85th Academy Awards Preview

This Sunday February 24, 2013, will be the return of an event that I look forward to each year for the dedication to cinema and the pageantry and tradition of what the event has meant since 1927. This year marks the 85th installment of this event and it should be an interesting night. What I will do is post the main awards nominees: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Director-these are the six I feel are the important ones, though I am always interested in Best Costuming, Best Score/Original Song, Best Visual Effects and Best Make-Up, they aren't necessarily the most important ones-just ones that interest me. I will post the ones I THINK/FEEL will win in bold. I will post the ones I WANT to win in italics. Keep in mind in one or more of these categories they may be one and the same for think and want. Then I will provide some commentary on my thoughts on the nominees involved.

BEST PICTURE:
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Much like last year's list for Best Picture, this year has a pretty impressive list for the most part. I've seen every movie on the list, except Life of Pi, but that is because I didn't have any interest in it initially. I feel the movie that deserves and should win Best Picture is Argo. I think of all the movies listed it was definitely the best. You really become invested in this story which is set during the 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis, and Tony Mendez's efforts to extract embassy workers and bring them home safely. I felt the emotion, acting, and characters were all very well written. The airplane scene at the end was so intense that everybody's stomach would need a manicure with the amount of nail biting it caused. It deserves the praise it gets. Argo is what I see picking up the golden man. If Argo doesn't pick up the win, I think Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, or Zero Dark Thirty have the best shots of picking up the win. Silver Linings Playbook was excellent, and I wouldn't have a problem with it winning as it had amazing characters, acting, and writing. Lincoln was a really good movie as well, and it has a very realistic chance of winning, but I don't think it was as good as Argo or Silver Linings Playbook. I really enjoyed Django Unchained and Les Miserables as well, but neither will actually win the Best Picture Oscar. It's nice to see them on the list. The movie I hope doesn't win Best Picture is Zero Dark Thirty. I saw this movie with Justin, and we did not like it at all. Kathryn Bigelow did not stray too far at all from The Hurt Locker (which I was not a fan of either), and basically just put it in the form of the hunt for Osama bin Laden. I realize it is obviously based off actual events, but I never became interested in the movie, When I saw this in theaters, it was packed and not one person applauded it when it ended. I didn't like any of the performances in this, and I think making a movie about this issue was necessary either. I realize I am in the minority of people that disliked this movie, but I found nothing positive about it. People like to escape with movies, and this movie hit too close to home at too soon a time. You can make an argument that Argo would be similar, but I think you can find ways to escape with that movie that you can't with Zero Dark Thirty. In Argo, they have the comedy of the science fiction movie as well, whereas in Zero Dark Thirty it's just a planning strategy the whole movie, and then a raid. I really did not like this. I thought it lacked a narrative. I also am frustrated that Perks of Being a Wallflower was snubbed completely at the Oscars this year, which definitely should have been included in Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director.

BEST ACTOR:
Bradley Cooper-Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis-Lincoln
Hugh Jackman-Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix-The Master
Denzel Washington-Flight

I think last year the award that had everyone buzzing was Best Supporting Actress. This year it's a toss-up between Best Actor and Best Actress. I think Actor may have the nod, due to the star power in it. Daniel Day-Lewis is my favorite actor of all time, with Leonardo DiCaprio right behind him-so it should come as no shock that my favorite movie is Gangs of New York, but since we are discussing the current landscape let's look at DDL in Lincoln. I felt he did such a tremendous job turning into the 16th President of the United States. He had great passion, looked hauntingly like him, delivered his dialogue like the phenomenal method actor he is, and commanded the screen. His passion in the war room scene over the 13th Amendment was really well done showing fire and devotion to Lincoln's cause. Lewis most likely will pick up the Oscar-this will be his 3rd Oscar if he wins following My Left Foot and There Will Be Blood. He has been nominated for Last of the Mohicans, Gangs of New York, and Nine. I think with the Spielberg machine behind Lewis, and his acting chops, he definitely has the best chance. It would be personally amazing to watch for me as well since most people root for their favorite to win, and since he's my favorite actor as I've said, I want him to win. However, it's amazing how everybody in the Best Actor category this year truly deserves it. I felt Joaquin Phoenix did a really tremendous job in The Master. Nobody actually liked the movie, but his performance was eccentric and really showed how good of an actor Phoenix is. It's great to see him back in movies following his hiatus from movies for a while. Bradley Cooper gave his best performance to date in Silver Linings Playbook, and it'd be interesting if he came out of left field to win this. I don't see it happening, but it would be a major upset like Barry Horowitz beating Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship. Okay, maybe it's not that big of an upset since he worked hard in that movie, and really took the role and ran with it. I commend Cooper for stepping up his game. Denzel Washington is one of the best actors ever, and his performance in Flight certainly deserves praise. He did so well with it, as he usually does in his role. I say he has a shot for sure at winning this. If he did, I believe it would be his 3rd Oscar too. He has a Best Supporting Actor win for Glory, and a Best Actor Oscar for Training Day. Flight could get him another, but I still think DDL has this. Then, there is Hugh Jackman who I am a big fan of as well. I thought he did a great job as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, but I don't necessarily see him winning the Oscar. In fact, I think he has the least possible chance of winning, but you never say never with the Oscars. Stranger things have happened. This should be a very competitive race, and I think it is anybody's chance to win because they all have a shot, but I am pulling for and honestly believe Daniel Day-Lewis will pick up the Oscar, especially because of the fact that he is portraying Abraham Lincoln. I would have also liked to see Logan Lerman on here for Charlie in Perks of Being a Wallflower. He gave one of my absolute favorite performances of 2012.

BEST ACTRESS:
Jessica Chastain-Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence-Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva-Amour
Quevenzhane Wallis-Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts-The Impossible

This is a very interesting selection of candidates this year. I think that Jennifer Lawrence gave the best performance of everyone on this list as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook. I have enjoyed all of J-Law's work, and am pulling for her to get the win as her passion, acting, and fire in that movie were amazing. She and Cooper had excellent chemistry and this could be the movie that really gets her into that top tier of actresses. Though she is already a huge name in the acting world due to the Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class, as well as a nomination for Winter's Bone, this is a breakout role for her. Lawrence is beautiful and talented and nobody on the list deserves it more than her. I think she honestly only has one serious challenger to the Oscar, and that lies in Jessica Chastain's Maya role in Zero Dark Thirty. I've discussed how I didn't like the movie in the Best Picture piece of this preview, and I disliked Chastain's role in this just as much. Don't get me wrong. I am a big fan of Jessica Chastain and like alot of her work. I just don't think this was a great performance by her. I didn't think there was really any acting involved in this role. Maybe it's the way I am viewing her performance, but she had very few lines similar to Max von Sydow last year. The Maya role was very dry and you really couldn't get behind her at any time. I think perhaps the last scene where she is crying as the hatch closes was good, but otherwise, I didn't care for the role or the movie. The only other person I see a slight chance of winning is Wallis. Jennifer Lawrence had a great joke in her monologue on Saturday Night Live. "The alphabet called. They want their letters back." I definitely laughed at that, but I think this girl, who is 9 years old still did a pretty good job. I didn't like the overall premise of the movie, which was the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but she was pretty believable and had some intense scenes with the father. There have been nominees and winners that were young before at the Oscars. Abigail Breslin for Little Miss Sunshine, and Anna Paquin (who some may know as Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood) won for the Piano in 1993. Those are the three I think have a shot. I want Jennifer Lawrence to win this as I felt she gave the best performance of all the ones listed. I've never been a fan of Naomi Watts, and we once again have another movie based off the aftermath of a natural disaster. I don't think she has a chance of winning, and I don't think Riva has a chance either. Though, she is an older actress and the Academy from time to time will give out awards based on seniority, she is one of those fillers for the category. It will most likely come down to Lawrence and Chastain, but Wallis can come in with an upset. We'll see what happens!!

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Alan Arkin-Argo
Robert DeNiro-Silver Linings Playbook
Phillip Seymour Hoffman-The Master
Tommy Lee Jones-Lincoln
Christoph Waltz-Django Unchained

This is another category filled with great choices. I think Christoph Waltz has an excellent chance of picking up a second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Django. He did such an amazing job as Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds and August in Water for Elephants that I knew he would deliver another excellent performance in Django. I was so frustrated that once again Leonardo DiCaprio was passed over for a nomination as Calvin Candy is one of the better villains in recent memory, but Waltz deserves this nomination, and I feel he has the best shot at winning. Looking at the other nominations, I actually think that Alan Arkin has the least chance as his role was VERY small. In fact, I think his part is basically in the trailer. I like Arkin and he does have an Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, and he was hilarious in Edward Scissorhands, but I don't think he's winning this. Robert DeNiro basically played himself in Silver Linings Playbook, but he still did a great job as the OCD father of Bradley Cooper's character, and I felt gave alot of life to the movie's overall mood. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was excellent in The Master. Nobody cared about the movie, but Phoenix and Hoffman have received great reviews and rightfully so. His speech in the living room about the movement was so well done, and Hoffman has been a character in so many movies I enjoy that I can't help but enjoy his work. For instance, he was in Scent of a Woman-looking very thin I might add, Red Dragon-can't forget Freddy Lounds ever, The Big Lebowski-that awkward laugh is always great, and of course Capote which he was excellent in and won him the Oscar in 2005. Tommy Lee Jones did very well as Thaddeus Stevens in Lincoln. When he is shown limping in the movie, that's not selling, it's just how he walks normally. Jones has had such a mixed bag of work over the year. He does have a Best Supporting Actor win for the Fugitive, and I think he has a good shot at winning. If he doesn't win, I think we may see a re-enactment of his demeanor at the Golden Globes during Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig's speech. I think this is a close race among four people, but I think Waltz picks up the win, and I am also pulling for him to win. Ezra Miller should be in this category as well for his role as Patrick in Perks of Being a Wallflower, but I don't pick the nominees.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Amy Adams-The Master
Sally Field-Lincoln
Anne Hathaway-Les Miserables
Helen Hunt-The Sessions
Jacki Weaver-Silver Linings Playbook

Last year the Best Supporting Actress category had three legitimate contenders. This year, I think it's the only category with a surefire winner. I feel that winner is going to be Anne Hathaway as Fantine in Les Miserables. Though my favorite character was played by Samantha Barks (Eponine), I think Hathaway did a good job in the Fantine role. I think she did a great job with I Dreamed A Dream, and the scene with her about finding a safe home for Cosette was also well done. Hathaway has come a long way since the Princess of Andalasia-though let's face it we all love the first Princess Diaries. I still find it hilarious that Mandy Moore is the villain in that movie. I can't take Mandy Moore being a villain seriously, because it's not believable at all. I felt the same way when Moore was the villain in Saved! Anyway, Hathaway has been nominated before for a Best Supporting Actress/Best Actress role in Rachel Getting Married-which she was pretty good in. I don't remember which category, but she was nominated for that movie. I am an Amy Adams fan, but I don't understand her nomination for The Master. She was just kind of there, and really brought nothing to the movie. Interestingly enough, her role as Giselle in Enchanted is my favorite role of her. Two princesses in the Best Supporting Actress category so far!! Sally Field did a pretty good job as Mary Todd Lincoln, and I felt a particular scene between her and Daniel Day-Lewis about her mental faculties was really well done. Sally Field won for Norma Rae and has one of the shortest speeches in Oscar history. If anybody has seen The Mask with Jim Carrey, they spoofed it when Carrey pretends to be shot by Dorian. "You love me, you really love me!" Alfred Hitchcock actually has the shortest speech in Oscar history. He said "Thanks!" Joe Pesci's acceptance speech for Goodfellas is "Thank You!" The Sessions is honestly one of the worst concepts I've ever seen in a movie, and I thought Helen Hunt was very dull, though I've never been her biggest fan. I know we all love Twister, but let's face it Bill Paxton steals the show in that. She does have a win for Best Actress in As Good As It Gets, but somehow Kate Winslet's Rose DeWitt Bukater in Titanic wasn't better than that. I disagree. I thought Jack Nicholson deserved his win for that movie, but not Hunt. Weaver was great as Bradley Cooper's mother and Robert DeNiro's wife in Silver Linings Playbook, but I don't think she will pick up the win. I think Anne Hathaway is the undisputed winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar this year. I would have nominated Emma Watson for her role as Sam in Perks of Being A Wallflower over Helen Hunt or Amy Adams. She did win a People's Choice Award for her role in that, as did Logan Lerman, and Ezra Miller. I think fans should be allowed to write in a nominee for each category, and see if it has an impact. It'd be awesome. It's be similar to RAW Active. This would be Oscar Active. Ryan Seacrest can give us a tutorial how to download the app like Michael Cole does on RAW.

BEST DIRECTOR:
Michael Haneke-Amour
Benh Zeitlin-Beasts of the Southern Wild
Ang Lee-Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg-Lincoln
David O. Russell-Silver Linings Playbook

Now before I get into these nominees, I think it is ludicrous that Ben Affleck is not on this list. He has won every other major award for directing this movie, but he gets snubbed here. He would have definitely picked up the win here. I think Argo has a great chance of winning for Best Picture, so he could still be getting an award which is a good thing. I feel Affleck has made some really good movies over the last couple of years such as The Town. I am surprised Kathryn Bigelow isn't on the list either for Zero Dark Thirty, but in all actuality I am kind of glad she isn't. Sofia Coppola is a better director than her anyway. Lost In Translation is better than both The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty any day. Of course, this opens the door up for Spielberg to get another Oscar, though they could always give it to Zeitlin as he's a new contendor, and many have been praising his style in Beasts of the Southern Wild. I personally am pulling for David O. Russell, who also directed The Fighter, which was also set in the same area as Silver Linings Playbook for a bulk of the movie. Russell's movies are very good as the characters are always larger than life and you become emotionally invested in the story. He deserves the Oscar for this, but I see Spielberg taking this. Ang Lee might have a shot as he has won for Brokeback Mountain, but I think Spielberg definitely has the best chance. I would write in Stephen Chblosky (the author of Perks of Being a Wallflower). He also directed this movie, and it came across very well because he knows his book and he was able to shape the characters in the book's image.

Now that I have covered the six major categories I hope the readers of this blog will enjoy this look into the 85th Academy Awards. I enjoyed writing this and hope you enjoy reading it. There are some really competitive categories, and it should be interesting to see what Seth MacFarlane does as the host.

Identity Thief Review

I saw Identity Thief on February 11, 2013!! Going in, I didn't expect to like this movie, but I came out of the movie thoroughly impressed. The movie ended up mixing a great blend of drama and comedy, which I liked. The movie stars Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. Going in, you know that the premise of the movie is that McCarthy steals Bateman's identity. Bateman's name is Sandy Bigelow Patterson. He becomes the subject of an investigation for criminal activity, defaulting on credit cards, and narcotics trades. Bateman's character lives in Colorado with his wife played by Amanda Peet (who I haven't seen in anything since Identity interestingly enough), and two young daughters. I honestly hope if I have kids one day that I have girls, just saying!! He works a deal with the police that he will go to Florida where McCarthy's character is staying-we really don't know her true name until the end of the movie, and even then the story surrounding her real name creates a very good dramatic atmosphere that really pushes the story further.  I think the chemistry between these two was excellent. It just felt natural to me watching these two interact. These two end up becoming closer each step of the journey to bring her back to Colorado. The two get involved chaotic adventures, which helps push the comedy factor. They run into several characters all looking for McCarthy's character, whether its a bounty hunter claiming her to appear in court, or drug dealers that are angry for transactions not going through, Sandy and Jane Doe combine forces to evade their obstacles. There was also a great scene involving Eric Stonestreet from Modern Family, who had the name of Big Chuck in the movie. I couldn't help laughing since one of my friends from Elmira has the same nickname. This scene between the three had the audience in stitches and rightfully so. I am sure they had to do multiple takes of this scene, because it had to be impossible to keep a straight face during the shenanigans that ensue. As I've noticed, the bond between the two grows and they end up saving each other in different ways-whether it was physically or emotionally. In terms of physicality, a scene in the woods was absolutely hysterical involving snakes. There are other great cameos by Jon Favreau (as Bateman's boss), John Cho (who is a close friend of Bateman who want to go into business for themselves), Robert Patrick (bounty hunter), Genesis Rodriguez and T.I. (drug cartel). I give this movie a 4/5 for the cast, characters, plot twists, and excellent combination of comedy and drama.