83rd Academy Awards

Okay, so I'm going to try and write this, but I haven't actually watched the awards yet. I promise, I really was trying to stay awake but, hey, I've had a long working weekend. Taking my knowledge from highlights shows, online videos and the winner's list, of course, I'll do my best.

First off, I've made no secret of the fact that I was pretty darn excited about the fact that James Franco was invited to host the awards alongside the enviously stunning Anne Hathaway. I didn't, however, think it through to the point which I have argued before now which is, scripted, I feel James can struggle with humour. Of course this sounds ridiculous given his occupation, and I realise that, but film and TV scripts aren't the same as forced humour that's meant to sound natural in a 'real life', as it were, situation such as the Oscars. It's a shame that his brilliant comedic side wasn't really used to its full potential and Anne was left to overshadow the handsome nominee for the most part. Particularly THAT part whereby she looked stunning in an androgynous tuxedo and he looked like a train crash (somehow unable to look away) in a hideously unflattering pink dress. Unfortunately the duo have been outrageously slated for their performance but it's not really all their fault, I think they probably did the best they could with the material they were provided.

Carrying on with the negatives (I'm really sorry, I promise some positives will follow) but I have to say I'm disappointed by just how predictable the Academy Awards are getting. I think the majority of film fans accurately predicted most of the winner's within minutes of the nominations being announced and, as far as I am concerned, this is not because these particular nominees outshone the others. For example, yes, I know I'm equally as predictable but it's my most decent argument, James Franco was more deserving of the trophy for Best Actor in a Lead Role than Colin Firth. Of course I adore the British gem that is Firth but somewhere down the line someone has failed to look at the fact that Firth carried (with elegance and talent, yes) a mostly serious, naturally British role with a slight humour, something not far from the rest of his resumé... Franco, on the other hand, consistently shows an amazing versatility in his roles, the gruelling portrayal of Aron Ralston in 127 hours (in comparison to, say, his comedic performances in Freaks and Geeks and Pineapple Express) being just one brilliant example. Really, this isn't just a massive homage to James Franco though I'm sure it seems that way, I would have been equally happy to see last year's winner and motion picture legend Jeff Bridges or geek chic newbie Jessie Eisenberg pick up the gong as well though we all knew that wasn't going to happen.

However, the evening did have it's fair share of highlights too, of course. Though, again, predictable, Natalie Portman's collection of the Best Actress in a Lead Role was greatly deserved and the effortlessly beautiful actress' emotional speech was equally pleasant to watch. Every single one of Anne Hathaway's dresses alone kept my eyes glued to the screen and performances and speeches from Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey and Randy Newman continued with the evening's entertainment's high quality.

In terms of other awards, I'm particularly happy that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross picked up the award for best score for their music on The Social Network, a film which, again, definitely deserved its wins. I was a little disappointed that the young Hailee Steinfeld didn't win the Oscar for supporting actress but she'll have many an opportunity in the future, I'm sure. I was also pleased to see the Animated Feature Film award go to Pixar's Toy Story, the kids film that managed to keep it's appeal after a decade. Halle Berry's dedication to Lena Horne was also a particular highlight as the previous Best Actress winner's face showed her own honest emotion as she commended the work of the legendary actress.

As for the most important award of the night, for best Motion Picture. Again, little surprise there as the gong goes to The King's Speech. It may sound like I have it in for The King's Speech, trust me, I was moved by it in the theatre, but I was moved to the point of excessive tears by Black Swan and was unable to get lines and scenes to stop their re-run through my mind for days after. I also think The Social Network was a serious contender for the film of the year and that the gong perhaps went to The King's Speech so as not to upset anyone's expectations.

I think I put myself into this year's Academy Awards with a little too much expectation and, sadly, I was a little disappointed but hopefully I'll have only good things to say when I finally get to watch the ceremony in it's entirety on Sky+ ( It seems a little bit of an anticlimax but I WILL watch it.) despite it's painful reviews.

127 hours

127 Hours, staring James Franco, dir. Danny Boyle.

released January 5th 2011

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlhLOWTnVoQ (Credit to Fox Searchlight)

New Year - New Leaf

Welcome to 2011. It's the start of a New Year and I'm bored of my writer's block so I've decided to turn this mofo into a full on vlog. Let's see how that goes....

Far from blind-sighted

I’ve yet to see Crazy Heart, but I’d say Sandra Bullock is the most deserving award winner of the year. And, no, I don’t mean for her shock Razzie (though, well done on that one, Sandy) I mean for her Oscar winning performance in The Blind Side. It’s a close call as to who really owns this movie though, between the two main actors, Bullock and Quinton Aaron, who plays main character, Michael ‘Big Mike’ Oher. Other than having a small part in Be Kind Rewind, 25-year-old Aaron hasn’t starred in anything of note before The Blind Side, which should be to him as Titanic was to Kate and Leo, as An Education has been to Carey Mulligan. A quiet and reserved boy for the most part, Aaron manages to capture the innocence and sadness of his character with barely a word coming from his lips. The upcoming actor then manages to convey a subtle character change as Big Mike becomes  talented, intelligent and loving young adult.

Bullock, on the other hand, perfectly switches between two personalities for the duration of the movie. Seemingly a hard business woman with a sharp wit to boot, the audience is quickly invited to see her character Leigh Anne’s more touching, maternal nature. This flawless  balance is what earned Bullock the Best Actress gong.

The execution of the film itself could be better. Though the plot, being based on a touching and emotional true story,  keeps the audience entranced throughout, and the constant humour makes the trauma more bearable, there are flaws from the start. The opening scene is a little off putting, with Sandra Bullock providing a somewhat confusing voice over to an American Football game. Though it may be stereotypical of me, given the genre of the film, I find it hard to believe that, there will be many fans of the sport in the audience. That being the case, you may find yourself wondering what you’ve let yourself in for as you glaze over the initial scene. In sticking with it, though, the roller coaster of emotion proves for an exciting watch, including an unexpected twist before the end. Flashbacks (and flash forwards) throughout also keep you at the edge of your seat and, some being a little misleading, make the ending even more poignant. 

[Insert obvious Kicks Ass related title here]

I’ve officially decided Kick-Ass is my new favourite film.

I saw the film nearly two weeks ago and it’s taken me so long to write up a review as I wanted to do it justice (and forgot the brilliant line I came up with whilst in the theatre.). Yet I probably still won’t.

Film lovers across the globe have been long-awaiting Kick-Ass due to its major hype, numerous magazine covers and controversial originality which could have caused the polar effect and left audiences feeling let down. On the contrary, Kick-Ass perfectly lives up to its hype, bringing us a film with so much good about it.

To start with, the originality comes from Kick-Ass being a rated 15, yet from the point of view of a teenage school boy with girl problems. With the on-paper potential to be a rubbish teen flick, Kick-Ass is actually ideally written for the older audience, entertaining with adult humour at the same time as taking you back to the same imaginative youth as the main character, Dave’s.

What’s more, despite the majority of the hype surrounding 13 year-old actress Chloe Moretz’s script, it still isn’t completely predicatable, managing to maintain the humour that the film revolves around, despite expectations.

Most important, though, is the superb cast. Not one actor lets the film down throughout, nor does anyone outshine the others. Brit actor Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy) is flawless as an American teen, and, despite being sometimes shy and timid in reality, is brilliantly unabashed in his role as Dave Lizewski. Funny man Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Role Models) also wows as the ignored son of the enemy, AKA Red Mist. Moretz takes to her role easily as well, and provides the ideal partner to Nic Cage’s Adam West inspired Big Daddy. Even the actors in smaller roles make the most of their time on screen making every moment count for something.

All in all, if you haven’t seen Kick-Ass by now, it probably means you’re not overly enticed by it. If that is the case, then there’s no argument you can make against it that can’t be remedied by seeing it. The likelihood is it will soon become most people’s new favourite film too.