A Separation (*****)

There are many things that are troubling about this year's crop of quality films, especially considering the thin list of potential Best Picture nominees that could be deemed 'worthy' of the award. However, to see a film like A Separation made this year in Iran both renews my belief in movies as well as further demonstrates the lack of quality America seems to pump out. Here is undoubtedly one of the best movies of the year, of the decade, of the new century, yet many people have failed to see or even hear of it simply because it is foreign.

The film follows a couple, Nader and Simin, who are facing a troubling divorce, leaving their teenage daughter to decide with whom she will live. Nader lives with his elderly father who suffers from Alzheimer's. A maid is hired to replace Simin in the grandfather's care taking, bringing with her the entire narrative to the rest of the film. Without spoiling much of the rich, layered plot, an incident occurs involving the new maid that sets off a chain of events that leads to the destruction of both families and raises moral, religious, ethical, and philosophical questions regarding the law. The amount covered in the screenplay is vast, moving from the troubled situation the daughter faces at school, to the maid's extreme religious beliefs (even going to the point of verifying that changing an elderly man's dirty pants is not a sin).

This film has jumped to the top of Rotten Tomatoes 'Fresh' list with a perfect 100% score and has won virtually every foreign language film award that is offered, and yet it does not seem like enough. Films rarely have the power to involve me so deeply in the plot as well as have such a strong grip on my attention - subtitles or not. The story is one that is universal, bridging languages and borders. Iran is not a country torn by war, destruction, and radicals - no, there are everyday dramas unfolding all the time. What's amazing is not how different this Iranian film is from the United States, but how we are the same.

I don't think I will be able to speak highly enough of this film in one small post. Out of all the films I have seen this year, perhaps it is not my favorite, but it is undoubtedly the smartest. In years to come, I believe that the film people will remember most from 2011 will be A Separation, a film that will most likely fail to receive more than an Oscar nomination or two, but challenges what filmmaking can do and delivers a universal message that should resound with viewers everywhere.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Original Screenplay)

Golden Globe Predictions

The time is here! The awards show that no one really cares about but still watches to see celebrities get drunk: The Golden Globes! Years past have worked to transform the GG's from Oscar precursor to more or less a Hollywood hack (see The Tourist, Avatar, etc). Nonetheless, these awards still help to gain a clearer perspective on where voters may be looking, and overlaps between Golden Globes are not altogether rare. So without further ado, here are MoJo's predictions for tonight's gala:













BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
1.) Hugo
2.) The Descendants
3.) The Help
4.) War Horse
5.) The Ides of March
6.) Moneyball

The Golden Globes have proven time again that they have a stronger appeal for flashy movies with big-name directors. In a year of films focusing on human drama, one film stands out. Hugo seems like the likely winner tonight, but based on the Hollywood Foreign Press's love for either George Clooney or The Help (both films with more nominations), any of the top three seem like viable contenders.


BEST MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL or COMEDY
1.) The Artist
2.) Midnight In Paris
3.) Bridesmaids
4.) My Week With Marilyn
5.) 50/50

In what is perhaps the most assured winner of the night, The Oscar frontrunner should come out victorious over lighter fare like Bridesmaids (which still has a minute chance of pulling a Hangover upset). Woody Allen's Best Director nod could show stronger support that we may think for Midnight In Paris, but The Artist is considered locked.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
1.) George Clooney - The Descendants
2.) Brad Pitt - Moneyball
3.) Michael Fassbender - Shame
4.) Ryan Gosling - The Ides of March
5.) Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar

Geoge and Brad are the only two nominees here guaranteed a spot come Oscar time, and it seems these two are the only viable winners tonight. Pitt is making a strong showing with what many predict may win him his first Oscar, but The Descendants received the second-most nominations of the evening, and with everyone a fan of Mr Clooney, it should not come as a surprise to see him win the award in a photo finish.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
1.) Viola Davis - The Help
2.) Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
3.) Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
4.) Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin
5.) Rooney Mara - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Viola and Meryl, the two heavyweights from 2008's Doubt, will duke it out for the top prize here, and either one has a fair shot at winning. Meryl is a perennial nominee and winner and is a clear Globe favorite. The Help, however, showed stronger support with more nominations, and this would be Viola's first win. We predict Viola to take it by a hair, but don't be surprised (we won't!) if Meryl pulls it out in the end. This is the race to watch tonight.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL or COMEDY
1.) Jean Dujardin - The Artist
2.) Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50
3.) Owen Wilson - Midnight In Paris
4.) Brendan Gleeson - The Guard
5.) Ryan Gosling - Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Many see Dujardin as the only possible winner in this category and may see it as the biggest lock of the night. Don't count out Joseph Gordon-Levitt, though, already a Globe nominee from 500 Days of Summer and better known celebrity. His performance in 50/50 is said to be Oscar-worthy, and he could provide one of the night's most pleasant upsets and shouldn't be counted out of the race by any means.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL or COMEDY
1.) Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
2.) Charlize Theron - Young Adult
3.) Kristin Wiig - Bridesmaids
4.) Kate Winslet - Carnage
5.) Jodie Foster - Carnage

This is a category that can be narrowed down slightly. The little-seen Carnage and it's two nominees will cancel each other out (sorry Kate and Jodie!), and Bridesmaids was not necessarily praised for Wiig's performance. Theron has a shot, as does Williams, who perhaps has a better one. Many people are crying category fraud, though - was My Week With Marilyn really a comedy? No - but for now she seems like the one to beat.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
1.) Octavia Spencer - The Help
2.) Jessica Chastain - The Help
3.) Berenice Bejo - The Artist
4.) Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
5.) Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Here is a category where double nominations for a film may not work against it. Spencer has been building a rapport with the awards circuit and her powerful, comedic performance in The Help is not likely to go unnoticed. Chastain also has a fair shot at winning, having one of the best years of any actor in history. If love is great for The Artist, Bejo could walk with this, but I think the love for The Help will carry it to a supporting victory easily.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
1.) Christopher Plummer - Beginners
2.) Albert Brooks - Drive
3.) Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
4.) Jonah Hill - Moneyball
5.) Viggo Mortensen - A Dangerous Method

Yawn, one of the most boring acting categories I can remember. Plummer wins on sentimentality alone.


BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE
1.) Martin Scorsese - Hugo
2.) Michael Hazanavicius - The Artist
3.) Alexander Payne - The Descendants
4.) Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris
5.) George Clooney - The Ides of March

It may be foolish putting Payne so low on the list, as he has a great chance of winning. I feel that the love for Hugo and The Artist may perhaps be stronger, though, and either seem like a worthy and likely winner. Who knows, they may go head over heels to welcome Woody Allen back into the circle and award him based on reputation alone.


BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE
1.) The Descendants
2.) Moneyball
3.) Midnight In Paris
4.) The Artist
5.) The Ides of March

Payne has won this category before and it seems likely that he will again for The Descendants. Moneyball is a close second, with last year's winner Aaron Sorkin penning what could be arguably a better screenplay than Social Network. Allen still gets the potential sympathy vote and wins by default, but for now, bet on Descendants.


BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE
1.) The Help - 'The Living Proof'
2.) Albert Nobbs - 'Lay Your Head Down'
3.) Gnomeo & Juliet - 'Hello Hello'
4.) W.E. - 'Masterpiece'
5.) Machine Gun Preacher - 'The Keeper'

This is the category that rarely matches with the Oscars and awarded Burlesque a Golden Globe last year. Your guess is as good as any, but the love for The Help seems like it will carry it to a win in this category, though the haunting theme for Albert Nobbs is equally deserving.


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE
1.) The Artist
2.) War Horse
3.) Hugo
4.) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
5.) W.E.

The winner in this category has gone on to win the Oscar for the past 4 years running, so the most sensible choice is The Artist, whose score perfectly captures both the era and sound of silent pictures. John Williams would be a welcome winner with his rousing work on War Horse, or last year's winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, though it seems like they may wish to spread the love a little bit.


BEST ANIMATED FILM
1.) Rango
2.) The Adventures of Tintin
3.) Arthur Christmas
4.) Puss In Boots
5.) Cars 2

Yes, for the first time the Pixar nominee has absolutely zero chance of a win. As it has been all year, the award will be between Rango and Tintin, each deserving. I tip it in favor of Rango if only for the Golden Globe's love for all things Johnny Depp.


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
1.) A Separation
2.) The Skin I Live In
3.) The Flowers of War
4.) In The Land of Blood and Honey
5.) The Kid With A Bike

A Separation seems like the only probable winner - a film that has been declared 'a masterpiece' by virtually every film critic living (and probably dead).


There you have it! Our predictions for the 2012 Golden Globe Awards. Let us know what you think!

The Iron Lady (**)

For me, no movie was anticipated this year as The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep's glorious return to the screen and what would be perhaps one of the most acclaimed performances of her illustrious career. The teaser and theatrical trailers promised Streep's ever-present wit, attention to detail, and perfect ear for dialects and accents. Margaret Thatcher, as it were, was perhaps the role she was born to play. How disappointed I was to find The Iron Lady not only an imbalanced mess, but one that was so poorly conceived of that it threatened to dampen what was perhaps the best performance given by an actor in the past 3 years. Yes, I believe Streep has outdone even herself, but the film she finds herself in is perhaps one of the worst of the year.

Told through flashbacks (as all Oscar wannabe's seem to be), we see glimpses of Margaret Thatcher's reign as Britain's first woman and longest-running 20th Century Prime Minister. And do I mean glimpses. The film, set in what is presumably modern times, shows Thatcher as delusional, slow, and ever-losing her grip on reality. These flashbacks to her political days are so brief that they account for what feels like no more than 30 minutes of the entire film. What we are left with is Thatcher, old, decrepit, and constantly at the sympathy of her staff and daughter. Is this movie called The Iron Lady or The Crazy and Slightly Soft Lady? Where is the powerful Thatcher who stood her ground amidst trials and war? Yes, we see instances of her leadership as Prime Minister, but they are all out of context and not presented in a clear cohesive manner. Not to mention that Thatcher is still alive to this day. What would you think if you went to see a biopic made about yourself and your life's work only to see it focused on your medical problems today, after you're out of the public spotlight?

And here is the dilemma with the film. Yes, the movie was fatally flawed from the screenplay stage, but Meryl Streep has truly never given a better performance since perhaps Sophie's Choice. Here she is completely immersed in her character, disappearing entirely behind Oscar-worthy makeup and costumes. There is no more complete performance from this year, male or female, and the Oscars would be justified in giving Streep her LONG overdue 3rd Oscar. But will they reward such an historic performance hidden inside a mediocre film? I hate to say that it seems doubtful. The film is technically well made and the only flaw is truly with the script, but it is such a gaping error on the filmmakers' part that it is a wonder how so many people agreed to make the film in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, The Iron Lady is not a bad film along the lines of Gigli or Plan 9 From Outer Space. It is a film that could have been (dare I say) great were it under the helm of a different director, editor, or screenwriter. The focal point of the film is marvelous Meryl Streep, who is the sole redeeming feature to this movie. Will Oscar give credit where it is due and look past the film? Hard to say. If nothing else, we have yet another film that solidifies today's greatest actor as perhaps history's greatest actor of all time.

(Awards potential: Best Actress (Streep), Best Makeup, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score)

Official Oscar Nomination Predictions

In less than 48 hours, we will officially know the nominees for the 84th Academy Awards. Thus far, the field has remained wide open in several fields. Some films seemed locked in many categories as of now (The Artist, anyone?) but others present Academy voters with difficult choices - narrowing down a field of dozens of nominees to just 5.

Based on the various awards presented thus far in the season, here are MoJo's official predictions for the nominees. See how we do come Tuesday morning!



BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
The Help
War Horse
Moneyball
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

This year the Academy has shortened the required nominees - it can be a field anywhere from 5 to 10 nominees, depending on how high they are placed in the voting. 'The Tree of Life' has taken a nose dive in the past month and 'Midnight In Paris' has exploded on the awards circuit. There seems like a possibility of a 'War Horse' or 'Moneyball' snub in place of 'Drive' or 'The Ides of March' - watch out for potential spoilers!


BEST DIRECTOR
Hugo (Martin Scorsese)
The Artist (Michel Hazanavicius)
The Descendants (Alexander Payne)
Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher)

Following suite, it seems like Steven Speilberg could face a potential snub come Tuesday morning in place of a consecutive David Fincher nomination. These are the nominees for the DGA, the most accurate determinant of the Academy Awards. For now, these seem like the safe bet. Could Terrence Malick sneak in? We doubt it at this point.


BEST ACTOR
Brad Pitt-Moneyball
George Clooney-The Descendants
Jean Dujardin-The Artist
Michael Fassbender-Shame
Leonardo DiCaprio-J Edgar

The most vulnerable actor is DiCaprio - starring in a critically-panned film that has all but been forgotten. His snub could become a reality to be replaced by Michael Shannon in 'Take Shelter' or Ryan Gosling in either 'Drive' or 'The Ides of March.' Don't be surprised.


BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Streep-The Iron Lady
Viola Davis-The Help
Glenn Close-Albert Nobbs
Tilda Swinton-We Need To Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams-My Week With Marilyn

This may be the most established category of the year - as each of these five women have consecutively appeared on best actress lists from various awards. Glenn Close may be the most vulnerable, but don't bet against her. There are really no other women who stand a chance at a nomination aside from Rooney Mara or perhaps Kristin Dunst for 'Melancholia.'


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer-Beginners
Albert Brooks-Drive
Nick Nolte-Warrior
Kenneth Branagh-My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill-Moneyball

Another category where all the nominees seem essentially locked. Armie Hammer could sneak in in place of Jonah Hill, but considering the ratings of each film, Moneyball is the more likely choice. Viggo Mortensen for 'A Dangerous Method' seems like a long shot but the next safest bet.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer-The Help
Jessica Chastain-The Help
Bernice Bejo-The Artist
Janet McTeer-Albert Nobbs
Shailene Woodley-The Descendants

This is a 6 person field with only 5 slots. Can Melissa McCarthy score a nomination for 'Bridesmaids?' I would like to say no, but if the Academy chooses her, be prepared for Woodley to be pushed aside.


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist
Midnight in Paris
Bridesmaids
Tree of Life
50/50

'Young Adult' or 'Beginners' could squeeze in, but this seems like a safe bet. Is 'Bridesmaids' really a worthy screenplay? Perhaps, perhaps not. Either way, this seems like the safest category for the Academy to reward the film (if they see fit).


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Moneyball
The Descendants
Hugo
The Help
The Ides of March

This is a wide open field with room for 'War Horse,' 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,' 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,' etc. If the Academy loves George Clooney as much as is to be believed, expect him to score a Screenplay nomination for 'Ides' to go with Best Actor.


CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Hugo
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Artist

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' received a Cinematography Guild nomination, so theoretically it stands a better chance than say, 'War Horse.' 'Moneyball' could also pop up, or 'Harry Potter' if the Academy decides to do some rewarding. Either way, 'The Tree of Life' is almost guaranteed the win, so the nominations could go into more obscure places ('Drive' or 'My Week With Marilyn?').


ART DIRECTION
The Artist
Hugo
The Tree of Life
Harry Potter 7 Pt II
War Horse

Possible upsets: 'Jane Eyre,' 'Anonymous,' or 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'


COSTUME DESIGN
Hugo
Jane Eyre
The Help
The Artist
My Week With Marilyn

'Anonymous' or 'W.E.' could pop up here, but as of now all fields are covered with these 5 nominees: period pieces, biopics, fantasy, old Hollywood.


EDITING
The Artist
The Descendants
War Horse
Hugo
Moneyball

'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' would be the next safe bet, but these should be the 5 that are announced, give or take 'Moneyball' for 'The Tree of Life.'


MAKEUP
The Iron Lady
Hugo
Harry Potter 7 Pt II


Assuming there are only 3 nominees, those seem like the most likely choices, with 'Iron Lady' the seeming frontrunner. As of now, there are only 7 possibilities, as the Academy narrows down the field to 7. The other 4 are: 'Albert Nobbs,' 'The Artist,' 'Anonymous,' & 'Gainsbourg.' If 'The Artist' is going to be the big winner everyone says, then it will most likely replace 'Hugo.'


ORIGINAL SCORE
The Artist
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
War Horse
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Hugo

'The Artist' is the only lock, so theoretically 'The Help' or 'The Tree of Life' could score nominations for Thomas Newman and Alexandre Desplat, respectively. Both men are disastrously overdue for an Oscar, but their waits will most likely continue. 'Moneyball' could also prove to be the dark horse.


VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter 7 Pt II
Rise of Planet of the Apes
The Tree of Life
Hugo
Super 8

'Super 8' may be a long shot, but this could be the perfect place to honor that amazing film from the first half of the year.


BEST SOUND MIXING
Hugo
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon
Super 8
War Horse
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Possible spoilers: 'The Adventures of Tintin,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean 4,' or 'The Artist' in a long shot.


BEST SOUND EDITING
Super 8
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Adventures of Tintin
Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Honestly the sound categories could go in almost any direction.


BEST DOCUMENTARY
Project Nim
Bill Cunningham, New York
Hell and Back Again
Paradise Lost 3
Pina

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Separation
In Darkness
Mondieur Lazhar
Pina
Footnote

Narrowed down from a shortlist of 9 announced by the Academy

The Artist (Mo***** Jo*****)

Mo said:
As a sucker for old movies and classic filmmaking, I was always interested in seeing the modern-day black-and-white silent film The Artist. I was intrigued by the unique vision and risky filmmaking, but also skeptical that the premise of the film was merely gimmick meant to attract viewers, without substantial story to back it up. I was extremely pleased to find not only that the story was riveting and the characters well-developed, but the old-fashioned method of storytelling was appropriate and added immensely to the film’s overall experience.

The film chronicles a “riches-to-rags” story of famous silent-film actor and “artist” George Valentin. Without giving away too many spoilers, you can imagine what happens to Valentin’s wildly successful career as events such as the onset of talking-voice films and the Great Depression occur. An aspiring actress named Peppy Miller meets Valentin early on and is enamored of him and his success. Thanks to a helping hand from Valentin, Peppy is able to pursue her own career as an actress. The two keep bumping into each other throughout the film in a variety of different dramatic and comical situations, and their relationship evolves and changes beautifully. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows and everything in between, Valentin’s struggles, triumphs, relationships, and emotions are displayed to wonderful and dramatic effect.

The silent nature of the film makes visual acting of the utmost importance. Relative unknown Jean Dujardin plays Valentin, and is one of the most charismatic and easy to watch actors I have ever seen. After seeing how natural he is in this role, it is hard to believe that he isn’t actually a silent film actor. The talented Bérénice Bejo is the beautiful Peppy Miller; she provides tangible chemistry with Dujardin and perfectly develops the equally compelling character of Peppy.

If anything, the silent-film style added to the story and overall experience; it is hard to imagine it presented in any other way. Throughout the film, there are a few different “camera look”-type moments that happen among the characters where they seem to be aware, if even for a split second, they are in a silent film. For me, this completely removed any element of gimmick from the silent-film media and added yet another level of cleverness and wit.

I literally have almost no complaints whatsoever about The Artist as a film. The acting was insurmountable, the music superb, the filming astounding, and the screenplay magnificent. I laughed, I cried, I hoped, I despaired... right along with Valentin and Peppy. As far as I’m concerned, director Michel Hazanavicius has outdone himself and won the lottery on a risky gamble. It is a possibility that the Academy may see The Artist as too risky or too different, but it seems unlikely based on reviews and buzz about the film. The tried-and-true storyline may also be a limiting factor, but it is presented in such a unique way I can hardly see that happening, either. The best film I have seen this year and I would be thrilled and unsurprised to see it win multiple awards, including Best Picture, at the Academy Awards in 2012.

Jo said:
Opening with an impressive recreation of a silent film and the stars watching from backstage, the sudden eruption of the audience at the film's conclusion in utter silence is perhaps the most memorable cinematic moment I have had all year. The Artist is a movie that is an experiment in time: a test as to whether or not a film could still be told through actions as opposed to words, and whether such a story would still hold up with audiences. The answer seems to be a resounding yes, that movies remain a visual art first and foremost. That it can rise to be one of the best films of the year is a testament to the writing. director, and most of all the actors, whose faces are the sole means of communication.

There seems to be little more to say after Mo's reaction to the film. I began the viewing experience with hesitation - doubting whether or not this film would be faithful to the traditional silent movies as well as bring something new to the table, and I am amazed and delighted to say that this little French film pulls it off almost miraculously. The story, a basic love story a la Singin' In The Rain follows the rise of 'talkies' in Hollywood and the demise of a once-famous star. His adamancy against talking movies is not justified until the final moments of the film in a spectacular and subtle 'ah-ha!' moment. This is not a film that takes itself seriously, but rather celebrates cinema and all the idiosyncrasies that go along with it.

Yes praise should be showered upon the two leads, whose charisma leaks through the screen in an intoxicating bout of charm, but the star of the film has to be Uggie the dog. In perhaps what is the best animal performance I have seen in a movie, the dog steals the show time and again, preciously and heroically accompanying the protagonist through thick and thin, saving the day more than once.

If I had any problems with the film, it would be the simplicity of the narrative, but I catch myself and remember that this is an homage to the 1920's - a time when life is perceived to have been simpler. Movies back then didn't have such a heavy preoccupation on death or disease or war, but of the joyous celebrations of life and music. What more could you possibly want in a film?

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Dujardin), Best Supporting Actress (Bejo), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score)