Oscar preview

Here it is! My annual Oscar Night awards. My picks for the big night, as well as my own personal awards for all things in film.

First, some last minute reviews:

White Noise 2 -

In between all the award hopefuls, we had to fit in a straight-to-DVD sequel of a horror film that wasn't even successful. BUT, this one stars Nathan Fillion instead, which is a nice surprise. And it doesn't really have anything to do with electronic recording as much as it does with a man getting powers after a near-death experience - which makes it more of a low-budget mix of The Dead Zone and that awful Jessica Alba movie that just came out, as well as copying off of various X Files episodes, than a sequel. After his NDE, Fillion can tell if people are going to die soon, and he begins to save them. Sounds normal, but then he finds out that saving them ruins their natural time-line, and creates even more chaos... chaos the devil himself may be behind. That was cool. This still has too many bad actors and cheap scares to be good, but if they just invested a little more, it would have been interesting. Fillion deserves better.

American Gangster -

I was a little skeptical of this when it hit theaters, having grown tired of the Russ Crowe and Ridley Scott combo, not to mention Denzel trying too hard. This is, however, pretty good. Scott cuts down a lot of excess and goes for a real crime story, almost like Goodfellas with black people. The dual storylines of Crowe as a detective and Washington as the crime boss work together to make a story about the drug trade in New York in the 70's. Denzel cools it down here, not going too crazy, which works for his criminal, who treats his business like, well, a real business. After a long start with loads of information, this starts growing into an intense action crime drama. More interesting is how the real story ended, with the two main people becoming friends and even allies in bringing down corruption. So, this is worthy of a lot of praise. It might have the most random supporting cast ever (RZA, Josh Brolin, Armand Assante, the guy who was Buffalo Bill), and more.

Grindhouse -

Yeah, I know, I waited too long to see it initially and then they split it up. I really couldn't pay for both after that, no matter how much I wanted to, but using free passes, I decided to get both sides of this schlock-fest.

Planet Terror, Robert Rodriguez's part, might have topped Kill Bill for the title of Most Ridiculous (but Fun) Movie Ever. It's hard to say, because I've seen a lot of films that could be described as "utterly ridiculous." This one has so much cheap laughs, cheap gore, and cheap melodrama, though, that I can't handle it. It's genius-ly trashy, with the random cast to prove it.

Death Proof was a little calmer... just slightly... and maybe not as good, but still fun. I would've just liked to have been on the set when Tarantino was ogling Kurt Russell with 100 questions about John Carpenter and such.

Of course, the best part was the fake trailers in between, especially DON'T! Which ought to seal the Hot Fuzz team as a great writing force. Although, I think I read a couple scripts at my last job that were just like Machete... but they were serious. Maybe they can use that trailer and just pretend.


PICKS


So what are the award picks for my best of the year? I'll do this by giving what SHOULD win/be nominated vs. what I PREDICT will win. I should note that this year, my favorite films aren't necessarily my picks for Best Picture. I'll give you my best films of the year list here, not my favorites. I'd rank Hot Fuzz and The Ten as my favorites of the year, but I wouldn't vote for them for the big one.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Actual nominees: Juno, The Savages, Michael Clayton, Lars and the Real Girl, Ratatouille

My top five: The Savages, Michael Clayton, Hot Fuzz, Fay Grim, Eastern Promises

I know Juno will win, since it keeps winning every writing award and people are so in love with it. Don't get me wrong, it's nice, and a hell of a first script for Diablo Cody. But, just like Little Miss Sunshine last year, it's not quite deserving of the best. If everyone is so excited to vote for an indie, hip, female writer who has a hilarious script with serious undertones, why don't they just pick Tamara Jenkins? I did. Tony Gilroy is a close second to me. And yes, if I was in the guild, I would probably vote for Hot Fuzz just so it would get nominated. Of all the great comedies this year, that was the best writing. I round it out with Hal Hartley, who deserves to at least get a writing nom some time, and the intense script of Eastern Promises, which I only realized recently was NOT an adaptation. I wanted to include The Darjeeling Limited, but it was just a late cut.

Almost making my list here, for Waitress, and for supporting actress, is the late Adrienne Shelly, who really ought to get something special posthumously.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Actual: No Country, There Will Be Blood, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly, Atonement, Away From Her

My top five: No Country, There Will Be Blood, Zodiac, American Gangster, The Diving Bell

Like the big awards, it's a tough choice between the Coens and PTA. I'm guessing No Country because they stayed faithful to the book and still made it their own. Zodiac deserves better. Atonement's script was the one thing that held it back from being great, so I don't see its inclusion here. (See what I just wrote about American Gangster). Diving Bell was good - they managed to keep the guy's sense of humor even after he was paralyzed.

I know it doesn't matter much, but I actually think the guy who wrote the script for Harry Potter this year gets deserves some credit for chopping down a huge book into a good movie. It's harder, I think, when you have to choose what to leave out. Same for Persepolis - even though she used her own graphic novels, she had to come up with the best material for 90 minutes, and it worked.

BEST DOC

I should have seen more here. No End in Sight was good, if nothing new. I'll try to see more at some point.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE / and SONG

The fact that Johnny Greenwood's terrifying arrangements for TWBB aren't in this category makes me not care. That was a weird disqualification. He won all the early awards before they said no.... what gives?

Also, if the signature song from Once doesn't win, I will spend the next few months hunting people down here. No, really. I don't ask for much, but if there was ever an obvious pick, this is it.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Actual: No Country, There WBB, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Diving Bell

I have no gripes here. Those are all shot exceptionally well. I can't think of one that I like better, although I was fond of Zodiac and Darjeeling Limited for imagery. Well, this is a good group, and it's hard to just pick one. I'm calling Jesse James mainly because that's what makes this movie worth it. I'd vote for it, I suppose, but I could take any of these.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Actual: Ratatouille, Persepolis, Surf's Up

My top: Persepolis, The Simpsons, Ratatouille

Really? Surf's Up??? My friend who works at the City Paper didn't even have to review that one - I wrote a haiku for it in his place. I know The Simpsons movie was okay, not as special as the best years of the show, but it did well and everyone else seems to like it as an animated choice. Unbelievable. Anyway, I know Ratatouille will win because it's well-made and charming, and I can't dispute that, but Persepolis might be the greatest animated feature ever. Just saying.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Actual: Ruby Dee, Sairose Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Amy Ryan, Tilda Swinton

I'd vote for all of them, so I think this is a good group. I guess I like Swinton the best, but I think they will wise up and pick Amy Ryan. There's no good reason not to - Dee doesn't have much screen time, Blanchett is a little over the top, and the others don't have the emotional power.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Actual: Javier Bardem, Hal Holbrook, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Wilkinson, Casey Affleck

My top: Bardem, Holbrook, Hoffman, Steve Zahn, Paul Dano, Wilkinson, Philip Bosco

Alright..... this is darn near impossible. Some years, there are tough choices, but this year, you could name 10 guys who could all be here. I think everyone they nominated is great; how can I say no to Phil and Tom, let alone Holbrook recapturing magic? I also think seven other people are great. Everyone knows Javier Bardem is going to win, and he should, but my God, this is an unfair year. Zahn nearly killed himself, totally reinvented his persona, and didn't even get nominated. Dano held his own with DDL but was overlooked. Josh Brolin, out of nowhere, has appeared in FOUR good films this year as a ragged/skeevy/tough guy, when we used to just remember him as the older brother in The Goonies. Russell Crowe made me finally like him - twice. Philip Bosco was great as the mean but dementia-ted dad in The Savages, but for some reason, he's not getting the love that Holbrook (and Julie Christie) are for similar great elder roles. I think any of the men in Juno - Michael Cera (getting points also for carrying Superbad), Jason Bateman, or J.K. Simmons - could get nominated. But it's so hard. They should have just made this 7 or 8 nominees.

BEST ACTRESS

Actual: Julie Christie, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney

My top: Christie, Cotillard, Linney, Keri Russell, Helena Bonham-Carter

Julie Christie will win, maybe with sentiment, but she'll deserve it. I really like Ellen Page, but I actually think she'll have much better roles.... don't get so caught up in this. Blanchett played that before... meh. I like Keri for breaking through and really holding up Waitress, and HBC was the real key in Sweeney Todd (even more than Johnny, I'd say.) Linney did some of her best work in The Savages - I was happily surprised she made it. Cotillard looks great, and I haven't seen it all, but she was so good in Big Fish and Very Long Engagement. I'll trust them on that.

Also, I give props to Naomi Watts; Parker Posey, owning in the indie world with Fay Grim and Broken English; and Belen Rueda, who carried El Orfanato and gave a lot of depth to a horror film.

BEST ACTOR

Actual: Daniel Day-Lewis, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen, Tommy Lee Jones

My top: DDL, Clooney, Viggo, Christian Bale, Depp

Daniel Day-Lewis is going to run away with this as he should. I like all these picks, but I really think Christian Bale deserves a nom for all his hard work this year. He should get something just for Rescue Dawn, which was amazing in how much he and Zahn did, but then he also had great turns in 3:10 to Yuma and I'm Not There. Jones is good, and I'm sure he's getting support for his role in No Country as well, but that's a tough pick.

BEST DIRECTOR

Actual: The Coen Brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Julian Schnabel, Tony Gilroy, Jason Reitman

My top: Coens, PTA, David Fincher, Schnabel, Gilroy

Finally, the academy is recognizing people I really like. It seems like this, best adaptation, and the big prize are a close race between the Coens and PTA. Really, I can't lose there. Schnabel is a dark horse, but his film isn't up for best pic, so it will be hard. I just can't believe that three indie/art/cult guys I love so much are up for the prize.... this never happens. I'm still waiting for them to read off Clint Eastwood's name. I think the Coens get a slight edge for making a comeback and being around longer, but I could see PTA or Schnabel getting it. I would give it to any of those three.... I'll take the Coens but I don't really have much preference. It was a good year for all.

I like 4 out of the 5 but I do have one gripe: their continued dissing of David Fincher. If they are now letting PTA in, why not him? He was one of the best up-and-comers last decade and they ignored him. Now, he tones it down, goes serious, and they give it nothing. I don't get it. They finally recognize some of these guys, and then they ignore one for Jason Reitman, who is a great up-and-comer, but doesn't belong here yet.

I also feel kind of bad for Joe Wright as the only director of a best-pic-nominated film that didn't get his own nom. Atonement was beautifully shot and well-acted; its main problem was in the script and story choices, as I said. So it's not all his fault. I think he deserves it a lot more than Reitman, and he would be my sixth pick.

BEST PICTURE

Actual: No Country, There WBB, Atonement, Michael Clayton, Juno

My top five: Persepolis, No Country, TWBB, Michael Clayton, Zodiac

My next seven (who wouldn't bother me if they were up for it): The Diving Bell, The Savages, Atonement, American Gangster, Eastern Promises, Rescue Dawn, I'm Not There

You know the academy's top five. I gave you twelve that I thought were worthy of inclusion, and then the best five out of those. It's been a pretty good year.

I can't tell for this and director who will win between the Coens and PTA. My gut tells me the Coens will get both, and I think I'm inclined to say that their chances are actually a little better for the big prize than director. Blood wouldn't surprise me, and I also have a feeling they could split votes and Atonement or Clayton could sneak in there. But I'm saying No Country and the Coens have a 55 % chance, TWBB 40 %, and others 5 %. It's tough, and I could see it any way.

As for my pick as the best? I feel the same way they do. I'm torn between No Country and There WBB. They're both great, made by great people, with great people in them. It's hard, and I will be happy if either wins. I don't think I've ever had a night like this, knowing I couldn't lose. But as I was debating them, I starting thinking about Persepolis as an alternate that could separate itself. It's got everything a best picture should - historical importance, romance, war, tragedy, humor, and Eye of The Tiger. It uses its distinctive animation to make real biting satire and sarcastic humor, not just the feel-good kind... but then it also shows a girl's terror and the bleakness of her new country. It's marvelous and one of a kind.

I was ready to give up and declare a three-way tie, but now, I think Persepolis can jussssssst squeak by the two giants. I'm glad they will be winning awards all night, because they haven't got many from them... but they have from me! They can't get any higher in my book.... I would have given them stuff for Fargo, Miller's Crossing, Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love, and many others. So I'll spread my praise around and give it to Marjane Satrapi, who needs some recognition.

2007 was a good year for movies. Here's hoping the Oscars reflect that.