A really great take on the Western. It was the perfect amount of gory, it was dark, it was witty, and it was hilarious. There were parts when I was laughing so loud I missed the next line. Wasn't really expecting that. It was hard walking into it having already seen the iconic original starring John Wayne. But Jeff Bridges did a great with the character of Rooster Cogburn. He was funny and original, and tough as nails. He definitely deserves the best actor nomination. The real gem of the film, however, was Hailee Steinfeld. First of all, she is the main character, so I'm still trying to figure out why she was nominated for best supporting actress. Another thing I'm a little confused about is why Matt Damon wasn't recognized more. He was so good as the smug Texas ranger and I looked forward to every scene that he was in.
127 Hours
I was completely dreading watching this movie. I mean, I know how it ends. Someone gets their arm cut off -- sorry to spoil it! After grabbing a Crabbies to get me through the movie, I settled in to watch the movie. I ended up really enjoying it -- James Franco does a superb job. There is one particular scene in which he imitates a morning talk show that stood out. I was so blown away by his performance that I was stunned for a moment. While I don't think that he will win, I'm glad he was nominated. Not many actors can carry a movie all on their own. He was charming, funny, daring, and moving. I am sure that part of that is due in large part to the real person he was portraying. You can't help but be impressed by his bravery, perseverance, and sheer ability to survive.
Winter's Bone
This is a movie that I started watching knowing absolutely nothing about beforehand. I can fully admit that the movie was great, but it was a little dark for my taste. It was supremely depressing. I don't know too much about the actual demographics of the region, but it really dug into the dark side of the Ozarks. There were moments when I literally cringed, like when a rifle was being swung around by a child or a bag of crack was casually pulled out of a pocket. Jennifer Lawrence was a strong lead and I kept on swinging between loving and hating the character of Teardrop. Again, a good movie, but I don't think I will curl up on the couch to watch it again.
Here are my predictions for the Oscars this Sunday. Who I think will win is bolded, and in italics is who I think has the possibility for an upset.
Actor in a Leading Role:
Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
Colin Firth in “The King's Speech”
James Franco in “127 Hours”
Actor in a Supporting Role:
Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
John Hawkes in “Winter's Bone”
Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush in “The King's Speech”
Actress in a Leading Role:
Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter's Bone”
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”
Actress in a Supporting Role:
Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King's Speech”
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”
Directing:
"Black Swan" Darren Aronofsky
"The Fighter" David O. Russell
"The King's Speech" Tim Hooper
"The Social Network" David Fincher
"True Grit" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Best Picture:
"Black Swan"
"The Fighter"
"Inception"
"The Kids Are All Right"
"The King's Speech"
"127 Hours"
"The Social Network"
"Toy Story 3"
"True Grit"
"Winter's Bone"
Mr. Darcy of course.
ReplyDelete