Different Kinds of Horror

Last night I watched the 1974 thriller The Parallax View for the first time. It had been on my list for a while but something I never really got around to. The premise of the film is that after a political assassination, Warren Beatty’s character, a journalist, tries to uncover a conspiracy that arises when people who witnessed the assassination are periodically killed. Yet they are killed in such a way that no one thinks they are murdered (drunk driving, pills that look like heart attacks, drowned in a fishing accident, etc.). An interesting thing about this movie, being made in 1974, is that it happened after Watergate, but before the great ‘All the President’s Men’ was made (which was made by the same director, so perhaps ‘Parallax View’ was a warm-up).

So. The movie itself was good and entertaining. Yet what I noticed was that night, when trying to fall asleep, I couldn’t. What struck me was how the Parallax Corp. could make people look like they died naturally when they were in fact murdered. Sure, if I watch a horror movie like ‘Halloween’ or ‘Drag Me to Hell’ or ‘The Descent’ before bed I sometimes have trouble sleeping. But those are mostly supernatural horrors. What is so eery about movies like ‘The Parallax View’ is that, while they are called conspiracy theories, they are surely possible.

Maybe I believe in these theories more than most people. But even if we simply look at examples like Watergate or the Kennedy assassination (one that we have mostly figured out and one that we may never figure out), we see that these things do really happen. How scary is it to think that one may be murdered for something they didn’t even know they witnessed? That the food from a delivery service is actually poisoned? That one may die and that everyone around would be told it was from natural causes and no one else would ever know what really happened?

These are the kinds of horrors that keep me up at night.

2011 Oscar Predictions

It is last-minute here, and I may edit this post again within the next few days, but here are my predictions. It is tough this year because while ‘The King’s Speech’ is a good film, there are at least three that are more worthy of the win.

Best Picture: The King’s Speech
It is hard to ignore the strength of this film at this point. ‘The Social Network’ is a far superior film and it would be a huge win. But all signs point to the period piece.

Best Director: David Fincher, for ‘The Social Network’
Going against the consensus here. This is a pick from my gut. Tom Hooper won the DGA and is the safe money bet, but here we are.

Best Actor: Colin Firth
No real question here.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman
Again, no real question. She was the best part of ‘Black Swan’ and it was a great role.

Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush
Am I the only one who thought ‘The Fighter’ was trite and insipid? Christian Bale had a good performance, but other than losing a lot of weight, it wasn’t too challenging. Geoffrey Rush’s role is much more memorable.

Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo
Hailee Steinfeld would be a great win for her role in ‘True Grit’, but it’s hard to ignore the build-up to this point.

Original Screenplay: David Seidler, for ‘The King’s Speech’
A good win for the film here.

Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, for ‘The Social Network’
Best film of the year. Best script of the year. Funny, poetic, caustic, and completely entertaining.

Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, for ‘The Social Network’
The film hinges on its editing and is brilliantly efficient.

Cinematography: Roger Deakins, for ‘True Grit’
Is anyone else more due for a win than this great artist?

(Note: The following categories are educated guesses, as I have not been following the race closely this year.)

Art Direction: The King’s Speech
Sound Mixing: True Grit
Sound Editing: Inception
Costume Design: Alice in Wonderland
Original Score: The Social Network
Foreign Language Film: Incendies
Documentary Feature: Exit Through the Gift Shop (completely deserving)
Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Visual Effects: Inception
Makeup: The Way Back???
Original Song: “I See the Light” from Tangled
Live Action Short: The Confession
Documentary Short: Strangers No More
Animated Short: Day & Night

2011 Oscar Nominations: Mostly Good

The 2011 Oscar nominations were announced, and there are a couple surprises. Most of the nominations are great, and you can see the full list here.

A few key categories (these are not predictions)….

Best Picture

* “Black Swan” Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
* “The Fighter” David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
* “Inception” Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
* “The Kids Are All Right” Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
* “The King’s Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
* “127 Hours” Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
* “The Social Network” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
* “Toy Story 3” Darla K. Anderson, Producer
* “True Grit” Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
* “Winter’s Bone” Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

I’m glad the truly deserving movies were nominated (’127 Hours,’ ‘The Social Network,’ ‘True Grit,’ ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘The Kids Are All Right,’ ‘Black Swan’), but surprised the mundane ‘The Fighter’ was nominated. ‘Inception’ doesn’t deserve to be on any list, but I’m not surprised it made the cut.

Directing

* “Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky
* “The Fighter” David O. Russell
* “The King’s Speech” Tom Hooper
* “The Social Network” David Fincher
* “True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Again, why the love for ‘The Fighter’? However, no Christopher Nolan, which thrills me. 4 out of 5 deserving directors isn’t bad.

Actor in a Leading Role

* Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
* Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
* Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
* Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech”
* James Franco in “127 Hours”

Actor in a Supporting Role

* Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
* John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
* Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
* Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech”

Actress in a Leading Role

* Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
* Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
* Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone”
* Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
* Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”

Actress in a Supporting Role

* Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
* Helena Bonham Carter in “The King’s Speech”
* Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
* Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
* Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”

All the Lead Actor nominees are great, and Colin Firth will win without question. Supporting Actor is tough at this point, but Geoffrey Rush gave the best performance. Natalie Portman is completely deserving of Lead Actress, and though I think it’s a long shot, Hailee Steinfeld deserves Supporting Actress.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

* “127 Hours” Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
* “The Social Network” Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
* “Toy Story 3” Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
* “True Grit” Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Winter’s Bone” Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

Writing (Original Screenplay)

* “Another Year” Written by Mike Leigh
* “The Fighter” Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson;
Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
* “Inception” Written by Christopher Nolan
* “The Kids Are All Right” Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
* “The King’s Speech” Screenplay by David Seidler

‘The Social Network’ should clean up Adapted Screenplay without question (though actually, the other 4 nominees are quite good).

‘Inception’ does not deserve a writing nomination. We’ve been over this. The first hour of the movie has characters talking like an instruction manual and it is lethargic the first time, and unbearable once you know how things work. I don’t particularly have a favorite among the original screenplays, but it should either be ‘The Kids Are All Right’ or ‘The King’s Speech.’

Top 10 of 2010

It’s that time of year again.

2010 was a pretty good year for movies and I’ve finally seen everything I wanted to. Being in Korea, I’m sure I missed a few from this year that I will really enjoy. Only one movie clearly stood out above the rest, so I am ranking that film as #1. The other nine are listed without a rank because I simply could not place them. They are listed in the order in which they came to my mind, if that puts any weight on anything.

1. The Social Network

There should be no surprise here. This is by far the best film of 2010. Wisely, ‘The Social Network’ is more about the people behind Facebook and less about the actual website. We see how Mark Zuckerberg’s obsession changes nothing for him and everything for the people he meets. You can read a in-depth review of it in my Movies to Study article.

*. All Good Things

This film wasn’t well-received, and I am puzzled as to why. It has a strong, emotional lead with Ryan Gosling doing some of his best work. The story is complex, which I can summarize as, “If ‘American Psycho’ made any sense whatsoever it would be this movie.” It is the story of a man pushed into a mold, which triggers a homicidal desire within in. This is based on true events, though these days, many movies are. I know this is more in line with my tastes, as I am a fan of murder-mysteries that are unsolved (‘Zodiac’ being one of my favorites). Despite its poor ratings on IMDb, give it a chance.

*. Despicable Me

What a fun little film. Bad guys are universally acknowledged as more interesting than the good guys, and while ‘Megamind’ was flat, ‘Despicable Me’ is a gem. It is so good because it doesn’t oversell the concept and has a quirky sense of humor about it, as well as subtle things in the background that are easy to miss. Sure, by the end, Gru is a pretty nice father figure, but success comes because in the first 2/3 of the film he is harsh and blunt with the children, and that makes for great entertainment. Read a bit more about ‘Despicable Me’ here.

Movies to Study: The Social Network

In lieu of a review for ‘The Social Network‘, I am adding it to my collection of Movies to Study. As always, there are a good amount of spoilers here to provide thorough analysis.

I intend to say that ‘The Social Network’ is a film driven by its screenplay (by Aaron Sorkin, based on Ben Mezrich’s novel), and that it is very much an achievement in writing more than anything else; however, all aspects of this film are astounding and it makes one complete package that leaves such a lasting impression because it is a situation (Facebook) which is still evolving.

So we begin with Mark (Jesse Eisenberg) talking to Erica (Rooney Mara) at a bar. He thinks fast. He talks fast. We are, as Erica is, slightly baffled. She mentions that he says so many things at once she “doesn’t know which one to aim for.” Yet Mark isn’t one of those geniuses who completely lacks social skills. He can socialize, but the rate at which he spits out his thoughts is overwhelming, yet if they were dissected it’s clear there is a common thread. He’s not speaking just to get rid of air. This scene in its entirety is a wonder in itself. But this also sets the groundwork of what the film is about: relationships.

Of course, this means Mark’s relationships with a few key people: Erica, the Winklevoss twins, Eduardo Saverin, and Sean Parker.

The framework of the film is that two different people are suing Mark over his success with Facebook. The first is the Winklevoss twins, played by Armie Hammer. In a script lush with one-liners, the Winklevosses (“Winklevi”) are comic relief. They are, in essence, the opposite of Mark. They come from money, are 6-foot-5, members of the most prestigious honors clubs, and row crew in the Olympics. They have an idea, but lack any of the real programming talent to make it happen. They just have money and are accustomed to having success. That’s why they bring Mark in. That’s why, when broken down, Mark despises them so much by the time of the lawsuit.

Megamind

Although a bit obvious, IMDb states that ‘Megamind’‘s plot revolved around: “What if Lex Luthor defeated Superman?” An interesting concept that is dealt with adequately in ‘Megamind’, but the film has other problems than the plot.

The titular character of the story is an alien who was sent to Earth as his planet was being destroyed. His rival, Metro Man, is in the same situation from a neighboring planet. While Metro Man had a loving family and did good, Megamind grew up in a prison and turned bad. This is nothing revolutionary, but alas, there is the backstory.

Coming Soon: Top 10 of 2010

I know I’m late again this year, but there are still a couple films I need to see that may crack into the top ten. But oh, there have been some great films over the last year.

To be continued….

‘Somewhere’

In a sweet stroke of the brush, Sofia Coppola has created another great movie in ‘Somewhere.’ The film centers on Johnny Marco, an actor whose life is at a standstill, and he doesn’t realize this until his 11-year-old daughter comes to visit for an extended stay.

What makes this film so pleasant is that it is an observation, not a driven piece of work. Of course plot structure and three-act stories are good, but here we watch Johnny Marco’s life, his daughter, and his progression as a human being, and the watching of this is what makes the film a unique experience. There are clearly remnants, or at least similar themes, to Coppola’s ‘Lost in Translation,’ but ‘Somewhere’ stands on its own strength.

The American

Why was there such backlash at ‘The American‘ when it was in theaters? Were people expecting something along the lines of ‘Shooter‘? Don’t get me wrong, ‘Shooter’ has some good moments, but ‘The American’ is a much more mature version of a similar premise.

The film carefully navigates us through the life of Jack, who seems peaceful enough, but unwilling to compromise his privacy, which we see quickly. It is a bold move to open a film with a scene like this, but director Anton Corbijn and writer Rowan Joffe know what they are doing. Daily life seems interesting for Jack because George Clooney doesn’t oversell it and leaves us guessing. Then when we hit peaks in the story, like little bursts of action or little quips in dialog, it keeps us hooked.

I want to say that to watch this film you will need patience, but what kind of warning is that? This is not a Jason Statham movie, but the plot revolves around a man whose job is to make special weapons for special murders. How good of a tease s that? So sit down, pay attention, and enjoy the ride. It’s a good one.

The Tourist is a Troubling Movie

It is hard for me to accurately describe how bad ‘The Tourist‘ is without giving away a great deal of spoilers. But I am sometimes baffled at how much talent can be put into a single movie, and yet such banal material is produced. Forgive the banal cliche, but too many cooks….

We have an Oscar-winning director, two Oscar-winning writers (Christopher McQuarrie ‘The Usual Suspects’ and Julian Fellowes ‘Gosfard Park) (though it should be noted they are credited with ‘and,’ not ‘&,’ meaning no direct collaboration), Johnny Depp, a solid actor, and Angelina Jolie, whom I am not a fan of but has had a few good roles. And yet….