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.

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

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.’

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.

*. Black Swan

Lots of praise for Natalie Portman here. This is her movie without a doubt. Her role is dynamic and follows a strong arc as she collapses into her own insanity. So this is a good film, yet not a great one. Darren Aronofsky has slick direction and does well, but we have seen this from him before in ‘Pi.’ We see minor obsession, minor symptoms, and they grow a little, then a little more, then a lot, then our protagonist is completely loony. No surprises. So while this film is executed well and worth a watch and a top-ten of the year, it is not a complete triumph.

*. True Grit

A yearly countdown wouldn’t be complete with a Coen Brothers movie. A little out of their element (but not too far out, as we’ve all seen ‘No Country for Old Men’), the Coens play ‘True Grit’ straight and it is wonderful. Gritty, of course, but great dialogue is abundant. Unknown Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross as a caustic, precocious youth who gets her way and can boss around a rustic Jeff Bridges. This is a great Western.

*. Somewhere

This is a delicate movie, and Sofia Coppola recycles a couple themes from ‘Lost in Translation’, but that is not a bad thing. A lesser movie would escalate problems and create melodrama, but here we observe the characters naturally and they are much more interesting that way. Read more about ‘Somewhere’ here.

*. Exit Through the Gift Shop

Most people with internet access had probably heard of Banksy before this film, but here’s a new perspective on his work. Argued by some as a hoax, the film is Banksy’s documentary about Mr. Brainwash. Whether it is a hoax or not, this is a strong film. Street art is interesting, sometimes even more-so than art, because of the risks involved. ‘Exit’ is split into a couple parts, and the first 2/3 really thrive. I will admit I was not overly enthusiastic about the third act, where we are assaulted by pseudo-intelligent artwork by Mr. Brainwash, but Banksy’s spin on the whole thing is downright entertaining. This is a must-see of the year. Read more here.

*. Toy Story 3

This third movie is the weakest of the trilogy of ‘Toy Story’ movies, yet it is still magical. What does that say about Pixar? The plot here is flimsy, but an inevitable conclusion to the series. It resolves soundly. I hate when films descend into action, and though ‘Toy Story 3′ does that for quite a long time (the jail-break segment onward), we are so invested in these lovable characters that it is never boring. If nothing else, ‘Toy Story 3′ deserves to be on this list for Ken. He easily has the best lines of the film.

*. The American

I don’t understand the seemingly common backlash against this movie. Does the common movie-goer, seeing George Clooney and guns, expect something similar to ‘Shooter?’ Probably. Maybe that’s how the trailers were cut. Regardless, this is a film with a soul, and it takes its time to develop the protagonist, Jack, and the climax of the movie is one of the best this year. As I said before, sit down, pay attention, and enjoy the ride. It’s a good one.

*. The Ghost Writer

Some directors just don’t lose the gift (thankfully). Roman Polanski has made a taught thriller about, of all things, a writer. The last great thriller about a writer I can think of is ‘Misery,’ which was in 1990. Ewan McGregor has always been better at playing an unknowing sucker, and here that quality is key. Pierce Brosnan always has charisma and is a perfect subject, and we have Tom Wilkinson, who as far as I can recall has never had a bad role. This film never lets up as is progresses toward its inevitable conclusion, and it’s excitement the whole way.

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.

The second lawsuit is by Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), who was allegedly Mark’s only and best friend. He is suing because he was the CFO of Facebook and royally screwed out of his shares by Mark intentionally, possibly out of petty jealousy.

This framework of the lawsuits is effective because, while the film itself never drags, they serve as punctuation marks to scenes. One of the best of these is during Mark and Eduardo’s first meeting with Sean Parker, where Sean says “You know what’s cooler than a million dollars?” Then he starts to say “A” and it cuts to Eduardo, the witness to Sean’s seduction, finishing, “billion dollars.”

Eduardo is truly the sad story of the film. He is, by all accounts, a good friend. He tells Mark the truth, he works hard to get money (though ineffective, as he is), and he was friends with Mark before Mark was rich. And yet, by the end, he gets screwed completely. The Winklevoss twins, we don’t care so much about them because they will always have success and didn’t really do much in the first place, but Eduardo pulls our empathy because so many of us would do what he did for our good friend.

The film can be divided into two real stages, each determined by whom is driving Mark. In the first half of the film it’s the Winklevoss twins igniting an idea and getting him going, but once Mark meets Sean Parker (the Justin Timberlake role), things change completely.

The first time I watched ‘The Social Network’ I was, for lack of a better phrase, taken in by Sean. He was charismatic. He had style. He had jokes and talked smoothly. I liked him, as did Mark. But the second time I watched the film he was a knife pricking me in my side over and over until he drew blood at the 1,000,000 user party. Knowing what happened in the end changed the perspective completely, and again, this makes us feel worse for Eduardo when we know that it was probably Sean’s idea to reduce his share percentage. There are moments to question the validity of Sean Parker directly in the film. Sure, we know he basically invented music piracy, but remember when he randomly shows up at Mark’s door in California and says he was staying across the street? Can we really believe such a coincidence?

David Fincher is a such an astute director. This film is so cleanly cut and moves so effortlessly through the lives of its characters that one has to commend Fincher. I could be labeled a “fan,” as I love his 2007 movie ‘Zodiac.’ Similar themes appear in both films, as they are about the obsession of one person and how it affects the lives of others. In ‘Zodiac’ it was about a man trying to find a killer’s identity, and here it is about a man trying to engrave his name not only in today’s internet, but in a network that will last for a very long time.

I have not said much about Jesse Eisenberg’s performance. I am not particularly a fan of his work, as he seems naturally arrogant, but wow, does that work here. It is a perfect fit for Mark. He didn’t come from wealth like the Winklevoss twins, but in his mind he works just as hard as they do, but he is determined to work within his own parameters. From the beginning of the timeline of the film until the last moment (chronologically), his attitude doesn’t change. He doesn’t care about the money, but only his work. That is a concept none of the other characters can understand.

When ‘The Social Network’ was announced, a friend of mine said, “Really? A movie based on Facebook?” This was around the time they started announcing movies based on board games and the like. Facebook may be the selling point of the movie, but it is about the people who invented and shaped it. Many things are going on, but any good movie is really about people, and it would be tough to find a better one than ‘The Social Network’ for 2010.

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.

My problem with this movie is that it is clearly marketed as a comedy and is mostly miserable in that aspect. The jokes ramp up about halfway through as we get some real context for the situations, but the slapstick jokes and comedy cliches are tiresome for the first 40 minutes.

So as a comedy, I would give the movie low marks, but I have some lukewarm admiration for the premise. I think if the film had been played straight and only peppered with comedy (such as DreamWorks’ recent ‘How to Train Your Dragon’) it would have been much more enjoyable. Yet, when compared to other recent DreamWorks efforts, Megamind still ranks well (we could rank it below ‘Dragon’ and ‘Monsters vs. Aliens’, but well above ‘Kung Fu Panda’, ‘Madagascar 2′, or the Shrek sequels). But what is one to expect from the director of ‘Madagascar’ and its sequel?

With that said, it is worth the watch if it is on TV or if a friend recommends it. Definitely not worth a theater ticket. Tina Fey does a sparkling job as the reporter who moves a little from predictability but not enough to warrant commendation. Will Ferrell is adequate and doesn’t oversell his part, which is something he has been very guilty of in the past. And Brad Pitt, well, he does well, and his character may be one of the best parts of the movie (other than Megamind mispronouncing any word with more than 6 letters).

Metro Man could be a Superman, but Megamind is far from Lex Luthor. The film would have been better if he was as serious a villain as his bald counterpart.

To be continued….

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.

As I said, what makes this film so great is that it is an observation. Other films would introduce ticking clocks, or they would have misfortune befall Johnny or his daughter, Cleo. But Coppola lets us into this world so we can make our own assumptions. Johnny isn’t an awful father: He takes interest in his kid, gives her advice, and makes sure she has everything she wants. Yet he lacks any emotional connection with her, or with anyone else, and despite all his fame and apparently good lifestyle, Johnny seems dead inside. He spends his free time with his daughter playing Guitar Hero. She is accustomed to flying to Europe and staying in suites that have their own swimming pools. Yet it is all superficial.

We have seen this before. A parent and their kid with a relationship only as deep as the dad’s wallet. ‘Somewhere’ is so refreshing because it does not judge, there are no ‘bad guys,’ and we realize (as Johnny does) that something has to change. And that is all a great story needs–for the characters to change.

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.

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….

Since the movie is freshly released I won’t say too much for now, and perhaps I will revisit later.

There are no real surprises here. I have a hard time imaging the intent of the people involved was to be so trapped inside the lines, so much that one can easily predict upcoming plot points if they have seen more than a dozen spy-thrillers in their time. But going to the old formula can work if the dialog is fresh and the actors play it right. Here, neither is accomplished and metaphorical eye-rolling is abundant.

What truly bugs me with this movie is that the characters deliberately say or do things for the audience. There is no possible reason for them to say some of these particular things to each other if we are to believe the denouement, which surely most of us won’t, as it has been used before, once even by one of the credited writers. Oops, I may have said too much, but if you figured out the ending from these tidbits, you are versed in movies and would not have enjoyed ‘The Tourist’ anyway.