The Tree of Life + The Complete Terrence Malick

The Tree of Life has easily been the most polarizing movie of 2011. The movie received the Palme D'Or (the top prize) at Cannes,comes from a legendary director, and stars Bard Pitt and Sean Pitt. Even so, theaters across the nation have reported a 5% walkout rate, something I definitely saw at my screening. So what gives?

Well, The core of The Tree of Life is a stream of consciousness narrative of a young boy growing up in mid-20th Century Texas, living his childhood through two very different parents, a domineering father (Brad Pitt), and a beatific mother (newcomer Jessica Chastain). This is the main narrative and takes up at least 2/3 of the movie. The other part includes Biblical quotations, the origin of the universe, evolution, dinosaurs, and (perhaps) the afterlife. Suffice to say that this is not a traditional summer movie. So, is it a masterpiece or an overly ambitious, philosophical bore?

You can put me firmly in the masterpiece corner. I'm a big fan of Terrence Malick (see below), and I've definitely anticipated this movie for a while. It's a bit hard to even talk about this movie, so I'll start with the core of the movie and work my way out. I don't think I've ever seen a portrait of childhood (especially of boyhood) portrayed so accurately, beautifully, and painfully on screen. As we see Jack enter the world, discover nature and his family, and, eventually, struggle with his own demons, the story is told through moments both momentous and mundane. Isn't that how life is remembered? Brad Pitt is absolutely wonderful as the stern father, a character that is easy to both understand and vilify. The visuals, too, are absolutely stunning. Malick creates such a mood of reflection that I was almost oblivious to how much time had passed. I was content to spend time in Jack's life and watch glimpses as he grew up.

And onto the other parts of the movie (and a slight spoiler alert, I suppose). After a brief introduction the family, we follow the creation of the universe, evolution, and a conflicted dinosaur making a moral choice. Malick is ambitious, and this section of the movie (where many walkouts occur) resembles more a narrator-less nature show rather than a conventional movie. I was transfixed and mesmerized by the visuals and by thinking about its connection to the main story. The ending, where some characters are reunited, including the adult Jack (played by Sean Penn), is also visually beautiful, but I'm a little more conflicted as to its potency. I didn't dislike it, but I would definitely say it's on a slightly lower level than the rest of the movie.

To put it simply, I was blown away by The Tree of Life, although I understand it's not for all tastes. Lacking a driving narrative (beyond remembered moments), it's more of a movie to watch and let yourself be carried away in the visuals and philosophical questions it raises. I think it's one of the most important American movies in a long time.

Grade: A

The Complete Terrence Malick

Terrence Malick is a legendarily elusive and painstaking director. He came onto the scene in 1973 with Badlands and has only made 5 features.

If there's an image I associate with Malick, it's of insects on a blade of grass. It's very possible that every single one of his movies contain this image. Malick is interested in human stories, but also how they fit into the larger fold. He's also a filmmaker intimately concerned with the spiritual realm. Days of Heaven contains Biblical elements of judgment, The Thin Red Line seems to be almost a Buddhist war movie, and The Tree of Life has a hefty dose of Christian theology on sin, goodness, and evil. Malick views his characters, as small (migrant farmworkers in Days of Heaven) or large (Pocahantas and John Smith in The New World) as they are, as elements in a grander scheme.

Malick also has voiceover narration in each one of his movies, an element that allows us to think philosophically while admiring the stunning visuals of each of his movies. Here's my rankings of his output.

1. The New World (2005). I didn't see this movie until last year, and I was absolutely blown away. Malick tells the story of the Jamestown settlement and the meeting of John Smith and Pochahontas. What I love about this movie is its sense of discovery and newness, even while acknowledging the pain and death involved in this exploration and meeting. The spirit of nature suffuses the film, and I think this may have one of my favorite endings of all time.

Grade: A



2. The Tree of Life (2011). See above!

Grade: A

Dad's Gone
The Tree of Life at MOVIECLIPS.com

3. Badlands (1973). Perhaps the least typical of Malick's films. I see this movie as the anti-Bonnie and Clyde. It's about a young sociopath, played by Martin Sheen, who seduces a young girl (Sissy Spacek), kills her father, and embarks on a killing spree. These lovers on the lam aren't at all noble, they're just sad and confused and possibly mentally ill. Sissy Spacek gives a spectacularly weird performance, and Malick makes great use of discordant narration to create an unsettling and fascinating movie.

Grade: A-



4. Days of Heaven (1978). I recently watched this movie a second time, and it really grew on me. It's the story of migrant workers (one played by a young Richard Gere) who travel to Texas and try to con a wealthy farmer. It also includes interesting narration by a young girl which comments and deepens the action. A relatively simple story, told in short takes and minimal dialogue, that allows for thoughtful reflection on fate and life's choices.

Grade: A-



5. The Thin Red Line (1998). While the only one of Malick's films to earn a Best Picture nomination (although I'm keeping my fingers crossed for The Tree of Life), for me this is Malick's least successful film. It's the antithesis to a traditional war film, filled with almost no great sacrifice or reward. Soldiers fight and reflect. Some die, some live. The visuals in this movie are amazing and I love the idea of turning the war movie on its head. Unfortunately, the meditations and philosophy got a little repetitive and overlong and there are also so many famous actors in small roles in this movie that it almost becomes distracting from the story. Nonetheless, this is definitely a worthwhile and ambitious film.

Grade: B

Midnight in Paris and An Appraisal of Woody Allen

Midnight in Paris

I'm a pretty huge Woody Allen fan. Few moments in movies give me such a sense of pleasure as that basic white on black title sequence, usually paired with a lovely bit of classic American music. Yes, Woody repeats himself quite a bit, but when he's good, he's such a perceptive chronicler of relationships and human failings and when he's not THAT good, I still enjoy the signature rhythms and humor.

Which brings me to Midnight in Paris, his new film which opened this year's Cannes film festival. The main star of Midnight in Paris is certainly the city of Paris, or at least an idealized dream version of it shared by any appreciator of artists. This movie is a love letter to that city. Owen Wilson plays Gil (or really, you know, Woody), a neurotic writer who is engaged to marry a spoiled woman (Rachel McAdams) with horrible conservative parents. Through a magical occurrence, Gil is transported back to the Paris of the 20s, where he interacts with the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Dali, and many others.

Midnight in Paris is a very charming film, if not quite in the top tier of Allen films. The sections set in the past are wonderful. The actors did a great job of portraying historical characters- I especially liked Corey Stoll as Hemingway, Alison Pil as Zelda Fitzgerald, and Adrien Brody as Dali. The modern day scenes were fun, but also a little too familiar. McAdams' character is so obviously wrong for Gil, the movie loses some tension it could have had. This movie does have an incredibly charming ending. It's predictable, yes, but in that way that makes it the best way the movie could have ended. I also think Owen Wilson might be the best surrogate Allen character we've seen in a long time. With the London of Match Point, Vicky Christina Barcelona, and now Midnight in Paris, I think Woody has found a lot of magic in Europe.

Grade: B+

Trailer #1

Midnight in Paris

— MOVIECLIPS.com

Ranking Woody's Films

By my count, I've seen 26 Woody Allen films, some several times and some only once and long ago. Here's my personal rankings (with thoughts on the top 10), with the caveat that it's been awhile since I've seen some of them.

1. Annie Hall (1977). Simply one of my favorite movies ever. I don't think there's a better or funnier movie about love found and lost. Just about every scene is classic.

2. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). A heartfelt love letter to the movies. I love the elements of fantasy and sadness that Allen brings.

3. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). The best of "serious" Woody, although there are funny parts too. Bleak and powerful.

4. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Another film that is just about perfect. So many engaging characters and so much to say about relationships.

5. Husbands and Wives (1992). The movie released after the Woody scandal. It's definitely interesting viewing (especially Woody's character's almost affair with a college student), and also bitterly funny and biting. Judy Davis gives an amazing performance.

6. Sleeper (1973). My favorite of the early pure comedies. A futuristic satire that's fall on the floor funny.

7. Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008). While Penelope Cruz (justly) got a lot of attention for her fiery role, I also feel this movie was a tad underrated. Breezy, sexy, and funny.

8. Another Woman (1988). Quite serious and very good. It's about a woman eavesdropping on a psychiatrist's sessions, and it's riveting.

9. Match Point (2005). This murder story, almost free of comedy, is reminiscent of Hitchcock and a total departure for Woody.

10. Manhattan (1979). Many people's favorite Allen movie, but I've never loved it quite as much. Still, a love letter to Allen's city with gorgeous cinematography and great performances,even if Mariel Hemingway's 17-year-old love interest induces a little queasiness with Allen's later history.

And the rest.....

11. Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

12. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

13. Midnight in Paris (2010)

14. Love and Death (1975)

15. Small Time Crooks (2000)

16. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

17. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972)

18. Bananas (1971)

19. Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

20. Interiors (1978)

21. Radio Days (1987)

22. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

23. Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

24. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2009)

25. Deconstructing Harry (1997)

26. September (1987)

The Complete Tom McCarthy

Movies: The Station Agent (2003), The Visitor (2008), Win Win (2011)

Oscar Nominations: None for directing, 1 for co-writing Up (2010)

Continuing my look at the complete works of some directors, I'm now looking at a relatively new writer-director who's made a nice mark from just 3 movies-Tom McCarthy. My first instinct was to write that McCarthy directs naturalistic and realistic movies. Then I realized that his plots concern a dwarf who lives in an abandoned railroad depot, a wealthy man who ends up rooming with two illegal immigrants squatting in his luxury apartment, and a lawyer who ends up as a caretaker for the grandson of a man he swindled. On second thought, McCarthy makes movies with sitcom-like situations. He rarely shoots them like sitcoms, though, instead finding a quiet rhythm that carries the situations to their logical conclusions and takes the audience along all the way.

All three of his movies have charming performances by all the lead performers. I actually can't think of a weak acting link in any of his movies. It's important that the actors are good, because his movies are so much about relationships among the characters. I also like how he strives to look at the goodness in humanity, in many ways a polar opposite to Darren Aronofsky, who I last wrote about. In all of his movies, a person (or people) are gradually opened up by the interactions of those around them. He's especially interested in friendships that cross artificial boundaries of nation, race, age, and (in The Station Agent) size. If you're looking for a movie that will make you believe a little more in humanity without feeling manipulated, I'd recommend any of McCarthy's 3 movies.

Bonus Points: McCarthy is also an actor, must prominently playing the shady reporter Templeton on the fifth season of The Wire, the greatest TV series ever (no arguments please).

Here's how I would rank his movies:

1.) TheVisitor: The most serious of McCarthy's movies, and also the most moving. It's about an emotionally closed-off economist whose life becomes intertwined with two illegal immigrants who squat in his apartment. Richard Jenkins, an excellent longtime character actor, earned an Oscar nomination in his lead role. As wonderful as Jenkins is, he is matched moment for moment by the great Palesitian actress Hiam Abbass, who enters the movie as the mother of the young immigrant. (Slight spoiler alert) The movie doesn't end happily. There's a fair amount of anger in it, yet you are still left appreciating the connections that have been made.

Grade: A-

2.) The Station Agent: I just watched this movie again, and it really is a charming film. It takes a little while to warm up and hook the audience, but once it does it's wonderful to watch the characters interact. Peter Dinklage is an antisocial midget, Patricia Clarkson a grieving mother, and Bobby Canavale a food vendor displaced from New York. They all converge in a small New Jersey town and form a motley sort of family. Quiet, simple, funny, and very sweet.

Grade: B+

3.) Win Win: Win Win is currently out in theaters, and I think it might be McCarthy's most crowd-pleasing movie. That said, I think it's the only one of his movies where, at times, the contrivances get a little thick. As usual, though, the actors shine. Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan are wonderful as the central couple. My favorites, though, are young actor Alex Shaffer who manages to be hilarious without ever overplaying his high school athlete character, and Bobby Canavale (also great in The Station Agent), who is absolutely hilarious as a divorced man reliving his youth through coaching high school wrestling. It's also topped off with his signature amounts of heart and humor.

Grade: B

Eminem
Win Win at MOVIECLIPS.com

The Complete Darren Aronofsky

It's been two very quiet (OK, silent) months on the blog. To any faithful readers, I apologize for my absence. I always slow down quite a bit after Oscar season, and this has been a particularly busy time in other areas of my life.

Never fear though, I'm back with a new feature called "The Complete Directors" where I'll look at the films of directors who I've seen all (or nearly all) of their work. While I certainly have my favorite film actors and actresses, I tend to be more loyal and interested in a director's output. While even the best actors often make poor choices, many great directors hold at least some interest no matter the movie.

I'm starting with Darren Aronofsky, one of the most fascinating and singular directors working today. In each feature, I hope to give an overview of the director's work. After this, I'll do a ranking of their movies with some brief thoughts and clips of each one.

The Complete Darren Aronofsky

Movies: 5. Pi (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler (2008), Black Swan (2010).

Oscar Nominations: 1 (Black Swan)

Darren Aronofksy is not interested in making you feel good. Exhilarated, yes. Riveted, yes. Disgusted, at times. While his limited output includes hyper-realism, psychological horror, and romantic fantasy, all his films share a view of the world which looks head-on at pain and suffering.

One common element in Aronofsky's films is that of manipulation of the body. It starts as early as Pi, where the lead becomes obsessed with a math sequence and begins digging into the flesh of his head. In Requiem, the seductiveness of drugs is portrayed in his fast-cut sequences, and then later the ravages are just as clearly seen. In The Wrestler and Black Swan, two very different athletes/artists are willing to manipulate their body for obsession, addiction, and personal acclaim. The juxtaposition of these two films is fascinating. While told in completely different styles, their stories (and even their haunting closing scenes) mirror one another in a sort of mirror-image meditation on warped masculinity and femininity.

Aronofsky is also a master at directing actors and forcing them to dig into pain in their performances. Think of Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream, Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, and Natalie Portman in Black Swan. Each of these are among the most painful of modern performances and personal bests for each actor, and I get the sense Aronofsky works his actors hard. While his actors are astounding, there is always room for Aronofksy's flourishes behind the camera. He works relatively rarely (every few years) and seems passionate about what he makes. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Here's how I rank his movies:

1.) Requiem for a Dream: Most anyone who has seen this movie will tell you it's one of the most sad and painful movies they've ever seen. Why then, have I seen it 3 times? And why could I watch it again right now? As a film lover, I'm so thrilled by directors who can connect us so deeply to the emotions of their characters that the pain can sometimes become transcendent. Requiem for a Dream, about 4 drug addicts, is just about perfect. It sucks you in, connects you to the characters, and breaks your heart. You'll remember the haunting score forever.

Grade: A

Here's a clip

2.) Black Swan. I just rewatched this movie, and even if the surprises are lost the second time, it still holds up as a whacked-0ut, thrilling piece of moviemaking. There is literally not a moment wasted in this film. The mishmash between reality and fantasy (and who's to say which part is which?) is simultaneously fun, scary, and disturbing. In my opinion, the best movie of 2010.

Grade: A

Passerby
Black Swan at MOVIECLIPS.com

3.) The Wrestler. This movie has so much pain in it, both physically and emotionally. Mickey Rourke's character of Randy "The Ram" is a washed-up wrestler trying to make it, and the movie, unusually realistic for Aronofksy, follows his life with documentary-like precision.

Grade: A-

4.) The Fountain. A movie I've only seen once and definitely need to see again. It's actually 3 stories at once, one set in the 16th Century, one in the present day, and one in the distant future. All 3 stories star the wonderful Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (Aronofksy's ex-wife) and have a lush but painful romanticism. I'm not quite sure I can tell you what it all means, but it's really fascinating filmmaking.

Grade: A-

5.) Pi. I just saw this movie, and I'm glad I did as it gives a lot of insight into Aronofsky's early ideas. This one really seems like a film-school movie, in both good ways and bad. It's done with a lot of style and it tells an original story, completely focusing on the thoughts and actions of a mathematical genius who may be going crazy. There's some less-than-stellar acting, and I'm not sure all the ideas are fully formed, but it's really interesting to watch as Aronofksy's first film. I was especially interested in the echoes of other films, particularly the creepy subway ride which reappears in Black Swan and the drug-taking sequences which are echoed in Requiem for a Dream.

Grade: B-

A clip

That's all for my first installment of "The Complete...." Coming soon-Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson. I'll also take suggestions!

Top 10 of 2010

After a week's respite from the flury of Oscary blogging, I'm back with my year-end roundup of movies released (or considered for Oscars) in 2010. I saw a whole lot of 2010 movies this year, 49 , and I'm ready to make the tough decisions to come up with a top 10 list.

The Best Movies of 2010

Runners-Up:

The Fighter: What could have been a rather traditional uplifting sports film becomes something much quirkier and more interesting thanks to the great cast and the direction by David O. Russell.

Greenberg: Director Noah Baumbach makes dark and uncomfortably funny movies about prickly characters, and I think Greenberg is his best yet. Ben Affleck is a good fit for the title role, but the real revelation is Greta Gerwig, providing a nice entry point for the audience and a truly original character.

The King's Speech: Despite its Best Picture win, it didn't quite make my top 10. It is a charming and entertaining film about friendship with great performances.

127 Hours: Probably my number 11. A desperate and grotesque situation filmed as a full-throated affirmation of living.

The Town: Proof that, every once in a while, Hollywood can still make an entertaining genre film. A great cast and great energy provide a really entertaining time at the movies.

And now to my 10......

10. In a Better World: This Danish film just won the Best Foreign Film Oscar. It's a subtle and involving movie about children, adults, revenge, and forgiveness. Seek it out when it comes to theaters in April.

I Hit Him Back
In a Better World at MOVIECLIPS.com

9. Exit Through the Gift Shop: There were several documentaries I enjoyed this year, but none as much as this movie which takes you deep, deep into the world of underground street artists. You might not know what you're watching for a while, but just go with it and enjoy the ride. (It's on Netflix Watch Now!)

Trailer #1
Exit Through the Gift Shop at MOVIECLIPS.com

8. Please Give: Director Nicole Holofcener is kind of like a feminine version of Woody Allen with a stronger moral code. Please Give is a very funny movie about two interacting families tussling over how to be good and prime real estate. The cast is terrific.

Happy Birthday
Please Give at MOVIECLIPS.com

7. Another Year: Another treasure from British realist director Mike Leigh. A beautiful, funny, and heartbreaking film about what makes a good life and the mysteries of fate. Ruth Sheen and Jim Broadbent shine as a happily married couple, and Lesley Manville is astonishing as their friend Mary.

A Big Secret
Another Year at MOVIECLIPS.com

6. The Social Network: This pulsing, tense, involving, extremely well-made film might be seen, thematically, as this generation's Citizen Kane. Why isn't it higher on my list, then, especially since it's widely considered the masterpiece of the year? I think it dropped off just a tad in its last third. I also reserve the right to bump it up on my much-anticipated second viewing.

Guys That Row Crew
The Social Network at MOVIECLIPS.com

5. The Kids Are All Right: A pitch-perfect family comedy with just the right amount of humor and heart. Was there a better cast this year? I think not. Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Mia Wasikowska all shine.

Drop Out
The Kids Are All Right at MOVIECLIPS.com

4. Blue Valentine: A movie cataloging both the beginning and end of a romantic relationship might sound simple, but in the naturalistic hands of director Derek Cianfrance it becomes simply astonishing. Ryan Gosling (give him an Oscar!) and Michelle Williams touch your soul in their portrayal of a couple on the rocks.

Tell Me or I'm Jumping Off This Bridge
Blue Valentine at MOVIECLIPS.com

3. Winter's Bone: So original and so brilliant. This movie is so many things: an indie character study; a classic detective story; a mythical journey. Whatever the viewer sees it as, they won't forget Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), one of the most unique and brave heroines to come along in a long while.

The Same Blood
Winter's Bone at MOVIECLIPS.com

2. Toy Story 3: This was so so close to my top spot. A perfect end to a classic trilogy. Fast-paced, funny, poignant, and reminiscent of so many classic Hollywood films. I can't think of another film who's ending has touched me as deeply.

Tea Party
Toy Story 3 at MOVIECLIPS.com

1. Black Swan: I saw this movie opening night to a packed house, and it was an electrifying experience. Director Darren Aronofsky has thrown all he has into this movie, and it totally worked for me. The film references, the performances, the campiness, the horror, and the metaphor. I was riveted every second.

The Fitting
Black Swan at MOVIECLIPS.com

As an end, here's a quick list of what I've seen by its letter grade. A few of the grades have changed (both up and down) on second viewings or rethinkings. I would highly recommend any movie ranked B+ or higher on this list, and especially the 11 in the A/A- range. While I've seen a lot, I'm still looking forward to watching Carlos (a French film that won a bunch of awards), Fish Tank (a British indie), and several documentaries. This is where I see things now:

A

Black Swan, Blue Valentine, The Kids Are All Right, Toy Story 3, Winter's Bone

A-

Another Year, Exit Through the Gift Shop, In a Better World, 127 Hours, Please Give, The Social Network

B+

Cairo Time, Catfish, Dogtooth, The Fighter, Greenberg, Incendies, Inception, The King's Speech, Prodigal Sons, Restrepo, The Town, True Grit

B

Animal Kingdom, City Island, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, Easy A, Fair Game, I Am Love, Rabbit Hole

B-

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Mother, Mother and Child, Soul Kitchen, The Tillman Story, Waiting for Superman

C+

Biutiful, Cyrus, Everyone Else, The Ghost Writer, The Girl Who Played with Fire, How to Train Your Dragon, Outside the Law, Shutter Island, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

C

Babies, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Vincere

D

Date Night (Hey, I watched it on a plane.....no judging)

Here's to a (hopefully) great 2011!

Oscar Live Blog 2011!

It's Oscar night. I'm home watching with my wife Emily and mother-in-law Barb. I'll be live blogging all night tonight, keeping track of the arrivals, the embarrassing moments, and, of course, the winners. I'll be going bottom up, with the most recent post here at the top.....

11:36

Picture: The King's Speech, of course we all knew by now. I was hoping for some kind of weird upset. This will go down as an OK pick for the Academy-not the best and not the worst. But as we heard from Spielberg, sometimes the nominees are even better than the winners. 19/24 for the evening. Not so bad overall, right?

-I loved the montage of the Best Picture nominees at the end.

-PS22-quite charming, and I liked the winners coming out at the end.

-That's all folks! Thanks for following throughout Oscar season. Keep reading my blog for updates throughout the year!

11:28

-Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan. She looks absolutely lovely. This is the sweetest and most touching speech I've seen her give-she's seemed a little cold the rest of awards season. 17/22

-Actor: Colin Firth, of course. "I have a feeling my career's just peaked." Great comment, and it could be true. He gives a nice charming speech. 18/23

-Thoughts on the ceremony. I've enjoyed James and Anne. The producers have also kept the ceremony quite tight with little filler. Still, it's lacked a certain drama. Maybe because the main categories have worked out as everyone thought...... I am excited for PS22 to sing!

11:10

-Celine Dion..... singing for the dead folks. This is always where I realize that I forgot certain people died.

-Director: Tom Hooper, The King's Speech. OK, I picked him but didn't want him to win. 16/21. I would have loved for Fincher to have won this (or, even better, Aronofsky). He did do a nice job though.

10:49

-Who ever thought Gwyneth would be called a "country music star"?

-Are these best song nominees particularly weak this year? Nothing even approaches "The Weary Kind" from last year.

-Best Song: We Belong Together. Got that one. 15/20.

10:37

-Billy Crystal-standing ovation? Why?

-Bob Hope quote: "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Academy Awards. Or, as it's known at my house, Passover." Classic joke. But ghost Bob Hope is really creepy.....

-Visual Effects: Inception. 13/18. So Inception is the winner of the night so far. This is where it ends for them though.

-Film Editing: The Social Network. Got it. 14/19. Can it possibly win Best Picture? I hope so.

10:23

-Documentary Short: Strangers No More. Picked it. 11/15. It's an inspiring movies about refugee

-Live Action: God of Love. I saw all these in the theater. Didn't pick it but it was my favorite! 11/16. Luke Matheny is awesome!!

-Musical montage. Let's show some Harry Potter and Twilight even though they weren't really big Oscar players.....

-Oprah. Your outfit is not one of my favorite things.....

-Documentary: Inside Job. Picked it. 12/17. OK, here's the political comment of the night. It usually does come from the documentarians.

10:08

-James Franco: "Congratulations, nerds." to the scientific and technical award winners. Love it!

-Makeup: The Wolfman. Got it, 9/13. Now The Wolfman can call itself an Oscar-winning movie.

-Costumes: Alice in Wonderland. God it, 10/14. Most boring speech ever though.

-Interviewing folks about their favorite movie songs. Barack loves "As Time Goes By." Me too, prez, me too.

9:51

-Original Score: THE SOCIAL NETWORK!! Even though I didn't predict it, this is my favorite win of the night. Is TSN going to win Best Picture? Perhaps. 6/10.

-Sound Mixing. Inception. 7/11. Easy call.

-Sound Ending. Inception. 8/12. Another easy one.

9:35

-OK, 55 minutes until the first Charlie Sheen joke.

-Foreign Film: In a Better World. Not only did I predict it, I saw them all and it was the best!! For once, the foreign film branch did well. 5/8. Everyone should see this when it gets released in regular theaters-I think sometime soon.

-Supporting Actor: Christian Bale. 6/9. Well deserved. Shout out to Dick Eklund's website-way to go. Good speech.

9:22

-Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network. 3/6. I think everyone got this one.

-Original Screenplay: The King's Speech 4/7. Another easy one.

-Thoughts so far: Does The King's Speech losing Art Direction mean its a bit weak? At this point it will probably just win Picture, Actor, Screenplay, and perhaps director and score. Could The Social Network still upset? I'd be happy.

9:08

-Kirk Douglas-how charming..... good for him.

-Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo. 0/3 on my predix. If anyone doesn't know, she put some really weird ads out for herself. I guess they didn't stop her from winning. Drops the f-bomb. Guess there's a slight time delay. She's definitely a little weird, but obviously sincere and moved. Weird ending though......"selling motion pictures" a reference to her campaign??

-Animated Short: The Lost Thing! 1/4. Academy Member Marjorie Simpkin comes through! She gave me the inside info at the foreign film screening I saw.

-Animated Feature: Toy Story 3. 2/5.

8:46

-The opening is awesome!! Best moments: Morgan Freeman- "Alec likes me to narrate his dreams." Anne Hathaway doing her Boston accent in "The Fighter."

-Hmmm, connecting classic Hollywood to the current awards. Interesting, we'll see.

-Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland. 0/1 so far. Oops. I've heard this was just terrible. Anyone see it?

-Cinematography: Inception. 0/2 so far. Wow, when will Roger Deakins get his due? All those great Coen Brothers movies and not a win in sight.

8:17

-Nicole Kidman always classy and beautiful. I'm so glad she escaped from the grips of Scientology and Tom Cruise....

-Gwyneth Paltrow-looking like an Oscar!

-Christian Bale-not good facial hair.

8:09

-Natalie Portman. Barb quote: "Nice dress for a pregnant woman. She doesnt' have to show off her baby bump."

-James Franco....poised to become the most charming Oscar host ever? Discuss.

-Sandra Bullock looks good and seems really nice. She used to annoy me so much, but I have to say she has grown on me, although I'm still annoyed she won for The Blind Side last year.

7:59

-Annette and Warren, Hollywood royalty. Annette's dress is really nice and Warren is looking really old.

-Anne Hathaway looking beautiful in her Valentino. Barb's favorite dress so far.

-Reese Witherspoon looks great. Why hasn't she done anything interesting since Walk the Line? Perhaps Water for Elephants will be good.

-OK, the red carpet is fun and all, but I'm ready for some awards!!

7:35

-Cate Blanchett. One of my favorites. When is she giving her next great performance? Brave choice in dress.

-"The Mominees" speaking about their children. So great.

-Mark Ruffalo and wife Sunrise are a great couple. And they are friends with Julianne Moore in real life. Can I be friends with them too?

-Marisa Tomei is great as well and looking beautiful. What's she doing next? She was so great in The Wrestler.

7:22

-Amy Adams. Love her, but her dress is a little "matronly" (Emily's quote). Too many sequins.

-Jennifer Lawrence. Simple dress but she looks beautiful. Very far from the Ozarks....

-Kevin Spacey. I used to like him, but now I think he just seems sleazy. Anyone else?

-Russell Brand. "Subliminal erotic tension with Helen Mirren." I can't believe he didn't bring Katy Perry.

-Melissa Leo looking......terrible.

-I LOVE the PS22 chorus. What are they performing tonight? Over the Rainbow. Can't wait!

7:09

-Tim Gunn! This should make the 90 minutes red carpet coverage great.

-Mila Kunis is looking great, although it's definitely not hard for her.

-Hailee Steinfeld looking charming. Barb comment: "Nice appropriate dress." She seems very mature and

-Jesse Eisenberg doesn't have a TV and he's not on Facebook. Wow, that's pretty awesome.

Winner Predictions and Preferences

The time has come to make my final predictions. Despite a few categories which have been locked for a while, there are some tough picks in the lower categories, many of them having to do with how big The King's Speech will sweep. Here's who I predict will win, who is the alternate, and who should win.

Best Motion Picture of the Year

127 Hours

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter's Bone

Will Win: The King's Speech

Alternate: The Social Network

Should Win: Black Swan

Almost until nomination morning, The Social Network was sweeping every critics award, many critics' top 10 lists, and the Golden Globes. Then The King's Speech went on a role and there's been no stopping it. At this point, The Social Network winning would be a shocker, and anything else winning would be unthinkable.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Biutiful: Javier Bardem

True Grit: Jeff Bridges

The Social Network: Jesse Eisenberg

The King's Speech: Colin Firth

127 Hours: James Franco

Will Win: Colin Firth

Alternate: James Franco

Should Win: Jame Franco

After his tremendous nominated performance in A Single Man last year and his prominent role in the Best Picture frontrunner, there is no way Colin loses this. While I guess Franco would probably be next up, we'll have to content ourselves with his hosting duties. I'm excited to see what Franco and Hathaway have for us, you?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

The Kids Are All Right: Annette Bening

Rabbit Hole: Nicole Kidman

Winter's Bone: Jennifer Lawrence

Black Swan: Natalie Portman

Blue Valentine: Michelle Williams

Will Win: Natalie Portman

Alternate: Annette Bening

Should Win: Annette Bening

I'm fairly confident that Portman has this in the bag, with a small chance for a surprising upset by Bening. Oscar tends to like younger women for their actress awards. Let me just say that this field is enormously accomplished this year. I think I actually prefer all the nominated performances this year to any of the nominated performances from last year.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

The Fighter: Christian Bale

Winter's Bone: John Hawkes

The Town: Jeremy Renner

The Kids Are All Right: Mark Ruffalo

The King's Speech: Geoffrey Rush

Will Win: Christian Bale

Alternate: Geoffrey Rush

Should Win: Christian Bale

While there's a chance Geoffrey Rush rides The King's Speech train to victory, I think Bale's performance is too truly great to ignore. On my blog yesterday, every single one of the 8 participants picked him as their favorite. Just as in the actress category, this category is amazing this year, exactly the five I would have picked as well.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

The Fighter: Amy Adams

The King's Speech: Helena Bonham Carter

The Fighter: Melissa Leo

True Grit: Hailee Steinfeld

Animal Kingdom: Jacki Weaver

Will Win: Hailee Steinfeld

Alternate: Melissa Leo

Should Win: Amy Adams

This is the most exciting race of the night. It could easily go to Leo, Steinfeld, or even Bonham Carter. It seemed like Leo had it in the bag, but she's gotten some backlash for her over-the-top campaign ads. I'm making a somewhat risky bet that Steinfeld will charm enough votes her way to get the win. She'll be damn cute at the podium if she wins.

Best Achievement in Directing

Black Swan: Darren Aronofsky

True Grit: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

The Social Network: David Fincher

The King's Speech: Tom Hooper

The Fighter: David O. Russell

Will Win: Tom Hooper

Alternate: David Fincher

Should Win: Darren Aronofsky

Another tough call. Some are calling a split, with The King's Speech taking Best Picture and Fincher taking Best Director. I'm betting The King's Speech takes Hooper along for the ride. That said, I'll be thrilled if Fincher pulls through.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Another Year: Mike Leigh

The Fighter: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington

Inception: Christopher Nolan

The Kids Are All Right: Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

The King's Speech: David Seidler

Will Win: The King's Speech

Alternate: The Kids Are All Right

Should Win: Another Year

The King's Speech will win this. Bet your money. My pick was tough. I eventually went for Another Year, perhaps because its screenplay was just a tad more naturalistic and intricate than The Kids Are All Right. I'd be happy if TKAAR somehow upset, though.

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

127 Hours: Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy

The Social Network: Aaron Sorkin

Toy Story 3: Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich

True Grit: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Winter's Bone: Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini

Will Win: The Social Network

Alternate: Toy Story 3

Should Win: The Social Network

Another one to easily mark off your ballot. I think most would agree that so much of The Social Network's success hinged on its screenplay.

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Black Swan: Matthew Libatique

Inception: Wally Pfister

The King's Speech: Danny Cohen

The Social Network: Jeff Cronenweth

True Grit: Roger Deakins

Will Win: True Grit

Alternate: Black Swan

Should Win: Black Swan

The great Roger Deakins, who has collaborated on countless Coen Brothers movies, will probably finally get rewarded for his lovely and atmospheric cinematography. I think there's actually a small chance for any of these movies to win, and they're all worthy nominees.

Best Achievement in Art Direction

Alice in Wonderland: Robert Stromberg, Karen O'Hara

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1: Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan

Inception: Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Douglas A. Mowat

The King's Speech: Eve Stewart, Judy Farr

True Grit: Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh

Will Win: The King's Speech

Alternate: Inception

Should Win: Inception

I think this is a true 3-way race between TKS, Inception, and Alice in Wonderland. I'm hedging my bets on people wanting to reward The King's Speech.

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Alice in Wonderland: Colleen Atwood

I Am Love: Antonella Cannarozzi

The King's Speech: Jenny Beavan

The Tempest: Sandy Powell

True Grit: Mary Zophres

Will Win: Alice in Wonderland

Alternate: The King's Speech

Should Win: True Grit

A battle between TKS and Alice in Wonderland. This category tends not to correlate too strongly to Best Picture, and it also tends to go with showy work. Sounds like Alice in Wonderland to me.

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Inception: Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo, Ed Novick

The King's Speech: Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen, John Midgley

Salt: Jeffrey J. Haboush, William Sarokin, Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell

The Social Network: Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Mark Weingarten

True Grit: Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland

Will Win: Inception

Alternate: True Grit

Should Win: Inception

Yup, Inception.

Best Achievement in Editing

127 Hours: Jon Harris

Black Swan: Andrew Weisblum

The Fighter: Pamela Martin

The King's Speech: Tariq Anwar

The Social Network: Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall

Will Win: The Social Network

Alternate: Black Swan

Should Win: Black Swan

I can see any of these except 127 Hours winning. I think the voters will notice, however, how much The Social Network's editing kept the audience thrilled at a story without much real action.

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Inception: Richard King

Toy Story 3: Tom Myers, Michael Silvers

TRON: Legacy: Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Addison Teague

True Grit: Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey

Unstoppable: Mark P. Stoeckinger

Will Win: Inception

Alternate: True Grit

Should Win: Inception

Another one for Inception.

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Alice in Wonderland: Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas, Sean Phillips

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1: Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz, Nicolas Aithadi

Hereafter: Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojansky, Joe Farrell

Inception: Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley, Pete Bebb, Paul J. Franklin

Iron Man 2: Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright, Daniel Sudick

Will Win: Inception

Alternate: Alice in Wonderland

Should Win: Inception

Best Achievement in Makeup

Barney's Version: Adrien Morot

The Way Back: Edouard F. Henriques, Greg Funk, Yolanda Toussieng

The Wolfman: Rick Baker, Dave Elsey

Will Win: The Wolfman

Alternate: The Way Back

Should Win: I haven't seen any of these...

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

127 Hours: A.R. Rahman, Roland 'Rollo' Armstrong, Dido

- "If I Rise"

Country Strong: Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges

- "Coming Home"

Tangled: Alan Menken, Glenn Slater

- "I See the Light"

Toy Story 3: Randy Newman

- "We Belong Together"

Will Win: Toy Story 3

Alternate: 127 Hours

Should Win: 127 Hours

Not a great category for songs, but hopefully the performances will be pleasant.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

127 Hours: A.R. Rahman

How to Train Your Dragon: John Powell

Inception: Hans Zimmer

The King's Speech: Alexandre Desplat

The Social Network: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Will Win: The King's Speech

Alternate: The Social Network

Should Win: The Social Network

I would be soooo thrilled if The Social Network score one this. It was awesome.

Best Short Film, Animated

Day & Night: Teddy Newton

The Gruffalo: Jakob Schuh, Max Lang

Let's Pollute: Geefwee Boedoe

The Lost Thing: Shaun Tan, Andrew Ruhemann

Madagascar, a Journey Diary: Bastien Dubois

Will Win: The Lost Thing

Alternate: Day & Night

Should Win: I've only seen Day & Night

While at the foreign film screenings, I spoke with Academy member Marjorie Simpkin (casting director for such films as Avatar and Footloose....) who told me The Lost Thing was charming the audiences at Academy screenings. I'm not seeing many other pundits it predicting it. I hope Marjorie guided me right!

Best Short Film, Live Action

The Confession: Tanel Toom

The Crush: Michael Creagh

God of Love: Luke Matheny

Na Wewe: Ivan Goldschmidt

Wish 143: Ian Barnes, Samantha Waite

Will Win: Wish 143

Alternate: Na Wewe

Should Win: God of Love

I saw these and never had the chance to blog. Here's a twitter style rundown.

The Confession-Turgid and overly grim, no thank you.

The Crush- Charming and slight. Won't win.

God of Love- Clever, goofy, and luxuriously filmed. This generation's Woody Allen?

Na Wewe- Global importance, great production values, a little weird at the end.

Wish 143- Topic sounds sleazy (cancer patient trying to lose his virginity), but the movie is really charming, funny, and moving.

This is a tough category. I would not be shocked if Na Wewe, Wish 143, or even God of Love won. I'm taking some more advice from Academy member Marjorie, who said voters were loving Wish 143.

Best Documentary, Short Subjects

Poster Girl: Mitchell Block (producer), Sara Nesson (director)

Killing in the Name: Nominees TBD

Strangers No More: Karen Goodman, Kirk Simon

Sun Come Up: Jennifer Redfearn, Tim Metzger

The Warriors of Qiugang: Ruby Yang, Thomas Lennon

Will Win: Strangers No More

Alternate: The Warrios of Qiugang

Should Win: ?

Haven't seen these, just going on what I've read.

Best Documentary, Features

Exit Through the Gift Shop: Banksy, Jaimie D'Cruz

GasLand: Josh Fox, Trish Adlesic

Inside Job: Charles Ferguson, Audrey Marrs

Restrepo: Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger

Waste Land: Lucy Walker, Angus Aynsley

Will Win: Inside Job

Alternate: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Should Win: Exit Through the Gift Shop (I've only seen Gift Shop and Restrepo)

I expect Inside Job will win, but it would be so cool if street artist Banksy claims the prize! I've also heard Waste Land might have a shot.

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Biutiful: Alejandro González Iñárritu

- Mexico

Dogtooth: Giorgos Lanthimos

- Greece

In a Better World: Susanne Bier

- Denmark

Incendies: Denis Villeneuve

- Canada

Outside the Law: Rachid Bouchareb

- Algeria

Will Win: In a Better World

Alternate: Incendies

Should Win: In a Better World

I also saw all of these-over 3 days-so fun! Here's my run-down.

Biutiful- Bardem is extraordinary, the movie not so much. Overlong and "too many issues in the scene."

Dogtooth- Completely bizarre and, depending on who you are, repellent or fascinating. I thought fascinating and hilarious, but no way in hell it wins.

In a Better World- Gracefully written, acted, and performed by both the children and adults by great Danish director Susanne Bier

Incendies- Made with great skill and a near-masterpiece for the first hour and a half. It's ending let me down.

Outside the Law- Well-made but overly familiar and a little tedious.

This is widely thought of as a race between In a Better World, Biutiful, and Incendies. To vote, voters have to have seen all five movies. I honestly don't think Biutiful will win. Incendies is kind of up their alley, but also a little graphic in its violence. That's why I'm going with In a Better World, a movie it's hard not to like and also really well made. They've disappointed me before, though.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

How to Train Your Dragon: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

The Illusionist: Sylvain Chomet

Toy Story 3: Lee Unkrich

Will Win: Toy Story 3

Alternate: How to Train Your Dragon

Should Win: Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3, you think??

Based on my predictions, I am guessing we will get:

-6 awards for The King's Speech (Picture, Actor, Director, O. Screenplay, Art Direction, Score)

-3 for Inception (Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects)

-2 for The Social Network (Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing)

-2 for Toy Story 3 (Animated, Song)

-2 for True Grit (Supporting Actress, Cinematography)

-1 for Black Swan (Actress)

-1 for The Fighter (Supporting Actor)

-1 for The Wolfman (Makeup)

-1 for Alice in Wonderland (Costumes)

-1 for In a Better World (Foreign)

-1 each for the documentary and shorts categories.

Tune in to the liveblog tonight at 7:30 pm for full coverage and to see how I do!

Ranking the Best Picture Nominees: Everyone's a Critic

This is perhaps the most exciting, and easily the longest, blog post I have ever done. Not only do you get a ranking of the 10 Best Picture nominees from yours truly. You get them from 7, count them 7, of my family members. Whether it is the promise of posting on my blog, or just a similar love of movies that runs in my family, I had lots of folks ready to see all 10 nominees and send in their thoughts. You have the privilege of hearing from my wife Emily, my mother-in-law Barb (a return guest from last year), my dad Kevin, my mom Terri, my brother Jason, my sister Sarah, and my sister's boyfriend Tyler.

After receiving my submissions, I'm extremely impressed with everyone's critical eyes. Viewers can watch the same movie and see very different things inside of it. I'll start with an overall summary, and then move on to everyone's list.

Overall Rankings and Summary

So, after everyone's rankings, I averaged everyone's ranking to see what our collective top 10 would look like. There's a really clear winner, a lot in the middle, and a couple clearly at the bottom.

Best Picture

1. Black Swan-1.63

2. The Social Network- 3.88

3. 127 Hours- 4.88

4. (tie) The King's Speech-5

Toy Story 3- 5

Winter' s Bone- 5

7. The Fighter- 6

8. The Kids Are All Right- 6.38

9. True Grit- 8

10. Inception- 9.25

Acting/Directing Choices

Best Actor

Jesse Eisenberg-Barb, Tyler

Colin Firth- Jason, Terri

James Franco- Ben, Emily, Kevin, Sarah

**Caveat: I think everyone who saw Blue Valentine agreed that not only should Ryan Gosling have been nominated, he should have won.

Best Actress

Annette Bening- Ben

Jennifer Lawrence- Kevin

Natalie Portman- Barb, Emily, Jason, Terri, Tyler

Michelle Williams- Sarah

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale- Everybody (wow)

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams- Ben

Melissa Leo- Tyler

Hailee Steinfeld- Barb, Emily, Jason, Kevin, Terri, Sarah

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky- Barb, Ben, Emily,Kevin, Sarah, Terri, Tyler

David Fincher- Jason

Interesting Trends and Observations

• While I knew that many around me loved Black Swan, I was a little surprised to see how thoroughly it dominated the list. 4 #1s, 3 #2s, and 1 #3.
• I was most shocked at how much people loved 127 Hours, widely considered the film in tenth place in gaining its nomination. It got a lot of 3 and 4 votes which made it end up third overall in the group rankings.
• The Social Network and The King's Speech, considered the main contenders for the award, both did very well without getting many number 1 votes (only 1 each).
• The biggest range of any movie was easily Winter's Bone. It got 2 #1 votes, but also a #9 and #10. Other movies with wide ranges were Toy Story 3 (#2-9), The Fighter (#2-9), The Kids Are All Right (#2-9), and The King's Speech (#1-8).
• The smallest gaps were with Black Swan (between #1 and 3) and True Grit (between #6 and 10). Inception also did pretty poorly, gathering 6 #10 votes, 1 #9, and 1 #5.

Now for the Full Lists:


Barb

I am honored to be a return guest blogger!

1. Black Swan. This was, by far, my favorite picture of the year. I thought it was an intriguing, and believable, portrayal of a young woman, with fragile mental health to begin with, slowly unraveling under the pressure of her own need for perfection. I loved how we saw the entire story through her eyes. It didn't really matter what was real and what was not. We clearly saw her reality. Amazing performance by Natalie Portman and strong supporting cast.

2. The Social Network. I really enjoyed this movie, partially because I didn't know much about Mark Zuckerberg, the history of Facebook, or all the drama involved. Strong performances by Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield. I even liked Justin Timberlake.

3. Toy Story 3. I loved this movie for the same reasons I loved 'UP' last year. It is a very entertaining, yet poignant, story about transition that is, albeit, necessary, but is not without some degree of pain, regret and loss.Beautifully done. Thank you Pixar.

4. The King's Speech. An excellent movie with a superb cast. A touching look at an unlikely friendship.

5. The Kids Are All Right. Annette Bening makes a good lesbian. An interesting and entertaining story about an unconventional family thrown into turmoil when one of the children decides he needs to find his sperm donor father. Interesting and believable characters and strong performances by all involved.

6. The Fighter. I loved watching this dysfunctional family muddle along. What a group! Christian Bale as the drug- addicted ex-boxer should be a slam-dunk for best supporting actor.

7. True Grit. Crazy Heart on a horse. I liked this movie a lot. Again, a great cast (even Matt Damon, who usually gives me a headache). An outstanding performance by 13 year old newcomer Hailee Steinfeld.

8. 127 Hours. This was a hard one for me to watch. I think part of the problem was that I knew it was a true story, and I knew what was going to happen. I was anxious from the minute I entered the theater. Cutting off his arm was almost anticlimactic. A remarkable story of survival. James Franco deserves his Oscar nod.

9. Winter's Bone. I hate that I have to put this at #9. An outstanding performance by 20 year old Jennifer Lawrence, who brought amazing depth and strength to her character. Filmed entirely in the Ozarks, we witness Ree's (Lawrence) desperate struggle to keep her family intact. A strong supporting role by John Hawkes.

10. Inception. Just simply not my kind of movie. Plus I couldn't get past the whole Juno thing.

Actor- Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Actress- Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

Ben

Let me just put it out there and say that, two years in, I am still a fan of the 10 nominees, perhaps even more so with this year's stronger lineup. While I have varying degrees of passion for the 10 movies, I really enjoyed them all and think they're all worthy nominees. I've seen a lot of them twice already, and they've all stayed intriguing, or even grown, on a second viewing.

1. Black Swan. This comes in first because there wasn’t another movie all year where I was as glued to the screen from start to finish. Director Darren Aronofsky has never been afraid to take risks and make bold choices, and star Natalie Portman is with him every step of the way. While in a totally different style,this piece on warped feminine obsession is a perfect companion piece to The Wrestler, his movie about warped masculine obsession. Over-the-top? Hell yes, and I loved every minute of it.

2. Toy Story 3. I absolutely loved this movie and ALMOST put it number one. Third and last in a great trilogy, and it’s about toys (and their owners) knowing when to move on. What’s it about? Parenting, childhood, loss, death, generosity, outgrowing your usefulness? The story is so rich with all of these themes. Oh yeah, it’s also clever and hilarious.

3. Winter’s Bone. The only true indie in this year’s lineup, and definitely a one-of-a-kind movie. It’s like a Raymond Chandler story set amongst the backwoods of the Missouri Ozarks. It’s about the convoluted ties that bind these characters and what it takes to protect those you love. Jennifer Lawrence is a revelation as Ree Dolly, one of the most quietly heroic characters I’ve seen in a long time.

4. The Kids Are All Right. A breezy multi-layered family comedy that also touches the heart deeply. The entire ensemble cast is just about perfect in this portrayal of a modern family (which just happens to include lesbian parents) dealing with major changes in their relationships. I think it’s a movie that will hold up great to multiple viewings.

5. The Social Network. Director David Fincher turns the creation of a website into a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Writer Aaron Sorkin pens an amazingly fast-paced script that portrays Mark Zuckerberg in such as fascinating way that you will surely argue about him on your way out of the theater. While I think the film lags just a bit in its final third, it’s also packed to the brim with great moments. I especially love the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

6. 127 Hours. It’s hard to watch at times, but it’s also shot through with such a sense of life and vitality. Director Danny Boyle and actor James Franco bring the right amount of manic energy to this gripping survival tale. The final moments are so beautiful and life-affirming (in that non-cheesy way) that I’ve thought about them a lot since I saw it.

7. The King’s Speech. A highly entertaining and charming movie about friendship and overcoming obstacles. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are superb together. As much as I enjoyed this movie, it feels just a tad slight for its “best of the year” kudos and likely Oscar win.

8. The Fighter. Like The King’s Speech, The Fighter was a whole lot of fun to watch. I liked or loved the performances (especially Christian Bale and Amy Adams) and I really enjoyed the way director David O. Russell brought in comedy to the story. The story is a tad familiar, though, and it didn’t quite reach greatness for me.

9. True Grit. The Coen Brothers have made a really solid and entertaining Western in a classic style. What they haven’t done is make a great “Coen Brothers” movie. While this was their biggest mainstream success, I also think it lost a little (although by no means all) of their charm and quirkiness along the way.

10. Inception. The fact that this places number 10 shows what a strong year it was for Best Picture. Inception is visually gripping, intellectually engaging, and cleverly plotted. What puts it at number 10 is its lack of emotional depth. For all the engagement I felt, I wanted to feel something more for the characters and see a little more emotion and passion in their dreams. A good movie that could have been truly great.

Actor- James Franco, 127 Hours

Actress- Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Amy Adams, The Fighter

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

Emily

1. Black Swan. I loved the magical realist feel of the movie and its creative plays on opposites throughout (black/white, good/evil, friend/enemy, control/abandon, beauty/grotesqueness). Natalie Portman executes the role of Nina, dare I say, “perfectly”? I know some people thought it was too melodramatic, but Aronofsky owned the melodrama and, in my opinion, pulled it off masterfully.

2. The Kids Are All Right. I’m a total sucker for movies about life transitions. There was just a lot about this movie that resonated with me, plus it included my favorite scene of the year: Annette Bening’s rendition of All I Want. Great acting all around--I loved the performances by Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, and Mark Ruffalo. I would have liked a little more resolution with Ruffalo’s character in the end, but overall, a great movie.

3. 127 Hours. I was so impressed by James Franco. The way he kept the film engaging, barely interacting with other characters and barely moving his body, was truly remarkable. I didn’t entirely watch the arm part (the film industry seemed to have a special place in its heart this year for severed limbs), but what I did watch I thought was actually pretty inspiring. I think Danny Boyle does a terrific job getting the viewer to sympathize with and rally behind his main characters, and this was no exception.

4. Winter's Bone. One of the things I liked about this movie was that it showed a place and culture we’ve rarely seen explored on film. Jennifer Lawrence was superb and played the self-sufficient, no-nonsense Ree fearlessly. While it certainly had its difficult to watch scenes (more severed limbs!), I appreciated the not-totally-hopeless ending and the message of perseverance.

5. Toy Story 3. I wasn’t sure how to rank this movie. I thought it was so clever and colorful, but I cried so much that I felt my emotions were being toyed (no pun intended) with just a little more than necessary. Did I mention I am a total sucker for movies about life transitions? I appreciated the comic relief offered by Barbie, Ken, and the Shakespearean hedgehog and overall thought the writing and animation were very well done.

6. The Social Network. This movie was definitely entertaining to watch and a fascinating piece of modern history. Jesse Eisenberg made a great Mark Zuckerberg, and I also loved Justin Timberlake. It was interesting how the writing left people with such different perceptions of Zuckerberg’s character in the end-- I think I felt more sympathetic toward him than most. While fun to watch, I can’t say I thought it was quite great enough to break into my top five.

7. The King's Speech. Of course, I thought Colin Firth was top notch and enjoyed the performance by Geoffrey Rush too. The story got off on a little bit of a slow start for me (I think I dozed off for a few minutes early on), but once he actually became king and the story gained momentum, I was definitely on board. The last scene where he gives the speech was (as advertised) triumphant, although I had mixed feelings about the film’s feel-good ending downplaying the fact that it was the eve of war.

8. True Grit. I wasn't really sure if I was going to like this since I have limited experience with Westerns, but I left the theater pleasantly surprised. Good storytelling on the part of the Coen Brothers, and an especially incredible performance by Hailee Steinfeld. I also thought the cinematography was beautiful. My main qualm was that there was more violence than I generally enjoy watching (especially the suffering horses). I did like the retrospective ending, though, and overall thought it was well done.

9. The Fighter. Not being a fan of violence or boxing, I also wasn’t sure if I was going to like The Fighter. Again, my low expectations left me pleasantly surprised. Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, and Amy Adams made a great cast. I appreciated that there was more story and less boxing than I anticipated. I felt that Melissa Leo and the sisters were a little over the top, though I did love their costuming (didn’t I have that same bodysuit in 1992?).

10.Inception. Even though I thought it was entertaining overall, I wasn’t just nuts about Inception. Of course you can’t go wrong with Leo, but I thought Ellen Page seemed a little awkward. And even though his acting was good, unfortunately Joseph Gordon Levitt conjures up bad memories of one of my least favorite films of 2009, (500) Days of Summer. I thought Inception was conceptually creative, and did enjoy trying to figure out what it all meant, but in the end I just didn’t feel much connection to the characters or story.

Actor- James Franco, 127 Hours

Actress- Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

Jason

There is not a movie on this list I wouldn't see again, all of the best picture nominees are great films.

1. The Social Network. I've always loved David Fincher's movies and this was no exception. Everything about this film was spot on, from the acting, casting (especially Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker), dialogue to the amazing score by Trent Reznor. It took a really interesting story of one of the most influential business ideas and made it a spellbinding drama.

2. Black Swan. Natalie Portman's performance is going to go down as one of the greatest in film history. I can't imagine how hard it was to train for this film both from a physical and a mental standpoint. As with Social Network, the casting for this movie was spot on, everyone's performances were outstanding. I especially enjoyed Vincent Cassel, he played the rich, talented yet sleazy director perfectly. The last scene in the movie where she turns into the black swan is my favorite moment from the movies this year.

3. The King's Speech. What a great story about friendship and overcoming obstacles. Colin Firth was incredible, you can almost see his frustration as he stutters through the movie. All of the cast was great, Geoffory Rush was funny, yet touching and Helena Bonham Carter was excellent. His big speech at the end with his therapist helping him all the way is a very close second for my favorite scene of the year.

4. 127 Hours. I think it's pretty amazing that a movie that is basically set in a ten square foot area could be so great. This movie is all James Franco. You can just feel the pain when he initially falls and of course when he finally escapes from the end. I loved the rain scene, it was such great imagery and it really conveyed what it would feel like to be dying of thirst and hallucinating.

5. Inception. I saw Inception at the Imax theater and when I left the theater, my first thought was "finally, something totally original from Hollywood." I think the idea of the "kick" and time slowing down as you go down further resonate with all of us, they were integrated into the film so well. Once again, the cast made the film. Everyone was great, although I would have liked to see a little more substance from Ellen Page's character.

6. True Grit. I think it's safe to say that the Coen Brothers are the best filmmakers in Hollywood right now. True Grit is the perfect example of taking a fairly standard plot line and making a great story/film out of it. All of the main characters were great, the cinematography was amazing and of course Jeff Bridges knocked his role out of the park (along with Hailee Steinfeld).

7. The Fighter. I'm not usually a big sports movie fan, but I really liked this movie. Christian Bale was beyond amazing, and the rest of the supporting cast was great too (as evidenced by the nominations). It's a great story of redemption, family and just dealing with life as it comes at you.

8. Toy Story 3. Pixar magic as usual. I didn't find this movie quite as emotional as everyone was talking about, but I don't have kids and haven't gone through the process of giving up toys (thanks mom!). As with all the Toy Story movies, I love how Pixar takes familiar things from our childhood and finds clever ways to incorporate them into these films. They brought the trilogy to a satifying conclusion and I'm excited to see what Pixar has in store for us next.

9. The Kids Are All Right. What a great, small film with amazing performances. The premise for the film is such an interesting idea and I think it's safe to say that most of us can't really identify with the situation. With that being said, we all deal with family issues and working together to fix them.

10. Winter's Bone (Before I give my write-up, a quick caveat. We saw this movie late one night after a long week of work, and both of us fell asleep during it for a few minutes.) I really liked this film, the sense of foreboding and pain was captured so well. This movie, just like Kids, captured a life that most of us could never imagine and haven't had much exposure too. This one is number one on my Netflix queue and I'm really excited to see it again.

Actor- Colin Firth, The King's Speech

Actress- Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Director-David Fincher, The Social Network

Kevin

1. Black Swan. Exceptionally tight, not a moment or a single scene seemed wasted. And I loved the existential divide between fantasy and reality; I was never sure which was which and frankly it didn’t really matter. Was she really even cast in the role?

2. The Fighter. A great movie makes you understand a world so different from your own. What does it mean to exist in a place where success is pushing your son to get the c_ _ _ beat out of him? But we “get it” because the characters, the place, and the circumstances are convincingly authentic.

3. 127 Hours. I’m surprising myself by putting this third. Maybe just a personal thing – I love free spirit characters who also have enough personal substance to pull redemption out of suffering. Aaron Ralston did it and James Franco portrayed it well.

4. The King's Speech. Beautifully filmed and presented on the screen. The images told the story of majesty in a time of suffering, suffering both on an individual and a societal level. Also a great story of the implications of rising above personal shortcoming. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were captivating.

5. Winter's Bone. At the risk of sounding redundant, personal redemption doesn't get much more compelling than this. When everything within teenage Ree had to be screaming RUN AWAY she stays and does unimaginable things to save her younger siblings. I know this place and have known people not that far from these extremes. That place and those people showed up in this movie.

6. The Social Network. Another tight movie that didn’t waste a moment telling the story of how certain people and certain circumstances come together to change the world. But I had to wonder if the almost universally unlikeable characters and the dark cinematography (is there ever daylight at Harvard?) was a Hollywood exaggeration intended more to entertain than to tell the truth.

7.True Grit. At this point it’s getting hard. That said, I’ll go with True Grit, just because, like all Coen brothers movies, the bizarre becomes the normal. Never one to take westerns all that seriously, I loved the parody in this movie. Hailee Steinfeld was beyond description as Mattie, but my favorite character was Tom Chaney – classic Coen to turn a villain into a goofball!

8. The Kids Are All Right. That I would rank this movie #8 is a testament to how exceptional all of this year’s movies were. Maybe this one just wasn’t quite as extraordinary as the ones above. A well told story that would have been pretty daring just a few years ago, but today feels a little like a script we’ve seen before.

9. Toy Story 3. Great! And I watched the whole thing. Which is incredible when considering that a) this is the sequel of a sequel, and b) I’m not that into animation movies. Tom Hanks will forever be Woody in my mind.

10. Inception. Ugggg, is nominating 10 movies for best picture really such a great idea? Honestly, Inception, I don’t know how you ended up last on the list, except I suppose like animation, I’m not usually that drawn to sci-fi type movies. But I liked you a lot, a whole lot! Wow, scary to realize how unreal our realities might just be. Which means maybe you’re not different from my #1 pick – Black Swan? Hmmm, should I reconsider this list?

Actor- James Franco, 127 Hours

Actress- Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

Sarah

1. Winter’s Bone. I loved this movie- sort of an old fashioned adventure myth told with a twist- showing the complexity of rural poverty and the various nuances of the characters. I loved the performances and the subtleties of the cinematography. I loved what the movie pointed out in a non-preachy way- in the midst of some rather disturbing and depressing stories, there is still redemption and strength in humanity.

2. Black Swan. I think Black Swan was the most fascinating and engaging movie I saw this year- I was compelled during the entire movie- great suspense, art direction, acting, and themes around art, self-destruction, sexuality, femininity.

3. The Social Network. Going through college (and after) with facebook as a huge factor in social life, I was very intrigued when I heard a “facebook movie” was coming out. Much different from what I expected, I thought the Social Network had a lot of interesting things to say about friendships and money. The score and cinematography did a great job at capturing the excitement and tension of creation and youth. Like many others on the list this year, also successfully portrayed a nuanced character, leaving the audience with mixed feelings, of Mark Zuckerburg.

4. 127 Hours. I loved how this story was told- it could have been cheesy, overly gratuitous, and straightforward, but instead James Franco portrayed the psychology of relationships, trauma, and survival in a tense, creative, and inspiring way. By the point in the movie with the infamous/famous arm off scene, the film had me so attuned to what Aron was feeling I was able to stay right there with him and stay engaged.

5. Toy Story 3. I was in 3^rd grade when the first Toy Story came out, and watched Toy Story 3 as I was selling and giving away many of my childhood toys- perfect timing! I loved the old familiar characters- giving the message about it being OK to grow up. Couldn’t ask for a better ending to the triology.

6. The Kids are All Right. This was in the category of one of my favorite types of movies- drama/comedies showing the inner workings of daily life in a family. I thought this movie was done especially well, but also in comparing it to my top 5, it wasn’t quite “new” enough to be great.

7. The Fighter. I thought the supporting cast really pulled this movie for me- Mark Wahlburg did a nice job with the lead character, but Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams, and all the sisters kept the movie funny, honest, and authentic. I liked seeing how despite some nutty and dysfunctional behaviors, I still saw how the family pulled together for Micky.

8.The King’s Speech. I felt similar feelings about both the King’s Speech and True Grit (see below). I thought both were very well-done, traditional style stories with great acting, but neither really stuck with me like some of the other nominees.

9. True Grit. I appreciated this movie for the old-fashioned story and characters, but the straightforward western style wasn’t quite as intriguing to me as the Coen brothers’ more “quirky” films like A Serious Man or Fargo.

10. Inception. Really awesome concept and cinematography- a very fun time at the theater- I just wish there had been more character development so I would be more invested in the lives of the people in the movie.

Actor- James Franco, 127 Hours

Actress- Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

Terri

1. The King’s Speech. I love well-done movies based on true stories and this movie made a critical period in history come alive. It was a little slow moving at the beginning but the character development pulled me in. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter had amazing performances.

2.Black Swan. After my comments above about liking true stories, I also loved this movie because it was so creative and totally bizarre!! I also had the privilege of seeing it as a surprise for Ben on his 30th birthday when Barb and I were in DC to celebrate. Natalie Portman definitely deserves Best Actress for her performance.

3.Toy Story 3. I watched this movie in the midst of sorting through 30+ years of old toys. It made it much easier to get rid of them! What a great job they did of making us relive all the complex emotions that go along with getting older and letting go.

4.127 Hours. I must admit I wasn’t very excited about seeing this movie and it was the last one we saw. While it was uncomfortable to watch, it totally drew me into the story and James Franco did a wonderful job. I’m surprised I ranked it this high but they made what could have been a formulaic made for TV type movie into something much more.

5.The Fighter. Another movie based on a true story. I love movies that convey the atmosphere of a city or neighborhood and this does a wonderful job. There were many facets I enjoyed – the family dynamics, redemptive themes, and even the boxing scenes! Amy Adams gave a very convincing performance as did Christian Bale.

6.The Social Network. Fourth true story out of my top six! Since my daughter-in-law Kirstin will now be working for Facebook, it was fascinating to see how it all began.

7.Winter’s Bone. This was not an easy movie to watch but I loved the sparse scenery and gritty realistic characters, especially John Hawkes as the uncle and Jennifer Lawrence.

8.True Grit. Not your typical Coen brothers film although it still had the dark humor they are known for. What a great performance by Hailee Steinfeld!

9.The Kids are All Right. I liked this movie but didn’t love it. Acting was great but somehow there was something missing in it for me to raise it higher in my ratings.

10.Inception. Obviously great technical effects. I enjoy films that make you stay engaged and think and this was definitely one of those.

Actor- Colin Firth, The King's Soeech

Actress- Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

Tyler

1. Winter's Bone. In any form of narative art, there is a tension between making a movie interesting/entertaining/meaningful and making it realistic/relatable. There are films that span the whole spectrum in most genres, but to me Winter's Bone captures and balances these two sides amazingly. In some ways it feels like a well-done indie family drama, or even an expose on poverty in rural America, but there is another element that doesn't seem so obvious at first, but keeps the movie especially compelling the whole way through. When the climax finally comes to a head, Ree is forced to perform a task that feels almost Herculean in nature, and the mix of subtle character drama and epic mythological hero tale hits home.

2. The Social Network. It seems everything I've seen about this movie uses the word "American" as a main descriptor. The story of one person's rise from talented little jerk, to industry titan, to almost realizing the hollowness of such a selfish take on the American dream has been told time and again, but rarely with so much style and force. I read that the girlfriend who dumps him at the beginning of the film was a ficticious creation; Sorkin might as well have named her "Rosebud".

3. Black Swan. This is third down on my list, but first for direction. This movie relies almost completely on the tension and atmosphere created by Aaronofsky and Portman (along with the rest of the cast). Riveting the whole way through, it makes an impact as you watch it waiting, with sweaty hands, for the impending tragedy, but the themes that it explore so cleverly stick with you after the credits.

4. The Fighter. The Fighter starts with a lead character likely a loss or two away from living the rest of his life saying "I could've been a contender." While the boxing career pans out differently than it had for Terry Malloy, the heart of this movie also relies on a character conflicted to do the right thing in a mess of loyalty to friends, family, his love interest, the community, and a shot at really making something of himself. The contrast between Mark Wahlberg's character and his brother, played excellently by Christian Bale, add a whole new level to the movie that makes it hard to believe that a true story with such great character dynamics was available for the telling.

5. Toy Story 3. While this movie was filled hilarious references to other movies, funny dialogue and gags, and the same lovable characters Toy Story, and most Pixar films for that matter, have always had, I think what actually puts this movie above many of the other ones is that the human's play a much larger role. In the previous Toy Story films, the humans play the role of god characters, from Andy the benevolent god to the devil known as Sid, or the inept god played by Newman from Seinfeld. The final chapter adds a new element by making Andy as real as the toys, and in doing so brings out those issues of growing older and the connections we maintain to our childhood.

6. The King's Speech. While this may be the most "Oscary" movie on the list, and Firth may have played the most Oscary part nominated this year, I can't deny that it is still a great movie with great performances all around. While the psychotherapy is quite outdated, the story of one person overcoming their personal weakness to do what needs to be done never will be.

7. 127 Hours. This movie is told in very much the same manner as Slumdog Millionaire- a character spends most of the movie stuck in one place, and other events that enlighten us to the character are explained through flashbacks and fantasy. The style is intriguing, and is a great way to tell this modern castaway story. The movie practically tries to hit you over the head to get the connection between his isolation and predicament of being alone in the canyon with the character's general isolation from society and personal relationships, but it works well nonetheless.

8. The Kids Are All Right. This was a very well done indie family dramedy. I really liked it when I saw it, but it never crossed my mind that it would be in the Oscar race. The movie contains some aspects I felt were almost silly and lazy cliches, like the affair plotline the movie decides to hinge on, but it was also filled with a lot of wonderfully original and genuine moments.

9. Inception. I really enjoyed this movie when I saw it. Months of people talking about how 'deep' or 'esoteric' it was kind of hardened me against it, because when the movie confounds, it is not that the viewer has yet to understand, it is just actual confusion resulting from a storyline that doesn't always fit together right. It was however one of the most interesting action block-busters in years, and I hope it is currently inspiring more studios to take chances with odd plotlines for future summer releases.

10. True Grit. This movie ended up being my film version of King Of Limbs. I love a lot Cohen Brother's movies, and I expected more. It was entertaining and well made, but it just seemed to be lacking that punch for me. I think that may be a result of being reigned in by trying to stay true to the source material. Objectively, it might actually be better than some of the movies I put higher on this list, but I'd rather have seen this slot go to Blue Valentine.

Actor- Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Actress- Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Supporting Actor- Christian Bale, The Fighter

Supporting Actress- Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Director-Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

There you have it! This was a great project. Readers, if you have any thoughts on how you'd rank the films, please leave comments. Also, check back on the blog this weekend for final Oscar predictions and a liveblog Sunday evening.