Oscars 2015 Best Picture Nominees
I am thoroughly excited about this year's nominees. I enjoyed watching almost every single one. As such, I'm not sure I can level the films this round with any deal of great justice. I really feel like there would be a lot of ties as it's really hard to choose which ones are better than others this year! BUT I will try, despite the fact that I'm pretty sure the award is really down to two of the films, regardless of worth (just per the buzz and the winners at the SAG and Golden Globe awards).
8) The Grand Budapest Hotel: Let's be honest. The only reason this film got nominated is because it is a nod to Wes Anderson's talent. His quirky little film is amusing in its kitschy way, and the plot is a borderline screwball comedy (which hasn't been pulled off in many a decade). BUT there is no way a comedy is winning "Best Picture of the Year" any time soon, not even this one.
7) Whiplash: What is this? HOW did this film get nominated? I debated on putting it last, but ... it had some artistic merit to it (if only to annoy me to death). This is an obsessed musician's tale. This is one of those "I hate him" kind of films that make you go "wow, what a performance!" Other than that, there is VERY little plot here. Based on a short film that was expanded, this movie feels like it. Was it necessary to make this "story" any longer? It still feels like 15 minutes would have been enough.
6) Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): I realize that I'm probably not going to win any prizes for putting this film this low, BUT it's pretentious as hell. It's a film that's as meta as it gets. It refers back to itself with the camera that waits for people to walk on screen. It refers back to itself by walking past the drummer that is playing the soundtrack. It talks about itself and scripts (or plays) in general. Don't get me wrong. I freaking LOVE Michael Keaton and would love to see him get an Oscar, but please don't let this film win "Best Picture of the Year!" It's not as good as some of the other films nominated this year! And it's one of the top two contenders this year, if previous awards are any indication. *sigh* I hate the whole "art for art's sake" trap (because this is definitely one of the artsiest films nominated).
5) Boyhood: Again, I know I'm not going to win any popularity contests by putting this film here. I am just as thoroughly impressed as anyone else by the concept of making a film over a 12 year time span. WOW! That takes dedication! Not just from the director, not just from the main actor who literally grows up in front of your eyes, but from ALL of the actors involved in this project who came back every year to film the next segment. But in the end, once you get past that fact (a nice little gimmick), the film itself is a Seinfeld episode. It's about nothing. It's about a boy's life but there's no plot. To quote from the film (and I'm wildly summarizing here as I can't quote verbatim): "You know how they say to seize the moment?" "Yeah." "Well, I don't think we seize the moment, I think the moment seizes us." "Yeah, moments just keep happening and that's all life is." This was the WHOLE point of the film. Don't we already live that every day? WHY do I want to watch a movie about it? And yet, this is the other film that is currently tied for first place if the buzz and previous awards are any indicators. *SIGH*
4) The Theory of Everything: Eddie Redmayne's acting is brilliant. No doubt about that. It definitely felt like he was going through a tragic metamorphosis. But for some reason, this film didn't really make me care about Stephen Hawking. It almost felt like it was more about his wife than it was about him. It was certainly focused more on the relationship than on his genius (and as it was based on biographies she had written, this is no grand surprise). Yet, it is one of the first biopics that was stunningly done this season. It's hard to say it wasn't well done (because it was), but of the nominees, I think there were some that were done better.
3) The Imitation Game: I love any story to do with World War 2 so I'm automatically prejudiced in this film's favor. And I love Benedict Cumberbatch because of some of his previous roles. BUT ... this biopic felt a bit muddled in its intent. I got the point by the end, but that wasn't the focus of the film. Nor should it have been. Alan Turing was definitely a brilliant mind. Cumberbatch was definitely a good actor for the role, but it didn't feel like something I'd never seen him do before. And the film didn't feel like a one I'd never seen before. And by the time I'd finished watching all of the nominees, it didn't feel like the best of the bunch either. That's not to say it isn't a good film. It is and I quite enjoyed it. But it's not "Best Picture of the Year" either. Sorry.
2) American Sniper: Clint Eastwood directed an amazing biopic this round, and the nomination is NOT just a nod at his amazing talent (including song writing in this film yet again). Instead, he takes on one of the more controversial biopics of recent years (probably more controversial thanks to Michael Moore's recent public tantrum) and produces an incredibly intriguing story. It is always difficult to boil a person's life down to 2 hours. Yet this one succeeded in spades! And it was a thriller that had me biting my nails and hiding in the collar of my sweater for quite a bit of it too. No doubt increased by the amazing score that increased tension with amazing precision. What feels incomplete is the ending. How could it feel like anything else though, given the circumstances. I also found Eastwood's choice to have silence over the end credits (after the first trumpet song), quite intriguing as well. Bradley Cooper did some work to transform himself for this role, but I didn't feel like I was seeing someone different. There was still that same sassy sense of humor I've seen from Cooper before, even if it was shades of a different character. But this was definitely a film I walked away from wanting to know more.
1) Selma: And here it is folks, the movie I'm saying is the best of the bunch. Because it really is. It's yet another historical biopic, but this one surprised me on many levels. The set and costume design were so subtle they were hard to notice. The color palate (lots of warm golds and yellows, oranges and reds, soft blues) really stood out in the low key lighting. The score (by a new-to-me composer) was stunning. And the acting of David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr made my mouth drop. Of all the actors who took on heady roles, he BECAME MLK Jr. His oratory style (and I'm sure he had to study those speeches like CRAZY to get those same inflections and passionate diatribes) was dead on! And the message wasn't too preachy. It didn't inflict white man's guilt (though I certainly did want to rail at the injustices I saw in this film) on the audience. It showed a weary Martin Luther King Jr. fighting in a different type of war, encouraged by those who shared his vision and faith. It showed their stubborn persistence (flaws and all) in the pursuit of justice. And what a great cast straight across the board. AND it's a female director making her amazing debut (of sorts--this is the one that will get her recognition). It's a gentle tale and yet it stands out the most to me. And yet, it's not getting nearly enough attention or awards in my opinion. For some reason, it's getting overlooked, which is a shame.
8) The Grand Budapest Hotel: Let's be honest. The only reason this film got nominated is because it is a nod to Wes Anderson's talent. His quirky little film is amusing in its kitschy way, and the plot is a borderline screwball comedy (which hasn't been pulled off in many a decade). BUT there is no way a comedy is winning "Best Picture of the Year" any time soon, not even this one.
7) Whiplash: What is this? HOW did this film get nominated? I debated on putting it last, but ... it had some artistic merit to it (if only to annoy me to death). This is an obsessed musician's tale. This is one of those "I hate him" kind of films that make you go "wow, what a performance!" Other than that, there is VERY little plot here. Based on a short film that was expanded, this movie feels like it. Was it necessary to make this "story" any longer? It still feels like 15 minutes would have been enough.
6) Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): I realize that I'm probably not going to win any prizes for putting this film this low, BUT it's pretentious as hell. It's a film that's as meta as it gets. It refers back to itself with the camera that waits for people to walk on screen. It refers back to itself by walking past the drummer that is playing the soundtrack. It talks about itself and scripts (or plays) in general. Don't get me wrong. I freaking LOVE Michael Keaton and would love to see him get an Oscar, but please don't let this film win "Best Picture of the Year!" It's not as good as some of the other films nominated this year! And it's one of the top two contenders this year, if previous awards are any indication. *sigh* I hate the whole "art for art's sake" trap (because this is definitely one of the artsiest films nominated).
5) Boyhood: Again, I know I'm not going to win any popularity contests by putting this film here. I am just as thoroughly impressed as anyone else by the concept of making a film over a 12 year time span. WOW! That takes dedication! Not just from the director, not just from the main actor who literally grows up in front of your eyes, but from ALL of the actors involved in this project who came back every year to film the next segment. But in the end, once you get past that fact (a nice little gimmick), the film itself is a Seinfeld episode. It's about nothing. It's about a boy's life but there's no plot. To quote from the film (and I'm wildly summarizing here as I can't quote verbatim): "You know how they say to seize the moment?" "Yeah." "Well, I don't think we seize the moment, I think the moment seizes us." "Yeah, moments just keep happening and that's all life is." This was the WHOLE point of the film. Don't we already live that every day? WHY do I want to watch a movie about it? And yet, this is the other film that is currently tied for first place if the buzz and previous awards are any indicators. *SIGH*
4) The Theory of Everything: Eddie Redmayne's acting is brilliant. No doubt about that. It definitely felt like he was going through a tragic metamorphosis. But for some reason, this film didn't really make me care about Stephen Hawking. It almost felt like it was more about his wife than it was about him. It was certainly focused more on the relationship than on his genius (and as it was based on biographies she had written, this is no grand surprise). Yet, it is one of the first biopics that was stunningly done this season. It's hard to say it wasn't well done (because it was), but of the nominees, I think there were some that were done better.
3) The Imitation Game: I love any story to do with World War 2 so I'm automatically prejudiced in this film's favor. And I love Benedict Cumberbatch because of some of his previous roles. BUT ... this biopic felt a bit muddled in its intent. I got the point by the end, but that wasn't the focus of the film. Nor should it have been. Alan Turing was definitely a brilliant mind. Cumberbatch was definitely a good actor for the role, but it didn't feel like something I'd never seen him do before. And the film didn't feel like a one I'd never seen before. And by the time I'd finished watching all of the nominees, it didn't feel like the best of the bunch either. That's not to say it isn't a good film. It is and I quite enjoyed it. But it's not "Best Picture of the Year" either. Sorry.
2) American Sniper: Clint Eastwood directed an amazing biopic this round, and the nomination is NOT just a nod at his amazing talent (including song writing in this film yet again). Instead, he takes on one of the more controversial biopics of recent years (probably more controversial thanks to Michael Moore's recent public tantrum) and produces an incredibly intriguing story. It is always difficult to boil a person's life down to 2 hours. Yet this one succeeded in spades! And it was a thriller that had me biting my nails and hiding in the collar of my sweater for quite a bit of it too. No doubt increased by the amazing score that increased tension with amazing precision. What feels incomplete is the ending. How could it feel like anything else though, given the circumstances. I also found Eastwood's choice to have silence over the end credits (after the first trumpet song), quite intriguing as well. Bradley Cooper did some work to transform himself for this role, but I didn't feel like I was seeing someone different. There was still that same sassy sense of humor I've seen from Cooper before, even if it was shades of a different character. But this was definitely a film I walked away from wanting to know more.
1) Selma: And here it is folks, the movie I'm saying is the best of the bunch. Because it really is. It's yet another historical biopic, but this one surprised me on many levels. The set and costume design were so subtle they were hard to notice. The color palate (lots of warm golds and yellows, oranges and reds, soft blues) really stood out in the low key lighting. The score (by a new-to-me composer) was stunning. And the acting of David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr made my mouth drop. Of all the actors who took on heady roles, he BECAME MLK Jr. His oratory style (and I'm sure he had to study those speeches like CRAZY to get those same inflections and passionate diatribes) was dead on! And the message wasn't too preachy. It didn't inflict white man's guilt (though I certainly did want to rail at the injustices I saw in this film) on the audience. It showed a weary Martin Luther King Jr. fighting in a different type of war, encouraged by those who shared his vision and faith. It showed their stubborn persistence (flaws and all) in the pursuit of justice. And what a great cast straight across the board. AND it's a female director making her amazing debut (of sorts--this is the one that will get her recognition). It's a gentle tale and yet it stands out the most to me. And yet, it's not getting nearly enough attention or awards in my opinion. For some reason, it's getting overlooked, which is a shame.