Now that the summer "I'm Way Too Hungover to Fully Explore My Emotions So Another Wolverine Movie Will Do" phase is done, it's time to usher in the movies that we'll likely be hearing about in February. Unlike the last award season, where we all scrambled to watch all the nominees in the course of 2-3 days, I'm going to get a head start. Color me ambitious!
You see, my New Year's resolution (yeah, all hail the girl who kept up her resolution) was to quit procrastinating. I've done a bang-up job with this in terms of laundry. Last year, I would let roughly a month's worth of laundry pile up. Now? Well, I'm a changed woman! I do my laundry once a week! I smell good, my clothes look good, and I'm no longer worried that the stain from Chin Chin on my DVF blouse might grow into penicillin. Not only is nobody as dope as my fresh game, but I'm also keeping up with Oscar contenders as they come out. My due fucking diligence has me on the up-and-up with the front runners for award season. Now who doesn't like an individual who exemplifies such fine standards?
The following is a list that will get updated as I watch for releases this month. I'm mainly interested in Best Picture, but might talk about some other categories from time to time. Let's get to it.
The Place Beyond the Pines: 7/10
Don't get me wrong, this movie was fabulous, but it is as though they packaged all the big box office actors without much regard for the story itself. There is also the issue of this movie getting released to the public way too early to be remembered around the time of nominations (January.) The other contenders are much stronger candidates for Best Picture. By now, everyone watched this movie and if you're still pining away for the Pines, you need to hurry up and get your ass to the theaters, because there is some serious competition out there.
Fruitvale (renamed Fruitvale Station): 9/10
I watched this movie on the plane on the way to Houston back in May/June. I'd been trying to get my hands on the screener long before that when all the buzz was going on at Sundance about it. Regardless, I finally got to see it. I'm pretty sure everyone on the plane thought I had severe emotional problems with the way I cried. I adore this movie. There are a couple issues with whether it will get a nomination or not in Best Picture.
The first issue is the one that faced Beasts of the Southern Wild. Sure, it's wonderful and deserves all the accolades in the world, but it is only going to get in as one of those, "let's give the audience an underdog to root for." The second issue is Lee Daniels' The Butler. Both movies are afrocentric with a strong messages about African American culture. While I would like to see both movies up for nominations, I highly doubt the Academy will go for it. Hopefully, Fruitvale gets a nomination for original screenplay, but I get the feeling they would go with The Butler before Fruitvale in the realm of Best Picture.
Lee Daniels' The Butler: 9/10
Incredible. The cast is stellar. The story is layered, yet simple to understand. While Fruitvale hints at, and blatantly states in Act III, issues currently facing African American culture, The Butler shows the history of those issues and the strides that were made to further efforts of racial equality. Between The Butler and Fruitvale, this is the safer nomination for Best Picture.
I could easily see Forrest Whittaker as a strong contender for Best Actor. The movie centers around his character, a butler for the White House, having to stifle his political opinions to keep his job while maintaining a home with a son who was a freedom fighter. The dichotomy of the goals presented created a polarity in the character that was played excellently by Whittaker. This role easily could've been fucked-up by just about any other actor.
As a side, I love how Mariah Carey always manages to edge her way into a glorious movie by taking on roles that are homely and of few words. I guess that's what you do after Glitter.
Rush: 9/10
I know nothing about cars. I think Fisker Karmas are pretty. That's all I know about cars. Currently, there's a tire pressure light on in my Honda Element, but I'm too busy to deal with it. God only knows what chaos that will lead to with my car.
It was a huge relief to watch this movie and think, "oh word! I don't need to know shit about cars to get into this movie!" Both Ron Howard and Peter Morgan already have Oscars. This film just might get them another one. I was skeptical about the choice of Chris Hemsworth, but he played a great womanizing booze-hound. Daniel Brühl not only resembled Niki Lauda, but really managed to play both conceited and lovable simultaneously. The supporting cast nailed it. Everything from the cinematography, to the acting, to the writing, and directing were nearly flawless.
The writing, though. Oh, dear Lord Jesus, the writing! I loved it. Peter Morgan is a goddamn whiz kid. Well, whiz middle-aged man. This fellow took a story ripe with testosterone and made it palatable for any gender of any age by infusing it with philosophical lessons about rivalry and competition, while still balancing humor with the heavy shit that was going down.
Prisoners: 8/10
The very end made this movie. That is all I will say without spoiler-ing the shit out of it. Let's be real, though, if Taken couldn't get an Oscar nomination, neither will this. I suggest you watch it, just to enjoy yourself at the movies; but I, personally, doubt this will get much in the way of Academy attention. Some people are wondering if there is a Best Actor in there for Hugh Jackman, but I don't see it. He played one emotion nearly the entire time: high-octane crazy pants. Hell, that was nearly everybody in this movie. Good movie, but no Oscar nomination: final answer.
Blue Jasmine: -/10
I'm not watching this. Honestly, I don't "get" Woody Allen. Go read someone else's blog if you want this to be in your comprehensive list of who's up for what. I hear it has a good chance of getting in. If you're lucky, I might get another industry homie to do a quick write-up that could fit here.
Gravity: 8/10
People love survival stories. Thank God I watched this movie at home or I would be that obnoxious movie patron yelling, "shit! Oh shit! Sandra, lookout! Oh baby, no! Wait wait wait... where're you headed?!" There was a lot of surviving going on, y'all. While the story itself is unremarkable in the overall theme of continuously forging ahead when life keeps throwing lemons at you, the film becomes remarkable due to the directing.
Let's talk about Alfonso Cuarón as a director. If you saw Children of Men, then you know this guy has made the extra-long continuous take his signature. He executes it gloriously every time and the opening 17 minutes of Gravity is not an exception. There are several parts in this movie that made me nauseous, but hey, when you're swirling around in outer space, disorientation is the name of the game. The reason the audience internalizes the story, and the otherwise unremarkable film becomes remarkable, is due to his directorial ability create an illusion for the audience that they are in the story. While he is not a stranger to the Oscars, I think this movie puts him in the race for Best Director, which would be his first directorial Oscar nomination. There is a good shot for Best Picture in there, too, but I am still waiting to see all the contenders before I say this movie has a sure shot at Best Picture.
Captain Phillips: 7/10
Here we have another survival story, but this one is based on a true story. It is notable the "true" story is soon to be debated in court, as well. Apparently the real Captain Phillips was a bit of a blithering idiot and not exactly the bright ingenious individual we see in the film.
Now here's the deal, everybody is loving this movie and loving Tom Hanks in it. I just find the pre-existing life up to the inciting incident was paced incredibly slow. Also, maybe, just maybe, getting the director from Bourne Ultimatum isn't exactly the best way to tug on the heart strings of an audience watching his and his crews' life flash before his eyes in slow-motion.
The ending was executed wonderfully. I would say at that point, Tom Hanks gave an Oscar-worthy performance. I'm terrible sorry to say this, because Tom Hanks really imitated Captain Richard Phillips well, but I didn't find it to be great acting. I mean, ultimately, it's a great imitation. This isn't Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln, who brought Abe to life. Rather, this is a two hour impression of Captain Phillips directed by the guy who does the Jason Bourne stuff. While I don't care for it, as of now, I could see this getting one of the 10 coveted Oscar noms for Best Picture. After all, it is better than Runner Runner and a million other movies out there right now.
It is notable that I am the only person on the planet who didn't like this movie and it is likely because I think that Captain Phillips is a bullheaded moron. Maybe it's the lawyer in me.
12 Years a Slave:
(watching later)
All is Lost:
(watching later)
My Oscar Prediction Rankings for Current Releases as of October 29, 2013 (Best Picture):
- Gravity
- Rush
- Lee Daniels' The Butler
- Fruitvale
- Blue Jasmine (from what I hear, see above)
- Captain Phillips
Note: This entry was written over the course of time and I will likely do a new one each month to keep up with releases. By the time January rolls around, maybe all of the movies listed here will pale in comparison to late season releases, so I will try and keep a running ranking.
EDIT: I've been tremendously busy and will have to update the crap out of this. I am nearly caught up on every potential contender at this point. What you see in this blog entry does not reflect my current standings. 12/28/2014
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