407 replies to this topic

[Sille Skrub]

Should win: The Social Network
Close second: The King's Speech

[Trlicek's Whip]

Should win: The Social Network
Close second: The King's Speech

If you subbed "SOCIAL NETWORK" with "BLACK SWAN" for what *should* win, you'd have no argument from me.

I think KING'S SPEECH was fine, that Colin Firth's Best Actor Oscar will atone for his snub in A SINGLE MAN last year, that TNT will play the shit out of THE KING'S SPEECH forever anon going forward so we'll never be done with it - but that THE SOCIAL NETWORK and BLACK SWAN are everlasting and will be Criterion- (or Berry's Hall of Fame) worthy flicks in ten years.

BLACK SWAN was a weighty and eerie psychological thriller that harkened back to flicks like ROSEMARY'S BABY and CARRIE. Especially the claustrophobic atmosphere that the female leads in all three movies endure, and their respective descents into madness. All also feature oppressive adult figures (namely females: Piper Laurie the psycho mom in CARRIE; Barbara Hershey the psycho-mom in BLACK SWAN).

I'm rooting for Aaron Sorkin to win best screenplay for THE SOCIAL NETWORK. And Trent Reznor to win best score. And I think this year could see a split between Best Picture and Best Director; Fincher has been left out in the cold too long with outstanding output (ZODIAC was criminally underrated by the Academy). And while Tom Hooper's direction for THE KING'S SPEECH was production-designer friendly and by-the-numbers workmanlike, it really was sticking a camera in front of two superlative actors that were in essence performing a stage play and getting the hell out of the way, with a fortuitous choice of Beethoven in the final scene that was used to better effect in this movie three years ago.

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 27 February 2011 - 02:03 PM.

[EdRalphRomero]

BLACK SWAN was a weighty and eerie psychological thriller that harkened back to flicks like ROSEMARY'S BABY and CARRIE. Especially the claustrophobic atmosphere that the female leads in all three movies endure, and their respective descents into madness. All also feature oppressive adult figures (namely females: Piper Laurie the psycho mom in CARRIE; Barbara Hershey the psycho-mom in BLACK SWAN).

BLACK SWAN was the worst PIECE OF SHIT I have seen taken seriously in years. Every stupid cliche trotted out (controlling mother with failed career, room full of stuffed animals, stunted emotional development, lecherous director) in a plot line which veered alternately between terribly predictable and insultingly vapid. And then the ultimate insult in the end (which I will not "ruin" for anyone who still wants to see this horrible, horrible movie). And Natalie Portman's approach to acting is...talking in a little girl voice. Brilliant! One scene in the whole movie was worthwhile where at least one character was fellating the other instead of the screenwriter fellating himself.

[CantKeepmedown]

I've seen all of the best actor performances except for Javier Bardem in Biutiful. James Franco is as deserving as any of the others. He won't win (I'm sure Firth will), but his performance was fanstastic.

[SemperFidelisSox]

A lot of buzz on the Internet today from insiders about how Annette Bening is expected to pull off the upset over Natalie Portman in the Best Actress category. Bening is on the Academy's Board of Directors, has been vigorously campaigning the last few weeks, has been nominated three times before, and plays a gay character that always appeals to voters in the past.

[CJM]

The King's Speech was Good Will Hunting with royalty. There wasn't a single moment of that movie that wasn't predictable, and it had a training montage. Firth, however, did a fine piece of acting. Fincher should win for Director, and Sorkin will win for Best Adapted though he's criminally overrated. True Grit is getting slept on because people are taking the Coens for granted. Winter's Bone is getting slept on because its an Ozarks meth movie. Michelle Williams is getting slept on because she got realistically slept on instead of eaten out.
Outside of Fincher, this seems like a real actors'/actresses' year- a lot of great performances in generally middling movies.

Edited by CJM, 28 February 2011 - 01:20 AM.

[Trlicek's Whip]

BLACK SWAN was the worst PIECE OF SHIT I have seen taken seriously in years. Every stupid cliche trotted out (controlling mother with failed career, room full of stuffed animals, stunted emotional development, lecherous director) in a plot line which veered alternately between terribly predictable and insultingly vapid. And then the ultimate insult in the end (which I will not "ruin" for anyone who still wants to see this horrible, horrible movie). And Natalie Portman's approach to acting is...talking in a little girl voice. Brilliant! One scene in the whole movie was worthwhile where at least one character was fellating the other instead of the screenwriter fellating himself.

A first- two people with wholly different tastes in movies raging on the internet about it.
I'd argue that Aronofsky's other films - THE FOUNTAIN, (and, yes) REQUIEM FOR A DREAM - are as much that pretentious fool's gold bullshit you're decrying than BLACK SWAN is. Probably more.

As for POS movies falsely taken seriously... that's what the Oscars are all about, isn't it? Especially Best Picture winners. Usually the Best Picture *isn't* the best picture. Here's the past 16 Best Picture Winners:

THE HURT LOCKER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
THE DEPARTED
CRASH
MILLION DOLLAR BABY
LOTR: THE RETURN OF THE KING
CHICAGO
A BEAUTIFUL MIND
GLADIATOR
AMERICAN BEAUTY
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
TITANIC
THE ENGLISH PATIENT
BRAVEHEART
FORREST GUMP

For every single one of these I can make a strong case for another Best Picture nominee that was better, or much better, each year. Most years these arguments are ridiculously easy to make. And most of these winners satisfy your "POS taken seriously" criteria.

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 27 February 2011 - 06:16 PM.

[EdRalphRomero]

A first- two people with wholly different tastes in movies raging on the internet about it.
I'd argue that Aronofsky's other films - THE FOUNTAIN, (and, yes) REQUIEM FOR A DREAM - are much that more pretentious fool's gold bullshit you're decrying than BLACK SWAN is.

As for POS movies falsely taken seriously... that's what the Oscars are all about, isn't it? Especially Best Picture winners. Usually the Best Picture *isn't* the best picture.

Yeah but I think Black Swan is whole different level. It was so cliched and hackneyed that I found myself laughing out loud at multiple scenes. I really can't think of another movie that was close.

On the positive side I really thought Jennifer Lwarence did a great job in a movie that was interesting, but probably just too dark and too slow to really be a good movie. And I thought Colin Firth did a great job with a role that avoided going the full retard quite well.

[Trlicek's Whip]

Yeah but I think Black Swan is whole different level. It was so cliched and hackneyed that I found myself laughing out loud at multiple scenes. I really can't think of another movie that was close.

THE KING'S SPEECH was paint-by-numbers. It was a feel-good sports movie, in essence. But you liked it, it seems. Or at least liked Firth's performance in it. Which illustrates that personal taste - for actors, directors, and genres - makes everything subjective.

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 27 February 2011 - 06:20 PM.

[Mystic Merlin]

The King's Speech was Good Will Hunting with royalty. There wasn't a single moment of that movie that wasn't predictable, and it had a training montage. Firth, however, did a fine piece of acting. Fincher should win for Director, and Sorkin will win for Best Adapted though he's criminally overrated. True Grit is getting slept on because people are taking the Coens for granted. Winter's Bone is getting slept on because its a Ozarks meth movie. Michelle Williams is getting slept on because she got realistically slept on instead of eaten out.
Outside of Fincher, this seems like a real actors'/actresses' year- a lot of great performances in generally middling movies.

I concur with this.

'The King's Speech' was a well-done film, but it's a pretty forgettable story. I thought it was funny and - at times - heartrending, but I thought it was a humdrum drama on the whole. I hate to say it, but it smacked of 'Frost/Nixon' in that it exaggerated the contemporary and historical significance of the subject matter. Was anyone really hanging on Prince Albert's every word? Aside from his wife, no one. He seems like a nice enough fellow, but I seriously doubt - and have seen nothing to the contrary in studying WWII - that his successful delivery of a few speeches really impacted the war effort or morale of British citizens. I gotta say, I'd be a lot more captivated by a guy with actual power, the Prime Minister.

I have warmed to 'The Social Network'. It holds up to repeat viewings, and - while it flirts dangerously with putting Zuckerberg into a box - I felt it respected the audience enough not to sell out to the 'Mark has no friends so he creates his own social network' angle as hard as it could have. That said, I think there are real problems with the fundamental premise of the film, that we live in a much more interconnected society technologically yet are in actuality more isolated from one another than ever. I don't buy into this chic 'irony' angle from an empirical standpoint - I think Sorkin/Fincher are showing their age here. But, that's more of a quibble with their perception of American society than anything. This is a very good film with an excellent soundtrack, individual performances, and tight editing. I'll be pleased if it takes home the Oscar for Best Picture.

Edited by Mystic Merlin, 27 February 2011 - 06:20 PM.

[EdRalphRomero]

I'd argue THE KING'S SPEECH was paint-by-numbers. It was a feel-good sports movie, in essence. But you liked it, it seems. Or at least liked Firth's performance in it.

Absolutely agree. Paint by numbers, and historically flawed. It worked because, like the Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru scenes in Star Wars sometimes it is just fun to watch a couple of really good actors do their thing.

[InsideTheParker]

Was anyone really hanging on Prince Albert's every word?

Huh? He was seriously dead at the time, so I doubt it.

[Mystic Merlin]

What? He died in 1952 (as King George VI of course, but surely you know who I meant).

Edited by Mystic Merlin, 27 February 2011 - 07:00 PM.

[Clears Cleaver]

ScarJo is sporting the "I just got fucked look" on the red carpet

[Wingack]

Just finished The Kids Are Allright and I thought Julianne Moore was better than Benning.

[Mystic Merlin]

The Red Carpet show might be the worst 90 minutes of prime-time programming throughout the entire calendar year.

[hittery]

Why are Natalie Portman's boobs so small? She's pregnant, isn't she?

P.s. apologies for the abortive thread

[mikeford]

Winter's Bone should win. It won't, but it was definitely the best movie on the list.

[Al Zarilla]

The Red Carpet show might be the worst 90 minutes of prime-time programming throughout the entire calendar year.

Co-worst with the coverage on E! My wife goes back and forth between the two. E! is actually worse probably by an order of magnitude.

[Mystic Merlin]

I just realized Sandra Bullock has been front and center for two of the biggest Oscar abortions of the last decade plus: 'Crash' for Best Picture in '05 and Best Actress last year.

[amh03]

Saw King's Speech this afternoon and Social Network last night. Still haven't caught up with Black Swan, though it certainly has been on the list.

I'm really leaning towards Social Network...everyone in King's Speech was amazing, but there's really something about Social Network that's just a sliver more deserving in my mind...

[djbayko]

Mila Kunis wins hottest outfit so far.

Bayko

[Mystic Merlin]

This is amusing.

That was also way too long.

Edited by Mystic Merlin, 27 February 2011 - 08:37 PM.

[ifmanis5]

Already lame.

[Clears Cleaver]

Wow, that was fucking awful

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

I liked it

[drleather2001]

Speaking of Oscar Travesties, "Goodfellas" is on ION.

[Mystic Merlin]

What the fuck is this shit?

[CJM]

There is so much that is embarrassingly awful about the Oscars, and I know it's hipsterish to hate on them, but I love the Oscars. Love 'em.

That said GET ON TO THE GODDAMN AWARDS.

[Clears Cleaver]

OMG make it stop already. HArd to make Franco and Hathaway unlikeable but this is doing it

[djbayko]

Alec Baldwin should host every year.

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

Just a wild guess, but I don't think that Franco has much trouble getting laid.

[Remagellan]

What is the point of this?

[drleather2001]

That movie was shit.

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

Alec Baldwin should host every year.

They're obviously trying to appeal to a younger demographic. It it doesn't work, bring back Steve Martin and Alec!

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

Didn't Hanks give out the Best Picture Oscar last year?

[SydneySox]

Alice in Wonderland? Jesus fuck.

I don't even care about this fucking award... or actually any of them really... but fucking Alice in Wonderland just got acknowledged for something. Alice in fucking Wonderland!

Crazy.

[Remagellan]

So I'm guessing a win in art direction is NOT going to lead to a Best Picture win? So basically the intro to this category was a BIG FRIGGIN WASTE OF TIME!

[twoBshorty]

I laughed at "Microphones will get a lot smaller."

[CJM]

Too bad - Jess Gonchar is a fantastic art director. Then again, I'm of the mind that the best art direction doesn't make itself known.

[Remagellan]

I'm glad Wally Pfister won, because he's clearly a dude who got teased a lot growing up.

[SemperFidelisSox]

Who has Kirk Douglas in the death pool?

Edited by SemperFidelisSox, 27 February 2011 - 08:52 PM.

[johnmd20]

I'm glad Wally Pfister won, because he's clearly a dude who got teased a lot growing up.

Yeah, great name.

Wow, I can't believe they wheeled out Kirk Douglas' corpse. Way to stay young and hip.

[Remagellan]

Yeah, great name.

Wow, I can't believe they wheeled out Kirk Douglas' corpse. Way to stay young and hip.

Time is cruel.

[djbayko]

I'm glad Wally Pfister won, because he's clearly a dude who got teased a lot growing up.

"Ain't it hypocritical that so many nuns is strippers?... There was one at me mate's 21st party. She said her name was Sister Fister" - Ali G

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

So...Christoph Waltz was busy tonight?

[SydneySox]

Jacki Weaver was really good in Animal Kingdom. You guys should watch it. It's cliched but rises above. Much like the Fighter.

[TheYellowDart5]

So...Christoph Waltz was busy tonight?

He's apparently filming overseas.

I'm 99 percent sure that Kirk Douglas is going to die on stage.

[Remagellan]

So...Christoph Waltz was busy tonight?

Maybe he is afraid to show his face in Hollywood after agreeing to appear in The Green Hornet.

[Mystic Merlin]

This is really sad.