Let’s get down to it, shall we?
There wasn’t a No Country for Old Men at Cannes this year, at least not as far as I could tell. For one thing, the best films there weren’t in the English language, except for Mike Leigh’s Another Year, a surefire Best Pic/Best Director/Best Screenplay/Best Actress nominee if I’ve ever seen one. Can the Best Picture ten widen to include really great foreign films? Can the Academy read subtitles?
Unfortunately, having ten Best Picture nominees didn’t necessarily mean they went more artistic. To brain dead Americans, the idea was to allow some of the favorites of the masses to be let in, thus removing the stigma of the Academy Awards “rewarding films no one saw.”
Having just come from the Cannes film festival, it is depressing that the selection must be dumbed down, but dumbed down it will have to be because that’s just the way things are.
1st tier of surefire contenders:
Another Year – Mike Leigh’s best film since Secrets & Lies. What a great film about this odd little group of people, anchored by Lesley Manville’s heartbreaking loser.¬† It is her performance that drives this film, but the supporting players are equally good, including Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen, to say nothing of Imelda Staunton’s brief but unforgettable cameo. Should find a comfortable fit in all of the major categories – look for Leigh to clean up at the early critics’ awards. A Globe nod, probably a DGA nod, WGA, etc.
Inside Job – one of the standouts overall at the fest was Charles Ferguson’s searing indictment of the Wall Street collapse. This is a film every American needs to see and hopefully the Academy will embrace it. The doc branch is notoriously difficult to predict, but Inside Job should find its way there.¬† Not to be missed.
Biutiful – this film is a slam dunk for Javier Bardem, who will be a strong contender for Best Actor both at the fest, and at the Oscars. It helps that Bardem is already a big star over here and thus, it isn’t a leap to see him at next year’s Oscars. It’s too soon to say whether this film will do anything in any of the other categories. I would love to see Picture, Director and Screenplay. But we can’t go there just yet.
Blue Valentine – again, two strong performances by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. Gosling gives by far his best performance to date, and given the range he’s already exhibited, that’s saying a lot. Beyond that, what will drive Blue Valentine through Oscars season (besides being handles by the Weinstein Co.) is the backstory. I kept wondering how it was, given the mixed reviews coming out of Sundance, that the Weinsteins were putting so much of their might behind Blue Valentine. But as soon as I heard the story of how it was made – ten years in the making, with the two actors living their roles and preparing themselves for several years before, I knew why. The story is what often matters in the Oscar race, and this one has something most other films don’t – a director who cared so much about authenticity, he was willing to take his time to make sure every last detail was fleshed out. The result is mesmerizing.¬† Apparently, seven minutes or so were cut from the Sundance version. It is rare to see performances this real.
2nd Tier — Wait and See
Wall Street 2 – this is a tricky one, and it will depend on how well it does. I said it already in my original write-up, but the last scene ruins the movie in terms of Oscar. Maybe it makes it more satisfying for audiences but whatever greatness it might have achieved evaporated. But there is no telling how the film will do over here. If it does really well, it could be one of the Big Ten. Michael Douglas (minus the last scene) would be the strongest candidate for an acting nod.
Fair Game – again, another tricky call.¬† Mostly good reviews out of Cannes — Naomi Watts is looking good for a nod; Sean Penn is always one to watch. It seems to have Best Picture written all over it, but you just never know.
Countdown to Zero – a look at the nuclear arms industry, featuring weapons expert Valerie Plame.
3rd tier – Dreaming is free
The Housemaid, Poetry and Carlos all would be recognized in some way, either with an acting nomination, or cinematography — but let’s face it: there is no chance in hell.¬† Carlos probably won’t go to Oscar town since it’s going to be shown on TV. And even beyond those, Outrage, Of Gods and Men, Kaboom — those are also standouts according to other writers here.
