Fantasy Oscar Ballots

The people and films I would choose to be on my ballot, in my world...and whatta world it is!

My Nominees Are...

* The Fighter

* Black Swan

* Toy Story 3

* Let Me In

* Easy A

* The Social Network

* Get Him To The Greek

* Date Night 

* Inception

My Nominees Are....

* Julianne Moore in The Kids Are All Right

* Emma Stone in Easy A

* Natalie Portman in Black Swan

* Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit

* Tina Fey in Date Night

*pending Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine, etc.
*Winner Undecided*

My Nominees Are...

* Russell Brand in Get Him To The Greek

* Kodi Smit-McPhee in Let Me In

* Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter

* Steve Carell in Date Night

* Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine

My Nominees Are...

* Amy Adams in The Fighter

* Melissa Leo in The Fighter

* Mila Kunis in Black Swan

* Chloe Moretz in Let Me In 

** ???

**pending the last nomination for one of the following; Yaya DeCosta in The Kids Are All Right; Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom; Winona Ryder in Black Swan; Patricia Clarkson in Easy A; Mila Kunis in Date Night; Amanda Bynes in Easy A** 

My Nominees Are...

* Christian Bale in The Fighter

* Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right

* Andrew Garfield in The Social Network

* Dan Byrd in Easy A

My Nominees Are...
* David O. Russell for The Fighter
*Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
* David Fincher for The Social Network
* Will Gluck for Easy A
* Matt Reeves for Let Me In

Others categories will be posted soon, with my review of The Fighter.

Time to Bitch....

So, this morning I was in home room and was ecstatic that it was the day, and had quickly begun checking my phone for the Oscar's nominations this year. And yeah....I was shocked, to say the least. Not just for the obvious reasons, but because the Academy's choices and placements just didn't seem to make sense. My enthusiastic high plummeted today, and it seems that everyone's scratching their heads a bit today.

I haven't seen many nominees yet so for some I can't give any real personal insight on what I think:

Best Picture: Have seen only half of the nominees and out of them the only nomination that shouldn't be there is True Grit (which I just saw recently), and I'll explain in a little bit. Toy Story 3, The Social Network, and Black Swan are deserving, solid nominees, but for the time being The Fighter is my pick. A rare piece of triumphant cinema that's nearly perfect in every way. But I'll do a write up on it soon.

Best Actor: It's cool too see host James Franco scored a nomination, and many were apprehensive about whether it would happen. I haven't seen Colin Firth, but I'm hearing mixed views about his film (which got tons of noms) and his performance -- either it's brilliance or mannered actorly pretension; I'll have to see. Eisenberg is very good but I need a look back, but then there's Jeff Bridges. Maybe he scored the nom based off his film's success or his recent victory last year, because this performance is nothing short of terrible, really.  His interpretation of Cogburn is banal and boring, and his vocal choices are so off pitched and annoying that  he's consistently inaudible. Even more sad to see that the Academy will did a grave injustice by pushing Mark Wahlberg's severely underrated performance outta the ring in favor for Bridges' stupid shenanigans. But seriously -- why is their no love or endorsement for Wahlberg's work? And how can the Academy toss noms to the film everywhere else but neglect the central player? He is the rock solid anchor of The Fighter, and the film (as well as the other great performances) wouldn't have worked without him in center ring ready to score a k.o.

Best Actress: I hear tell that the category is unusually strong this year with Portman-Bening at each others necks. Have only seen Portman and she is stunning, but not all that fufilling or resonant in the super baity role -- then again I need to go back and see if she holds up. At this point I really need to see Bening, and she will have no competition from Moore (who's snub isn't so shocking).

Best Supporting Actress: Okay, this is it. So first we have the three highly expected nominees (Adams, Leo, and Carter) and Jacki Weaver snuck in and surprised many, and then there was Mil- oh wait, she wasn't on the list...really?! Yes, the Academy gave a big-time snub to Ms. Mila Kunis that was out of nowhere. And it's not as if she didn't have any buzz; the woman has received nominations from GG, SAG, and other critics groups, and yet Oscar shoves her out? How many times has this happened, exactly? Maybe the Academy latched onto the hate wave that has washed over many of the online film community (which is ridiculous), or maybe it was the misplacement of another nominee; young Hailee Steinfeld. First let me say that I loved Steinfeld's performance -- it was a sharp blast of clarity in a movie that was ever so muddy -- but it's simply a lead performance/role. She suffers from Tatum O'Neal-itis; being too young for the big girls, despite being in nearly every scene/frame. I get why she was campaigned for and placed here, but at the cost of a legit supporting performance like Kunis' is just unfair and pure fraud. Still, she is a deserving nominee (acting wise) and is a welcome, deserving entry (for the lead category). But here's to Mila for providing one of the most exciting, nuanced, and freshest performances of 2010....Sage and I are together on this!

Best Supporting Actor: The most shocking thing here is the absence of Andrew Garfield (heavily endorsed by Sage), who seemed like a lock for a nomination. The film is bound to be the Best Picture, so Garfield's snub seems odd. But then comes Ruffalo (a great, reliable actor) with a nom many weren't too sure about. While I didn't "love" Bale's work, it's very memorable and he does interesting things with the character even when his character isn't the most interesting.

I'll continue in other categories soon, and with my own Fantasy Ballots.

But do you agree/disagree with me?

Oscar Predix

Some last minute words before tomorrow morning:

- I'm hoping for a nomination for Mark Wahlberg, and if he gets snubbed I'm gonna be pissed.
- I think toy story 3 will make the top ten
- If for some reason Mila isn't there I will be shocked.

Those Golden Globes

Tonight's the first night of the three big award shows of the year, and although it's a bit more loosy-goosy than the higher honor of Oscar, it's still a fun event. This year we have some strict front-runners (as always) and some open races in the more important, i.e. "serious" categories that will keep us in suspense until the name is read. Among past surprises were my favorite Chloe Sevigny scoring a surprise win last year for her work on Big Love -- and I couldn't really care less about the TV categories. But it's shockers like that which jazz up everything, and make it all the more engaging; in contrast to the usual predicted winner/ "favorite" (especially when they are not deserving of the prize).

But here's my brief take on what will possibly go down tonight....

Best Picture: Drama
Black Swan/The Fighter/Inception/The King's Speech/The Social Network
Though I have only seen two of the five, this seems like a pretty strong year for this category, and the three other look exciting and very promising. But for the winner, I say the choice is between The Fighter and The Social Network -- both have been loved by critics and the public and seem to be holding up very well with different demographics. Black Swan, while ADORED critically, seems to have approached a mini backlash (as far as I can tell) and it's not a film that will appeal to everyone, but a win is absolutely not impossible.

My Pick: The Fighter

Best Actress: Drama
Halle Berry in Frankie and Alice/Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole/Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone /Natalie Portman in Black Swan/Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine
--
Really, the only talk of anything in this category comes from Natalie Portman who is most definitely a solid lock, and I can't think of any other recent time when I read or heard of anyone else even in the category. It's all sewn up, baby.

My Pick: Have only seen Portman, and I wasn't disappointed, though a second viewing is needed.

Best Actor: Drama
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network/Colin Firth in The Kings Speech/James Franco in 127 Hours/Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine/Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter

There was tons of buzz surrounding Eisenburg a little while ago, but now it seems that Colin Firth is on everyone's tongue for his role in a film the awards shows gobble up; again i.e. very serious and straight-laced. Though I have heard of strong support of Franco who is runner up for sure. But where's the buzz about Wahlberg? He was skipped over at SAG, and everyone seems to be pushing this excellent (and very subtle) performance aside. An upset from him would be thrilling to see.

My Pick: Mark Wahlberg

Best Picture: Comedy or Musical
Alice in Wonderland/Burlesque/The Kids are All Right/Red/The Tourist
--
First, I hated Alice in Wonderland and it's accolades and box office receipts astound me months later, but I it's not going to win thankfully. Burlesque is trashy camp with Cher, so it's not going to win. It seems that the only logical pick is The Kids Are All Right, which is the only nominee that will find its way onto Oscar's ballot. I haven't seen it yet (DAMMIT!), but I hear its fantastic and it will totally walk away with the Globe.

My Pick: Most likely those Kids will be alright, I'm sure.

Best Actress: Comedy or Musical
Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right/Anne Hathaway in Love and Other Drugs/Angelina Jolie in The Tourist/Julianne Moore in The Kids Are All Right/Emma Stone in Easy A
--
Another lock comes in the form of Annette Bening's lauded work as well as her overdue ticket leading up to the Big One on Oscar night, does in fact place her in squarely in front without much competition. Have only just recently seen Stone in her star-making performance, and she is simply luminous, hilarious, and charismatic and deserves to be called a "star"; in another year she might've swiped it. Also, when's Julianne going to be the front-runner?!

My Pick: Haven't seen Bening, so Stone makes for a delightful comic treat in a role tailor made for her.

Best Actor: Comedy or Musical
Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland/Johnny Depp in The Tourist/Paul Giamatti in Barney's Version/Jake Gyllenhaal in Love and Other Drugs/Kevin Spacey in Casino Jack

Well, well Mr. Depp gets two nominations in the same category, and where one of  the biggest surprise remains relatively open. But so what? This lightweight category with its lightweight nominees won't really matter much come Oscar time, but I would say that the win will probably go to Johnny Depp for Alice. Great actor in general, but the movie's blandness just doesn't support him and well, and even his performance can't elevate the material. But he'll probably win because a) he's Johnny Depp b)The movie was a hit (WTF) and c) he's Johnny Depp.

My Pick: No one at this point

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in The Fighter/Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech/Mila Kunis in Black Swan/Melissa Leo in The Fighter/Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom

Always the favorite for me, this year looks quite strong for the supporting ladies with a nice range of roles and overall acting technique. I can only speak for The Fighter girls and of course Ms. Kunis in terms of actual performances which are all more than worthy, but for the win I see it as a tug between Leo and Adams. Leo has been recently deemed the "better" of the two with her work winning prizes and love all over the online film community, but Amy seems to be getting the same amount of positive critical attention and love...and she's been award-less after two previous losses. I somehow see Leo winning it just slightly over Amy for some reason but the two co-stars are near equals for votes. Mila, I'm sad to say probably has a much lesser chance of winning but it's a great nomination to be proud of.

My Pick: Stuck between the trifecta of Adams, Leo, and Kunis -- all of whom deliver fresh, layered characterizations that represents some of the best acting of the year.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale in The Fighter/Michael Douglas in Wall Street 2/Andrew Garfield in The Social Network/Jeremy Renner in The Town/Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech


Douglas and Rush are out, leaving Bale, Garfield, and Renner against each other. I say that Garfield's nom will stay how it is, with Bale triumphing over Renner for a performance critics loved that required much physical and emotional preparation. One of The Fighter's sure wins for tonight, I believe.

My Pick: Bale, who grounds and expands a character with sympathy who is designed as a despicably trashy.


Best Director
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan/David Fincher for The Social Network/Tom Hooper for The King's Speech/Christopher Nolan for Inception/David O. Russell for The Fighter


Considering S. Network's lead in Picture, I could see Fincher taking it, and he probably will. Aronofsky could be awarded, but there's been talk of how much his direction helps or derails his film, so he's wobbly here.

My Pick: David O. Russell, for keeping the pace tight, fresh, and lively and for giving his action and actors space and dimension as well as texture that his audience gets absorbed in.

Thoughts??

Another Forgotten Gem of 2010

After praising her critically acclaimed work in Black Swan, I had realized I completely forgot to mention Mila Kunis' other memorable screen work in the outrageously hilarious comedy Date Night.

Her character, Whippit, is a real one-scene wonder that comes along when Phil (Carrell) and Claire (Fey) track down her and her boyfriend Thomas "Taste" Felton, who are the real "Tripplehorn" couple in the tangled, messy, underground operation.

And Mila is nothing short of downright hilarious in this brief, thin role as the trashy, horny, and wise-cracking -- delivering her lines with crackling timing, sharp sarcasm, and scummy wit. Some great ones are; "Wow, Taste, your just a goddamn criminal mastermind aren't ya?!/ Yeah, he said 'zip your face'!/What are you, the reservation police or something?!"...and my favorite -- "What kind of people are you!?"

Whippit and Taste are two of those rare minor characters that you would just love to see in a spin-off movie just based around their two wacky personalities and predicaments  But Kunis and Franco are comic dynamite in this single scene and both actually convey a funny yet sad backstory that surprisingly layers their rather sketchy, shallow roles which makes everything all the more satisfying.

Just don't forget the right nipple clamps.

Blogathon: Performance Review -- Chloe Moretz in Let Me In (2010)

In the little time I had to squeeze out my analysis of Mila Kunis in Black Swan, I didn't have enough to fully gather and develop everything I wanted to say about another first-class though forgotten Supporting Actress performance of 2010...

...Chloe Moretz in Let Me In (2010)

Chloe Moretz plays Abby, a young girl who moves with her "father" into an apartment building that also occupies a mother and her son Owen, a boy who's lost, lonely, and confused in a scary world around him. Owen, who spends much of his time alone, seems to notice Abby more and more as the two exchange looks from afar but haven't yet communicated past that. Though he wonders about who she is and what she's come her for, especially when he begins to hear odd voices and noises from the apartment. The two make their first real encounter outside on the jungle gym where a barefooted Abby makes her way over to Owen in the snow as he works on his Rubrick's cube. Abby stays quiet and the two make a somewhat awkward and childlike introduction and even before jumping into small talk Abby states that she and Owen cannot be friends. This leaves Owen feeling low and confused, though on a second meeting the still shy and reserved Abby opens up to actually have a conversation with Owen and an innocent friendship between the two children begins. The two talk of the usual child-like topics of school, grown-ups and the world around them, but in these unusually mature and smart kids something different arises in their meetings together, and for Abby its something of a treat as she finds someone who she seems to understand and who understands her even when they don't really know her all that well.

Moretz plays the blooming relationship and the discovery of friendship and loyalty with a quiet joyousness and glee, and the happiness she finds in Owen is palpable on every shot she's in. But nevertheless, no matter how much Abby has opened up as a friend to the lonely Owen, she still hides behind a slight mask of darkness and uncertainty even when she truly wishes not to. She wants and needs a companion as she is just as lonely and lost in a harsh world, especially when she harbors her deepest, darkest secret that she is in fact a 300 year old vampire in this child's body who still thirsts on human blood to live. It's something that she has been forced to live with for far too long, but its something that which she simply cannot escape.  Each beat in the growing bond between the two outsiders is anchored and nuanced by Moretz, who's Abby not just finds a friend but a deep soulmate with whom she can utilize her especial qualities to help support. It's a role that requires a kid actress of something other than cutesy tricks and adorable sentiment -- and Moretz's performance is possessed of neither of them. Instead, she generates complexities that go past the script page and pierces the heart in astute actorly intention, rare for a young actor. She's at once heartbreaking vulnerable and solidly courageous, as Moretz conveys a whole lifetime of confusion, loneliness, and desperation within Abby. She doesn't just show flashes of vast, palpable emotional depth, but textures that depth throughout her characterization completely to portray a very tragic, yet thoroughly human monster. 

Going into Let Me In, I never would have expected to be so engaged by the compelling narrative structure and deep emotional resonance that I got from it, and it's nearly all because of Chloe Moretz's superb performance. Not only is this gem some of the best work from a child actress in years, it's some of the best acting I have ever seen in general from an actor of any age. It's so sad though the critics and awards groups didn't agree as well, because this performance is a more than worthy winner, and perhaps maybe even my winner for Best Supporting Actress of 2010.

Check out the rest of StinkyLulu's Blogathon right here!!

Blogathon: Performance Review -- Mila Kunis in Black Swan (2010)

For Stinky's annual Blogathon, I give you one of 2010's most stunning, enigmatic, and eye-poppingly exquisite Supporting Actress turns -- one of the top breakout performances of the year provided by...

...Mila Kunis in Black Swan (2010)

Mila Kunis plays Lily, the mysterious new girl from San Francisco who transfers to a NYC ballet company just in time for the companies big production of Swan Lake, starring the film's protagonist Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) who's been cast in the dual role of both sides of the Swan Queen in which preparation for her performance has turned into something beyond a mere daunting task; as it is beginning to lead her into a spinning vortex of  psychological and emotional doom and dark devastation. 

Kunis' Lily enters the film as a seemingly well tuned exterior of grace, beauty, charm, and dedication to her art, to her life, and to the world around her. With her charismatic and easy going disposition she quietly and effectively skirts and glides over her surroundings -- always being active in the moment yet keeping a palpable detachment from those when she needs to be.

We don't know hardly anything about Lily, but her entrancing, mysterious interior converges with Nina's desperate and crumbling exterior, and seeing something different in her, Lily offers a generous and warm helping hand in Nina's time of need. Showing a friendly interest in Nina, Lily assures her fellow dancer that everything will go fine and that her performance will be "amazing", though in Kunis' enigmatic playing things may or may not be as they seem, as each word and glance seems to spin on a sharp edge.

As Nina's self-psychological ware fare continues to rapidly progress, her point of logic and reasoning becomes fuzzy, to say the least, and she begins to become weary of Lily's intentions even when Lily continues to almost sugar-coat their erratic relationship with a genuine camaraderie. Such as when Lily blatantly assumes that Nina is "hot for teacher", then spills to the teacher about her bout of crying to have him ease up on her. It's in these early foundation scenes for the character that Kunis is able to subtly detail and illuminate her characterization of Lily, as opposed to playing the part on a flat, cliched, super bitch note. Whether it be from a glance or a small movement, Kunis ably conveys a certain unforeseen depth below the sweet surface before she peels it all away.

The general concept of the Lily character is that she is almost written and designed as such a mystery woman that there is a hollow emptiness to the role that requires filling from the actress. With Kunis in the role, she's at every moment revealing something new about Lily while restraining just enough so that we want more. Such as when Lily innocently takes Nina out for drinks, but then goes on to reveal a wild, sexually adventurous and unrestrained side of herself ("you just gotta' let him lick your pussy") that she feels will help Nina loosen up. But is this reality? Is Nina's POV (our POV) playing tricks, or is Kunis' Lily a real world embodiment of both sides of Nina's Swan Queen? So much complexity surrounds both the character and her placement in the film, yet Kunis' portrayal is remarkable for it's simplicity and clarity.

Such complexities arise, when at the club, the relationship between the two women begin to heighten/tighten and Lily gives Nina a little piece of advice in saying (that happens to be becoming her Internet catchphrase): "you really need to relax..." before offering her a loosener that will help both to enjoy a crazy free-for-all night  together. This all of course leads up to the climax (pun intended) of the evening when the two head back to Nina's room and share an intense, passionate, and sexy scene where Lily guides Nina to her sexual awakening.

While it may seem that her role is just a plot device or a mere foil to Portman's Nina, that may be so, but Kunis' performance elevates the role and is absolutely essential to the effectiveness of Black Swan's narrative.  In terms of acting choices and characterization, Kunis provides the character dark, textured, and humanized shades of feral, morality, deception and desire -- giving the film it's compass to channel it's themes through. And to her credit she plays Lily in a completely naturalistic and subtle tone that a) remains a refreshing and stark contrast to the mannered, calculated theatrics of Portman, Hershey, and Ryder and b) anchors and grounds a film that would have spun around and collapsed under its own silly, pretentious weight. Also, what's so appealing and engaging about the role and the performance is that both the script and the actress don't confine the character within limited dimensions (like the other actors are), but instead Kunis' Lily might be the single character in the film to have a life outside the often cloying narrative which is just thrilling to witness and comprehend.

It's very subtle and very detailed work that I found to be easily be the best thing about this film (and yes, I did see Natalie Portman in the movie) and it's the kind of true supportive supporting performance that I just love. I also love that Mila Kunis was able to generate so much buzz and attention when Portman and the film itself seemed to overshadow her early on. But with the Globe and SAG nominations as well as some critics noms and a win, I can safely and happily say that she most likely be included in Oscar's final five Supporting Actress performances of the year. And for those of you questioning both the performance and nominations it is receiving, I offer this analysis as some reason to look back and take a fresh look with new eyes to one of the most astonishing performances of 2010.    

Oscar's Gettin' Closer!

I've been able to get out recently and see some hot, Oscar/awards buzzed movies that are sizzling up as the Globes and SAG get closer, as well as, of course, Oscar's picks for the year. I'm focusing (as usual) on the upcoming Supporting Actress slots, and so far my personal nominees read as...

* Mila Kunis as Lily in Black Swan

* Amy Adams as Chah-lene Fleming in The Fighter

* Melissa Leo as Alice Ward in The Fighter

* Chloe Moretz as Abby in Let Me In 

...this all leaves one open spot for another nominee who I can't wait to discover and add to the list. But, who are your nominees?

Also, make sure to check out StinkyLulu's return and his hosting of the annual Blogathon on Sunday, where I will be "endorsing" two performances for everyone to see!