With only mere hours to go until the biggest night in Hollywood, I’ve decided to conduct a last-minute analysis of the race for the top award of Oscar night, I’m of course talking about Best Picture of the Year. Now, having seen all five of this year’s nominees, I will do my best to give as thorough a prediction as possible on who I think will take home the award tonight and who should, if it were up to me, as well as who should have received more recognition. And so the commentary begins (in alphabetical order):
Atonement
This is the type of film that Academy voters usually tend to lean toward come Oscar season. “Atonement” is a love story that spans many years in the lives of three people: Briony, whom we first meet as a precocious and young fledgling writer who pretty much sets in motion the events that ultimately lead to devastating tragedy for her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and her lover Robbie (James McAvoy). The film uses World War II as a backdrop for its deeply compelling human story about the sometimes ugly realism of love and the devastating consequences one simple lie can entail. Pretty much everyone in this movie gives very strong performances, Knightley in particular, who proves that she’s worth more than the role of plucky female heroines (“Pirates of the Caribbean”). But as good as “Atonement” is, the one thing that really diminishes its chances at taking home the little golden man is the lack of a directing nomination for its helmer, Joe Wright. Sure, there have been instances where a movie has won Best Picture without having a nomination for its director, but on the whole I think that Best Director and Best Picture go hand in hand. If only Joe Wright was nominated.
Juno
“Juno” is easily my absolute favorite of the Best Picture nominees this year for multiple reasons. First, there’s the brilliant, brilliant screenplay by Diablo Cody, Ellen Page’s perfect performance as a hipster teenager who finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand, the unbelievably realistic and lovable cast of characters, and above all the ever-present sense of authenticity to everything that happens on-screen. I fell in love with this movie right from the opening credits and when I wasn’t laughing, I was smiling. And another great thing about “Juno” is that it never wastes our time; it gets to the point and flows so smoothly, you’d think that you had been virtually dropped into the lives of these people. But can it win Best Picture? If I were in charge it would. However, while my heart screams “Juno”, the little voice of reason inside my head says “No Country For Old Men”. Comedies are a tough sell to the Academy and they hardly win Best Picture, but if there was ever a comedy that deserved it just as much as the favorite and also possessed the possibility of pulling an upset victory, that movie is “Juno”; the little movie that could. But who knows what shenanigans could transpire at the Kodak Theatre tonight?
Michael Clayton
Upon a second viewing of the deliciously complex and detailed legal masterpiece “Michael Clayton”, my admiration for the film grew. George Clooney turns in what could be the performance of his career as a morally conflicted “fixer” for an upper-tier law firm who is suddenly thrust into a network of shocking truths and shady corporations. Michael is given the task of looking after his firm’s most respected senior litigating partner, Arthur Edens, after Arthur stripped down naked in the middle of a deposition hearing. Arthur has just experienced a moment of crystal-clear revelation concerning the case of an agrochemical company he was dealing with, and has only now fully realized the magnitude of his sins. Yes, it is a bit complicated the first time around, but upon a second viewing, you marvel at not only the intricacies of its Rubix Cube of a plot, but also the power of the subtlety and mastery of the script. Tom Wilkinson is absolutely mesmerizing as Arthur Edens and he more than deserves his Best Supporting Actor nomination. The film also has nominations in the categories of Best Actor (Clooney) and Best Director (Screenwriter and first-time director Tony Gilroy), but probably the factor restraining “Michael Clayton” from the most prestigious honor of the night is its apparent lack of emotion (a blasphemous claim in my eyes). Other Oscar analyzers say that the film is too much brainfood and not enough feeling, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Who says brainfood can’t be compelling enough with just astounding performances? And I also think we do get to know these characters in a very natural manner. But I’m afraid the official voters won’t look at it that way.
No Country For Old Men
“No Country For Old Men” is clearly the favorite in this category, and I can certainly see why. This is a perfect film in pretty much every sense of the word and it’s amazing how a film was able to truly grab me and shake me in terms of what is presented. With “No Country For Old Men”, the Coen Brothers have created the American masterpiece of the 21st Century, a film that will be discussed and debated for many years to come, more so than “There Will Be Blood”. And while this isn’t quite the Best Film of the Year in my opinion, it’s still one that is unforgettable and worthy of all the praise it has received thus far. “No Country For Old Men” is definitely a violent piece of filmmaking, but it’s also a powerful one. I can certainly see this winning in a few hours and I wouldn’t be surprised. With a sociopathic villian whose ruthlessness and cold effectiveness rivals that of Hannibal Lechter, “No Country For Old Men” is the film destined to be declared the Best Picture of 2007 and even though I may disagree, I will still be satisfied if and when this wins.
There Will Be Blood
The avid supporters of “There Will Be Blood” have a competition in them, they want no one else to succeed. Easily the most ambitious of this year’s nominees, “There Will Be Blood” is the one movie in the category this year that I can’t quite agree with being called perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked and admired this picture for what it was, but I think it falls just short of greatness. The film features the most talked-about performance of the year: Daniel Day-Lewis’ uncompromising portrait of deranged oil driller Daniel Plainview, and Day-Lewis seems to be a lock for Best Actor, again something I don’t quite agree with. In terms of Day-Lewis in this film, you’re always in awe about him but at the same time, you’re always aware of him. This type of scenery-munching performance, and this type of film for that matter, usually is the kind of movie that Oscar voters like because it’s the most noticeable. However, it’s real competition is “No Country For Old Men”, which has just a smidgen more admiration than this. And another factor that may hurt “There Will Be Blood” in the long run is its final 20 minutes, a time after which most people have said or will probably say: “What the hell did I just see?” Plus, the film is 160 minutes long. Time can be an enemy in situations like this.
WHO WILL WIN?
“No Country For Old Men”
WHO SHOULD WIN?
“Juno”
WHO GOT SNUBBED?
I was generally disappointed that my favorite film of the year, “Sweeney Todd”, didn’t receive more nominations including one for Tim Burton for his tremendous work on envisioning the picture. And I think it would have been a bold move to give the film a Best Picture nomination as well. Also, “Zodiac” and “Gone Baby Gone”, two outstanding pieces of work, should have gotten more attention as well. And I officially give the title of “Most Underrated Film of the Year” to the eye-opening and resonant “Rendition”, a film criminally overlooked by critics and audiences alike.
At this time, the Oscars are only four hours away, so we’ll soon see how accurate my prediction is.
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10. Michael Clayton – George Clooney is one of those rare actors who gets offered better roles as time goes by. Clooney proves that you can still retain talent as you get older, and his performance in “Michael Clayton” is definitely worthy of an Oscar nomination. Here, Clooney portrays the title character who is a “fixer” for a prestigious law firm who makes sure that there are no loose ends that can damage a case in any way. Michael’s friend Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) recently stripped down naked in the middle of a deposition hearing in Milwaukee, a deposition hearing which involved a corporation known as U North developing a product that proved fatal to its buyers. Michael soon becomes caught up in this case that concerns people so desperate that they’re willing to kill in order to ensure a ruling in their favor. “Michael Clayton” was written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who also wrote the “Bourne” trilogy, so this is a legal thriller with genuine brains and skill. It’s a movie that you absolutely have to pay attention to in order to understand its rather elaborate puzzle, but can make more sense upon a second viewing. I’m certainly looking forward to that when the film is released on DVD in February.
9. Zodiac - I call David Fincher’s “Zodiac” the “All The President’s Men” of serial killer movies. Yes, the film does center around the infamous murders committed by the Zodiac Killer in California during the late 1960′s and early ’70′s, but the movie is really about the people investigating the killings and the ultimate toll it takes on each of them. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith, a newspaper cartoonist who deciphers a code sent to his paper by the Zodiac Killer and soon becomes obsessed with the investigation; his obsession soon affects his personal life, as well as others. Robert Downey Jr. co-stars and gives a great performance as a fellow reporter whose life is virtually corrupted by his persistence with finding out who the killer is. Mark Ruffalo also stars as the detective assigned to the investigation who never gives up even when the case is closed for lack of evidence. Director David Fincher chronicles these events with expert accuracy, using the actual Robert Graysmith’s book on the killings to make sure the film is as detailed as possible. And that attention to detail causes “Zodiac” to clock in at 157 minutes, and Fincher apparently cut out about a half hour of footage. But still, “Zodiac” is so so good, it gets even better with repeat viewings.
8. American Gangster - With powerhouse stars such as Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe and a director like Ridley Scott, it’s hard to go wrong. “American Gangster” is just the latest in a series of high-profile gangster films, following last year’s “The Departed” and even though I slightly prefer Martin Scoresese’s film over this one, “American Gangster” is still a solid piece of filmmaking with engrossing performances from A-list actors. Washington stars as Frank Lucas, a virtually untouchable Black gangster in 1960′s Harlem who builds an entire drug enterprise that earns him millions but attracts the attention of Det. Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Roberts is one of the few honest cops in his division; he’s so honest, in fact, he returns $1 million in drug money during a time when anyone else would have kept it. At times, it feels as if Scott is emanating previous works of Scoresese, but that ends up working. I’m not sure about its Oscar possibilities because of “The Departed” last year, but it’s still one of the better films of the year.
7. 3:10 To Yuma - What do you know? Russell Crowe in another one of my top ten films of the year. I personally think Crowe deserves a nomination for his role as outlaw and expert robber Ben Wade more so than his part in “American Gangster”. Christian Bale also keeps up his streak of top-notch performances as Dan Evans, a Civil War veteran who accompanies the group of lawly men transporting Crowe’s Wade to the train that will in turn take him to Yuma prison. Director James Mangold has not only made an enthralling action picture but also a tale of morality focused on two men with different perceptions about what is right and wrong. “3:10 To Yuma” is perhaps the best action film of the year because it has many interesting underlying themes that add to everything else.
6. Gone Baby Gone - Ben Affleck’s directorial debut certainly surprised me, as well as many other film critics. This adaptation of the crime novel of the same name stars Ben’s little brother Casey in his first starring role as private detective Patrick Kenzie. Patrick and his girlfriend/partner Angela Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) take the case of a missing young girl and the investigation teams them with a shady police detective named Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and takes Patrick and Angela down a dangerous road that will test their partnership and relationship. Since the Afflecks are both born and bred Boston natives, the portrayal of said place is flawless, as everyone we meet feels like a real person. And I must say that the final 10 minutes of this film still has me thinking about the characters’ choices and has me questioning whether what they did was truly the right thing. Powerful stuff.
5. Rendition - Gavin Hood’s “Rendition” is not only the best political thriller of the year, but also the one film that provoked the most important questions from me. Does the practice of torture yield legitimate intelligence from suspects our government takes into custody? How sure can we be about these suspects’ involvement with terrorists? It’s essentially about the moral ambiguities derived from the system of “extraordinary rendition” and it’s terrifyingly effective. The movie is rich in powerful performances from Jake Gyllenhaal (again!), Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin and Meryl Streep. “Rendition” is a film that shows us firsthand the true callousness of our government when push comes to shove and provides an interesting commentary on this particular system. Shame more people didn’t see it.
4. No Country For Old Men - Easily the best crime drama of the year, the Coen Brothers’ “No Country For Old Men” has what has to be the most bone-chilling villain in a movie in quite some time: Anton Chigurh, portrayed flawlessly by Javier Bardem. The story centers around a Texan hunter (Josh Brolin) who one day stumbles upon a bunch of dead bodies, a truck trunk full of heroin, and a briefcase filled with money. Llewelyn Moss takes the money and keeps it, unaware of the extremely serious repurcussions of his actions. Ruthless killer Chirgurh soon gives chase, making for a suspenseful and well-crafted game of cat and mouse. Also worth mentioning is Tommy Lee Jones as the local stone-faced Sheriff of the town who becomes involved in tracking Chirgurh. One thing that makes “No Country For Old Men” so engrossing and suspenseful is the fact that the film has no accompanying music in the background during its scenes. We instead hear every creak of every floorboard as the killer draws closer and then the sudden bang of a gunshot. This is one movie I won’t soon forget.
3. Atonement - And speaking of memorable, my #3 movie of 2007 is Joe Wright’s “Atonement”, starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy in what has to be the best romantic film since “Titanic”. Now, I’m not usually one for these types of overtly romantic films, but “Atonement” was so well made, there was no denying my downright admiration for this film. It’s eloquent, mesmerizing and heartbreaking. “Atonement” takes place in 1930′s London and starts off on the night of a dinner party in a mansion owned by a wealthy family. During this party, the lives of two lovers, Cecilia (Knightley) and Robbie (McAvoy), will be forever ruined when Cecilia’s younger daughter Briony (Saoirse Ronan) witnesses a passionate moment between the two and mistakingly perceives it as a sex crime. Briony’s false accusation lands Robbie in jail and then ultimately in the middle of the taking of Dunkirk during World War II. The human drama in “Atonement” is the film’s main strength, and Keira Knightley in particular gives a very strong performance. And the ending is still with me; it caught me by genuine surprise and even allowed tears to well up in my eyes, I must admit.
2. Juno - I fell in love with this delightful little comedy right from the opening scenes. The film is about a 16 year-old girl named Juno (Ellen Page) who finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand. Deciding to keep the baby and put it up for adoption to a seemingly perfect couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman), Juno must also patch things up with the father of her child (Michael Cera) and deal with the burdens of being pregnant. “Juno” is the best movie of the year not at the top of my list; it has ingenious writing from first-timer Diablo Cody, lovable characters whom you want to jump into the screen to be with, and not one bad scene. Ellen Page deserves an Oscar nomination for her work here, and I think it would be a crime if the film itself weren’t nominated for Best Picture. “Juno” also has great comedy that takes us by surprise on more than one occasion and always feels authentic. This is a movie I can’t wait to watch over and over again.
1. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - I know what you’re thinking. A big, bloody musical as my choice for Best of the Year? Well, that’s the honest truth; there was no other movie this year that I had the same amount of admiration for, although “Juno” came agonizingly close. This is Tim Burton’s masterpiece, to be frank. It combines his bold sense of vision with great music, more terrific acting from Johnny Depp, and bucketfulls of blood. “Sweeney” certainly is dark, but it has moments of macabre humor sprinkled here and there to lighten the mood. Tim Burton’s gloriously gory musical might well be the best musical I’ve ever seen, with beautifully written songs that are self-contained and personal rather than bombastic and hyperactive. And who knew Johnny Depp could sing? All said, “Sweeney Todd” is bloody brilliant.
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Best Picture Race: Who Will Win and Who Should Win
February 24, 2008 at 9:16 pm (Commentary)
With only mere hours to go until the biggest night in Hollywood, I’ve decided to conduct a last-minute analysis of the race for the top award of Oscar night, I’m of course talking about Best Picture of the Year. Now, having seen all five of this year’s nominees, I will do my best to give as thorough a prediction as possible on who I think will take home the award tonight and who should, if it were up to me, as well as who should have received more recognition. And so the commentary begins (in alphabetical order):
Atonement
This is the type of film that Academy voters usually tend to lean toward come Oscar season. “Atonement” is a love story that spans many years in the lives of three people: Briony, whom we first meet as a precocious and young fledgling writer who pretty much sets in motion the events that ultimately lead to devastating tragedy for her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and her lover Robbie (James McAvoy). The film uses World War II as a backdrop for its deeply compelling human story about the sometimes ugly realism of love and the devastating consequences one simple lie can entail. Pretty much everyone in this movie gives very strong performances, Knightley in particular, who proves that she’s worth more than the role of plucky female heroines (“Pirates of the Caribbean”). But as good as “Atonement” is, the one thing that really diminishes its chances at taking home the little golden man is the lack of a directing nomination for its helmer, Joe Wright. Sure, there have been instances where a movie has won Best Picture without having a nomination for its director, but on the whole I think that Best Director and Best Picture go hand in hand. If only Joe Wright was nominated.
Juno
“Juno” is easily my absolute favorite of the Best Picture nominees this year for multiple reasons. First, there’s the brilliant, brilliant screenplay by Diablo Cody, Ellen Page’s perfect performance as a hipster teenager who finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand, the unbelievably realistic and lovable cast of characters, and above all the ever-present sense of authenticity to everything that happens on-screen. I fell in love with this movie right from the opening credits and when I wasn’t laughing, I was smiling. And another great thing about “Juno” is that it never wastes our time; it gets to the point and flows so smoothly, you’d think that you had been virtually dropped into the lives of these people. But can it win Best Picture? If I were in charge it would. However, while my heart screams “Juno”, the little voice of reason inside my head says “No Country For Old Men”. Comedies are a tough sell to the Academy and they hardly win Best Picture, but if there was ever a comedy that deserved it just as much as the favorite and also possessed the possibility of pulling an upset victory, that movie is “Juno”; the little movie that could. But who knows what shenanigans could transpire at the Kodak Theatre tonight?
Michael Clayton
Upon a second viewing of the deliciously complex and detailed legal masterpiece “Michael Clayton”, my admiration for the film grew. George Clooney turns in what could be the performance of his career as a morally conflicted “fixer” for an upper-tier law firm who is suddenly thrust into a network of shocking truths and shady corporations. Michael is given the task of looking after his firm’s most respected senior litigating partner, Arthur Edens, after Arthur stripped down naked in the middle of a deposition hearing. Arthur has just experienced a moment of crystal-clear revelation concerning the case of an agrochemical company he was dealing with, and has only now fully realized the magnitude of his sins. Yes, it is a bit complicated the first time around, but upon a second viewing, you marvel at not only the intricacies of its Rubix Cube of a plot, but also the power of the subtlety and mastery of the script. Tom Wilkinson is absolutely mesmerizing as Arthur Edens and he more than deserves his Best Supporting Actor nomination. The film also has nominations in the categories of Best Actor (Clooney) and Best Director (Screenwriter and first-time director Tony Gilroy), but probably the factor restraining “Michael Clayton” from the most prestigious honor of the night is its apparent lack of emotion (a blasphemous claim in my eyes). Other Oscar analyzers say that the film is too much brainfood and not enough feeling, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Who says brainfood can’t be compelling enough with just astounding performances? And I also think we do get to know these characters in a very natural manner. But I’m afraid the official voters won’t look at it that way.
No Country For Old Men
“No Country For Old Men” is clearly the favorite in this category, and I can certainly see why. This is a perfect film in pretty much every sense of the word and it’s amazing how a film was able to truly grab me and shake me in terms of what is presented. With “No Country For Old Men”, the Coen Brothers have created the American masterpiece of the 21st Century, a film that will be discussed and debated for many years to come, more so than “There Will Be Blood”. And while this isn’t quite the Best Film of the Year in my opinion, it’s still one that is unforgettable and worthy of all the praise it has received thus far. “No Country For Old Men” is definitely a violent piece of filmmaking, but it’s also a powerful one. I can certainly see this winning in a few hours and I wouldn’t be surprised. With a sociopathic villian whose ruthlessness and cold effectiveness rivals that of Hannibal Lechter, “No Country For Old Men” is the film destined to be declared the Best Picture of 2007 and even though I may disagree, I will still be satisfied if and when this wins.
There Will Be Blood
The avid supporters of “There Will Be Blood” have a competition in them, they want no one else to succeed. Easily the most ambitious of this year’s nominees, “There Will Be Blood” is the one movie in the category this year that I can’t quite agree with being called perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked and admired this picture for what it was, but I think it falls just short of greatness. The film features the most talked-about performance of the year: Daniel Day-Lewis’ uncompromising portrait of deranged oil driller Daniel Plainview, and Day-Lewis seems to be a lock for Best Actor, again something I don’t quite agree with. In terms of Day-Lewis in this film, you’re always in awe about him but at the same time, you’re always aware of him. This type of scenery-munching performance, and this type of film for that matter, usually is the kind of movie that Oscar voters like because it’s the most noticeable. However, it’s real competition is “No Country For Old Men”, which has just a smidgen more admiration than this. And another factor that may hurt “There Will Be Blood” in the long run is its final 20 minutes, a time after which most people have said or will probably say: “What the hell did I just see?” Plus, the film is 160 minutes long. Time can be an enemy in situations like this.
WHO WILL WIN?
“No Country For Old Men”
WHO SHOULD WIN?
“Juno”
WHO GOT SNUBBED?
I was generally disappointed that my favorite film of the year, “Sweeney Todd”, didn’t receive more nominations including one for Tim Burton for his tremendous work on envisioning the picture. And I think it would have been a bold move to give the film a Best Picture nomination as well. Also, “Zodiac” and “Gone Baby Gone”, two outstanding pieces of work, should have gotten more attention as well. And I officially give the title of “Most Underrated Film of the Year” to the eye-opening and resonant “Rendition”, a film criminally overlooked by critics and audiences alike.
At this time, the Oscars are only four hours away, so we’ll soon see how accurate my prediction is.
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