2012 Top 10 List and Awards

1. Compliance
2. Django Unchained
3. Life of Pi
4. Beasts of the Southern Wild
5. Moonrise Kingdom
6. Lincoln
7. The Silver Linings Playbook
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
9. Looper
10. The Avengers

Honorable Mention: Safety Not Guaranteed, Zero Dark Thirty, Flight, The Cabin in the Woods, The Hobbit

Director

*Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Craig Zobel, Compliance

Actor

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Denzel Washington, Flight
Logan Lerman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
*Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln
Jared Gilman, Moonrise Kingdom

Actress

*Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Greta Gerwig, Damsels in Distress
Michelle Williams, Take This Waltz

Supporting Actor

*Leonardo Dicaprio, Django Unchained
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Supporting Actress

Kelly Reilly, Flight
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Emily Blunt, Looper
*Ann Dowd, Compliance

Adapted Screenplay

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Silver Linings Playbook

Original Screenplay

Cabin in the Woods
Compliance
Django Unchained
Looper
Moonrise Kingdom

Dark Shadows (Tim Burton) **

Dark Shadows is adapted from a daytime gothic television drama that ran from 1966-1971 and was revived on primetime in 1991. The show had a cult following and the the film is the result of years of attempts to reboot the series, including a 2004 TV pilot that did not get picked up. I have not seen either version of the series and thus cannot comment on the film's faithfulness to the source material, though I do know Burton's take has been controversial for some fans. The real problem isn't how much it does or does not depart from the original series, but that director Tim Burton utterly fails at finding the proper tone for this story. He alternates between campy horror and gothic romance, but is successful at neither.

In the late 1700's, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is a wealthy owner of Collinswood Manor in Collinsport, Maine. His playboy ways get him into trouble when he rejects Angelique Bouchard, a witch. She forces the love of his life to kill herself and turns him into a vampire. Then she rallies a town mob to capture him and have him buried underground. Two centuries later, construction workers find his tomb and inadvertently free him. Barnabas returns to his old manor and finds his family has fallen on hard times. The current Collins family consists of Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer), her moody teenage daughter Carolyn (Chloe Moretz), and live in psychiatrist Julia (Helena Bonham Carter). Elizabeth's sketchy brother Roger (Johnny Lee Miller), and his troubled son David (Gully McGrath). He sets about to restore the honor of his family name, but finds life in the 1970's to be very confusing.

The opening scenes of the movie set in the 1700's are effectively stylish and spooky. Burton is obviously at home with creating a dark, gothic atmosphere. If the film has stayed true to this style throughout it may have worked. The problem comes when the film shifts forward to the 1970s and it attempts to blend in some wacky anachronistic humor. Unfortunately, the jokes are stale and unfunny (ex. Barnabas thinks a car is a demon, he thinks people are trapped inside the TV set.) Also problematic is a surprisingly lazy performance from Depp. He plays Barnabas as a clean shaven, vampire version of Jack Sparrow. It's a surprisingly uninspired performance from someone who is usually one of the more offbeat actors of his generation.

This also causes problems with the film's central romance. Barnabas immediately falls for Victoria (Bella Heathcoate), a young woman hired to take care of troubled young David and happens to bear striking similarities to Barnabas' love from the 1700's. Since Depp isn't really taking the role seriously, it's hard to care if he ends up with her. Also, Burton makes the puzzling decision to excise Victoria from much of the middle portion of the film, so there's no consistent build up to this pairing. Victoria is also a completely flat, one-dimensional character, the only reason Barnabas falls for her seems to be her looks as there is no chemistry at all. Many of the other actors in this film suffer the same problem, even the usually dynamic Helena Bonham Carter who is stuck with a character that goes nowhere.

The one performer who really stands out is Eva Green as the vengeful Angelique. Green embraces the villainous role and runs circles around everyone in the film. In fact, she has far more chemistry with Depp than Heathcoate does and I actually found myself rooting for her despite her obviously evil ways. If Burton has fully embraced the campy concept, then everyone could've taken Green's lead and we would've had a very fun film here. If he embraced the gothic suspense like in the early scenes, then it could've been a typically dark and spooky Burton classic. Since the film never figures out what it wants to do, we have a schizophrenic affair that never completely comes together aside from the electric scenes involving Eva Green.

Marvel's The Avengers (Joss Whedon) ****

One of the drawbacks with superhero films is the tendency to stuff them with too many heroes or villains, forcing us to deal with an endless amount of tedious origin stories. The 90s Batman films and most recent Spider-man film are perfect examples of this problem. Because of this, taking on a project like The Avengers seems like something that had no possibility of working on the big screen. However, Marvel studios planned ahead by giving us individual films for the four big Avenger superheroes (Hulk, Captain America, Thor, and two Iron Man films), thus getting their origin stories out of the way. This ambitious effort paid off in spades as writer-director Joss Whedon was allowed to plunge right into the story, with only brief scenes needed to help us catch up to what each of the characters have been doing since the end of their respective films.

Picking Whedon himself was an inspired choice. While he does have feature film screenwriting experience (Toy Story, Speed), most of his success has come on television in beloved cult classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly. He's never handled something even close to this scale before. However, he is a noted comic book fan and has written several comics, including an award winning run on Astonishing X-Men. He proved to be the perfect choice, someone who is able to deliver the action goods while retaining his trademark witty banter and ability to ground stories with just the right amount emotional catharsis. The result is big budget blockbuster entertainment of the highest order.

The Avengers starts off with Thor villain Loki causing chaos at a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and stealing a device known as the Tesseract, with which he hopes to create a portal for aliens to come through and conquer the Earth. S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) decides it's time put the Avengers initiative in action: a plan to assemble a group of superheroes to form a team that can counteract major threats. The challenge is getting this team to work together as their wildly differing personalities cause great conflicts during the mission.

It's a pretty basic plot that simply gives a good excuse for all four superheros to be teamed up. Whedon isn't out to reinvent the comic book genre story-wise. What he is out to do is explore who these people are and how they'd potentially work as a team when abruptly thrown together. This is where The Avengers really shines. After a succession of brief, but very entertaining segments showing what each of our heroes are currently doing, we witness a fascinating clash of personalities. The old-fashioned Captain America (Chris Evans) vs. wisecracking Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) vs. noble warrior Thor (Liam Hemsworth). We also get to know more about non-superheros Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johanssen), who actually ends up with the most compelling emotional arc.

Whedon's signature witty dialogue is on full display during these scenes. Robert Downey Jr. is so natural at spouting Whedon's words that it feels like such a waste that this is the first time they've worked together. Stark is a perfect Whedon hero so it's natural that he gets most of the good lines, but Whedon does manage to spread the wealth around with Thor's deadpan ("He's adopted") and prideful Captain America's glee at understanding an outdated reference. I also loved a poignantly written exchange during a scene in Germany where an old German man, clearly scarred by the past, refuses to kneel before Loki ("There are always men like you.") There's also nice romantic banter between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) that has a classic movie feel to it and a quirky scene involving a security guard played by Harry Dean Stanton

The film especially shines with how it handles the Hulk as several of the best moments in the film involve that troubled character. I actually liked both the 2003 Ang Lee film with Eric Bana and the 2008 reboot with Edward Norton, but this is the first time the character has successfully come across as a crowd-pleasing hero. There were many people unhappy with Ruffalo taking over the Bruce Banner role from Norton, but he easily silenced those concerns with the best portrayal of Banner yet. He has a more laid back, awkward vibe that suits the character well. I enjoyed both the new take on Hulk and Ruffalo as Banner so much that I'd love to see a new individual Hulk film. He's the only one of the four superheroes that doesn't have a sequel planned yet.

Whedon also proves to be no slouch as an action filmmaker. He's never handled anything on this scale before, although his expertise at the scenes of Black Widow kicking butt are no surprise from the Buffy creator. Whedon immediately proves himself capable of designing exciting action sequences on a grand scale without having to resort to the lazy Michael Bay method of rapid cutting. In fact there is a fascinating shot during the final epic battle sequence in New York where Whedon pans from hero to hero without cutting. It's a very long action sequence and at every single point it's easy to tell what's going on and what everyone is trying to do. Most importantly, he's able to balance things very well and make sure that every one of the main characters (including non-super-powered Black Widow and Hawkeye) get a winning heroic moment.

Perhaps the best accomplishment of the Avengers is refuting the argument in defense of big budget crapfests that critics are just expecting too much. The Avengers doesn't have lofty ambitions like your regular award bait film. Hell, it doesn't even aim to transcend the genre like Nolan's The Dark Knight. However, it never once resorts to laziness or treats the audience like they're morons. It's just an incredibly entertaining film featuring some iconic characters doing very exciting things. Whedon shows you can accomplish that without requiring the audience to shut their brains off.

Pre-Summer Catch Up

It's been a couple months since I've written a review, so I decided to cobble together some capsule reviews of films I saw during that period:

The Secret World of Arrietty (Hiromosa Yonebayhashi) ***1/2

Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli has produced some fascinating animated tales including Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and two standout features Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. However the last two Miyazaki outings were incredibly disappointing. I found Howl's Moving Castle to be tedious and Ponyo to be overly cute. The Secret World of Arrietty finds the studio back to form in Hiromasa Yonebayashi's directing debut. The story about tiny people called Borrowers who fend for survival amongst normal sized humans captures the perfect balance between cutesiness and despair. It also contains a winning main character and some excellent voice work (especially from Amy Poehler). I look forward to more work from Yonebayashi.

Rampart (Oren Moverman) **

Woody Harrelson stars as corrupt LAPD cop Dave Brown, whose aggressive tactics start to catch up to him in the wake of the citywide Rampart scandal. Harrelson is well cast here and gives a memorable performance as a thoroughly detestable human being, but beyond that there is very little to admire here. Moverman doesn't seem to have anything interesting to say beyond the central character study and instead invests every scene with an overabundance of style that only serves to distract from, rather than enhance Harrelson's central performance. Harreslon's visit to a nightclub is one of my least favorite film sequences of the year.

Project X (Nima Nourizadeh) *1/2

A complete mess of a film that either doesn't know what it wants to be or just miserably fails at it. It follows a group of teenagers planning a huge birthday party for their friend, hoping that it will be such a big event that it increases their popularity. The film is shot in the noxious found footage format, which already completely destroyed a film with much better material this year (Chronicle) and it fares no better here. The format is intended to make the viewer feel like they are at the party, but all it actually does is trap us with the incredibly unlikeable main characters, who are supposed to be underdogs but generate no sympathy whatsoever. At this point, I think I might hate the found footage format even more than 3D.

John Carter (Andrew Stanton) ***

This big budget spectacle adapted from a series of novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs is now known as a notorious bomb for Disney ($250 mill budget, $70 mill domestic gross), but it doesn't deserve such a negative reputation. On it's merits, the film is a fun sci-fi/action yarn with an appealing lead performance from Friday Night Lights vet Taylor Kitsch. Director Andrew Stanton isn't nearly as successful in making the transition from Pixar to live action as his fellow Pixar cohort Brad Bird was with the wonderful Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, but he does a good enough job establishing a strong central hero and capably creating exciting action set pieces.

Friends With Kids (Jennifer Westfeldt) ***1/2

11 years earlier, Jennifer Westfeldt completely blew me away with Kissing Jessica Stein, a romantic comedy about a neurotic woman who pursues a lesbian relationship. It wonderfully captured that Woody Allen feel that Allen himself hadn't captured in a long time and contains a controversial ending that I fervently defend to this day. She's drifted from project to project since then with varying degrees of success, but this is the closest she's come to replicating that wonderful film. Friends With Kids is about a couple of close friends (Westfeldt and Adam Scott) who watch as their friends' relationships deteriorate due to the combined pressures of marriage and parenthood. They decide to skip the pressures of a normal couple and raise a child as friends. At first glance, the premise sounds like high concept Hollywood nonsense, but the mature way Westfeldt handles the material shows she's actually interested in exploring the subject for more than a simple device. She's aided by a terrific ensemble cast (Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Chris O'Dowd, and Maya Rudolph all reunite from Bridesmaids) and her own heartfelt central performance. Hell, she even manages to coax a decent performance out of Megan Fox.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (Lasse Hallstrom) **1/2

Here we have a movie with about 10 billion problems and yet it almost works solely due to one person: Emily Blunt. And it's not necessarily her performance (it's fine), but how she looks. Rarely has an actress looked as luminous as Blunt does here. Director Lasse Hallstrom and his Cinematographer Terry Stacey are clearly in love with her and seemingly chose their entire visual strategy on filming her in the best light possible. The story itself, about an incredibly wealthy Sheik who wants to introduce salmon fishing in his home country is too slight and tonally inconsistent (see: Kristin Scott Thomas' funny, but out of place press secretary who seems to have wandered in from In the Loop). However, the central romance between Blunt and Ewan McGregor is appealing enough to make this a pleasant, if not memorable film.

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross) ***1/2

I don't often read novels before the film adaptation comes out and I generally like a movie much less if I do, but this is an exception in both cases. It's a rare case where Hollywood completely nails the casting as every single choice worked out incredibly well, especially Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. The Hunger Games is a difficult concept to translate to film as it had to somehow walk the tightrope between decrying violence without also making it seem exciting, something that is much easier to do on page than on screen. However, director Gary Ross does an excellent job navigating this concept. There are thrilling moments, but they are properly placed in the context of will Katniss survive. The scenes where she battles others are shot in a shaky cam format where it is a bit disorienting and often difficult to tell what is going on (the final fight scene above the cornucopia being a great example). This nicely undercuts the "excitement" of such scenes and makes them appropriately uncomfortable to watch. Katniss doesn't win the Hunger Games. She survives them. Gary Ross understands that concept and does a great job of translating it to the film.

The Five Year Engagement (Nicholas Stoller) ***

Director Nicholas Stoller and Writer-star Jason Segel reunite from the wonderful lowbrow romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall and deliver a solid, if somewhat disappointing followup. The film follows a a happy couple who get engaged, but find many complications that keep pushing back their wedding. Segel and co-star Emily Blunt have a very nice chemistry together, helping the romantic part work very well. However, the film lacks dynamic supporting characters (such as Russell Brand's Aldous Snow), which were a hallmark of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and other similar films produced by Judd Apatow. There is a solid supporting cast including Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, Rhyhs Ifans, Mindy Kaling, Kevin Hart, and many others but none of them are given strong material to work with. Thus the film isn't quite as funny as those other films, but there are enough amusing moments and an appealing central momence to make this a satisfying venture.

The Cabin in the Woods (Drew Goddard) ***1/2

There's nothing new about a horror film that takes a knowing, satirical look at the genre. Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven got us started in 1996 with Scream. Ever since then, there have been plenty of postmodern horror films that have analyzed the genre in their own way. However, none have managed to find the right combination of incisive satire and genuine thrills as Drew Goddard and co-writer Joss Whedon have done in The Cabin in the Woods. It's hard to write much more than that without giving too much away, because this is a film filled with wonderful surprises. I will say the central conceit is very clever with some funny and disturbing moments and the finale is brilliantly inventive fun.

Wanderlust (David Wain) ***

David Wain's Wanderlust is a film that takes a silly premise seemingly best suited for a TV sitcom and somehow makes it work. The film's success can be attributed to a splendid ensemble cast, strong use of improvisational humor, and an understanding of how to infuse characters with just enough depth so they don't become cartoons. It is one of the nice, early surprises of 2011.

George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) are married city dwellers who have hit a rough patch. His boring office job disappears when the company is shut down due to legal violations and her documentary about penguins with testicular cancer is met with the expected horrified reactions from TV executives. After a misadventure with George's obnoxious brother, they decide to try something new and live at a commune (or "intentional community" as the residents call it). The adjustment affects the couple differently and tests their relationship.

The film opens very strong with some solid scenes setting up the the situation for the main characters. There's a hilarious road trip montage  where they alternate fighting and singing. Small supporting characters like a real estate agent (Linda Lavin) and HBO executives are given very funny personalities and their interactions with George and Linda  are hilarious. George's brother (Ken Marino) serves an amusingly obnoxious contrast the the hippies at the commune.

Surprisingly, it's the scenes at the commune where the film has consistency issues. Wain sometimes has issues finding the right balance between broad humor and realism. There's no doubt some very funny material, including a mirror monologue by Paul Rudd that is one of the funniest things the actor has ever done. However, some of the situations are a bit over the top and the improvisational style leads to some scenes running longer than they should. It's still very funny material, just a bit more hit and miss than in the opening act.

The biggest problem in the film is a character named Seth (Justin Theroux). He has some hilarious lines about his concept of modern technology ("You know you can really get trapped in that web of beepers and Zenith televisions and Walkmens..."), but the problem comes when the movie uses him as a simple plot device to threaten George and Linda's relationship. The differences in how they adjusted to the commune lifestyle was enough of an obstacle for their marriage, so there was no need to create some cliched love triangle. This doesn't even get into the actions taken by Seth in the 3rd act, which I did not buy for one second.

Despite my complaints, Wanderlust remains funny enough to recommend. There are some very funny performances from the ensemble cast, including an underutilized Alan Alda as an old school hippie that founded the commune and Joe Lo Truglio as a nudist trying to write a political thriller with a shocking twist. Paul Rudd remains an asset to any movie he appears in and Jennifer Aniston reminds us once again that despite her penchant for picking terrible projects, she remains a very capable comic actress.

2011 Top 10 List and Awards

As is my tradition, I release my top 10 movies of the year the day before the Oscars so I have extra chance to see some of the year end releases that don't make it to Atlanta for a couple months after their NY/LA premieres. Here are my choices for the top 10 movies of 2011...

Honorable Mention: Moneyball (Bennett Miller), A Separation (Asgar Farhadi), 50/50 (Jonathan Levine), Putty Hill (Matthew Porterfield), Beginners (Mike Mills)

10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (David Yates)

 

The best was saved for last as the film series closes out on an artistic high note.

9. We Bought a Zoo (Cameron Crowe)

Matt Damon capably pulls heartstrings in another winner from Cameron Crowe.

8. Cold Weather (Aaron Katz)

Involving low key mystery that brilliantly uses elements of mumblecore.

7. Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin)

Unique thriller with a revelatory lead performance from Elizabeth Olsen.

6. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (Brad Bird)

The best in the series and the most purely exhilarating film of the year.

5. Dear Lemon Lima (Suzi Yoonnessi)

Memorable quirky indie that finds a perfect balance of tone.

4. The Descendants (Alexander Payne) 

Clooney's best performance in another sharply observant Payne film.

3.The Artist (Michel Hazanavicus)

Lovely tribute to silent films and a compelling character study.

2. Bridesmaids (Paul Feig)

It's the funniest film of the year, but also surprisingly insightful about female relationships.

1. Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn)

In this memorable crime thriller, Gosling's "Driver" is an iconic film character.

Awards: (Winners noted with an *)

Director

Brad Bird, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Michel Hazanavicus, The Artist

Alexander Payne, The Descendants

*Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive

Suzi Yoonessi, Dear Lemon Lima

Actor

George Clooney, The Descendants

Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Michael Fassbender, Shame

*Ryan Gosling, Drive

Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Actress

Viola Davis, The Help

Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

*Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids

Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Savanah Wiltfong, Dear Lemon Lima

Supporting Actor

*Albert Brooks, Drive

Jonah Hill, Moneyball

Patton Oswalt, Young Adult

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist

*Elle Fanning, Super 8

Anna Kendrick, 50/50

Octavia Spencer, The Help

Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Original Screenplay

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

*Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids

Adapted Screenplay

Cameron Crowe, We Bought a Zoo

John Logan, Hugo

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, The Descendants

*Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, Moneyball

Suzi Yoonessi, Dear Lemon Lima

Editing

The Artist

The Descendants

*Drive

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Original Score

*The Artist

Beginners

Dear Lemon Lima

War Horse

We Bought a Zoo

Original Song

"Couer Valant", Hugo

"Gathering Stories", We Bought a Zoo

"Life's a Happy Song", The Muppets

"Man or Muppet", The Muppets

*"Pictures in My Head", The Muppets

Cinematography

The Artist

Drive

Hugo

*The Tree of Life

War Horse

Art Direction

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

*Hugo

Midnight in Paris

The Muppets

Costume

The Artist

*Hugo

The Iron Lady

My Week With Marilyn

Thor

Makeup

Albert Nobbs

*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The Iron Lady

Sound Editing

*Drive

Hugo

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

X-Men: First Class

War Horse

Sound Mixing

Drive

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

*Hugo

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

War Horse

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Hugo

*Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Thor

X-Men: First Class

Should, Will, and Snubbed: Predictions for the 2012 Academy Awards

Here are my predictions for the 2012 Academy Awards, which take place this Sunday. Should Win is my pick for the best among the nominees. Will Win is who I think the Academy will pick. Snubbed is the best potential nominee that the Academy passed over. I excluded categories where I had not seen enough of the nominees.

Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"
"The Tree of Life"

Should Win: In a rather underwhelming year for Best Picture nominees, I'd only consider two of them to be great, with a slight preference for fascinating character study and skillfully conceived silent film The Artist, but I'd have no problem with a win for The Descendants.

Will Win: The Artist has won all the major Oscar precursors except for the SAG awards, but that was an ensemble acting win for The Help, which (thankfully) does not have a chance at Best Picture.

Snubbed: Drive was a terrific modern crime thriller with a brilliant artistic vision and iconic performances, but was probably too violent for Academy voters that seemed to be trying to pick the safest group of nominees ever.

Best Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Should Win: Probably the best category of the year as all five nominees were terrific, but George Clooney gave one of the best performances of his great career as a decent man trying to make sense of a turbulent family situation.

Will Win: Clooney seemed to be the frontrunner here until he was upended at the SAG awards by Jean Dujardin, who later followed that up with a BAFTA victory. Clooney still might win, but it's bad to bet against the SAG.

Snubbed: Ryan Gosling (Drive) says very little, but his quietly mesmerizing presence makes for one of the most memorable film characters in a long time.

Best Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Should Win: For the second year in a row, Michelle Williams has given the best performance among the nominated actresses with her wonderful depiction of screen legend Marilyn Monroe.

Will Win: This is a two person race between Streep and Davis. Streep won the Golden Globe and Davis took home the SAG victory. When in doubt go with the SAG, so Viola Davis it is.

Snubbed: Her co-star Melissa McCarthy received far more attention throughout the awards season, but Kristen Wiig gave a performance with much more depth, while managing to be every bit as funny.

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Should Win: One of the weakest categories here, with two nominees (Nolte, Sydow) that have no business being nominated. Of the rest, Christopher Plummer gives the best performance as a man who didn't start living his life as he wanted until it was nearly over.

Will Win: One of the easiest predictions of the night. Christopher Plummer has won every single major pre-Oscars award.

Snubbed: Albert Brooks (Drive) took a big risk playing against type as a levelheaded gangster with the capability to be ruthless when it is warranted and it paid off as he gave the best performance of his career.

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Should Win: I thought The Help was a poorly directed film that played up Hollywood's fascination with white people saving minorities, but that's no reflection on the beautiful performances from Octavia Spencer and the rest of the cast.

Will Win: Like Plummer, Octavia Spencer has won every major pre-Oscars award and it would be a major upset if the didn't take home the trophy.

Snubbed: Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) was the year's biggest revelation with a multifaceted performance that matched her legendary co-star every step of the way.

Best Director
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Should Win: Michel Hazanavicus did a brilliant job of capturing the spirit of the silent era, while also crafting a fascinating story about a man's fall from the top of Hollywood to utter despair.

Will Win: DGA winner Michel Hazanavicus is a pretty sure thing as the DGA champ has won the last 8 Best Director Oscars and 57 out of 63 overall.

Snubbed: Every artistic decision made by Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive) was perfect, employing a slick visual style that never overshadowed his fascinating characters.

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Should Win: Bridesmaids was not only completely hilarious, but found surprising depth about human relationships amidst all the outrageous humor.

Will Win: Midnight in Paris was Woody Allen's most lauded film in a long time and he's certain to take home a 4th Oscar for his creative and romantic screenplay.

Snubbed: Sean Durkin's Martha Marcy May Marlene was completely ignored by the Oscars, but it was a stunningly original depiction of a woman haunted by her past.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

Should Win: Aaron Sorkin took Moneyball, a book about intricate baseball statistics and somehow structured it into a compelling underdog story. The Ricardo Rincon trade is one of the year's best individual scenes.

Will Win: Sorkin could very well take home his second consecutive Oscar, but the WGA went with The Descendants and so will I.

Snubbed: Cameron Crowe's wildly underrated We Bought a Zoo once again showcased the writer-director's unique ability to combine humor, sentiment, and wholly original individual moments into a richly rewarding film experience.

Original Score
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse," John Williams

Should Win:  The Artist
Will Win: The Artist
Snubbed: We Bought a Zoo

Best Original Song
"Man or Muppet," The Muppets; Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," Rio; Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Will Win: "Man or Muppet", The Muppets
Should Win: "Man or Muppet", The Muppets
 Snubbed: "Pictures in My Head", The Muppets

Best Achievement in Art Direction
"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"War Horse"

Should Win: Hugo
Will Win: Hugo
Snubbed: The Muppets

Best Achievement in Cinematography
"The Artist"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Should Win: The Tree of Life
Will Win: The Tree of Life
Snubbed: Drive

Best Achievement in Film Editing
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"

Should Win: The Artist
Will Win: The Artist
Snubbed: Drive

Best Achievement in Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"

Should Win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Will Win: The Iron Lady
Snubbed: X-Men: First Class

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
"Drive"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

Should Win: Drive
Will Win: Hugo
Snubbed: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

Should Win: Hugo
Will Win: Hugo
Snubbed: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Should Win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Will Win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Snubbed: X-Men: First Class

Tuesday Top 10: The 10 Worst Oscar Decisions

This is a new feature for my blog. Every Tuesday, I'll post a top 10 list about some random movie topic (Best Romantic Comedies, Worst Sequels, etc.). Inspired by the upcoming Oscars, the first entry in this series will be the 10 Worst Oscar decisions ever.

I came up with some criteria for what I would include here. I'm only counting decisions where I saw both the winner and the film that was snubbed as it wouldn't be fair to assume something shouldn't have won just because it beat something great. I'm also not talking about nomination snubs. This is simply the worst decision among films or performers that were actually nominated. Having said that, here is the list...

#10. 1994, Lead Actor - Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump) over Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

I actually often find myself as a defender of both Forrest Gump and Tom Hanks performance in it. I think it's a funny and often moving story punctuated by the genius visual creativity of Robert Zemeckis. Hanks performance is more nuanced and multidimensional than people give it credit for. So the reason I chose this entry at #10 has less to do with Hanks being undeserving and more to do with how incredibly amazing Freeman was in Shawshank. Freeman, who had yet to win an Oscar, gave one of the most moving and complex performances of the decade, yet would have to wait 10 years before finally winning his first Oscar for Million Dollar Baby.

#9. 1931, Lead Actress - Helen Hayes (The Sin of Madelon Claudet) over Marie Dressler (Emma)

One of the earliest examples of the Academy rewarding shameless overacting, and it certainly won't be the last to make this list. Helen Hayes was the most beloved stage performer of her time, known as the "First Lady of the American Theater". However, her film performances leave alot to be desired. This was actually her film debut and she played a single mother going to desperate lengths (such as prostitution) to provide for her son. What may have worked wonderfully in the theater comes across as incredibly hammy and ridiculous on screen. Marie Dressler's (who had won the previous year) performance in Emma wasn't her best, but it was still a nice bit of character acting and far more deserving of the win.

#8. 1998, Best Picture - Shakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan

Despite making my top 10, this is often considered a bigger injustice than it really deserves. Shakespeare in Love is a very good period comedy whose only flaw is a weak leading performance from Joseph Fiennes. What really hurts the film's perception in the eyes of many is the manner in which it won. Miramax poured tons of money in a marketing campaign aimed at Oscar voters, hoping to tip the scales in their favor and it worked. Having said that, this is a very bad choice by the Academy even ignoring the marketing campaign. Saving Private Ryan was a masterful examination of bravery, cowardice and sacrifice in war. As good a movie as Shakespeare in Love is, it doesn't hold a candle to Spielberg's masterpiece.

#7. 2000, Lead Actor - Russell Crowe (Gladiator) over Tom Hanks (Cast Away)

In a reversal from my #10 choice, it is Hanks who was robbed this time. Russell Crowe is a terrific actor and there is nothing wrong with his performance in Gladiator. However, there's nothing especially great about it either. He gives a gives a good, strong physical performance, but it pales in comparison the dynamic portrayals he gave in films like LA Confidential and The Insider. His win here would be like giving Liam Neeson the Oscar for Taken. Meanwhile, Hanks gave the best performance of his career in Cast Away. It was an incredible accomplishment, completely carrying the film by himself for almost the entire running time and making you believe he cared deeply for a volleyball.

#6. 1971, Best Picture - The French Connection over A Clockwork Orange and The Last Picture Show

This is probably a case of a film not aging well at all. The French Connection is a mostly dull (except for the memorable chase scene at the end) cop drama with decent performances. Not sure what the Academy saw in this film, but they really missed the ball by passing over two classics in Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show and Kubrick's A clockwork Orange, wildly different films that are both extremely memorable in their own ways. The French Connection can't even compare to a fellow cop drama from the same year - Dirty Harry, which has aged better and had much more influence over the years.

#5. 2009, Original Screenplay - Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker) over Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)

The Hurt Locker was a good film and I have no problem with Kathryn Bigelow's Best Director victory, as she created some stunning and viscerally compelling suspense sequences. However, voters also rewarded the screenplay, which is the very worst part of the film. It severely undermined a great premise about a bomb squad in Iraq by making its main character a crazy cowboy who violates protocol constantly and rushes into dangerous situations without thinking. It undermines the entire anti-war concept of the film, as the tense situations they find themselves in are the result of the main character's stupidity instead of the natural craziness of war. Meanwhile, Tarantino crafted another brilliantly original film with his mixture of pulp storytelling, broad humor, and fascinating dialogue.

#4. 1981, Best Picture - Chariots of Fire over Atlantic City, On Golden Pond, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Reds

Yep, this is a case where the film that won was worse than all four films that it beat. And the sad thing is it's not even close. When people think Chariots of Fire, they remember the memorable musical score by Vangelis and not much else. That's because there isn't much else to it. It's a dreadfully dry and dull film with awful pacing and no engaging characters. The better choice would've been Spielberg's classic adventure tale Raiders of the Lost Ark, with Louis Malle's fascinating character study Atlantic City close behind. Any of them would've been better than the dreadful and unimaginative Chariots of Fire.

#3. 1927-28, Best Picture - Wings over Sunrise and 7th Heaven

The very first Academy Awards makes an appearance on this list with silent war drama Wings not only being a terrible choice that year, but also one of the worst Best Pictures of all time. When I reviewed it a couple years back, I stated it was what you'd expect if Michael Bay had made movies in 1927. I stand by that today, as the somewhat exciting action scenes are not even close to being enough to overcome the horrible love story. The love story takes up the entire second section of the film in an exceedingly long sequence where Clara Bow tries to sober up the drunk main character so he won't be AWOL. Sunrise was split up into a bizarre Best Picture of Artistic Merit category, which it won. If you exclude Sunrise because of this bizarre decision, then Frank Borzage's beautiful melodrama 7th Heaven still would've been a much better choice. 

#2. 1992, Lead Actor - Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman) over Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

After being nominated 7 times and losing each and every time, the Academy finally gave an Oscar to Al Pacino for his performance as a blind veteran in Scent of a Woman. Even if we were to exclude his brilliant competitor in the same category, it would've been a ridiculous choice to award Pacino for his repetitive overacting in Scent of a Woman instead of his legendary performances in films like The Godfather, The Godfather 2, and Dog Day Afternoon. And it's especially bad when you consider that he beat Denzel Washington for what truly is one of the most impressive film performances of all time. Denzel literally transformed himself into Malcolm X and gave an intense, multidimensional portrait of the revolutionary civil rights leader.

#1. 2005, Best Picture - Crash over Brokeback Mountain

In some ways, Crash has faced the same problem of Shakespeare in Love and has been unfairly maligned merely for winning when it shouldn't have. I admit to liking (not loving) it when I first saw it in theaters. Some of the individual stories worked really well (especially the Terrence Howard segment), while others are dreadfully simplistic (Sandra Bullock's simplistic and unconvincing transformation). The problem is less that Crash won and more what it beat. Brokeback Mountain was yet another terrific film from the amazing Ang Lee, a beautifully shot and timeless love story with incredible performances (RIP Heath). It has sometimes been dismissed as getting attention only because it was a gay film, but this is a universal love story that is just as compelling as any film about societal pressures keeping a couple apart, such as Remains of the Day or The Age of Innocence. It was the best film of the year and the Academy's decision to pass it over for Crash is the worst Oscar decision ever.

The Woman in Black (James Watkins) **1/2

The haunted house genre has been one of the oldest and most reliable horror conventions. Classics of the genre include Paul Leni's The Cat and the Canary and James Whale's The Old Dark House. The idea lends itself well to creating a spooky atmosphere and lots of opportunities for surprise scares lurking behind any door, painting, or hallway corner. James Watkins' The Woman in Black is certainly not a bad example of the genre and indeed has some pretty good scares, but ultimately does not completely work due to some repetitiveness and a weak third act.

The Woman in Black follows recently widowed young lawyer Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe). The death of his wife has seriously affected his life both personally and professionally. His bosses give him one last chance to shape up by traveling to a small village and help settle the estate of a recently deceased woman. He soon finds that nobody in town wants anything to do with that house as they believe it has something to do with a mysterious string of child suicides. Arthur shrugs this off at first, but begins to change his mind after a frightening visit to the house leads to dire consequences.

The film starts off pretty strong, with a creepy opening that sets up a eerie backstory. Director James Watkins does a good job setting up a spooky atmosphere, using fog and dim lighting to great effect. when the film focuses on this, it is a pretty enjoyable ride. The middle section of the film in particular has some great jump-out-of-your-seat moments. Daniel Radcliffe steps out from the Harry Potter series and gives a capable lead performance. His wide eyed everyman appeal is perfect for the lead role.

The problem with the film is it relies too heavily on shock scares set up by something surprising coming from off camera. These big surprises are punctuated with a loud sound effect to make sure the audience knows they're supposed to be scared, like a laugh track on a sitcom. Admittedly, some of the most effective scares in the film come from this device, but the filmmakers go to this well too many times, and it begins to feel repetitive and tedious. The film would have been more effective staying focused on the psychological exploration of the main character. Also problematic is a mostly weak third act featuring a solution that plays out like a less suspenseful episode of Supernatural.

Having said that, the film is competently made and will certainly have strong appeal to fans of the genre. The supporting cast is very strong, showcasing notable vets Janet McTeer, Tom Hardy, and Ciarin Hinds. It's not the film that will completely separate Radcliffe from his famous boy wizard role, but it's a good start. If only Watkins had made up his mind on which movie to make: a psychological ghost story or a B-level shocker. Ultimately, he tries for both and merely ends up with an above average film when it could've been so much more.

Chronicle (Josh Trank) **1/2

It has been 13 years since The Blair Witch Project debuted at Sundance to great fanfare and the "found footage" genre was born. Since then, there have been a number of films utilizing the same format, with notable examples being Cloverfield and the Paranormal Activity series. This genre is not one of my favorites as it generally lends itself to ridiculous explanations for the camera being there and amateurish writing as the writers try to come up with realistic dialogue (a Tarantino found footage film would probably be great), but there are appropriate uses for the format. However, I cannot think of a film that has used this device worse than Chronicle.

Chronicle follows a lonely teenager named Andrew (Dane DeHaan), who has an abusive father and a dying mother. The only friend he has is his cousin Matt (Alex Russell). Andrew decides to start recording everything with a video camera he bought. He takes the camera everywhere he goes, including a party that leads to the discovery of a strange hole in the ground. Andrew, Matt, and popular class president candidate Steve (Michael B. Jordan) explore that hole and come into contact with a strange object, which eventually gives them superpowers.

There is some really good material in here. The main cast all do really strong work and the overall story arc has a pretty compelling appeal to it. The film takes some refreshing twists to the superhero genre. There is no villain and in fact they don't fight crime at all. The story is more about how the powers affect the social status and friendships among the main characters. Andrew's character development is particularly powerful, as he struggles with reining his powers in amidst personal trauma.

This makes it all the more distressing that they trotted out the tired found footage format. This is a story that did not fit that genre at all. The format worked for The Blair Witch Project, because the filmmakers used the limitations to their advantage, correctly realizing that what you can't see is often scarier than what you can see. However, in Chronicle it feels like the filmmakers are laboring to find an excuse for there to be a camera in nearly every single scene. It's a very distracting conceit, even when they finally come up with the idea of having Andrew able to levitate it.

The filmmakers come up with a few ideas to get around this problem. They introduce a romantic interest for Matt, who also just happens to love carrying a camera everywhere she goes. They never really develop her, making it clear that her only purpose was so there could be footage of Matt when Andrew wasn't around. But this should've been a clue that this format would not work for the film. If you have to include footage from multiple cameras (they also use security camera footage) to tell the story, then why not just ditch the found footage idea and tell the story naturally?

Part of the problem, as is usually the case with a gimmick idea in a film, is a lack of confidence in the story. Maybe director Josh Trank and screenwriter Max Landis didn't realize they already had strong material and didn't need to throw in any tricks to make it seem better. If so, they were dead wrong and made a disastrous choice. Not only was the basic story strong with good performances, powerful character development, and exciting action sequences (especially the ending), but all of this would've been so much better without a device that forced the filmmakers to cut corners and strain credibility.

The Grey (Joe Carnahan) ***

The TV ads for The Grey promise an action thriller where Liam Neeson puts on his macho act and faces off against wolves. It was undoubtedly a good marketing campaign as The Grey rocketed out to #1 this past weekend with a $19 million haul. However, those that were going to see a mindless man vs. action film were likely to be disappointed. While The Grey does feature some visceral action moments, the heart of the film is about a guy meditating on life and survival, with wolves just one of several impediments. The end result is a movie far better than the trailers suggest, but perhaps confounding to certain audiences who were expecting something different.

The Grey follows a group of oil drillers who work in a remote region of Alaska. On a trip back home, a plane crash leaves most of them dead, stranding the few survivors in the middle of nowhere during a pretty brutal storm. Surviving the elements is bad enough, but they've also found themselves encroaching on the territory of a pack of wolves. A series of wolf attacks makes them realize they cannot stay in the same location waiting to be rescued. Amidst chaos, confusion, and controversy, a man named Ottway (Neeson) takes leadership of the group as they attempt to make a run for safety.

Wolf attacks aren't as frequent as the trailer might suggest. Much of the film is made up of the group pondering their existence, thinking about those they've left behind for such a dangerous job. Neeson in particular has a pretty powerful arc as a man who at one point was dealing with thoughts of suicide, but now wants nothing more than to survive. In this sense, The Grey actually has as much in common with Cast Away as it does your standard wilderness suspense thriller. It's certainly not as good as that near masterpiece, but the thoughtful way they explore the existence of the characters is unexpected and very refreshing.

This isn't to say that The Grey reneges on delivering the action goods. The plane crash sequence is expertly done, with director Joe Carnahan not showing any exterior shots of the plane (also reminiscent of Cast Away), thus creating a "you are there" effect for the audience. There is a terrifying scene where the group attempts to cross over a massive valley via a rope precariously attached to the tree. Sure, that type of scene is a cliche in wilderness stories, but the execution is spot on here. And the nighttime attacks by the wolves (where you can only see their eyes) are suitably frightening.

One major drawback are the all too frequent flashback moments that give us glimpses of Ottway's wife. So much of the film does a good job of building up a palpable sense of dread based on the hopeless predicament the survivors find themselves in, but it really loses all of that whenever they cut away from the immediate scene. It would've been more effective to confine all of these moments to normal dialogue and indeed that is where the best character moments come from.

Liam Neeson is the star attraction and he's perfectly cast here. He has the charisma to emerge as the leader, plus the range and skill to show the emotional turmoil his character is experiencing. If anything, the film focuses a bit too heavily on him as the other characters don't really get developed enough for us to care about them as much as we do Ottway. Despite that, Carnahan has done an admirable job with the material, providing the audience with good thrill sequences, but never sacrificing the strong development of the main character's psychological state.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Stephen Daldry) **1/2

Making a film that mentions or utilizes the September 11th attacks is a very tricky prospect. There have been only a handful of films that have managed to find a way to use 9/11 in their plot without seeming contrived or exploitive. United 93 and World Trade Center both told appropriate tales of heroism on that fateful day. 25th Hour was a movie about the heart and soul of New York, so ignoring 9/11 would have been awkward. Unfortunately, Stephen Daldry's latest film uses 9/11 in a calculated and unnecessary attempt to give the story more importance than it really deserves.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is adapted from a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer about a curious nine year old boy named Oskar (Thomas Horn) that may have Asperger syndrome. He had a really close bond with his father (Tom Hanks), who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. One day Oskar discovers a key hidden in a vase in his father's closet. The key is in an envelope that has the name "Black" on it. Believing this to be a clue to some sort of puzzle that his father left for him to figure out, Oskar sets about visiting everyone with the name Black in New York City, while his mother (Sandra Bullock) struggles to reach out to him.

The inclusion of 9/11 in the story is incredibly problematic. As written and played on the screen, the only purpose of having Oskar's father die on 9/11 appears to be giving the story some sort of dramatic heft. The same exact story about a dead father, a boy looking for answers, and a mother trying to reconnect with her son could've been told without this added element, but I fear the filmmakers (or really the book's author) felt it needed something else to signal to people that this story was serious. It seems to come from a place of laziness and lack of confidence in the basic story.

Not only is the inclusion of 9/11 slightly offensive due to its obvious manipulation, but it negatively alters how Daldry tells this story. There are scenes that are just wildly overplayed, many of them involving Oskar yelling while Daldry spins the camera as much as possible to let you know he's there. The problem is that the film would've worked much better as a slightly quirky, low-key drama. The few moments where they do take this approach, the film builds up some real dramatic momentum.

The most affecting moments in the film are the mother-son relationship. Oskar's mother knows that he preferred his dad to her and there's a memorably agonizing scene where they both discuss this. The way this scene is played is in stark contrast to the pseudo importance that inhabits most of the film. Bullock is very good here, much better than in her wildly overrated Oscar winning role in The Blindside. There are other moments here and there that are tremendously moving, including a moment where Oskar plays his father's voice messages for a mysterious older man (Max von Sydow).

So despite the 9/11 issues, the film still could've been at least decent. However, the film wraps up with a ridiculously sappy final 15 minutes that includes a montage where the first shot made me want to throw something at the screen. There are a couple surprises thrown at the audience, one that is not surprising at all and another that is ridiculous and not credible for one second. I'm not sure how this played in book format, but these storytelling choices just don't work in the film. Much has been made of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close's surprise Oscar nomination and that it is the lowest rated Oscar nominee at Rotten Tomatoes. It's neither as bad as the detractors claim or good enough to be nominated for Best Picture. It's just a mediocre disappointment.

Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo Garcia) **

Albert Nobbs arrives as an Oscar bait picture featuring Glenn Close in a gender reversing role that was sure to get her nominated. Close is a terrific actress, one of the most reliable over the last couple decades. That she has failed to win an Oscar out of five previous nominations is certainly unfortunate, but this dull period drama comes across more as a calculated attempt to finally end that streak than a serious attempt to make a film with a compelling story. Also getting in the way is a supporting performance in the same film that completely upstages her every step of the way.

Albert Nobbs (Close) is a woman who has been passing as a man for 30 years. She's done this in order to make a living as a waiter, which has successfully led to her current employment at a quaint English hotel. One day she runs into another woman (Janet McTeer) successfully posing as a man, one who has actually managed to find a wife and live a relatively happy life. This inspires Albert to try and do the same so she sets her sights on Helen (Mia Wasikowska), a maid that works for the same hotel.

There's an interesting story within the world of Albert Nobbs, but it's not one the filmmakers chose to tell. As a main character, Albert is not very compelling. It's a low key performance from Close, but it's almost too low key. All of her emotions are kept so tightly within that it becomes really hard for the audience to have a strong emotional bond with the character. However, the movie comes to life whenever Janet McTeer's character hits the screen. She is complex, dynamic, and completely enthralling. It is one of the best performances of the year. A movie focused on her would've been much, much better.

Thus the problem with the film is that apart from the central conceit, Albert is a very dull character. She is so incredibly introverted that the screenplay often has to resort to a lazy and awkward device of having Albert talk to herself so we know what she's thinking. A voice over technique would've been a much better choice here. Also problematic is that Helen is such a thoroughly unpleasant character, there's little reason for us to want Albert to succeed in her quest, especially since Albert's goals (in stark contrast to the McTeer character) seem to be more about convenience of having a wife than any compelling romantic interest.

One of the mysteries in the film that Albert wants to solve is how and when the McTeer character told her wife. Albert constantly tries to find this out, but is often interrupted. I shared Albert's frustration, because the answer to this question is far more compelling than anything involving Albert's life. There is one time later in the film where Albert explains the reason she chose to dress as a man. It's the best scene Close has in the film and a truly heartbreaking scene, but it comes way too late and nothing surrounding this lives up to that one moment. At some point during the making of this movie, I wonder if anyone stopped and thought that maybe they were making the movie about the wrong person.

Haywire (Steven Soderbergh) ***

It's hard not to like Steven Soderbergh. This is a guy that can make an experimental drama, follow it up with a pure genre film, and back again. What's especially cool is that he brings the same thought and artistry to both. He essentially took a tv-movie idea in Erin Brockovich and made it feel like an offbeat independent film. He made a bank heist film with one of the most star-studded casts in recent memory and it never felt like a big budget Hollywood production. He did a sequel to that film that was even more strange than the original. Now here he is at it again with an exciting action film starring an MMA fighter that contains the same signature touch as his other films.

Haywire exists in an intriguing world of secret operatives. Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) is one of the best, able to take down just about anyone in a fight. She's often called upon to handle unseemly tasks that exist beyond the realm of legality. One particular operation goes really bad, leading to the death of someone she was supposed to protect. The blame is immediately placed on her and she now must go on the run, trying to clear her name and find out who double-crossed her.

Like in many of Soderbergh's films, Haywire a features lots of time shifting between present and past. We first meet Mallory after she's been double-crossed and she quickly learns that even her closest allies are against her. After being attacked at a diner, she runs off with a bystander who tried to help her. We then flashback to earlier operations, leading up to the one where she was framed. There's not much point to this bystander character as his presence never amounts to anything, so he's a pretty odd inclusion to the story.

The real treat here is in the flashback sequences, particularly during an operation where Mallory ends up facing off against fellow operative Paul (Michael Fassbender). The long, extended fight scene between these two is incredibly exciting. This leads to a really fun chase sequence over building rooftops. Soderbergh takes a minimalist approach during these action scenes. He doesn't rely on a blaring score or rapid cuts to try and make things seem exciting, instead counting on his MMA star to deliver the goods.

Carano acquits herself nicely in the lead role. It's not the most deep or complicated performance, but she's never wooden and displays a quietly menacing confidence that suits the character well. The supporting cast is quite good as well, including appearances from the always great Michael Fassbender,  Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, and Channing Tatum. Haywire is a very entertaining film that proves once again that Soderbergh can take pretty much any idea and apply his own unique style with great success.

Top 10 Movie Project: 1933 Year in Review, Top 10, and Awards

For those unfamiliar with my Top 10 Movie Project, the idea came about a couple years ago as a means to catch up on classic cinema on a year by year basis. Each year I pick 20-30 films, including the major ones that are available and other films that pique my interest. At the end of the year, I do an annual wrapup, with reviews of each of the films I watched, come up with a top 10 list and my own version of the Oscars. Then I move on to the next year. I started with 1927, so this will be the 7th year I've completed.

Reviews of each of the films I saw for 1933 can be found here.

1933 proved to be an interesting year because the Hays Code had yet to be enforced, meaning there were some daring roles for women where they completely upended traditional sexual dynamics, such as Design for Living, Baby Face, She Done Him Wrong, and Female (until the ending). The Hays Code would come along the next year and heavily censor films over the next decade based on both sexual and political content. It was in effect until 1968, but stopped being heavily enforced in the late 1940s.

A year earlier, the Quigley Publishing company began compiling lists of the top 10 box office stars in Hollywood based on the polling of theater owners. This sets the stage for one of my favorite old Hollywood stories. Marie Dressler, a popular actress in the silent era, was so close to committing suicide that she was in a diner one night planning how she would do it. By a wonderful twist of fate, director Allan Dwan happened to be in that same diner and recognized her. He immediately cast her in his next film. That was in 1928 and after several years of great success, Dressler had become the biggest box office star in Hollywood, winning the Quigley poll in its first two years of existence. It's a fantastic comeback story and Dressler deserved it as she was a wonderful actress.

The return of John Gilbert is another interesting story from the year. Gilbert was a silent film star and his films with Greta Garbo made them the most popular romantic screen duo of their era. His career floundered with the onset of talkes and the reasons are controversial. Conventional wisdom for a while stipulated that his voice was too high pitched for the sound era, especially for someone who was supposed to be a romantic lead. That theory is strongly contradicted by many film buffs, including a passionate Leonard Maltin, who argue Gilbert's decline had more to do with studio politics. Having seen his reunion with Garbo in this year's Queen Christina, the latter opinion seems most definitely correct as his voice sounds perfect for a male romantic lead.

Some of my favorite directors that have been a staple of this project since the very beginning return this year with more great entries. The great Ernst Lubitsch makes his 6th appearance on my top 10 lists with Design for Living, while Fritz Lang makes his 4th appearance (and 2nd #1) with the wonderful Testament of Dr. Mabuse. The master of romantic melodrama Frank Borzage and future legend Frank Capra (still one year removed from his first notable classic) also make their 4th appearances. It was a pretty good year for films overall, but Hollywood still has not caught up to the quality of the late silent era.

Below is my top 10 list, in reverse order. Instead of including stills like I did in previous years, I've included Youtube links to the trailers of these films. When a trailer wasn't available, I included individual scenes.

10. King Kong (Merian C. Cooper, Ernest P. Shoedsack)

The original hasn't aged well, but still remains a compelling story.

9. Lady For a Day (Frank Capra)

May Robson's Apple Annie is an incredibly endearing character.

8. Counsellor at Law (William Wyler)

John Barrymore in another great character performance.

7. Queen Cristina (Rouben Mamoulian)

Garbo lights up the screen as the legendary Swedish queen.

6. A Man's Castle (Frank Borzage)

Spencer Tracy and Loretta Young in a compelling romance.

5. Little Women (George Cukor)

Katharine Hepburn leads a great ensemble cast in this exquisite adaptation.

 

4. The Private Life of Henry VIII (Alexander Korda)

Charles Laughton in an unforgettable performance as the famous king.

3. Design For Living (Ernst Lubitsch)

Miriam Hopkins, Fredric March, and Gary Cooper in a complicated relationship.

2. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey)

Political satire brings out the best in the Marx Bros.

1. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (Fritz Lang)

Mabuse's rein of terror continues in this brilliantly suspenseful thriller.

Awards (winners noted with an *)

Director

Frank Borzage, A Man's Castle
George Cukor, Little Women

Alexander Korda, The Private Life of Henry VIII

*Fritz Lang, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Ernst Lubitsch, Design for Living

Lead Actor

John Barrymore, Counsellor at Law

*Charles Laughton, The Private Life of Henry VIII

Fredric March, Design for Living

Spencer Tracy, A Man's Castle

Otto Wernicke, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Lead Actress

Greta Garbo, Queen Christina

Katharine Hepburn, Morning Glory

Miriam Hopkins, Design for Living

May Robson, Lady for a Day

*Mae West, She Done Him Wrong

Supporting Actor

Wallace Beery, Dinner at Eight

Oscar Beregi, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Gustav Diessl, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

*Edward Everett Horton, Design for Living

Rudolf Klein-Rogge, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Supporting Actress

Binnie Barnes, The Private Life of Henry VIII

*Marie Dressler, Dinner at Eight

Glenda Farrell, Lady for a Day

Jean Harlow, Dinner at Eight

Elsa Lanchester, The Private Life of Henry VIII

Original Screenplay

*Duck Soup (Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby)

King Kong (James Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose)

Lady for a Day (Robert Riskin, Damon Runyan)

The Private Life of Henry VIII (Lajos Biro, Arthur Wimperis)

Queen Christina (H.M. Harwood, Salka Viertel)

Adapted Screenplay

Counsellor at Law (Elmer Rice)

*Design for Living (Ben Hecht)

Little Women (Sarah Y. Mason, Victor Heerman)

A Man's Castle (Jo Swerling)

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (Fritz Lang, Thea Von Harbou)

Editing

Counsellor at Law

Design for Living

The Private Life of Henry VIII

*The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Queen Christina

Cinematography

The Bitter Tea of General Yen

King Kong

A Man's Castle

The Private Life of Henry VIII

*The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Art Direction

King Kong

A Man's Castle

The Private Life of Henry VIII

Queen Christina

*The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Costume

Cavalcade

Footlight Parade

Little Women

*The Private Life of Henry VIII

Queen Christina

Visual Effects

The Invisible Man

*King Kong

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse