Color By Logic

Oscar 2011: Who WILL Win

2011-02-27T16:14:00.002-05:00

Here are my predictions.

Motion Picture: "The King's Speech" (alt. "The Social Network")
Director: Tom Hooper - "The King's Speech" (alt. David Fincher - "The Social Network")
Actor: Colin Firth - "The King's Speech" (alt. James Franco - "127 Hours")
Actress: Natalie Portman - "Black Swan" (alt. Annette Bening - "The Kids Are All Right")
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale - "The Fighter" (alt. Geoffrey Rush - "The King's Speech")
Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo - "The Fighter" (alt. Jacki Weaver - "Animal Kingdom")
Best Adapted Screenplay: "The Social Network" (alt. "Toy Story 3")
Best Original Screenplay: "The King's Speech" (alt. "Inception")
Art Direction: "The King's Speech" (alt. "Inception")
Cinematography: "True Grit" (alt. "Inception")
Costume Design: "The King's Speech" (alt. "Alice in Wonderland")
Film Editing: "The Social Network" (alt. "The King's Speech")
Makeup: "The Wolfman" (alt. "Barney's Version")
Original Score: "The King's Speech" (alt. "Inception")
Original Song: "We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3" (alt. "If I Rise" from "127 Hours")
Sound Editing: "Inception" (alt. "True Grit")
Sound Mixing: "Inception" (alt. "True Grit")
Visual Effects: "Inception" (alt. "Hereafter")
Animated Feature Film: "Toy Story 3" (alt. "How to Train Your Dragon")
Foreign Language Film: "In a Better World" (alt. "Biutiful")
Documentary: "Exit through the Gift Shop" (alt. "Waste Land")
Documentary Short: "Strangers No More" (alt. "Killing in the Name")
Short Film (Animated): "Madagascar, a Journey Diary" (alt. "Day & Night")
Short Film: "God of Love" (alt. "Na Wewe")

A lot of these seem like locks, but there are always at least one or two surprises. I feel more uncertain about many of my alternates than I do my actual picks. Tomorrow, I'll post how I did and finally, my top films of 2010.

My tally:
"The King's Speech" - 7

"Inception" - 3

"The Fighter" - 2

"The Social Network" - 2

"Toy Story 3" - 2

"Black Swan" - 1

"Exit through the Gift Shop" - 1

"God of Love" - 1

"In a Better World" - 1

"Madagascar, a Journey Diary" - 1

"Strangers No More" - 1

"True Grit" - 1

"The Wolfman" - 1

Oscar 2011: Who SHOULD Win

2011-02-27T15:06:00.003-05:00

Tonight, this long season finally comes to a close. Here are my picks for who I would like to win out of those nominated. There are plenty of awards I would hand out to people that aren't even nominated (Ben Mendelsohn in Animal Kingdom, for example). I'll post my predictions for who actually will win later today.

Motion Picture: "The King's Speech" (or "Inception")

To further break this down, I'll rank them like Academy members do.

"The King's Speech"
"Inception"
"Winter's Bone"
"The Social Network"
"True Grit"
"The Fighter"
"127 Hours"
"Black Swan"
"Toy Story 3"
"The Kids Are All Right"

Looking at this list, I can't help but be struck by how much of a difference there is between my top ten films of the year and the Academy's top ten.

Director: David Fincher - "The Social Network"
Actor: Javier Bardem - "Biutiful" (or Colin Firth - "The King's Speech")
Actress: Jennifer Lawrence - "Winter's Bone"
Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush - "The King's Speech"
Supporting Actress: Jacki Weaver - "Animal Kingdom"
Best Adapted Screenplay: "The Social Network"
Best Original Screenplay: "Another Year"
Art Direction: "Inception"
Cinematography: "Inception"
Costume Design: "I Am Love"
Film Editing: "127 Hours"
Makeup: "The Way Back"
Original Score: "How to Train Your Dragon" (or "Inception")
Original Song: "Coming Home" from "Country Strong"
Sound Editing: "Inception"
Sound Mixing: "Inception"
Visual Effects: "Inception"
Animated Feature Film: "How to Train Your Dragon"
Foreign Language Film: "Biutiful" (or "In a Better World")
Documentary: "Exit Through the Gift Shop"
Documentary Short: "Strangers No More"*
Short Film (Animated): "Madagascar, a Journey Diary"*
Short Film: "God of Love"*

I would compromise on a few of these. For instance, I would love to see James Franco take home a trophy as much as I would Colin Firth or Javier Bardem. I think Toy Story 3 is technically better than How to Train Your Dragon, but I see the latter as a more admirable underdog.

*I don't really have much of an opinion on the last three categories, as I haven't seen the films.

My tally:
"Inception" - 5 (7)
"The King's Speech" - 2 (3)
"Biutiful" - 2
"How to Train Your Dragon" - 2
"The Social Network" - 2
"Animal Kingdom" - 1
"Another Year" - 1
"Country Strong" - 1
"Exit Through the Gift Shop" - 1
"God of Love" - 1
"I Am Love" - 1
"Madagascar, a Journey Diary" - 1
"127 Hours" - 1
"Strangers No More" - 1
"The Way Back" - 1
"Winter's Bone" - 1
"In a Better World" - (1)

Oscar 2011: My Analysis and Ballot

2011-02-24T15:29:00.004-05:00

In the few years since I've become a film snob (now more than ever), I seem to feel less of 'the magic' when I'm going to the cinema and more of a scholarly sense of observation. I miss the magic, for sure, but it's nice to have an eye for something and to be able to analyze it further than whether I like it or not.

The last few years have all seemed a bit dull at the time of writing up each of my Oscar commentaries. Looking back now, only the best films are those I take into account (however few they may be in certain years), and they don't seem dull at all. This year looks pretty good, I would surmise. Just glancing at my longlist for my ballot for Best Picture, I have 23 possible pictures. Hey, I'll take it!

Best Picture

“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King's Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3”
“True Grit”
“Winter's Bone"

I predicted all of these to make the top 10 before the announcement. I believe I was part of a smaller group calling for Winter's Bone to upset The Town, but it paid off. The Town was a good film, but it's box office success was the primary reason for some pundits expecting for it to get some love. Fortunately, there is plenty of box office success among our nominees and The Town wasn't needed to show any muscle. Anyway, I don't feel it was as good as Ben Affleck's previously helmed film, Gone Baby Gone.

A few of these films, I would surely keep in my list; Inception, The King's Speech, The Social Network and Winter's Bone. A few films that were nominated for Best Foreign Language film last year (and thus ineligible this year) make the cut; Ajami, A Prophet and possibly The Secret in their Eyes. Animal Kingdom and The Way Back scored one nomination each, but they were two of my favorites of the year and are sure to get some nods from me. Biutiful, Lebanon and Shutter Island are three films that showcase exceptional direction and performances. Never Let Me Go sort of came and went as the bait-piece that didn't deliver. I think it did deliver, however, and will find itself in contention in a few categories here. Throw into the mix Another Year, Exit Through the Gift Shop, The Fighter, The Ghost Writer, How to Train Your Dragon, I Am Love, Let Me In, 127 Hours, True Grit and Toy Story 3. I'd say we have a strong group of diverse films in the running. Ultimately, True Grit and Biutiful battled it out for the final slot.

"Ajami"
"Animal Kingdom"
"Another Year"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"A Prophet"
"The Social Network"
"True Grit"
"The Way Back"
"Winter's Bone"

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”

All of these guys were fantastic in each of these films. Robert Duvall in Get Low and Jim Sturgess in The Way Back both impressed me. Leonardo DiCaprio gave two of his career's best in Inception and Shutter Island. Tahar Rahim was incredible in A Prophet. Mark Wahlberg contributed just as much to The Fighter as each of the more lauded supporting cast. Geoffrey Rush was almost a co-lead in The King's Speech but since Colin Firth was actually 'the King,' we'll keep things the way they are, placement-wise. Michael Moshonov in Lost Islands was easily one of my favorites since seeing the film last January. In the end, it came really close between veterans Jeff Bridges and Robert Duvall fighting for that final spot in my list. Hard choice, but I went with Duvall. I'll probably always be happy when Bridges is nominated for anything, though.

Javier Bardem in "Biutiful"
Robert Duvall in "Get Low"
Colin Firth in "The King's Speech"
James Franco in "127 Hours"
Tahar Rahim in "A Prophet"

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”

Thrilled for John Hawkes and Mark Ruffalo for both finally getting their first nominations. Jeremy Renner benefitted from the Academy wanting to bestow a nomination on The Town. He was good, but wasn't best in show (or even the best male performance) for me. I would have nominated Jon Hamm first. There were a lot of un-rewarded performances in this category that I loved this year. Let's add the guys from Inception in here, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ken Watanabe (who does so much acting with just his face). Tom Hardy was best in show. Niels Arestrup and Ben Mendelsohn from A Prophet and Animal Kingdom, respectively, are two of my favorite 'bad guys' in recent years. Animal Kingdom, in fact, was also loaded with a few great supporting roles from Sullivan Stapleton, Joel Edgerton and Guy Pearce. Ed Harris and Colin Farrell each brought completely different things to the table in The Way Back. Farrell was definitely showier and, I feel, the better of the two. Andrew Garfield pulled double-duty in two great supporting roles this year, for Never Let Me Go and The Social Network. Armie Hammer also impressed me the second time I watched The Social Network (not so much the first time, though). Ibrahim Frege as Malek in Ajami deserves some notice, as does Oshri Cohen and Ashraf Barhom in their more limited roles in Lebanon. Christian Bale, John Hawkes and Tom Hardy are fighting it out for the last spot.

Christian Bale in "The Fighter"
Colin Farrell in "The Way Back"
John Hawkes in "Winter's Bone"
Ben Mendelsohn in "Animal Kingdom"
Geoffrey Rush in "The King's Speech"

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”

This category might see the most changes between the real nominees and my nominees. First off, True Grit is Hailee Steinfeld's film and she should be in this category. I did not see Rabbit Hole or Blue Valentine, but I really enjoy when both Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams put forward good performances. Tilda Swinton was very good in I Am Love, a film in which I didn't expect to grow on me but apparently has. Carey Mulligan was the huge heart of Never Let Me Go. In my book, it is two years, two lead actress nominations for her. Yes, Easy A was a teen comedy, but Emma Stone is already a force to be reckoned with. Noomi Rapace in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Naomi Watts in Fair Game are both worth mentioning. I went with Emma Stone over Tilda Swinton for the last slot and my final group is very young!

Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone"
Carey Mulligan in "Never Let Me Go"
Natalie Portman in "Black Swan"
Emma Stone in "Easy A"
Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"

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”

You probably already know who my favorite is in this category, since I've been pushing for a Jacki Weaver nomination since last August. Melissa Leo is another one of my favorites and both her and Amy Adams are great in The Fighter. Lesley Manville gives one of the most heart-wrenching performances ever in Another Year. Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff were the two best things about Nowhere Boy. Marion Cotillard chalks up another great performance in Inception. Aside from the CGI tsunami in Hereafter, Bryce Dallas Howard was my favorite part. Keira Knightley gave us her most mature role to date in Never Let Me Go. Olivia William's jaw-clinch in the final scene of The Ghost Writer alone is worthy of a nomination. Maricel Alvarez has gotten zero notice for her work in Biutiful, but she is very good.

Anne-Marie Duff in "Nowhere Boy"
Melissa Leo in "The Fighter"
Lesley Manville in "Another Year"
Jacki Weaver in "Animal Kingdom"
Olivia Williams in "The Ghost Writer"

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

I'm a bit sad that Christopher Nolan was shut out again. I see Inception as more of a director's film than a writer's film, and since he did both, the writing nomination makes less sense than a directing would. However, I know it was just a case of David O. Russell and the Coen brothers giving us more prestigious films. Nolan can call up Spielberg and talk about being shut out because of directing good movies that happen to be blockbusters. Peter Weir adds another great film to his already stunning resume with The Way Back. Jacques Audiard made a film that I think will be studied for generations and David Michod gave us a stunning debut with Animal Kingdom. Tom Hooper, with whom I was not familiar before The King's Speech, used some old-school techniques masterfully. David Fincher didn't give us his career best, but even his second, third and fourth best efforts are better than the efforts of most directors during any given year.

"Inception" Christopher Nolan
"The King's Speech" Tom Hooper
"A Prophet" Jacques Audiard
"The Social Network" David Fincher
"The Way Back" Peter Weir

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3”
“True Grit”
“Winter's Bone”

Each of these are exceptional screenplays. I might substitute in Never Let Me Go but I don't know what I would take out, so I'll just leave it as is. The Way Back is one of the better adapted screenplays of the year. How to Train Your Dragon features a screenplay on par with Toy Story 3.

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“Another Year”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King's Speech”

Mike Leigh creates the best dialogue of any screenwriter working right now. His work is so real and easygoing, even when dealing with heavy emotions. His work in Another Year is stunning. The dialogue in Inception is mostly exposition, yes, but Nolan carefully crafted each of these levels and unique worlds for each. Foreign favorites Ajami, Animal Kingdom and A Prophet are all worthy of nominations.

"Animal Kingdom"
"Another Year"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"A Prophet"

Foreign Language Film

“Biutiful” Mexico
“Dogtooth” Greece
“In a Better World” Denmark
“Incendies” Canada
“Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)” Algeria

Of these nominees, I've only seen Biutiful and Dogtooth. In a Better World looks incredible, certainly. Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi) is a sequel to Days of Glory (Indigene), a previous nominee in the category and a film which I liked very much. I haven't heard very good things about Incendies, but it could just depend on the viewer. I did see Israel's submission, The Human Resources Manager and thought it was not nearly as in-your-face but every bit as good as Dogtooth.

Animated Feature Film

“How to Train Your Dragon”
“The Illusionist”
“Toy Story 3”

I can't decide which film I like more, How to Train Your Dragon or Toy Story 3. Thrilled to see Sylvain Chomet nominated again for The Illusionist. Great set of films this year.

Art Direction

“Alice in Wonderland”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”
“Inception”
“The King's Speech”
“True Grit”

Good nominees. Obvious others include TRON Legacy and the cold modernism of The Ghost Writer. I might add contemporaries such as Animal Kingdom, A Prophet and one that people might not think of, Lebanon. Every frame of Lebanon, except the first and last, take place inside an army tank. The Illusionist and Shutter Island are worthy contenders as well.

"Alice in Wonderland"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"Lebanon"
"TRON Legacy"

Cinematography

“Black Swan”
“Inception”
“The King's Speech”
“The Social Network”
“True Grit”

Nothing upsetting here, but I might consider a few changes. The Way Back, Biutiful and 127 Hours are all very strong. A Prophet and Animal Kingdom both possess a unique individuality to their cinematographies.

"Animal Kingdom"
"Black Swan"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"The Way Back"

Costume Design

“Alice in Wonderland”
“I Am Love”
“The King's Speech”
“The Tempest”
“True Grit”

Perhaps the most contemporary group of nominees ever in a single year. Inception and The Fighter have both been unjustly ignored in this arena. Agora and Robin Hood were nice, but we've seen all of that before.

"The Fighter"
"I Am Love"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"True Grit"

Film Editing

“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“The King's Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”

127 Hours editing really captures Danny Boyle's energy. The editing in Ajami really assists the broken narrative line and was put together very carefully.

"Ajami"
"The Fighter"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"127 Hours"

Makeup

“Barney's Version”
“The Way Back”
“The Wolfman”

I've heard that the aging work in Barney's Version is very good, but I did not see the film. I am impressed with the transformative work seen in trashing up the characters in The Fighter. Inception and Shutter Island have some good work on display too.

"The Fighter"
"The Way Back"
"The Wolfman"

Music (Original Score)

“How to Train Your Dragon”
“Inception”
“The King's Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”

I love each of these scores. The only two I would also liked to have seen nominated are Daft Punk's score for TRON Legacy and Rachel Portman's score for Never Let Me Go. The music in I Am Love is very good but did not qualify.

"How to Train Your Dragon"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"Never Let Me Go"
"TRON Legacy"

Music (Original Song)

“Coming Home” from “Country Strong”
“I See the Light” from “Tangled”
“If I Rise” from “127 Hours”
“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3"

I'm fine with these nominees, although it certainly isn't the most exciting group and the public as a whole doesn't know a single one of these songs well enough to automatically associate it with it's film. I would only add "Me and Tennessee" from Country Strong.

"Coming Home" from "Country Strong"
"I See the Light" from "Tangled"
"If I Rise" from "127 Hours"
"Me and Tennessee" from "Country Strong"
"We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3"

Sound Editing

“Inception”
“Toy Story 3”
“TRON Legacy”
“True Grit”
“Unstoppable”

This is surely one of the areas in which 127 Hours excels, as well as How to Train Your Dragon and Lebanon.

"Inception"
"127 Hours"
"Lebanon"
"TRON Legacy"
"True Grit"

Sound Mixing

“Inception”
“The King's Speech”
“Salt”
“The Social Network”
“True Grit”

Admittedly, I'm still learning about this category as well. I know the difference between the two sound categories, but I'm still keeping an ear out (Ha!) for what makes a film strong in this field. All of these nominees seem worthy and I'm glad Salt made it in particular. However, in my limited knowledge, TRON Legacy, The Way Back, Lebanon and Animal Kingdom might have more to offer here.

"Animal Kingdom"
"Inception"
"TRON Legacy"
"True Grit"
"The Way Back"

Visual Effects

“Alice in Wonderland”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”
“Hereafter”
“Inception”
“Iron Man 2”

Sure, young Jeff Bridges didn't look very good in TRON Legacy, but the rest of the film was stunning. It should be in here. I predicted Hereafter to make it in, and it rightfully did. I would substitute TRON Legacy and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World in over things we have already seen in Iron Man 2 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

"Alice in Wonderland"
"Hereafter"
"Inception"
"Scott Pilgrim vs. The World"
"TRON Legacy"

Documentary (Feature)

"Exit through the Gift Shop"
"Gasland"
"Inside Job"
"Restrepo"
"Waste Land"

I've only actually seen Exit through the Gift Shop and if any of these is better, I would be surprised.

My nomination totals:
11 - Inception
10 - The King's Speech
6 - Animal Kingdom
6 - True Grit
6 - The Way Back
5 - The Fighter
5 - 127 Hours
5 - TRON Legacy
4 - A Prophet
4 - Winter's Bone
3 - Another Year
3 - The Social Network
3 - Toy Story 3
2 - Ajami
2 - Alice in Wonderland
2 - Biutiful
2 - Black Swan
2 - Country Strong
2 - How to Train Your Dragon
2 - Lebanon
2 - Never Let Me Go
1 - Dogtooth
1 - Easy A
1 - Get Low
1 - The Ghost Writer
1 - Hereafter
1 - I Am Love
1 - The Illusionist
1 - In A Better World
1 - Incendies
1 - Nowhere Boy
1 - Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)
1 - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
1 - Tangled
1 - The Wolfman

"Get Low" with Georgia cinema

2010-09-23T13:23:00.006-04:00

Although Get Low was released just this summer, I remember two years back, reading an announcement in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution calling for as many extras as possible to show up at Picket's Mill (a historic site near Acworth, Georgia) in their best Depression-era clothing. I thought about attending. I was even willing to skip my classes (not really a stretch for me anyway). Unfortunately, I had just taken most of my Depression-era clothes to the dry-cleaners and they weren't going to be ready for a few more days.

Whether I am privy to the filmmaking or not (usually not), I often like to support movies that are filmed locally. I saw Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd at the cinema (mistake) and I'll probably see the remake of Footloose (impending mistake), since I have already made a 'set visit.'

While it is always wonderful seeing familiar surroundings on the big screen, it is often not worth the price of the movie ticket. This time, my local pride didn't turn out to be a waste of money. Get Low was worth every penny, regardless of my geographic sentiments.

The film tells the tale of a crazy old man (Robert Duvall) living in seclusion outside a small town full of people who spread all sorts of rumors about him. Of course, there is one person in town (Lucas Black) who sees a heart of gold deep down inside the crazy old man. There is even a person in town (Sissy Spacek) who knew the old crazy before he was old and crazy. Then, you have the struggling business owner (Bill Murray) who, being a yankee outsider, has nothing to lose by cozying up to the town crazy. When the old crazy sees his days coming to an end, he decides to invite everyone to come tell stories about him at his funeral... while he is alive... at his funeral.

Of course, this story is pleasant enough by itself, but the movie really shines when we start to learn why he shut himself off from others for forty years and what emotional damage has resulted. A good cast was needed to bring all of this to life, and a good cast was delivered.

No one is going to ignore a group that includes Robert Duvall (six Oscar nominations, 1 win), Sissy Spacek (6 Oscar nominations, 1 win) and Bill Murray (one Oscar nomination). I suppose Bill Murray will appeal more to younger audiences than the other two, but Duvall and Spacek have both proved to still be worthy of the 'household name' moniker. These three are in top form here and while Oscar buzz exists for all three, Duvall stands the best chance of a nomination. Spacek could find herself in the Best Supporting Actress race if the usually crowded category doesn't see more worthy entrants soon (personally, Jacki Weaver is still the one to beat). Bill Murray will likely be forgotten as the studio will see more of a need to push for Duvall's nomination, but I don't feel that Murray is even the most deserving Supporting Actor nominee anyway. I would give that distinction to Bill Cobbs, who plays an old pastor friend who knows the answer to why Duvall isolated himself.

This is the first meaty role for Cobbs in quite a while. The actor is used to smaller character parts and television roles (and that Peter Cetera Heineken commercial). I think he delivers more depth to his performance than any other supporting player. Unfortunately, I must be alone in my opinion, as Cobbs has gone by relatively unnoticed so far.

Lucas Black puts up a good performance as well. With already a good set of films under his belt, he is on his way to a sturdy career. Besides, it is impossible for me not to be a fan of his, with that unwavering Southern accent (we need more of these in Hollywood) and the fact that he looks a bit like the missing link between me and my brother.

Oscar winning composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek put together a nice score, with the help of Jerry Douglas and The Steeldrivers. Alison Krauss also offers up a song over the credits. I would easily recommend this soundtrack.

The cinematography isn't the best I've seen this year, but you can tell there was an artful eye behind the lens. The beautiful Georgia scenery doesn't hurt either, and it serves as an extremely appropriate substitute for Tennessee (where the film takes place). The costumes are good enough to be in contention for the Oscar, which only makes me regret not showing up in my Great Depression suit.

Aaron Schneider has made an impressive directorial debut with Get Low, seeing as his film finds a nice balance between aesthetics and performances. I'm happy the film has found the audience it deserves.

Jacki Weaver, Queen of the "Animal Kingdom"

2010-09-06T21:18:00.016-04:00

I've got it pretty good here in Atlanta. My home is both a city that I love and the cultural capital of the South. We don't usually get first week openings for art films... those are pretty much exclusively for New York and Los Angeles. It is not even that common that we get second week openings either... go to Chicago, San Francisco or Boston for those. But Atlanta still gets the art films. I am thankful for that. I have no problem waiting three weeks to see something that if I lived elsewhere, I might never get a chance to see in the cinema.

I saw the trailer for Animal Kingdom a couple of months ago at home, one day when I was in the mood to just watch some movie trailers. I headed over to Apple's trailer collection and watched several trailers for films which either had titles or posters that struck my fancy. Animal Kingdom had both. And the trailer was even better.

Immediately, Jacki Weaver stands out in the trailer. First off, she the only female shown to have any lines (there are a couple more in the film, but the roles aren't nearly as large). Secondly, she looks supremely menacing.

A few weeks into the film's US release, it hit Atlanta. I went to see it the day it came out here and it met every one of my high expectations head-on. Animal Kingdom is akin to Israel's Ajami, minus the broken narrative structure and with a singular focus on one family. Funny that I liken it to Ajami, seeing as these two films are both among my top three for the year so far.

I imagine the Australian Film Institute Awards will have a field day with Animal Kingdom. The film is marvelously paced. Every bit its two hours moves with swift but meaningful pace, thanks to a strong screenplay and an exceptional ensemble. Newcomer James Frenchville carries the film from the first frame. A stone-faced exterior eventually gives way to show his vulnerability and, ultimately, his shrewdness. Frecheville is very solid in the film, but veteran Aussie actors Weaver, Ben Mendelsohn, Sullivan Stapleton and Guy Pearce walk away with more of the audience's attention.

Let's talk about Jacki Weaver. Weaver plays the mother of four sons who are involved in a variety of crimes... bank robbery, drugs, murder. When Frenchville's character, J, calls her after his mother dies of a heroin overdose, she resumes her grandmotherly duties after having been absent from his life for many years. While her boys take care of her, you never feel as though she is helpless. In return, she dotes on them with long kisses on the mouth. I know... right? These kisses might seem incestuous, but aren't. They are simply how she casts her spell.

"All of her four children had different fathers. They were violent criminals. She has consorted with criminals all of her life and has made a living out of the proceeds of criminal behavior — that is why she condones and encourages the boys. I think she's a woman without a conscience, a sociopath." - Jacki Weaver, Los Angeles Times interview

Maintaining a confident presence amidst all of the havoc that arises; when we finally see her break down... mascara running from those unflinching and devilish eyes... we are perhaps even less sympathetic than we were before. And after we see her choose between one of her sons and her grandson, we know that she is the one who has been in charge all along.

Even with her standing out in the trailer, I didn't expect her performance to be this good. In this day and age, Oscar-watching is a tremendously popular internet hobby. Buzz is generated for performances months before they are seen. Animal Kingdom won the World Cinema Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, but I had yet to hear much about it. When you come across a performance that jumps out and strangles you, and you hadn't already been told to expect it, it seems all the more powerful. She plays Janine "Smurf" Cody with an unwavering intensity... both in the character's disturbing nature and in the consistency of the performance.

I hope Sony Pictures Classics stays on top of the game and puts on a good campaign for her. While it seems that the Best Supporting Actress category is one of the easier groups in which to find inclusion when the film isn't exactly up to par, it helps that Animal Kingdom is a very good film. Other nominations would be well-deserved, but are very unlikely for an Australian film with such limited distribution.

This is director David Michôd's first feature film. He wrote Weaver's part specifically for her and thank goodness for that. Whether or not the film attains any Oscar nominations come January, Michôd can at least take comfort in his first film being a job well done.

Atlanta Film Festival 2010: What I'm attending

2010-04-16T14:39:00.008-04:00

While 2010 marks only my fourth time attending, the Atlanta Film Festival has been going, and growing, since 1977. Three years ago, I saw La vie en Rose and was blown away by Marion Cotillard's performance. Several months later, I blogged about it and was correct in what I had predicted. Two years ago, I decided to see another French film at the festival, Hors de prix (Priceless). The film is a modern take on Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Tautou and while it was fun to watch, it wasn't quite to the same level as what I had seen the year before. Last year, I was able to check out two films. I had already been anticipating (500) Days of Summer well before I found out it was screening at the festival, so it was a no-brainer. That Evening Sun was a film I chose to see based on its chilling trailer and star, Hal Holbrook. If you look back at my Oscar ballot, you will see that I doled out seven nominations between the two films and then went on to list That Evening Sun as my #11 film of the year and (500) Days of Summer as my #3 of the year.

The point I am trying to make is that, typically, the films I have seen at the Atlanta Film Festival have made an impact on me.

This year, I have tickets to see four films. One is a locally shot zombie comedy and three are festival darlings. I could potentially see a fifth film as well.

Pushin' Up Daisies was shot in and around Athens, Georgia. While I'm a bit tired of my generation's obsession with zombies and zombie movies, this looks pretty funny. It's about a crew shooting a documentary about flowers when a bunch of zombies show up. They aren't dangerous, but they get in the way of the shoot. It looks pretty hilarious and I'm excited about it opening up my time at the festival.

The Things We Carry is the second film I'll be attending. The fantastic title stood out so much to me that it was the first film I looked into after they posted the list of films screening this year. The film looks to be a bit emotionally heavy, which is not a bad thing. It is about a woman reconnecting with her sister and drug-addicted mother. It won seven awards at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival and also showed at Boston Film Festival and Hollywood Film Festival.

Winter's Bone is the film I am most excited about seeing this year. This film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year and did well at Berlin too. It is already getting Oscar buzz much like An Education and Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire did last year (and we know how that turned out). Set in the Ozarks, Jennifer Lawrence's character has to find her meth-addicted dad and keep her family together. I'm expecting this one to be very good.

Cold Weather has gotten a lot of good buzz after it screened at SXSW earlier this year. The film is a bit of a mystery to me... which is good, as the film is a mystery film. I have a good feeling about this one. It looks like it could be a bit like Primer, and that can only be a good thing. This will be the last film I see at the festival this year, so I'm hoping to go out on a high note!

Dear Lemon Lima is potentially another film I will see at the festival. Stylistically, it looks a bit like a cross between Napoleon Dynamite and Juno (which I have heard others say as well). It is about a teenage girl in Alaska coming to terms with her heritage during her most awkward years. I like that Melissa Leo and Beth Grant, two of the best character actresses around, are in the supporting cast. I hope I'm able to catch this one.

The Best Films of 2009

2010-03-11T15:52:00.010-05:00

Honorable mentions:
Julie & Julia, Bronson, Il Divo, Away We Go, The Road, State of Play, Brothers, The Baader Meinhof Complex, Adventureland, Watchmen

25. Entre les murs (The Class) - An 2008 Oscar nominated foreign language film that is filled with personality and beautifully written characters.

24. The Blind Side - While lacking in much artistry, this film has a lot of heart and is anchored by Sandra Bullock at her best.

23. Bright Star - Not exactly fast-paced... but extremely lush. The cast is excellent, but the true stars are the beautiful costumes, cinematography and music.

22. Duplicity - A very smart screenplay is made a lot more accessible by the fun cast.

21. The Boys are Back - Don't let the lame name keep you from seeing this. A beautiful color palette and a great performance from Clive Owen make this worth a watch. I'm a sucker for melancholy bereavement movies.

20. The Informant! - Absolutely one of the best screenplays of the year. Matt Damon is the best he's ever been. Hilarious.

19. Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire - Very hard to watch, but this movie is layered with a ton of emotional depth. A great lead performance by Gabourey Sidibe and a super-strong supporting cast.

18. Up - While I prefer Ratatouille and even Wall-e, this movie is beautiful. Perhaps the most emotionally weighty animated film ever made.

17. Public Enemies - Michael Mann is an excellent filmmaker.

16. Where the Wild Things Are - I love when films have their own sense of style, and this one certainly does. A rich adaptation.

15. District 9 - Sharlto Copley completely owns this film. A surprising summer hit with a lot of technical merit.

14. Up in the Air - Not as deep as I wanted, but there is no denying the achievement of both the cast and the filmmakers. Really well put together and very relevant.

13. In the Loop - Probably the funniest movie of the year. The screenplay is so crude, but it is undeniably clever.

12. Avatar - The most successful movie ever, the most ambitious movie ever, an undeniable technical marvel. I loved it... but lets not make it more than it is.

11. That Evening Sun - I saw this at the Atlanta Film Festival last April and was hooked immediately. Hal Holbrook was robbed of his second Oscar nomination and the supporting cast should have scored some nods too. A truly gritty Southern film with a lot of soul.

10. Moon

In a strong year for sci-fi film, Moon stands out, thanks to an incredible performance from Sam Rockwell and a haunting visual vibe reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

09. Gomorra

Not much is explained to you, but you are taught a lot about the modern Italian mafia in this razor-sharp film. It is unnerving how real Gomorra feels.

08. Crazy Heart

Not an overly complex film, but Crazy Heart is full of charm. Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal are wonderful and the music is fantastic. This was one of the best times I've had in the theater lately.

07. Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino put his eccentric, gory sensibility aside... well, partially... and made Inglourious Basterds a classy film that is supremely entertaining. A score full of old Ennio Morricone standards doesn't hurt matters.

06. Fantastic Mr. Fox

Wes Anderson's aesthetic transfers just as easily to animated film. A superb screenplay, voice-cast and art direction make Fantastic Mr. Fox easily the best animated film of the year.

05. Star Trek

Leave it to J.J. Abrams to not only reboot a tired, old franchise... but to make it into one of the best popcorn movies ever and one of the absolute best films of the year. Star Trek got everything right.

04. The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker is both visually and emotionally engrossing. Kathryn Bigelow's hand is all over this sharp war film. Great cinematography is highlighted by great editing.

03. (500) Days of Summer

As if seeing this at the Atlanta Film Festival and having my one true love in it weren't enough to make me crazy over this film, (500) Days of Summer is also really fresh, funny, innovative and... well... great. This film will follow around my generation much like Annie Hall did to its.

02. A Serious Man

The Coen Brothers once again prove themselves to be masters of dark comedy. A Serious Man is layered and almost poetic in how well it flows. This film has one of the best ensembles of the year to execute one of the best original screenplays of the year.

01. An Education

While the complexities of An Education might not be as obvious as those in other films this year, they are definitely present in Carey Mulligan's stunning performance, as well as in the performances of Peter Saarsgard, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper, Olivia Williams and Emma Thompson. This film boasts one of the best ensemble casts in recent memory. Nick Hornby's screenplay is really great and Lone Scherfig and her crew really created a lavish look at early 1960s London. The soundtrack, costumes, set design and cinematography are all top notch.

More than 'okay'

2010-03-09T16:51:00.004-05:00

Zooey has always looked great, but she's never looked better. I think I'm getting over the fact that she married another man. And M. Ward is probably one of the top three coolest guys ever.

I've now heard three new She & Him songs... and I can't wait for more. Volume Two is out March 23 in the US.

Oscar 2010: 20/24... Not bad.

2010-03-09T16:35:00.003-05:00

What a long awards season this was. I'm excited for a new slate and fresh contenders.

My predictions went pretty well. I correctly predicted 20 out of 24 and two of the ones I missed were categories in which I haven't seen any of the contenders.

I incorrectly called Up in the Air taking Best Adapted Screenplay... which I'm sure everyone else did. I knew I should put Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire as my alternate, since I thought it had the best shot of upsetting (even though I didn't think it had much of a shot at all), but my sentimental heart made me put An Education. I think everyone called Up in the Air, so I'm not really upset about missing that one.

Best Sound Editing went to The Hurt Locker instead of my pick, Avatar. Again, a lot of people were calling for the sound categories to be split like I had them... and we were all wrong. I think Avatar is the more deserving of the two in Editing, The Hurt Locker deserves Mixing.

The other two I missed were Documentary Short and Live Action Short. I didn't see any of the nominated films. Oh well.

I won first place in my local cinema's 'Predict the Oscars' contest. I received ten free movie passes as my prize. Pretty sweet.

Oscar 2010: Who WILL win

2010-03-07T14:43:00.002-05:00

Today's the big day. I've been an Oscar watcher for a few years now, but I've paid the closest attention this year. I feel like it's a fairly easy year to predict, and while I hope I call everything right, I wouldn't be upset by some surprises here and there. Here are my predictions.

Motion Picture: "The Hurt Locker" (alt. "Avatar")
Director: Kathryn Bigelow - "The Hurt Locker" (alt. James Cameron - "Avatar")
Actor: Jeff Bridges - "Crazy Heart" (alt. Jeremy Renner - "The Hurt Locker")
Actress: Sandra Bullock - "The Blind Side" (alt. Carey Mulligan - "An Education")
Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz - "Inglourious Basterds" (alt. Christopher Plummer - "The Last Station")
Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique - "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (alt. Maggie Gyllenhaal - "Crazy Heart")
Best Adapted Screenplay: "Up in the Air" (alt. "An Education")
Best Original Screenplay: "The Hurt Locker" (alt. "Inglourious Basterds")
Art Direction: "Avatar" (alt. "Sherlock Holmes")
Cinematography: "Avatar" (alt. "Inglourious Basterds")
Costume Design: "The Young Victoria" (alt. "Bright Star")
Film Editing: "The Hurt Locker" (alt. "Avatar")
Makeup: "Star Trek" (alt. "The Young Victoria")
Original Score: "Up" (alt. "Avatar")
Original Song: "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart" (alt. "Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog")
Sound Editing: "Avatar" (alt. "The Hurt Locker")
Sound Mixing: "The Hurt Locker" (alt. "Avatar")
Visual Effects: "Avatar" (alt. "Star Trek")
Animated Feature Film: "Up" (alt. "Fantastic Mr. Fox")
Foreign Language Film: "The Secret in their Eyes" (alt. "Ajami")
Documentary: "The Cove" (alt. "Food, Inc.")
Documentary Short: "The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant" (alt. "China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province")
Short Film (Animated): "Logorama" (alt. "Wallace & Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'")
Short Film: "The Door" (alt. "The New Tenants")

I feel pretty good about these... but that means nothing. Tomorrow, I'll post how I did and finally, my top films of 2009. I know it is already March and I'm just now getting around to my list, but I always post it the day of the Oscars. This year, it will be a day late.

My tally:

"The Hurt Locker" - 5
"Avatar" - 4
"Crazy Heart" - 2
"Up" - 2
"The Blind Side" - 1
"The Cove" - 1
"The Door" - 1
"Inglourious Basterds" - 1
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant" - 1
"Logorama" - 1
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" - 1
"The Secret in their Eyes" - 1
"Star Trek" - 1
"Up in the Air" - 1
"The Young Victoria" - 1

Oscar 2010: Who SHOULD win

2010-03-03T16:31:00.009-05:00

Only days away from the big night now, and I am eagerly anticipating the results. I'm more excited that it will put an end to a season which has been stretched out for entirely too long than I am excited to see my favorites win. Unfortunately, plenty of my favorites won't win. Here is who I would like to win come Sunday night. I will post my predictions for who will win later this week.

Motion Picture: "An Education" (or "The Hurt Locker")

To further break this down, I'll rank them like Academy members do.

"An Education"
"The Hurt Locker"
"A Serious Man"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"District 9"
"Avatar"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"Up in the Air"
"Up"
"The Blind Side"

I would have to put An Education at the top, but honestly, I would just as well have The Hurt Locker win.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow - "The Hurt Locker"
Actor: Jeff Bridges - "Crazy Heart"
Actress: Carey Mulligan - "An Education"
Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz - "Inglourious Basterds"
Supporting Actress: Maggie Gyllenhaal - "Crazy Heart" (or Mo'Nique - "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire")
Best Adapted Screenplay: "An Education"
Best Original Screenplay: "A Serious Man"
Art Direction: "Avatar"
Cinematography: "The Hurt Locker"
Costume Design: "Bright Star"
Film Editing: "The Hurt Locker"
Makeup: "Star Trek"
Original Score: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"
Original Song: "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart"
Sound Editing: "Avatar"
Sound Mixing: "The Hurt Locker"
Visual Effects: "Avatar"
Animated Feature Film: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"
Foreign Language Film: "Ajami"
Documentary: "The Cove"*
Documentary Short: "China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"*
Short Film (Animated): "French Roast"*
Short Film: "The Door"*

I hope you don't consider my having two options for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress as cop-outs. I truly would love to see either selection win in both of those categories. I almost pulled the same stunt for Adapted Screenplay. In the Loop is worthy of the Oscar, but I ultimately have to stick with my Best Picture winner, An Education.

*I don't really have much of an opinion on the last four categories, as I haven't seen the films.

My tally:

"The Hurt Locker" - 4 (5)
"Avatar" - 3
"Crazy Heart" - 3
"An Education" - 3
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" - 2
"Ajami" - 1
"Bright Star" - 1
"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province" - 1
"The Cove" - 1
"The Door" - 1
"French Roast" - 1
"Inglourious Basterds" - 1
"A Serious Man" - 1
"Star Trek" - 1
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" - (1)

7 Reasons why "Ajami" could upset the Best Foreign Language Oscar

2010-02-26T17:12:00.014-05:00

Israel is now the most nominated country without a win.
This year's nomination gives Israel a total of nine. It is now the eighth most nominated country ever. Only France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Japan and the Soviet Union/Russia have more nominations. Arguably, each of these countries got an earlier start on building up their film industry. Israel didn't get its first nomination until 1964, the 37th year the award was handed out. Ironically (or perhaps not), it went up against France, Italy, Sweden and Japan that year.
Israel is on a roll.
Perhaps this doesn't mean too much, since Israel has already been in a three-year nomination streak before (1971, 1972, 1973)... but Israel has now been nominated for the last three years. "Beaufort" in 2008, "Waltz with Bashir" in 2009, "Ajami" in 2010. "Waltz with Bashir" was considered the likely winner for much of the campaign last year, only to be bested by the Japanese film "Departures."
The Academy loves upsets.
Not that they all get together and decide to give the award to the film no one was expecting, but those individual cases can add up and make a difference. Last year was a perfect example. Most Oscar-watchers expected Israel to get its first award until an upset was smelled in the eleventh hour. With "A Prophet" and "The White Ribbon" basically being year-long favorites and "The Secret in Their Eyes" being the film most are predicting to win, an upset seems possible. Three films to split the popular vote, and two to feast on the remains. "The Milk of Sorrow" seems to polarizing to have a chance, but anything can happen.
'The Jew factor.'
The Academy has a large Jewish population and while it obviously doesn't have a bias in favor of Israeli cinema, Jewish cinema does hold a special place in its heart. Just look at the sheer amount of Holocaust films that go on to do very well at the Oscars. Is it because they are all good? Maybe. Two years ago when "Beaufort" lost, "The Counterfeiters," an Austrian Holocaust film won. This isn't an exact science by any means... but this might lead to an edge here or there in certain years.
Israeli-Palestinian love.
Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, the co-directors, are a perfect showcase of something the Academy is sure to like... one is Arab, the other Jewish. With foreign language entries from Palestine, Jordan and other Arab nations being submitted in recent years, we are getting more of a taste of Arab cinema. We already know the Academy loves Jewish cinema. Add to that the fact that it is the first film Israel has submitted that is mostly in Arabic and this film now looks great on paper. Progressivity is always a key factor to watch out for.
The Academy likes honesty.
This film is along the same lines as other films that the Academy has liked in recent years. "Crash" is what it is compared to most. I can see that. This is about people of different ethnicities and religions (Jewish, Arab-Muslim, Arab-Christian) all living in Ajami, a distressed neighborhood in Jaffa. Yes, sounds a bit like "Crash." The Academy liked "Crash." "City of God" has also been brought up. It's also a bit like "Gomorra," which the Academy didn't show much affinity for (I still can't figure out why not). While "Slumdog Millionaire" was shiny and happy, it also had plenty of color and grit that Academy definitely pats itself on the back for noticing. My point is, this film is very honest and very striking. If people take time to sit down and watch the screeners of all of the films, they just might be gripped by how truthful and incendiary this one is.
It's really good.
Some might say it is too intense, too violent. That hasn't stopped the Academy before... especially in recent years. No one said "The Departed" and "No Country for Old Men" were too intense and violent to win. Some say it's too confusing. You certainly have to be paying attention, since it's structured into different chapters that don't play out in order and there are a lot of characters going in and out. The fact of the matter is, the filmmakers spent seven years putting this together and it shows. It's very good.

Another verbose attempt at an Oscar commentary

2010-02-20T18:08:00.050-05:00

I usually try to have my take on the Oscar nominations up before now, but I usually don't... so I guess its business as usual. As with last year, not a ton of surprises. In fact, there are probably even less surprises than last year. At least last year had "The Dark Knight" getting shut out of Best Picture to keep us talking. This year, our biggest surprise (and most pleasant) is probably the inclusion of Maggie Gyllenhaal for her performance in "Crazy Heart."

The broadening of the field from five to ten Best Picture nominees certainly changes the game a bit. For "The Blind Side" to be able to list that it was nominated not only for Sandra Bullock's performance but also Best Picture... and nothing else... is a new sort of animal. I am okay with having ten nominees, but I think it will take a few years for the process to be refined.

Here are the nominees, my commentary, and what I would have picked (in blue).

Best motion picture of the year

"Avatar"
"The Blind Side"
"District 9"
"An Education"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"
"Up in the Air"

I don't know where to begin. Ten nominees...huh? This is the first time I've had to deal with that. I've seen all ten of the nominated films and see merit in all of them, but my ballot would be a bit different.

"The Hurt Locker" will win, and probably deserves to. "Avatar" is a groundbreaking film experience and while it is not without flaws, it deserves each of its nominations. I don't know if "Avatar" is one of my top ten films of the year, but I think it deserves a spot for its sheer magnitude on multiple levels. Some say "An Education" is too neat and tidy, but it's exceptionally well made and features what I consider the best ensemble cast of the year. "Inglourious Basterds" and "A Serious Man" are definite keepers. "Precious" was a bit overhyped but the film is good. "Up in the Air" also suffered from overhype... but it is a solid film. I felt that it lacked some weight, but that is more the fault of the story than the film. "District 9" had a late surge due to the guild awards and I am happy to see it included. Luckiest to be here is "The Blind Side." I love the film, love Sandra Bullock, love football, love the South, love conservative values, etc, etc, etc... but it's not worthy of a Best Picture nod. "Up" is a excellent film and perhaps the most emotionally resonant animated movie ever made... but it's not Pixar's best, I'm afraid, and it's not even the best animated film of the year. That honor goes to "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Wes Anderson's critical darling just wasn't the massive box office hit that "Up" was and lacked the momentum to get it in the Best Picture race, where "Up" had been since it was released (or before). I'm happy to see another animated film nominated for the big prize and it likely would've still happened with only five nominees... but I wish it had been a different film.

The films that I would have most like to have seen make the ten but didn't are "Crazy Heart," "(500) Days of Summer," "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "Star Trek." Others that had absolutely no shot but I would have considered for my ballot include "Moon," "That Evening Sun," "Bronson," "Where the Wild Things Are," "In the Loop" and "Bright Star." Had "Ajami" or "Gomorrah" been eligible this year, both might have made the cut.

What would I keep? "The Hurt Locker," "An Education," "A Serious Man" and "Inglourious Basterds" are definite keepers. "Avatar" deserves a spot.

"(500) Days of Summer" is a smart, well-crafted film that is a refreshing change from virtually every other romantic comedy released these days. I believe it will be carried by my generation much like "Annie Hall" was for years after it came out. It gets a spot on my list. As does "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Sorry, "Up." There's not room for both of you.

"Crazy Heart" is not a film with many layers... but it didn't need to be. Everything from the music to the performances to the screenplay fell perfectly into place and became, for me, one of the most surprising and pleasing film experiences of the year. To counter this simpler film, I will include "Precious." This was one of the most difficult films to watch this year, but I appreciate its complexities and its dynamic performances all around the board.

The final slot comes down to two films that were nominated, "District 9" and "Up in the Air," and one that came close, "Star Trek." "District 9" was everything it wanted to be. The director made an engaging film that was relevant to both his country's history and his own but also served as one of the summer's biggest hits. I want to keep it here, but there's just not room. It will get plenty of love in other categories. "Star Trek" is another one of this year's many great sci-fi films. It is essentially the perfect summer blockbuster. I've been a fan of J.J. Abrams since TV's "Alias" and he is only getting better. I would include "Star Trek" as my tenth nominee if I wasn't so impressed with the social relevance of "Up in the Air." Jason Reitman is proving himself to be an auteur. His career is still young, but his style is distinctive. I was left a little too cold by the end of the film, but I think that is just my reaction to the story. The cast is strong, the script is strong, the message is spot on.

Ten spots was more difficult to narrow down than I expected.

"(500) Days of Summer"
"Avatar"
"Crazy Heart"
"An Education"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"A Serious Man"
"Up in the Air"

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney in "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth in "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman in "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker"

I saw each of these films except for "A Single Man," although I hear Colin Firth is excellent. Morgan Freeman did absolutely nothing new and absolutely nothing exceptional. I found myself indifferent to "Invictus" but a little cold towards his performance. George Clooney's character wasn't much different than his real life persona, but I did see some nuance in the performance.

Several actors went essentially unnoticed on the awards circuit this season. Having seen "That Evening Sun" back in April at the Atlanta Film Festival, I was rooting for Hal Holbrook to sneak into the pack. Sam Rockwell blew me away in "Moon." Clive Owen was under-appreciated in "The Boys Are Back" (perhaps due to the horrible film title). Michael Stuhlbarg deserves some notice for "A Serious Man." I am really looking forward to seeing how Sharlto Copley does after his wonderful first performance in "District 9." Matt Damon gave a career-best performance in "The Informant!" and got noticed for the wrong film. Souleymane Sy Savane in "Goodbye Solo" (another Atlanta Film Festival picture) and Tom Hardy in "Bronson" were two of the best indie performances of the year. Finally, Joseph Gordon-Levitt carried "(500) Days of Summer" better than most actors of his generation could.

I would toss all but Jeremy Renner and Jeff Bridges, the two frontrunners (with good reason). Hal Holbrook and Sam Rockwell make it in for sure. Sharlto Copley definitely makes it in as well. I now see Jeremy Renner as the weak link, although he is anything but. Tom Hardy really is nod-worthy in "Bronson." I just don't know who to pick. I flipped a coin and Tom Hardy won, but that didn't feel right. I have to put Renner.

Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"
Sharlto Copley in "District 9"
Hal Holbrook in "That Evening Sun"
Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker"
Sam Rockwell in "Moon"

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren in "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan in "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Four out of five isn't bad. I would keep all except for Helen Mirren. She was good and all, but nothing special. Also, if Christopher Plummer was relegated to Supporting Actor, she should have been sent to Supporting Actress. He does more heavy lifting than she anyway. Who could take her place? I enjoyed Zoe Saldana in "Avatar," Zooey Deschanel in "(500) Days of Summer," Abbie Cornish in "Bright Star" and Emily Blunt in "The Young Victoria." I see her role as more supporting than lead, but they campaigned for Leading Actress for Mélanie Laurent in "Inglourious Basterds" and I shall oblige with a nomination for some of the best work this year.

Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"
Mélanie Laurent in "Inglourious Basterds"
Carey Mulligan in "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Matt Damon in "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

I heard great things, but I still haven't seen "The Messenger." Nor have I seen "The Lovely Bones." Stanley Tucci certainly did enough to impress me this year in "Julie & Julia." Christopher Plummer is just now getting his first Oscar nomination... okay...? That's a shame, but at least it happened. Well deserved, too. He is the best thing about an otherwise mediocre film. Matt Damon's role is completely flat. It's not that he wasn't adequate, but the role simply has nothing to it. Christoph Waltz' role definitely speaks for itself. I can immediately think of several potential Oscar clips from the film.

I liked Peter Sarsgaard and, even more-so, Alfred Molina in "An Education," as well as Anthony Mackie in "The Hurt Locker." Richard Kind was another piece of a stunning ensemble in "A Serious Man." Stephen Lang gave a stand-out performance in "Avatar." Two years ago, I noted that Paul Schneider was worthy of a nomination for his work in two films, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and "Lars and the Real Girl." He continues to impress and will surely get his due one day. I love his work in TV's "Parks and Recreation" and this year's "Away We Go." I think he gave the best performance in "Bright Star" (sorry, Abbie). Finally, I think both Barry Corbin and Ray McKinnon are worthy of notices for their work opposite Hal Holbrook in "That Evening Sun."

Ray McKinnon in "That Evening Sun"
Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station"
Paul Schneider in "Bright Star"
Stanley Tucci in "Julie & Julia"
Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Penélope Cruz in "Nine"
Vera Farmiga in "Up in the Air"
Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Crazy Heart"
Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

I am much more in agreement with the women in both categories this year than with the men. I didn't see "Nine" and while I'm a big fan of Samantha Morton, I didn't see "The Messenger" either, so I can't include anyone from either film. Both ladies from "Up in the Air" were fantastic, but Anna Kendrick sure shined the brightest. I would easily give Farmiga a nomination, if there were room. I'm thrilled with Maggie Gyllenhaal's inclusion. Mo'Nique... well, of course.

Both ladies in "That Evening Sun" were wonderful... Carrie Preston and Mia Wasikowska. Sari Lennick was perhaps my absolute favorite thing about "A Serious Man." Paula Patton and Mariah Carey were both excellent in "Precious," but you just can't put them in there with Mo'Nique. Several women from "An Education" gave award-worthy performances. Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson, Cara Seymour and Rosamund Pike were all fantastic and essential to the film. I wish there was room for each of them. Cara Seymour went completely unmentioned all over and I felt that she really delivered as much or more emotion than the other supporting characters in the film... even more than Alfred Molina. She broke my heart. Rosamund Pike's performance was full of subtle hints to a depth that even she couldn't understand, far beyond her 'pretty, dumb girl' exterior. Last, Marion Cotillard showed that she is now a force in American cinema with her turn in "Public Enemies." Once again, I wish this category was bigger.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Crazy Heart"
Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Rosamund Pike in "An Education"
Mia Wasikowska in "That Evening Sun"

Achievement in directing

"Avatar" - James Cameron
"The Hurt Locker" - Kathryn Bigelow
"Inglourious Basterds" - Quentin Tarantino
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" - Lee Daniels
"Up in the Air" - Jason Reitman

This list was pretty much set like this a while ago, and it is a good list. I feel like the weak link here is Lee Daniels, simply because I think the greatest elements of the film are due to other people. I don't say this to take anything away from his work, but I think other films this year could be labeled as 'director's films' more than his. For example, Lone Scherfig is all over "An Education," as is Jane Campion and "Bright Star." Quentin Tarantino and The Coen Brothers could be interchanged here. Wes Anderson did a brilliant job in "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Marc Webb didn't get much notice for "(500) Days of Summer," being a new director and having a film that didn't exactly reach very far out of the younger crowd. I have a feeling we will see him more around this circuit in the future, should he pursue more 'artsy' projects.

"Avatar" - James Cameron
"An Education" - Lone Scherfig
"The Hurt Locker" - Kathryn Bigelow
"A Serious Man" - Joel & Ethan Coen
"Up in the Air" - Jason Reitman

Adapted screenplay

"District 9"
"An Education"
"In the Loop"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"Up in the Air"

Not a bad list. I definitely love that "In the Loop" made it in. "District 9" was great, but I prefer "Crazy Heart." "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "The Informant!" are other favorites. A lot of good offerings again this year. "Precious" was a wonderful screenplay, but I have to give it to the fun and imaginative "Fantastic Mr. Fox."

"Crazy Heart"
"An Education"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"In the Loop"
"Up in the Air"

Original screenplay

"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The Messenger"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"

Great list. I was hoping and expecting "(500) Days of Summer" to get its lone nomination here.

"(500) Days of Summer"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"

Best animated feature film of the year

"Coraline"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Princess and the Frog"
"The Secret of Kells"
"Up"

I've only seen "Coraline," "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "Up." "9" was the only other animated film I saw this year. I'm glad there are now five nominees.

"9"
"Coraline"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"Up"

Achievement in art direction

"Avatar"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"Nine"
"Sherlock Holmes"
"The Young Victoria"

A lot of very strong films this year, even though not one stands out much further than the rest (maybe I'm just not thinking about it enough). I'm going to break my rule here and nominate "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" even though I have yet to see it. All you have to do is watch the trailer (or even look at the poster) and know it belongs here. "The Young Victoria" was beautiful, but as with "The Duchess" last year, we see it all the time. "Bronson" has a very distinctive aesthetic. "An Education" and "A Serious Man" were lush in their very different 1960's depictions. "Star Trek" and "Inglourious Basterds" both gets high marks here.

"Avatar"
"An Education"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"A Serious Man"
"Sherlock Holmes"

Achievement in cinematography

"Avatar"
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The White Ribbon"

I would break my rule again with "The White Ribbon" since I've seen enough to know that I would likely include it (I am seeing it in two days and will edit this if I need to). "Bright Star" is the first film that wasn't included that stood out to me. "Bronson," "Il Divo," "A Serious Man," "Watchmen" and "Where the Wild Things Are" are additional stand-outs this year. "An Education" went scandalously unnoticed for its cinematography, aside from the award it won at Sundance. The shot of Jenny and David laying on the ground in Paris that was used in the poster is one of the best shots of the year for me.

"Avatar"
"Bright Star"
"An Education"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"

Achievement in costume design

"Bright Star"
"Coco Before Chanel"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"Nine"
"The Young Victoria"

I would sub "An Education" in for "Nine" and consider "Inglourious Basterds," "Public Enemies," "A Serious Man" and "Watchmen." "The Young Victoria" is nothing new... but the craft is very good.

"Bright Star"
"Coco Before Chanel"
"An Education"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"The Young Victoria"

Best documentary feature

"Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country"
"The Cove"
"Food, Inc."
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers"
"Which Way Home"

Regrettably, I have not seen any of these.

Best documentary short subject

"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"
"Music by Prudence"
"Rabbit a la Berlin"

Cool.

Achievement in film editing

"Avatar"
"District 9"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

Good choices. "(500) Days of Summer" had some of the most creative and extensive editing of the year, I would think. "A Serious Man" also impressed me.

"(500) Days of Summer"
"Avatar"
"District 9"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

Best foreign language film of the year

"Ajami" Israel
"The Milk of Sorrow" Peru
"A Prophet" France
"The Secret in their Eyes" Argentina
"The White Ribbon" Germany

"Ajami" is one of the best films I've seen in years. It should win, but likely won't. I've heard good things about "The Secret in their Eyes." I'll see "The White Ribbon" this week. I can't wait to see "A Prophet."

Achievement in makeup

"Il Divo"
"Star Trek"
"The Young Victoria"

Sure, these sound fine. "District 9" would be my choice over "The Young Victoria."

"District 9"
"Il Divo"
"Star Trek"

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

"Avatar" - James Horner
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" - Alexandre Desplat
"The Hurt Locker" - Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders
"Sherlock Holmes" - Hans Zimmer
"Up" - Michael Giacchino

The fact that "The Hurt Locker" managed a nomination here is more proof that the film has support all the way around the board than it is that it has one of the five best scores of the year. I don't recall it being much more than a few chilling cues. I'm thrilled Alexandre Deslplat got a notice for his Ennio Morricone themed work in "Fantastic Mr. Fox." I loved the work in "Crazy Heart" and "Where the Wild Things Are" but they were disqualified. "(500) Days of Summer," despite relying heavily on pop songs, has a lovely score. "A Serious Man" is one of my favorites of the year. "Bright Star" and "Moon" are also very strong. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' snub a couple of years ago for the masterful score to "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" almost makes me want to nominate them for "The Road," but the work just isn't as magical.

"Avatar" - James Horner
"Bright Star" - Mark Bradshaw
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" - Alexandre Desplat
"A Serious Man" - Carter Burwell
"Up" - Michael Giacchino

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

"Almost There" from "The Princess and the Frog"
"Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog"
"Loin de Paname" from "Paris 36"
"Take it All" from "Nine"
"The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart"

Glad to see five nominees this year. The selection from "Paris 36" was quite the surprise. I'm glad "Take it All" made it in over "Cinema Italiano," but I don't really see either of these songs from "Nine" to be one of the year's best.

U2 gave me one of my favorites of the year in "Winter" from "Brothers." Beth Rowley's "You Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger" could not have been more perfect for "An Education." Patterson Hood's "Depression Era" from "That Evening Sun" and Jarvis Cocker's "Petey's Song" from "Fantastic Mr. Fox" suited their respective films wonderfully.

"Depression Era" from "That Evening Sun"
"Petey's Song" from "Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart"
"Winter" from "Brothers"
"You've Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger" from "An Education"

Best animated short film

"French Roast"
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty"
"The Lady and the Reaper"
"Logorama"
"A Matter of Loaf and Death"

Congratulations to them all.

Best live action short film

"The Door"
"Instead of Abracadabra"
"Kavi"
"Miracle Fish"
"The New Tenants"

Nice.

Achievement in sound editing

"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Up"

I'd probably sub in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" for "Up" and leave everything else.

"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

Achievement in sound mixing

"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

Looks about right.

"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

Achievement in visual effects

"Avatar"
"District 9"
"Star Trek"

I think this looks good... and once again, it's pretty easy to figure out who is going to take it home this year.

"Avatar"
"District 9"
"Star Trek"

My nomination totals:

"Avatar" - 9
"An Education" - 9
"The Hurt Locker" - 8
"Inglourious Basterds" - 7
"Crazy Heart" - 5
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" - 5
"A Serious Man" - 5
"Bright Star" - 4
"District 9" - 4
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" - 4
"Star Trek" - 4
"That Evening Sun" - 4
"Up in the Air" - 4
"(500) Days of Summer" - 3
"Up" - 3
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" - 2
"Julie & Julia" - 2
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" - 2
"9" - 1
"The Blind Side" - 1
"Brothers" - 1
"Coco Before Chanel" - 1
"Coraline" - 1
"Il Divo" - 1
"In the Loop" - 1
"The Last Station" - 1
"Moon" - 1
"Sherlock Holmes" - 1
"The Young Victoria" - 1

My life according to Sufjan Stevens

2009-09-12T14:58:00.006-04:00

To sum up ones life using all the song titles and lyrics in the world would be pretty difficult to say the least. To have said compendium made up solely of the song titles of only one artist or band would be even more of an accomplishment. A friend of mine recently did this using REM song titles. I liked it and decided to give it a go using, who else, Sufjan Stevens. It's, uhh, pretty accurate.

Here are the rules:
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think!

Pick Your Artist:
Sufjan Stevens

Are you male or female?
"A Good Man is Hard to Find"

Describe Yourself:
"Out of Egypt, Into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals As I Run" ...or "Wolverine"

How do you feel:
"Joy! Joy! Joy!"

Describe where you currently live:
"No Man's Land"

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
"Sleeping Bear, Sault Ste. Marie" ...or definitely, "Pittsfield"

Your favorite form of transportation:
"Majesty Snowbird"

Your best friend is:
"SuperSexyWoman"

What is life to you:
"A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But for Very Good Reasons"

Your fear:
"They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!"

What is the best advice you have to give:
"All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! or Forever Hold Your Peace!"

How I would like to die:
"The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, 'I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!'"

My Motto:
"Enjoy Your Rabbit"

A baby inside a baby inside a baby

2009-04-14T15:10:00.001-04:00

The best Music Video in quite some time

2009-03-03T18:21:00.002-05:00

Coldplay's music videos are always either utter greatness or dismal garbage. This is definitely the former.

Magnificent

2009-03-03T14:10:00.001-05:00

U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon, is excellent. I won't write about every song (right now, at least) because I'm still picking out my favorites. An immediate stand out, however, is "Magnificent."

Nearly five-and-a-half minutes, "Magnificent" is very much modern U2 but there is something classic about it. I would venture to call it an anthem along the same lines as "Where the Streets Have No Name" if you make the lyrics less dreamy and add more of a sturdy guitar performance by The Edge. Basically, take "Where the Streets Have No Name" and cross-breed it with "Discotheque." In fact, the beat, melody and guitar lend themselves to something reminiscent of an Ennio Morricone "spaghetti western" theme.

Bono's lyrics here are obviously about praising God. It amuses me and frustrates me to see people all over the Internet try and credit the meaning of the song to anything but God... but what can you expect? Likewise, "Yahweh" from the How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb album has some pretty wonderful lyrics that are a prayer to God. That one is probably a bit more difficult to deny, however.

The public don't dwell on my transmission

2009-03-02T14:41:00.003-05:00

Perhaps it is a bit unnecessary at this stage in the game, but this blog can now be found at colorbylogic.com.

I don't have a massive following or anything that would make this essential, but I like it anyway. Maybe it's just me, but I think Color By Logic is a pretty cool name. I guess I just want to own it in dot com form.

The Best Movies of 2008

2009-02-22T17:32:00.002-05:00

Click Here for the Best Movies of 2008

Enjoy.

Well, at least "In Bruges" got one nomination.

2009-02-19T17:37:00.015-05:00

I'm really not that upset with the Oscar nominations this year... minus a few areas. Let's be honest, "The Reader" just isn't supposed to be there... "The Dark Knight" is. As usual, there are a few places where I would have done things differently, but in terms of predicting the nominees... I was pretty close. I thought "The Dark Knight" would get more love than it did (and it still got alot) and I thought "Gran Torino" would get at least a Best Actor nomination for Clint and possibly a few others.

Here are the nominees, my commentary, and what I would have picked (in blue).

Best motion picture of the year

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Let me just start by quoting myself from last year... Talking about movies worthy of a Best Picture nomination, I said:

"Zodiac" is such a strong film... when David Fincher finally gets recognized, it is going to be powerful. "Ratatouille" is probably the best animated movie ever made and very deserving of a Best Picture nod.

Looks like I was right about David Fincher. Thirteen nominations is nothing to sneeze at. He won't win Picture or Director this year... but I'm glad he's officially on the board now. Also, "Wall-e" is even more-so in that boat that "Ratatouille" was in. It is pretty much the most loved film of the year and now it's the most nominated animated film ever. Pretty impressive.

I'll admit that I've only seen three of the Best Picture nominees and that I probably won't see the other two. I'll give "Milk" it's place since it was pretty widely acclaimed, Gus Van Sant is a fantastic filmmaker and it has a very strong cast. However, "The Reader?" No. Although this wasn't the best year for film (and certainly a far cry from last year), there are still a film films that could've been Best Picture nominees. I would include "The Dark Knight," "In Bruges" and "Wall-e" in that group and "Changeling" and "Happy-Go-Lucky," and "Waltz With Bashir" as almost there.

"Slumdog Millionaire" is, of course, amazing and will easily win the prize. "Frost/Nixon" is a great film and as much as I enjoyed watching it, I could take it or leave it as a Best Picture nominee. It's better than "The Queen" was a few years ago, that's for sure. I think in the end, I would put both "Wall-e" and "In Bruges" in over "Frost/Nixon" and "Milk." But whatever.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"In Bruges"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"Wall-e"

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn in "Milk"
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"

Good grief... it's about time Brad Pitt got his second nomination. I've been harping about him getting unjustly snubbed the past two years (for "Babel" and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"). Langella, Penn and Rourke were all locks and congratulations to them all. Frank Langella came close to deserving a nomination last year for "Starting Out in the Evening" even though the film wasn't as good as his performance. I thought Clint Eastwood would get nominated for "Gran Torino" since he was really good and the Academy loves them some Clint. I guess it came out too late and the category was too crowded. I am thrilled that Richard Jenkins was nominated! I saw the film back in April or May and had him in mind as a potential nominee all year. I really hoped he wouldn't get forgotten. I would love nothing more than too see Richard Jenkins walk away with it (except maybe to see both him and Melissa Leo win). Who else gave a nod-worthy performance this year? I would say Colin Farrell in "In Bruges," Benicio Del Toro in "Che" (He's better in Part 2 than in Part 1 if they must be split up... but as a film overall, I liked Part 1 better), and Dev Patel in "Slumdog Millionaire." But as things go with campaigning, Patel was campaigned as supporting actor since the role is shared by 2 other actors.

Benicio Del Toro in "Che"
Colin Farrell in "In Bruges"
Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie in “Changeling”
Melissa Leo in “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep in “Doubt”
Kate Winslet in “The Reader”

Anne Hathaway was good in "Rachel Getting Married," definitely. But I don't think she was good enough for this nomination... I mean she was even outshone by another cast member in the same movie (Rosemarie DeWitt). Meryl Streep is fantastic as always in "Doubt" but I just don't know if I would have nominated her for it. I was shocked at first that Kate Winslet was nominated for "The Reader" over "Revolutionary Road." I'm happy Angelina Jolie got a nomination for her fine work (it was deserved last year too, for "A Mighty Heart"). Melissa Leo is finally getting the recognition she's deserved for so long (like Richard Jenkins). I think Cate Blanchett deserved a nomination for Daisy, the heart of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." I also think Sally Hawkins should not only have been nominated for "Happy-Go-Lucky" but have been in a dead heat with Melissa Leo for the win. I didn't see "I've Loved You So Long" but I've heard wonderful things about Kristen Scott Thomas in it (and while I've never been much of a fan of hers... sometimes you can just tell that you'll like a movie before even seeing it). Finally, Michelle Williams was terrific in "Wendy & Lucy."

Cate Blanchett in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Sally Hawkins in "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Angelina Jolie in “Changeling”
Melissa Leo in “Frozen River”
Michelle Williams in "Wendy & Lucy”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Josh Brolin in "Milk"
Robert Downey, Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt"
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"

Congratulations on your nominations: Josh, Robert, Philip and Michael. Better luck next time. Heath will win it not because he is dead but because he deserves it. Ralph Fiennes had a great year as a supporting actor in three films... my favorite turn from him was in "In Bruges." Other supporting actors of note this year include Dev Patel in "Slumdog Millionaire," Russell Crowe in "Body of Lies," Jeffrey Wright in "Cadillac Records," Liev Schreiber in "Defiance," Haaz Sleiman in "The Visitor," Brandon Walters in "Australia," Bill Nighy in "Valkyrie," Brendan Gleeson in "In Bruges," and Eddie Marsan in "Happy-Go-Lucky." Finally, it's really hard to decide between keeping Robert Downey Jr. in and adding Anil Kapoor for his magnetic game show host in "Slumdog Millionaire."

Robert Downey, Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"
Ralph Fiennes in "In Bruges"
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
Eddie Marsan in "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Dev Patel in "Slumdog Millionaire"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Amy Adams in "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis in "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"

While Cate was the heart of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Taraji P. Henson is the soul and her nomination is rightly deserved. Viola Davis was the best thing about "Doubt" (even though I didn't find much to choose from) and Penelope Cruz might have been the only good thing about "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (aside from the city itself). I didn't see "The Wrestler" yet but Marisa Tomei is an Academy favorite for a reason... she's a fine actress (and she's fine). I wouldn't have nominated Amy Adams but she was good. I liked Misty Upham in "Frozen River," Juliette Binoche in "Flight of the Red Balloon," Frances McDormand in "Burn After Reading," Hanna Schygulla in "The Edge of Heaven," Hiam Abbass in "The Visitor" and Frieda Pinto in "Slumdog Millionaire" but I doubt I would have put any of them on my ballot. Instead, I probably would have gone with Beyonce Knowles in "Cadillac Records," surprisingly enough. She really blew me away with her turn as Etta James. I think my final slot would have gone to Rosemarie DeWitt for "Rachel Getting Married." I have a feeling I would definitely have picked Marisa had I seen the movie already.

Penelope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis in "Doubt"
Rosemarie DeWitt in "Rachel Getting Married"
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Beyonce Knowles in "Cadillac Records"

Achievement in directing

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - David Fincher
"Frost/Nixon" - Ron Howard
"Milk" - Gus Van Sant
"The Reader" - Stephen Daldry
"Slumdog Millionaire" - Danny Boyle

Sub Christopher Nolan in for Stephen Daldry and there is a good list. I might go a bit further though and drop Ron Howard in favor of Clint Eastwood or Mike Leigh. And of course, I have complete confidence in Gus Van Sant but I didn't see his film. Danny Boyle's got this, though. His film is the bell of the ball already and he's shown us with his filmography that he is one of the most versatile directors around.

"Changeling" - Clint Eastwood
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - David Fincher
"The Dark Knight" - Christopher Nolan
"Happy-Go-Lucky" - Mike Leigh
"Slumdog Millionaire" - Danny Boyle

Adapted screenplay

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Doubt"
"Frost/Nixon"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

No doubt about it (sorry), "Doubt" has no business here. That movie gets by (well...) solely on it's cast and nothing else. "Frost/Nixon" had a dynamite screenplay, I thought, and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is quite epic. Insert "The Dark Knight." I know I'd love "Gommorah" and "The Class" here but I didn't see them. I really don't know what else...? I don't think "Waltz With Bashir" was adapted from anything and it being a documentary makes the screenplay a bit tricky for awards like this... but it is masterful. "Body of Lies" had a good screenplay, as did "Iron Man." I am more impressed with the original screenplay offerings this year.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight
"Frost/Nixon"
"Iron Man"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Original screenplay

"Frozen River"
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
"In Bruges"
"Milk"
"Wall-e"

Great list. Again, if "Waltz With Bashir" being a documentary wasn't an issue... it might come into play here. Instead, I have to say "The Band's Visit" has a wonderful, quirky screenplay.

"The Band's Visit"
"Frozen River"
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
"In Bruges"
"Wall-e"

Best animated feature film of the year

"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"Wall-e"

No "Waltz With Bashir?" Unbelievable. Although, it might have won over "Wall-e" had it been nominated and they love "Wall-e" way too much to risk that.

"Kung Fu Panda"
"Wall-e"
"Waltz With Bashir"

Achievement in art direction

"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Duchess"
"Revolutionary Road"

I feel that "Australia" definitely gets high marks in Art Direction regardless of whether you liked the film or not (I did). Also, "The Fall" has pretty spectacular aesthetics. "The Duchess" looks great, but we've see it every year.

"Australia"
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Fall"

Achievement in cinematography

"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

I have to include "Defiance" in here. I also liked the cinematography in "The Year My Parents Went on Vacation," "My Blueberry Nights," "Australia," and "Che" (specifically Part 2, although Part 1 used better technology).

"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Defiance"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Achievement in costume design

"Australia"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Duchess"
"Milk"
"Revolutionary Road"

All of these are appropriate. "Changeling," "The Dark Knight," and "The Fall" all could work too.

"Australia"
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Duchess"
"The Fall"

Best documentary feature

"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
"Man on Wire"
"Trouble the Water"

I've only seen "Man on Wire" and it's great. I doubt they consider "Waltz With Bashir" solely a documentary, otherwise it would be a definite pick.

Best documentary short subject

"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
"Smile Pinki"
"The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306"

Cool.

Achievement in film editing

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Good choices. I recently watched the Norwegian film "Reprise" and I must say, that movie is ALL editing. I would have to include it here.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Reprise"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Best foreign language film of the year

"The Baader Meinhof Complex" Germany
"The Class" France
"Departures" Japan
"Revanche" Austria
"Waltz with Bashir" Israel

I've only seen "Waltz With Bashir" and it might be the biggest injustice of the evening if it doesn't win. Although, I am very exciting about seeing "The Class" soon.

Achievement in makeup

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army"

Sure, these sound fine. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" would've been fine too.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance" - James Newton Howard
"Milk" - Danny Elfman
"Slumdog Millionaire" - A.R. Rahman
"Wall-e" - Thomas Newman

Haven't heard the "Milk" score but I'm pleased with the others. "Benjamin Button" has an extremely melodic and moving score, my favorite of the year. "Slumdog Millionaire" is very modern and poppy, thus it's different from what the Academy usually goes for. Thomas Newman did a great job with "Wall-e" and I'm excited that "Defiance" didn't get forgotten since it truly has one of the best scores of the year. I love the use of Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" in the main theme of "Australia."

"Australia" - David Hirschfelder
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance" - James Newton Howard
"Slumdog Millionaire" - A.R. Rahman
"Wall-e" - Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

"Down to Earth" from "Wall-e"
"Jai-Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire"
"O... Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire"

I expected all three of these to be nominees. However, I also expected "The Wrestler" as well. I'd throw in "Gran Torino" also... as long as Clint Eastwood isn't the one singing it.

"Down to Earth" from "Wall-e"
"Gran Torino" from "Gran Torino"
"Jai-Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire"
"O... Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire"
"The Wrestler" from "The Wrestler"

Best animated short film

"La maison en petits cubes"
"Lavatory - Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"Presto"
"This Way Up"

Congratulations to them all.

Best live action short film

"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
"Spielzeugland (Toyland)""

Nice.

Achievement in sound editing

"The Dark Knight"
"Iron Man"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL·E"
"Wanted"

Good choices. Don't know what I would change.

Achievement in sound mixing

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL·E"
"Wanted" "

Good choices again. Don't know what I would change.

Achievement in visual effects

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Iron Man"

And your winner is... "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Amore

2009-02-14T18:46:00.003-05:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'll post a clip from one of the most romantic (bittersweetly romantic) films I can think of, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso... Giuseppe Tornatore's masterpiece. This clip also features the most romantic song I know of, the "Tema d'Amore" by Il Maestro, Ennio Morricone.

You HAVE to watch the whole thing... if you don't, this might leave you very confused. My heart has just now melted thinking of how much I love this movie.

Aspen to Atlanta Photolog, pt. 6: Indiana

2009-02-12T18:59:00.004-05:00

While we didn't spend as much time in Indiana as we did Illinois, and I took a lot less pictures in Indianapolis than I did Chicago... I am posting more Indiana pictures on my blog than I did of Illinois. We hit up Indiana's capital city at the golden hour (dusk) and it made for some magical lighting.

Indiana is a giant corn field. The only difference between it and Iowa is the presence of hills. However, once you get to Indianapolis, it gets very dense very quickly and you find yourself in the midst of a very compact urban core. I loved it. Very quaint without feeling small.

This first picture could sum up most of the state.

Sorry, but my home-state pride wouldn't let me resist posting this next one.

Casimir Pulaski!

One to watch

2009-02-12T15:38:00.003-05:00

I remember thinking Juno had Oscar potential when it was first announced, even though few people thought it sounded like anything more than just another indie teen comedy with a couple big stars in it. I also remember thinking the same thing when this project was first announced. It's Gigantic, and it could very well end up being... gigantic.

This would add four more states to my repertoire

2009-02-08T13:36:00.002-05:00

View Larger Map

An idea for a road trip crossed my mind earlier today. I've never been to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma or Arkansas and I would love to see St. Louis, Kansas City and most definitely Memphis. I've wanted to go to Memphis for a long time.

We'll see.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

2009-02-07T20:50:00.003-05:00

Aspen to Atlanta Photolog, pt. 5: Illinois

2009-02-06T14:56:00.003-05:00

Chicago, the New Age,
But what would Frank Lloyd Wright say?
Oh Columbia!
Amusement or treasure,
These optimistic pleasures,
Like the Ferris Wheel!

Did you think it possible for me to post about Chicago and not start it off with a Sufjan quote? I won't even say much about Chicago... because it probably would take to long. I loved it. I love it still. I can't wait to go back. There is so much more I want to see.

This picture reminds me of Kelly Clarkson.

Aspen to Atlanta Photolog, pt. 4: Iowa

2009-02-05T14:50:00.004-05:00

Iowa is a bit like Nebraska for me... no, I don't mean boring (although...). I've always liked it, even long before visiting. Des Moines has always struck me as a cool city, especially for not being huge... the contrast between it and it's surroundings makes it all the bigger. We sidestepped from the interstate to see Des Moines and I snapped a couple good pictures.

There wasn't much motivation behind this last one. Taking a picture of a cornfield in Iowa is like taking a picture of a freckle on a ginger's face. Anyway, it turned out blurry... so I made it blurrier around the edges and voilà, it looks... still blurry. Anyway, it (along with one of the Nebraska shots) reminds me a bit of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Aspen to Atlanta Photolog, pt. 3: Nebraska

2009-02-04T18:47:00.004-05:00

I don't have many pictures of Nebraska. This is mostly due to it being a lot of the same thing. It is also partly due to it being boring.

I have always loved Nebraska. Yes, this was my first time visiting... but if you aren't a geography nerd, you probably won't understand loving a place and "knowing" a place before you've even been there. For some reason, Nebraska has always been dear to my heart. Omaha especially. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of Omaha and we only saw Lincoln from far away at dusk (pretty neat, though). We camped in a park in Omaha but didn't make our way downtown before moving on.

Another fun fact: The car thermometer measured 113 degrees Fahrenheit in Grand Island. That's hot.

Where are these films?

2009-02-03T15:25:00.008-05:00

A great website for both Oscar watchers and film fans in general, Movie City News, compiles hundreds of critic's top ten lists every year. At last count, this year's scoreboard is a compilation of 286 lists and 265 films. Many films, 106 to be exact, got only one mention. I've studied the list very carefully and I am shocked to see no mention of three films: O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias (The Year My Parents Went on Vacation), Beaufort and Body of Lies.

"O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias"

This was Brazil's entry for last year's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. It didn't make the final five in the category, but it did make the final shortlist of 9 which is still a pretty high honor. Originally made in 2006, it didn't get a US release until early 2008. I was lucky enough to see a screening of it and while I enjoyed it while I was watching, it grew on me even more as time went on. I've looked on both the 2006 and 2007 scoreboards just to make sure, but it's nowhere to be found. I'm shocked that more people (critics especially, who have the opportunity to see very limited release movies like this) haven't included this among the best. I'm not sure where it will finally place on my list... but I'm guessing it will be pretty high up.

"Beaufort"

This film was also an official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar last year. It did end up with a nomination, although it didn't take home the prize. Like most Foreign Language Film nominees, this didn't get a theatrical release in the United States until after the Oscars. I wasn't able to see it until much later when I watched it on DVD. I fell in love with the realistic nature of the film and the relatable characters. Lead actor Oshri Cohen could have walked away with a Best Actor nomination had the film received more exposure.

"Body of Lies"

Body of Lies was a fairly big budgeted and well-marketed action drama from Ridley Scott. Most people heard about it and saw the trailers but it got lost in the fall shuffle at the box office and quickly disappeared. Russell Crowe is always good but he was the best he's been in a couple of years here. I thought it was a great film and although I doubt it will make the top ten on my list, it might make my top twenty. That said, I'm surprised it didn't make anyone's top ten list.

Here is the 2008 scoreboard. And if you are interested, the scoreboards for 2007 and 2006.

Aspen to Atlanta Photolog, pt. 2: Wyoming

2009-02-03T13:41:00.002-05:00

Going though Wyoming isn't actually part of any quick route from Aspen to Atlanta. Good thing we were taking our time. Seeing Cheyenne was really cool. It's empty but charming. I can only imagine how charming it would be if there were any people about. I would love to spend more time in Wyoming (more than just the extreme southeastern corner).

Aspen to Atlanta Photolog, pt. 1: Colorado

2009-02-02T16:11:00.004-05:00

It was last August when these were taken, so it's been a while... but gimme a break! I've been busy! I'll post just a few of my pictures from each state. They may or may not be the best of the bunch, but I may choose some based on character, some on sentimentality, or some maybe just because they are pretty pictures.

Here goes... This is Colorado.

And this last one pretty much sums up Denver for me.

(I wasn't exactly enchanted by Denver.)

Look, I'm famous!

2008-08-18T16:40:00.004-04:00

I decided to drop a class before even going to it today. It was out of principle. I don't take 18 hours a semester... any semester. Even if some of my classes are Film or Italian classes, I'm just not in enough of a hurry to finish college that I want to take that many hours. So, I had a break around lunchtime. I ate some chicken and still had time, so I made my way one of the computer labs in the Social Science Building. I was checking some stuff when it popped in my head to check my hit counter. I noticed that already a few dozen people had checked my blog this morning (and my blog, as you can tell, is not very popular). I went to find out where they were coming from and found this:

http://forums.viachicago.org/index.php?showtopic=36648

I've never experienced anything like this before. It's fun.

In case you are confused as to what this is... A Freakwater fan from a Wilco forum stumbled across my blog and decided to share it with the rest of the forum. I registered (good thing I'm a fan of Wilco!) to add my two cents and over the course of the day, the thread has turned into one of the funniest things I've ever seen on the internet.

Freakwater: A Txt Message Review

2008-08-15T15:12:00.015-04:00

As you may know, I recently attended the She & Him concert at Variety Playhouse here in Atlanta. I hadn't been to the venue before and I liked it very much. I also liked She & Him very much. I won't bother writing about them again as my blog may actually explode from all the recent Zooey goodness.

I will, however, write about their opening act, Freakwater. Well... maybe not write about as much as post the text message dialogue I was a part of during their set. It was Conner, Amber, Speck, Diana, Jenny and I sitting there in a row texting each other about how painful it was to sit through Freakwater. Don't get me wrong... they were very skilled instrumentalists. TOO BAD THEY HAD TO OPEN THEIR MOUTHS.

That's all I'll say. You can read for yourself.

Oh, and the "old guy" we refer to below is this lone 60-ish year-old guy at the concert by himself.

8:28 - Cameron to Amber, Conner Speck:

The old guy is just here for freakwater.

8:30 - Conner to Cameron:

No doubt freak water rocks

Okay, they have just now begun their first song.

8:42 - Cameron to Amber, Conner Speck:

Already So good.

8:44 - Conner to Cameron:

My ears are bleeding buckets

8:46 - Cameron to Conner:

Keep bleeding keep keep bleeding buckets.

8:51 - Speck to Cameron:

Favorite band ever

8:52 - Cameron to Speck:

Why isn't zooey opening for them?

8:55 - Cameron to Conner:

Asswater

8:57 - Cameron to Diana:

Don't rush the stage.

8:58 - Diana to Cameron:

Mmm.

9:02 - Cameron to Conner:

Someone forgot to turn their mics off before they started.

9:03 - Conner to Cameron:

Destroy freak water!

9:07 - Conner to Cameron:

What is the opposite of encore?

9:08 - Cameron to Conner:

Murder.

9:09 - Cameron to Amber:

They make the guy that opened for mindy sound like sufjan.

9:10 - Cameron to Conner:

Did amber go jump off the roof?

9:13 - Conner to Cameron:

Annapolis style

9:14 - Cameron to Conner:

Anythings better than this.

9:16 - Cameron to Speck:

When did the B52s get so bad??!

9:19 - Cameron to Conner:

She sure made me want a tshirt

9:20 - Conner to Cameron:

Me 2

9:20 - Cameron to Conner:

Freakwater is stagnant.

9:23 - Speck to Cameron:

Haha on another note: we should have stayed up front.

9:23 - Cameron to Speck:

Yes, definitely.

9:27 - Cameron to Diana:

Freaknastywater

9:28 - Diana to Cameron:

Basically.

The talented M. Ward just came out on stage to assist them in their last couple of songs.

9:30 - Cameron to Conner:

M ward just stopped a riot from starting

Thank goodness, it's over. Now we just have to wait for She & Him to get out there.

10:06 - Cameron to Conner:

Zooey needs to stop being a diva and get out here.

10:06 - Conner to Cameron:

No joke

Only kidding, Zooey!

But seriously... Freakwater were very unenjoyable. She & Him were amazing. Sufjan-like amazing. They should do a show with Sufjan!

Sufjan talking about Urbanity... Could it get any better?

2008-08-11T16:49:00.005-04:00

Sorry for my lack of posting and lack of commenting lately. As soon as I settle into this semester's schedule (class starts Monday) and get deeper into my work groove, I'll post more. Plus, fall is coming up and I'm always more prolific in the fall (and I'll have seen more good movies to write about).

The Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia trip was good. I'll post about it next.

Anyway... I just wanted to quickly share this video. It's an interview with Sufjan that is probably the best one I've seen yet (there aren't many video interviews out there). In it, he talks about Detroit and it's current state and basioally, it's urbanity. Being an "urban enthusiast" and a "Sufjan enthusiast," I think it's a pretty sweet combination. Check it out.

We have a new 'Strangest Music Video Ever'

2008-07-19T15:44:00.005-04:00

First off, let's watch the world's previous 'Strangest Music Video Ever' title-holder. That would be wonderful electro duo Goldfrapp (who will score some of my movies in the future) with "Ride A White Horse." They are no stranger to strangeness in their videos... but this by far is their best... most... strangest.

Also check out their video for "Number 1." It's very strange as well... but in a better, more awesome way.

Now, for the newest 'Strangest Music Video Ever,' let's turn to none other than the subject of my last post and my girlfriend... Zooey Deschanel. She & Him premiered their first music video last week and it actually has some similarities to the Goldfrapp video. Watch for yourself.

You may understandably be shocked, horrified, humored or fascinated or possibly any combination of those. I was shocked on my first watch... then humored by the second one... and by the third, fascinated and enamored. Yes, it's bloody (bloody sweet!) but it's kinda hilarious if you ask me. And so weird.

I Love the Ambiguous Pronouns

2008-07-08T09:38:00.004-04:00

If you haven't heard of She & Him, I am angry with you. No really. Just kidding. Kinda.

It is comprised of Zooey Deschanel (my girlfriend) and M. Ward and I would probably describe their sound as indie-retro-folk-alt country-americana-pop-rock. Once you listen to them, you'll think to yourself, "hey, this should be in an ipod commercial!" They haven't been used in an ipod commercial, yet.

Here is a nice video from MTV News that talks about She & Him.

Excellent, yeah? I thought you'd like them. Their album Volume One is amazing and still pretty new. But Zooey (my girlfriend) is already talking about Volume Two!

Apparently, MTV has this new thing about trying to show more music videos... which is weird if you ask me... and to help this out, they have a new show called "FNMTV." Don't ask me what it stands for. Zooey & M. are going to be on the show this Friday night to premiere the music video for their song "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" I can't wait!

36 Hour Notice, Kentucky and Indiana

2008-07-01T13:23:00.003-04:00

I put my notice in today. You might say it is a 'two week notice' but it's more like a '36 hour notice.' Lately, I've been working just 18 hours a week. My notice was that I would work this week's hours and next week's hours, in whatever form that may be in. He took it graciously and it was a nice moment. We were friends before I worked for him, during my time with him and we will still be friends now.

This week's work hours will be spent in a 'last hurrah' of sorts since I am taking my boss to Kentucky to speak at a Future Farmers of America camp. The first trip I took as a personal assistant was also to Kentucky for an engagement at Asbury Theological Seminary. It's interesting that both my first and last trips as an official employee are to Kentucky.

This trip, I will get to add a new state to my list. We will be staying only 10 or 15 minutes from the Indiana line. I've never been to Indiana before. I intend only to drive across the river and then turn back... but it counts.

I love this Starbucks coffee card they put in the newspaper on Sunday that gives you a free cup of brewed coffee, iced for me, every day until July 14th. It is great to get free coffee even before I start work next Tuesday.

The Courtship of a Job

2008-06-30T14:09:00.004-04:00

Four weeks ago today, I was interviewed for a job at Starbucks. Today, I got the job. It's been a long time in the making... much longer than 4 weeks. Four years ago, I would estimate, is when I started thinking about working at Starbucks. Different location then. I picked up an application a couple of times... but never turned one in. Early this year was the first time I turned one in. Then I turned in a second application to the same store. Shortly afterwards, I got the interview.

I went to Starbucks this morning much like I went to Starbucks last Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The week before last saw me there several times as well. In addition to enjoying delicious coffee, I was there with obvious motive. And if I wasn't stopping by on my way somewhere, I brought Atlas Shrugged and would spend some time just sitting, reading. This book just gets more and more amazing.

Today, I knew I was going to hear something either way. I arrived to find that yet another friend is now working at this store. I sat and read a little and Lucia came to sit with me while she was on her break. We talked about, yes, Starbucks and then my phone rang. But my phone doesn't work as phones should and I was forced to hang up. Luckily, the guy calling me was in the same building and Lucia went to get him. The conversation was held in person rather than over a cell phone that doesn't work.

I saw two of my GIS professors there today. A friend that used to work there was a GIS major and now there will be another GIS barista. Who knew this Starbucks would become such a GIS hub?

Praise God! He answers prayers and is sovereign in His provision. He has absolutely no sense of timing, though. That is not an insult... He is just outside of time. I've stopped trying to understand that concept... but I look forward to when I can experience that for myself.

I start next Tuesday.

Yeah I'm excited

2008-06-27T16:44:00.002-04:00

This is the first 10 seconds of footage released for Quantum of Solace, the new Bond movie due out in November. The full teaser is released Monday morning.

I'm looking forward to it (understatement).

Viva la Vinyl

2008-06-25T15:44:00.001-04:00

I have just made an important decision that very well could change my life forever (overstatement). I have bought my first vinyl album.

"Why?" "Where?" "How?" you ask. I'll tell you. I was at Best Buy buying new ear-phones for my ipod since my cat, Giuseppe, has now chewed through two pairs. On my way to the check-out counter, I walked by the new release CDs on a whim and it was there that I noticed, above the CDs, a giant Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends album. Why was it giant? Because it is made for record players instead of compact disc players. And yes, I do have a record player.

I've already mentioned the new Coldplay album in an earlier post. I had already purchased it from iTunes, but I just could not resist buying this. It was only twenty bucks (and it includes a CD version as well, although I didn't know this when I purchased it). What an album it is! And what an album to buy for your landmark first vinyl! Amazing!

I don't know what this means for my future... but I certainly don't think it can be anything but good.

"She kinda makes a man want to be a miniature horse."

2008-06-25T15:07:00.001-04:00

I love Carrie Underwood.

Discreet Anticipation

2008-06-24T12:42:00.004-04:00

It's a strange thing, waiting for a call that I may never actually get. All signs point to me receiving this specific phone call soon. But signs can be misread and logic isn't always followed.

I keep telling myself not to get my hopes up. It's hard not to, though... even knowing that if I get my hopes up and end up getting disappointed, it's going to be an especially potent disappointment since I could have prevented it.

But I feel confident that enough prayer went into this that should I be disappointed, should I never receive this phone call... it's all God's doing.

Living in my head

2008-06-18T19:39:00.008-04:00

I'd like to think that moods are far more temporary than "funks." I think funks might be moods that have settled and have lasted far to long to still be classified as moods but are not necessarily permanent. I think my current mood is, perhaps, a bit down. Several reasons claim responsibility, some of which I won't get into. I wouldn't call this a funk, though. But I'm willing to bet that it will lead to one soon. Often times, when I feel down like this, it leads to a melancholy and you know how I feel about my melancholies (if you don't know... I love them).

I don't usually talk about my "feelings" like I'm going to right now... but I'm strangely in the mood to do so.

I just got back from a vacation to the beach. It was a great time with my family. On top of that, I have much to be thankful for. My future work circumstances seem to be heading in a wonderful direction (although nothing official yet). I've gotten to spend some quality time with some good friends lately. I've begun reading a book that a quarter of the way into it has already started to affect the way I think.

Why do I feel as if I've stepped under a cloud? I reckon it is a combination of things. First of all, I miss some people. I have never been able to tell if I am more of an "out of sight, out of mind" person or an "absence makes the heart grow fonder" type. I have come to believe that I am a hybrid of both. I think it can be summed up by "out of sight, out of mind... until a prolonged absence makes my heart wrench for those I've lost personal contact with."

What else? I've been busy this week. That may be the lamest reason in the universe to get to feeling down... but it's just that, a reason and not an excuse. When I feel like I don't have time to decompress from the day's events, my mood suffers afterwards... even subconsciously. And any time when I start feeling this way, I'm a bit more sensitive to aggression. Not sensitive emotionally, but sensitive spiritually, if that makes any sense. I retreat a little deeper into my shell.

Forlorn aside, there is also a sense of melancholy... which is what I expect this to fully grow into... a funk-sized melancholy. I've been noticeably more introspective lately. God has been showing me some things about dealing with myself and dealing with others, especially when people present themselves unpleasantly. Oswald Chambers has a lot of good things to say about that in My Utmost for His Highest. I'm trying something new with unpleasant people.

Another reason for more introspection is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I've always wanted to read this but never gave myself the chance. I'd say to myself, "If you ever want to read another book again, you best not start it, since you'll be reading it for the rest of your life."

Who Is John Galt? This isn't the question I ask myself... but the book has led me to think differently about what I am sensing and feeling. I think more about the natural contradictions inside my thoughts and I take pause to fully grasp what I'm thinking. It opens up a new world when you stop and digest what you're thinking and feeling at the moment.

I've never experienced a melancholy in the summertime before. I'd like to know more about the correlation between my moods, funks and the seasons... but I'm afraid I have no answers there. Last week, I expected the melancholy to start when I was at the beach. It didn't. It was a shock mid-week when I realized that nothing had happened. I thought that a vacation of more solitude than ever before would surely ring that in. My parents and I were the only ones there until late Tuesday when my brother and sister-in-law came down until Friday. I figured I would have more time to myself, more independence, more melancholy. I jumped the gun on that one.

By the way, I've already started planning a few future posts... some about film, some about music, some with pictures and some with general stuff I'm learning.

I hope this melancholy helps me with my writing. I haven't worked on any films in a long time and that is partially due to inaction and partially due to computer troubles. My laptop was fixed and now it's not. It's a hard enough struggle getting things out of my head and onto paper (or computer screen), but it's even harder when I am willing but can't due to unstable technology.

I guess this post (more like a ramble) is a little insight into my present state of mind. If you have read it all, you may now congratulate yourself for surviving what I am sure is one of the more tiresome things you've read in a long time.

And buy new Coldplay album. It's fantastic.

I'd swim across Lake Michigan

2008-05-29T14:05:00.003-04:00

Sufjan's magnificent album Seven Swans features a fantastic track titled "To Be Alone With You." It's about Christ's atonement and how time alone with Him is of utmost importance. Considering that the album is several years old and that the song was featured in the television show "The O.C." and that Sufjan is the king of indie pop... many of you are probably already familiar with the song.

Today, I discovered that Pocketknife, who had previously remixed "Put the Lights on the Tree," has remixed "To Be Alone With You" and it is available for free download.

I love the original version. It's simple and acoustic and has a beautiful melody... but the words are just so sincere and powerful. The remix, however, retains all of that but beefs it up a bit and gives it a nice beat. Below is the link to download it. Check it out.

Sufjan Stevens - "To Be Alone With You (Pocketknife's Considerate Eagle Scout Remix)"

At long last

2008-05-28T10:51:00.002-04:00

I have a job interview at Starbucks on Monday at noon.

I'm glad I held off on putting in applications at the other locations and put in that second application at this location. I hope it's worth it!

This guy is so gifted, I'll probably name a son after him

2008-05-20T16:58:00.008-04:00

No, I'm not talking about Sufjan. Although I still stick to the fact that my first born will probably be named "Sufjan." Don't deny it, it's a cool name.

I'm talking about another extremely gifted musician. In early February of this year, while I was busy trying to catch up on all of the critically acclaimed movies of 2007 so that I could have my top films list ready in time for the Oscars, I received This Is England in my Netflix queue.

This Is England is a great film about skinheads in 1980s England. You might remember seeing it in my "The Best Movies of 2007" list. There are a lot of excellent things about the movie, but the greatest is most definitely the score. There was a lot of rock music used throughout the film, but there were a few key score selections that were just breathtaking. I had to know what they were. I did a little research and discovered the name Ludovico Einaudi.

I came to find out that he has scored a few movies... mostly Italian films or TV movies. But a few films, including This Is England, have used his pre-existing music as their score. The filmmakers heard his music and decided that they didn't need anyone to write anything special for the film because his work is already so perfect. Simple and beautiful.

I would label him as "minimalistic," which I have seen others call him as well. He is a pianist as a performer but composes everything in his music. Some of his music is just piano and some of it is piano and strings. All of it is exceptional. I've been in love for almost four months now.

First, I've posted "Fuori Dal Mondo" which is the song that first got me hooked. This means "outside of the world."

Next, "Dietro Casa," is a very simplistic piano solo. Amazing!

Last, but certainly not least, "Primavera" is from his most recent album. It is intense. The strings are magnificent.

These are just three songs and he has several albums worth. Every song I've ever heard is incredible. Check him out. American iTunes has a lot of his stuff. He is well-known throughout the world and monumental in Italy, but America hasn't seen very much of him yet.

The name "Ludovico" is the Italian equivalent of "Ludwig" which you may recall belongs to another slightly renowned composer. I think I'll name a kid "Ludovico." It will go well with my other kid, "Ennio." Maybe I'll have twins and they can both be named after genius Italian composers.

A Thousand Shark's Teeth

2008-05-16T16:09:00.005-04:00

Isn't this the coolest album cover and album title you've seen/heard in a while? I'm really looking forward to My Brightest Diamond's new album. Their last one was great but nothing compares to seeing them live (as I did when I saw Sufjan). Shara Worden's voice = power.

This has been out for a while, but below is a free and legal mp3 of the first single from the album, "Inside a Boy." Check it out if you haven't gotten it yet.

My Brightest Diamond - "Inside a Boy"

Some things I know

2008-04-25T09:54:00.006-04:00

Pot-smokers all seem to think everyone else smokes pot too.

No one has it any easier than any one else in the long run. Rather, no one has to have it any worse than any one else. Any seemingly good arguments against this aren't taking circumstance and perception into account.

For the World, the apology always precedes forgiveness. For the Christian, forgiveness should come first. Sometimes we should forgive even if we never receive an apology.

People give me a hard time saying that I like every film I see. This is false. I don't like every film I see, I just know my tastes and don't bother watching movies I know I won't like.

It's a mistake to think you are smarter than anyone else. It may be 100% truth that you are, but you shouldn't think about it. It only leads to more elitist, self-indulgent thoughts.

God will give you grace to deal with unpleasant people. He's got to because I definitely can't deal with them myself.

Name it, Claim it, Confess it, Possess it

2008-03-13T14:46:00.004-04:00

This is powerful.

Greenville è belle

2008-02-28T15:11:00.005-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite shots from a recent trip to Greenville, South Carolina.

My green house

2008-02-27T09:15:00.002-05:00

Just for the record... Yes, that is a toad in the hole of a birdhouse. Probably one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken. (If y'all like it, I'll post the full version.)

I live at home still (so what! I'm only 21). My parents built their house shortly after they got married in 1979. I think people who have been there would agree, however, that they have kept it up-to-date in terms of decoration. There isn't any shag carpet, awful wallpaper or dated furniture. In fact, the last wallpaper in the house (which wasn't even very old at all) was just removed.

It started a few years ago when my mother painted the basement (finished) a light "apple" green. It's nice, etc. She also wallpapered my bathroom a dark-green and white vertical stripe. It was classy. Then she painted their bedroom a "sage" green. At the same time, she was painting things various shades of yellow as well. Fast forward a few years and she paints the spare bedroom (formerly that of my older brother) green. Shortly thereafter, she decides to repaint the yellow dining room... you guessed it, green. A nice light-green to be exact. At the same time, she ventures to remove the blue and white wallpaper in the kitchen and paint it a slightly lighter shade of green than the adjoining dining room.

Okay, okay. Now you are starting to see. But it's not over. She's tired of the green and white wallpaper in my bathroom and the blue and white wallpaper in her bathroom. These were nice, subtle vertical stripe wallpapers but they had been in place for several years now. So what does she do? She painstakingly removes the wallpaper and paints the bathrooms... blue! Well, an aqua... greenish blue. But still... it's more blue than green! Until she decides to dab light-green paint over the blue so that the rooms are now just as green as they are blue.

No more new green rooms for the rest of the year.

Ah, but 2008 is a new year which means new green. It doesn't take but a month and a half for the long hall (previously yellow) and the short hall up front (previously yellow wallpaper... the last wallpaper) to be painted green. The darkest green yet, in fact (still not very dark by my tastes). She has more plans, though. The living room will be green too. A very light green because "it's just such a dark room anyway," she says. But the mantle and bookshelves will be green too. And then there is the sunroom. That is going to be painted green after that. And she is going to repaint downstairs. If she changes the color for that, it will just be a different green.

So what does this leave me? My bedroom. It's blue. It doesn't even have the tiniest hint of green. If anything it's a grey-blue.

So here is a rundown of rooms in the house and their respective colors:

Kitchen - Light Green
Dining Room - Slightly darker green than the kitchen but still light green by all means
Living Room - Light Yellow but soon to be Green
Short Hall - Medium Green
Long Hall - Medium Green
Guest Bedroom - Light Green about the same as the kitchen but different. Closer to the Master Bedroom. Lighter than the Dining room.
My Bathroom - Green-Blue
My Bedroom - Blue
Master Bedroom - Light Green about in line with the kitchen and guest bedroom but different than both. Still lighter than the dining room, though.
Master Bathroom - Green Blue
Sunroom - Light Yellow but soon to be Green
Basement (all rooms) - Light "Apple" Green

So, we can go ahead and count the "soon to be green" rooms as green. That gives us:

Green - 9
Green-Blue - 2
Blue - 1

So, when I talk about my house "going green," I don't mean environmentally friendly.

The Best Movies of 2007

2008-02-24T16:50:00.012-05:00

Click Here for the Best Movies of 2007

Enjoy.

The Assassination of Justice by the Academy Awards

2008-01-22T14:42:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok... it's not that bad. My predictions were a little off (but so were everyone else's) and my hopes were a little too high for some people (Jennifer Garner, Max Von Sydow), but all and all, not too many shockers. Here is my analysis of the nominations for the 80th Annual Academy Awards. I've listed the nominees, followed by my thoughts and then my picks are in blue.

Best motion picture of the year

"Atonement"
"Juno"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

I'm glad "Atonement" made it in, although I'm sad that it took the place of "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." "Juno" is being called this year's "Little Miss Sunshine" but at least "Juno" deserves all the recognition it is getting... it is much more deserving than "Little Miss Sunshine." "No Country For Old Men" deserves the win at this point, although, "There Will Be Blood" is an awfully stunning piece of work that keeps getting better the more you think about it. Several movies could have been justified at getting a Best Picture nod. I think that if "I'm Not There" wasn't too much for some people to understand completely, it would be a sure nominee. The mind of Todd Haynes is crazy and intricate and it spills onto the screen with such brilliance that it can't be denied. "Zodiac" is such a strong film... when David Fincher finally gets recognized, it is going to be powerful. "Ratatouille" is probably the best animated movie ever made and very deserving of a Best Picture nod. Surely that if there wasn't a Best Animated Picture category, it would be one of the five nominees. Don't think I'm crazy... but "Sunshine" is good enough for a slot as well. Very few films that are both sci-fi and horror are good to begin with, yet alone award-worthy good. Finally, "Once" is the underdog of the century. Everyone seemed to be rooting for it all year but it seems not to have paid off. Watch this once (haha) and you'll see why I am so in love with it. This is the first year I've seen all five nominees before nominations came out. I feel like I'm pulling my teeth out trying to narrow down my personal picks. I would like all nine of these to be in the field...

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"I'm Not There"
"Juno"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Once"
"Ratatouille"
"There Will Be Blood"

...but I can't do that. This is so hard!

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Once"
"There Will Be Blood"

Performance by an actor in a leading role

George Clooney in "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah"
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises"

As can be expected, I suppose. George and Daniel were locks. Johnny Depp was an almost lock (many, including myself, thought he might get snubbed at the last minute, though). Tommy Lee Jones is an excellent surprise! It is the only film here I have not seen, but I hear he was fantastic. Viggo Mortensen deserves this very, very much. He gave a very impressive performance (Come on, a full nude fight scene in a sauna were he kills two Russian mobsters with a small knife? Give it to him). There were all sorts of possibilities for spoilers... It really doesn't matter, though... Daniel Day-Lewis has won his second Oscar. I would've liked to have seen Benicio Del Toro nominated for one of the best and most underseen performances of the year, Brad Pitt for "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," Casey Affleck for "Gone Baby Gone" and James McAvoy nominated for "Atonement" while the other three can stay the same. But then I have 7 nominees. I like Tommy Lee Jones so much, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and hesitantly cut James McAvoy and Casey Affleck. Johnny Depp and George Clooney were good... but not good enough. I would've been cool with Ryan Gosling, Emile Hirsch or Frank Langella nominated too. Also, Eduardo Verastegui was good enough, I feel, for "Bella."

Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
Benicio Del Toro in "Things We Lost in the Fire"
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah"
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises"
Brad Pitt in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie in "Away from Her"
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose"
Laura Linney in "The Savages"
Ellen Page in "Juno"

YEAH FOR CATE BLANCHETT! Her buzz peaked way too early this year and it wasn't looking great for her to land a nomination for this role... but the Academy loves her (rightfully so!) and they loved her in the first movie (for which she lost the Oscar to Gwyneth Paltrow, really?) and want to make up for her not getting that first Oscar with at least another nomination. Hate the movie all you want, but she was still a force to be reckoned with in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age." Julie Christie was great in "Away From Her" even if I hated the pitiful film. Laura Linney is the same story... a very unpleasant movie (and even an unpleasant performance) but she was very good in that role. Ellen Page is a firecracker with the fuse lit. Good for her. I would've liked to have seen Angelina Jolie in there for "A Mighty Heart," Marketa Irglova for "Once" or Keira Knightly for "Atonement," but I suppose I am ok with these picks. None of them matter too much, however, because this award belongs to Marion Cotillard. I believe they are already engraving her name on it.

Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie in "Away from Her"
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose"
Angelina Jolie in "A Mighty Heart"
Ellen Page in "Juno"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War"
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild"
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton"

I saw all of these and all are nomination worthy, for sure. Philip Seymour Hoffman is amazing as always and he had a great year... but this performance didn't really have any depth (even though it was the best thing about the movie), so he would be the first cut on my list. Next casualty would be Tom Wilkinson, who was great but almost a bit too over-the-top at times. Max Von Sydow should have been nominated for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." If I cried in movies (besides "The Passion of the Christ" and when I was a little kid), I would've cried watching him. Tommy Lee Jones deserves a nod for "No Country for Old Men" but I'll keep him off the list since he got one for "In the Valley of Elah" already. Irfan Kahn deserves a nomination for his work in both "The Namesake" and "A Mighty Heart." Paul Dano was great in "There Will Be Blood." Paul Schneider is worthy for both "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and "Lars and the Real Girl." Michael Cera and J.K. Simmons were great in "Juno" as was Ed Harris in "Gone Baby Gone" and Robert Downey, Jr. in "Zodiac." But... my fifth pick (which almost goes to Irfan Kahn)... would have to be... Ashraf Barhom in "The Kingdom."

Casey Affleck should win... but Javier Bardem should also. Javier Bardem will take home the trophy, though.

Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Ashraf Barhom in "The Kingdom"
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild"
Max Von Sydow in "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster"
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement"
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton"

As usual, this is one of the most crowded categories in terms of potential nominees. All three Brionys in "Atonement" are worthy. Saoirse Ronan maybe most so... but my favorite was Romola Garai because you can see her start to realize the extent of what she did. Vanessa Redgrave really hits that ball out of the park, though. Kelly MacDonald was sooooo close to a nod for "No Country for Old Men." I really wish her name were up here. The only nominee I haven't seen is Ruby Dee... so she better be good. Not having seen her performance, though, I would cut her. I would cut Saoirse as well (sorry, dear!) and replace them with Jennifer Garner in "Juno" and Kelly MacDonald. This was probably the hardest category for me, though, because there is so much to love. I would've liked to have nominated everyone I mention. Other worthy women include Tabu for "The Namesake," Charlotte Gainsbourg for "I'm Not There," Emily Mortimer for "Lars in the Real Girl" Allison Janney for "Juno" and Catherine Keener & Kristen Stewart both for "Into the Wild". I am thrilled to see Cate Blanchett (the winner), Amy Ryan and Tilda Swinton up there as they should be.

Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
Jennifer Garner in "Juno"
Kelly MacDonald in "No Country for Old Men"
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton"

Achievement in directing

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" - Julian Schnabel
"Juno" - Jason Reitman
"Michael Clayton" - Tony Gilroy
"No Country for Old Men" - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" - Paul Thomas Anderson

I thought for sure the Academy would go for their beloved Sean Penn for his great film "Into the Wild." I must say, though, that I am impressed that they chose second-time director Jason Reitman instead. All of these guys were great. A few names I'll just toss out there are Todd Haynes for "I'm Not There," Joe Wright for "Atonement," Andrew Dominik for "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and David Fincher for "Zodiac."

Adapted screenplay

"Atonement"
"Away from Her"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

I would definitely sub in "Zodiac" for "Away From Her."

"Atonement"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
"Zodiac"

Original screenplay

"Juno"
"Lars and the Real Girl"
"Michael Clayton"
"Ratatouille"
"The Savages"

I'd put in "I'm Not There" and "Once" for "Michael Clayton" and "The Savages" although both are well done.

"I'm Not There"
"Juno"
"Lars and the Real Girl"
"Once"
"Ratatouille"

Best animated feature film of the year

"Persepolis"
"Ratatouille"
"Surf's Up"

"Surf's Up?" Really? For serious? Did people pick that as a joke? I mean, it didn't horrible... but this over "The Simpsons Movie," "Bee Movie" and "Beowulf?" Questionable. "Ratatouille" would've been justified in a Best Picture nomination too. But I'll take the five nominations it did get.

"Persepolis"
"Ratatouille"
"The Simpsons Movie"

Achievement in art direction

"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"The Golden Compass"
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
"There Will Be Blood"

"American Gangster" over "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford?" "Sunshine" and "I'm Not There" would've been two I'd consider as well. Toss "300" in there for consideration. I don't know who I would bump for "Sunshine," though. Maybe "Sweeney Todd." Perhaps I'll keep it.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"The Golden Compass"
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
"There Will Be Blood"

Achievement in cinematography

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Finally, the first category that is 100% right! "Zodiac" and "Sunshine" would be the two back ups for me, but I love all five of these nominees and called all five here.

Achievement in costume design

"Across the Universe"
"Atonement"
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
"La Vie en Rose"
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Hmm... all are good, I suppose. But I would bump "Across the Universe" because I think it would be more appropriate for an Art Direction nod than a Costume nod. "Sweeney Todd" had good costumes but didn't most of the characters where about the same thing the whole time? They were great costumes, though. In these two film's places, I would place "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and one of either "300" or "3:10 to Yuma."

"3:10 to Yuma"
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
"La Vie en Rose"

Best documentary feature

"No End in Sight"
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience"
"Sicko"
"Taxi to the Dark Side"
"War/Dance"

I haven't seen any of these... but I am probably most interested in "War/Dance." Besides "Sicko," its the one I've heard most about.

Best documentary short subject

"Freeheld"
"La Corona (The Crown)"
"Salim Baba"
"Sari's Mother"

Cool.

Achievement in film editing

"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"Into the Wild"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Good choices. I have to say, I am glad "Michael Clayton" isn't included here... I think it's a bit over-represented. "La Vie en Rose" could be an alternate nominee... it was quite a feat to edit (and you won't get the complete effect of it until the second time you watch it). If I had to replace one of these, it would be "Into the Wild," but I'll stick with it. The winner might have to be "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" but then I think about "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" and I can't decide.

Best foreign language film of the year

"Beaufort" Israel
"The Counterfeiters" Austria
"Katyn" Poland
"Mongol" Kazakhstan
"12" Russia

I haven't seen any of these choices! I hope I am able to before the Oscars air.

Achievement in makeup

"La Vie en Rose"
"Norbit"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

Um, yeah. I'm gonna go with "La Vie en Rose."

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

"Atonement" - Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner" - Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton" - James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille" - Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma" - Marco Beltrami

"Michael Clayton!" Are you serious?! Did that even have a score besides some brooding dull beats? Agh. I'm so pissed that "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" was left out. Listen to that score and you will be too. I don't know if "Sunshine" was eligible, but if so, it should be included. "There Will Be Blood" was ineligible, but it would definitely be up there on my list if it were allowed. "The Kite Runner" had good music, but I think some of it was mismatched for what was going on on-screen at times. "Ratatouille" is great, as is "3:10 to Yuma" and "Atonement" is nearly revolutionary. It will win.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" -Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
"Atonement" - Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner" - Alberto Iglesias
"Ratatouille" - Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma" - Marco Beltrami

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

"Falling Slowly" from "Once"
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted"
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush"
"So Close" from "Enchanted"
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted"

I guess we all knew that "Enchanted" was coming with a force here. "Falling Slowly" from "Once" has GOT to win. It's amazing and the movie is drastically under-represented. The other eligible song from "Once" was "If You Want Me" and should also be included in the shortlist. "Guaranteed" from "Into the West" and "Le Festin" from "Ratatouille" should be nominated. "Rule the World" from "Stardust" was pretty good too... but I admit that I'm not familiar with all the choices (who is? I doubt all the voters, if any).

"Falling Slowly" from "Once"
"If You Want Me" from "Once"
"Guaranteed" from "Into the Wild"
"Le Festin" from "Ratatouille"
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted"

Best animated short film

"I Met the Walrus"
"Madame Tutli-Putli"
"Même Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)"
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)"
"Peter & the Wolf"

Congratulations to them all.

Best live action short film

"At Night"
"Il Supplente (The Substitute)"
"Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)"
"Tanghi Argentini"
"The Tonto Woman"

They all have very good titles!

Achievement in sound editing

"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"There Will Be Blood"
"Transformers"

Good choices. Don't know what I would change.

Achievement in sound mixing

"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"3:10 to Yuma"
"Transformers"

"La Vie en Rose" and "I'm Not There" would be appropriate here, yes? Especially "I'm Not There." But I don't know what I would change.

Achievement in visual effects

"The Golden Compass"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
"Transformers"

"Sunshine" would be very close for me. "Transformers" has got to win. Did you see those effects?

"You have blue eyes, I have blue eyes."

2007-10-27T11:51:00.002-04:00

Thursday was a big day in film for me, for two reasons. The first reason is that it was the first time I've ever gone to see a film at the cinema by myself. I used to vow that I would never go see a movie by myself. And then I started to think, "well, if it came down to it, I guess I would live." But I've always had people to go to movies with. More recently, however, in this state of melancholy I've been soaked in, I've actually been looking forward to the possibility of seeing a movie by myself. I wasn't going to set out to do it, though. It wasn't that important. But thursday, that time came. And I profusely enjoyed the experience.

The second reason is that I saw the best movie of the year so far. Loads of fantastic movies have come out this year. Once, Sunshine, La Vie en Rose, Ratatouille, Michael Clayton, 3:10 to Yuma, The Namesake, Gone Baby Gone, Paris Je T'Aime, Into the Wild, and Hot Fuzz to name a few. But almost easily (almost easily because Once is about neck and neck with it), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the best film of the year so far and immediately one of my all-time favorite movies.

While it's not for everyone, with a running time of two hours and forty minutes and not too much in terms of "excitement," the beauty of this film is undeniable. Every frame is packed with bold melancholy in the colors, in the details, in the performances, in the music. The music is amazing. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis composed a score that fits the film perfectly. The cinematography also is stunning.

Casey Affleck demands an Oscar for his performance. His part is just as big, if not bigger, than Brad Pitt's, but for studio-political purposes, they will pursue a Supporting Actor nod for Affleck. And he deserves more than just a nomination. I'd like to see him pull two nominations this year, Best Actor for Gone Baby Gone and a Best Supporting Actor win for this movie. And no, this isn't because we look alike. It's because he has proved to be an amazing actor. But I must admit to being proud of my famous twin.

Brad Pitt gives one of his best performances ever. I put his turn in this movie right there with 12 Monkeys (for which he received his only Oscar nomination to date) and Babel (for which he should've received his second). I hope they give credit where it is due this year.

The supporting cast is large but great. The acting that Mary-Louise Parker does with just her face is mesmerizing. With but a few lines, she delivers a very memorable performance.

I can't stop thinking about this movie.

"Dizziness, constant motion, perpetual motion and activity"

2007-10-26T13:17:00.003-04:00

Next thursday, friday and saturday at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Sufjan Stevens is premiering his musical and visual composition, The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. In short, it is a 30-minute film, shot in Super 8 and 16-mm, of the BQE with Sufjan and his orchestra providing the live soundtrack. It is pretty much a symphony and a film. After he plays this, he will then play a one-hour concert featuring old and new music.

I would drown a ton of puppies to be able to go see this. And, honestly, the only thing keeping me from it (from going, not from drowning puppies) is that a great friend of mine is getting married that saturday in San Francisco. I considered flying up to New York City on thursday to see the show and then flying out to San Francisco afterwards, since I'm flying from Atlanta to San Francisco friday morning anyway. But, I think it would be a mess of trouble to try and work that out.

Sufjan, please, please, please release a DVD of this. Please. I'm torn to bits that I cannot be in attendance.

Here is a lovely interview with Sufjan about the BQE and below is a sneak preview he gave in a radio studio a few days ago. Sufjan is on the piano here. It sounds wonderful.

...I'll just say that I look forward to Sufjan scoring my films!

The photo up top is credited to Denny Renshaw.

Maxed out beauty

2007-10-25T17:31:00.000-04:00

Fall colors are probably one of the biggest differences between you and I (you being non-colorblind people). I'm told that I see things less vividly, less bold.

But I can't imagine anything more beautiful than what I see! I think God probably made an exception for His colorblind children when it comes to autumn leaves. I believe He allows us to see it just the same as you, or perhaps better.

I would love it if trees were dressed in fall colors for the whole year and green for only a few weeks... the opposite of what we actually get. But I would be jaded and not appreciate the splendor God allows us to witness in the autumn. So, I'm greatful for the time he does give us with the reds, oranges and golds.

You are looking at the next Best Actress

2007-10-21T17:55:00.002-04:00

And by "next Best Actress," I don't mean second best. I mean this woman will win the Oscar for Best Actress in a few months.

You've seen Marion Cotillard in Big Fish and A Good Year. You may have seen her in A Very Long Engagement. And you probably haven't seen her in any of the French Taxi movies. She's great in everything (not to mention stunningly beautiful), but she delivers one of the best performances I've ever seen in La Vie en Rose.

I saw the film at the Atlanta Film Festival back in the spring. Back then, the previous Oscars were still fresh in everyone's minds... no one cared much about next year's. She started to change that, though. The more people that saw this film at festivals or sneak screenings or in other countries, the more her hype grew. It hasn't slowed down... and I think she will win the Academy Award.

There is an interesting interview over at the New York Times, so check it out.

Other potential Oscar winners this year could be Cate Blanchett for Best Supporting Actress in I'm Not There, Javier Bardem for Best Supporting Actor in No Country for Old Men and Benicio Del Toro for Best Actor in Things We Lost in the Fire. Although, anything could happen. I'm not making final predictions for a while. Don't count Cate Blanchett out for either Actress category, though, and keep an eye on Casey Affleck and Daniel Day-Lewis.

What I Cannot Change

2007-10-20T16:38:00.001-04:00

I know what makes me comfortable. And I know what makes me tick. And when I need to get my way, I know how to pour it on thick. Cream and sugar in my coffee. Right away when I awake, I face the day, and pray to God I won’t make the same mistakes. All the rest is out of my hands.

I will learn to let go what I cannot change. I will learn to forgive what I cannot change. I will learn to love what I cannot change. But I will change, yeah I will change, whatever I, whenever I can.

Yeah, I don’t know my father or my mother well enough. It seems like every time we talk we can’t get past the little stuff. The pain is self-inflicted. I know it’s not good for my health but it’s easier to please the world then it is to please myself. All the rest is out of my hands.

I will learn to let go what I cannot change. I will learn to forgive what I cannot change. I will learn to love what I cannot change. But I will change, yeah I will change, whatever I, whenever I can.

Right now I can’t care about how everyone else really feels. I have enough hurt of my own to heal.

I will learn to let go what I cannot change. I will learn to forgive what I cannot change. I will learn to let go what I cannot change. I will learn to forgive what I cannot change. I will learn to love what I cannot change. But I will change, yeah I will change, whatever I, whenever I can.

This is "What I Cannot Change" on LeAnn Rimes new album, Family. She wrote it (along with Darrell Brown) and I suspect it is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a long time. And what meaning it holds! I urge you to listen to this and download it off of iTunes.

Getting reacquainted

2007-10-12T14:56:00.000-04:00

If this is still fresh while you are reading, you probably already know me. You may be a friend of mine or perhaps an online acquaintance I've made since I first got on the internet somewhere around fourth or fifth grade. I am getting back into blogging. Welcome back, etc.

If the title strikes you as curious, there is a method behind my madness. Recently in a cartography class, we were discussing color, colorblindness in particular. My professor knew someone in the class was colorblind without remembering it was specifically me. I raised my hand. I had written that on a lab assignment I turned in at the start of the semester, as I usually do in classes where we are graded on our analysis of maps that use lots of color. I shouldn't be penalized if I can't differentiate some ridiculous shade of chartreuse from yellow. Anyway, they asked some questions and I went on to explain how it is for me. While speaking, I finally was able to put into words a revelation I had long ago. I have compensated well for being colorblind, in that although what I see is different from what you see, I still know alot of things as certain colors because I've learned by trial and error. I can match clothes that may not look right to me, but I know they go together.

I know color by logic.