And the Winners Are
We're filling out ballots and making tuxedo strawberries at our house. What are your Oscar party plans?
Best Picture - It will go to "The Artist." Mary loved it, I liked it, and Frank hated it. Frank said, "The problem with The Artist is that it is a silent movie but it doesn't look like a silent movie." Exactly. There were some brilliant moments. My favorite was when The Artist sits at his makeup table and suddenly everything is making noise - the makeup brushes get knocked over and clatter, his foot steps click, the chair squeaks, the door opens. The other brilliant moment was when he was sitting alone in his apartment watching "Zorro." (I had the treat of seeing Zorro on a big screen last fall. It was accompanied by an organist - really brilliant.) I loved "The Descendants" but I thought the voice overs were too heavy and not needed. "Midnight in Paris" is perfect as far as I am concerned. My issues with "The Help" are complicated, but I don't like it. "Moneyball" was fun, but not Best Picture worthy. "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" was a pleasant surprise to me. I don't think I have ever NOT-hated a Tom Hanks movie. Or a Sandra Bollack movie. I would not have seen the movie for those two reasons alone, but it was nominated and I felt obliged and I ended up liking the movie. Not Best-Picture Worthy, though.
Best Director - The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius - Hollywood loves movies about Hollywood. And they love directors that love other directors.
Best Actor - George Clooney, "The Descendants - This is one of those instances when I get to love the win. I think Clooney was the best he's ever been in this movie. Could also go to Jean Dujardin which Hollywood would think was really cute. (A silent film actor winning an Oscar in 2012! We're so clever!)
Best Actress - Viola Davis for "The Help" - Yes, I think she'll beat Meryl Streep. (Hint: Hollywood hates bad movies even if the actors in them are really good.) FWIW, I did not like this movie, but I think Ms. Davis did an amazing acting job. I particularly like it when actors convey internal conflict without simply looking distressed - this was more complex than that. I like acting from behind and silent acting, which she does very well (this isn't a silent film, but "The Artist" is, 2012 is a complicated year...).
Best Original Screenplay - Woody Allen (LOVE HIM!) - Hollywood loves him and this script was clever and funny and well done. "Midnight in Paris" is a family favorite, and I think that a lot of that is owed to Woody Allen's writing. We listen to this in the minivan even when we aren't watching the movie - we love the dialogue that much. I think Hollywood does as well.
Best Adapted Screenplay - I'm going to go with "The Descendants" even though I would pick "Moneyball." I think that Hollywood is going to give this to "The Descendants" as their consolation prize for not winning best picture.
Best Cinematography - This will go to "Tree of Life." I would say that even if you didn't understand it, you have to admit that it is pretty. Sophia and Claire had no patience for this movie. Bill and I enjoyed it, but I did not love it.
Costuming - I saw "The Artist" last night and I had to check my Oscar ballot when I got home to see whether this was nominated. It was and it will probably win and I think that is odd. As someone who watches a lot of silent movies and old movies I can only tell you that the costuming is "off." It is the women's dresses in particular. I don't know enough about costuming to tell you what is wrong, but I think it is the fabric choice for the women's dresses? I would guess that it is a more modern fabric than was available in the 20s. The problem is that because of all the films I have seen from this time period I know EXACTLY what the dresses should look like. An Elizabethen dress? Not so much.
Music-wise I like "Man or Muppet" (!!!!!!) and "The Artist" score.
I'd like to thank the Academy!
Best Picture - It will go to "The Artist." Mary loved it, I liked it, and Frank hated it. Frank said, "The problem with The Artist is that it is a silent movie but it doesn't look like a silent movie." Exactly. There were some brilliant moments. My favorite was when The Artist sits at his makeup table and suddenly everything is making noise - the makeup brushes get knocked over and clatter, his foot steps click, the chair squeaks, the door opens. The other brilliant moment was when he was sitting alone in his apartment watching "Zorro." (I had the treat of seeing Zorro on a big screen last fall. It was accompanied by an organist - really brilliant.) I loved "The Descendants" but I thought the voice overs were too heavy and not needed. "Midnight in Paris" is perfect as far as I am concerned. My issues with "The Help" are complicated, but I don't like it. "Moneyball" was fun, but not Best Picture worthy. "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" was a pleasant surprise to me. I don't think I have ever NOT-hated a Tom Hanks movie. Or a Sandra Bollack movie. I would not have seen the movie for those two reasons alone, but it was nominated and I felt obliged and I ended up liking the movie. Not Best-Picture Worthy, though.
Best Director - The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius - Hollywood loves movies about Hollywood. And they love directors that love other directors.
Best Actor - George Clooney, "The Descendants - This is one of those instances when I get to love the win. I think Clooney was the best he's ever been in this movie. Could also go to Jean Dujardin which Hollywood would think was really cute. (A silent film actor winning an Oscar in 2012! We're so clever!)
Best Actress - Viola Davis for "The Help" - Yes, I think she'll beat Meryl Streep. (Hint: Hollywood hates bad movies even if the actors in them are really good.) FWIW, I did not like this movie, but I think Ms. Davis did an amazing acting job. I particularly like it when actors convey internal conflict without simply looking distressed - this was more complex than that. I like acting from behind and silent acting, which she does very well (this isn't a silent film, but "The Artist" is, 2012 is a complicated year...).
Best Original Screenplay - Woody Allen (LOVE HIM!) - Hollywood loves him and this script was clever and funny and well done. "Midnight in Paris" is a family favorite, and I think that a lot of that is owed to Woody Allen's writing. We listen to this in the minivan even when we aren't watching the movie - we love the dialogue that much. I think Hollywood does as well.
Best Adapted Screenplay - I'm going to go with "The Descendants" even though I would pick "Moneyball." I think that Hollywood is going to give this to "The Descendants" as their consolation prize for not winning best picture.
Best Cinematography - This will go to "Tree of Life." I would say that even if you didn't understand it, you have to admit that it is pretty. Sophia and Claire had no patience for this movie. Bill and I enjoyed it, but I did not love it.
Costuming - I saw "The Artist" last night and I had to check my Oscar ballot when I got home to see whether this was nominated. It was and it will probably win and I think that is odd. As someone who watches a lot of silent movies and old movies I can only tell you that the costuming is "off." It is the women's dresses in particular. I don't know enough about costuming to tell you what is wrong, but I think it is the fabric choice for the women's dresses? I would guess that it is a more modern fabric than was available in the 20s. The problem is that because of all the films I have seen from this time period I know EXACTLY what the dresses should look like. An Elizabethen dress? Not so much.
Music-wise I like "Man or Muppet" (!!!!!!) and "The Artist" score.
I'd like to thank the Academy!
posted by Lea at 10:36 AM
1 Comments:
Come Oscar time, I always wish that I had a little more time and a little more money. I seem to run out of both right at the end. Most importantly, I won't get to see The Artist before tomorrow. Hmph.
Happy Oscar-time!
Post a Comment
<< Home