I am certainly no expert on the Oscars nor a movie guru for that matter; however for once, I have actually seen 4 of the 10 movies nominated for Best Picture. My thoughts are as follows:
Winters Bone
It is my opinion that Winters Bone would probably not have been nominated if the old system still existed, where only 5 movies had the honor instead of 10. It's a small, subtle, very gritty film. The movie moves rather slow and it is the story of not only a girl trying to find her father but how she comes to terms with the adult she has to be. Family is sometimes all you have. I grew up in Appalachia and even though this film is set in Arkansas, I knew people like those portrayed in the film, hard, poor, knowing nothing else but their own existence.There is a sadness and despair in this movie that only people that have lived it, know what it is like. The cast that was chosen lived these characters, they were these people that knew nothing else but what was in front of them, no hope other than living day to day.
It is not the most exciting film but it is heartbreaking and Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes (who I did not recognize from his other work) are excellent. They both deserve their nominations, especially John Hawkes. Is TearDrop (John Hawkes' character), good, bad, where is heart, what makes him tick? Teardrop is one of the most intriguing and fascinating characters of all the movies I have seen this year. Does he have a chance against Christian Bale or Geoffrey Rush? Probably not. Does this movie have a chance to win Best Picture? Probably not but nonetheless it is a fascinating character study and it is very much a character driven movie. Interesting little film.
True Grit
I love westerns, always have. I must have been a cowgirl or cowboy along the way. I have never seen the original True Grit, so my opinion is only based on this version. I was intrigued with this movie up until the end, then it fell flat for whatever reason. Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld did a fine job in their roles. Matt Damon, well the mustache was distracting and Matt always looks so wholesome and good, so whenever I see him in "bad" guy roles, he creeps me out, seriously. I had to turn off the The Talented Mr Ripley because he was so creepy, but I guess that's a sign he's a good actor if he can turn his all American good looks into someone repulsive. The movie kept my interest and the actors were fine but it lacked a certain punch for me. I think it's a fine enough film and I would watch it again because it held my interest. As for winning an oscar for Best Picture, not sure on that one, probably not.
The King's Speech
Did you ever feel that a movie was too perfect? Well, this is how I felt about The King's Speech. I love Colin Firth and he was perfect in this role, as were Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. This is the type of movie made for the oscar crowd and it's almost too perfect, everything from the plot, the script, the actors is just right, of course you can't upset royalty, so I guess it's best to show them in the most flattering light. Don't get me wrong, I like the film but I did I love it? That's debatable, it kept my interest, it's a finely made film, and it has a good message but I am not sure I would watch it again. Perfection can sometimes be boring and there were times, I wished it would end. I think the most fascinating part was watching the banter between Guy Pearce (the "bad" king) and Colin Firth. Maybe I need to watch it again to see if I can catch any flaws. Will it win Best Picture? Very likely. It's that type of movie. Will Colin Firth win? Very likely and he deserves it, he's both a gentleman (well he seems to be) and an excellent actor.
Inception
I watched Inception when it came out last July and watched it again recently. Where does reality begin or does it ever begin? Are we dreaming now? More questions than answers to ponder. There were elements that could have been better but overall it's an excellent film. It is not a film without flaws but it is a film most people would want to watch again. If you only have watched this film once, then do yourself a favor and watch it again. I felt one weak spot was Ellen Page. I do like her as an actress but I felt her character was out of place here, I don't know why. I think a flaw in some of Nolan's films are his female characters feel out of character and don't flow as well, I don't know how to explain it really. Leo and the rest of the cast worked well together but she seemed disjointed, as if she was just thrown in to be a heroine & competing for a place among the boys (I loved Tom Hardy's character, can't wait to see Tom in more things). Despite my minor quibble here, I still love the movie. Does this film have a chance at winning best picture? Maybe if somehow The Social Network and The King's Speech, split the votes, but the chances are slim and Inception isn't really "oscar" material is it? Not the type of film the Academy deems as "proper" film achievement I suppose. Inception and Shutter Island (which wasn't nominated) were two of my favorite movies last year. I am not saying they were the best made movies but overall fascinating and that's what counts for me, not what the Academy thinks or what a critic feels. Watch what you like, no one will think you the lesser for it.
