Well, well, well, Oscar time is coming closer and I have to admit that it is a guilty pleasure of mine. Betting on the movies, thinking of ones I want to see and the ones I have already enjoyed. Pretending Ricky Gervais is hosting and making fun of celebrities. I was thinking of going Doc's route and doing my Oscar picks. However, I feel like that would end with a Bill Murryesque monologue making fun of the Oscars, celebrities and how I haven't seen half of the films. The bar is set to high here and I feel I can never match his. So I am going to make a few comments on Doc's choices and then present something a little different. More on that soon.
Best Picture: I agree that it will be Social Network. I am probably going to see it tonight and am quite excited.
Actually, I agree with Doc on everything (or do not care enough to disagree) except for Animated picture. I hope the Illusionist wins. I am seeing it this weekend also and am also excited.
Moving on, I would to present....
THE OSCARS AS IF EVERY MOVIE EVER MADE FROM EVERY YEAR WAS NOMINATED
BEST PICTURE: Life of Brian (1979)
While this is not a perfect movie, I have to explain that to be the best picture you have to be more than a perfect movie. You have to be a challenging film. This satire on religion is dead on. Also, it is a necessary film as it can open one's eyes to problems with religion. It is also the funniest damn thing on earth. The plot itself is pure genius; the life of the man who lived next door to Jesus and has a parallel life to his own. The reason why it is not perfect is due to one or two unnecessary scenes, but its audacity, humor and intelligence make up for this and make it the best movie of all time.
BEST DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
I know I am being heavy from the Monty Python boys, but I promise this will end now. Never has a movie been so impacted by a director. From viewing this film it is clear that Gilliam had complete control of whatever was came on the camera. The movie is heavy on visuals and not your standard beginning, middle end film. What makes it work is the directing. The audience can feel the fast changes between insanity, fear, humor, pathos, tragedy and excitement. It all works too. Following two counterculture has been running through a drugged up weekend in Las Vegas, from their perspective, Gilliam infuses this all with a lot of substance. In scenes, he clearly shows how the average American patrons visiting Vegas are more like freaks than the two self-proclaimed freaks we are vacationing with. He also makes a clear comment about a specific space and time. Mainly, the moment in the 1970s when it was clear all of the promises of the 1960s counterculture will not come true and life would return to normalcy. The book which the film is based on, an obvious classic as well, would have never been able to be turned into a great movie without Gilliam.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: JACK NICHOLSON - THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS (1972)
Here is the thing, I never thought Jack was a good actor. Sure, he can be fun and manic and entertaining. I just assumed that was what he was like in real life and just did it on screen. In the King of Marvin Gardens, Jack is not manic. He is very calm. It is this calmness that makes the movie and his performance amazing. He plays the brother of a possible con artist who is summoned to Atlantic City to get his brother out of jail. After he does this him and the audience go on a ride in the underbelly of Atlantic City and no one is ever quite sure what is going on. However, it is Jack's acting that keeps the movie alive. His facial expressions are the same as the audience in this dramatic tragedy. His acting clearly makes the film believable, exciting and intriguing.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE: ANNE BANCROFT - THE GRADUATE (1967)
Why do more people not talk about this performance? This is clearly one of the most complex and interesting roles from a great film. The emotion and humor, as the frustrated and confused housewife, she brings to the part are perfect pitch.
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: BILL MURRY - RUSHMORE (1998)
Murry is an amazing actor and comedian. His humor is truly unlike anyone else's. However, he took all of this to a new level in Rushmore. He is funny and poignant with just a simple look. His character is fascinating as a wealthy industrialist who is unhappy with his life and starts a competition with a teenager over the love of a teacher. An amazing performance with something new to see every time. (Honorable mention to Kevin Kline who did win this Oscar for A FISH CALLED WANDA(1988))
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: BEATRICE STRAIGHT - NETWORK (1976)
A real academy award winner for this category and for this role. With hardly any scenes in the actual film, Straight leaves an unbelievably memorable performance as the wife of a TV network executive. Played with dignity and force, she left a huge mark on an already amazing film.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988)
Fun, poignant, powerful, meaningful, interesting and different. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a film that most people remember as a simple fun Disney film, but it was so much more. Packed with historical references, symbolism for racism and a tribute to animation, the writing was so good and worked on so many levels. Definitely a film worth revisiting. I have never read the original book, but I have to imagine it was not easy to adapt to film.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: THE ROYAL TENNANBAUMS (2001)
Fascinating family study with humor, drama and a quirky sensibility. The characters are so strong and the situation are very interesting. Well written, a true work of art.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1966)
In many ways this film is more about today than the time it was made. It is about terrorism, war politics and everything in between during the Algerian Revolution over the French. A war film for those who like to think.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: FANTASIA (1940)
There is, unfortunately, nothing like this breakthrough film. Abstract, challenging and not as boring as you remember. It is rare to find a film that serves as an experiment and a great movie.
AND NOW FOR THE CATEGORIES I ADMIT THAT I AM KIND OF STABBING IN THE DARK FOR AS I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEM
CINEMATOGRAPHY: THE LAST EMPEROR (1987)
FILM EDITING: PULP FICTION (1994)
DOCUMENTARY: DOC HAS BAD TASTE IN MOVIES (1984)
ORIGINAL SCORE: THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994)
ORIGINAL SONG: anything from THE MUPPET MOVIE (1979)
VISUAL EFFECTS: WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988)
ART DIRECTION: BRAZIL (1985)
COSTUME DESIGN: RADIO DAYS (1987)
Well, that was more exhausting than I thought it would be. I know you may disagree with me on some of these, but I have a blog and you do not, so I am right and you are wrong. So there. Man, that was a nice way of avoiding discussing movies I have not seen yet.
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