I’ve looked at all the films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and now I’ve written about them all! Here are my general impressions of each film, and what ones I especially liked. Don’t forget to check out Tobiichi Karlsson’s videos summarizing her thoughts on all the Best Picture Nominees as well!
http://tobiichi.wordpress.com/
And now, let’s get cracking!
Her – Directed by Spike Jonze
In a Nutshell: The one where the guy falls in love with Siri.
Thoughts: This is one of the nominees that I believe will be remembered for a long time after it’s release, along with Wolf of Wall Street and Gravity. So I’d recommend everyone see this film as soon as possible. Probably the most fantastical of all the nominees, I wasn’t sure what to expect when starting this film. However, this may be one of the most interesting, emotional science fiction films I’ve seen in a long time. The role that social media plays in our lives and the development of computer technology are integral to understanding the relationship shared between Theodore and Samantha.
Will it win anything?: This film may be considered too ‘modern’ and ‘hip’ by the traditionalist leaning Academy board to win Best Picture, but the Original Screenplay award is probably going to be where the film can get recognition.
Standout Scene: The relationship goes through several ups and downs, but a severely tragic and emotional moment when Samantha tries to give Theodore a sexual experience between them, but through a surrogate body that does everything Samantha wants. It’s awkward, and maybe a bit too hard to watch, but its part of the continued expansion of the ideas and concepts that the film is working towards.
American Hustle – Directed by David O. Russell
In a Nutshell: The one where everyone’s got bad hair and trying to outsmart each other.
Will it win anything?: Jennifer Lawrence is well liked in Hollywood for her capabilities not just with dramatic roles such as this, but also her box office draw with the Hunger Games series. This is something they’re going to want to keep rewarding, and having her appear in the the Oscar Winners section again would be a bonus. However, the film itself, although well liked enough, is considered too obvious, or lightweight, to be a genuine contender.
Thoughts: A caper movie based on the FBI ABSCAM operation of the late 70s/early 80s, this film is a well acted, well produced and well directed, although it seems soulless in a way. I liked it, so if the trailer catches your interest than it’s a good time. All the actors are working at a professional level, with each of them bringing their own charisma and talent to severely complex roles. However, it’s not a film I intend to watch again at this moment, and I can’t see many reasons for it to be remembered beyond this Oscar season.
Standout Scene: It’s a pick between the different Jennifer Lawrence scenes, but I’m going with her dancing to ‘Live and Let Die’, after she sets her husband up in an act of petty revenge. It comes at a point where all the plots and schemes are at the tipping point for each character, and the scene serves a bulldozer moment.
Captain Phillips – Directed by Paul Greengrass
In a Nutshell: The one where Tom Hanks is on a boat with Pirates.
Thoughts: I’ve always enjoyed Paul Greengrass, whether it’s with his Bourne Trilogy, or even his dramatic retelling of United 93. Captain Phillips comes across as more in tune with the latter, where a frantic real-life scenario is portrayed in a semi-realistic, almost exhilarating manner. However, what I liked most about the was it’s ability to show at least a small sense of empathy with the pirates, where their plight and circumstances humanize them in a manner that most other interpretations of the events would leave out.
Will it win anything?: I was ready to consider Tom Hanks for best actor, although he ended up not getting nominated for either this or ‘Saving Mr. Banks’. As it is, there is a chance Barkhad Abdi can win Best Supporting Actor, which he would fully deserve, but the Academy seem to be leaning towards Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club.
Standout Scene: The desperation and agitation of all the characters is shown to gradually get bigger, and the final scenes are a great display of all the events coming to a head. Tom Hanks gives what may be one of his best performances, in a finale that demands the absolute most out of everyone involved in the making of the film. I’m very surprised Tom Hanks wasn’t even nominated after watching these final scenes.
12 Years A Slave – Directed by Steve McQueen
In a Nutshell: The one about slavery. Over the course of 12 years.
Thoughts: Of all the films nominated this year, this is probably the hardest-hitting of them all. Taking place in the midst of the era of Slavery in the American South, the story of Solomon Northup is shown in an occasionally brutal, always captivating fashion.
Will it win anything?: It’s been a front-runner for a while, with Best Picture being a key part of that buzz. However, it would be between this and Gravity to win the night, as both have been the key front-runners for a while. Adapted Screenplay is almost guaranteed, while Cinematography is also a possible choice. However, there is a possibility that this film will suffer the same problem that Brokeback Mountain had, where apparently not a lot of Academy voters went to see it, fearing it for whatever reason. There’s no clear front-runner for best Picture this year, and there’s every chance that this film will be the one that loses out. However, I hope that’s not the case.
Standout Scene: For an extended scene, we see each main actor performing to the best of their abilities. Michael Fassbender has to give across the complexities and true evil behind his character, Chiwetel Ejiofor has to display his true sense of helplessness, but it’s Lupita Nyong’o who has to give across the absolute pain and suffering that her character has endured constantly over the years.
Philomena – Directed by Stephen Frears
In a Nutshell: The one where an old woman reunites with her long-lost son.
Thoughts: The big British hope for the year, as long as you refuse to consider Gravity and 12 Years as actually British, this is a wonderfully charming road-trip movie. Judi Dench shows why she’s still one of the most respected and beloved actresses in the business, as her performance as Philomena herself is a joy to behold. Also impressive is Steve Coogan, who wrote and stars as the cynical opposite to Philomena’s bubbly, optimistic character. A genuinely adult story that looks at numerous aspects of faith, personality and legacy, the movie is at times heartbreaking, but always sweet enough to fully deserve it’s critical acclaim.
Will it win anything?: Again, it may be more likely that it wins a Screenplay award, but I don’t think it will win much else, even if I would love to see Judi Dench win. It received several BAFTA awards already, and I think that was the awards show that the film was more likely to be prominent at.
Standout Scene: An extended comedic sequence is a great showcase for not just Judi Dench, but also the fantastic writing and editing that the film excels at. I wish every film had a scene where Judi Dench just pops up out of nowhere to just give a long monologue about Mills and Boon books.
Gravity – Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
In a Nutshell: The one where Space is fucking scary. In IMAX 3D.
Thoughts: I’ve been singing this film’s praises since I saw it on the big ol’ 3D IMAX screen, so, I won’t go into too much detail here. All I’ll say is that it’s a great high-concept piece, so yeah, I reckon everyone should watch it. It’s an immensely entertaining action-thriller, which uses it’s one trick so well I don’t think it can be replicated in such a way.
Will it win anything?: Depends on whether the Academy is comfortable with film most people have actually seen being the film of the night. It’s well loved critically and commercially, but the Oscar usually goes to films that have more dramatic and complex themes and aspirations. In other words, this would probably do better if it was a biopic set in the 19th Century with a larger cast of actors. Snark aside, the need for people to see the film in 3D IMAX shouldn’t be ignored, as voters may only be watching the film on a DVD screener on a small TV, when it’s been celebrated as a technical, big-picture masterpiece.
Standout Scene: The entire intro to the film is something spectacular, where the whole thing feels like an adrenalin-rush of tension, excitement, and a whole mess of other emotions that is wonderfully directed and brought to life.
Dallas Buyers Club – Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
In a Nutshell: The one where Matthew McConaughey has AIDs, and takes on the system.
Thoughts: This film is an immensely well acted, very good account of a man who’s forced to question his bigoted and single-minded views when he is diagnosed with HIV. The film goes to great lengths to show how impossible and immense his survival is, and Matthew McConaughey gives a career-best performance that fully encapsulates the man.
Will it win anything?: Both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto have won several awards for their performances, including big acting awards at the Golden Globes earlier this year. At the moment, they are the front-runners for Best Main and Supporting Actor, which would be fully deserved for both performances. Leto does veer into an exaggeration of transgender people at times, but he gives a heartbreaking performance.
Standout Scene: Any time McConaughey and Leto are given the chance to work off one another is great to see, with their rocky yet endearing friendship being an especially good aspect of the film.
Nebraska – Directed by Alexander Payne
In a Nutshell: The one about an old man who thinks he’s won a million dollars. In Black and White.
Thoughts: This was a bittersweet, ultimately charming story about the impact that family, reputation and age can have on a town. The road-trip format is a familiar one for the film’s director, but here it seems as if Alexander Payne has perfected what he presented with the Descendants and Sideways.
Will it win anything?: Again, I don’t think so. It’s too low key and not flashy enough, And is the sort of film that isn’t well known enough to get anything other than a screenplay award. Bruce Dern may be in the running for Best Actor, but there hasn’t been much buzz.
Standout Scene: Family dinners and gatherings all have their fair share of tension, but in this film, it all comes to a head in a scene that brings out the worst in some people, but also the best. Old rivalries and favors come rushing back, as each family member demand they get a cut of the million dollars they believe Woody has won, and his family have to stand up for him and his character in a way that shows exactly what sort of person Woody has been all these years.
The Wolf of Wall Street – Directed by Martin Scorsese
In a Nutshell: The one about stock-brokers and parties and drugs and sex and all that sorta stuff.
Thoughts: One of my new favourite Scorsese films, this will probably end up on my best of list by the end of the year. A 3 hour exploration of hedonism in it’s purest form, the film never seems to stop, and feels akin to a mad orgy of sex, drugs, and dodgy dealings. Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance as Jordan Belfort is nothing short of a masterpiece, and proves once and for all that he is one of the finest actors in the entire industry. Jonah Hill is also impressive, showing his versatility in a role that comes across as far more demanding than his previous work.
Will it win anything?: If it does, it won’t be any of the main awards. The film has been controversial since its release, with accusations that it glorifies the lifestyles of its characters. I don’t believe this is the case, but such ideas have been widely spread throughout the Oscar season, and it could work against the film.
Standout Scene: Ever wanted to see Leonardo DiCaprio take a large amount of very powerful Quaaludes, then struggle to even walk down a flight of stairs without flailing and crawling like the world’s most inhibited turtle? It’s an intensely comedic moment in a film that expertly matches different styles of genre and film-making together.
That’s it! Special thanks go to Tobiichi Karlsson, who came up with the idea for the Oscar Weekend.
May next year have even more great films for me to watch and write about!
Adam Likes To Watch 