I feel almost the same way about Glory in North Country - yeah she’s tough, yes it’s touching to see her struggle with sickness, but she just didn’t blow me away in this role. Maybe I just can’t get Fargo out of my mind, but she felt odd and somewhat stiff in this role. Ohh well..

#3: Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener

This was a really interesting role to evaluate. Rachel stars in the first half of the film, but then she disappears and the story builds around Justin’s search for what happened to her… She’s near the top of my list because she made such a strong impression on me during that time she was on screen. I sympathized a lot with Justin (Ralph Fiennes) thinking back to the moments when she was around. Building a strong connection with the viewer in those short moments gets my recognition.

#2: Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain

This was a hard pick for me - Michelle Willams was the front runner for quite a while. Her character is so sad, torn between being a mother, between working a job and between a husband who isn’t everything she thought he was. She shows genuine raw emotion when she finds out what Ennis really does up on the mountain. I feel for her when she finally separates from Ennis. Her performance was excellent and I would not be surprised if she ends up taking home Oscar this year…

#1: Amy Adams for Junebug

But, I was even more impressed with Amy Adams in Junebug. I don’t understand her character at all - she’s soo perky & positive - she’s like a sponge eager to suck up the world. Part of me wants to just give her a fucking encyclopedia to shut her up - and part of me wants to hear what comes out of her mouth next. This is a one of a kind character and I’m always going to think back to this role whenever I see Amy Adams again. Great stuff!

Only two more films to go: Pride & Prejudice and Transamerica… I’m saving my best director & best picture picks for last, so you’ll have to wait a few days before my next post…

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Oscar Time: Best Supporting Actor

[Originally posted on MySpace]

Tonight, my picks for best supporting actor…

#5: William Hurt for A History of Violence

I don’t know what to make of this nomination. William Hurt is only in A History of Violence for one scene, perhaps less than 10 minutes overall. IMO, Ed Harris should have received the nomination if you were required to pick someone from this film. I don’t mean to disparage William’s performance it was excellent and quite forward, but I can’t place him higher than the other nominees.

#4: Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man

This is probably the movie I looked forward to seeing the LEAST. I’m not a Russell Crowe fan. You know there aren’t going to be any suprises in this film, everyone knows what the story is going to be, and everyone knows it will be about a character who faces tough times but eventually triumphs. Great, seen it, done it, thank you but no thanks. Paul does a good job in this film but his character is completely overshadowed by the trials & triumphs of Jim Braddock. He doesn’t have enough room to shine in this role. Part of me thinks that Paul was nominated partly because he didn’t take home an Oscar for Sideways last year - if he wins this category I’m going to be really upset.

#3: Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain

Many people I talk to really liked Jake’s performance in Brokeback - I wasn’t as excited. There’s something about Jake’s eyes, his expressions that don’t ring true to me. No matter how hard I tried to recognize this character as Jack I always saw him as Jake. Ohh well…

#2: George Clooney for Syriana

I was really excited to see this movie, I enjoy overlapping plots and I’ve met both George Clooney & Matt Damon (shameless plug) and respect them. What I liked most about George’s performance in this film was his characters’ unwavering commitment to try and do the right thing, in a world filled with turmoil. George really made me believe in his character - I think it was how he really showed great concern when “the wrong” decisions were being made. George made me root for his character, all the way to the bitter end…

#1: Matt Dillon for Crash

Matt Dillon is my pick for best supporting actor. I picked Matt because of how he played the two different sides to Officer Ryan. On one side, his character is a racist cop, but on the other he’s a caring & concerned son. When I think back to Matt’s performance in this film, I think of these two qualities and the scenes where both blended together - fighting for medical care for his father while being an unashamed bigot. It’s a long way from his role in Something About Mary…

So, what am I watching next? I’ve got to finish North Country (Charlize!), Pride & Prejudice (Keira!), & Transamerica… I’ve finished all the other nominated films and I’ll post my picks in the other categories this week.

Later…

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Oscar Time: Best Actor

[Originally posted on MySpace]

It’s Oscar time… Every year I have a few favorites going in, but I’ve never actually seen all the movies nominated. This year, I’m taking a few hours out of each night to screen movies nominated for the top categories. Over the next week I’ll post my picks here…

As usual, there are a number of strong performances nominated for best leading actor. My picks - in reverse order:

#5: David Strathairn in Good Night & Good Luck

His character (Edward R. Murrow) demanded a strong performance and David delivered it. I call it a strong performance because so much of the character is delivered without dialogue. The nervous moments before going on camera, the scene in the bar when we find out what happens to Ray, and the way he delivers such precisely worded commentary are shining moments. But it wasn’t quite enough to best my next pick…

#4: Terrence Howard in Hustle & Flow

I saw Crash before watching this movie, so I thought I knew what to expect from Terrence in this type of role - but he proved me wrong right off the bat. Terrence _is_ DJay… I never questioned this character throughout the entire movie, his acting was completely transparent to me. This role required a lot focus & dedication and Terrence delivered.

#3: Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line

Out of all 5 movies, this is the one I saw last and wanted to see the least. I’m not a Johnny Cash fan and I didn’t really care about his life story. But personal interests aside, it does feature a powerful performance from Joaquin. Just like Terrence, Joaquin completely takes over the character. Joaquin _is_ Johnny Cash. The fact that he also performed all the songs himself really impresses me… But, just like Terrence I feel like I understand everything there is to understand about this character. I don’t feel like I would discover a new depth to the character by watching the film again…

#2: Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

This was a tough decision… Unlike Terrence & Joaquin I feel like there are undiscovered aspects to the performances of Heath & Philip. It’s hard to explain… But I can see many different levels to these characters - perhaps it’s due to their circumstances… In the case of Ennis he has a different style of interaction depending on where he is, and who he’s with. Think back to Ennis by himself (travelling alone or waiting outside the office) and compare that to Ennis on the mountain with Jack and compare that to Ennis at home with Alma and compare that to Ennis with his teenage daughter at the end of the film and compare that to Ennis at Jack’s parents house… There are many different sides to this character and I like how the viewer is left to fit them all together to come up with our own interpretation of who he really is…

#1: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote

But…. I think Philip is going to take the award this year… Again, I really enjoyed the multiple different levels that Philip plays. When I left this movie, I was struck by how different Truman is depending on who he interacts with. Compare Truman’s interactions with Perry Smith (one of the killers), to interacting with Jack the sherrif, compared to Harper Lee, compared to his publisher, compared to his personality at parties… I’m never sure who the real Truman is but I enjoy piecing together all the different personalities. Philip does a tremendous job in this role and is my pick for best leading actor.

So, now it’s your turn - What do you think? Who is your pick?