10 Best Picture Noms?!

The Academy expanded the Best Picture Nominations from 5 to 10. My reaction is kind of a mixed one.

10 Best Picture Nominees is not a new concept the Academy thought of over night. It was the standard to have more then 5 nominations up until the mid 1940’s. Sid Ganis says they examined that and decided to change the rule to make it 10. But the controversial part of this decision making process was the fact that there were people on the Oscar board who would have directly benefited from this rule change would have been in place a few years ago. I am talking of course of Bill Condon. His Dreamgirls was nominated for 9 Oscars but without a Best Picture nomination. It certainly would have been in there as a nomination if there had been 10 Best Picture Nominations that year. 10 nominations certainly would have meant that Dark Knight would have gotten to the Oscar nominated Best Picture Nominees last year.

This also puts the Academy more in line with many of the Critics awards around the country. Most of them work from a Top 10 list and pick their favorite out of those 10. Critic favorites leading up to the nominations will have a better shot at getting nominations with 10. Take last year where as I just stated Dark Knight would have surely been nominated but also Doubt, WALL-E, and Changling could have had a nomination. I think that one of the biggest Awards shows to watch will be the Broadcast Film Critics Awards. Since 2000 they have always had the 5 Oscar nominations in their mix of 10 as well as 5 other critic favorites. I bet their list will match or come close to the Oscar nominations.

So how is this going to affect the winner of Best Picture? I don’t think it will throw at off at all. Even with a list of 10 there is always 1 front runner. The 1 film that wins most all of the predecessor awards is always heavily favored to win the Best Picture Oscar and usually does win it. There are some exceptions like Crash beating Brokeback Mountain in 2005 but Crash was on most critics top 10 lists. And the question is raised that since there are only 5 Best Director slots, does this put more merit on the 5 Best Picture nominees that have Director nods too? Oscar overwhelming likes to match Best Picture and Director.

It is going to make it tougher to predict the actual nominees. I do not think they will put the big summer blockbuster type films in the mix. But there will be more films that are critically acclaimed and seen by a wide audience such as the Dark Knight. It is going to make it hard to remember 10 nominees for sure.

I hope this will be a good year for film and that the nominations will reflect it. We can only hope for 1939 which had film classics like Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith goes to Washinton in the 10 nominations.

Sean Marshall

Curious Case of Benjamin Button equals Forrest Gump Redux

I have talked to many people about how The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has many story lines that are identical to Forrest Gump. This is not a new concept on the web but I thought I would go over them here.

This contains spoilers:

Both films span the life of a less then ordinary man and center on the people that he meets as he ages.

Benjamin learns to walk without his crutches…Forrest bursts out of his braces and learns to walk

Benjamin has Daisy his childhood and one true love…Forrest has Jenny his childhood friend and one true love.

Benjamin has an endearing mother figure…Forrest has an endearing mother

Benjamin works on a fishing boat…Forrest works on a shrimp boat

Benjamin is friends with this sea boat Captain Mike…Forrest is friends with Lt. Dan who goes out with Forrest on the Shrimp boat

There is a hurricane coming while Daisy tells the story of Benjamin to her daughter…There is a hurricane that Forrest and Lt Dan get caught up in while on the shrimp boat.

Benjamin sees action in World War II...Forrest does time in Vietnam

Benjamin has a child with Daisy…Forrest has a child with Jenny

There are some I probably don’t have here. If you think of some more please feel free to leave a comment--Sean Marshall Metcalf

Quick DVD reviews by Sean Marshall Mecalf

Doubt ****

Doubt is one of the best films of 2008. It is a drama that plays out like a suspense film. Meryl Streep is perfect as the strict Sister Aloysius, the Headmistress of a catholic school, who believes without a shadow of a doubt that that Father Brendan has had an inappropriate relationship with a boy at the school. The film is almost like a courtroom drama without the courtroom, where the viewer gets to play the jury. As the accusations are made against Father Brendan, it is very much a case of circumstantial evidence. Amy Adams is great as Sister James, a kindhearted teacher at the school. It is Adams that has the most complex character arc in the film. As the accusations are made her character starts waning away from her sweet kind hearted nature. She is caught between her trust and like of Father Brendan and her devotion to the Headmistress Sister Aloysius. I cannot talk about Doubt without talking about the film’s powerhouse performance by Violia Davis who plays the mother of the boy that Father Brendan is accused of inappropriate relations. In her 10 minutes on screen she even manages to out shine Meryl Streep. On DVD April 4, 2009

The Reader ***

In The Reader, Kate Winslet gives her Oscar Winning performance as Hanna Schmitz, a 36 year old German Bus Conductor in post World War II Britain. Her paths cross with 15 year old Peter Berg (David Koss) and the two begin a love affair. As they continue their affair Peter starts to read classic literature to her after they have sex. As Peter gets older and goes away to collage the two drift apart. But they come together again when law student Peter gets to sit in on a Nazi War Trial in which Hanna is one of the defendants. The film jumps time a third time with Ralph Fiennes playing the older Peter. His performance is less then stellar. It is Koss as Peter that shines in the film. Winslet is good in the film but she seems to play mood instead playing a real character. As I have said before I much prefer her in Revolutionary Road. The film was also nominated for Best Picture but I think it pales in comparison to Doubt which did not receive a Best Picture Nomination. On DVD April 14, 2009

Out on DVD--Quick reviews by Sean Marshall Metcalf

Slumdog Millionaire ****

Slumdog Millionaire is such an enjoyable film. It has been called a feel good film but I think that is selling this or any film short. The story is a simple one. Jamal is a contestant on India’s version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. As he answers the questions, the events of his life unfold and show why he knew the answer. It seemlessly weaves in and out of Jamal's adult life and his life as a kid. It is a well crafted film down to even the music which is a big part of what makes the movie work. It is the winner of 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. DVD March 31, 2009



Bolt ***

Bolt surprised me. I wanted to not like this John Travolta/Miley Cyrus animated movie but it got me hooked with a fun and smart story. It plays out like any fish out of water, journey to find home, animated animal buddy flick. But it has a funny script, developed characters, great animation, and most of all some heart. As dog movies go, I much preferred it over Marley and Me. DVD March 24, 2009

Marley and Me **1/2

As dog films go Marley and Me is just okay. I would have liked to have seen less relationship between Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston and more of the dog Marley. Both actors have a great chemistry with the various dogs who play Marley through out his life, but don't have much chemistry with each other as husband and wife. But really, the reason to watch the film is not the actors themselves but the dog. And what keeps the film entertaining is seeing what Marley is going to do next. When the film was all over I did have to go and hug my Boarder Collie mix Ziggy. DVD March 31, 2009

Race to Witch Mountain

**1/2 out of ****
By: William Moon
The latest loosely-based remake or as Disney likes to call it "re imagining" of 1975's "Escape to Witch Mountain" isn't exactly bad. It just lacks the heart, soul and character development that made the original so magical and engaging.

That's not to say you shouldn't waste your time by passing the film up altogether. It has a lot going for it, and by that I mean it delivers great performances from its lead actors, Duane Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb and newcomer Alexander Ludwig, along with enough action to keep you fully entertained for an hour and a half.

I believe a lot of the critics gave this film the correct rating, but for the wrong reason. Many took the film too seriously, questioning the logic situation of an actual band of SWAT team chasing a couple of teen aliens with a robotic-looking Predator-like creature following them as well, and really, I think many of them criticized the film in the wrong areas.

Yes, it's a very implausible plot, but lets look at the given genre and targeted audience, here. This is targeted to preteens and promises to be a fun, action thrill-ride and in my opinion, is much more successful than the recent Twilight, in that regard. However, the effects are just about as bad, if not worse, and the believability of these characters in these situations were erased for me every time it was so obvious they stood in front of a green screen.

I know I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief and pass all of that by, but the film simply only seems to go through the motions of the action and not focusing on the heart. And while the actors are convincingly good and the music befitting for the so-called race, the effects, themselves are not so much. There is a relationship formed between Johnson's character Jack Bruno and Alex (played by Carla Gugino), which seems about as unnecessary as Robb's character breaking down and crying in her farewell in the end. If you're going to try and add a romance and break the rules of the aliens feeling emotion (because in the beginning of the film they were about as robotic as Stepford children), please fully flesh out your emotions. These are just a couple of minor quibbles I had with the film, and they're hardly noticeable, seeing as how 90 percent of the film involves the children and Jackson running for their lives.

Watching this film, I can't help but be reminded of last years City of Ember, which I felt had much more depth, better effects and a script than this film did. The original material of Escape to Witch Mountain had a lot going for it. So why would there be a point in remaking the film and simply have the characters running for 90 minutes and still calling it the same thing? I'm not a stickler for keeping things strictly to the original sources, but I think some of the development could have been left in this time. I'm not saying I didn't have a good time watching the three characters running through the entire movie. In fact, I had a blast. The dialogue ranges from everywhere of being flat-out goofball to pure comedic timing and wit, thanks mostly to depending on the deliverance's of the actors.

This is actually quite an enjoyable, fun, action-packed good film for children. I can't necessarily say it's a good film for adults, though. I enjoyed it, but that doesn't mean I thought it was good. I think the film didn't completely go out with its campy side, or have the best of effects and script to make it fully a serious film either, but if you do choose to see it, please, just take it for what it is: a fun popcorn, caffeinated adrenaline ride. Nothing more. Nothing less. If you want something more substantial, stick to the original.

Twilight The Review by Sean Marshall Metcalf

Twilight is on DVD March 21, 2009 and I thought I would give my take on the film.

Twilight **1/2

Twilight is a moody dark tale of teen angst that is not particularly a great cinematic achievement. It is however a great packaged piece of cinematic pop culture. It is Lost Boys meets Dawson's Creek.

Bella moves to Forks, Washington. She is drawn to the mysterious Edward Cullen and like Bella we are too. It is no big surprise that he is a vampire. And so the romantic saga begins. As a romantic goes, Edward is kind of over protective voyeuristic and creepy. Bella is headstrong and seems kind of emotionally detached from the world around to everything but the hypnotic stare of Edward. The two make love work because Edward some how resists the urge to feed on her, but the romance is challenged when another vampire, James, wants feed on Bella. And the battle for Bella begins with Edward and James.

The production values are slick on Twilight. The make up on Edward as well as all the vampires in the movie is very heavy handed but it is some what balanced out by the washed out cinematography. It kind of makes them cool and goth. There are voice overs in the film by Bella and I did not understand the use of them in the film. Nothing that Bella said in the voice overs told me anything that the plot and the characters themselves did not already tell me.

Twilight is not a bad film. I still could not get out of my head that I was watching some teen drama on the CW or ABC Family channel. It is entertaining enough and is a slickly packaged teen angst meets horror film. Twilight is for me is kind of guilty pleasure movie. One that I might watch again on a rainy day and i feel like watching a moody teen angst horror film.

Sean's take on Watchmen

Watchmen--Sean's take

by Sean Marshall Metcalf

I give Watchmen *** as well. From what I have read Zach Snyder used the graphic novel of Watchmen as his storyboard. Does going shot by shot from the source material make him a good director? There is no doubt it makes for a visually stunning film. And Snyder had a big under taking here. Not only did he have to make try to make a good film but he had to make a film that would be accepted by Watchmen's legion of fans.

The opening credits montage was a great way to show the timeline of the heroes up to 1985. After the credits I had a hard time figuring out what the film was really going to be about. Not to say I was enjoying what I was watching. As the story played out I found myself drawn most the the storyline of Rorshash, who is played brilliantly by Jackie Earl Haley. He is very much an anti hero and his voice overs reminded me of a hard boiled detective in a Film Noir film. The film is very melodramatic and much plays out at times like Days of Our Lives as if it were directed by Roy Lichtenstein. Each melodramatic moment is framed like a Lichtenstein painting.

The make-up was a bit cartoon like especially Nixon. He looks like he walked straight out of a political cartoon in the editorial section of the newspaper. The old age make-up on the 67 year old is a bit much but I could look pasted it because her performance as a retired hero was good.

And yes the blue penis was very distracting. Are we not as used to seeing male full frontal nudity on screen because it seems that the female form is exploited most of the time in film?

Watchmen is not the best of the comic book/graphic novel inspired films. I enjoyed Dark Knight or even V for Vendetta (Another Alan Moore graphic novel) more. But Watchmen is a highly entertaining and visually stunning film.--Sean Marshall Metcalf

Watchmen

*** out of ****
By: William Moon

The year is 1985, and President Nixon is about to serve his fifth term, in this alternative reality that looks much like the one in which we live in. The opening credits of the film provide a look into what is going on in the world. Lesbian superheroes are slain, war is breaking loose and a band of unarmed peace-loving hippies are gunned down by so-called war heroes, just because they choose to want a better and more loving society. All the while a Bob Dylan song plays over the events.

As the credits roll, one would think that the film would promise a politically charged film, in where the superheroes would be seen as liberals and the villains as conservatives, but the film is a lot more complex than that. On the given surface, the plot, in itself, may only completely make sense to those who have read the graphic novel or seen the film at least a couple of times, and there are many visual distractions that sometimes draw focus away from what plot there would be, and yes, if you've already heard, I am indeed talking about the infamous blue penis of character Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup). That's not to say the aesthetics of the film aren't worth congratulating, because they certainly are. The sequences on Mars are some of the most breathtaking visuals I've seen since Darren Aranofsky's The Fountain, and despite the unnecessary usage of the penis on screen, it still looks visually realistic in all of its digital enhancement. Yes, the pun is intended. But now that I've spent so much time focusing on the cock, on with the plot.

When The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a former superhero, is murdered, the masked vigilante Rorshach (Jackie Earl Haley) sets out to investigate the murder. The film ranges over about a thirty-year time period, and rather than hiring different actors to play the young and the old, the same actors play them, with some of the worst makeup I've ever seen on film. One character even looks into the screen at one point to proclaim to the audience "I am 67 years old." It's probably good she told us that, because otherwise we might think she was a 30 year old woman with bad stage-lines plastered across her forehead and cheeks.

The film tries to appeal to a wide-ranged audience, never straying away from explosive adrenaline or a thought-provoking commentary on modern and past times in our world. In many ways it's meant to be seen as a political satire, and although I did not enjoy Zach Snyder's (the director) previous work, this felt like it had more depth than his recent 300 and by far it's well worth the watch for visual effects alone.

I still believe Zach Snyder isn't the best director and here's why: I believe he doesn't fully comprehend the meaning behind his work a lot of the time. As I've said I believe the film is supposed to be a political satire on our times in a political and comical manner. We have a character in the film that is a former superhero, and now a recovering alcoholic, with a bad past with a man who nearly raped and abused her. The woman later gives in and cheats on her husband with this man on her own will. If you wouldn't know any better and I never talked about her being a superhero, you might think this subplot might belong on Days of Our Lives. I think in many ways the film does take itself too seriously, unlike Sweeney Todd, which reveled in all of its maniacally dark humor, but that isn't to say Watchmen is a failure by any means. It's a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining work of mainstream art that provides a more insight look to what Hollywood could actually be capable of if they set forth in achieving so. The Dark Knight is probably the highest accomplished work in this method. It's a nice effort of a film for hopefully more great superhero movies to come, and although I am still convinced Zach Snyder is a bad director, I believe, as a whole, Watchmen will not disappoint fans of the graphic novel, superhero fans and moviegoers who simply want an entertaining and visually pleasing film.

Coraline

***1/2 out of ****

By: William Moon

Coraline tells the tale of a young girl (voiced by Dakota Fanning) living with her parents, who spend most of their time writing and not giving enough attention to their own daughter. Bored at home, and with her neighbors, Coraline discovers a secret world within her own home, full of magic, wonderment and never ending pure fun. It sounds like a dream come true, until Coraline's parents from the other realm want to make Coraline "one of them" by sewing buttons into her eyes, completely erasing the actual Coraline, much like "The Stepford Wives." Obviously Coraline refuses, and rushes back to her old world, but escaping isn't as easy as she thinks it will be.

The film is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, author of Stardust and Mirrormask, and much like those films, Coraline is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. Director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) weaves us into this surrealistic stop-motion world of both terror and wonderment, and like The Nightmare Before Christmas, it is a film that appeals to all ages.

There's the sense of morality that the film holds that sometimes we take for granted what we have and during a tumultuous time or catastrophic event are forced to see what truly means something to us. The score is one of the best in years, by Bruno Coulais, and only enhances this wonderfully created world.

The film isn't as good as Nightmare Before Christmas, but is certainly good in its own right, and in many ways better than Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. It might be a little scary for some viewers and some parents might have a problem with some of the suggestive sexual innuendos in the film, but it's no worse than what one would see in a Shrek film. Many people seem to place all animated films in a category only for children, and Coraline isn't one of them. There are many animated films that come out each year for adults, such as Persepolis and Waltz with Bashir. Coraline falls somewhere in between Monster House and those.

Many complain that Corailne is about as soulless as the Other Parents in the film that try and sew button eyes on Coraline, but I would have to disagree. I believe Coraline has the depth and heart that are required for the film. It's not touching in the way a typical Disney film would be, but it doesn't need to be. It's about learning lessons and appreciating the value in ones every day surroundings. Like many adaptations of Alice in Wonderland, there are many moments in Coraline that do feel a bit unnecessary and tedious in the overall grand scheme of the plot, but in the end everything seems to fall into place in a rather spellbinding and spine tingling conclusion.

In one of the most creatively well-constructed films I've seen in quite some time Coraline manages to be both an accomplishment on a visceral and thought-provoking level.

Quick Reviews of current DVD releases by Sean Marhsall Metcalf

Rachel Getting Married ***

Anne Hathaway gives her Oscar Nominated performance in Rachel Getting Married as Kym, who comes home from rehab to witness the final days leading up to her sister Rachel’s wedding. It is not the story itself that pulls the focus in this film but Hathaway herself.--Sean Marshall Metcalf

Milk****

Milk is one of the great films of 2008. It not only has the Oscar winning performance of Sean Penn as Harvey Milk but also a great supporting cast as well. The story itself centers on equal rights for gay people in late 70’s San Francisco but it definitely mirrors some of the struggles of gay people in California and in the county today.--Sean Marshall Metcalf

Role Models **1/2

Role Models is in the vein of the Judd Apatow buddy films as 40 year old Virgin, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Knocked Up. It is defiantly not as good or as raunchy as any of the ones mentioned but it is fun nevertheless. It also has a stand out performance by Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin of Superbad) as a teen who is obsessed with a Dungeons & Dragons type game. --Sean Marshall Metcalf

Frozen River ****

Frozen River not only has the best performance by a female (Melissa Leo) in 2008 but also tells a story that very memorable. Its central plot revolves around illegal immigration over the Canadian Boarder via the frozen St Lawrence River. It is a story where nature, in this case a frozen river, becomes a central character in the story. This is a must film!--Sean Marshall Metcalf

The ****/**** Films of 2008

By William Moon

This is a list of films released theatrically in the United States which I have given an A to, thus far. I know 2008 is far over, but not everything is out on DVD yet from 2008, and I will not be making out my top 10 of the year until probably during the summer, like I always do. This is a list of the films that have a chance in making the list. I will add films if I hand out more ****'s.

(in alphabetical order)

4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days: A Romanian film about two women who set out to have an illegal abortion performed in a hotel room. With its stark angles and long-shot takes, 4 Months manages to be both a gritty, near neorealistic journey into 1987 Romania, as well as a heartrendering story of two women and their fight against societal and governmental differences. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days is like Irreversible, in that it is both compelling, realistic, raw and rare. The kind of film that sucks you in and seeps its way into your skin for days, weeks, months, perhaps years...

The Band's Visit: A quirky-comedic Israeli film that is mostly spoken in English, about an Egyptian band, scheduled to perform at a famous orchestra, only to find no one has come to pick them up or direct them where they are supposed to be going. The Band's Visit is spoken in three different languages, but mostly English, so I wouldn't consider it a Foreign Language Film. The film is both moving and lighthearted, captivating depth and hilarity. It captures the essense of quirky life much better than American quirksters such as Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. It's a film that is definitely worth a visit.

The Dark Knight: Christohper Nolan's masterpiece and sequel to Batman Begins. Legendary Bruce Wayne (aka Batman. aka Christian Bale) duels head to head with the Joker (played by the late Heath Ledger). The film is a masterfully suspensful, adding all the right elements of a comic book movie and even then some. I'd go to say this is probably the best comic book to screen adaptation I have ever seen, and many other critics agree. The production values are top-notch and Ledger gives the performance of his career. The Dark Knight is an action-packed, intelligent thriller that is not to be missed or passed off for the mere fact of limitating it to its genre.

Doubt: From John Patrick Shanley's play, comes the story of a nun who makes accusations of a priest molesting a child. The plot might sound cliche, but the story is woven together so intricately, the dialogue so refreshening and crisp, and the performances are all among the years best. Every moment is not worth forgetting, in this brilliant film. With its pins and needles tone, and ability to show the innocence, fear, regret and dishonesty in everyone Doubt will leave an everlasting impression upon you.

Frost/Nixon: British talk-show host David Frost and former President Richard Nixon go head-to-head in this excellently directed and acted retelling of the controversy surrounding Watergate. The film is mostly comprised of interviews from Frost and Nixon, but also, like Milk and The Queen, intertwines live-action historical footage from the real events. Frost/Nixon is the best Ron Howard movie in years, and anyone that is obsessive with film or politics should see this.

Funny Games: A remake of the 1997 German film with the same title, by the same director, Michael Haneke, Funny Games breaks all the conventional grounds of a typical horror film, satirizing American cinema and what audiences hope to see. Most American horror fans go for blood, gore and pure torture, but what if the ones being torutured are a middle-class family with a ten year-old child that you'd normally be rooting for? Too bad. In Funny Games, all the rules are broken and the villians are the heroes, out to kill the family and the cliches cinema-goers have bought into.

Let the Right One in: A Sweedish film about a twelve year-old boy who befriends a vampire of the same age. This is nothing like Twilight, Interview with the Vampire or The Lost Boys and more of the surrealistic tone of classics such as Nosferatu and the original Dracula in a modern setting. The film is epically shot and devastingly gorgeous to behold, and breaks the general rules of a vampire film with still keeping the classic elements.

Man on Wire: The documentary about Philippe Petit who walked across the twin towers, Man on Wire is a touching film about the loss of a society from an artistic and societal standpoint, as well as a token of hope for those that dare defy the laws out of something they love. Driven by passion and shot with cinematic elegance, Man on Wire is one of the best documenatries of the decade.

Milk: Gus Vant Sant directed two excellent films of 2008 and this is one of them. Milk is the story of Harvey Milk, the nations first elected political gay activist. Sean Penn gives one of his best performances here as Harvey, and the film itself is incredibly moving and poignant. In a time, 30 years after the events have taken place, gay men and women are still fighting for equal rights. With live footage of actual crowds and interviews, Milk has a very docudrama feel, but never strays away from a definitive plot that spirals to a climactic beauty that is so rarely acheived on film. It's a film about letting your voice be heard, and sometimes silencing yourself to make even more of a statement.

Paranoid Park: I wasn't kidding when I said Gus Van Sant directed two excellent films of 2008. This is other. Paranoid Park is a film about teen skaters who get caught up in an accidental murder, and instead of reporting the crime, flee the scene in fear of being caught and taken to prison. Paranoid Park captures teenagers much better than last years Juno, in a manner that Bully and Kids do. The teenagers actually act and speak like average teenagers, and not like characters from a polished script written by adults. The cinematography and film editing are among the years best, and the music does nothing but enhance the world of its characters. The whole thing, like Milk, plays as sort of an operatic tragedy, both gorgeous and gritty.

Revolutionary Road: Sam Mendes's film about a surburban 50's couple that feel the need to escape a life of mundanity and normality that seems so settled and complacent. It's a film for anyone living in a small town that dreams of leaving to a bigger and better place, when everyone arounds you thinks you're insane for wanting to do so. The film is beautifully shot and intensely melodramatic. I mean that in a good way. Revoluationary Road features standout performances from Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, in this trutfully told tale.

Synecdoche, New York: Charlie Kaufman's directoral debut, about a theatre director (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) who falls too far into his own work and mind by taking Grotowski's method to the extreme of completely throwing his own life into his work into his life into his worklife. What seems like a tedious array of randomized events in the first half, more than pays off in the second in this extremely brilliantly written, multi-layered, groundbreaking work of art. It falls in the lines of films such as Mulholland Drive and 2001: A Space Odyssey that feel more like a piece of art, rather than actual film. It's something that should be seen many times to fully comprehend and something that will no doubt be studied in film schools for years to come.

Wall-E: Another masterpiece from Pixar. Wall-E is an animated film about the journey of a sole robot named Wall-E. It's basically liberal propoganda for the green-minded folk. Think An Inconvient Truth for kids. Of course, I loved it. Wall-E is both satirically hilarious and touching and features the most convincing romantic relationship of the year, through no dialogue what-so-ever. For anyone that has a heart and an open-mind, Wall-E is a great film for you, no matter what your age.

The Wrestler: Many are calling this film the Mickey Rourke comeback, and although his performance is extraordinarly powerful, the film, as a whole, is quite amazing, in itself. Darren Aronofsky proves once again that he is one of the best directors around. He's directed everything from scifi to a drug film to a film about a man losing his mind in his own brilliance. The Wrestler tackles the story of a more simplistic one, about a man who wants to keep doing what he loves doing, even if it costs him his life. The Wrestler possibly acheives what few sport films do in that it actually touches on a deep and personally emotional level, while still pulling out the punches and blood.

XXY: A Spanish film about a 15 year-old hermadophite coming of age and to terms with her/his sexuality and emotional turmoil. It's a subject matter that is hardly ever discussed and needs to be addressed more often. 1 of every 10,000 babies are born hermaphrodites and most parents choose to make the children females, to try and lead a normal life. The only problem is hermaphrodites not only have both male and female parts but also different internal cells. Many people live their whole life with male parts and female on the inside or vice versa and never know it and this film is both haunting and mesmorizingly refreshing in tackling a subject matter we rarely see, and features a standout performance from Ines Efron.

Baz Luhrmann's Australia A review by Sean Marshall

The film Australia was released on DVD and Blu Ray on March 3, 2009. I want to devote some time to a picture that I think is one of the Best of 2008.

Australia ****

I am a big Baz Lahrmann fan. I think the three films in his “Red Curtain Trilogy” (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo+Juliet, and Moulin Rouge) are brilliant cinematic achievements. I was a little bit skeptical of Australia because it got mediocre reviews. But from the preview my gut feeling was that I was going to love the film, because it looked like it had the great production values including Art Direction, Costume Design, and Cinematography that I expect from a Baz film. The film did not disappoint me. As usual Baz uses every element to create an epic.

The story weaves together a high plains western with a cattle drive, a romance with its two leads, a family drama, and a World War II plot. Baz weaves all these stories together using the magic of the Aboriginal tribes and land. He uses the camera to sweep around every angle of the beautiful Australian landscape and thru this establishes the magical lure of the land.

Nicole Kidman is perfect as Lady Sarah Ashley. The character is not the completely fish out of water helpless female, and Kidman shows with conviction early on (by kicking an abusive ranch hand off her property) that she can hold her own in a world ruled by men. She is part Vivian Leigh in Gone with the Wind and part Mercedes McCambridge in Giant. Hugh Jackman as Drover adds nothing new to the macho ranch hand with the heart of gold but he does play the part well. Kidman and Jackman play the passionate attraction that both characters have for one another perfectly. Kidman also very convincingly becomes the nurturing mother figure to a half Aboriginal boy in the film.

I think Australia is a throw back to films such as Giant, Gone with the Wind, From Here to Eternity, and it even made me want to watch westerns such as Lonesome Dove again. It is a film that sucks the viewer in with great production values, interesting story, and developed characters. I don’t know why this picture was not nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. It is the type of epic filmmaking that the Academy usually loves. It could have had Best Picture slot of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, or The Reader in my opinion. I would have given it Oscar Nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, and Costume Design. Nicole Kidman would still fall just short of a nomination. Of the nominees I don’t know who I would take out to give her a nomination.

Australia will definitely go into my Top 10 list for 2008. And I still have a few more films of 2008 to see before I finalize my Top 10 List.

Oscar Reactions by Sean Marshall

Oscars were handed out on Sunday February 22, 2009 and for the most part there were not surprises. The show itself was done well. I think it was one of the best Oscar shows in the last few years. Hugh Jackman was a great host and showed his range as a song and dance man. I thought the show had a nice flow to it.

Best Supporting Actress went to Penelope Cruz. I cannot disagree with this choice. Although I hated Vicki Christy Barcelona, Cruz was amazing in the film. She dedicated her award to director Pedro Almodovar. Her character in the film was very much like one of the unbalanced characters in any number of Almodovar's films.

Best Supporting Actor went to Heath Ledger. I think Heath Ledger would have gotten this award alive or dead. It was a great performance. It took at he comic book character of the Joker and made a Hannibal Lector type villain.

Best Actress went to Kate Winslet. I don't think she deserved the award for The Reader but she was over due for an Oscar. I liked her melodramatic loud performance in Revolutionary Road better then her quiet stanch German woman in The Reader. Did she double her chances to win too because she had the support of The Reader people as well as the Revolutionary Road people? I still think that Messila Leo in Frozen River gave the best female performance of the year. I would have loved to see her name read on Oscar night.

Best Actor went to Sean Penn. Sean Penn deserved his Oscar for Milk.

Best Director went to Danny Boyle. He deserved it. Hands down. Slumdog also won Editing and Cinematography. I think it went hand and hand with the director. It deserved them.

Best Picture went to Slumdog Millionaire. I cannot argue with this choice but I think deep down I was also routing for Milk to win. I think without Slumdog in the mix Milk would have won hands down.

It was not a surprise that The Duchess won Costume or that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button won Art Direction, Make-up or Visual Effects. Wall-E winning best animated feature was expected as well. As was the Screenplay awards for Milk and Slumdog Millionaire.

On a final note, the speeches were not rushed by music to get them off stage. It made the night less awkward for everyone and I thought added to the flow of the show. Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and Sean Penn took note from their film's subject Harvey Milk and gave speeches that would make him proud.

Lance Black give one of the best speeches of the night saying: "But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he would want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, or by the government, or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon I promise you, you will have equal rights federally across this great nation of ours."

And Penn said: "For those of you who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban on gay marriage to reflect on their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes.

Coming soon: I will post my Top 10 list for 2007.

Sean Marshall

Sean Marshall's Take on the Oscars

The Reader does not belong as a Best Picture Nomination. There is nothing dazzling about it and yes we have seen it all before and better. Could it be a tribute to the film's producers who died before it was completed...Sydney Pollock and Anthony Minghella? The Reader is a good performance by Winslet but not her best. But Oscar never cares about the person's best performance for an award. Winslet shows great range however if you look at both films. She is very quiet and subtle in the Reader while in Revolutionary Road she is loud and in melodramatic (in a good way). It is much like Kevin Spacey when he won his first Oscar. He was quiet and thoughtful villain in Usual Suspects (for which he won the Oscar) and a loud melodramatic villain in the film Swimming with the Sharks. Melissa Leo is the best female performance in my opinion. I wish the Academy would see that!

I think Penn will take it. His speech for his SAG win touched on "equal rights to all" without being preachy. This could be the mood of Hollywood because of the backlash after the passing of Prop 8. They ay feel the performance is "important" and gave it an Oscar. Not to say the performance is not worthy in its own merit. Penn is great in Milk. He does not play it too gay but plays it gay enough. Mickey Rourke gives one of the gentlest emotional performances of the year. But does the Academy wanna give him an Oscar? I go with Penn right now.

I hated Benj Button. It does not deserve its Oscar Nom for picture, actor, director, or screenplay. Yes...the story was rehashed themes from Forrest Gump and Big fish. How much of the performance was Brad Pitt and how much of it was CG or make-up or both? I feel like Fincher has directed way better films such as Se7en or Fight Club because they had a look and a feeling that I think works on all your senses. Button is a slick Hollywood film. I guess I am saying Fincher kinda sold out.

The music of Slumdog became a driving force of the film. It is the ultimate example of Micky Mousing where the actions of the characters go along with the music. The kids running thru the slums with a driving beat burned into the back of my head. And I won't make your blood boil Will. I won't go into the songs of Slumdog (or the foot stomping) but yes the song from the Wrestler was robbed out of a nomination.

Doubt is the strangest of the nominations. It got 4 acting nominations and no Best Picture nomination. The last time this happened in Oscar history was in 1965 ith the film Othello. It deserved a best picture nomination certainly over Benj Button or the Reader, maybe even Frost/Nixon. The latter I put in the category of the film Capote which Ithought did not deserve a Best Picture Nomination.

I can’t totally go with Viola Davis. Penelope Cruz could become the first Spanish woman to win (Does the Academy think this way?) and then there is the Woody Allen factor. He has directed Dianne Weist to 2 Oscars and Mira Sorvino to an Oscar.

In the tech categories if you look critics and guild awards as an indicator of what could win, Slumdog Millionaire looks like it could sweep. It has won Critic’s Choice, Golden Globe, BFTA, PGA, SAG, WGA, DGA, ACE Eddie (editing), CSA (cinematography), and Cinema Audio Society.

I expect Slumdog to win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Score, and Best Song for “Jai Ho” It could win Cinematography. I don’t expect it to win sound or sound editing (Dark Kinight is likely to take sound awards) but if it did it could go 9 for 9.

Here are my predictions...Slumdog/Boyle//Penn/Winslet/Davis or Cruz (haven't decided), Ledger/Adapted Slumdog/Original Milk/Animated Wall-E.

Tech Awards …Slumdog takes Editing, Score, Song (Jai Ho), Cinematography (maybe?), Both Sound awards for Dark Knight, Best Make-up and Visual Effects Benj Button, Best Documentry Man on Wire (only one I have seen), Foreign Language (have not seen any) Waltz with Bashir

Sean Marshall

Oscar Talk with Will Moon

Let me begin by stating that I am very disappointed with this years Oscar Nominees, much more so than I have with any other year I have been keeping up with Oscars, beginning in the year 2000. For starter, of the five best picture nominees, only one film is currently in my top 10 of the year, and that is Milk, at my number 10 position. I have yet to see everything that was critically acclaimed (of the top 50 best reviewed films of the year I have only seen 26, thus far). However, of all the nominees, with the exclusion of the foreign film/documentary categories and the shorts, I have seen all but three films. This year, a lot of people are praising the Oscars, saying they are going in a different direction by avoiding mainstream films, like The Dark Knight and Wall-E as Best Picture Contenders, but it seems to me they are just avoiding them based on the fact that they are mainstream films. For once, this is a year where the mainstream films are better than a lot of the independent films, and this is when they choose to leave the mainstream films out of the mix. If you will look here http://www.listsofbests.com/list/62389, you will see the top reviewed films of the year and Wall-E is number 1 and The Dark Knight is number 2, so no one can say they didn’t get great reviews. With that said here are the nominees and my thoughts on each category. * Indicates I have yet to see the film or short.

Best Picture:The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Frost/Nixon Milk The Reader Slumdog MillionaireWho I think will win: Slumdog Millionare. It seems the Academy wants to go a different (but somewhat similar) route this year, and Slumdog is quite refereshing in their eyes. Intertwining back and forth between the slum life in the past, a game show and a torture room, Slumdog strives more off feeling than it does anything else, and is being compared to Crash (2005's winner). It is similar to Crash in that it intertwines several characters together, asks us to believe in chance, fate and hope and dives hard into emotion and broadcasts its feelings very smugly on screen through vibrant colors and outward cries. It seems this is the route the Academy is going and it would be quite surprising if Slumdog did not take home the Oscar.Who I think should win: Milk. Gus Van Sant has delivered yet another powerful film, this time the biopic of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected political activist in America. It’s not even in my top 5 of the year, but of these films, I think it’s the best. It’s the most well rounded and driven film and definitely has less flaws than The Reader, Slumdog and Button. It’s moving, poetic and truthful. It manages to get the point across without beating you over the head and instead of screaming out its emotions, it subtly taps you with them and at times doesn’t even show you the catastrophic events happening on screen. You are only left with your own thoughts, your own emotions, and to me, those are much more powerful than anything that can be shown to you.Who was snubbed: Doubt. With its mind-blowing performances and brilliantly adapted screenplay, this is thus far one of my favorite films of the year. It has the most acting nominations of any film this year, yet we did not see it in Best Picture category. No shocker, as to how it was snubbed everywhere else and was not expected to be nominated. The play comes to life magically onscreen and follows in the line of Closer, in being one of the few play adaptations on screen, that, to me, actually felt like it worked quite well as a film. It’s gripping and compelling and shall certainly not be forgotten.Who should have been left out: The Reader. Let me start off by saying on the critics list of best reviewed films, this film landed at number 32. 32, and it got nominated as one of the best 5!? That’s lower than Doubt, Revolutionary Road, Slumdog, well–almost everything.I thought the film, itself was purely mediocre or decent itself. It’s obvious the reason this was nominated was an oscar vehicle for Winslet’s performance, which I will rant about when I get to the Best Actress category. The film doesn’t bring anything new to the table, really. It’s the same story of a woman on trial for something she didn’t know she was doing (or care enough about really) in WWII and how a boy she has an affair with is entangled in the matter. Haven’t we seen this movie done before? On top of it being done before, so many times, it just isn’t that excellent. It’s very a safely executed feel-good depression film, if those exist. I believe they do. I like to call them pseudo-depressing films. You know. The kind that think they’re depressing but really aren’t because you don’t give a crap about the characters or what happens to them. That’s this film.

Best Director:Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)Steven Daldry (The Reader) David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) Gus Van Sant (Milk) Who will win: Danny Boyle. Usually Best Director and Picture go hand and hand, and with all the hype it should be no surprise if Boyle takes home the award. Who should win: Danny Boyle. The film, itself, definitely has a lot of flaws, but that is primarily based on its source material, I believe. The direction, however, is astounding and Danny Boyle manages to pull out amazing performances from all of his actors, while aesthetically pleasing the eyes in his shots and angles. It’s truly an epic and bold film, and if not truly original and inspired by many past Bollywood productions, it is a change of pace from the norm and of the five nominees here, I would say he’s the most deserving. Who was snubbed: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight). Have you seen this movie? The astounding direction pretty much just sums up itself. Nolan follows along the lines of Peter Jackson, in having directed an amazing blockbuster, that ranks high on both an intellectual level and entertainment value. It’s an epic masterwork, that is far better than any other comic-book film that has ever been made (that’s right, I said it), and doesn’t even deserve to be placed in the category, so many Oscar voters have placed it in. Nolan manages to captivate the feel of an action thriller, while pulling out non-stop astounding performances and well delivered dialogue. Whether the film is in a quiet room one-on-one with Ledger and Bale, or the film is chasing its way through cars and explosions, Nolan has truly delivered the work of an auteur. Who should have been left out: Steven Daldry. I think I’ve already summed up my thoughts on The Reader, aka Sophie’s Choice 2: The List She Wrote for Schindler. Bollocks. Typical Oscar Bait. The end.

Best Actress:Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) Angelina Jolie (Changeling) Melissa Leo (Frozen River) Meryl Streep (Doubt) Kate Winslet (The Reader) Who will win: Kate Winslet. This is going to be Kate’s "I’ve been nominated seven times and am finally doing a WWII film about the Holocaust" Winslet’s win. She’s been the obvious favorite over many other award shows and I don’t see it being any different here. Who I think should win: Melissa Leo. Finally, a strong performance in a very low-budget independent film, with a not very well-known Actress gets the nomination. Not since Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves have I really seen this happen. Leo brings so much depth to her character as a struggling mother, trying to take care of her children, resorting to smuggling illegal aliens over the border over a frozen river that is generally unwatched overnight. It’s a powerful, three-dimensional performance that we rarely receive. It’s so raw and heartbreaking and beautifully portrayed, without trying to be glossy and forceful. She won’t win, but of the four nominees I have seen in this category, she’s thus far, my pic. Who was left out: Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road). I believe this is the best I have ever seen Kate Winslet. I connected so much with her character, that lived in a small community in the 50s and had dreams of fleeing to Paris, but was driven insane by the conformity around her. It’s a melodramatic performance, but that’s the tone of the film. It’s directed by, Sam Mendes, and definitely has a very similar feel that American Beauty had. Winslet’s performance in this is like Leo’s, in that it is both heart rendering and enduring. Whether she’s screaming at her husband (DiCaprio) or listening to the advice of a truth-teller (Shannon) and not speaking at all, she is captivating every moment she is onscreen. It’s a shame the Academy has a rule that the same Actor/Actress can not be nominated twice in the same category. Who should have been left out: Kate Winslet. I was not impressed with either her performance, nor the movie, the Reader. In the last third of the film, she plays an old woman, and aside from the old make-up, she doesn’t seem old at all. She still moves around and talks like the younger version of the character. Also, I believe she was a supporting role and not the lead. This is the type of film that doesn’t really have a lead character. It goes back and forth, equally with three characters, like The Hours, which I also felt there was not a lead. Just because she is the main actress in the film, doesn’t mean she is the lead. Sometimes, a film doesn’t have a lead, and I believe this to be one. She should have been nominated for Revolutionary Road, a much better film, performance and a definite lead. This will go down, along with Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond over The Departed) and Sean Penn (Mystic River over 21 Grams) in the "they should have been nominated for this over that" forums and discussions in the years to come. Bah.

Best Actor: Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) Sean Penn (Milk) Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) Who I think will win: (re-edited) Sean Penn. I first said Frank Langella, because he's old and playing an historical figure and hasn't even been nominated before, so he might not ever again, but the more I think about it and the more I've seen Penn winning a lot of awards from other ceremonies for this part, I'm going to place my bets on Penn. It seems that if the Acadamy goes the route of picking Slumdog over Milk (like they did with Crash over Brokeback), they'll recognize Penn for Milk for not given Brokeback or Milk best picture wins. But I could be wrong.Who I think should win: Mickey Rourke. I never thought I would love a film about a wrestler, but with Rourke, Tomei and Aranofsky on board, there was bound to be magic, and there was. Rourke pulls out all the punches (no pun intended) with this performance. He humors the audience, he cries (he made me teary-eyed even), he shows that heavy-weight guys that put themselves through a lot of pain and misery, still have what it takes to be human underneath, and it truly is the best performance of his career. We may never again see Rourke like this, but here’s to hoping. A truly, well-rounded and fleshed out role delivered flawlessly. Who was snubbed: Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road). I really think he is the best actor of his generation and gets a lot of shit just because he was in Titanic and because he’s pretty. I’m sorry, but some pretty boys are amazing actors, and with his performances in The Departed, The Aviator, this film, and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, I think he has definitely proven his worth. He matches Winslet in Road, bringing every level of depth, range and emotion to the screen. Whether he’s chatting it up with his office buddies, screaming his eyes out and crying or trying to hide the pain and longing in his saddened eyes, DiCaprio proves once again he is one of the best, hands down.Who they should have left out: Brad Pitt. Just because he played several different ages (though he seemed the same throughout to me), he is supposed to be nominated? This is purely one of those popularity nominations, and I hope that he doesn’t receive the Julia Roberts/Gweneth Paltrow award of "they won the award because they were the most famous." Here’s to hoping. Personally, I preferred him in this years Burn After Reading over his performance in this.

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (Doubt) Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona)Viola Davis (Doubt) Taraji P. Hensen (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)Who will win: Viola Davis. She is only in Doubt for five minutes, but those five minutes are stronger than anyone else here, and hopefully the Academy feels the same. Now that Winslet is out of the running for this race, I believe Davis will receive her deserved award. After all, she was receiving hype about a possible win before the trailer even aired. I have loved this woman and have been following her career now for about 7 years. Everyone in the film is marvelous, but she even upstages Meryl Streep in the scene they have together, and hardly anyone has ever been able to do that! We literally see the woman have a nervous breakdown on film, wipe away her tears and smile as if everything is just fine all in one shot. Real tears, guys. Davis is amazing and deserves the Oscar, 5 minutes or not.Who should win: Viola Davis. Who was snubbed: Misty Upham (Frozen River). Everyone raves about Leo’s performance in this, but as Roger Ebert has stated, Upham is equally impressive, considering she has hardly appeared in anything before, and is quite young, to boot. Upham brings a nice counter balance to Leo’s performance in Frozen River as a young smuggler, trying to win back her child. It’s one of the rare subtle performances that doesn’t cry out in anger or sadness, but whispers and speaks to you on a down to earth level, and after its over, you want nothing more than to embrace her and cry out all the feelings you know she has been strongly withholding. What a marvelously underrated performance.Who ould have been left out: Taraji P. Hensen. Once again, another Button acting nomination that shouldn’t be here. Hensen was actually not that bad, but the character, herself, was so one-dimensional. She’s about as stereotypical as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. I’m not joking. "Ooh. Benjamin. Yous be a good boy now!" "Ooh, Benjamin! Where you been?" Robert Downey Jr. is less stereotypical of a black character in Tropic Thunder, almost. She manages to be quite impressive in one scene where she cries, but the rest is just a bunch of scolding and "yes um’s." Sorry, but she’s only in here because of Button. If they were going to nominate her for something, why didn’t they do it when she was in Hustle & Flow? That character and performance was much more noteworthy.

Best Supporting Actor:Josh Brolin (Milk) Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder) Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) Who I think will win: Heath Ledger. Doesn’t everyone think he’s going to win? Who I think should win: Heath Ledger. Doesn’t everyone think he should win? They should. This is the best performance all year, in any category, hands down. No, it isn’t just because he died. It really was that amazing, folks. It’s tragic that such a role was the primary source of his death, but the performance is literally one of the best to grace the screen this decade. It ranks up there with Charlize Theron in "Monster" it’s so good. Who I think was snubbed: (re-edited) At first I said Emile Hirsche in Milk, but now that I've seen W. I'd have to say Jeffery Wright. He played Colin Powell with such direct seriousness, without being too much of a charicature like Newton's portrayl of Rice. He was earnest, empowering and unforgettable. The movie itself wasn't that great, and the script was very much something that needed revising, which is perhaps why his performance was overlooked, but it shouldn't have. Who I think should have been left out: Josh Brolin. I think all the men in this category were amazing and this is the one acting category that I really think I wouldn’t change anything, but if I had to replace one, this would be my pick.

Original Screenplay: Frozen River Happy-Go-Lucky* In Bruges Milk Wall-E Who will win: Milk. Dustin Lance Black is all the hype right. The story of a gay political activist is one thing, but the story of a gay closeted Morman who comes out of nowhere and writes the screenplay about the gay political activist is another, and Hollywood loves its underdog stories. Just look at last year’s Juno: a stripper from a small town writes a screenplay about a quirky teen who gives birth. Also, it’s the only one in this category nominated for best picture. It will more than likely win. Who should win: Milk. With its intertwining of real events and scripted dialogue, Milk isn’t really original, in the conceptual sense, but it is excellently written in the storytelling sense. With its crisply humorous and truthful dialogue and its well paced tone in deliverance, the screenplay is well worth the win of these nominees. Who was snubbed: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days. This is one of my favorite films of the year, and its really not a film for everyone. It’s very neo-realistic and along the lines of Irreversible with its shakey-camera angles and long-taken shots, but the dialogue is so crisp and well spoken, the story is heartbreaking and the actions that take place are like a domino effect of subtle emotion, that really doesn’t leave you feeling much in its course, but hits you like a freight-train once you’ve walked away from the film hours later. I thought it was brilliantly written, but of course the Academy wouldn’t nominate a Romanian film about a girl who wants to carry out an illegal abortion for best screenplay. Who should have been left out: I can’t really say, because I haven’t seen Happy-Go-Lucky, but right now, I would say In Bruges. I’m a big fan of the writers past work, The Pillowman and Six Shooter, but I felt everything was tied up too much in a Hollywood bow with this one. I liked the film, but I didn’t feel it or the writing was brilliant. The dialogue was very witty, crisp, sharp and poignant, but the actions and events of the plot itself, felt a little forced. It felt like it was trying to be two films at once: one, an independent dark comedy about two men realistically meander their way into tragic circumstances, and two, a movie that asks us to suspend all disbelief of reality in that predictability and loose ends are all tied beautifully in bows. It seems films about everything all winding up on everything else’s plates and laps and hope and fate are all the hype and rave lately and personally, I don’t find them so much clever as I do copouts.

Adapted Screenplay: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Doubt Frost/Nixon The Reader Slumdog Millionaire Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire. It seems this screenplay is everyone’s favorite. The academy loves screenplays that intertwine several characters together (like Crash), delivering a fast-paced emotional story full of hope, destiny and love. It just seems like this film is on the tip of every awards ceremonies fingertips, and seeing as how it won for every other listing of screenplay, I don’t see it being any different here.Who should win: Doubt. The transfer from stage to screen works beautifully here, and while it’s not perfect, and the film does seem to balance more on the weight of Streep’s character, rather than creating a true balance back and forth between her character and Hoffman’s, it’s extremely well written and paced. It’s much more believable of a story than say Slumdog, and it doesn’t feel contrived and forced like The Reader. It’s eloquently handled and manages to be brilliantly written with characters that have more depth in their toes than say the characters in Benjamin Button’s do in their entire body. Who was snubbed: Revolutionary Road. The metaphors, the symbolism, the crisp, realistic dialogue, the relationships. Everything about this screenplay is spectacular and it’s a shame this film and its screenplay did not get the recognition it deserved. What should have been left out: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Aka Forrest Gump 2: The year he caught another Big Fish. This screenplay is so obvious it was adapted by the writer of Forrest Gump, it’s not even funny. And really, it’s not, very funny. It lacks the humor and compassion that Gump had and the charm and devotion Big Fish had, and borrows from those films with a glossy underlining of the Notebook. From what I hear, the original source is a very short novel and the film took what the book had and stretched it out to a 3 hour Gumpish-epic. It really wasn’t a bad film. In fact, I liked the movie (mostly for the technical aspects). But it’s hardly deserving of a screenplay nomination.

Cinematography: Changeling The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight The Reader Slumdog Millionaire Who I think will win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. See below. Who I think should win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I could think of about three or four other films this year that had better cinematography that weren’t even nominated here, but of the nominees I’ve seen, I’d pick Button. Miranda has a way of pulling us into the film, and at the same time allowing us to view it objective through a lens of gorgeous proportions. Who was snubbed: Australia. The cinematography in this film was something to behold. From the stampede, to the long shots of the majestic land and horseback ridings to the truly enthralling close-ups of the actors in all of their glorious emotional wonderment, Australia’s stunning cinematography is both awe-inspiring and sweepingly breathtaking. Why it was nominated for costumes and not this and Art Direction is beyond me. Who should have been left out: Changeling. There really wasn't anything spectacular about it the cinematography in this film. It was carried out well and befitting for the film, but there wasn't a single shot that blew me away, nor did the camera do anything extraordinare or mindblowing. It seems this was just another exscuse to put a movie that got great reviews/directed by Clint thrown in here for a nomination. Why do they always put movies with such safe and bland camera angles in this category?

Art Direction: Changeling The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight The Duchess Revolutionary Road Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It seems of all the nominees here, it is the only film that has both an artistic quality as well as a standout set design, and those are the elements the Academy looks for in the Art Direction category. Note, it is also the only one of these 5 that are nominated for Best Picture. Personal Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. With its lavish sets and artistic beauty, I haven't seen this kind of high-quality set design and production value in a fantasy/sci-fi film, since the likes of Big Fish. Truly a deserving win for such a gorgeous set/art design. Who was snubbed: Australia. It baffles me of any nomination Australia was snubbed for, it was this one. The set design and artistic direction in Australia was not only the best of the year by far, it was as sweeping and memorable as the likes of Gone with Wind and Lawrence of Arabia. I'm not saying Lurhman acheived the tonal feel he was going for with the film, itself, but what lacked in the production elements of the actual films script and sometimes misguided direction, more than made up for in its artistic set design. Truly a tragic snub. What should have been left out: The Duchess. Let's face it. This film was all about the costumes. I saw the film a few days before the nominees were announced and I hardly remember anything noteworthy about the set, whatsoever. This could have easily been replaced with Australia or The Fall.

Film Editing: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight Frost/NixonMilk Slumdog Millionaire Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. With its fast cuts and MTV-styled, Run Lola Run influenced editing, Slumdog is surely to win Best Film Editing. It’s sort of reminiscent of City of God, which was robbed of the win in 2003. It never feels too quick, too tepid. Everything always seems to flow together just nicely and vividly. It’s pure eye-candy and is one of the best elements of the film, I believe. It deserves this award. Personal Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, for reasons above. Who was snubbed: Paranoid Park. I enjoyed the editing much more in this film than I did Van Sant’s Milk. Milk’s editing was still very well executed and delivered, but it seems it is only here because of all the other nominations it received, and seeing as how Park was left out altogether (not surprisingly, so), it was not even considered for this. Who should have been left out: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Everything flowed together nicely and smoothly but there wasn’t anything extraordinarily different about the editing in Button. The eye candy was all within the sets, visuals, makeup, etc. The editing just sort of flowed together like water, which fit the tone of the film, but I’d much prefer something cutting edge and jarring like Paranoid Park .

Costume Design:Australia The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Duchess Milk Revolutionary Road Predicted Winner: The Duchess. It seems the Academy loves their period pieces, and I can't blame them. Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Marie Antoinette were both extremely deserving of their wins for Costume Design, and the design in The Duchess is no exception in lacking anything but excellence. The costumes are so amazing in the Duchess, the characters themselves marvel over what they and the Duchess (Keira Knightly), herself, is wearing. There are several scenes where she simply parades around showing off what she is wearing for pure attention and fashion purposes. After all, she was quite known for fashion trend starters. Personal Winner: The Duchess. I was in awe of the costumes. Truly magnificent job. Who was snubbed: Mamma Mia. Don't laugh, will you. If you know anything about me, you know I did not enjoy this film. However, the costumes were a pure spectacle. Some were very laughable, yes, but even while they were laughable, they were still very well constructed and befitting for the feel of the film. Who can forget that dress that Streep wore on the boat? The dress pretty much stole the show in that number. What should have been left out: Revolutionary Road. Of all the nominees this film was snubbed of, Costume Design should not have been one of the three it received. The costumes were very well fitting for the time period, but there was nothing extraordinarily complex about them. The film takes place in the 50's and the costumes aren't lavish and colorful like the ones in Far From Heaven. Instead, they're dull grey business suits, pea-green skirts and baize colored heels. What's breathtaking about that?

Make-Up: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonThe Dark KnightHellboy II: The Golden Army Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I really feel this one has no competition here. Cannom takes us through of a journey of several indivuals all played by the same actors in various stages of their life, from ages 15 to 80. I've always said that old-age makeup is the hardest to achieve on film because it's in your face, and it's much harder to come across as convincing as say prosthetics. Last year, La Vie En Rose won, deservedly, for some of the most incredible old-age makeup I've ever seen. You can bet your buttons on Button for this one. Personal Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, for all the reasons listed above.Who was snubbed/left out: No one. These are the exact three nominees I would have chosen for this category. Good job Oscars.

Best Score: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Defiance* Milk Slumdog Millionaire Wall-E Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. It seems it has an advantage, already having won the Golden Globe for Score, and the Academy lately, has loved non-traditional scores, such as Babel (beating out a more friendly epic score like Pan's Labyrinth). However, in Slumdog's case, it actually has the advantage of being the best score this time around, unlike Babel's, which gets me to my next point.Personal Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. With its almost at times majestically romantic sound, this score is both sweeping and epic, both pulsating and calming. It manages to acheive the accomplishment of being variate, and few scores are able to pull that off convincingly with the tone of the film. Perfume did this a couple of years ago and was snubbed altogether of its noms. Who was snubbed: Let the Right One In. You may not have had heard of this Swedish vampire film (don't let the genre throw you off, it's amazing), but you shall in a couple of more years when it's remade for American audiences. Do yourself a favor and see this film. Embrace it. Love it. And while you're at it, pay close attention to the tragically haunting and mesmerizing score that trickles its way into your bones and leaves you feeling at peace and at ease. For once, you're rooting for the vampires to kill the humans and the score does nothing but help your emotion. Who should have been left out: Milk. Before anyone starts bashing me for saying Danny Elfman should have been left out, let me begin by saying I think Elfman was robbed of noms/wins for Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and countless others. It seems the Academy has only been paying attention to him lately with the likes of Big Fish and now Milk. Personally, I enjoyed Corpse Brides’ better than the two of those scores. As for the score to Milk, there really isn’t anything spectacular about it in my opinion. It’s easily forgettable and blends right in with the film. It doesn’t sound any more original than a score from any other film I haven’t seen before.

Best Song: "Down to Earth" from Wall-E"Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire"O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire ("Jai Ho"). It seems everyone is ranting and raving about this "Bollywood" dance number in the end credits of Slumdog and since it’s pretty much picking up several other Oscars, expect it to possibly land this one as well. The only way I could see it not winning is if the other Slumdog song cancels it out. Personal Winner: Wall-E ("Down to Earth"). I absolutely love this song, Thomas Newman and Peter Gabriel. It’s filled with warmth, depth, emotion and meaning and has a powerful message that sums up the meaning of the film. It deserves the win, as it is much better than the other two songs nominated here. Who was snubbed: The Wrestler ("The Wrestler"). I’m not a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, and even when I saw he won the Golden Globe for the song, and looked it up I wasn’t impressed when listening to it on youtube, but something about listening to it in the end credits really brought it home for me in The Wrestler. The song completely captivates Rourke’s character and leaves a very lasting impression. It doesn’t work as well on its own but in the context of the film, it’s amazing, and that’s what this category is about: how well a song helps/carries out the meaning or feel of the film. I guess you can say Slumdog’s did, but to me it seemed much more random. Who should have been left out: Slumdog Millionaire ("Jai Ho"). One song is enough from Slumdog, but two? Personally I don’t think either one should be here, but this song is just ridiculous. It’s nothing but a bunch of stomping feet and chanting the same lyrics over and over. If this song wins, it will go down as the worst song to have ever won, and I’m not over-exaggerating. I actually enjoy a lot of Indian music (Asha Boshle) and have enjoyed several Bollywood films and their music. I believe all the songs in Lagaan were much better and robbed of nominations, and here we have a mainstream success Danny Boyle film with Indian songs that Americans have never heard anything like before (because they don’t expand their minds and watch enough actual foreign films), and people go nuts over it. It makes me boil.

Sound: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight Slumdog Millionaire Wall-E Wanted Predicted Winner: The Dark Knight. You can pretty much almost guarantee the film with the loudest explosions and booms usually wins Sound. Sure, there have been exceptions, but they’re usually musical biopics like Ray and Dreamgirls. The two here that have a lot of loud booms are The Dark Knight and Wanted, and we certainly know one was the 2nd best reviewed film of the year, whereas the other ... was not even in the top 100. Look for The Dark Knight to win. Personal Winner: The Dark Knight. From the explosion in the hospital, to the car zooms, to the wires snapping and the champagne glasses clinking, The Dark Knight is loaded with an abundance of sound clips and recordings and exceeds magnificently in being the best of the year. Who was left out: Iron Man. Come on, now. I don’t even think I have to explain myself on this one! Who should have been left out: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Once again, Button is in a category, just so he could get the most nominations. I didn’t see anything Oscar-worthy about a baby crying, a clock ticking and a hurricane blowing over. Alright, so the hurricane scene was impressive, sound-wise, but it doesn’t make up the films entirety. Plus, wasn’t the scene distracting enough as is, seeing as how it felt like we were back on the shrimp boat with BubbaGump?

Sound Editing: The Dark Knight Iron Man Slumdog Millionaire Wall-E Wanted Predicted Winner: The Dark Knight. Usually Sound and Sound Editing go hand in hand and the editing of the sound was flawless in Knight. Personal Winner: The Dark Knight, for everything I’ve already said. Who was snubbed: Mongol. The film wasn’t spectacular, and was already nominated last year for Best Foreign Film, but the technical achievements in the film were at times on par with Jackson’s Lord of the Rings series. From sword fighting, to fire blazing, to animals roaming and stampeding through way through treacherous warfare, Mongol delivered great sound and sound editing, indeed. Who should have been left out: Slumdog Millionaire. This is kind of another it’s nominated for almost everything else, let’s stick it in a slot in this category as well nomination. There’s nothing to write home about as far as the sound editing or sound for that matter is concerned with Slumdog.

Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonThe Dark Knight Iron Man Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. From the visuals of Button at a young/old age to the weathering storm, to just the whole look of the film, aesthetically, in general, Button’s visual effects are all the talk right now and I wouldn’t be surprised if it won this award. Personal Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, for reasons already stated above. Who was snubbed/left out: No one. I feel these are the three best for visual effects this year.

Best Animated Film:Bolt*Kung Fu Panda Wall-E Predicted Winner: Wall-E. Does it really have any competition. Honestly?Personal Winner: Wall-E. I haven’t seen Bolt (*coughcough*) yet, but I doubt it’s going to be as good as Wall-E. It doesn’t even look as good as Kung Fu Panda and that wasn’t even in the same league as Wall-E. If any category is a dead giveaway this year, its this one and for good reasons. Wall-E is not just the best animated film of the year, it’s one of the best films of the year, period.Who was snubbed/left out: So far, no one, since I haven’t seen Bolt, but after I see Bolt, I might think differently. The year really wasn’t spectacular in general for animated films.

Best Foreign Language Film:The Baader Meinhof Complex* The Class* Damages* Revanche* Waltz with Bashir* Predicted Winner: Waltz with Bashir. There’s a pretty big uproar that this film is not in the animated category and in the Foreign Film category, instead, but I think reasons being is because many complained last year that Persepolis lost animated to Ratatouille but could have won had it been nominated in the foreign film category. Personally, I think since there are fewer animated films a year than foreign, they should put them in the animated category, but that is just me. Either way, the film has rave reviews and is one of the years 20 best reviewed. It won the Golden Globe, and it will probably win the Oscar as well.Personal Winner: I can’t say, because I haven’t seen any of them yet. This is what happens when you live in Arkansas. You have to wait for things to come to you. The only two that have even had a theatrical release yet have been The Class and Waltz with Bashir, though. Who was snubbed/left out: I can’t comment because I haven’t seen any of the above films.

Best Documentary: The Betrayal–Nerakhoon* Encounters at the End of the World The Garden* Man on Wire Trouble the Water* Predicted Winner: Man on Wire. It’s in the top 10 best reviewed films of the year (much higher than any other documentary this year) and it seems to be sweeping every other award show in its wins. Personal Winner: Man on Wire. Of the two I have seen thus far, it is the better. It really is amazingly powerful and gripping, and quite poignant. The story of a man who walks on a wire between the twin towers for personal satisfaction, in a time when we no longer have them, is quite meaningful. The whole film the media and news look at the man as if he is insane, but you feel like you become the man and step inside his shoes that you see why walking on wires gives him such pleasure. It’s a truly breathtaking experience.Who was snubbed/left out: I can’t comment yet, because I haven’t seen enough documentaries of the year.

Best Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes* Lavatory-Lovesong Oktapodi Presto This Way Up Predicted Winner: Presto. It’s clever, charming, multi-layered, and all summed up in just about 5 minutes. It’s definitely the most popular one of the year (premiering before Wall-E in theaters), so this helps it, and it’s Pixar. Personal Winner: Presto. I’ve seen all but one, so far, this year, and it really is the best. I’ve watched it several times and it’s still amazing each time. It’s reminiscent of the Donald Duck and Daffy days when one catastrophe domino effects onto another. Presto is truly magical. Yes, the pun was intentional. Who was snubbed/should have been left out: Really, I only have access to the shorts that receive nominations until around May or so this year, when I’ll see more submissions, so I can’t say, but there wasn’t one I didn’t like of these nominees! I’m not going to comment on Documentary or Live Action short seeing as how I know nothing about those and have seen none of them. They just aren’t readily available in Arkansas, really.Let me end by saying thank you to anyone who has managed to actually read all 19 pages of this ranting. This wasn’t intended to be anything well-written by any means. I’m merely just trying to express my opinions on this years Oscar-race. Let me also state that in the past I have been horrible about making past predictions and I assume this year I will call out several wrong ones as well. Last year, at an Oscar party, I came in 4th place. I usually win in any sort of trivia game and I can usually argue enough points in claiming a film to be great (though, it merely is just an opinion), but when it comes to predictions I simply, usually suck. I just wanted to do this, this year, because finally I’ve seen almost all the nominees, with the exception of a few –the ones with the * by them.