My 2012 Oscars Round-Up

My 2012 Oscars Round-Up

No real surprises then as the brilliant THE ARTIST was the big winner on the night, collecting five awards including Best Picture. Incredibly, it is the first silent film to do so since Wings in 1929! A staggering achievement.

 The magnificent HUGO also deservedly won five, for production design, cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, and visual effects. This is a greatly nostalgic year for the Academy, as these two front-running films, both appropriately celebrate the magic of cinema!

BEST PICTURE – A SNAPSHOT VIEW:

When, in 2005, Scorsese’s Howard Hughes epic THE AVIATOR lost out to Clint Eastwood’s drama MILLION DOLLAR BABY, it seemed to have started somewhat of a trend.

Particularly since 2006, there are two or three pictures in contention where the scenario of a crowd-pleasing favourite seems to triumph over a quieter, critical choice. Goerge Clooney’s stunning directorial debut, absolutely sensational true-life political-thriller GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (the one I think should’ve won), lost out to the hard-hitting ensemble human-drama CRASH.

The following year in 2007, the debate continued as Stephen Frears’s THE QUEEN lost out to Scorsese’s return to the gangster genre in the mould of GOODFELLAS and CASINO, with THE DEPARTED. 
 

2008 saw one of the Academy’s biggest snubs ever when the Coen Brother’s gritty NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN triumphed over both Joe Wright’s exceptional ATONEMENT (definitely my favourite) and the superb MICHEAL CLAYTON. 

                                                                       
                                                                   

 2009 was especially interesting, it was my first trip to the BAFTAS(!) - (I'm now a regular, in attendence every year since!) Three major favourites all provided talking points. Danny Boyle’s feel-good crowd-pleaser SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE was the runaway success, but my two equally favourite films of that year, one of which was the wonderful THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – lost out. The other, Sam Mendes’s absolutely exceptional suburban drama REVOLUTIONARY ROAD was overlooked altogether, having not even been nominated. 


2010 saw another competitive triangle, in the varied form of ultra-intense war drama THE HURT LOCKER, the leviathan blockbusting epic AVATAR,  and a dramedy taking place 165,000 feet UP IN THE AIR. Surprising both my favourite (UP IN THE AIR) and the favourite to win – AVATAR – both lost out to the far smaller THE HURT LOCKER. This was a case of substance over style. It was also the year the Academy decided to thankfully increase the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten, in order to give more films a chance.  

Last year, my favourite film of all time even missed out on collecting a golden statue. That film was INCEPTION, Christopher Nolan’s stratospherically special, mind-blowing, globetrotting epic. It’s an instant blockbusting classic, in the same great tradition as Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODDYSEY, Ridley Scott’s BLADE RUNNER, Spielberg’s JURASSIC PARK or Emmerich’s INDEPENDENCE DAY.

I really enjoyed THE KING’S SPEECH, it’s a great film, but INCEPTION should’ve definitely won! 

 
 

AND SO TO THIS YEAR…

Yet again, my favourite film of the year wasn’t even nominated – the absolutely electrifying TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY. Out of the one’s that were however, I was really hoping the wonderful HUGO would triumph, but it seemed nothing could compete with the joyous charm of THE ARTIST.

With TINKER TAILOR and HUGO both making up two-thirds of my Top 3, the other one THE RUM DIARY, was completely overlooked, both for Best Picture and Best Actor for JOHNNY DEPP. 
 
 

Not since CHIGAGO won back in 2003, has my favourite film of that particular year actually won Best Picture, in terms of the Academy Award Best Picture Nominees.

2012 – THE OTHER MAJOR WINNERS.

BEST ACTOR – It went to JEAN DUJARDIN for THE ARTIST, the initial favourite, but many thought GEORGE CLOONEY may just edge him on the night for THE DECENDENTS. It should’ve been GARY OLDMAN, terrific in TINKER TAILOR.

BEST ACTRESS – No real surprise, as MERYL STREEP won for her beyond uncanny portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in THE IRON LADY – and deservedly so. It was so interesting though that the odds tipped in VIOLA DAVIS’S favour at the very last minute for THE HELP. I must say, I’m really looking forward to seeing GLENN CLOSE in ALBERT NOBBS, when it’s released here in April. It looks like another extraordinary performance from her – probably a career-best.

BEST DIRETOR

THE ARTIST’s MICHEL HAZANAVICIOUS won, but I would have liked MARTIN SCORSESE recognised for HUGO. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Eighty-two year-old CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER finally won his first Oscar for BEGINNERS, but I thought KENNETH BRANAGH was fantastic as Sir Lawrence Olivier in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

The favourite, OCTAVIA SPENCER won for her role as Minnie in THE HELP, but JANET McTEER should also be extraordinary as Hubert Page in ALBERT NOBBS.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Surely, this deserved to go to TINKER TAILOR. It in fact went to THE DECENDENTS.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

In many ways this was the biggest surprise of the night, as WOODY ALLEN’s time-travelling satire MIDNIGHT IN PARIS beat the favourite THE ARTIST. I would’ve liked to have seen J.C. CHANDOR win for MARGIN CALL.

BEST ANIMATION

Out of the nominees, I’m pleased RANGO won, but I would’ve liked to have seen ARTHUR CHRISTMAS win it.

FINALLY, THE BLOCKBUSTER QUESTION…

In a similar way in which The Golden Globes split their picture category into the genres of Drama, and Musical or Comedy, isn’t it time we had a Best Blockbuster Category?

2010 stands out in the memory for me, as an absolute powerhouse year, both for the blockbuster, and cinema in general. It was the year of my absolute favourite - INCEPTION of course - and also Scorsese’s SHUTTER ISLAND, Tim Burton’s version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and it was the year that saw the meteoric rise of 3D, used to breathtaking effect in the sequel: TRON: LEGACY.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES was a huge hit last summer. Hopefully this year will be no exception with a flurry on the way including JOHN CARTER, WRATH OF THE TITANS, THE AVENGERS, G.I. JOE 2, SPIDERMAN, two SNOW WHITE’s, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborate again for DARK SHADOWS, and of course there’s THE DARK KNIGHT RISES!

My Top10 Films of 2010:

1.     Inception

2.     Shutter Island

3.     TRON:Legacy

4.     Alice In Wonderland

5.      The Last Station 

6.     The Ghost Writer

7.     Tamera Drewe

8.     Megamind 
9.   You Again 
10. Nine


 

     

                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                                 

 My Top 10 Films of 2011:

1. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. 

2. The Rum Diary 

3. Howl 

4. Hugo 

5. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

6. The Iron Lady

7. Anonymous 

8. The King's Speech

9. My Week With Marilyn 

10. Never Let Me Go

      

  

My Top 10 Films of 2012:

    1. Looper

          2. The Dark Knight Rises

         3. Anna Karenina

4. Dark Shadows

5.  The Avengers Assemble  

6. Cosmopolis

7.  Argo

8. Carnage

   9.   A Dangerous Method        
10. Lincoln 

OSCARS 2013 - Who else should have been nominated?

BEST LEADING ACTOR

ANTHONY HOPKINS as absolutely transcendent as HITCHCOCK, and  JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT was phenomenal in both LOOPER and PREMIUM RUSH, as well as in supporting roles, giving the best performances in both THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, and LINCOLN. 
JOHNNY DEPP played his best ever character in DARK SHADOWS, ROBERT PATTINSON gave his best performance to date in COSMOPOLIS too. CHRISTIAN BALE gave a wonderful last performance as Batman in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.

BEST ACTRESS

     KEIRA KNIGHTLEY -ANNA KARENINA.

     HELEN MIRREN –HITCHCOCK.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

     JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT–THE DARK KNIGHT RISES or LINCOLN.

     NICOLAI COSTER-WALDAU – HEADHUNTERS

     JAMES D’ARCY –HITCHCOCK

     MARK RUFFALO –AVENGERS ASSEMBLE

     BRYAN CRANSTON– ARGO

     MATIEAU AMERIC -COSMOPOLIS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• ANNE HATHAWAY – THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

• OLIVIA WILLIAMS – ANNA KARENINA

• EVA GREEN – DARK SHADOWS

• HELENA BONHAM-CARTER – DARK SHADOWS

• JULIETTE BINOCHE – COSMOPOLIS

• SCARLET JOHANSSON – HITCHCOCK. 
•  
• CHARLIZE THERON - PROMETHEUS.

BEST DIRECTOR

Ø     CHRISTOPHER NOLAN– THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Ø     RIAN JOHNSON –LOOPER

Ø     JOE WRIGHT – ANNA KARENINA

Ø     STEVEN SPEILBERG –LINCOLN

Ø     DAVID CRONENBERG –COSMOPOLIS

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

• THE LORAX

• RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

     LOOPER

     THE DARK KNIGHTRISES

     THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

     DARK SHADOWS

 
















My Top 10 Films Of 2013

1. Oz: The Great And Powerful 

2. Hitchcock 

3. The Great Gatsby 

4. Don Jon 

5. Saving Mr. Banks 

6. The Butler 

7. Gravity 

8. Man Of Steel

9. Cloud Atlas

10. Olympus Has Fallen 

Carnage Review

Winter 2012

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz.

Certificate: 15

Running Time: 79 mins. approx.

Seen At: Didsbury

On: Saturday, 4^th February, 2012.

Originally a play entitled ‘God of Carnage’ written by Yazmina Reza in 2006, this is now adapted for film by one of our very finest filmmakers, Roman Polanski. The visionary behind such lasting cinematic milestones as Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown, and most recently the political thriller The Ghost Writer, now chooses this latest project, a biting, riotous social satire, which sees two sets of Brooklyn parents convene in an apartment to discuss an altercation which occurred between their two sons.

  What starts as a superficially polite, gradually sliding façade - an artifice of pleasantries - soon turns into a hilariously uncomfortable war of words. As was the case with Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party in 1977, this is exactly the kind of brutal, squirm-inducing dinner party scenario that you’re so glad you’re not attending, and yet as a viewer, you secretly delight, and revel in being a fly-on-the-wall, witnessing Schadenfreude (the opportunity to glimpse at the misfortunes of others).

  Utilizing the clever concept of confining the entire film into one exquisitely upholstered apartment, greatly increases its high level of theatricality. It’s supposed to make you feel claustrophobic and certainly does, but never in a way where you want to leave – you can’t wait to see the bubbling tensions between this quartet of suburbians completely boil over before exploding.

  The couples in question are made up of four totally different characters. There’s the extremely tightly-wound, prickly, rigid travel writer Penelope (Jodie Foster). Her husband is Micheal, the complete antithesis – a laid-back household salesman, initially the group’s peacemaker (John C. Reilly).

  Juxtaposed against these more traditional parents grounded in homemaking, are the other couple, the wealthier Cowen’s, logical investment banker Nancy (Kate Winslet) and her straight-talking, constantly distracted pharmaceutical manager husband Alan (Christoph Waltz). One couple cultured, the other superior, they’re all deliciously unlikable, bouncing off one another perfectly – with four brilliant actors, each giving performances which are as fantastic as each other. Christoph Waltz’s Alan has a highly amusing snorting laugh, freely admits his own son Zachery to be a maniac, and is always on his mobile phone trying to sell unorthodox pills.

  With the scotch whiskey flowing, (which only serves to fuel these people’s contempt for each other even further), the acid-tongued remarks are soon in full swing, with topics of conversation as mundane and varied as animal cruelty, toilet-flushing and a gingerbread, apple and pear cobbler pie, which definitely disagrees with Kate Winslet’s Nancy, in the film’s most shockingly side-splitting moment, when she violently vomits all over Penelope’s treasured fine-art books! She also has to reach for the bucket several times afterwards, with other characters being broken off mid-sentence by that unmistakable retching sound!

  The argument quickly moves away from trying to solve the dispute of the two sons, with the focus rapidly escalating into examining the issues in each other’s seemingly solid marriages.

 The dialogue is barbed with a devilishly bitter sense of antagonism. The character’s political differences are even exposed: ‘My wife dressed me up as a liberal!’ the increasingly irritated Michael exclaims. Brittle Penelope isn’t ashamed of her unbreakably uptight attitude: ‘I don’t have a sense of humour, and I don’t want one’ she states. Nancy too doesn’t think twice about speaking her mind: ‘If you don’t think anything, don’t say anything!’  she snaps. When Alan’s preoccupation with his mobile becomes too much, Nancy drops it into a vase of tulips, to which an incredulous Alan replies: ‘You belong in a home dear!’ She then proceeds to drunkenly throw the tulips all over the floor!

  I love the simplicity of the setup Polanski has constructed. All filmed on a soundstage in Paris, and then with the backdrops designed to double for  New York with Subway trains whizzing past - the illusion is seamless.

  The action gradually builds inside a pressure cooker of frayed tempers and excessive alcohol consumption, going from civilized, to mild annoyance, to vomit-emitting, with a crescendo of handbag slinging and  verbal fireworks, this is a sparklingly witty, frequently laugh-out-loud experience, with its performances all perfectly judged. It also has the distinction of triumphantly translating a piece of theatre into the cinema. One of the year’s very best!

Rating: * * * * *