Ok, maybe that might be overstating things. Surely, David Fincher's beautiful film deserves some recognition. I even liked it, uneven, poorly characterized, and overly long that it was. I just don't feel it is an elite film. It just has too many problems, not the least of which is a mostly flat performancy by it's star. The Academy loves movies like this, though. It feels much bigger and far more important than I think it actually was, and sometimes that is enough.
Even though we go over this in some detail on the podcast this week, I'll do a quick run-down of the important categories and give my take on 'em briefly.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
I believe this is a two-horse race between Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire. Popular opinion seems to be that Button has the edge, but I disagree, and I'm not just saying that because I thought Slumdog was a million times better and more original than Button, but because Slumdog has the most momentum right now. It's the film on everybody's lips, the movie that everybody is recommending, and for good reason.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
This one also boils down to two real contenders: Sean Penn for his stirring portrayal in Milk, and Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler. I think this is another instance where momentum carries the day. Mickey Rourke is the Comeback Kid. This was a role that only he could do. Nobody else. Both actors are so good in their roles that it's hard to tell where they end and the acting truly begins, they so thoroughly embody the people they are playing. But when it boils down to it, Rourke's performance is one for the history books. It'll be talked about twenty years from now it's so good.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
I hate to say it, but Streep is gonna take this one. She doesn't deserve it this year, because her part in Doubt is so one-note that I don't imagine it was much of a stretch for her. Jolie was good in an uninspiring movie. Melissa Leo, whom I love, won't win because nobody other than her has seen Frozen River(it won't come out here for some reason). Winslet was good, but I thought it was more of a supporting role than a lead. The one who deserves to win is Anne Hathaway, who had by far the most complicated and showy role in a film with a lot of buzz right now. Her problem might be that some will see it as a fluke, because let's face it, her resume ain't so great. It doesn't help that she did Bride Wars immediately following(Told you it was her Norbit flick!!).
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
This one's a no-brainer. This is Ledger's all the way. He's the only one on that list, other than maybe Downey, who's scenes you wait for because the film just doesn't feel the same without them. No disrespect to Brolin or P.S. Hoffman, who were both great in their respective roles(I didn't see Revolutionary Road yet), but they didn't measure up to Ledger's Joker.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
It's looking like Viola Davis is going to take this one, and she certainly deserves it. Her ONE scene in Doubt is the crux of that entire film. Without it, the whole movie falls apart, and stands toe-to-toe with Streep and more than measures up. Amy Adams shouldn't even be nominated here. She was soft and uninteresting and really had very little to do in her role. Taraji P. Henson was good, but I didn't think she really added all that much to a film that could've gotten along quite fine without her. My love for Marisa Tomei and particularly her role in The Wrestler has been made clear before, and if she won I'd be ecstatic. But she didn't have the best performance of the year. That honor goes to Penelope Cruz, who figuratively and literally set Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona on her fire with the most exciting role she's ever had. Hers is another instance where the film is less off when she's not there. I don't think she stands a chance of winning this year, but if it were up to me it'd be a slam dunk.
Best Achievement in Directing
You guys know I want Danny Boyle to win. And he should win. Slumdog Millionaire is by far the best of all the nominated films. I'm disappointed that Darren Aronofsky wasn't nominated. However this one is going to go to David Fincher. For all the problems I have with Benjamin Button, it is a beautiful film. It's grand, feels like an epic, and it's truly a departure for Fincher. He excels in making these movies that so perfectly capture a certain mood. If he wins it will absolutely be deserved.
Those are my takes on the biggest categories for this Oscar season. For the rest of my and John's opinions, be sure to check out the Punch Drunk Podcast episode #13, which just so happens to have been released today. Hey how 'bout that?
