Film in 2011 (Part 2)

     The 84th Academy Awards are awarded in two weeks. This year I've decided to attempt to watch the Oscars with an awareness of the nominees, and my own set of expectations. However, since there are about twenty films of interest nominated for important awards, I've definitely got my work cut out for me.
     I've already seen and discussed six titles up for nominations (or not). Here are my personal reviews of six more. I've seen all these films exactly once and have not read any professional reviews to inform my opinion. "It's all me," in the words of Mr. Kruger.
     The final set of six I plan to review before February 26 are War Horse, The Help, Midnight in Paris, The Muppets, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and A Separation. I'm working on it. I'll also include my own nominations (and predictions). Stay tuned for this final installment.

     The Tree of Life. ★★★★ (a drama deserving universal acclaim) During a recent interview, Daily Show host Jon Stewart told Brad Pitt, "I've seen it five times and still have no idea what it's about." Well, I do, and I plan to revisit it in more depth in the near future. Basically it's somewhere between Steinbeck's East of Eden and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Its subject matter is as ambitious as its title, and it's too bad that will make it inaccessible to most of the people who have seen it. Its dramatic and endless montages will confuse viewers and make them uncomfortable; its scrutiny into the truth of the 1950s American Dream lifestyle will leave them morose and disillusioned. For me, it became gripping with a small act of defiance, and after that I was sitting on the edge of my seat. Between this movie and Hugo, I'm starting to expect children to possess the acting skills their roles deserve (and soon I will wish I was unfettered from this foolish dream). Spectacular performances from all leading roles. Beautiful cinematography depicting the natural environment, which is intended simultaneously as fact and marvel, given the film's message. Grace beats nature, we're told in the opening. Keep that in the forefront of your mind and you won't stray far from the point of it all. Nominations: best picture, best director, best cinematography.

     The Artist. ★★★ 1/2 (a drama deserving widespread acclaim) My opinion here doesn't matter much, since I've never seen an actual silent movie from the early twentieth century. I'd think I'd need to, if I wanted to fully appreciate what French director Hazanavicius is doing. At the same time, most modern viewers probably haven't seen a single silent film, either, so we're all in the same boat. I was impressed at how well the story was told without hearing the characters speak. I was also impressed at the ways in which the story plays with the concept of silence, especially how it's used as a window into the eroding psyche of the title character. The acting was impeccable and the climax will have you second-guessing your better judgment. And I'll never forget that exploding feather. In terms of what it was trying to achieve it was undoubtedly successful, although personally it doesn't suit my tastes - I am and will remain happily addicted to sound. Nominations: best picture, best director, best original screenplay, best actor (Dujardin), best supporting actress.

     Moneyball. ★★★ (a drama deserving some acclaim) I love sports movies and I loved this one. It's a feel-good film, a story of doubt followed by success, with a few water coolers thrown across the room in between for good measure. Not to mention it's based on a true story, which for me is a bright red cherry on top. Solid acting. Jonah Hill's ability in this regard has grown so much since Superbad, and Brad Pitt deserves some sort of extra award for starring in two very different movies that both deserve such high acclaim. As his character struggles with ongoing defeat both in past and present, we find that we too want his luck to finally change. The irony is that his method isn't supposed to leave anything to chance. The best scene, though, is one in which he's haggling and bluffing to buy or trade for undervalued players. Nominations: best picture, best actor (Pitt), best supporting actor (Hill), best adapted screenplay, 2 more.

     The Ides of March. ★★ 1/2 (a drama probably worthy of several viewings) Good writing made great by strong acting all around. Still, for the first hour, this film is nothing more than a glorified West Wing episode. Politicking on the phone, walking in pairs while hammering out polling data and strategies, the candidate's choice to be honest or cunning. Then the heat's turned up, and by the final scene you are face to face with the inherent corruption everyone playing the political game confronts. In this regard, Ides is a tale of defeat, but one in which the viewer is not allowed to judge too harshly - reminiscent of The Flaming Lips' opening track on At War with the Mystics, "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With all your Power)". The movie doesn't bite off more than it can chew. In this regard it almost feels as if it was produced independently, and might even pass as such if it were stripped of its glossy finish and all-star cast. A particularly suitable film to see before the Republican presidential nomination is decided this summer. Nominations: best adapted screenplay.

     Bridesmaids. ★★ 1/2 (a comedy funny for several viewings) The Hangover for the ladies. Well, not nearly as over the top. This film needed some tightening - two hours is a bit much - but you won't regret spending an evening watching a psychopathic maid of honor reach rock bottom. Funny, especially Melissa McCarthy, who plays the equivalent of the "Alan Garner," and is equally revolting and obnoxious. While all the characters and their interweaving relationships are fairly stereotyped, I didn't find it jarring, since the characters don't take themselves too seriously, either. A good comedy needs to be consistent in this respect. You'll love, pity, and despise the women who populate the screen, but more than anything, you'll be eagerly anticipating the next hilarity. Nominations: best supporting actress (McCarthy).

     Super 8. ★★ (a thriller perhaps worthy of a single viewing) Proof that it's always dangerous to cast children in lead roles. These ones are better than, say, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, but not good enough to make me care about what happens to them. The scary parts aren't scary enough, the sappy parts don't quite hit home, the funny parts fall flat. Is it supposed to be a real disaster flick or just a light-hearted imitation of one? The director, J. J. Abrams (Cloverfield, TV show Lost), can't seem to decide. The film works best before everything goes crazy, but the actors struggle to express an appropriate sense of fear and frustration. They're too comfortable with an extremely dangerous and utterly foreign situation. The mysterious accident that starts the movie moving and the strange disappearances that pepper the opening act keep you guessing, but others seem awkward and unclear as to their significance (e.g. dogs fleeing en masse for dozens of miles). The best part is during the closing credits, when you finally get to see the film you've really been waiting for. And that one does not disappoint. Shortlisted for best visual effects.