oblig Oscars post
I was looking forward to going to an Oscar party tonight and cleaning up with my winning bracket, haha, but we're having to flake out at the last minute. :-(
GoldDerby.com is where I go for expert predictions. My thoughts on the Best Picture nominees below:
Argo - 27% of votes, 27/10 odds
What even the hell? So very historically inaccurate, and not in a good way: in fact, I actually don't usually care that much about accuracy, but this was just OTT. I found most of the dramatically tense bits, most of which were apparently manufactured for the film, eyeroll-y and nonsensical. I also thought it was thin on characterization and I didn't care about anyone I was watching. But yay for Bryan Cranston and Kyle Chandler continuing to get movie roles. Boo for Ben Affleck's face.
Lincoln - 15% of votes, 11/2 odds
I agree with all the criticism that it was too much play and not enough movie. Great script by Tony Kushner, and great acting from damn near everyone in the massive cast -- including obvs Daniel Day-Lewis -- but so much of Spielberg's direction felt flat and unexciting. Which is surprising, because it's Spielberg. I am looking forward to yet another eloquent and humbly gracious acceptance speech from DDL.
Silver Linings Playbook - 13%, 13/2 odds
I feel like I need to see this again. I bounced off a lot of the first half, then was only gradually starting to feel won over, and suddenly it was finished. I know this was a personal project for David O. Russell because of his son, but as far as his take on family drama I much preferred The Fighter a couple years ago. Also, apparently Robert DeNiro's character was constructed almost entirely in the editing room: he did a lot of takes where he played the father as a harsh abuser, and then Russell and his editor chose what they wanted afterward. If I were an actor working hard on bringing a character to life and a director changed it all up in the editing room, I'd be furious. But he'll probably get Best Supporting Actor, and I wouldn't be surprised if DeNiro himself doesn't even care that much anyway. Not looking forward to JLaw winning. I have gone off her as she continues to put her foot in her mouth in the press -- the act is no longer cute.
Life of Pi - 10%, 9/1 odds
Would really like Ang Lee to get his second Best Director Oscar for this; his odds are about even with Spielberg at the moment. Ang Lee is just one of the best directors around, period. His body of work is so diverse and interesting. Anyway, I wish I'd seen this in 3D in the cinema as it was apparently magnificent, but even in 2D it was glorious. Can't believe Suraj Sharma had never acted before.
Zero Dark Thirty - 9%, 10/1 odds
Torture controversy aside (to me it did feel like more than a few minutes), I don't doubt there was also some Argo-style fictionalization going on here. But it felt to me like a technically better-executed movie and I found the scenes at bin Laden's compound full of real tension. Bonus points for Jennifer Ehle and Jessica Chastain sharing scenes where they talk about work. I've admired Jessica Chastain in so many movies now -- I've seen all but like, two of hers -- and would love to see her win Best Actress. Unlike her main competitor JLaw, who was part of an ensemble cast, Chastain carried most of this movie on her shoulders, and her character was more subtle and compelling to me.
Les Miserables - 8%, 12/1 odds
Didn't see. Never been a big fan of the musical, and I hate Tom Hooper's "directing" style. Case in point: the miniseries John Adams, which we've been watching. The man has zero idea how to place cameras; he seems to love crazy angles and extreme close-ups, but they're always so clumsy and amateur. Looking forward to Anne Hathaway's pretentious acceptance speech (I know she's been saying great things in interviews about women in the media, but her speeches are cringe-y).
Amour - 7%, 14/1 odds
Didn't see. Really want to. Afraid it will break me.
Beasts of the Southern Wild - 6%, 16/1 odds
I absolutely loved this movie. I can see why some criticize it for romanticizing poverty and/or glamorizing a particular sub-culture, but I don't share those criticisms. I thought it was amazing and emotionally wrenching from start to finish (but beware of extreme shaky cam). And for anyone who thinks Quvenzhané Wallis was too young to really understand she was acting, you should watch this video of her getting into character.
Django Unchained - 6%, 16/1 odds
I found this movie to be largely obnoxious torture porn, directed by a largely obnoxious dick. I don't know how many shots I really needed of Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx in extreme pain to get that Slavery Is Bad, but it felt like Tarantino was just exploiting the violence their characters suffered for shock value -- it felt almost disturbingly fetishistic. I mean, it's Tarantino, what else is new, but the actors and the topic deserved better. I love Jamie Foxx -- watch basically any interview he's in, he's humble and charming and thoughtful and a fucking hard worker, and also talented on so many levels -- and I hope he never works with Tarantino again. I'm also, admittedly, annoyed that neither he nor Samuel L. Jackson have been getting as much awards recognition as Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Also, link courtesy
jeviltwin: Django, in chains -- a critical essay from actor Jesse Williams.
Anyway, I am looking forward to Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave with Chiwetel Ejiofor, to come out sometime later this year. Neither McQueen nor Ejiofor have ancestral connections to slavery in the US, as far as I'm aware, but I expect they'll take the issue rather more seriously than Quentin fucking Tarantino.
The Master - not nominated for Best Picture, but like most of Paul Thomas Anderson's work I felt it was one of the most interesting movies of the year. PTA specializes in extreme character studies, very grounded in time and place, and this one was particularly eccentric and deeply layered. It was also beautifully shot and edited, with lots of gorgeous golden afternoon light, and it was really, really well-acted. If not for DDL, this would have been Joaquin Phoenix's year.
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comments at its original location at http://hesychasm.dreamwidth.org/260292.html. Please comment there or here.
GoldDerby.com is where I go for expert predictions. My thoughts on the Best Picture nominees below:
Argo - 27% of votes, 27/10 odds
What even the hell? So very historically inaccurate, and not in a good way: in fact, I actually don't usually care that much about accuracy, but this was just OTT. I found most of the dramatically tense bits, most of which were apparently manufactured for the film, eyeroll-y and nonsensical. I also thought it was thin on characterization and I didn't care about anyone I was watching. But yay for Bryan Cranston and Kyle Chandler continuing to get movie roles. Boo for Ben Affleck's face.
Lincoln - 15% of votes, 11/2 odds
I agree with all the criticism that it was too much play and not enough movie. Great script by Tony Kushner, and great acting from damn near everyone in the massive cast -- including obvs Daniel Day-Lewis -- but so much of Spielberg's direction felt flat and unexciting. Which is surprising, because it's Spielberg. I am looking forward to yet another eloquent and humbly gracious acceptance speech from DDL.
Silver Linings Playbook - 13%, 13/2 odds
I feel like I need to see this again. I bounced off a lot of the first half, then was only gradually starting to feel won over, and suddenly it was finished. I know this was a personal project for David O. Russell because of his son, but as far as his take on family drama I much preferred The Fighter a couple years ago. Also, apparently Robert DeNiro's character was constructed almost entirely in the editing room: he did a lot of takes where he played the father as a harsh abuser, and then Russell and his editor chose what they wanted afterward. If I were an actor working hard on bringing a character to life and a director changed it all up in the editing room, I'd be furious. But he'll probably get Best Supporting Actor, and I wouldn't be surprised if DeNiro himself doesn't even care that much anyway. Not looking forward to JLaw winning. I have gone off her as she continues to put her foot in her mouth in the press -- the act is no longer cute.
Life of Pi - 10%, 9/1 odds
Would really like Ang Lee to get his second Best Director Oscar for this; his odds are about even with Spielberg at the moment. Ang Lee is just one of the best directors around, period. His body of work is so diverse and interesting. Anyway, I wish I'd seen this in 3D in the cinema as it was apparently magnificent, but even in 2D it was glorious. Can't believe Suraj Sharma had never acted before.
Zero Dark Thirty - 9%, 10/1 odds
Torture controversy aside (to me it did feel like more than a few minutes), I don't doubt there was also some Argo-style fictionalization going on here. But it felt to me like a technically better-executed movie and I found the scenes at bin Laden's compound full of real tension. Bonus points for Jennifer Ehle and Jessica Chastain sharing scenes where they talk about work. I've admired Jessica Chastain in so many movies now -- I've seen all but like, two of hers -- and would love to see her win Best Actress. Unlike her main competitor JLaw, who was part of an ensemble cast, Chastain carried most of this movie on her shoulders, and her character was more subtle and compelling to me.
Les Miserables - 8%, 12/1 odds
Didn't see. Never been a big fan of the musical, and I hate Tom Hooper's "directing" style. Case in point: the miniseries John Adams, which we've been watching. The man has zero idea how to place cameras; he seems to love crazy angles and extreme close-ups, but they're always so clumsy and amateur. Looking forward to Anne Hathaway's pretentious acceptance speech (I know she's been saying great things in interviews about women in the media, but her speeches are cringe-y).
Amour - 7%, 14/1 odds
Didn't see. Really want to. Afraid it will break me.
Beasts of the Southern Wild - 6%, 16/1 odds
I absolutely loved this movie. I can see why some criticize it for romanticizing poverty and/or glamorizing a particular sub-culture, but I don't share those criticisms. I thought it was amazing and emotionally wrenching from start to finish (but beware of extreme shaky cam). And for anyone who thinks Quvenzhané Wallis was too young to really understand she was acting, you should watch this video of her getting into character.
Django Unchained - 6%, 16/1 odds
I found this movie to be largely obnoxious torture porn, directed by a largely obnoxious dick. I don't know how many shots I really needed of Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx in extreme pain to get that Slavery Is Bad, but it felt like Tarantino was just exploiting the violence their characters suffered for shock value -- it felt almost disturbingly fetishistic. I mean, it's Tarantino, what else is new, but the actors and the topic deserved better. I love Jamie Foxx -- watch basically any interview he's in, he's humble and charming and thoughtful and a fucking hard worker, and also talented on so many levels -- and I hope he never works with Tarantino again. I'm also, admittedly, annoyed that neither he nor Samuel L. Jackson have been getting as much awards recognition as Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Also, link courtesy
jeviltwin: Django, in chains -- a critical essay from actor Jesse Williams.
Anyway, I am looking forward to Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave with Chiwetel Ejiofor, to come out sometime later this year. Neither McQueen nor Ejiofor have ancestral connections to slavery in the US, as far as I'm aware, but I expect they'll take the issue rather more seriously than Quentin fucking Tarantino.
The Master - not nominated for Best Picture, but like most of Paul Thomas Anderson's work I felt it was one of the most interesting movies of the year. PTA specializes in extreme character studies, very grounded in time and place, and this one was particularly eccentric and deeply layered. It was also beautifully shot and edited, with lots of gorgeous golden afternoon light, and it was really, really well-acted. If not for DDL, this would have been Joaquin Phoenix's year.
This post has
comments at its original location at http://hesychasm.dreamwidth.org/260292.html. Please comment there or here.