Oscar nominated goddess Julianne MooreIn the days since the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bestowed its highest honors on such deserving winners as Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Colleen Atwood, Aaron Sorkin, and a slew of visionaries over at
Inception, Millie and I have found ourselves watching a treasured handful from Oscars past.
There's such frenzied fervor when late February arrives, a palpable energy that deflates almost instantly, and what's left are two categories: the exceptional and the popular. And so it is that Millie and I set out along these cinematic cobblestones to determine which is which . . .
. . . so slip on those you cine-wellies, we're taking a stroll!
Wikus Van De Merwe commanding in the slums of District 9These first few steps find us at Neill Blomkamp's
District 9, nominated for no less than 4 Oscars, including Best Picture. For some reason we'd decided to miss this picture when the zeitgeist blew through town in 2010. Honestly, not a single person I spoke to said anything less than "see
District 9 immediately" but somehow, when Millie and I are in right snarky moods (that can even last weeks) an overwhelming endorsement incites the opposite reaction: to our own disadvantage, we make a point of not watching.
Recounting this cancerous quirk makes me realize how odd it really is. I mean, who would want to miss a film that everyone is raving about? Particularly filmies I respect? Even more particularly my nerd coven that I trust to know solid sci-fi? Well readers, I can't always speak for Millie, but I vow here and now to say "Yes!" to these films. Yes I say!
The memorizing Sharlto CopleyWell, now that
that page has been turned we can get back to gushing about this unmissable film!
Exceptional, that is most certainly the category in which this past Oscar pick resides.
District 9 . . . my goodness, where to begin . . . my jaw was dropped literally the entire film, so speaking wasn't really an option, and since Millie and I have beome so accustomed to watching instantly, typing wasn't really one either. So, mouth gaping, we simply let this alien allegory wash right on over us . . . and friends, we haven't taken as satisfying a shower since.
This piece, shot partly as a documentary, partly as a straight narrative, is easily one of the most stirring meditations on what it means to be good I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, reading, or experiencing. It's so simple and clever, using alien protagonists to impart not merely what it means to be human, but what it means to be kind, to be understanding, empathetic, courageous and exemplary under the most unlikely of circumstances. Blomkamp shows the absolute best and worst of what our species is capable, and not in that Spike Lee manner that makes you feel guilty for things out of one's control, but with an almost impartial (though blind to nothing) eye that encourages light, betterment, grace and fortitude.
Christopher, my new favorite alien!An original film richly deserving of its ranks among
Raging Bull and
Apocalypse Now (I commend Spielberg and/or the Oscar writers for calling these films out the other night), we can say without a moment's hesitation that this would-be Best Picture is one of the greatest films Millie and I have seen in ages (okay, since
The Fighter which was only two weeks ago, but you know, before then).
Oh, look there, down the path a bit, I think there's another one!
The lusciously lipped Max Minghella
Somehow, after scanning through page after page of Watch Instantly options, I stumbled into "Watch It Again", which happens to be ripe with films we've seen so long ago all that remains are distant musings and broken snapshots of most likely figment scenes. One such cinugget is Terry Zwigoff's 2006 satire
Art School Confidential (2006), with a Oscar sweet hearts Jim Broadbent (Best Supporting Actor,
Iris), Anjelica Huston (Best Supporting Actress,
Prizzi's Honor), and John Malkovich (Best Supporting Actor nominee,
In The Line Of Fire).
Alright reader you've got me, it also boasts a cameo from this year's Paul Dano, the most recent delectable cupcake in our delicious gentleman bakery, Adam Scott.
I can honestly say that all I truly remember from my first screening of
ASC is a lackluster response; I genuinely wanted it to be better. Millie doesn't find the film appealing in the least and has gone off to mix drinks.
And why shouldn't this film be great? We have underrated American director Terry Zwigoff, the beautiful brain behind
Ghost World as well as the perverse sadist responsible for
Bad Santa, plus a stellar cast rounded out by (the angelic) Sophia Myles, Steven Buscemi, and Max Minghella. How could all this right actually be wrong? Reluctant as I wish I were to admit it, the mark was missed.
Or perhaps I'm missing the point entirely. Maybe Zwigoff is actually one-upping me because I found the film to be shallow and ultimately unsatisfying . . . much the way the art can be . . . I guess . . . ? Perhaps the entire film is a send up to this (arguably) vapid community and so it needs to wear the skin it satirizes? But isn't that really too obvious? For a time I thought this overkill intended to be ironic (hippy chick gets out of the car barefoot and immediately steps on glass, har har), but as the film progressed, for a second time, I realized in leiu of nuance I'd have to settle for intriguing overarching themes and captivating, however limited, performances. The most memorizing of which belongs to Msr. Broadbent. His alcoholic, murderous, passionate never-was is truly sublime.
Jim BroadbentI'm in no way disappointed in trying this film again - past loved-it-the-second-time-though-not-the-first include noteables like
Lost in Translation (2003) and
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) - but sadly I must report to you, dear reader, that unless I need a Broadbent fix, three times will most likely not be the charm.
Not to worry valiant walking pal! I had the good fortune to watch yet another Oscar winning picture that ends our post, and delightful stroll, on terrifically high note. These last few cobblestones finds us at Stephen Daldry's 2002 film
The Hours, nominated for count them 8 Oscars!
Two time Oscar winner Meryl Streep (and a prop Millie and I would kill for!)How a film with three titans of the modern screen escaped Millie and me for so long is irrelevant, or at least it simply must be because to think on it is too dreadful. Thankfully, some months ago we requested it from Netflix and lo and behold, one day, without even thinking about it,
The Hours arrived.
It may interest you to know that in the past I've been remiss to sing Nicole Kidman's praises. I found her pretty but vapid, though today, having seen this exceptional work, coupled with a delicately timed role in
Flirting and her superb transformation in
To Die For, I can say confidently that Nicole Kidman is quite a talent indeed. It just took a prosthetic for me to detach enough to realize it.
Kidman (and her brilliant costume piece) as Virginia WoolfThe Academy Awards are of course notorious for giving the nod to the most popular actors, albeit not the most deserving: Gwenyth Paltrow (who beat out Cate Blanchett for
Elizabeth, my goodness!), Omar Gooding, Jr, and the one who made me lose my faith until Monique won, Julia Roberts. Please don't misunderstand, these artists are certainly talented (I actually rooted for Gwenyth, lovely in her pink satin Ralph Lauren, because
Shakespeare in Love remains a favorite), but I doubt this honor awarded them. And I believed Ms. Kidman's performance to be among of this school. I thought, well, she donned this fake nose, they had to give it to her.
Oh dear, when haughty filmies make assumptions (unless they are about Jerry Bruckheimer films) we can often be so wrong! Kidman's Virginia Woolf is a dark powderkeg, courageous, fragile, thoroughly complete.
Kidman with Holywood royalty Miranda RichardsonWe mean no injustice to the other talents in the film, including the screenwriters and director, in praising just Kidman. In our (most often) humble opinion, both Julianne Moore (nominated for Best Supporting Actress) and Meryl Streep are magnetic. It's a divinely acted piece, more literary than most popular scripts, with sumptuous costumes, that lovingly meditates on those great unifiers: life and death. Honestly, what more can one ask for? (Well no, there's no nudity, so you have me there I suppose. Just watch
Short Cuts!).
And now, the scores!
District 9Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 10 bees!!!Director: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley
Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Released: 2009
Oscar Nominations/Wins: 4/0
Art School ConfidentialMillie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 5Director: Terry Zwigoff
Starring: Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich, Anjelica Huston, Steve Buscemi, Jim Broadbent
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Released: 2006
Oscar Nominations/Wins: 0/0
The HoursMillie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8Director: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Claire Danes, Miranda Richardson, John C. Reilly, Toni Collette, Jeff Daniels
Distributor: Miramax Films and Paramount Pictures
Released: 2002
Oscar Nominations/Wins: 8/1
