Oscar 2010

The biggest night in movies is finally here! Oscar night, honoring the very best of 2010, will begin in less than five hours and I can't tell you enough how excited I am. Here are the nominees in tonight's major categories, along with my favorites to win.

Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
True Grit
Winter's Bone

This one's an easy choice for me, I have to say. I am not one to copy critics and hop on their sometimes ridiculous band wagon so I'll go ahead and say that although The Social Network is projected to win, I really do think it doesn't even deserve its nomination. The film is good but was it outstanding? Not for me. My choice is Black Swan. It's a well acted, incredibly directed, and truly gritty movie that moved me to pieces. It's a perfect film through and through. It probably won't win, as it's a mostly female driven film but in a perfect world, the Oscars will call Black Swan 2010s best picture. Honorable Mentions: The Kids Are All Right or The King's Speech.

Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours

This is Colin Firth's award. Honorable Mentions: James Franco or Javier Bardem.

Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Natalie Portman. She is the one to beat. Her performance impressed me and really moved me. I was never a fan of hers and didn't really consider her a good actress until this movie. The only competition here is Annette Bening and that's only because she's an industry veteran who has been overlooked many times before. Still, I don't think that's a reason to give her the award. If she wins, it won't be because her performance is better than Natalie's. It'll be Hollywood's way of rewarding a stellar career and not a stellar performance. Of course, this isn't to say that Annette isn't amazing in The Kids Are All Right. She is. She just isn't as amazing as Natalie.

Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale - The Fighter
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

Oh, Christian Bale - you really did nail it here. That last scene in The Fighter is reason enough to name you an Oscar victor. Period. I believed every word and emotion coming from him. It'll be a grave travesty if he isn't called tonight. There's speculation that The King's Speech will sweep and win all of the major awards so I think Geoffrey Rush is Christian's only competition.

Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Wouldn't it be absolutely amazing if Jacki Weaver were tonight's surprise upset win? Her dark role as the matriarch of a family of criminals in Animal Kingdom is insanely creepy. It isn't the best of all of these on the list but I do think she poses a real threat. Melissa Leo has won practically every award leading up to the Oscars but with the recent controversy surrounding her campaigning for the award and the fact that she's nominated with another actress from the same movie (something that may lead the ladies to cancel each other out), I'm going to guess that the award will go to Helena Bonham Carter or Hailee Steinfeld. Hailee's garnered a lot of attention for her role in True Grit. Lots of people have said she should have been nominated as a lead actress. That definitely gives her points here. But I have a problem with a young actress (14!) coming from nowhere and taking home the most prestigious award in show business. You've got to really earn that Oscar and I wonder if she's really paid her dues. Of course, if her performance in True Grit is stellar, she ought to be awarded accordingly. (I haven't seen True Grit just yet so I can't really judge.) In the end, if it isn't Hailee Steinfeld or Melissa Leo, Helena Bonham Carter should win. She is absolutely fabulous and she's a really great actress. She should have gotten an Oscar ages ago (Sweeney Todd and Harry Potter, anyone!?)

Oscar.

This is going to be the Oscar show to watch. Aside from Supporting Actor, there isn't a single category with a sure enough winner. It's anyone's guess, really. And I love that!

As is the case every year, I've read an assortment of articles predicting the results. Some awards guru's are relying on so-called scientific evidence, many are focusing in on patterns from seasons passed, but most are simply running with gut instinct. Who's it gonna be? Here are my choices.

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire.
It took a second viewing of the film to get my vote. It's got all the elements of a good film. Namely: suspense, drama, awe inspiring direction, great acting, and, of course, love. I had originally considered The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In its scope, it is quite epic. It is a visual treat. But that's it, really. It tends to drag a little and it never resonated with me. I wasn't inspired. I didn't leave the theatre feeling hopeful. It's beautiful but it's missing that magic touch. Slumdog Millionaire has it all.

Best Actor: Sean Penn
Frankly, Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke both deserve it. If I had to pick just one though, I'd pick Sean Penn.

Best Actress: Meryl Streep.
Everyone is saying this is Kate Winslet's year. But, am I the only one who feels The Reader is complete trash? It is the most dizzying and frustrating film I've seen in a long time. It's a story that'll leave you feeling unfulfilled and angry. Of course, Kate Winslet should not be blamed for that. That isn't the reason why I think she shouldn't win. She's an amazing actress whose turn as a German Nazi prison guard was played with such restrained intensity. It was all in her face, her voice, and her eyes. She rocked it but she shouldn't win. Had she been nominated for Revolutionary Road instead, I'd be writing a whole different piece here. If she wins, it'll be a career achievement award to be honest. Voters will have picked her becasue she should have gotten one ages ago. Meryl Streep is fierce in Doubt. She is the Best Actress of '08. Hands downs. You can't help but feel goosebumps as she firmly declares, "I will step outside the church if that's what needs to be done, till the door should shut behind me! I will do what needs to be done, though I'm damned to Hell! You should understand that, or you will mistake me."

Best Supporting Actor:
No comment.

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz.
My sweet, dear Penelope. If she loses, I am done with art. Her only true competitor is Viola Davis. However, Viola's part in Doubt is just way too small to merit the award. Her twelve-minute presence was poignant and impressive but it wasn't the best. Penelope's role was a lot heavier.

If you live under a rock, here is a full list of the nominees.

How to Win an Oscar

For an actor to win an Oscar, should it matter how long they're in a movie? Or, is it simply the impact an actor makes in a film that truly counts -- no matter the length of time they're in it?

Consider this...

The late Beatrice Straight won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress playing a woman scorned in the movie Network, a role with a mere 5 minutes and 40 seconds of screen time in total.

Did she deserve it?

Check out this clip below.

Movie List '08

In honor of this weekends Oscar ceremony, here is a list of my favorite movies of 2008.

1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. Sex and the City: The Movie
3. The Secret Life of Bees
4. Milk
5. Gran Torino
6. Doubt
7. Marley and Me
8. Revolutionary Road
9. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
10. WALL-E