Midnight In Paris (***)

It would be very easy to rank Woody Allen as one of the most innovative and clever filmmakers. With films like Annie Hall, Bullets Over Broadway, and the genius Hannah and Her Sisters under his belt, it is safe to consider Allen close to genius. However, Midnight In Paris simply pales in comparison to Allen's more rich, detailed scripts with characters that are just shadows of some of his best work. Perhaps with age, Allen is losing much of his gusto, and unfortunately I found the film rather flat.

The plot (if there is one) follows a man named Gil played by Owen Wilson. Visiting Paris with his absurdly-negative fiance and her parents, he finds pleasure in walking the city at night - stumbling into a sort of vortex that leads him to the city in the 1920's where he meets a whole gang of famous artists. And.... that's it. Scene after scene follows this man as he journeys back in time to point out to the audience that 'wow you're the REAL Gauguin?' or 'He looks like Cole Porter.' A basic love story emerges with the ever-radiant Marion Cotillard, but for the most part the film is merely a series of actors portraying historical figures.

What more can be said? The costumes are accurate and the cinematography is surprisingly lush. It is obvious that Mr Wilson is trying extremely hard to fill the stuttering manic shoes of Woody Allen in the lead role, but overall I couldn't help but be taken out of the story. The basic lack of clever writing that Allen is known for is surely missed, and while Midnight In Paris isn't a horrible film, it's not one I would expect to win a slew of awards either.

(Awards potential: Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography)

Moneyball (*****)

Following in the traditions of some of the greatest sports movies, Moneyball at times seems to top them all, becoming a film that is both an enormous crowd pleaser as well as a tightly-crafted human drama. The film has slowly begun to reap awards regardless of its early Fall release date, and there is no question that it deserves every accolade it receives.

Based on a true story, the film follows Billy Beane, the General Manager for the Oakland Athletics. Upon meeting Peter Brand (played remarkably well by Jonah Hill) who is a Yale graduate with a scientific mindset towards the game of baseball, the two begin a never before tried experiment of how to win games, ultimately resulting in their record-setting 20 win streak in 2002.

Bennett Miller, the director who made Capote, perhaps the finest film of 2005, brings his unique touch in creating moments of somber darkness and character contemplation. Many have noted the film has a definite slower pace for a sports film, but nothing feels more right. The loud atmosphere of sports arenas contrasts with the quiet and dark spaces behind the scenes.

Of course, this film revolves around Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, and it is perhaps the most remarkable performance of his career. Having amazed us consistently with films from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Babel, The Assasination of Jesse James, and even Se7en, it could be argued that Pitt is at his career-best. It is not as showy of a performance as his disciplinarian father in this year's The Tree of Life but he captures the pure spark of a man who will not give up. His performance, coupled with Jonah Hill's more subdued character, make up some of the best acting of the year and should easily garner Oscar nominations for both men.

Moneyball is a true success. There is not a flaw to be found in the screenplay (co-written by last year's Oscar winner for The Social Network Aaron Sorkin) nor in the performances or the pacing. This is truly a great film, and one that I can't wait to watch one more time.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Pitt), Best Supporting Actor (Hill), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing)

The Tree of Life (*****)

At last I have finally found time to watch one of the most talked-about and controversial movies of the year, and to my great satisfaction and amazement, the film both surpassed my expectations and challenged my conceptions of what films can be. Terrence Malik has made only a handful of films in the past 30 or 40 years, but with each one he pushes his limits. With The Tree of Life he has perhaps changed filmmaking forever.

Everyone has heard how 'weird' the film is, with extended montages of the creation of the universe, the end of the world, various characters walking through the desert, heck, we even see some dinosaurs. This is not a movie intended to be viewed with anything but an open mind. Those coming into it hoping to see a great story with the traditional story arc with be unbelievably disappointed. I wouldn't be surprised if many people walked out of this movie within the first minutes - and I couldn't blame them.

The film, simply put, seems to be about life. From conception to birth to death. The birth of the universe and all that has happened since is seemingly juxtaposed with that of a typical family living in the 50's. The lives of such an insignificant family is proven to be one of enormous consequences, and as the opening narration tells us, life is one of either two things: grace or nature.

Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain play the parents. One represents grace, one is nature. The strict disciplinarian nature of Pitt makes his children resent him and cherish the moments he is gone. Chastain indulges the spirit of her children and encourages such 'grace' to grow. These two actors have never been better. Brad Pitt dominates every second he is in, while Chastain matches every emotion. I don't think I've seen two more dynamic or fully-complete performances all year. Oscars would be assured were it not for the controversy surrounding the film.

There are things that people seem born to do, and it seems that Emmanuel Lubezki, the film's cinematographer, was destined to photograph this film. Quite simply put, I don't think I've ever seen more stunning or shocking images than those captured by Lubezki, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will at last win his long-deserved Oscar. The definition of cinematography is soon to be changed to this film alone.

Alexandre Desplat, world-famous composer, crowns the film with a perfect tone. Yes, nearly all the memorable music from the film are works from other composers from history past, but let's not put it past the Academy. Babel won Best Original Score when the majority of the composer's work was simple guitar plucking. The bulk of the soundtrack was source material. This is not to discredit Desplat, who is one of the greatest living composers today, nor to diminish his contributions to the film, which are stunning.

I do believe this film may be a masterpiece, on the same level of genius as 2001: A Space Odyssey in terms of sheer thought and concept. Many will fail to grasp the ideas this film presents, but I don't think it can be debated that The Tree of Life will be remembered as one of the defining moments in the history of cinema. Yes, it's non-linear and abstract, but at least there is a filmmaker out there today who is brave enough to challenge audience members, not just spoon-feed them.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (or Supporting: Pitt), Best Supporting Actress (Chastain), Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects)

Hugo (*****)

At last, Martin Scorsese has made a film that is both perfect and accessible to every age group. This is Scorsese's first PG movie in almost 20 years, though there is no doubt that with Hugo he is at the top of his game. Yes, he defined the 'gangster' genre and has notoriety in blood and violence, but with Hugo he has possibly made one of the best films of his career.

The premise is simple enough. Based on an intriguing book, Hugo Cabret is a boy who's father died, leaving behind an automaton in a state of repair. Hugo now works in a train station, living in the walls and maintaining the clocks. No one knows he lives there, in fact he is almost like a phantom. The automaton, a human-like robot with an extreme amount of intricacy and the ability to write messages, is the main goal for Hugo. If he could fix this robot, perhaps he would find a message from his late father that could give him some sort of comfort.

The train station is also home to George Melies, an older, mysterious man who runs a toy shop. His granddaughter, Isabelle, befriends Hugo and ultimately helps form a relationship that reveals Melies to be a man tormented by his past. Once a great director of movies, his collection of almost 500 films is believed to have been lost. Through Hugo, Melies is able to rediscover his past and step out of the gloom of his current state.

Scorsese is known to have an eye for discovering new talent (Robert DeNiro, Leonardo Dicaprio), and with Asa Butterfield playing Hugo, he has discovered a star. His performance is equally on-par with any other performer in the film, even Ben Kingsley as Melies, whose performance is beautifully-nuanced and heartbreaking. These two single-handedly carry the film.

Aside from being one of the most regarded directors in history, Scorsese is also widely known to be a well-versed film historian. Here he manages to use his passions to only made Hugo that much more special of a film. Through extended sequences the audience sees actual Melies films, as well as the behind-the-scenes work that went into them. He also references other films from the beginning of this era of cinema. We learn about one of the first movies ever, one that simply shows a train coming towards the screen. Audiences were said to have screamed and ducked out of the way for fear of being hit. Comical by today's standards, but to understand that Scorsese does the same thing with his use of 3D as a train plummets through a busy train station. Briliance. Or to see Harold Lloyd famously hanging from the arms of a clock, only to see Hugo in the same position later in the film. It is this level of craft, layering, and thought that went into Hugo that truly helps it to become a masterpiece.

Yes, I said it. Hugo is a masterpiece. The best film of the year so far and undeniably Martin Scorsese's most personal film to date. The talent and craft presented are all at the top of their game. This is one of those unique movie-going experiences where you leave not only entertained, but invigorated to learn and see more.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Butterfield), Best Supporting Actor (Kingsley), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II (****)

After 11 years, the Harry Potter saga has come to an end. Through ups and downs, we have witnessed the maturing of three actors before our very eyes, and finally we must say goodbye. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II may not be the best movie of the series (in my opinion) but it makes up for most flaws with great acting and a sharp narrative which zips forward at lightning speed.

Picking up immediately from the last moments of Part I, Harry, Ron, & Hermione leave the cottage at the beach on a whim to find another horocrux, this time in Bellatrix Lestrange's bank vault. The book records weeks of planning to break in, while the film presents it as though it all happened in an afternoon. While the performance of Helena Bonham Carter is humorous as Hermione, I felt as though enough time was not spent developing the scene for it to reach its full effect. The Gringotts scene, likewise, rolls through and is soon gone, with barely enough time for audiences to ask when the goblins had transformed from the first film into more deformed Hobbits now.

Soon they arrive in Hogwarts, and rightly so, as the bulk of the film is spent on the long-awaited battle, which is deservedly praised and well-filmed. Seeing nearly all the characters from past films, no matter how fleeting, was an incredible treat if only to realize the impressive lineup of accomplished actors these films have had. Among them is Maggie Smith, who steals every scene she is in and delivers applause-worthy one liners.

Severus Snape, as played by Alan Rickman, is perhaps the most talked-about performance of the film. Although it appears Rickman has put on weight and a bit more eyeshadow, his final moments in the film are beautifully-acted and powerful pieces of acting. Any other year, Rickman could potentially be a dark horse for an Oscar nomination, but I believe the early release date and genre will prevent any such upset.

Of course the films are not without their flaws, I for one constantly noting how diluted the original writings of JK Rowling are from book to screen. Of course they can't fit everything in, but to loyal readers, some of the choices of inclusion and exclusion more often than not detract from the final film. For one who has not read a single Harry Potter book, this could potentially be a flawless film, who knows. I personally found Part I to be a more rewarding and better-made film, but that's just me. I know people who think differently. There's no right answer.

Technically the film is great, with the destruction of Hogwarts representing some of the best sets of the year. Alexandre Desplat, film composer, finishes his work with the films, having scored both Part I & II. I believe his score for the first film could have easily been an Oscar contender, but don't expect this score to win. Too much of John William's original score from Sorcerer's Stone is interspersed for it to truly be considered 'original,' though that should not be interpreted as derogatory; Desplat ends the series on a high note

At long last, the film has come and gone, and we can finally look back on one impressive film series - in fact THE most successful film series in history, grossing over $7 billion worldwide. Yes, these figures are impressive, but to readers, the simple joy of seeing the beloved books come to life is amazing enough. While Harry Potter has not fared too well at the Oscars thus far (a combined 9 nominations with no wins so far). I doubt the film has enough credibility to produce an actual win (perhaps in Visual Effects or Art Direction) though there have definitely been times in Oscar's past where Harry Potter was ominously overlooked for gold. Overall a wonderful film and a great conclusion to a truly magical series.

(Awards potential: Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing)

Beginners (****1/2)

Beginners is a movie that caught me off guard. From the brief things I had heard about it prior to seeing it, I understood it to be the story of an elderly man finally coming out of the closet. While that is most true, the film is instead about his son, played by Ewan McGregor, and the effects of his relationship with his parents and his own personal relationships. Told through a non-linear narrative, the film is brilliantly executed and one of the more unique movies of the year.

Ewan McGregor is a graphic designer collecting his life after his father's sudden death from lung cancer. He leads a solitary life, adopting his father's dog and talking to him as though he's a human. At times, the dog's thoughts are even subtitled. The film is in no means a representation of reality, rather the flawed perspective of McGregor. One scene in particular shows the son remembering his father coming out as gay, wearing a purple sweater. However, he soon remembers he was wearing a bathrobe instead. We see flashbacks of his eccentric mother, though what can we believe is true and what are simple fabrications?

Christopher Plummer, fresh off his first Oscar nomination for The Last Station is in top form. After a marriage of 40 years, we see a man finally grasp the self he has long hid away. We see him finding a young boyfriend, joining gay groups and making friends, even learning what 'house music' is. It is not necessarily a 'showy' performance, but Plummer captures every nuance perfectly. I would expect him to garner his second consecutive Supporting Actor nomination, and it would be completely deserved.

Plummer fills a small part of the film, with the rest focusing on McGregor and a choppy relationship with the quirky and dark Melanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds). I believe the film could have only been stronger had it focused more time on this unique father & son relationship as opposed to a more generic romance. This is not to discredit such a unique screenplay, merely suggest a small flaw.

Yes, Beginners is a film you have probably not heard of, but is is certainly a film that deserves a larger audience. Now out on DVD, I would recommend going out and buying your own. Brilliant movie, brilliant story, brilliant acting.

(Awards potential: Best Supporting Actor (Plummer), Best Original Screenplay)

The Ides of March (***1/2)

George Clooney continues to prove himself as an able filmmaker behind the camera. His attention to pacing is subtle and the performances he is able to draw out of his actors (not to mention his own) are astonishing. Yet all the while while watching The Ides of March, I couldn't help but think that maybe this film just barely missed the mark.

George Clooney plays Mike Morris, a Democratic presidential candidate who is battling out a close race for the Ohio primaries. Stephen Meyers is his Junior Campaign Manager, played by Ryan Gosling. Meyers is a determined and unwavering young man who's work is instilled with a sense of pride. Both Morris and the rival candidate are seeking endorsements from an Ohio Senator. Whoever wins the endorsement would essentially win the nomination.

Paul Giamatti, a campaign manager for the other nominee, offers Meyers a job in their campaign, which Meyers insistently refuses. Not wanting to give away much more of the plot, the lead up to the climax is one of complete chaos and misery, for both Meyers as well as his boss, Mike Morris.

The film opens and closes with a concise bookend feel, and the ending note is one of loss and corruption, but the film has a wonderful pull that keeps the audience engaged, even though the majority of the film is simply that of a discussion of politics. The performances are all wonderful, with notable praise going to Ryan Gosling, who explores more darker material than he has in the past. The screenplay is cleverly written and the film is edited fine. But that's just it, it's simply just a 'fine' movie. There is definitely the chance for a few nominations, but to me, this film feels more like a thriller suited for an early Spring release. There, movies don't feel the need to compete to win awards, they simply exist to prove filmmaking can be solid all year round. The Ides of March doesn't strike me as a film that is bound to win a plethora of awards, but that doesn't mean it's any less of a good movie.

(Awards potential: Best Director, Best Actor (Gosling), Best Supporting Actor (Hoffman, Giamatti, Clooney), Best Adapted Screenplay)

J Edgar (****1/2)

Clint Eastwood has been trudging down a questionable road in his recent filmmaking, as such I was hesitant to see J Edgar, his latest film about the late Director of the FBI, but coming out of the theater, I was enthralled and astonished. Here is perhaps not Eastwood's finest achievement behind the camera, but it can surely be ranked right up there with his best.

The film is told in flashbacks, flash forwards, voice over, memories, and other such filmic devices, all working to create the world J Edgar Hoover himself envisioned. Spanning upwards of 6 decades, we see the time from Hoover's initial hiring at the Bureau right up to his sudden death. Written by Dustin Lance Black, Oscar-winning screenwriter of Milk, the film has a slow but meticulous pacing, even though it stretches over 2 hours in length.

Leonardo DiCaprio, one of the world's most accomplished actors, is unsurprisingly excellent in the role. Aside from the shocking makeup work used on all the main actors, DiCaprio disappears in the performance, with his accent and nuances very much thought out and crafted. At times I was distracted by his acting, perhaps it comes across as a bit melodramatic, or even a bit too Oscar-friendly. As we know, Clint Eastwood has a very good friendship with the Academy Awards - this film looks to be no exception.

The stand out performance of the film, though, is Armie Hammer, fresh off last year's The Social Network. Here he plays Clyde Tolson, first-hand man for Hoover and eventual lover. His elegant poise and charm elevate the scenes he is in, and though his aging makeup is potentially overdone, his mannerisms in old age are uncanny and wholly believable. Naomi Watts also gives a beautiful, albeit limited, performance as Hoover's personal secretary. Were she given more screen time, I believe her performance could have been astonishing.

Much controversy surrounded the film's depiction of Hoover's homosexuality. Afterall, it was commonly known that he and Tolson were together, not to mention unspeculated rumors of cross-dressing. The film remains un exploitative and is tasteful in its presentation of their relationship. No more than a kiss or two is shared between the two men on screen, and yet their love is never doubted. Dustin Lance Black has obviously had experience dealing with historically gay men, but this time sexual orientation is not the film's concern. Rather, it is the portrayal of J Edgar Hoover as a power-hungry and flawed individual, slipping closer and closer to the edge in his later years.

Can DiCaprio finally win his long-awaited Oscar for this film? It certainly seems like a possibility. After all, if there's anything Oscar loves it's historical performances of gay individuals with personality flaws and unusual accents. The film stretches on with an epic feel yet is poignant in its subject matter. While the reviews this far have been polarizing, I found J Edgar to be a cinematic marvel.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Hammer), Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup)

The Conspirator (**1/2)

I was waiting for a moment in The Conspirator where motives would become clear and the director's vision would suddenly grab hold and pull me into the narrative. That moment never came, and as the film came to a close I came to the unfortunate realization that Robert Redford may simply not be the director he used to be.

Yes, we all know John Wilkes Booth was the assassin of President Lincoln, famously jumping onto the stage and yelling 'sic semper tyrannis,' but did you also know there were more than 8 people involved and plots of murdering more members of government were almost carried out that same night? Did you know that one of these people was a middle-aged woman named Mary Surratt, a woman who would eventually become the first female executed in the United States? Me neither, and as you may imagine, a film about this back story could provide an endless amount of originality and brilliance, but for one reason or another it falls short.

Perhaps it's due to the casting. Robin Wright Penn is perfectly adequate in drawing our sympathies, and Tom Wilkinson is the go-to man for an authorial figure, but James McAvoy's acting barely reaches beyond that of a high school drama. He is surprisingly ill-equipped to face off against so many other more experienced actors, and his attempted American accent is more often than not distracting. Alexis Bledel and Justin Long (yes, they're in this movie) also raise eyebrows, neither sinking into the film or convincing us of their roles as dramatic performers.

The film itself looks like it's photographed through wax paper, with a loss of all color and clarity of image in almost every shot. This is a shame because so many of the film's settings seem authentic or close to it, and how much more effective would it be if we could see these places in all their details?

And then to the plot itself. So little of this information is taught in schools, and I wonder why. The level of sympathy the audience is forced to feel for the 'protagonist' juxtaposed with the amount of hatred we feel for the antagonists should serve as some indication that this story has been slightly altered to serve dramatic purposes more effectively. I would not know, as I am not familiar with this topic, but stories are always much more layered than a film of this caliber can present them. I'll admit I was slightly more involved by the end, but the somber nature of the film coupled with the lack of dedication many involved seemed to feel makes The Conspirator far less grand of a movie than I was expecting.

(Awards potential: no awards potential)

The Help (****)

A feel-good movie about southern racism. This is a tricky task by any standards, but somehow The Help balances that fine line beautifully, albeit a bit too safe at times. Here is a movie where the greatness is entirely thanks to the cast. The large ensemble is perfectly assembled, and each actor makes the most of the script, one that relies too heavily on those 'feel-good' movie cliches.

This was a movie I was not entirely positive I wanted to see. Sure, Viola Davis was unbelievably powerful in her pivotal, Oscar-nominated role in Doubt, but aside from that there wasn't a particularly huge draw for me. Sitting down one night to watch it months after its release date, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself completely involved. By the end I even had a few tears trickling down my face. The movie takes the conventional wisdom employed in The Blind Side: a movie about white people helping less-fortunate black people is a sure-fire way to win at the box office. It's so very true. Yet while The Blind Side completely disregarded its central black character, The Help relishes in making these maids layered and beautiful characters. Is this a racist movie? Arguments could be made for or against it, but I would say no (even if the entire plot is that it takes a white person to help black people solve their own problems).

As previously mentioned, the casting is great. Even Emma Stone, a relatively light comic actress, delivers a powerful turn as a modern woman bent on changing her deeply-racist home town. The stars of the movie, though, are Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. Here are two experienced actors at the very top of their game. Spencer delivers a moving though more humorous role, while Davis has a character deep with backstory and heartbreaking scenes. Her greatness I found is fueled almost exclusively by her eyes, showing an endless range of emotions in the smallest moments. Davis's character is one we love like a mother, and to see the agonies she must go through is absolutely resonant with audiences. During a time when there was so much hatred, here is one woman who is so filled with love.

The movie is not without its flaws, seen mostly in the relatively safe screenplay. Before seeing this movie I would have brushed it off as a small summer movie with no Oscar chances, but with the box office and critical reaction demonstrating enormous support for the film, I am crossing my fingers that some Oscar nominations are on the horizon. (Should they snub everything else, I sincerely hope Viola Davis receives the recognition she deserves for her amazing performance.)

(Awards potential: Best Actress (Davis), Best Supporting Actress (Spencer), Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Best Original Song - 'The Living Proof')

Jane Eyre (****)

A classically crafted retelling of a timeless story, Jane Eyre does not disappoint. Though it takes itself very seriously, with wonderful performances and memorable embellishments, this faithful adaptation is a pleasure to watch.

The performances are the real strength of the film, as they should be. Mia Wasikowska - a new but increasingly recognizable face (Alice in Wonderland, The Kids Are All Right) - is an excellent fit in the title role. The part by no means showcases her beauty, but Jane is not supposed to be beautiful. Wasikowska manages to portray Jane's soul and spirit to near-perfection and with surprising depth for her age. But the real scene-stealer here is Michael Fassbender as Rochester. Fassbender gives Rochester a nearly tangible charisma and endless layers of character; a performance worthy of and actually fairly likely to receive recognition. He and Wasikowska also have terrific chemistry, their scenes together always tense and riveting. And of course, Judi Dench is immaculate as always as the kind Mrs. Fairfax.

Other good things about the film are most notably the score, costuming, and cinematography. Dark, creepy, and memorable, the beautiful sets and grim lighting set the serious tone  from the opening scene. The flashback-style setup of the screenplay is effective and different. The costuming, though perhaps not award-worthy, is very appropriate and does not try too hard. Something that may very well be award-worthy, however, is Dario Marianelli's (of Atonement fame) heartbreakingly beautiful score. I personally found it to be on par with his work for Atonement, which won the Oscar... Don't be surprised to see Marianelli's name a contender for one of the top five spots this year as well.

Though this may be one of the best adaptations of Charlotte Brontë's novel, it's certainly not a perfect film. A bit slow, dragging, and honestly dull at times... humor and wit are largely sacrificed to maintain the most faithful adaptation of the book possible.

Jane Eyre is a good fit for serious, art-loving moviegoers who can appreciate a classic story and old fashioned great acting. The classic genre addressed here is tastefully done and a breath of fresh air in the shoot-em-up, effects-based entertainment industry today. Certainly worth seeing at least once.

(Awards potential: Best Actor (Fassbender), Best Original Score)

The Beaver (**)

The Beaver looked to be one of the first great movies of 2011, possibly a film that would kick off the award season earlier than normal. Sure, the plot seemed ridiculous, but Mel Gibson appeared to be back at the top of his game with Jodie Foster returning to the director's chair. I regret to say then that The Beaver is none of those things. It is simply a misguided, disjointed, rough assembly of a film that MAYBE had the potential to be good had several things changed.

The film opens on Mel Gibson's character Walter Black, a depressed, tired man - the problem is the audience has no idea why he is like this to begin with. He has a great family and a seemingly high-paying job. Shortly after the film begins, he moves out, finds a puppet in a dumpster, then moves right back in to rekindle his broken family. Are problem marriages really that easily solved?

His son, Porter, is a student who makes hundreds of dollars at a time forging papers and speeches for lazy students at his school. Then he falls in love with the Valedictorian, and for the life of her she can't write her own graduation speech. Hmmm. Walter's youngest son, Henry, is ignored and bullied at school, but why? There is never any resolve for his character, and we are left to assume that after this whole ordeal, he was bullied even more for being that kid with the 'crazy dad.'

The film seems to function solely as one that is striving for awards glory, but it tragically falls short. There is no way that two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster is doing her best directing work here. The film lacks a solid tone, switching from comedy to drama with a sprinkling of thriller near the end. For me, audiences didn't know when to laugh or when to be serious, and that is actually a problem. They ended up giggling at parts that we all knew were meant to be serious, and didn't laugh at parts that were.

Unfortunately, Mel Gibson won't be receiving his first acting Oscar nomination for this film, and Jodie won't receive her first directing. The wait is back on for quality films to reveal themselves for the 2011 season. Happy hunting.

(Awards potential: No awards potential)

83rd Academy Awards - Reactions

(The Royal Lineup - Colin Firth and Tom Hooper now have a matching set)

Well, as quickly as they came they have gone again, and the 83rd Academy Awards (as well as this year's awards' season) has passed. One of the shortest Oscar ceremonies in the past 30 years, the show still seemed to drag on if only because of a lack of any upsets. In fact, practically every category went according to plan.

Why did MoJo fail to get a perfect score, then? (We correctly predicted 16 of the winners) For one, the Oscars come at the pinnacle of the season, and here comes the last chance to award the most deserving. If there is a chance for an upset anywhere, the Oscars is the final place for it to occur. Unfortunately, the plethora of predictions, critic's awards, and smaller award shows practically assure you of the final winner, weeks before the Oscars even occur. Why predict Roger Deakins to win his first Oscar for Best Cinematography? Because we believe that 9 nominations is far too long a wait to win, especially when compared to the nominees he was up against. We interpret Oscar as having a heart - when in reality he's ruthless, cold, and calculated.

On the whole, then, the Oscars were fairly enjoyable to watch, if only because we could rest easy on many of the night's bigger awards going according to plan. Anne Hathaway and James Franco will most likely not be asked to host again, especially Franco, who quickly became one of the most bizarre, distanced, and boring Oscar hosts in history (Possibly stoned, too). What a shame for Hathaway too, because while her energy was exuberant, her teaming with Franco was uncomfortable and completely off-putting to say the least.

The night slowly progressed, bogged down by an unnecessary amount of film homages, introductions, and lengthy presentations (But how cute was Kurt Douglas?) For instance, why was it deemed necessary for Anne Hathaway to introduce Hilary Swank who immediately introduced Kathryn Bigelow to present Best Director? I'm assuming Hilary is contractually obligated to participate in the Oscars in some way, and this was the best they could come up with.

As expected, Melissa Leo finally won her Oscar in a corny amount of exuberance and utter shock. Melissa, didn't you know you were the front-runner the entire season? Why so surprised? Not as expected, Leo became the first Oscar winner to utter the 'F' word during an acceptance speech. It seems that the Best Supporting Actress category was not a complete letdown in terms of shocks, then.

Perhaps the most 'up in the air' category of the night was Best Director, which ended in a photo finish with Tom Hooper prevailing over David Fincher. Although Hooper did win the DGA, his lack of other accolades was still enough to put a shred of doubt in my mind as to his Oscar chances. Never again. From now on I know, when DGA speaks, I MUST listen!

While the King's Speech did end up winning 4 of the 'Big 5' awards (Picture, Director, Actor, (Actress), Screenplay), a feat not accomplished since American Beauty over 10 years ago, it still failed to pull off a true 'sweep,' and we were left with Alice In Wonderland, Inception, and The Social Network pulling off many of the night's early wins. Just like this season, though, the King Speech picked up steam in the final stretch and pulled off a well-deserved victory.

Overall, I still enjoyed the Oscars. It's hard not to. Despite the utter lack of shocks, I believe many, if not all of the winners were truly deserving. If there's one thing that Oscar has taught us this year, though, it's that no one likes surprises.... So they just don't allow for any.

*OFFICIAL 2011 ACADEMY AWARDS PREDICTIONS*

Ok folks... THEY ARE UPON US. The 83rd annual Academy Awards. After extensive discussion and analysis, these are what we have come up with, and we are convinced they are the most accurate predictions available. Feel free to exploit them at your Oscar parties... but just refer everyone to this blog after you win.



BEST PICTURE
1.) The King's Speech
2.) The Social Network
3.) The Fighter
4.) True Grit
5.) Black Swan
6.) Inception
7.) 127 Hours
8.) Winter's Bone
9.) Toy Story 3
10.) The Kids Are All Right

The PGA, SAG, DGA, and BAFTA's do not lie. The days of Social Network's domination have seem to come to a close. Expect the King's Speech to sweep.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
1.) Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
2.) Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)
3.) Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
4.) Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
5.) Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

What chances Annette Bening had of pulling an upset seem to be getting less and less likely with each passing day. Natalie Portman has won every major award so far this year and it doesn't look like she'll stop at the Oscars.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
1.) Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
2.) Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
3.) James Franco (127 Hours)
4.) Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
5.) Javier Bardem (Biutiful)

The biggest lock of the night.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1.) Christian Bale (The Fighter)
2.) Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)
3.) John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
4.) Jeremy Renner (The Town)
5.) Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right)

Some seem to believe a Geoffrey Rush upset is possible, but it seems unlikely considering he's competing with Christian Bale's career-best performance.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1.) Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
2.) Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
3.) Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
4.) Amy Adams (The Fighter)
5.) Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdon)

The toughest acting category to call this year. Melissa Leo's uncomfortable campaigning choices this season have left many voters with a bitter taste in their mouth, an act that could ultimately benefit Hailee Steinfeld. For now though, Leo is still technically our front-runner.

BEST ANIMATED FILM OF THE YEAR
1.) Toy Story 3
2.) How To Train Your Dragon
3.) The Illusionist

The Academy can finally honor the Toy Story franchise with it's first Oscar (and Pixar's zillionth).

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
1.) The Social Network (Aaron Sorkin)
2.) Toy Story 3 (Michael Arndt)
3.) True Grit (Joen & Ethan Coen)
4.) Winter's Bone (Debra Granik & Anne Rossellini)
5.) 127 Hours (Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle)

Aaron Sorkin's screenplay is too smart and witty not to take this, especially considering the plethora of awards he has already taken, not to mention a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Writer's Guild trophy.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
1.) The King's Speech (David Seidler)
2.) Inception (Christopher Nolan)
3.) Another Year (Mike Leigh)
4.) The Kids are All Right (Stuart Blumberg & Lisa Cholodenko)
5.) The Fighter (Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colich, Eric Johnson, Scott Silver & Paul Tamasy)

While Inception's story is arguably the most original piece of the year, The King's Speech will easily take this. The story of David Seidler and his devotion taken to writing the screenplay is almost as inspiring as the film, itself!

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
1.) The King's Speech
2.) Inception
3.) Alice In Wonderland
4.) True Grit
5.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

An incredibly close race between The King's Speech, Inception, and Alice In Wonderland. We predict 'Speech' to take it as part of it's Oscar sweep, but any of these three could easily win.

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
1.) True Grit (Roger Deakins)
2.) Inception (Wally Pfister)
3.) Black Swan (Matthew Libatique)
4.) The King's Speech (Danny Cohen)
5.) The Social Network (Jeff Cronenweth)

After 9 Oscar nominations and no wins for Roger Deakins, it seems like it is finally his time to win gold. Although True Grit definitely doesn't stand as Deakins' best work behind the camera, expect him to take the award over the Guild winner (and better-photographed) Inception.

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
1.) The King's Speech (Jenny Beaven)
2.) Alice in Wonderland (Colleen Atwood)
3.) True Grit (Mary Zophres)
4.) I Am Love (Antonella Cannarozzi)
5.) The Tempest (Sandy Powell)

The second category where The King's Speech faces close competition with Alice In Wonderland. While 'Alice' has much more flashy costumes (which the Academy loves), The King's Speech could win based on name alone.

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
1.) David Fincher (The Social Network)
2.) Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
3.) Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
4.) David O. Russell (The Fighter)
5.) Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit)

An incredibly close race. While Hooper won the DGA (the season's BEST forecaster for Best Picture and Best Director), his lack of other accolades throughout the year makes his win seem like more of a fluke. David Fincher, therefore, seems poised to receive his first Oscar. This looks like it will be the 4th time since 2000 that Best Picture and Best Director split.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
1.) Inside Job (Charles Ferguson, director (Representational Pictures))
2.) Exit Through The Gift Shop (Banksy, director (Paranoid Pictures))
3.) Gasland (Josh Fox, director (Gasland Productions, LLC))
4.) Restrepo (Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger, directors (Outpost Films))
5.) Waste Land (Lucy Walker, director (Almega Projects))

While Exit Through The Gift Shop would provide a well-deserved and enjoyable win, all signs point to Inside Job.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
1.) The Wolfman
2.) Barney's Version
3.) The Way Back

There is really no appropriate way to determine the winner. Each of these film's received this sole nomination and none are extremely well-known. When in doubt go with the most noticeable work, in this case, The Wolfman.

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
1.) The Social Network (Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall)
2.) The King's Speech (Tariq Anwar)
3.) Black Swan (Andrew Weisblum)
4.) The Fighter (Pamela Martin)
5.) 127 Hours (Jon Harris)

Once Inception failed to receive a nomination, (in MoJo's opinion one of the worst snubs of the year) the next most logical choice was The Social Network, whose constant cross-cutting between time and location fits the bill for 'best-editing-of-these-5-nominees-but-not-necessarily-of-the-year.'

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
2.) In a Better World (Denmark)
3.) Incendies (Canada)
3.) Biutiful (Mexico)
4.) Dogtooth (Greece)
5.) Hors la Loi (Algeria)

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
1.) The King's Speech (Alexandre Desplat)
2.) The Social Network (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)
3.) Inception (Hans Zimmer)
4.) 127 Hours (A.R. Rahman)
5.) How to Train Your Dragon (John Powell)

The score for Inception and The Social Network were both about as memorable as they come, but with 4 previous nominations and a very traditional score (which the Academy usually goes for), Alexandre Desplat may very well win his first (and extremely well-deserved) Academy Award

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
1.) "Coming Home" from Country Strong (Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges & Hillary Lindsey)
2.) "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3 (Music and Lyric by Randy Newman)
3.) "I See the Light" from Tangled (Music and Lyric by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater)
4.) "If I Rise" from 127 Hours (Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido & Rollo Armstrong)

Toy Story 3 is the predicted 'front-runner' on many pundits' lists, but Best Original Song rarely goes to the most popular film. Voters screen clips from each film to see how each song is incorporated and works within its respective film, so solidly predicting a winner is difficult. 'Coming Home' seems as good a choice as any.

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
1.) Inception
2.) TRON: Legacy
3.) True Grit
4.) Unstoppable
5.) Toy Story 3

The logical choice

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
1.) Inception
2.) True Grit
3.) The Social Network
4.) Salt
5.) The King's Speech

True Grit could pull an upset, but Inception seems too well-locked in these technical categories to bet against it

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
1.) Inception
2.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
3.) Iron Man 2
4.) Alice in Wonderland
5.) Hereafter

Inception. Duh.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
1.) Strangers No More
2.) The Warriors of Qiugang
3.) Poster Girl
4.) Killing in the Name
5.) Sun Come Up

BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
1.) Day and Night (Teddy Newton)
2.) The Gruffalo (Jakob Schuh & Max Lang)
3.) Let's Pollute (Geefwee Boedoe)
4.) The Lost Thing (Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann)
5.) Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary) (Bastien Dubois)

BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
1.) Wish 143 (Ian Barnes & Samantha Waite)
2.) Na Wewe (Ivan Goldschmidt)
3.) God of Love (Luke Matheny)
4.) The Confession (Tanel Toom)
5.) The Crush (Michael Creagh)

The Guild Awards (SAG, PGA, DGA - what they mean and why they matter)

I figured the above picture was appropriate, since after this weekend's guild awards (Director's Guild and Actor's Guild), The King's Speech cleaned up... and most likely will at the Academy Awards as well.

Maureen's Reaction:
The Director's Guild Awards (DGAs), always an enormously long event with increasing tension until the  last award (which is really the only one that anyone cares about), ended with Tom Hooper winning for The King's Speech. Needless to say, this came as somewhat of a shock, considering The Social Network has been dominating awards up to this point in the year. Tom Hooper's win confirms that the slew of Academy Awards nominations for The King's Speech is not a fluke, and that this film should be taken very seriously this awards season. History has shown that the film that wins the DGA will also win Best Picture (this has only NOT been true in a handful instances in the DGA's 60+-year history). The DGA winner usually also wins Best Director, though it is (weirdly) not quite as good at predicting Best Director as it is with predicting Best Picture. Based on Tom Hooper's win this year, however, it seems very unlikely that anyone else, even David Fincher, will win for Best Director at the Academy Awards, considering The King's Speech recent success.

Going into the Screen Actor's Guild Awards (SAGs) this evening, a couple were certain, and a couple were not. The Best Actor Awards were almost certainly going to go to Colin Firth and Christian Bale, who have won every major awards ceremony this year for their work. The Actress and Ensemble categories were a bit more uncertain... Portman or Bening? Steinfeld or Leo? The Fighter, The King's Speech, or The Social Network? None of the possible winners here would have been shocking, but the winners give further insight/confirmation of future Academy Awards winners. Natalie Portman's and Melissa Leo's wins tonight, both expected and deserved, virtually seal their success at the Academy Awards. Based on other 2011 awards shows (Critic's Choice, Golden Globes), it would seem as though The Social Network should win, or possibly The Fighter for Best Ensemble Cast. The win in Ensemble by Speech was the biggest and best surprise of the evening, well-deserved for a wonderful film.

It seems as though The King's Speech is a clear frontrunner anyway, and Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy Awards typically go hand in hand. At this point, it would be surprising to see anything but Speech win big at the Academy Awards. Personally, I am quite pleased to see Speech receive so much well-deserved recognition, as it is almost certainly the best picture of the year and one of the best, if not the best, directed as well. I truly believe The King's Speech will be a classic of our time and will not be easily forgotten in the coming years.

John's Reaction:
In one of the most shocking awards season turns I can think of it seems that The Social Network's steam has all but run out, and the tortoise of the year, The King's Speech, may end up victorious after all. In rapid succession and without mercy, The King's Speech snatched up the Producer's Guild, Director's Guild, and the Screen Actor's Guild Awards, thus practically guaranteeing its Best Picture and Director win at this year's Academy Awards. Aside from Apollo 13, which won the first ever Screen Actor's Guild 'Best Ensemble' award, no film that has won all 3 guild awards has ever lost the Best Picture Oscar. (And all but one won Best Director, too-Chicago's Rob Marshall lost Best Director to Roman Polanski for the Pianist.) The King's Speech is looking to join the company of Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Return of the King, and American Beauty as having a perfect guild sweep.

But what happened to The Social Network? Weren't people comparing it to Citizen Kane as one of the greatest movies in recent times? Surely it can't NOT win the top prize? Unfortunately, chances look slim. While it is true that The Social Network has won a majority of awards this season, most were awarded by critics groups, and while critical reception and accolades are good for a film, there is really no connection to the more popular 'award shows.' This isn't completely unheard of either. In 1997, LA Confidential was very much the critical darling of the year, until a little movie called Titanic sailed away with both Producer's and Director's awards and carried them all the way to the Oscars. Critics are just that: critics, while those who vote for Guild awards are in many cases actual Academy members, and their votes are a much stronger reflection of the final outcome. It seems that while The Social Network was settling into a 'winning' streak, the King's Speech was the volcano slowly building underneath. It seems like it has finally erupted.

Other than that, the majority of the major awards (including the acting awards) seem all sewn up now that the Screen Actor's Awards have come and gone. Any chance we had of seeing an Annette Bening upset has come and gone, and Natalie Portman can now rest easy knowing her Oscar offically has her name imprinted on it.

All we need now are a few of the smaller guilds to announce their winners (editing, cinematography, art direction, and costuming) and we will be all set come prediction time. Until then, we can make a few safe assumptions: Colin Firth will finally get his long-awaited Oscar, Tom Hooper shouldn't necessarily be seen as the underdog anymore, and The Social Network's modem seems to have indefinitely stalled.

John's Oscar Nominations Reactions/Current Thoughts:

Well, the day has finally come, and we now have one solid month in which to determine Oscar winners from the freshly-named nominees. While there were plenty of surprises, overall I think the majority of nominations are greatly deserved and ones that we definitely saw coming. *I am going to make initial predictions based on today’s nominations – picks that will most likely change in a month’s time.


BEST PICTURE

It’s not even a question: up until today, The Social Network has been the awards’ juggernaut, winning just about every best picture award there was to have. Early favorites like The King’s Speech and Black Swan didn’t seem to pick up enough awards, but today there seems to be a change – with The King’s Speech AND True Grit picking up several more nominations (12 and 10, respectively) that The Social Network (at 8, tied with Inception). The love for these films seems to be much bigger than expected, and there now seems to be the tiny glimmer of a Best Picture upset. Overall, though, the nominees for Best Picture are essentially as predicted, and there aren’t any glaring surprises.
Prediction: The King’s Speech (gasp!)

BEST DIRECTOR

What does Christopher Nolan have to do to be recognized as one of today’s greatest directors? Isn’t the reason we have 10 Best Picture nominees today because his film The Dark Knight got snubbed back in 2008? I can somewhat understand the Academy’s decision to nominate the Coens, but I still scratch my head over the overwhelming love there continues to be for The Fighter and David O. Russell, who’s film just didn’t cut it for me. I still doubt David Fincher can lose here, but could this be a year where Best Picture and Best Director split? Can The King’s Speech AND The Social Network win top prizes? I could very easily see it happening as of now.
Prediction: David Fincher

BEST ACTOR

Although I haven’t seen the film, I’m very happy to see Javier Bardem receive a nomination, even though he was largely snubbed the rest of the awards season. Clearly this award has Colin Firth’s name already written on it, and the 4 other nominees should be happy with their nominations.
Prediction: Colin Firth (duh)

BEST ACTRESS

The inclusion of Michelle Williams seems to reflect that the Academy wants to award Hailee Steinfeld an Oscar this year, as she could have easily have received a lead actress nomination as well. Her bump to supporting really boosts her chances. However, this race is down to Natalie Portman, with Annette Bening barely holding on.
Prediction: Natalie Portman (Sorry Annette)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Andrew Garfield’s lack of a nomination suggests that the Social Network may not have as much clout with the Academy as others suspected. We know this award is Christian Bale’s to lose, so what would have been the harm in nominating Garfield and boosting the Oscar nominations for The Social Network?
Prediction: Christian Bale

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

While Melissa Leo is currently the front-runner by a few paces, I could easily see this going to Hailee Steinfeld… Or Helena Bonham Carter… Or the overdue Amy Adams. Out of all the categories this one is currently the toughest to call, but this Sunday’s SAG awards will hopefully shed some light on the future winner. Also happily surprised to see Jacki Weaver nominated! I’m surprised at the lack of love for the Black Swan supporting ladies, especially Barbara Hershey! This was the one category where there were so many great options, but I think the 5 chosen are perfect.
Prediction: Hailee Steinfeld

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

This is the one category where the Social Network is guaranteed an Oscar still. Aaron Sorkin would richly deserve a win, and as of now there doesn’t seem to be any other possibilities, aside from maybe Toy Story 3. Nice to see 127 Hours receive recognition here.
Prediction: The Social Network

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Where’s Black Swan? The love for this movie is definitely weak, and Natalie Portman currently seems like the only Oscar possibility for this film. Does Christopher Nolan’s Best Director snub force voters to give him the sympathy vote here, OR, will The King’s Speech grab it and use it as momentum to win Best Picture? Right now, I’m leaning towards the King’s Speech for the win.
Prediction: The King’s Speech

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

I feel like we should have seen The Illusionist’s nomination coming – it just seems like the right kind of film. Other than that, Toy Story 3 is all set for the anticlimactic win, although How To Train Your Dragon would be an amazing alternative.
Prediction: Toy Story 3

BEST ART DIRECTION

Pleasantly surprised to see Harry Potter receive some love here. I think Black Swan and Shutter Island are shocking snubs, and the winner now seems less clear. Could this be the one area where Alice In Wonderland can win – or will The King’s Speech or True Grit take it? As of now – I’m completely in the dark for this category.
Prediction: The King’s Speech

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

To be honest, I still think Black Swan had the best costumes of the year, but clearly the Academy disagrees. This award usually is given to the most flashy wardrobe, so Alice In Wonderland currently seems to be ahead. Then again, they love period pieces here (The King’s Speech, The Young Victoria, The Duchess, Titanic, etc, etc, etc)
Prediction: The King’s Speech

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Predictable nominees. All we have to figure out now is whether or not Roger Deakins is going to win for True Grit, definitely not his finest work, or Wally Pfister will win for Inception. Both are equally deserving and are the only two possible winners I can see at this point. I kind of have a feeling it will go to Deakins, if only because he’s the greatest living cinematographer and has already lost 8 times. On a side-note, I’m somewhat disappointed to see 127 Hours snubbed here.
Prediction: True Grit

BEST EDITING

When I think of the best editing in films last year, Inception is the only film that comes to mind. I’m absolutely stunned at this snub in particular, especially considering films like The King’s Speech took it’s place – a film definitely not full of memorable cuts. If you want to win Best Picture, you NEED a best editing nomination. There’s no way you can win without it – it just doesn’t happen (at least since the 80’s). Therefore, the only Best Picture outcomes I can see are The Fighter, The King’s Speech, or The Social Network.
Prediction: The Social Network

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

I am thrilled beyond WORDS that How To Train Your Dragon was nominated. If you haven’t listened to the score, do it – it’s one of my favorites. I’m equally surprised to see The Social Network nominated – not because it’s inadequate, but because the Academy seems to dislike nominating double composers (otherwise, The Assassination of Jesse James or The Dark Knight would have been nominated, right?) The Social Network seems like the front-runner, but I think Alexandre Desplat is so overdue that the King’s Speech may take the prize in the end. Sorry, Inception.
Prediction: The Social Network

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Prediction: Toy Story 3

BEST SOUND MIXING
Prediction: True Grit

BEST SOUND EDITING
Prediction: Inception

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Prediction: Inception


OTHER THOUGHTS:
-If you doubt the King’s Speech has a large chance at winning Best Picture now, check out the nominees for Best Sound Mixing. If that doesn’t show overall support for the film, then what does? Remember when The Hurt Locker was nominated for best original score? (What score?) This seems to be the same situation.

-127 Hours NOT receiving a single sound nomination is (in my opinion) one of the biggest snubs of the year. Mind-boggling.

-Waiting For Superman snubbed for Best Documentary? Okay then….

-The film with the most nominations wins best Picture 75% of the time. The Social Network wasn’t the most-nominated film. It wasn’t even the second-most nominated film. Just something to think about…

-Black Swan receives a pitiful 5 nominations. I thought this was supposed to be one of the big threats at the Oscars this year? Apparently not... The Kid's Are All Right received 4, one in the Best Picture category no less. Last year, Meryl Streep most likely lost to Sandra Bullock because she was the film's sole nomination. This year, the Bening/Portman match up seems to be on a much more even playing field.

-When was the last time a PG-13 movie won Best Picture? 6 years ago: Million Dollar Baby. (The King's Speech-R. The Social Network-PG-13. The Fighter-R. True Grit-PG-13)

Stay tuned for more predictions as guild awards begin to be awarded in the coming weeks!

Nominations and Early Winners Predictions

Well folks, it's the start of the new year! And you all know what that means... it's time for New Year's resolutions, celebrations, reminiscing about 2010, a year of new movies... but most importantly, the start of a new year means that all of the movies up for consideration for the 2010 Academy Awards have been released, and predictions can start to be made. Based on the "Awards Potential" section at the end of each of our blog posts, here are official predictions for nominees (and early predictions of the winners*) for the major award categories at the 2010 Academy Awards:

*Final predictions will be included in an additional post once a complete list of official 2010 nominees is released.

Best Picture:
127 Hours
Black Swan
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
The Fighter
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Best Director:
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
DAVID FINCHER - THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
Christopher Nolan - Inception
David O. Russell - The Fighter

Best Actor:
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Robert Duvall - Get Low
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
COLIN FIRTH - THE KING'S SPEECH
James Franco - 127 Hours

Best Actress:
Annete Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
NATALIE PORTMAN - BLACK SWAN
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Best Supporting Actor:
CHRISTIAN BALE - THE FIGHTER
Andrew Garfield - The Social Network
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Mila Kunis - Black Swan
MELISSA LEO - THE FIGHTER
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

Best Animated Feature:
Despicable Me
How To Train Your Dragon
TOY STORY 3

Best Original Screenplay:
Another Year
Black Swan
INCEPTION
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech

Best Adapted Screenplay:
127 Hours
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Best Editing:
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King's Speech
THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Best Original Score:
How To Train Your Dragon
Inception
The King's Speech
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Toy Story 3

Best Original Song:
"If I Rise" from 127 Hours
"You Still Haven't Seen The Last of Me" from Burlesque
"I See The Light" from Tangled
"We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3
"SHINE" from WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

Best Cinematography:
Black Swan
INCEPTION
The King's Speech
The Social Network
True Grit

Best Art Direction:
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
INCEPTION
The King's Speech
True Grit

Best Visual Effects:
Alice In Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
INCEPTION
Iron Man 2
Tron Legacy

Best Costume Design:
Alice In Wonderland
BLACK SWAN
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit

Best Sound Mixing
127 Hours
Black Swan
Inception
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
True Grit

Best Sound Editing:
127 HOURS
Hot To Train Your Dragon
Inception
The Social Network
True Grit

Best Makeup:
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Barney's Vision
The Fighter


In terms of the most nominations, we predict the films leading the race will be Inception and The King's Speech with 11 nominations each. The Social Network and Black Swan should each receive 10 nominations. True Grit should score 9 and The Fighter is expected to get 7.

2011 Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globes TONIGHT (already!)... we all know that these are typically a very poor indicator of who will win the Oscar statues, but it's interesting to see the results anyway. Though we here at MoJo specialize in Oscar predictions, here are our predictions for the 2011 Golden Globe awards (which will likely closely align with our Oscar predictions). Note that these are only the movies predictions,  because let's be honest, no one REALLY cares about TV...

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network (X)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Halle Berry – Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman – Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence – Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman – Black Swan (X)
Michelle Williams – Blue Valentine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network
Colin Firth – The King’s Speech (X)
James Franco – 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling – Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg – The Fighter

Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right (X)
Red
The Tourist

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Annette Bening – The Kids Are All Right (X)
Anne Hathaway – Love And Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie – The Tourist
Julianne Moore – The Kids Are All Right
Emma Stone – Easy A

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Johnny Depp – Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp – The Tourist
Paul Giamatti – Barney’s Version (X)
Jake Gyllenhaal – Love And Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey – Casino Jack

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams – The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis – Black Swan
Melissa Leo – The Fighter (X)
Jacki Weaver – Animal Kingdom

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christian Bale – The Fighter (X)
Michael Douglas – Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield – The Social Network
Jeremy Renner – The Town
Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech

Best Animated Feature Film
Despicable Me
How To Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3 (X)

Best Foreign Language Film
Biutiful (Mexico, Spain)
The Concert (France)
The Edge (Russia)
I Am Love (Italy)
In A Better World (Denmark) (X)

Best Director – Motion Picture
Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan
David Fincher – The Social Network (X)
Tom Hooper – The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan – Inception
David O. Russell – The Fighter

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle – 127 Hours
Christopher Nolan – Inception
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko – The Kids Are All Right
David Seidler – The King’s Speech
Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network (X)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat – The King’s Speech
Danny Elfman – Alice in Wonderland
A. R. Rahman – 127 Hours
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – The Social Network (X)
Hans Zimmer – Inception

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Bound To You” – Burlesque /Music By: Samuel Dixon /Lyrics By: Christina Aguilera and Sia Furler (X)
“Coming Home” – Country Strong/ Music & Lyrics By: Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey and Troy Verges
“I See The Light” – Tangled/ Music By: Alan Menken/ Lyrics By: Glenn Slater
“There’s A Place For Us” – Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader/ Music & Lyrics By: Hillary Lindsey, Carrie Underwood and David Hodges

John's Top 10 Movies of 2010

Well, here it is - I have finally picked my favorites and here it is, my ten favorite movies of the year... In ORDER!

1. 127 Hours
2. The King's Speech
3. Black Swan
4. Rabbit Hole
5. The Social Network
6. Inception
7. The Kids Are All Right
8. The Ghost Writer
9. Toy Story 3
10. True Grit

Blue Valentine (**1/2)

How shocked was I to discover that Blue Valentine was not the spectacularly-emotional movie the trailer built it up to be, but rather a complete misstep in terms of simple story and character development. What has a concept for a great film ultimately fails and dies very quickly.

The story is disjointed, following two story lines of the same couple played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. One plot follows their meeting and 'falling in love,' while the second contrasts and presents the ultimate failure of their marriage. There is no in-between, and I think that's where the majority of my problem with this film lies: that one plot shows how they are allegedly 'the perfect match,' and the second one says no with no reasoning why it didn't work in the first place. When did they begin to fall out of love?

And that's basically it. The story has no plot - it's more situational and character-driven. Not to say that no plot isn't a good thing, but when you spend two hours watching 2 people fight and eventually divorce, what's really the point? It doesn't have a happy ending (clearly), and it really doesn't have a happy beginning, either. There's nothing much happening.

That's also not to say the acting isn't bad, either. In fact it's nearly flawless. Both Gosling and Williams easily switch from their younger roles to older - from blinded by love youths to emotionally-tired adults. The transitions are truly remarkable.

But, for me, the movie is a miss. What's the point of spending 2 hours watching two people get a divorce, anyways?

(Awards potential: Best Actor (Gosling), Best Actress (Williams))

I Am Love (****)

I'm sure many people will consider I Am Love to be mere melodrama - a film more focused on shock and startles than actual story. While I believe it to be a film that does take a few liberties in terms of development, I found it to be an engrossing, albeit slowly-paced work of art with a spellbinding performance from Tilda Swinton.

The movie, a small Italian film, will most likely receive little to no nominations from any major Awards, but this should in no way be a detractor from the film. The story follows a wealthy Italian family with their fortune made in the textile industry. Tilda Swinton, the wife of the heir to the fortune, is in many ways a trophy wife, a Russian-born who is there simply to complete the ideal family. She eventually discovers love and develops a fiery romance with her son's friend and business partner. The ending takes a shockingly-different turn than expected, but this isn't a film necessarily focused on telling a complete story and wrapping it up nicely. We as an audience are simply presented the facts then left to sort out the pieces and interpret as we will.

Stylistically, the film is stunning. Italy is presented so beautifully and lush, while so much of the Recchi's extravagant home is dark, cold, almost sinister. A broad symphonic score provides a rousing accompaniment, while the editing is non-linear and very much internalized to Swinton's character.

And then there is Tilda Swinton herself - has she ever had a 'bad' role? She easily has established herself as one of the greatest living actresses. The British actress meticulously plays an Italian with a Russian accent, and I understand she learned both languages in preparation for the role. There is never a moment when her performance on screen is anything less than brilliant. This film, along with Julia, are easily two of her best works, yet the Oscar-winning actress will most likely not receive her second Oscar nomination for this film, even though this film is easily caliber for a win. As is typical with Oscar-voting, the smaller films often are forgotten, and this will surely be one stunning snub.

Overall a beautifully-shot, marvelously acted, and perfectly paced. Unfortunately I predict it will receive little to no recognition as one of the year's best films. Worth the viewing anyways, if only to see Tilda Swinton. She's a goddess.

(Awards potential: Best Actress (Swinton), Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography)

Animal Kingdom (****1/2)

Animal Kingdom is a brutally real look at the life of an organized crime family in Australia. While its thematic elements are dark to say the least, the story is told with such a cinematic eye and clever acting that it becomes an amazing film-going experience.

The film opens with one of the most disturbing and matter-of-fact death scenes I think I've ever seen. Right away we learn so much about Josh, this quiet teenage boy, left with no where to go. While the film seems to mimic the narrative style of films like Goodfellas as times, the story is unique and oftentimes much more gritty. There is nothing glamorous about the lives this family leads.

The cast is stellar, but Guy Pearce and Jacki Weaver truly steal the show. Pearce plays a detective tracking the family and set on protecting Josh in what ever way he can. Weaver plays the matriarch, the mother with a constant smile on her face as her family descends deeper and deeper into darkness. Her role is complex and so riveting to watch, and while she may be considered a villain at times, she also has moments of pure heroism.

There are several things working against this film in terms of awards potential, mainly its status as an independent film from Australia. While Weaver may be the film's best shot at an Oscar nom, that doesn't stop it from being one of the most finely-crafted films of the year.

(Awards potential: Best Supporting Actress (Weaver), Best Original Screenplay)

Rabbit Hole (*****)

While I consider 2010 to be a fantastic year for movies, I would still only consider a handful of them to be truly moving and revelatory pieces of cinema. Rabbit Hole in that sense is one of the best movies of the year, an honest, tragic, and inspired look at the lives of two people destroyed over the death of their son.

Nicole Kidman. Aaron Eckhart. While both have made fine films in the past, they give career-best performances in Rabbit Hole. The level of frustration and grief required in roles like these could easily be overdone and melodramatic, but these two actors understand the great balancing act required. What we are left with are two of the most honest and thought-out leading roles of the year.

Kidman is a revalation. The Others, Moulin Rouge, The Hours... Had she not recently won an Oscar for her turn as Virginia Woolf, this would be a shoe-in for the win. The majority of the film accounts for the suppression of her grief, all building up to one of the most heartbreaking and visceral emotional breakdowns I have ever seen on film. Aaron Eckhart's character is more focused on preserving the past, yet his frustrations are more visible and we are never quite sure who is the more stable in the relationship.

Rounding off one of the greatest casts of the year is Dianne Wiest, another Oscar winner (2 times) who would be a shoe-in for the win any other year. Wiest perfectly encapsulates the role of Kidman's mother, a woman also familiar with the death of a child, yet the two are never quite able to see eye to eye.

The film is a masterpiece in the way it documents the quiet lifestyle of the 'suburban family' and how isolated people truly are from one another. Although the film is heavily weighted down with mature and grim themes, there is still a great sense of wit and dark humor infused throughout the film. That is not to say it's a black comedy - but it does work so perfectly well as a means to create a full picture and emotionally-satisfying film. This film easily ranks right alongside Ordinary People, another masterful film dealing with similar topics of loss and separation.

Emotionally, this film left me devastated. It is rare that you see such a sophisticated level of film making on display. While this film is clearly a showcase for the actors, it is still one of the best of the year. Why Aaron Eckhart or Dianne Wiest aren't receiving more nominations for their work is frustrating and completely baffling to me. Likewise for the director and screenwriter especially. Hopefully, come Oscar nominations, Rabbit Hole will be duly rewarded.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Kidman), Best Actor (Eckhart), Best Supporting Actress (Wiest), Best Adapted Screenplay)