With the winners of the 2010 Oscar announced, I have to say I’m very pleased. As deserved, Avatar didn’t win any major category: Dora the Explorer has better plot lines, and I’ve seen better acting in the drama class I took in school when I was seven. I knew The Hurt Locker was a good movie as soon as the movie ended, when I noticed that after biting my nails for two hours, I had reached the flesh and was left without fingernails. I was also very happy that Sandra Bullock won for her role in the Blind Side, and that Precious won best adapted screenplay. Kathryn Bigelow made history by becoming the first woman to win Best Director, but you have to admit that her movies are as manly as Tarantino’s.

While the Academy in some sense made an unconventional choice with the lowest grossing movie ever to win Big Picture, they followed the buzz and also chose a realistic drama, as we cited in our Oscar predictions. Still, our blog readers would have chosen Avatar, with Inglourious Basterds a close second, according to our Oscars poll.

Personally, I’m so happy with the results that I’ve decided to make my own little award ceremony, The Movie Genome Oscars, focusing on movies that really nailed one gene (mood or theme):

10. And the Best Parents and Children Oscar goes to: Sixty Six

This scene will make every child stop being embarrassed by his parents and start being proud of them, because in comparison to this particular parent, even the children of Mel Gibson, Britney Spears or Tiger Woods can feel proud.

9. And the Best Cooking and Food Oscar goes to: Cool Hand Luke

Is there a god? What’s the meaning of life? Why does evil exist? Is there life after death? All important questions that pale in comparison to life’s ultimate question, which was answered in 1967 by the movie Cool Hand Luke: Can one man eat 50 eggs?
Beside the Oscar the movie earned, it was also nominated for best supporting egg in the Leipzig Jumping Silver Rooster Film Festival.

8. And the Best Visual Gag Oscar goes to: Kabluey

To say that a movie is based on one visual gag usually means it’s not very good. In this case, one blue costume is more than enough. In the clip, Salman, the movie’s lovable loser protagonist, is stuck in his petty job as a mascot for some bankrupt company, and stuck in his blue suit with difficulty doing basic things like drinking and peeing.

7. And the Best Slacker Oscar goes to: Very Happy Alexandre

In the first half hour of the movie, Alexandre is constantly ordered to do certain tasks by his controlling wife. When Alexandre’s wife dies in an accident, he needs a rest from three years of marriage/hard labor, and rest by Alexandre’s standards means not getting out of bed… at all. I couldn’t find this clip with English subtitles, but the pictures speak for themselves. The movie’s universal and very important message is: Don’t waste your life doing things, take advantage of the limited time you have on this earth and do absolutely nothing!

6. And the Best Tense Scene Oscar goes to: Bad Day at Black Rock

In this western/thriller the tension just keeps growing and growing, and when you can’t take it anymore and feel like you have to get that releasing moment of action – it arrives. Spencer Tracy vs. Ernest Borgnine: It doesn’t get any better than this.

5. And the Best Switching Roles Oscar goes to: The Phantom of Liberty

Luis Bunuel is one of the greatest directors who ever lived and is known for his original and surreal ideas. In this clip, from what I think is his best movie – The Phantom of Liberty – some kind of a strange reversal has happened and now going to the toilet is eating, and eating is going to the toilet. Confused? Watch the clip and see for yourself.

4. And the Best Martial Arts Scene Oscar goes to: Yip Man

Hands down, this semi-biographical account of Yip Man (the first martial arts master to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun) is the best martial arts film I’ve ever seen. In the movie’s final scene, Yip Man (the Chinese protagonist, wearing black) is fighting Miura (The Japanese villain, wearing white). Yip Man was threatened that if he didn’t lose the fight on purpose he would be shot to death. How did he respond to the threat? Watch the clip and find out…

3. And the Best Mind Game Scene Oscar goes to: The Princess Bride

I think this is the most well known clip on the list. It’s safe to say that there wasn’t one person who shed a tear at the conclusion of it: Vizzini (inconceivable!) is probably one of the most annoying characters in cinema’s history.

2. And the Best Human Nature Scene Oscar goes to: La Strada

Zampano (Anthony Quinn), the movie’s main character has alienated the people who tried to get close to him. He thought he didn’t need anybody in this world but himself. In the movie’s final scene, in which he breaks down and cries, the big and strong Zampano finally realizes that he, like the rest of us, can’t do it all on his own, he also needs love and warmth (WATCH OUT: following is the final scene of the movie).

1. And the Best Emotional Scene Oscar goes to: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

A liberal white couple (Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, in Tracy’s last appearance) put their platitudes to the test. They always taught their daughter that all people are created equal, regardless of race or religion… until she unexpectedly brings home a black doctor (Sidney Poitier) and announces that they’re engaged. In the clip that concludes the movie (and Tracy’s career) you’ll find one of the best monologues ever seen on the silver screen – it might be a bit long by today’s standards, but its worth every second – they don’t make them like this anymore… (WATCH OUT: following is the final scene of the movie).

Technorati Tags: Oscars, Academy Awards, Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow

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A Look at the Genes of Tim Burton’s Greatest Films

Tim Burton’s adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice in Wonderland is finally coming!

To realize his vision of the surreal novel, Burton uses a combination of live action and the latest 3D motion capture technologies as seen in Beowulf and Avatar. Unlike most previous adaptations of the novel, this one should be both more complete and less child-oriented.

Looking at the genes from our Movie Genome that appear most often in Burton’s films, it’s clear that he tends to return to the same themes and visual styles time after time. This makes him a very consistent director, with his own distinct style. You can always identify “a Tim Burton film.”

So when has he achieved the best expression of his favorite genes? To celebrate Alice’s release and offer a fresh angle on Burton’s work, here is my pick of his best films featuring his most dominant Jinni genes.

Greatest Misfit: Edward Scissorhands (1990)
This romantic fantasy marks the beginning of a very long and productive collaboration between Burton and Johnny Depp. Depp’s interpretation of the queer, awkward Edward perfectly fits Burton’s vision of gothic darkness in the midst of peaceful yet narrow-minded suburbs.

Burton was always interested in misunderstood creatures and mysterious characters who just can’t seem to fit in, and in this film he creates one of the most gentle, endearing and bittersweet stories ever seen on screen.

Greatest Eccentric: Big Fish (2003)
Burton’s way of combining the real and the fantastic reaches perfection in this story about a dying father who recreates his life as a fantastic tale for his son. This nostalgic and somewhat sentimental movie has it all: romance, adventures and a beautiful, stylish look.

As in Edward Scissorhands (and almost all of Burton’s films), the main character is extremely eccentric. Burton loves the quirky: from the strange, imaginative boy in Vincent to Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, his characters are all unique. And perhaps that’s why we enjoy them so much.

Greatest Surrealist: Beetle Juice (1988)
This was Burton’s first real breakthrough, a low budget movie that met with unexpected success. Unlike later Burton films, which usually have a slightly sad, touching atmosphere, this movie is a comedy and simply aims to make you laugh.

It’s interesting to see that even so early in his career, Burton expressed himself with a surreal style and themes. And unlike many directors, he did not shift to heavier dramas of thrilling crime capers, but chose to remain in the realm of surrealism, whether it be a comic-like city (Batman), a huge candy factory (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) or singing and dancing skeletons (The Nightmare Before Christmas).

Greatest Gothic: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
It’s true that Burton repeats themes and styles, but do not mistake this to mean he does not like new ideas and interpretations: The strange combination of crime, horror and musical in Sweeney Todd is a perfect example of Burton’s love of the unusual. The regular cast of Depp and Bonham-Carter play the eccentric roles of a murderous barber and a cannibalistic widow. The dark, gloomy atmosphere of 19th-century Victorian London is captured perfectly.

Burton’s love of the gothic, which was already apparent in Sleepy Hollow and The Corpse Bride, rises to new levels here, with lots of blood and rain and black lacy clothes.

Greatest Stop Motion: Corpse Bride (2005)
Again we meet Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, only this time they appear in stop-motion animation. This style, which Burton already used in The Nightmare Before Christmas, suits him perfectly. The animation technique enables Burton to create a wonderful, magical underworld experience.

Greatest Camp: Mars Attacks! (1996)
“Mars Attacks” is generally considered to be one of Burton’s least successful movies, both critically and financially. Yet if we look at this wild sci-fi comedy in the way it was supposed to be looked at – as a B-movie parody – it is highly entertaining and funny.

And as far as camp goes – this is definitely Burton’s campiest piece to date: the outrageous costumes, the hilariously funny, bad-taste plot, and the quirky, cheap-looking effects make it a delight for B-movie lovers everywhere.

Already seen Alice in Wonderland and want to share opinions? Have thoughts on themes/styles we neglected? Comment and let us know!

Technorati Tags: movie, film, Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland

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The Oscars are just around the corner, and as excitement (or disgust, depending on your perspective) mounts, we want to share a few interesting insights from Jinni users and our Movie Genome.

Which movie should win Best Picture according to Jinni users?

Based on ratings by Jinni users, here are the 10 best pictures of 2009
There’s a 50% overlap with the Academy’s nominees…

1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Up
3. Avatar
4. Star Trek
5. Moon
6. Zombieland
7. District 9
8. The Hangover
9. 500 Days of Summer
10. Up in the Air

Notable genes of the Best Picture nominees

Before we get to predictions, it’s interesting to note that, due to the diversity created by having 10 nominees instead of 5 for the first time,  some of the most common genes among this year’s nominees are not nearly as prominent, if at all, among winners from the past. (Our control group is winners from 1950 to 2009.) Can we call them contemporary obsessions…?

1. Profanity (appears in 6 of the 10 nominees’ genes)
2. Parents and Children (a plot element shared by 5 of the 10 nominees)
3. Stylized (5/10)
4. Misfit (5/10)
5. Action (4/10; this genre characterizes only 5 of the last 59 winners)
6. Voice Over (4/10)
7. Racism (4/10)
8. Life Is a Bitch (4/10)

(If you’re wondering whether a certain Oscar nominee has a given gene, take a look at the Movie Genome on the right side of the movie overview page.)

Which movie will win according to the Movie Genome?

Looking at the genes of all Best Picture winners from 1950 to the present, as well as the genes of this year’s 10 nominees, we’ve come up with some Best Picture predictions…

Can a movie win if it’s not realistic?
Unlikely. 58 of the last 59 Best Picture winners get the gene “realistic” as opposed to “fantastic.” Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) is the one exception. Does this spell disappointment for Avatar, District 9, and Up?

Can a movie win if it’s not a drama?
Rarely. 49 of the last 59 Best Picture winners were dramas. Surprisingly, 5 nominees this year are not dramas: Avatar, District 9, A Serious Man, Up, and Inglourious Basterds.

Can sci-fi win?
It hasn’t happened since 1950. Can Avatar or District 9 change that? Note that animation (Up) has never won either…

Can non-blockbusters win?
It looks like the Academy tends to go with public opinion here. Only 15 (or 25%) of the Best Picture winners since 1950 weren’t blockbusters, indicating some disadvantage for this year’s Precious, The Hurt Locker, An Education and A Serious Man.

Can controversy win?
Probably not. The Academy seems to steer clear of this. Only 2 movies tagged “controversial” have ever won Best Picture since 1950. Bad sign for Inglourious Basterds?

By these measures, we’d have to put our money on The Blind Side or Up in the Air. That would be unexpected due to the buzz around Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Then again, choosing sci-fi or a non-blockbuster would be unconventional too. Looks like either way, the Academy is set to surprise us…

Technorati Tags: Oscars, Academy Awards, predictions, Best Picture

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