2011 Oscar Breakdown

Well gang, it's that time of year. The time where we all turn to the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences to tell us what the best movie we saw this year actually was. It's the time to root for your favorite films, hoping to have your opinions proven as superior to those of your peers. It's the time, where we all get to be critics, fans, and movie stars. It only comes once year. It's the 2011 Oscar Ceremony. Sure, the whole thing may amount to a hill of beans but for those of us who enjoy movies and pop culture in general the Academy Awards are like the Super Bowl. We may not like whose favored to win, the commercials may suck, and the "entertainment" may not work (I'm looking at you The Black Peas and the abomination that was your halftime show), but at the end of the day we're going to be there watching what goes down. So in honor of this nationwide cultural tradition I've decided to do a quick rundown of the main categories, choosing who I think will win, and which performances/movies I enjoyed the most.

via CBSnews.com

Best Picture
-- "Black Swan,"
-- "The Fighter"
-- "Inception" 
-- "The Kids Are All Right"
-- "The King's Speech"
-- "127 Hours"
-- "The Social Network"
-- "Toy Story 3"
-- "True Grit"
-- "Winter's Bone"
                                                            

My Pick: 127 Hours. To me this film packed more of a punch, emotionally and visually, than any other film this year. The journey that Boyle and Franco take us on, as the viewer, is simply incredible. The sheer magnitude of what the film offers is unmatched by its competition. As one of my favorite critics, Emmanuel Levy, wrote, this is "a uniquely cinematic work, which is viscerally, emotionally, and intellectually satisfying." It baffles me that this film isn't really in the running for the top prize.

Will Win: The Kings Speech. I'm not sure how the Weinsteins did it, but they managed to overtake the early favorite, The Social Network, and with this congenial, if somewhat uninspired, British feature.   

  via cbsnews.com

Best Actor
-- Javier Bardem, "Biutiful"
-- Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"
-- Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"
-- Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"
-- James Franco, "127 Hours"


                                                    



My Pick: James Franco. I hate to sound like a broken record but I can't help but feel that James Franco gave the most commanding performance this year. Though front runner Colin Firth, gave us excellent portrait of struggling leader, I was more impressed with the way in which Franco, limited to essentially one location, one costume, ect. was able to to convey such a wide range of emotions. Unlike Colin Firth, who had the superb support of Geoffrey Rush, Franco had to carry his entire film, and he did so with an understated power that is at once believable and moving.

Will Win: Colin Firth. There is no doubt that Colin Firth has this award locked down.Good for him, he's a tremendous talent and his role was expertly portrayed.

via greencelebrity.com

Best Actress 
-- Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"
-- Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"
-- Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"
-- Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"
-- Michelle Williams, "Blue Valentine"




                                                                   


My Pick/Will Win: Natalie Portman. That's right, for once my opinions are going to match the victor in a category. Though Michelle Williams gave a raw and powerful performance in Blue Valentine, Natalie Portman's role in Black Swan manages to rise above the competition. There isn't a moment in Black Swan, where Portman isn't engaging and interesting to watch. Whats more, she's able to elevate what should be just a simple horror movie, into a psychological character study. It's quite impressive and she deserves all the awards that are heading her way.    

via cbsnews.com

Supporting Actor
-- Christian Bale, "The Fighter"
-- John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"
-- Jeremy Renner, "The Town"
-- Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"
-- Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"


My Pick/Will Win: Christian Bale. This category may contain the most performances of worthy of recognition this year. Geoffrey Rush was an absolute delight to watch in the Kings Speech and Jeremy Renner owned The Town so much, that I found myself wishing the movie had followed his engaging character. With that said the best supporting performance by a male actor has to go to Christian Bale in The Fighter. Though one might be quick to deride this pick as another case of an actor getting praise for changing their appearance, that is simply not the case. Though Bale's physical transformation was incredible, what was even more exciting was the way in which he embodied his character so fully. Bale brought brought heart, humor, and pathos to his film and in the process will earn himself his first Oscar.

via cbsnews.com

Supporting Actress
-- Amy Adams, "The Fighter"
-- Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"
-- Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"
-- Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"
-- Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom"



My Pick: Hailee Steinfeld. This category was another really tough one to choose between. Both Amy Adams and Melissa Leo gave outstanding performances in The Fighter, but at the end of the night I have to go with the newcomer. Her character in the Coen brother's True Grit was exceptional, portraying equal parts strength and wit. Audiences came in looking forward to Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, but left talking about how Steinfeld stole the movie.

Will Win: Melissa Leo. Opinion on whose going to win this category is decidedly mixed. It seemed for quite awhile that Melissa Leo was going to win this contest. But then she created a little Oscar baiting scandal by releasing distasteful ads for her nomination (see more here). So now there's talk that Steinfeld may pull it out (which I would love to see). But alas my money is still on Leo.

via chinadaily.com

Director
-- Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"
-- David O. Russell, "The Fighter"
-- Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"
-- David Fincher, "The Social Network"
-- Joel and Ethan Coen, "True Grit"









My Pick: Joel and Ethan Coen. Alright, I know this isn't the trendy pick, but I loved the Coen Brothers' direction in True Grit. The way they referenced the classic westerns of yesterday while imbuing them with just a hint of modern day narcissism was fantastic. To me this film, due to the Coens' direction, kept a steady tone that was refreshingly old-school and extremely entertaining. Forget the critics, this was the best directed of these movies. (That's right I think Danny Boyle had the best directed film this year, but sadly I'm just one man)

Will Win: Tom Hooper. Its a two horse race and I think Tom Hooper comes out on top this year Then again maybe Fincher makes it a split ticket, with his critical darling of a film. This one is too close to tell for sure, but I'm not gonna bet against Harvey Weinstein.

Alright gang, that's it for my pre-ceremony Oscar coverage, enjoy the show!

Dan

Another Way To Waste Time On The Interweb

In Bb 2.0 is one of the coolest websites I've seen in a long time. If you enjoy how different instruments can come together to make music this is definitely worth the time. The site, takes a bunch of different instruments, playing in B flat and allows you, the visitor, to pick which instruments you want in the mix. It's really fun, so of course I've passed it along.

Dan

TV On The Radio Prep Return

So it looks like indie rock band TV On The Radio are finally getting around to releasing a followup to their 2008 critical success Dear Science. Dear Science took a few listens for me to truly appreciate, but once I got it I loved it. Here's hoping the new album Nine Kinds of Light has the same lasting effect. And, just so you don't leave this post empty handed, I've included a link to the new single "Will Do", which upon first listen seems to be a solid, slow burning, return to form for these guys. 


TV on the Radio - Will Do by acid stag
Dan

Great GQ Article

Terrific article by Mark Harris of GQ.

 

http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201102/the-day-the-movies-died-mark-harris?_r=true

Dan

Star Wars Meets Dr. Seuss: What's Not To Love?

Mash-ups like this are what the internet was designed for. Enjoy!

Check out more of Adam Watson's work, at BitRebels
Dan

Browncoats Rise Once Again For Firefly

R.I.P Firefly

via wrathofzombie.wordpress

    I don't think a day goes by that I don't feel the sadness, the pain, the straight up heartbreak that comes from the fact that my beloved Firefly is no longer on the television. Sure, it's been many moons since the show breathed its last breath (or even since the awesome Serenity strolled into theaters and reunited the gang), but the pure joy that Joss Whedon and Co. brought into my life lingers. Alas, I'm not alone. Since Firefly was canceled the show has grown to gain an epic cult following and it appears that this devoted group of fans is trying, yet again, to bring Firefly back from the grave. To get the whole story catch the link the Entertainment Weekly story here, or if you are just interested in doing anything and everything possible to save our favorite sci-fi western then jump over to Help Nathan Buy Firefly. Sure the odds are against this plan succeeding but isn't that just a way of life for us Browncoats? Maybe all we need is the enthusiasm shown by Troy and Abed on last week's Community.

Dan

Pre-Summer Superhero Showdown!!!

    Unless you live under a rock, you are probably well aware that this summer we will have quite a few superhero movies hit the big screen. In honor of this "achievement" (I'm gonna level with you here, I think the whole superhero movie genre is already WAY overdone) I decided to do a pre-summer breakdown of the new comic book flicks heading our way. To spice it up, I'm gonna judge the potential that these movies hold based purely on  a strict, clearly defined, and in no way subjective criteria; How much I enjoy the trailer and the plot it presents. Alright enough with the scientific talk, it's time for the Pre-Summer Superhero Showdown!  


Trailer Throwdown

Captain America: The First Avenger

This trailer premiered during the Super Bowl, so it suffers from seeming a little short and rushed. That said, the clip does do a decent job of establishing the basics of Captain America's origin story. Bonus points go to the fact that the film is set during WWII, thus differentiating this flick from most other superhero adventures. As well, the little bit of humor at the end of trailer showed that there is potential in the female lead. That said, the action sequences were too chaotic and unrelated to make much of an impact. Overall, not a great first impression but it wasn't awful either.

Grade: B-


Green Lantern

Sweet mercy, this just looks awful. The first comment I have to make is that this looks about on par with original Power Rangers movie (Not a compliment). Second, the CGI, specifically, Reynolds CGI suit, looks horrendous. One can only hope that this trailer was rushed out before they had put the finishing touches on the effects. Third, Blake Lively looks like she will be about as interesting to watch as a piece of cardboard. The only thing this trailer has going for it, is that its two leads are attractive. Never a good sign.

Grade: D-


Thor

This trailer lacks one thing, coherent tone. The opening makes you think that you may be watching a a movie made by the WWE. Then Anthony Hopkins shows up and you feel like you're watching a very strangely reinterpreted Shakespearean production. Next, Natalie Portman arrives on screen, and darn it if it doesn't seem like the leads may actually have some legit chemistry. Of course, that lasts perhaps ten seconds until we are treated to the standard superhero fair of loud explosions, slow motion, and random yelling. Final Impression: Not so much.

Grade: C-


X-Men First Class

This trailer works because it takes it slow and introduces you to the vast number of characters that will inhabit this rendition of the X-men universe. As a result, you are actually drawn into the relationship between the two main characters. Also, the voice over by John F. Kennedy gives the whole thing a cool retro vibe. In the end, the trailer leaves you intrigued and wanting to know more and that is the true mark of success.
Grade: A-



The Winner Is:

Dan

Firework Madness

This was too entertaining and epic to not share. Enjoy!

Dan

A Good Cover Or Two

The art of covering a song is a complex beast. On the one hand, a cover needs to be in some way different from the original composition. Let's face it, a simple note for note cover is generally useless outside of a live setting (There's an exception to every rule, but deep down you know I'm right). At the same time, a good cover must maintain or, better yet, exemplify some portion of what made the original song great. In short, a great cover should make you fall in love with a song all over again.

I know that there are many amazing covers out there (Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower" and Buckley's "Hallelujah" spring to mind), but I just stumbled across a few newer covers that are actually quite good and, in the spirit of sharing, I thought I would pass them along, including the original versions as well.

"We Will Become Silhouettes" Originally created by The Postal Service........

Now a cool re-imagining by The Shins

Second, "Atlantic City" first done by Bruce Springsteen

Now a fantastic cover by The Hold Steady

I hope you enjoyed these, but if not I'm going to continue to post fresh and interesting covers as I find them....

Dan

One Thing I Don't Understand

Maybe I'm the only one, but I just can't get into Radiohead. I know that makes me incredibly unhip, but for the life of me I don't get it. And their new song/music video doesn't help. Alas, all hope of me being a true hispter is lost...

Dan

Just In Case You Missed This

I've been a huge fan of Mumford And Sons for quite awhile and their intense live performance at the Grammys just added fuel to that fire. So if you missed the broadcast I present to you Mumford And Sons, performing "The Cave" off of their amazing freshman release "Sigh No More".

Also, if you're interested in more about Mumford And Sons' Grammy performance check out this great Rolling Stone interview.

Dan

One Thing I Don't Like

Earlier I wrote about some recent pop culture items that I enjoyed. Now I'd like to mention a film I'm not too fond of.

1. The Social Network- Unlike Pulp Fiction let's just start from the beginning. The first thing I read about this project was that David Fincher was going to direct a movie about Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook. My interest was piqued. Months later I see this trailer for The Social Network:  

 

And I'm gonna be honest, the trailer looked fantastic. It still does but that may have more to do with the perfectly chosen Radiohead cover than anything else. Then comes the final piece of the proverbial hype machine, positive critical reception. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone sums up the concensus when he wrote that "The Social Network is the movie of the year. But Fincher and Sorkin triumph by taking it further. Lacing their scathing wit with an aching sadness, they define the dark irony of the past decade." Thus, when I walked into the theater my expectations were high. I'm sad to say they were not met. Not even close. Now I'll be first to admit, that part of my distaste for The Social Network stems from the hype it received before I saw the film. However, I still believe there are some issues with this film.

SPOILER ALERT!

     First, I disagree with Mr. Travers' assessment that The Social Network represents the past decade. Though one can not deny the impact of Facebook and the rise of social networking has had on my generation, and most likely generations to come, simply making a film surrounding the creation of Facebook, does not inherently mean that the film somehow taps into the national zeitgeist. Instead, the film I saw centered around the problems of a select group of upper class white males. Excuse me if I disagree when critics claim that a film concerning only male Harvard graduates, deserves to be remembered as defining something as complex and diverse as an entire generation.
    Secondly, I do not think Aaron Sorkin's script was as insightful and revolutionary as many others have claimed it to be. I will grant that Mr. Sorkin has a masteful grasp of the English lanugage. However, the opening scene of The Social Network comes across less as a useful introduction to the protagonist, and more as a tiresome display of one writer's ability to hold multiple conversations with himself. Bravo. As well, the way in which Fincher and Sorkin, alter the facts surrounding Zuckerberg's story raise interesting questions for the viewer to ponder. Consider the scene in which Mark creates a website where college students can rate other college girls based upon their attractiveness. In real life, the website created rated both males and females. Does this fact change how one views Zuckerberg? I think so. To me the film intentionally sets up Zuckerberg to be a total jerk, especially in relation to women. And yet at the end of the film the audience is informed, by one of Mark's female attorneys no less, that he's "Not an asshole", he's just "trying really hard to be one." The rest of the screenplay and film, do not match this closing assessment and as such the ending left me feeling as if Sorkin and Fincher were merely making a hasty, last-ditch attempt at a balanced view of Zuckerberg.

via theshiznit.co.ik

    I don't want to end this discussion on such a negative note. When the film was released on DVD I gave the picture another watch. Though many of my criticisms still held true it's important to note that the film is filled with some superb performances (Andrew Garfield, the next Spiderman, is especially good) and occasionally does seem to tap into the common ethos of the modern college student. However, I can't help but feel that all of the praise and adoration for this film are bit unwarranted. Is it a good movie? Sure. Is it a generation-defining classic? I think not.

Here's a video that summarizes The Social Network rather well.

Dan

A Few Things I Like

Well, in honor of Valentine's Day I suppose I'll open this post with a couple of pop culture items that I've been digging as of late.

1. The Gaslight Anthem. If you haven't heard these guys you are really missing out. This band mixes punk energy with classic rock soul to create a sound that's just too good to be missed. I highly recommend both The 59 Sound and American Slang (their two most recent albums). I promise that after a few spins, these records will be on permanent rotation. Also, I saw these guys live a few months ago and they put one hell of show, so if you see them coming to town, do not even think of hesitating to buy a ticket, it's worth it, just go, you can thank me later. 

2. Books by Jon Krakauer. If you enjoy well written non-fiction that keeps you captivated, then you have got to check Mr. Krakauer's body of work. Recently I just finished Where Men Win Glory and Under The Banner of Heaven and friends, they were fantastic.

Where Men Win Glory follows the tragic story of Pat Tillman, a NFL player turned soldier, who (MILD SPOLER ALERT but not really since its on the cover) dies fighting for his country. Now what I enjoy about this book is how Krakauer seamlessly weaves Pat's narrative in with the sordid history of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. In doing so Krakauer elevates Tillman's story into something greater, a metaphor for how little the American people truly understood about Afghanistan both before and after 9/11.

The other book I mentioned, Under The Banner of Heaven, concerns the rise of fundamentalist Mormonism in the United States. This may seem like an obscure and uninteresting topic but in Krakauer's hands the premise seems to speak volumes about our country's past. Jon Krakauer has written other terrific books, not the least of which include Into The Wild and Into Thin Air, but the two books highlighted are ones that I've just read. If you enjoy them then you will certainly enjoy these others.

3. 127 Hours. This Danny Boyle film, which follows the true story of trapped hiker Aron Ralston, is my pick for best movie of the year. The premise of the film is quite simple. Aron is out hiking alone, when he suddenly becomes trapped in a cave, his arm pinned between a rock and the stone wall. To many people the premise alone makes them say "No thank you, sir", but you have to trust me, there is more to this film than meets the eye. Danny Boyle's direction and editing combine with an outstanding performance from James Franco to create a film that hits you right in the gut. Seriously, when I came out of the screening I couldn't believe how little I was breathing during the film. I don't want to give too much away (maybe I'll review it later) but for now you should know that the film is truly great and serves as a powerful reminder about what's really worth living and dying and for.

Dan

It's Coming....

 Soon.