The plot thickens: Oscar precursors

On the awards circuit, it's been a quite a few days which began to pick up speed over the weekend with the LA Film Critics announcement where their top prize went to "The Descendants".  Pile on every single critics group in every major city and already there seemed to be momentum building for "The Aritst", "The Descendants", and performances from George Clooney, Viola Davis and Meryl Streep. This week alone saw the Broadcast Film Critics Association announce, the Screen Actors Guild (the first of the major guilds to announce their nominations) and this morning, the Golden Globe Awards nominations.

What is there really to make of this year?  That's a good question.  It appears that the Weinstein Company looks to strike it big again as "The Artist" seems to have emerged as a real frontrunner.  I'm always a believer that anything can happen down to the very last minute though.  We saw it happen last year as "The Social Network" seemed to coast through awards season, winning everything in its path before losing the Academy Award to "The King's Speech", undoubtedly much more Academy friendly and pulling on the heartstrings when it was needed in the final stretch.  I really do admire the love letter to Hollywood that "The Artist" so wonderfully exemplifies, I just can't say that it's the film that has touched me the most emotionally so far this year.  For me, that film is "The Descendants", a heartfelt rumination on life and death and the many facets of forgiveness.  It's been an odd year, as I've found myself talking to friends who also haven't found a ton of films that they have truly been blown away by.  Even though I thoroughly enjoyed "The Artist", I've found myself more drawn to the movie magic of films like "Hugo" and "My Week with Marilyn", which carry similar themes.

Although in some ways this year seems predictable already in terms of Best Picture, a lot can change in the month before Oscar nominations, as members now have the time during their winter breaks to sit down and take in all of the films.  Films like "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close", which were recognized by the BFCA but ignored by SAG and the HFPA, may be given new life in the coming weeks, especially seeing as the film was screened far too late to make much of an impact according to many top Oscar prognosticators.  Perhaps actors who were left off by a major group or two will find love with the Academy.  Patton Oswalt in "Young Adult", Carey Mulligan in "Shame", Charlize Theron in "Young Adult" and Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock and Max von Sydow from "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" are just some of the names who come to mind.  The changes in acting category nominations over the past few days may be the key to what will make this Oscar race exciting.  It's brought a smile to my face to see truly exceptional dramatic work recognized from the likes of Tilda Swinton and Michelle Williams.  It's also been nice to see those who have been in the business a long time, yet have rarely garned attention, nominated for their work, actors like Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  I have a lot to catch up in the coming month, but I have no doubt that this year is going to keep me guessing in a lot of ways.  I'm ready for it and bring on the surprises please!

"Under that old black magic..."

Can you imagine being approached to play the role of one of the most iconic people to have ever lived?  It seems like your body would give off a force field of automatic rejection, knowing the scary world of internet comments and harsh criticism that inevitably would await.  Michelle Williams must have been able to swiftly set all that aside, knowing that she would be able to embody Marilyn Monroe in her own way, liberating her mind from public perceptions and the pressure of doing justice to such a beloved figure.  It shows you that an actor, if given the right vehicle, a good script, and the company of a gifted cast and crew, can sometimes find an undeniable quality that makes their performance jump off the screen.  In films like "Blue Valentine", "Wendy and Lucy", and even in smaller roles like "Shutter Island" or "The Station Agent", Williams has always taken her character's situation and life and turned it into something that a viewer can wholeheartedly believe.

In "My Week with Marilyn", it's the connection within her eyes that lets us into Marilyn's soul.  She is Marilyn and she has succeeded at this portrayal through means beyond mere impersonation.  She takes on qualities of Marilyn's voice, body language, mannerisms and demeanor, and brings the necessary spark that allows the viewer to float away to spend this week with her and Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne).   The audience is shown many different Marilyns.  The woman behind the scenes of the film "The Prince and the Showgirl" who fails to connect under the direction Sir Laurence Olivier ( Kenneth Branagh), the celebrity the public adores, and the vulnerable Marilyn who struggles with her inner demons.  Surprisingly, the young Colin is given access to all of these worlds for the short time they spend together.  It's the bond to the characters Michelle Williams plays on screen that draws me in every time to her work.  This is the type of film that is why I enjoy going to the movies.  It will never become old for me to see an actor connect on a level that is truly transcendent.  I may have been transported for just a week of time in Marilyn's world, but it's a place I will enjoy revisiting in the future.  I know I owe a lot of my love of this film to the romantic in me, who like Colin, often wishes we could hold onto the truly magical memories we experience for a lifetime.  Toward the end of the film, Judi Dench's kind Dame Sybil Thorndike tells Colin, "First love is such sweet despair."  Isn't that the truth.

Tweeeeeeet.

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McQueen's "Shame" lingers...

It took a full twelve hours to truly feel normal again after seeing Steve McQueen's haunting new film "Shame" this weekend.  In the couple of days that have passed, I'm still thinking about it, which I suppose is the mark of a film that is both effective and thought-provoking.  I found it hard to shake the journey into the psyche of Michael Fassbender's character Brandon, a man filled with the constant anguish and shame of being a sex addict.  I walked out of the theatre feeling it was important that the film was made, covering a topic that you simply don't hear discussed often in our society, unless it leads to the dissolution of a celebrity marriage.  "Shame" shows its audience how this type of addiction can ruin lives and that the repercussions are damaging to great lengths.

Fassbender's performance is astounding.  He takes you into a man's life that is difficult to watch yet you can't seem to look away.  As Sissy enters his life (his sister, played by Carey Mulligan), the drama seems to magnify as her mere presence alters Brandon's usual routine.  Sissy tells Brandon, "We're not bad people.  We just come from a bad place."  Clearly they have a past that has shaped the tortured souls they have become and whether that past was filled with sexual abuse, possible incest or something else is left up to the viewer.  Mulligan gives a gutsy, fearless performance herself, never shying away from bringing Sissy's rough edges to the surface, as well as the pain and insecurities that she also suffers from.

Although "Shame" has received a lot of buzz regarding its NC-17 rating and topic, I hope this film encourages other artists to not be afraid to tackle difficult subject matter.  McQueen's approach to the work is dark, yet stunning, and the performances by Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan tell a story that is piercing and true.  I have walked the streets of New York City countless times when I lived there for several years, working not far from Brandon's neighborhood in the West 30's.  I often wondered about the lives strangers went home to after another day in the office.  It can be easier to pretend that the grim lives like Brandon's don't exist, but life is not always so clean and kind.  I commend the filmmakers and actors for making me feel for these characters, as mentally wounded as they may be.

You made me laugh. Where's your award?

It has been quite the prevalent discussion topic recently in the online world.  Why don't the Oscars recognize comedies or comedic acting performances more than they do?  Dramas make us well up with emotion if done well and can slam us with a powerhouse performance.  Comedies can make us die laughing and see the humor in the serious.  Should one necessarily be better or more respected than the other?  Judd Apatow recently took to Twitter, tweeting that it makes sense to have a Academy Award category honoring comedies.  The only problem with this of course is going against what has become the standard and expanding an already always lengthy Oscar show.  It seems reasonable that new ground could be broken and with the constant shuffle of how many Best Picture nominees there should be in addition to campaigning on the part of studios to honor motion capture performances, it would appear that reform is indeed possible, or at least not far off.

Maybe it won't be today or even three years from now, but when I look back on some of my favorite films of 2011, I think of the work turned in by Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids", and how it had me roaring in the aisles.  I also think of films like "50/50", which perhaps because it was marketed as a comedy, now sits in that weird place in awards season chatter (although I am ecstatic with recent recognition from the Indie Spirits and National Board of Review).  Anyone who saw the film, however, can attest it covers truly dramatic ground, bringing many audience members to tears by its conclusion.  The comedy that is layered throughout the film gives it delightfully unique levels and should not be dismissed.  Perhaps in a year where comedy was more embraced by critics groups, skilled actors like Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be the ones really reaping the deserved recognition.

I'm a huge fan of a well-crafted drama, but maybe we should give the skilled comedic actor or actress a bit more praise for their work.

"Hugo" wins big with the National Board of Review

via In Contention:  'Hugo' leaps into the Best Picture race with National Board of Review win

Indie Spirit Noms and NY Film Critics Winners

via Indiewire:
-Indie Spirit Award Nominations Announced
-NewYork Film Critics Circle Winners

Awards season is officially upon us.  The New York Film Critics announced their winners with the top prize going to the "The Artist" which also took the Best Director prize for Michel Hazanavicius (say that three times fast).   Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Albert Brooks and Jessica Chastain took the acting honors.  


Over in Indie Spirit land, I was a little surprised to see no nomination for Michael Fassbender  for "Shame", but perhaps even more shocking is "The Descendants" getting nominated for Best Feature, Director and Screenplay but no nomination for George Clooney.  Something tells me Oscar is going to change that story.  I was thrilled to see a few nominations for "50/50" though, still one of my favorite films of the year.  

A Beginning

"Life is like the surf, so give yourself away like the sea."  -Y Tu Mamá También

I thought it would be appropriate to begin my new blog adventure with a quote from one of my favorite films.  Although I have listened to this line said several times in Spanish (a language I don't speak) and have read it on screen in subtitles, it never fails to make me stop for a second and cherish what it says.  It's a pretty crazy world out there most of the time, but I truly believe that people are capable of finding great happiness when they devote themselves to something they feel passionate about.  I hope to be able to voice my passion for film here and I look forward to the experiences in a theatre, at home or with a friend where I am able to get lost in the images and sounds of it all.  Time to jump into the blur....