Alternative Oscar Nominees...Best Picture!!

-I'm beyond glad that The Hurt Locker took home the Best Picture award at the Oscars this year. If there was ever a film that was so artful, yet intense, as well as relevant, it was The Hurt Locker. Though the film was not a big money maker, it now has a place in history alongside the many other great motion pictures that came before it such as Gentleman's Agreement, The Deer Hunter, and Crash. I have very little doubt that anyone who did not see the film wanted any other nominee to take home the prize. Yet since the Academy opened up the top category to double the nominees, there was certainly a diverse group of choices. Without question, the darkest horse was The Blind Side, whose inclusion I suspect was based highly on box office rather that artistic merit, while others such as A Serious Man and Avatar had moments of brilliance, but their appearance on the list was also somewhat of a "hmm..." moment. Despite opening up the category to 10 possible winners, some of the most intriguing and worthy films of 2009 were shut out of the running. Below are my 5 alternative picks for Best Picture which I feel could easily have been worthy of one of the 10 spots. With the exception of one, none of these picks received any kind of Oscar recognition whatsoever in any of the other categories!! For that very reason, I shall also offer up some additional potential categories besides Best Picture which all of these films could have easliy fit into as well...enjoy!!

1. Afterschool
-The hit of several film festivals, Afterschool is indie director Antonio Campos' fourth feature and by far his most provacative to date. The film tells the story of a young boarding school student who feels unnerved by his surroundings; a feeling that more than escalates when he witnesses upon two popular fellow classmates overdose on drugs and die. Campos' bold move of abandoning the conventional movie camera techniques for a decidely more realist feel proved to be the ultimate comment on the heavily dependent youtube generation. The style of filmmaking only emphasizes the intese maddening feeling given off by the world of private school and one student's determination not to get lost within it. By far one of the most haunting films released this year.

Alt. Nominations:
Best Original Screenplay
Best Director- Antonio Campos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGFbWhlVezo

2. Duplicity
-The title on my list with the least amount of Oscar buzz, Duplicity was perhaps one of the most refreshing film offerings this year. From Bourne/Michael Clayton writer/director, Tony Gilroy, Duplicity concerns two ex-spies who come together to pull off a con on two of America's biggest corporations while at the same trying to stay ahead of one another. Not only does the movie have a sparkling script, lots of great location shots, and more than enough chemistry between the two leads, but Duplicity also successfully reworks the romance caper genre making it accessible to both passive and active audiences. The story structure of the film is laid out like a jigsaw puzzle, begging to be solved, while the romance and the comedy is fresh and present. All in all, a surprising and pleasant entry in an otherwise conventional genre.

Alt. Nominations-
-Best Original Screenplay
-Best Original Song- Being Bad
-Best Editing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PA92vCdgB8&feature=related

3. Everybody's Fine
-A remake of an earlier foreign film, Everybody's Fine is one of those special films that is able to fit comfortably into any era thanks to its universal story and the execution of it. The story deals with Robert DeNiro's elegaic journey across the country to visit his grown children whom he's grown slightly apart from since the death of wife a few months prior. Its so rare for a film to hit as many right notes as Everybody's Fine does. The acting, writing, directing all come together like a classical piece of music: delicate in its tone, yet strong enough to stir emotions. In an era where most films strive to be mind-blowing and life-altering, its refreshing to find a motion picture that simply wants to be fine.

Alt. Nominations-
-Best Original Song- (I Want to) Come Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGXuhyVxrQM

4. Nine
-"From Rob Marshall, the director of Chicago" spelled death for the harshly judged, Fellini-inspired Nine. Those unfamiliar with the film's subject were constantly comparing it to Chicago while those who knew the story's background felt what they were seeing was a half-baked version of the original Broadway show. Nine is about a revered Italian film director who has come to a career block making him unable to start work on his new film as he tries to come to terms with the various women in his life. Although it didn't live up to the bevy of expectations piled upon it in the months prior to its release, Nine works as a dazzling array of offbeat, showstopping songs performed by an able star-studded cast while at the same time also paying homage to not only the great Federico Fellini, but also filmmakers in general and the practice of making a movie. Any true lover of films should find themselves shedding a tear by the end.

Alt. Oscar Nominees-
-Best Original Song- Cinema Italiano
-Best Director- Rob Marshall
-Best Adapted Screenplay
-Best Editing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B2N_iRUJ7Y

5. Where the Wild Things Are
-THE most underrated film released last year was without a doubt Spike Jonze's visionary adaptation of the classic children's book Where the Wild Things Are. The story of a boy who escapes his home life and finds himself in a world populated by giant creatures who adopt him as their king couldn't have been brought to the screen any better. Jonze has constructed a film not necessarily for children but for anyone who remembers a time in their lives when they felt the need to escape the ugly realities of the real world. Beyond the cathartic feelings it provokes from the audience, Where the Wild Things Are represents that seemingly undefinable moment in childhood when we slowly begin to grow up. Well-written, well-crafted, and beautifully shot, Where the Wild Things Are is my personal pick for best picture of 2009.

Alt. Nominations:
-Best Adapted Screenplay
-Best Director- Spike Jonze
-Best Cinematograpy
-Best Art Direction
-Best Original Score

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFgB6xUzziU

Next Week...Back to my continuous appreciation of underrated films...

Alternative 2009 Oscar Nominees- Best Actor

-Due to an unforseeable accident w/my internet provider, I was without internet for several days and as a result, I couldn't finish my alternative Oscar nomination posts prior to the awards ceremony. However, I now have my internet restored and will complete the two remaining posts despite the loss of some of their timeliness.



-I don't think that anyone was upset the Jeff Bridges won for his role in Crazy Heart. Certainly an actor with so many classics to his name as well as multiple nominations is definitley worthy of film's highest honor. The same is true (although to a lesser extent) of most of the remaining nominees. Colin Firth gave what was the culmination of his career through his haunting portrait in A Single Man which showed him at his best advantage. Jeremy Renner's work in The Hurt Locker likewise provided the seasoned actor with a fantastic platform from which to showcase the range of his acting. Morgan Freeman was finally able to give the public the role everyone had been waiting for him to play for so long; that of Nelson Mandella in Invictus. Only George Clooney, who gave his trademark disheveled businessman act in Up in the Air remains the odd one out in my opinion. This is not to say Clooney isn't talented, it just doesn't help when an actor continues to give the same performance as he did in his previous Oscar roles. In any case, below are five actors who did extraordinary work this year, giving performances in films which sadly went unnoticed by many, yet were definitley worthy of Oscar recognition.

1. Hugh Dancy for Adam

-Dancy, always cast as a stereotypical british gentleman (w/some notable exceptions), is finally allowed to stretch as an actor playing a man diagnosed with ausperger's syndrome who meets the girl of his dreams. Dancy skillfully handled both the comedic and dramatic elements deftly and was able to make the character of Adam a likeable enigma throughout. Its doubtful that we'll ever get to see Dancy in a role which allows him such whimsy and humanity. But I hope I'm wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92U6OnVZG3U

2. Johnny Depp for Public Enemies

-Even though most people thought that Michael Mann's much-anticipated Public Enemies was both overblown and underwhelming (myself included), many agreed that Depp's performance was indeed the film's saving grace. As legendary criminal John Dillinger, Depp once again added a memorable character to his film catalogue. Rather than give a movie star performance shrouded in mystery, Depp presents an honest and up-front portrait of America's one-time public enemy number 1. While not as flashy as most of his other roles in recent years, his turn in Public Enemies succeeds in showing the boundless talent of Johnny Depp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8xOgO7_eT8

3. Joseph Gordon Levitt in (500) Days of Summer

-Levitt has always been one of the most interesting younger actors around primarily due to the projects he takes on. The actor eases between comedy, drama, big-budget, and indie fare seamlessly; giving total and complete devotion to each role he undertakes. Yet in (500) Days of Summer, Levitt is at his very best. As a young greeting card writer who falls for a co-worker, Levitt was mesmerizing playing scenes of hilarity, romance, frustration and despair. It is one of the finest male peerformances given all year long and a testement to one of the most talented former child actors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tJoIaXZ0rw

4. Sam Rockwell in Moon

-Sam Rockwell has always been one of the screen's most underapprectiated actors. His brilliant turns in The Green Mile, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Choke were all works of genius. In Moon, Rockwell truly inhabits the role of his career as an astronaut sent into space for a solo mission which lasts for 3 years. Being virtually the only cast member on film, the show was Rockwell's and through bouts of fright, paranoia and devastation, the actor was absolutely outstanding. Its another performance from one of the finest actors working today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuScTcDP_Q


5. Michael Stuhlbarg in A Serious Man

-I can imagine its not that easy to carry an entire film on one's own, let alone a Coen Bros.' film. Yet that's just what Michael Stuhlbarg did, magnificently I might add, in A Serious Man. Playing a professor who sees his entire life crumbling around him in 1960s America, Stuhlbarg was ideally cast. Though his work prior to this has been limited to theater and TV spots, I sincerely hope after having seen A Serious Man, that the film world takes notice of such an incredible talent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETSYOibG-_Y&feature=related

Tomorrow...Best Picture...finally!!

Alternative 2009 Oscar Nominees- Best Actress

-This year's Best Actress category at the Oscars is probably one of the most exciting and unpredictable in recent years. On the one hand there are the seasoned pros: Meryl Streep for her astonishing turn in Julie and Julia currently leading the pack of nominees with the most awarded performance of the season and a strong possibility to walk away with the coveted trophy and Helen Mirren, whose role as Tolstoy's wife in The Last Station is the definition of a dark horse if there ever was one. On the other side are two newcomers who have given some of the most impressive performances by younger actresses in such a long time. Carey Mulligan as an impressionable British schoolgirl in An Education was captivating and has taken home the most amount of awards this season (second only to Streep). Likewise Gabourey Sidibe's heartwrenching role in Precious has taken home every breakthrough actress/artist award around making her a very STRONG dark horse candidate. In the middle of all this, and the one nominee with the biggest Oscar buzz surrounding her, is Sandra Bullock, whose turn as a wealthy southerner in the surprise hit The Blind Side has led to what many call the performance of her career and has resulted in a string of high-profile accolades for America's sweetheart. I don't think anyone doubts that any of these women deserves her nomination, and I certainly wouldn't be disappointed if Streep or Bullock (the most logical choices) took home the gold. Yet I think its important to remember some of the other fantastic performances given by actresses in 2009 that, had it not been for the aforementioned 5 stellar turns, might have made it to Oscar glory.

1. Charlotte Gainsbourg- Antichrist

-Gus Van Sant's journey into the reecesses of dark madness proved to be too much for some with a few critics actually walking out at press screenings. While the film definitley takes a lot out of its audience, the most noteworthy component is Gainsbourg's performance. As a woman on the brink of insanity due to her son's death, Gainsbourg unleashed an unending flood of emotions throughout the entire course of the film which reportedly wreaked havoc on the actress' psyche. The result was the Best Actress award from the Cannes Film Festival and one of the most electrifying performances any actress has ever committed to film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBdDcQONmkM

2. Gwyneth Paltrow- Two Lovers

-Gwyneth took somewhat of a risk with her screen image playing a woman involved with a married man as well as her neighbor in the indie drama Two Lovers. Playing a real mess of a human being, Paltrow is completely credible as a woman torn between the possibility of two different lives and who on some level enjoys wallowing in her own misery. Its a Gwyneth who isn't as audience-concious as seen in previous films in what is certainly her best role since Proof which is evidenced by her recent Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMpuIAiuabw

3. Michelle Pfeiffer- Cheri

-Sometime last year when a random film article was published detailing which performers were long overdue for an Oscar win, it came as no surpise that Pfeiffer's name came up. After being robbed 3 times before (not to mention failing to even get a nomination for her chilling work in White Oleander), the actress once again makes it known that she is Oscar-caliber with her most passion-filled role to date in Cheri. Pfeiffer plays an aging courtesan (a term for french high-class prostitutes) who begins an affair with a selfish young man only to see it end years later when he becomes engaged. The actress commands the screen so vividly as a woman who thought she knew what she wanted from her life, that she is even the main focus of scenes she isn't even in; not a small achievement by any means whatsoever!! With Cheri, La Pfeiffer once again proves herself to be one of the most beautiful and compelling actresses working in film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj7wk445BR0

4. Robin Wright-Penn- The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

-While the film itself received mixed reviews, everyone delighted in Wright-Penn's almost flawless performance. As a woman whose life has undergone so many transformations and is now questioning where her life will go next, Wright-Penn is finally given the chance to not only carry a film on her own shoulders, but also finally showcase some of her grossly underused facets as an actress. After years of able and noteworthy supporting turns and ensemble work, it was so rewarding to see this fine actress be given the kind of part she has always deserved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRV8fZza1z4

5. Renee Zellweger- My One and Only

-I found myself questioning some time ago what had happened to Zellweger's career in recent times. Her last few projects were either uninspired exercises into overly familiar territory (Miss Potter, Appaloosa, New in Town) or noteworthy films which had her doing very little (Cinderella Man, Leatherheads.) It was refreshing then to see the actress finally finding a rich role in a first-rate film such as her part in the late-summer comedy My One and Only. Based on the life of George Hamilton's mother, the film tells the story of a musician's wife who leaves her husband after discovering he's married and takes to the open road in search of a new love. With strong lines, period piece surroundings, and an accent to boot, Zellweger greatly inhabits a role any actress would kill for restoring some hope to what was once a most promising career.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPUYETIAxc0

Tomorrow...Best Actor!!

Alternative 2009 Oscar Nominees...Best Supporting Actor!!

-I must say that the Best Supporting Actor Oscar has to be my most favorite out of all the categories this year. So many great actors are nominated this year; all of them deserving!! It will be a MAJOR upset if the Academy doesn't award Christoph Waltz for giving perhaps the most tour-de-force performance in Inglorious Basterds. Yet it seems that any of the other men in the category would be equally deserving of the award. Matt Damon who seemed in danger of getting lost in the realm of Hollywood blockbusters gave a moving and credible performance as a South African rugby player in Clint Eastwood's powerhouse Invictus. Christopher Plummer, one of stage and screen's most well-respected actors for decades finally receives his long overdue nomination for playing legendary scribe Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station. Meanwhile Woody Harrelson gets a second chance at Oscar and once again proves his underrated and oftentimes underused acting chops playing a hard-as-nails Army Captain in the criminally underseen The Messenger. Finally, Stanley Tucci is rewarded for years of outstanding supporting work with a nomination for his decidedly unsettling role as a child murderer in The Lovely Bones. I have no complaints to make about the choices made by the academy for this category, but I do however want to acknowledge 5 other Oscar-worthy supporting actor turns from 2009; all of whom deserve just as much recognition as the aforementioned men.

1. Jeff Bridges- The Men Who Stare at Goats

-As I mentioned in an earlier posting, Jeff Bridges is an acting svengali who can do almost no wrong. Case in point is his hilarious performance in the oddly-inspired comedy The Men Who Stare at Goats. Although he doesn't get the chance to utilize his comedic abilities too often, in this sadly unnoticed army comedy, Bridges gives one of his most laugh-inducing roles as one of a group of soldiers who is able to destroy enemies through mind control. Perhaps if crazy Heart hadn't come along this would have been the film to bring Bridges the Oscar he rightly deserves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SreufFevUSw

2. Frank Langella- The Box

-While many just didn't get Richard Kelly's third film (also his most straightforward) about a couple played by Cameron Diaz and James Marsden; the recipients of a mysterious box which brings the promise of wealth for the two and death for a stranger. As the mastermind behind the proceedings, Langella, always a dependable actor, creates one of the most silently menacing creations shown on screen in recent years. His Mr. Steward is quiet, and because he's orchestrated so many events such as these, uncalculating. Instead he goes through the motions, which thanks to the fascinating elements of the character and Langella's talent, proves highly interesting!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFHa-ygkF_M

3. Steve Martin- It's Complicated

-For years Steve Martin has given the movies one zany character after another. Yet there are times when this brilliant comic actor turns in a highly credible performance that doesn't rely on sight gags or word play. Such a case would be his turn in this Christmas' hit comedy It's Complicated. Playing an architect who falls for his client played by Meryl Streep, Martin is at his best just being natural. Martin plays his character as someone who is content with his life, yet still recovering from the pain of a failed marriage. The actor is perfectly able to bring forth the duality of his role which is caution at the prospect of a new relationship and the desire to make himself open to the possibility of love once more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt-l1liNjk0

4. Christian McKay- Me & Orson Welles

-Its almost frightening at just how powerful and dead on McKay's interpretation of Welles is in this otherwise standard film. The actor, a virtual newcomer to films, nails the perfect intonations, inflections, gestures, and facial expressions that made the legenday actor/director such a force. But more than just nailing the physical and technical aspects of the role, where McKay succeeds just as greatly is in capturing Welles' spirit and dedication for the craft which more than shines through thanks to the actor's work which is perhaps one of the best interpretations of any real-life figure to date.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQvq7eulfWc

5. Alfred Molina- An Education

-Another actor long overdue (and still is) for Oscar recognition is Alfred Molina. As Carey Mulligan's straight-laced, but loving father in An Education, the actor proves once again why he is one of the best character actors around. His fatherly turn provides the emotional core the film is after and the love he possesses for his daughter comes through in virtually every scene he is in. More than that, Molina represents a man who gave up on his own dreams in favor of practicality and wants so much for his daughter to make not necessarily the opposite choice he made, but simply to make the one she feels is right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUeYKwxTCGQ

Tomorrow...Best Actress!!

Alternative 2009 Oscar Nominees...Best Supporting Actress

-I have to admit that the crop of nominees for Best Supporting Actress this year is somewhat questionable ranging from the standard shoe-in to the requisite dark horse. No actress deserves to be on that list more than Mo'Nique for her work in Precious which saw her abandon any and all traces of her comic persona to play a true monster with hidden wounds. While not as powerful, but definitley entrancing is Vera Farmiga's work in Up in the Air; playing a woman completely guarded from the outside world, but who lets George Clooney in little by little. The same cannot be said for her co-star Anna Kendrick whose work in the same film reflects that of a machine with the right amount of technology required to sprout out the right lines at the apporopriate times as opposed to the true actress Kendrick actually is. Almost as uninspiring is Crazy Heart's Maggie Gyllenhaal who is normally a stirring presence on film, but who gets lost in what is essentially Jeff Bridges' film. Caught somewhere in between these four women lies Penelope Cruz, whose performance in Nine was definitley a showstopper full of captivating moments but was it really Oscar-worthy?? I kind of get the feeling that the Academy nominated her for two reasons: a) they love her as most everyone does, and b) they couldn't think of anyone else to nominate. I'm hoping the former is more true than the latter for the sheer fact that there were a number of Oscar-worthy supporting actress performances in 2009 which easily could have fit into the category this year!!

1. Kim Basinger- The Informers

-Many simply didn't get the big-screen adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' book The Informers (that's ok, American Psycho and The Rules of Attraction took years to attain their now-cult followings), but no one could deny after seeing it that Basinger is still one of the screen's most watchable actresses around. As the pill-popping, toy-boy loving L.A. wife reconciling with her estranged studio executive husband, Basinger inhabits one of her more interesting roles in years. It would have been too easy to play this kind of role in a straightforward manner, so Basinger instead chooses to dig deep and uncover all the pain, anger, resentment, insecurities and fear which control her character and channels them brilliantly in a performance where most things are "under the surface."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ellp6-RTJI8

2. Leslie Mann- Funny People

-One of the biggest letdowns this past summer had to be the Judd Apatow comedy/drama Funny People. While the comedy wasn't potent enough, the drama itself fell short of being genuine leading to a truly awkward (and overlong) film experience. Yet the bright spot of the film had to be Leslie Mann's turn as Adam Sandler's former love interest. In what is perhaps her best role to date, Mann plays Sandler's former girlfriend now happily married, but who decides to re-kindle her past love when Sandler finds out he is dying. Though she's garnered a few laughs in the past, Mann has never been given the chance to actually be funny on her own, which she does here quite admirably. Furthermore, the scenes which require her to bring forth sadness and despair showcase a flair for the dramatic which has been criminally underused in the past. I hope someday she will get to use these gifts in such a way again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huo4iLqR6e8

3. Julia Roberts- Fireflies in the Garden

-I'm not surprised that many people have never heard of this film. Playing at only a handful of festivals in the US before given the most minimal of releases before being sent off abroad, Fireflies in the Garden told the story of how a tragedy helped a damaged family understand each other. Though she dies in the film's opening, Roberts' character Lisa (shown almost entirely in flashback scenes) remains the film's emotional core. Playing a mother and housewife, Roberts is able to transcend the stereotypical "wife" role and let her true motivations show including her love for her family and her devotion to them. Not only does she do everything to make sure her family knows they are loved by her, but also makes sure they know she's her own person as well by standing up for herself and voicing her very strong opinions. This character truly comes to life thanks to Roberts' beautiful performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IU6zf84EFQ

4. Susan Sarandon- The Lovely Bones

-Many must have questioned Sarandon when she signed on to play Grandma Lynn in Peter Jackson's big-screen adaptation of the best-selling novel The Lovely Bones. Some felt the actress (hardly old enough to be called grandma) was perhaps not the wisest choice. Yet Sarandon brings enough gusto and energy with her to do the character justice. As a woman whose family is suffering the loss of their oldest daughter, Sarandon's character brings with her the appropriate amounts of strength and perseverance that her family needs to help them rebuild their lives. The role also doubles as the film's sole comic relief and although the actress isn't known primarily as comedienne, Sarandon manages just fine with the requirements.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyuiE_K7Tqw

5. Charlize Theron- The Road

-One of the most beautiful and quiet performances Theron ever gave, The Road saw the actress inhabit a role that must have been hard to read and even harder to watch. Theron plays a wfie and mother whose family finds themselves as survivors in an apocolyptic society and must struggle to stay alive. Though her character's role in the film is relatively small, Theron makes such an impact during her time, that her presence never leaves the audiences' minds. Perhaps if the film had lived up to the buzz generated by the media in advance, Theron's sterling work would have been more acclaimed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY

Tomorrow...Best Supporting Actor!!