Guess what? (what?) I have officially seen ALL of the best picture nominees. That's right, all 10! So now, I can finally tell you what I think about them. I already reviewed Up in the Air and Precious a few months ago, but I'll talk about them again and see if my perspective has changed and what not.
But let's get right to it...
The Hurt Locker - I saw "The Hurt Locker" on DVD back in January and loved the pure intensity of this film. Yes, there are scenes that feel like they go on forever, but boy are they tense. I also found the subplot between Renner's character and the little Iraqi boy to be very interesting and engaging. This movie is really about a man who is so used to being in the midst of war that its consequences no longer phase him. After you've been in it long enough, do you really have anything more to be afraid of? The only thing he can't seem to get used to is life outside of war. Kathryn Bigelow's masterfully shot and edited film finally gives us a memorable Iraq War movie and it's memorable because of the great performances by its principal cast.
rating: 9.5 out of 10
Avatar - I saw this in 3D around Christmastime and was enthralled by the movie when I saw it. But, since then, honestly even its most wonderful images have lost its way with me. Sure, when you see this movie and get the complete theater experience, it's amazing. But Jake Sully is just so plain and uninteresting as a character. Are we supposed to care about him just because he's paralyzed? Zoe Saldana does a terrific job as one of the Na'Vi and that's probably the one performance/character that sticks out to me. And the action in the last 1/3 of the film looks awesome on screen, but honestly, I wasn't blown away by it, I just thought it all looked cool. I get why this movie is making so much money, it's really a great theater experience. And really, technically, this is the movie. It has probably changed blockbusters as we know it, whether we like that or not. I'm still not completely enamored with the idea of all the biggest blockbusters being shot in 3D, but if Avatar is any indication, maybe that's not such a bad idea after all.
rating: 8 out of 10
Inglourious Basterds - Inglourious Basterds was the best film of 2009, bar none. It's a movie that originally divided people and I'm sure there are people who are still reluctant to accept it as a serious contender for an Oscar, but this movie has it all. The long, drawn-out, suspenseful scenes, the perfectly shot scenes in the beginning of the film, the humor, the wonderful and original story... I love this movie. I saw it when it came out in August and it's still very fresh in my memory. This is Quentin Tarantino at his absolute best. He really put his best foot forward with this film. This is very much a QT film all the way through, it's a very cinematic film... if you enjoy movies, if you really love movies, you should love Inglourious Basterds. It's everything that a movie is supposed to be.
rating: 10 out of 10
Up in the Air - Saw this just after the New Year in theaters. Really, this film is the product of such a brilliantly written script that the actors don't really have to add too much. But, we're talking about George Clooney here. When you have such a great script like this and the actors in the movie manage to elevate it and bring it to a whole other level... that's why Up in the Air is so special. It's one of the lighter films on the list, which is funny because the ending is so bleak and kinda depressing. I guess in order to really enjoy this movie you have to be a fan of George Clooney and I am. He's the type of actor who really doesn't change who he is from movie to movie. He's always going to be George Clooney, like Jack Nicholson will always be Jack, and Cary Grant was always Cary Grant, etc. He's not a character actor like Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He's a movie star in every sense of the word. And what every movie star needs is the right vehicle that highlights what made them such a great star in the first place. That's what happens in Up in the Air. It's a great movie and it makes me excited for the possibilities of Jason Reitman's future. Three films later, he's now in prime position to make a movie that officially cements his status as one of the most talented filmmakers out there today. He almost did that with this movie, but not quite.
rating: 9 out of 10
Precious - I never understood the hype, overall, for this movie. The only thing that makes this movie watchable are the utterly convincing performances by MoNique and Gabby Sidibe. But, this is really a messy film. It's a film that really wants you to "get it." Lee Daniels here simply tries to do too much with this film and that's a shame. All you had to do with this movie was capture the great performances and you'd have succeeded. But no, Daniels had to add his own flare to the movie and it simply didn't work for me. There are also some rather disgustingly edited rape scenes in the movie that really take you out of the serious-ness of the scenes. I really did not like this film and I dislike it more when I think about it.
rating: 4 out of 10 (because you can't ignore the performances and MoNique's monologue at the end of the film was great)
District 9 - The 2nd best sci-fi movie of 2009 which is saying a lot because 2009 had a lot of great sci-fi movies. I love the faux-documentary, chaotic style of this movie and the makeup and visual effects are astounding for the budget that it had. I marveled at how convincing and realistic that huge mothership looked as it hovered over a city in South Africa. Terrific film.
rating: 9 out of 10
A Serious Man - I recently saw this film on DVD and it's kind of a baffling film, really. That's something the Coen Brothers are good at - baffling you. A movie about a man who is down on his luck and remains down on his luck all the way to the end. It's like an exercise in Murphy's Law, although it's more like an allegory to the Book of Job. This movie works because of Michael Stuhlberg's brilliant performance, but I'd be lying if I told you that I was 100% into this film. Perhaps I will be the second time I watch it, but until then? It was a really good film with some funny moments, but its greatness was lost on me.
rating: 7.5 out of 10
An Education - I was surprised by, overall, how rather slight this movie is. Sure, Carey Mulligan is wonderful in this movie and for the most part it's a very engrossing story. But there was just something missing from this film that kept me from loving it. And I did want to love this movie, but instead I just liked it. I wasn't as dazzled by this movie as I thought I would be.
rating: 7 out of 10
Up - Brilliantly made Pixar movie that has one of the most touching five-minute sequences in the beginning of the film. After that, it's just bliss. It's a Pixar movie that really writes itself. You just sit there and enjoy the wonderful, beautiful animation and smile as this story unfolds. Pixar does it again.
rating: 9 out of 10
The Blind Side - The movie that will probably earn Sandra Bullock an Oscar which, for some, might sound crazy. But overall, this is an enjoyable entertaining movie. It's very easy to stomach and it's... pleasant. It's also very forgettable aside from Bullock's performance and I'm stunned to see this as a Best Picture nominee. I understand why Precious is on there even if I dislike that movie. I do not understand Blind Side's position with this list. It must've struck a bigger chord with others than it did with me.
rating: 6 out of 10
1 comment:
Hi there
Looking forward to your next post
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