When we look back on the movies of 2011, what will we remember? Will we remember the giant genre movies that took a bite out of the box office? Will we remember the animated sequels that worked the first time, then worked the second time and sometimes even worked the third time. Will we remember the movies that helped ease the pain? The ones that made us laugh and cry? Or will we remember the Cinema of Unease that has crept into American film?
These are dark days in America. We thought it was bad when Bush was in office but we couldn’t see Wall Street coming. There is fundamental distrust of our government, a revolving circus of Republican clowns, and a President who is out of town just as the Wall Street protests begin to erupt violently. We’re a man short.
The fear and despair has been expressed brilliantly by films that will likely never see the light of day, Oscar-wise. The growing unease is something noted passionately by film critics, and might perhaps earn some productions a few critics awards, but we know that the public, ergo the voting Academy, need more sugar in their cup of tea.
Those that shine a light on the way out of this mess we’re in will be rewarded both at the box office and on stage at the Kodak. We cling to them, flail towards them in the dark, in hopes that we can, momentarily, leave behind the grotesque, unanswerable world we’ve built for ourselves.
So we cling to stories about love, family, winning. We cling to the films that hold the flashlight and we hope that those other movies, you know, the ones that echo back to us our cries in the night, can sit safely over at Netflix where we can access them at our leisure, you know, some time later.
But when I think about the most stirring experiences that might end up defining this year, a whole different picture emerges – movies like Contagion, Take Shelter, Shame, Melancholia, Rampart, The Ides of March, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and of course, The Rise of the Planet of the Apes which, in its own genre-y way, spoke of a kind of need for release of the ties that bind.
Sometimes I wonder why Americans have stopped been able to tell rich and valuable stories anymore. And this thought always leads me to last year, when it took a film by British filmmakers, made outside the Hollywood studio system, to win Best Picture of the year, beating American productions like True Grit, Black Swan, The Fighter and The Social Network, all three very American stories, made by American filmmakers. I guess I’ll never understand the why of last year, even if it such a simple explanation: they liked this one better than that one. It is in my nature, and the nature of this website, to look deeper than that.
So my thoughts turn to this year, where once again a movie like The Artist has swept through the film season as one of the best films of the year. There is no fear of storytelling there. There is no need to make a film that will make money, that will attract the 13-year-old boy demographic, the need for violence and the obliteration of sex. Michel Hazanavicius was telling a good story and that is all. It’s original, too. Last year’s winner was also an original screenplay, while Social Network, True Grit and the Fighter were not. The only other original was Black Swan. And we all know that was “too weird” to ever have won.
The Artist, a film about American cinema made by a French director, is one of the best stories told this year and it has absolutely nothing to do with that growing anxiety, that storm Michael Shannon kept talking about in Take Shelter.
The film Take Shelter is by far one of the best films of this year. That’s a sentence worth repeating. The chances of it being named Best Picture are slim to none. What an original, breathtaking idea it is. The acting, the writing, the execution — but more than that, it scratches that irritating itch about what we’re all feeling right now, or many of us anyway. Maybe if you’re unplugged to what’s going on, and you’re watching Dancing with the Stars and really getting involved in those stories instead, you will see Take Shelter as a movie about a man maybe going insane. But it is hard not to see it as one of defining films of this year, particularly where American film is concerned.
The pervasive signs of distress of are seen on Michael Shannon’s face; his inner world vibrates with knowing, while his outer world falls apart with doubt. He has one exceptional scene where he explodes in a cafeteria – and if that doesn’t become of the most memorable scenes of this year I will eat my hat. I am also haunted by Elizabeth Olsen’s face, panicked and confused while trying to remain composed in Martha Marcy May Marlene. The two female leads in Melancholia have also caught the same virus. And then there’s Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, which is a more mainstream version of this contagion of anxiety ripping through this country right now in so many ways. Contagion made just $70 million or so, right around where Moneyball will end up, unless it starts winning awards. It had good word of mouth but somehow it ended up in the pile of movies that weren’t being considered for Oscar. It’s that fear thing, probably. It’s that fear thing all the way.
Although we might put Alexander Payne’s film, The Descendants, in the category of a “feel good” band-aid. A second viewing of that movie reminded me that it is about more than just a family coming apart and pulling itself back together: it is about America, in many respects. We are *all* the descendants–caretakers of this land, our rights, our future. The story is told about a white family in the land of natives — the taking of the land was maybe immoral, maybe illegal. The impulse is to cash in, because isn’t that what rich fat cats do in this country? We take and then we take some more. But in The Descendants is a gentle reminder of this stolen ownership, this huge responsibility. The Descendants shows us another way.
Addressing our plight from the underdog angle is Bennett Miller’s Moneyball, still the most successful and well reviewed film of the year (not counting Harry Potter). This is a film about making something out of nothing, taking a swing and maybe missing, but like The Descendants, caretaking family and the team becomes, in the end, more important than winning the game. It’s another way out. Vivid, memorable, bittersweet. There are no easy answers in Moneyball because, as we know, the dynamic it created is still debated today. What we can take away with confidence is Billy Beane’s story and maybe his story feels like our story.
Three remaining movies we await will either separate or unite us. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, along with War Horse, are movies meant to redeem us from what ails us. They won’t offer easy answers but they can offer comfort. And then there’s the Prince of Darkness and his upcoming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which remains my personal most anticipated film of the year, as it pours hot wax all over the party pieces, bringing us all the things we shouldn’t want, but somehow do. David Fincher, sure to deliver among the most visually stirring films of the year – and probably one that will stand apart from all of the others. Whether that difference will amount to Oscar nomination or not is still a mystery.
But as we head out of the heat of the season and into the critics awards, with National Board of Review and New York Film Critics announcing soon, those groups will have had to see these movies to know whether to vote on them or not. It’s likely that we will hear word from them first before any of us actually sees War Horse or Dragon Tattoo. If either of these films is left off those lists — the National Board of Review will name ten, the New York Film Critics will vote for one winner for Best Picture, it will be reflective, most likely, of the year we already know, not the year we don’t.
But I feel certain that 2011 will be remembered more for the films that weren’t in the race than the ones that ultimately will be. We are in a position to be embracing films that offer us a way out of the mess, shelter from the storm. And those that remind us what’s coming next are those that will have to remain buried treasures to be unearthed later, after things have calmed down.
There will be, I suspect, something very reassuring about the 84th Academy Awards. Familiar host, conventional Best Picture nominees, star-driven vehicles, old Hollywood resurrected. As I made my way up those beautiful steps at the Academy theater on Wilshire for the Descendants premiere last night, I was surrounded by Academy members. You never realize who these people are until you see them in the flesh, sit among them, listen to their murmurings. I imagine that crowd watching The Social Network or Take Shelter and I can imagine the confusion — not because they’re “old and out of touch” so much but because, after all of the time spent on this planet, having careers ascend and sometimes watching them fade, having children and watching them grow up and out, living through so much that they want their movies to provide something beyond the gnawing questions we grapple with every day. They must provide, god willing, relief. And the Descendants did that. The long, long applause at the end of it proved it. It’s a great film. Alexander Payne’s best. It’s also a light, a beacon, shimmering off in the distance, illuminating the path to a better life.
I want to see Drive get some love. Great film with a superb performance from Ryan Gosling. Should be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Albert Brooks), Best Supporting Actress (Carey Mulligan), Sound Mixing/Editing, and more. It saddens me it doesn’t have much of a chance at getting in for anything.
50/50 was a wonderful film and Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave one of the best male performances of the year, IMO. I hope to see him at least score a Golden Globe nomination, which does seem to have a good chance of happening.
Would be amazing to see Shame become a bigger player than expected and get more than just Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress nominations.
Am crossing my fingers for Elizabeth Olsen to score the fifth slot in the Best Actress category. Almost wish the Academy would expand the acting categories as so many great performances go unrecognized every year.
I want to see Drive get some love. Great film with a superb performance from Ryan Gosling. Should be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Albert Brooks), Best Supporting Actress (Carey Mulligan), Sound Mixing/Editing, and more. It saddens me it doesn’t have much of a chance at getting in for anything.
50/50 was a wonderful film and Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave one of the best male performances of the year, IMO. I hope to see him at least score a Golden Globe nomination, which does seem to have a good chance of happening.
Would be amazing to see Shame become a bigger player than expected and get more than just Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress nominations.
Am crossing my fingers for Elizabeth Olsen to score the fifth slot in the Best Actress category. Almost wish the Academy would expand the acting categories as so many great performances go unrecognized every year.
I’m with you to a point, Sasha. In the roughest times, I do think that people tend to go for lighter fare. I think about 1976, when you had some really serious pictures about a decaying American society going up against Rocky in the year of the bicentennial. Of course Rocky won.
But what exactly makes a “bad year”? Why is it that in the year of 9/11, a film about a disturbed man won Best Picture? Or in the year where the Iraq War started, they chose a film that had the most epic of battle sequences? There are many things that override the head-in-the-sand approach to Oscar voting, so let’s not make too many generalizations.
But what most confuses me in this article is your implication that because The Artist is an Original Screenplay, it will have a better chance of winning. Of course, your go-to example is The King’s Speech. Nevermind that from 2000-2010, the Best Picture has gone to Adapted Screenplays seven out of eleven times, including some pretty depressing Adapted Screenplays.
In short, I really think the next “State of the Race” might be more informative if it just focused on buzz and less about these grandiose overstated themes about movies and society. It’s not a question of “looking deeper”; it’s a question of drawing conclusions when they’re not based in fact or, at the very least, the facts and their impact on the race is unclear.
I’m with you to a point, Sasha. In the roughest times, I do think that people tend to go for lighter fare. I think about 1976, when you had some really serious pictures about a decaying American society going up against Rocky in the year of the bicentennial. Of course Rocky won.
But what exactly makes a “bad year”? Why is it that in the year of 9/11, a film about a disturbed man won Best Picture? Or in the year where the Iraq War started, they chose a film that had the most epic of battle sequences? There are many things that override the head-in-the-sand approach to Oscar voting, so let’s not make too many generalizations.
But what most confuses me in this article is your implication that because The Artist is an Original Screenplay, it will have a better chance of winning. Of course, your go-to example is The King’s Speech. Nevermind that from 2000-2010, the Best Picture has gone to Adapted Screenplays seven out of eleven times, including some pretty depressing Adapted Screenplays.
In short, I really think the next “State of the Race” might be more informative if it just focused on buzz and less about these grandiose overstated themes about movies and society. It’s not a question of “looking deeper”; it’s a question of drawing conclusions when they’re not based in fact or, at the very least, the facts and their impact on the race is unclear.
What about TREE OF LIFE? That is the only movie I’ve seen this year that will go down in history.
(Though “Take Shelter” was perfect, and it will be sad when that, too, doesn’t show up Oscar day.)
What about TREE OF LIFE? That is the only movie I’ve seen this year that will go down in history.
(Though “Take Shelter” was perfect, and it will be sad when that, too, doesn’t show up Oscar day.)
I had crashes (everything froze after 5 or so minutes and I had to boot) for a few days, and I always keep AD open. I didn’t know it was up to AD, I still don’t, but after reading all this stuff – maybe. Anyway, yesterday everything started working beautifully. I’m using Firefox.
I had crashes (everything froze after 5 or so minutes and I had to boot) for a few days, and I always keep AD open. I didn’t know it was up to AD, I still don’t, but after reading all this stuff – maybe. Anyway, yesterday everything started working beautifully. I’m using Firefox.
Matthew D – I think Sasha’s list invoked films with a dark, apocalyptic feel, in keeping with her article. I don’t see Tree of Life as such a dark thing, although some of its subject matter is troubling… but the end result of Malick’s contemplation is more joyous and uplifting, don’t you think? So while it’s not at all escapist, it’s also not the kind of doom-laden or cynical or deeply paranoid experience she was talking about with the films she listed.
Matthew D – I think Sasha’s list invoked films with a dark, apocalyptic feel, in keeping with her article. I don’t see Tree of Life as such a dark thing, although some of its subject matter is troubling… but the end result of Malick’s contemplation is more joyous and uplifting, don’t you think? So while it’s not at all escapist, it’s also not the kind of doom-laden or cynical or deeply paranoid experience she was talking about with the films she listed.
I don’t think the Academy will ever really change regarding their positions on darker films. In fact, I’m starting to think that The Departed and No Country for Old Men only got their votes because Scorsese and the Coens were hugely overdue.
I don’t think the Academy will ever really change regarding their positions on darker films. In fact, I’m starting to think that The Departed and No Country for Old Men only got their votes because Scorsese and the Coens were hugely overdue.
Sasha the problem hasn’t gone away for me and I’m using Explorer but it’s a lot better than it was this morning. So thanks for that.
Sasha the problem hasn’t gone away for me and I’m using Explorer but it’s a lot better than it was this morning. So thanks for that.
“But when I think about the most stirring experiences that might end up defining this year, a whole different picture emerges – movies like Contagion, Take Shelter, Shame, Melancholia, Rampart, The Ides of March, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and of course, The Rise of the Planet of the Apes[…]”
How in universe was Tree of Life left out of this mini-list..? Honestly, none of these movies will even come close to being remembered as that film will in 10-20 years. Not that they are bad films at all, but seriously, get real. It’s as though people are purposely overlooking this film. I don’t care much about the Oscars anymore, but I do hope they at least ACKNOWLEDGE the movie with a best picture nomination. Anything short of that would be the most embarrassing omission since Eternal Sunshine.
“But when I think about the most stirring experiences that might end up defining this year, a whole different picture emerges – movies like Contagion, Take Shelter, Shame, Melancholia, Rampart, The Ides of March, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and of course, The Rise of the Planet of the Apes[…]”
How in universe was Tree of Life left out of this mini-list..? Honestly, none of these movies will even come close to being remembered as that film will in 10-20 years. Not that they are bad films at all, but seriously, get real. It’s as though people are purposely overlooking this film. I don’t care much about the Oscars anymore, but I do hope they at least ACKNOWLEDGE the movie with a best picture nomination. Anything short of that would be the most embarrassing omission since Eternal Sunshine.
I’m going to try this again LOL. It’s an interesting piece that has a tendency to lead many of us to believe that the so called “small” films will be forgotten and I don’t subscribe to that theory. This is a year like one I haven’t seen in a very long time. Even the films that weren’t the most critical success brought something to the table. I think, and this is my opinion; that “some” films were held to a higher standard than others by critics. When I see the critical ranking of Puss in Boots higher than J Edgar I’m even more convinced. Granted Puss in Boots has a built in audience and is of a genre that really is difficult to slam by critics.
I think that when film historians look at this year and when the cineophiles review this year it will compare in many ways to 1939 when there was so much out there to be acknowledged. It’s clear the public wanted to escape the mundane doldrums of society at this point and who the hell can blame them. But I don’t think when we look back at this year in review that the smaller “art house” genre will be forgotten only because of the quality that was available in that so called genre. Films like Shame and A Dangerous Method may not reach or achieve that magical BP status but they impacted cinema. The technical achievements have been more pronounced this year than any other I can remember. The acting catgories are busting at the seams. We have a list of directors who will be competing for recognition by the Academy that I can’t remember seeing in a very long time and even if you didn’t like a particular film, as I don’t care for Tree of Life; you can’t ignore the achievement.
It’s a great year for film. It’s a great year for directors, actors and for the technical aspects. The only place where one might be able to say that there was a fall out might be the writing. So many projects that reached fruition just seemed to fall short in the writing. That’s a generalization althought I can think of specific films that fall in that place.
I’m going to use an example here. Redford’s Conspirator fell apart in my opinion because of the writing. I don’t particularly care for James MacAvoy but I think he gave one of his best performances in that film. In many aspects the film suceeded in what it intended but fell apart where it was most important. The writing.
I really don’t see how anyone could look back at this year and find that this year was “lacking” quality. Even Jane Eyre was pretty damn good and I don’t particularly care for that book or the previous versions but I did like this version.
All in all a damn good year I think.
I’m going to try this again LOL. It’s an interesting piece that has a tendency to lead many of us to believe that the so called “small” films will be forgotten and I don’t subscribe to that theory. This is a year like one I haven’t seen in a very long time. Even the films that weren’t the most critical success brought something to the table. I think, and this is my opinion; that “some” films were held to a higher standard than others by critics. When I see the critical ranking of Puss in Boots higher than J Edgar I’m even more convinced. Granted Puss in Boots has a built in audience and is of a genre that really is difficult to slam by critics.
I think that when film historians look at this year and when the cineophiles review this year it will compare in many ways to 1939 when there was so much out there to be acknowledged. It’s clear the public wanted to escape the mundane doldrums of society at this point and who the hell can blame them. But I don’t think when we look back at this year in review that the smaller “art house” genre will be forgotten only because of the quality that was available in that so called genre. Films like Shame and A Dangerous Method may not reach or achieve that magical BP status but they impacted cinema. The technical achievements have been more pronounced this year than any other I can remember. The acting catgories are busting at the seams. We have a list of directors who will be competing for recognition by the Academy that I can’t remember seeing in a very long time and even if you didn’t like a particular film, as I don’t care for Tree of Life; you can’t ignore the achievement.
It’s a great year for film. It’s a great year for directors, actors and for the technical aspects. The only place where one might be able to say that there was a fall out might be the writing. So many projects that reached fruition just seemed to fall short in the writing. That’s a generalization althought I can think of specific films that fall in that place.
I’m going to use an example here. Redford’s Conspirator fell apart in my opinion because of the writing. I don’t particularly care for James MacAvoy but I think he gave one of his best performances in that film. In many aspects the film suceeded in what it intended but fell apart where it was most important. The writing.
I really don’t see how anyone could look back at this year and find that this year was “lacking” quality. Even Jane Eyre was pretty damn good and I don’t particularly care for that book or the previous versions but I did like this version.
All in all a damn good year I think.
I’m having problems accessing your homepage with IE7 on my work computer. The page starts loading OK, but then slows and I get a message saying that a script is making my computer run slowly. When I click yes to stop running the script, then the page freezes and I have to use CTL+ALT+DEL to escape.
However, if I follow a link to one of your inner pages (e.g. via In Contention or The Film Experience), then I can navigate that page and other inner pages with no problem whatsoever.
This has been going on for several weeks, and I hope that you can figure out what’s wrong.
I’m having problems accessing your homepage with IE7 on my work computer. The page starts loading OK, but then slows and I get a message saying that a script is making my computer run slowly. When I click yes to stop running the script, then the page freezes and I have to use CTL+ALT+DEL to escape.
However, if I follow a link to one of your inner pages (e.g. via In Contention or The Film Experience), then I can navigate that page and other inner pages with no problem whatsoever.
This has been going on for several weeks, and I hope that you can figure out what’s wrong.
Like Luke I’m having the same problem. For two days the site worked beautifully and now I’m back to where I was three days ago. I get message that the font at this site is affecting my browser and am asked do I want to continue and I hit the yes and the message keeps reappearing until the site finally comes up. Each time I try to access a topic I have to go through the whole process all over again and most times it just ends up freezing me and have to use my task manager to get me off line. Really becoming very annoying since I do read so much of what’s commented on here and posted. Sorry this is off topic but thought maybe it would help a bit.
Hey Nic – I removed what was making it slow and crash — is it still doing that? I thought I had fixed it. I’m so sorry to hear that. I contacted my tech support guy and he said it was using a lot of resources….but that it was loading fast and running fine. Trying to figure out what the problem could be.
[I hate to keep bringing this discussion page back around to tech issues — but the site crashes do fit with the themes of cataclysm and anxiety about stability.]
For days we’ve been puzzled about what could be causing the pages to overload browsers — and it was even more baffling because I couldn’t replicate the problem to see it with my own eyes.
But last night when Sasha was making adjustments to eliminate the most likely culprits, I intentionally tried to kill Firefox and Chrome by opening dozens of tabs and running lots of complex elements on duplicate home page loads.
When I finally got Chrome to overload and fail, it was drastic. It froze up my mouse and keyboard, and brought down other open programs when it choked in multiple chain-reaction domino effect.
Firefox is always a memory-leaking hog, but it’s rare to see either browser eat up more than 500k of RAM. Last night we found out that Firefox and Chrome can both end up chewing through as much as 1.5 GB of system RAM if they hang up on trying to run too many Flash elements.
It’s a RAM and resource-consumption problem — and because it’s dependent on how much memory is available, I think some PCs and laptops will be more susceptible than others.
Here’s a tip I’ve found this morning for anybody using Firefox:
Since Firefox has well-known RAM-suckage issues already, somebody has developed a neat Add-On called Memory Fox that seems to do a great job managing your RAM allotments — and maybe somehow is able to release more of your available RAM from any accumulating logjams.
It’s right here: Memory Fox
After installing, Firefox needs to be restarted
it’s not activated automatically by default. So you need to activate it with one click from Tools menu or from the Green M icon that will appear next to your address bar.
So far for me this morning it’s working like a dream, and reduced the RAM Firefox consumes on my laptop by more than half.
One user review says:
Happy to verify I’m seeing the same dramatic difference.
Like Luke I’m having the same problem. For two days the site worked beautifully and now I’m back to where I was three days ago. I get message that the font at this site is affecting my browser and am asked do I want to continue and I hit the yes and the message keeps reappearing until the site finally comes up. Each time I try to access a topic I have to go through the whole process all over again and most times it just ends up freezing me and have to use my task manager to get me off line. Really becoming very annoying since I do read so much of what’s commented on here and posted. Sorry this is off topic but thought maybe it would help a bit.
Hey Nic – I removed what was making it slow and crash — is it still doing that? I thought I had fixed it. I’m so sorry to hear that. I contacted my tech support guy and he said it was using a lot of resources….but that it was loading fast and running fine. Trying to figure out what the problem could be.
[I hate to keep bringing this discussion page back around to tech issues — but the site crashes do fit with the themes of cataclysm and anxiety about stability.]
For days we’ve been puzzled about what could be causing the pages to overload browsers — and it was even more baffling because I couldn’t replicate the problem to see it with my own eyes.
But last night when Sasha was making adjustments to eliminate the most likely culprits, I intentionally tried to kill Firefox and Chrome by opening dozens of tabs and running lots of complex elements on duplicate home page loads.
When I finally got Chrome to overload and fail, it was drastic. It froze up my mouse and keyboard, and brought down other open programs when it choked in multiple chain-reaction domino effect.
Firefox is always a memory-leaking hog, but it’s rare to see either browser eat up more than 500k of RAM. Last night we found out that Firefox and Chrome can both end up chewing through as much as 1.5 GB of system RAM if they hang up on trying to run too many Flash elements.
It’s a RAM and resource-consumption problem — and because it’s dependent on how much memory is available, I think some PCs and laptops will be more susceptible than others.
Here’s a tip I’ve found this morning for anybody using Firefox:
Since Firefox has well-known RAM-suckage issues already, somebody has developed a neat Add-On called Memory Fox that seems to do a great job managing your RAM allotments — and maybe somehow is able to release more of your available RAM from any accumulating logjams.
It’s right here: Memory Fox
After installing, Firefox needs to be restarted
it’s not activated automatically by default. So you need to activate it with one click from Tools menu or from the Green M icon that will appear next to your address bar.
So far for me this morning it’s working like a dream, and reduced the RAM Firefox consumes on my laptop by more than half.
One user review says:
Happy to verify I’m seeing the same dramatic difference.
As I prepare to try to get to “The Artist”s press junket this morning, I am confronted with the storm Sasha’s already written about here, ARRIVING in the form of the occupy Wall St. movement trying to shut down mass transit in the city. Do I take a subway? Or do I take two buses to get to “The Artist”? Will I even be able to make it? Is the subway service going to be disrupted or not? And the temperatures plummeting to winter, too.
How will the Academy react to all this? I say…ESCAPISM is gonna be the rule. Like for instance with “Midnight in Paris”, “My Week with Marilyn” and esp. perhaps or because of its’ silence “The Artist.” And I think “Midnight in Paris” may surprise in its’ acting categories. Corey Stoll and Marion Cotillard get your tux and gown ready…
Me? I just hope I can get to the junket this morning, cross town.
As I prepare to try to get to “The Artist”s press junket this morning, I am confronted with the storm Sasha’s already written about here, ARRIVING in the form of the occupy Wall St. movement trying to shut down mass transit in the city. Do I take a subway? Or do I take two buses to get to “The Artist”? Will I even be able to make it? Is the subway service going to be disrupted or not? And the temperatures plummeting to winter, too.
How will the Academy react to all this? I say…ESCAPISM is gonna be the rule. Like for instance with “Midnight in Paris”, “My Week with Marilyn” and esp. perhaps or because of its’ silence “The Artist.” And I think “Midnight in Paris” may surprise in its’ acting categories. Corey Stoll and Marion Cotillard get your tux and gown ready…
Me? I just hope I can get to the junket this morning, cross town.
This is an excellent piece, Sasha… I don’t always agree with some of the things you say, but I read this one multiple times just cause it was so beautifully written and really captured the zeitgeist of this year’s Oscar race into words that I certainly would never have been able to find, let alone capture.
Thanks, Ed. I really appreciate it.
This is an excellent piece, Sasha… I don’t always agree with some of the things you say, but I read this one multiple times just cause it was so beautifully written and really captured the zeitgeist of this year’s Oscar race into words that I certainly would never have been able to find, let alone capture.
Thanks, Ed. I really appreciate it.
I feel that mental instability/illness seems to be a prominent theme this year–Melancholia, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Take Shelter. They are certainly looked at in a new way. I think Kirsten Dunst still should be considered as a possible contender for actress.
I feel that mental instability/illness seems to be a prominent theme this year–Melancholia, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Take Shelter. They are certainly looked at in a new way. I think Kirsten Dunst still should be considered as a possible contender for actress.
Guys, havent’ been following the oscar race closely this year, probably due to the lack of good films. But I was just curious as to why there doesn’t seem to be more Oscar-buzz for Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance in 50/50? I heard nothing but positive things pre-release, and then upon wide-release it continues to garner positive reviews. I thought at one time JGL was considered a front-runner for his performance? Are there really over 10 performances this year better than his as listed on the “Contender Tracker?”
Guys, havent’ been following the oscar race closely this year, probably due to the lack of good films. But I was just curious as to why there doesn’t seem to be more Oscar-buzz for Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance in 50/50? I heard nothing but positive things pre-release, and then upon wide-release it continues to garner positive reviews. I thought at one time JGL was considered a front-runner for his performance? Are there really over 10 performances this year better than his as listed on the “Contender Tracker?”
I think it is the flash plug-in. Some ad or shockwave object really freezes up the resources and causes the browser to crash. So it might not be you but some third party content.
When I manually end the flash plugin, the page seems fine.
When I manually end the flash plugin, the page seems fine.
Thanks. That actually helps. If I could figure out if it was a studio ad or a google ad that might help too.
I think it is the flash plug-in. Some ad or shockwave object really freezes up the resources and causes the browser to crash. So it might not be you but some third party content.
When I manually end the flash plugin, the page seems fine.
When I manually end the flash plugin, the page seems fine.
Thanks. That actually helps. If I could figure out if it was a studio ad or a google ad that might help too.
I’m going to consider the playability of the films, meaning how likely is it to make it from table to DVD player, from now on when thinking about their chances.
I couldn’t agree more! And certainly when it comes to The Artist.
I’ve been arguing about that last week regarding the film BO in France. Considering the previous successes of the director and Dujardin, and the constant publicity around the film since Cannes (with the French press getting all excited at the idea of having a new frenchie celebrated in Hollywood after Cotillard), the success of the film at the BO was a given (released just before holidays as well!). And yet it didn’t quite happen. It didn’t flop but it wasn’t the crowdpleaser everybody was talking about, and word of mouth did not really catch-up either.
So the question is not about how great the film is (and I can assure you that French people have been hearing how great it is for the last 6 months) but, as you said Antoinette, who in the general public is actually willing to pay good money to watch a silent film in black and white. I know plenty of people who wouldn’t. And it will be exactly the same with the Academy. And I could be wrong but I’m convinced that if the film does make it to major nominations, it will on goodwill and not because Ampas members actually watched it.
I’m going to consider the playability of the films, meaning how likely is it to make it from table to DVD player, from now on when thinking about their chances.
I couldn’t agree more! And certainly when it comes to The Artist.
I’ve been arguing about that last week regarding the film BO in France. Considering the previous successes of the director and Dujardin, and the constant publicity around the film since Cannes (with the French press getting all excited at the idea of having a new frenchie celebrated in Hollywood after Cotillard), the success of the film at the BO was a given (released just before holidays as well!). And yet it didn’t quite happen. It didn’t flop but it wasn’t the crowdpleaser everybody was talking about, and word of mouth did not really catch-up either.
So the question is not about how great the film is (and I can assure you that French people have been hearing how great it is for the last 6 months) but, as you said Antoinette, who in the general public is actually willing to pay good money to watch a silent film in black and white. I know plenty of people who wouldn’t. And it will be exactly the same with the Academy. And I could be wrong but I’m convinced that if the film does make it to major nominations, it will on goodwill and not because Ampas members actually watched it.
The mood of this piece was inspired by “Babel.”
They remembered “Babel.” As one of five. So ya never know.
The mood of this piece was inspired by “Babel.”
They remembered “Babel.” As one of five. So ya never know.
Maybe if you’re unplugged to what’s going on, and you’re watching Dancing with the Stars and really getting involved in those stories instead
Actually I don’t think anything is more plugged into what’s going on in America than “Dancing with the Stars” this season. Chaz Bono is a spokesperson for those who are on the outskirts right now and need someone to look up to. He originally was getting hate mail, even before the show began. He not only survived that first week of threats, but made it probably two weeks beyond where his talent should have carried him because the American people wanted to make a statement of support and love for not only him but for those he represents. J. R. Martinez is an Iraq war veteran and actor. Most of us had never heard of him before he was cast on the show. “Who is this ‘star’?,” we thought. Over the course of the show he has inspired everyone with his determination and confidence and the idea that there really are second chances no matter how bad things may seem. He made it into the finals last night and he’s the best dancer on the show. I’d suggest watching the finale, but God knows what could happen. If I told you to watch last night, you might have murdered me. The Muppets were on.
As far as the state of the race goes, having seen next to nothing and just watching how this is all shaking out from afar, this December glut of films has made me think of a new problem. It’s still a problem of people catching up, but this time I’m not thinking of normal folks like myself. I’m thinking of Academy members who traditionally watch the films on DVD in the privacy of their own home. I’m thinking of the busy ones who are definitely not going to diligently plow throw every DVD before they vote. I think movies like The Artist or Shame or maybe even The Descendants could get the brush in favor of more entertaining screeners that will be right next to them on the coffee table. Movies like Mission Impossible 4 and Sherlock Holmes which no one expects to factor into the major races could take valuable viewing time from the ones who came to dance. In fact I can see something like The Artist being repeatedly passed over. It may seem like homework. Having to watch the silent movie that’s supposed to be great when you really want to watch apes go apesh*t one more time. Maybe it’s even possible that some members will say “F it” I just watched all these fun movies and I want to vote for my favorite, I don’t care who else votes for it, it’s my vote and then they end up voting for Sherlock Holmes.
Anyway, my point is I think there is a real risk of “popular” overtaking “Oscar-worthy” due to the fact that they’re all hitting the entertainment centers of the Academy at the same time. I’m not saying it’s incredibly likely, because you still have a huge chunk of people who vote for movies they haven’t seen too. They’ll probably go with what they’ve heard is best. But I just wanted to put this idea out there. I’m going to consider the playability of the films, meaning how likely is it to make it from table to DVD player, from now on when thinking about their chances.
Maybe if you’re unplugged to what’s going on, and you’re watching Dancing with the Stars and really getting involved in those stories instead
Actually I don’t think anything is more plugged into what’s going on in America than “Dancing with the Stars” this season. Chaz Bono is a spokesperson for those who are on the outskirts right now and need someone to look up to. He originally was getting hate mail, even before the show began. He not only survived that first week of threats, but made it probably two weeks beyond where his talent should have carried him because the American people wanted to make a statement of support and love for not only him but for those he represents. J. R. Martinez is an Iraq war veteran and actor. Most of us had never heard of him before he was cast on the show. “Who is this ‘star’?,” we thought. Over the course of the show he has inspired everyone with his determination and confidence and the idea that there really are second chances no matter how bad things may seem. He made it into the finals last night and he’s the best dancer on the show. I’d suggest watching the finale, but God knows what could happen. If I told you to watch last night, you might have murdered me. The Muppets were on.
As far as the state of the race goes, having seen next to nothing and just watching how this is all shaking out from afar, this December glut of films has made me think of a new problem. It’s still a problem of people catching up, but this time I’m not thinking of normal folks like myself. I’m thinking of Academy members who traditionally watch the films on DVD in the privacy of their own home. I’m thinking of the busy ones who are definitely not going to diligently plow throw every DVD before they vote. I think movies like The Artist or Shame or maybe even The Descendants could get the brush in favor of more entertaining screeners that will be right next to them on the coffee table. Movies like Mission Impossible 4 and Sherlock Holmes which no one expects to factor into the major races could take valuable viewing time from the ones who came to dance. In fact I can see something like The Artist being repeatedly passed over. It may seem like homework. Having to watch the silent movie that’s supposed to be great when you really want to watch apes go apesh*t one more time. Maybe it’s even possible that some members will say “F it” I just watched all these fun movies and I want to vote for my favorite, I don’t care who else votes for it, it’s my vote and then they end up voting for Sherlock Holmes.
Anyway, my point is I think there is a real risk of “popular” overtaking “Oscar-worthy” due to the fact that they’re all hitting the entertainment centers of the Academy at the same time. I’m not saying it’s incredibly likely, because you still have a huge chunk of people who vote for movies they haven’t seen too. They’ll probably go with what they’ve heard is best. But I just wanted to put this idea out there. I’m going to consider the playability of the films, meaning how likely is it to make it from table to DVD player, from now on when thinking about their chances.
“They won’t offer easy answers but they can offer comfort. And then there’s the Prince of Darkness and his upcoming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which remains my personal most anticipated film of the year, as it pours hot wax all over the party pieces, bringing us all the things we shouldn’t want, but somehow do.”
Excellent writing….
“They won’t offer easy answers but they can offer comfort. And then there’s the Prince of Darkness and his upcoming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which remains my personal most anticipated film of the year, as it pours hot wax all over the party pieces, bringing us all the things we shouldn’t want, but somehow do.”
Excellent writing….
Wonderful piece, Sasha.
One of the reasons why I love Take Shelter so much is how rooted it is in these modern concerns–the financial, emotional, personal costs of defending oneself and one’s family against the apocalypse.
I feel it’s important to bring up this year’s New York Film Festival, which featured Melancholia, The Descendants, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and The Turin Horse, all films (most of which Sasha mentioned) that deal with some sort of ending, a personal or external apocalypse.
The Turin Horse, probably the bleakest of the bunch, is a gorgeous yet exacting chore to sit through. As the horse stops eating, the well runs dry, and all light vanishes from the earth, it feels like Bela Tarr’s goal is to suck all hope from existence.
But the protagonists never give up. Whether it’s a choice or not is up for debate (is there any other option but to keep going?), but what’s important is that they go on. And then, after hours in the dark, we leave the theater and go back out into the world. It’s still here.
The apocalypse hasn’t happened (yet). The storm hasn’t come (yet). The light isn’t gone (yet). The planet hasn’t crashed into us (yet).
These are the kinds of films we need now, when faced with such intense personal crises. Our concerns about the end may never go away. We’re naturally scared. But going through the end of the world, experiencing that catharsis, allows us to go into the world, experience that relief of permanence, and, however briefly, get the courage to face whatever will come.
Wonderful piece, Sasha.
One of the reasons why I love Take Shelter so much is how rooted it is in these modern concerns–the financial, emotional, personal costs of defending oneself and one’s family against the apocalypse.
I feel it’s important to bring up this year’s New York Film Festival, which featured Melancholia, The Descendants, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and The Turin Horse, all films (most of which Sasha mentioned) that deal with some sort of ending, a personal or external apocalypse.
The Turin Horse, probably the bleakest of the bunch, is a gorgeous yet exacting chore to sit through. As the horse stops eating, the well runs dry, and all light vanishes from the earth, it feels like Bela Tarr’s goal is to suck all hope from existence.
But the protagonists never give up. Whether it’s a choice or not is up for debate (is there any other option but to keep going?), but what’s important is that they go on. And then, after hours in the dark, we leave the theater and go back out into the world. It’s still here.
The apocalypse hasn’t happened (yet). The storm hasn’t come (yet). The light isn’t gone (yet). The planet hasn’t crashed into us (yet).
These are the kinds of films we need now, when faced with such intense personal crises. Our concerns about the end may never go away. We’re naturally scared. But going through the end of the world, experiencing that catharsis, allows us to go into the world, experience that relief of permanence, and, however briefly, get the courage to face whatever will come.
I experience problems with the site too, especially at work (YIKES!).
I experience problems with the site too, especially at work (YIKES!).
Ryan, I’ve been having problems with the site too. For me, it happens almost as soon as I come on the site, and Google Chrome as a whole stops functioning and I have to wait for it to restart. I’m currently browsing via Internet Explorer, which I don’t normally use.
Just to let you know that this may be a common problem…
Otherwise, fabulous piece Sasha. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment you express about the type of film which may come to define 2011 in cinema.
Ryan, I’ve been having problems with the site too. For me, it happens almost as soon as I come on the site, and Google Chrome as a whole stops functioning and I have to wait for it to restart. I’m currently browsing via Internet Explorer, which I don’t normally use.
Just to let you know that this may be a common problem…
Otherwise, fabulous piece Sasha. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment you express about the type of film which may come to define 2011 in cinema.
Let’s just hope the first-out-of-the-gate critics get to see all the films needed. I hate this “we want to be first” thing destroying an actual end result, because sometimes they don’t get to see all the movies. The last couple of years there have been titles that the first “announcers” didn’t get to see – and so, what’s the point of naming a “Best Picture of the Year” if indeed a potential winner of that title doesn’t GET it because it wasn’t ready to be screened in November?
Damn…
I can just imagine, when the Oscars move up to January in the next couple of years, the Globes will be handed out around December 1st. A joke! I’m all for not waiting to (sometimes) March to get the film year over with, but let’s wait till the year actually IS over, people! (yes, critics and Globes, I’m talking to you – it’s NOT a competition! Well, it shouldn’t be!)
Let’s just hope the first-out-of-the-gate critics get to see all the films needed. I hate this “we want to be first” thing destroying an actual end result, because sometimes they don’t get to see all the movies. The last couple of years there have been titles that the first “announcers” didn’t get to see – and so, what’s the point of naming a “Best Picture of the Year” if indeed a potential winner of that title doesn’t GET it because it wasn’t ready to be screened in November?
Damn…
I can just imagine, when the Oscars move up to January in the next couple of years, the Globes will be handed out around December 1st. A joke! I’m all for not waiting to (sometimes) March to get the film year over with, but let’s wait till the year actually IS over, people! (yes, critics and Globes, I’m talking to you – it’s NOT a competition! Well, it shouldn’t be!)
I used to have crashing problems on this site, but then I switched to Google Chrome – I hate that browser, but it doesn’t crash it when I navigate this site.
I used to have crashing problems on this site, but then I switched to Google Chrome – I hate that browser, but it doesn’t crash it when I navigate this site.
The only major film released in 2011, that, in my opinion is going to still be remembered in twenty years as a truly seminal piece of movie making is THE TREE OF LIFE.
Perhaps it will end up being the 2001 of 2011, but in truth I think its going to be a much bigger Oscar player than most pundits are giving it credit for at the moment. I’d bet the bank on a Best Picture, Director nod with another four or five tech nominations and even a surprise acting nod or two.
It may be a film that is divisive, but it also has incredibly passionate followers. I saw the film for a second time last Sunday in NYC (where it has been playing, incidentally since May) and the theatre was packed.
Watch for it to take the NBR Best Picture prize next month.
The only major film released in 2011, that, in my opinion is going to still be remembered in twenty years as a truly seminal piece of movie making is THE TREE OF LIFE.
Perhaps it will end up being the 2001 of 2011, but in truth I think its going to be a much bigger Oscar player than most pundits are giving it credit for at the moment. I’d bet the bank on a Best Picture, Director nod with another four or five tech nominations and even a surprise acting nod or two.
It may be a film that is divisive, but it also has incredibly passionate followers. I saw the film for a second time last Sunday in NYC (where it has been playing, incidentally since May) and the theatre was packed.
Watch for it to take the NBR Best Picture prize next month.
Off topic…Ricky Gervais is hosting the Golden Globes again! IMDB has confirmed it
Off topic…Ricky Gervais is hosting the Golden Globes again! IMDB has confirmed it
In my personal awards, Martha Marcy will be nommed not just for Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes, but also for its superb editing and screenplay.
In my personal awards, Martha Marcy will be nommed not just for Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes, but also for its superb editing and screenplay.
Ryan, I have been having a similar problem. A pop up tells me the page has become unresponsive and asks if I’d like to kill the page.
Ryan, I have been having a similar problem. A pop up tells me the page has become unresponsive and asks if I’d like to kill the page.
Passioniate and incisive as always! I finally got to catch Take Shelter and Martha Marcy May Marlene (the most handicapped of titles this year… there’s always one) this last week and both were were explosions of thoughts and ideas about the world we live in at the moment. Obviously, Take Shelter much louder in that. But, both seemed to slam home in my mind what this year of film has really been about. And, I agree, these are the ones, among others, that will be remembered for me far past Oscar night.
Passioniate and incisive as always! I finally got to catch Take Shelter and Martha Marcy May Marlene (the most handicapped of titles this year… there’s always one) this last week and both were were explosions of thoughts and ideas about the world we live in at the moment. Obviously, Take Shelter much louder in that. But, both seemed to slam home in my mind what this year of film has really been about. And, I agree, these are the ones, among others, that will be remembered for me far past Oscar night.
This is off topic but this site always crashes my browser after 5 minutes, which is bad since I come here so often.
Luke, Sasha spent hours yesterday rebuilding the main page layout to fix that problem. Are you getting any error warning before the crash?
let me know about the symptoms your seeing
ryanadams.AD@gmail.com
This is off topic but this site always crashes my browser after 5 minutes, which is bad since I come here so often.
Luke, Sasha spent hours yesterday rebuilding the main page layout to fix that problem. Are you getting any error warning before the crash?
let me know about the symptoms your seeing
ryanadams.AD@gmail.com
This is a good piece and quite spot on. I especially like to hear you acknowledge the fact (and stating it loud and clear), that the best cinema of 2011 will probably not be in contention this season because it is somehow deemed to “dark” or “unsettling” in the curious politico-cultural climate of the here and now. It is refreshing to hear this from someone so invested in the Oscars as you and I hope there is a lot paying attention, because it is an urgent message for all film lovers.
So everybody, go see Drive, Take Shelter, Tree Of Life, Contagion, Shame, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, We Need To talk About Kevin, Rampart etc…
This is a good piece and quite spot on. I especially like to hear you acknowledge the fact (and stating it loud and clear), that the best cinema of 2011 will probably not be in contention this season because it is somehow deemed to “dark” or “unsettling” in the curious politico-cultural climate of the here and now. It is refreshing to hear this from someone so invested in the Oscars as you and I hope there is a lot paying attention, because it is an urgent message for all film lovers.
So everybody, go see Drive, Take Shelter, Tree Of Life, Contagion, Shame, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, We Need To talk About Kevin, Rampart etc…
I would love for Shame to get more than a Best Actor nod.
I would love for Shame to get more than a Best Actor nod.
Well I am still hoping that We Need To Talk About Kevin sneaks in – it so deserves to be there – Tilda’s performance was the most superior I have seen in years!!!!
Well I am still hoping that We Need To Talk About Kevin sneaks in – it so deserves to be there – Tilda’s performance was the most superior I have seen in years!!!!