The Oscar nominees were announced yesterday and surprisingly, Hugo leads with 11 nominations, ahead of The Artist with 10. A bit behind are Moneyball and War Horse with 6 nominations each, and The Descendants with 5. Life is never only black and white, so I’ve decided to mention at least one reason why each of the 9 movies nominated for best picture should win, and at least one reason why it shouldn’t. I did list them from worst to best (in my opinion anyway) so I won’t appear completely spineless:

Best Picture – Back to the Past (6 period films)

9. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Why should it win? Because it’s based on a book by Jonathan Safran Foer who is a really great writer. It’s an ambitious and stylized movie that benefits from a fantastic performance by Max Von Sydow.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s extremely kitsch and feels incredibly self-important. It’s an exploitive movie in the sense that it tries to milk the viewer’s tears for a tragic historic event (9/11).

8. The Artist

Why should it win? Because it’s an imaginative, clever and stylized homage to the silent film era; it’s a love letter from director Michel Hazanavicious to cinema in general and to Hollywood in particular (Hollywood will probably repay the love letter with an Oscar in return).

Why shouldn’t it win? If a silent black and white film that was made in the 21st century will win the Oscar it could set a dangerous precedent: Next year we’ll be seeing Moving images that were produced on revolving drums or a movie that will be shown in a Kinetoscope (both inventions that came before the silent film era)…

7. Hugo

Why should it win? Because it’s magical, beautifully shot and naive in a good way. As the cliche goes, this movie is suitable for both children and adults alike. And as a bonus Hugo co-stars Sacha Baron Cohen.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s a bit too long, and a bit too sad considering that kids are its main target audience.

6. The Tree of Life

Why should it win? Because you get to admire the guts Terrence Malick has, creating such a non-communicating movie (long sequences of exploding galaxies and quarreling dinosaurs come to mind). It’s also beautifully shot and directed.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because after you have rejoiced at the sight of people following 10 minutes of solar systems, you realize that you’re in for an uneasy viewing experience: a family with young children who are suffering under the hand of their abusive father.

5. War Horse

Why should it win? Because you just can’t be cynical about this movie, even if you try. It’s moving, nostalgic and even a bit uplifting. It’s kind of strange in the sense that it feels like a family oriented movie despite scenes of soldiers being executed and horses being shot in the head. Seems like Spielberg may have had some sort of an unlikely and impossible combination between E.T and Private Ryan in mind, and somehow it works.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s basically a love story between a young man and a horse.

4. Midnight In Paris

Why should it win? Because after almost giving up on Woody Allen (When You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Whatever Works and Scoop were all bad or mediocre), this movie brought many to believe in him again. It’s witty, clever, nostalgic and magical.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because Woody Allen doesn’t really care about the Oscars, he’s received many of them and one more wouldn’t really make him happy or even happier. He couldn’t care less whether he’ll get the Oscar this year or if Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 will (He didn’t even attend the Golden Globes ceremony).

3. The Help

Why should it win? Because it has a fantastic ensemble cast of female actors, all of them giving excellent performances; and also because it’s an uplifting movie that carries an important message in the spirit of Martin Luther King.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because the only reason the hilarious Bridesmaids wasn’t nominated for best picture is the fact that it had a scene of a woman pooping in the sink. Although no one from the female ensemble cast of The Help poops in the sink, one of them poops in a pie (poop = no Oscar).

2. Moneyball

Why should it win? Because many who don’t know a thing about baseball were still captivated throughout the entire film; Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill both give memorable performances, the dialogue is witty and cynical, the story fascinating and the pacing - perfect.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because Moneyball presents baseball as a game of numbers and not as a game of people; players are being traded as if they were objects.

1. The Descendants

Why should it win? Because it has a very intelligent and mature outlook on death, responsibility and loss; it manages to be emotional and moving and at the same time also very funny. The acting by every single actor in the movie is top notch.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s a heartbreaking movie and our heart is a fragile organ.

Since there are still plenty of important categories, but only limited internet space, I’ll refer briefly to the other notable Oscar nominations:

Best Actor – Friendship on the Line

The two best performances this year belonged to the two buddies – George Clooney and Brad Pitt. While Clooney already won an Oscar (for best supporting actor), Pitt is still Oscar-less. Maybe if Clooney wins he’ll give up his Oscar and give it to Pitt - Oscars arrive every year, but true friends are sure hard to come by.

Should be: Brad Pitt or George Clooney

Will be: George Clooney

Best Actress – The Usual Suspect

When portraying Margaret Thatcher, it feels as though Meryl Streep decided to take on the role she played in Julie and Julia - Julia Child, and make her passionate about politics and leadership instead of cooking and food. And so, in The Iron Lady we have Meryl Streep playing Julia Child playing Margaret Thatcher. Is it an Oscar worthy performance? I think so.

Should be: Meryl Streep

Will be: Meryl Streep

Best Director – Payneful Decision

In The Descendants Alexander Payne constructed a wonderful movie that doesn’t have one unnecessary moment in it. He brought the best out of all the actors in his film, and created a beautiful and most of all humane movie. In The Tree of Life Terrence Malick directed an ultra-stylized, offbeat and ambitious (many would say pretentious) film. I don’t think he deserves the Oscar for it, but since it’s his first movie in six years, the Academy might grant him the reward as an incentive to keep making movies.

Should be: Alexander Payne

Will be: Terrence Malick

Best Original Screenplay – Wiig VS. Woody

Bridesmaids was outrageously snubbed, and wasn’t nominated for best picture or for best actress (Kristen Wiig gave a star making performance there). Winning the Oscar for best original screenplay would be the only just compensation for the horrid injustice. Midnight in Paris is the first brilliant Woody Allen film in years, and can also be regarded as a worthy candidate.

Should be: Bridesmaids or Midnight in Paris

Will be: Midnight in Paris

Best Adapted Screenplay – Alexander the Great (and Aaron Sorkin the greater)

Moneyball’s screenplay was written by one of the best screenwriters alive today – Aaron Sorkin. Just like in The Social Network, Moneyball also totes a witty, cynical and clever script that made me become fascinated about a subject that doesn’t really interest me (Baseball. I’m not really into Facebook either, and was also captivated by The Social Network). The Descendants also has a great script by Alexander Payne, but not as sharp as Moneyball’s.

Should be: Moneyball

Will be: The Descendants

Best Animated Movie – The Chameleon

After we surprisingly found out that The Adventures of Tintin wasn’t nominated, we were left with only one serious candidate in this category. Rango is funny, visually stunning, and witty. It’s great for a family outing, and great for fans of Westerns who can appreciate the many references to the classics of the genre.

Should be: Rango

Will be: Rango

Best Foreign Movie – Israel VS. Iran (Part 1?)

Winner of the best screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival, Footnote is a psychological and clever movie about an ego clash between a father and his son, a clash between traditional and modern, between two methods of thinking, between two brilliant and eccentric professors. It is overwhelming proof that Israeli cinema has more to offer than just war movies. A Separation, which will probably be the winner in this category, is also a good and powerful drama, but a bit too slow for the average movie goer. Are the Americans going to give the Iranians an Oscar and take out their nuclear program? It’s a give and take I’m willing to accept.

Should be: Footnote

Will be: A Separation

Technorati Tags: Oscars, nominees, Hugo, The Artist, Moneyball, War Horse, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer, Max Von Sydow, silent film, Hollywood, Michel Hazanavicious, Sacha Baron Cohen, The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick, War Horse, Spielberg, Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen, The Help, Bridesmaids, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, The Iron Lad, Alexander Payne, Kristen Wiig, Aaron Sorkin, Rango, Footnote, A Separation

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Christopher Korbel is one of those New York Writers who lives in Los Angeles. When he is not writing or watching other peoples writings, he run’s ceremonial toast advice service, at Make-A-Toast.com. Connect with him on Jinni here.

Spoiler Alert…

The 2010 Oscars may be old news, but their cultural significance lives on. The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, Crazy Heart: The Best Actor nominations from these films are emblematic of how men see themselves, as people and professionals, in 2010.

All three stories are about men with established track records of success in professions of high risk and reward. These are men of conflicting impulses: Preferring to work independently, yet excelling as mentors; abjuring recognized authority, yet rigorously adhering to a personal code.

The most unsettling of unanimously shared values is that they all reject their homes due to a strong desire for the Open Road. They all delight in living hermetically in the most estranged of environments.

These are deeply flawed men, self-indulgently burying themselves in sex, alcohol and possible annihilation of the body and/or soul. Similar anti-heroic figures have been around since the 1950s and while the settings of these three films appear modern, you could easily substitute trains for planes and Japan for Iraq. Crazy Heart could have taken place sixty years ago with the most minor of alterations.

What are up-to-the-minute in these films are the attitudes and beliefs of these men. They are outwardly charming fellows with highly articulated rationalizations that serve as both coping mechanisms and justifications for why they defiantly live in opposition to accepted social values. They are proud of their apparent self-knowledge, enthusiastic about living by their own lights. They appear to take responsibility for the downside of their talents. These particular embodiments of contemporary masculinity could only come-of-age in a world of Bill Clintons, Tony Robbins and Mark McGwires.

These protagonists are the opposite of Romantics in every sense. They establish their reputations in working worlds that are predominately male. What few women they interact with fall into the categories of neutered co-worker, transactional sexual encounter, or exemplar of domesticity. When these men attempt to make a meaningful romantic connection, to embrace their essential humanity, they inevitably meet with failure. The deficiencies in their personal development due to a lifetime of self-centered choices make any other outcome unrealistic.

In the end, they return to the solace of their careers; maybe wiser, maybe more open to others but also knowing that their professional success will always be their greatest point of self-definition. (“I am my work, nothing less and nothing more.”)

By contrast, consider three other critically acclaimed Leading Man performances from equally popular films of 2009. First, in District 9, newcomer Sharlto Copley gave a heart-breaking portrayal of a nebbish middle manager who gets in over his head and literally loses his humanity. In I Love You Man, Paul Rudd experiences all the joy, confusion and anger of a budding friendship while also trying to come to terms with marrying his longtime girlfriend. Finally, in Up, Ed Asner offers one of the best performances in any animated film, using only his voice to depict an embittered man who has loved, lost and is driven by guilt to complete a lifelong quest. He is constantly being forced to transcend his pain and longing for the sake of a young stranger.

All three roles are equally authentic observations of contemporary masculinity, but instead of dealing with professional ambition, they treat matters of the heart. Maybe these men were overlooked because their performances forced them to deal with qualities of emotional vulnerability that are off-putting for our society to directly address.

I offer two reasons why these nominated icons of contemporary masculinity seem to resonate more with the Academy. One, I think half the people who enjoy these films see these protagonists as idealized versions of themselves: “Yes, I am a failure in marriage and family, but it’s the sacrifice I make as a Brand Manager.” Two, I think that living in an era of vocational uncertainty, some viewers enjoy indulging in the Schadenfreude of these cautionary tales of misplaced ambition.

Who knows if in a decade the sensibilities of such films as Up in the Air, The Hurt Locker and Crazy Heart will appear dated or ahead of their time? All I know is, I found these three characters journeys to be revealing of the perceived emotional reality of today’s man.

Technorati Tags: movies, film, hurt locker, oscars, academy awards

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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

Popularity: 7% [?]

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

Popularity: 4% [?]

And the Oscar Goes To… (Find Out Here First)

The Oscar nominations have been announced! But here at Jinni, we got our hands on the list of winners!! It wasn’t that difficult, we just told the guy with the envelope to look over there. While he was busy looking for something extraordinary, we opened the envelope, took out the list, copied it with our cell phone (smart and slick, we know) and put it back in the envelope. He never noticed.

So there you have it. More than a month before everyone else, we give you the list of winners:

Best Movie: Avatar

The Academy went with the people and chose Avatar as Best Picture. Saying that Avatar is not a good movie these days is like saying that Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts aren’t tasty. Avatar is about to receive, or maybe already received, the status of sacred cow. Nevertheless, I dare to say The Hurt Locker is a way better movie and so are Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air and The Blind Side. I think that Avatar is a genocide movie in 3D, visually amazing but with too-obvious political criticism and a general lack of plot and acting.

Best Actor: Morgan Freeman

I disagree with this pick too. Freeman is a great actor, one of the best ever, but he wasn’t at his best in his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Invictus. It’s like he did us a favor and made a really slight effort to make a decent South African accent. It could be his most unconvincing acting to date. I guess it’s a Scorsese-type Oscar: He deserved one for many of his previous works (The Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy), so the Academy is giving it to him this time as a compensation prize. The winner should have been George Clooney for his excellent role in Up in the Air.

Best Actress: Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep was brilliant in Julie and Julia. Some say she resembled Julia Childs even more than Julia Childs, but I think it’s a real shame that the Oscar didn’t go to Sandra Bullock, who might have to content herself with a Razzie . Bullock gave the performance of her life in The Blind Side. I fell in love with the character she played. And while Streep will probably receive more nominations and prestigious awards in future, this was kind of a one-time opportunity for Sandra Bullock. Meryl Streep is becoming the Michael Jordan of the best actress category: She is nominated almost every other year. So I guess that makes Sandra the Karl Malone of this year: Truly great, but Streep (Jordan) is the greatest.

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker

The Academy members didn’t miss the chance to make history, and Kathryn Bigelow is the first female director to receive the Oscar for best achievement in directing! She managed to create a truly tense, realistic and captivating movie with The Hurt Locker. Of the many movies that dealt with the Gulf war (Jarhead and The Messenger, to name just a few), The Hurt Locker is indeed the best.

Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds

For many, Inglourious Basterds marks the return to form for Quentin Tarantino. Who can alter history in such a way and get away with it? Only Quentin the mad-genius / movie-geek / child-trapped-in-an-adult-body Tarantino. You can be offended by Inglourious Basterds, you can say it’s cruel and too violent, but there is one thing you can’t do: You can’t take your eyes off the screen. Also worth mentioning: The Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man. The dialogue is really clever, and I enjoyed their dark, mean humor.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher for Precious

This is a good choice. Precious is a brave movie that talks about “the other,” the social misfit. Precious deserves the win – and it’s quite a surprise, with Up in the Air the obvious favorite in this category.

Best Animated Feature: Up

We all knew Up was going to win. The announcement that it actually won is just for protocol, like election results in Iran. Fantastic Mr. Fox was well-received critically, but financially it pretty much failed. With no Oscar in hand, Wes Anderson’s movie can be considered something of a flop.

Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon

I started watching this movie and stopped after three minutes and seven seconds. It’s in black-and-white and just too German and slow for me (at least the first three minutes and seven seconds). Ajami, my favorite in this category, is a captivating, rough movie about a poor urban neighborhood in Israel called Ajami. It’s up there with City of God, Amores Perros and Tsotsi.

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz

Bingo! No competition here. A brilliant performance by Waltz as the most charming Nazi villain (saying “Nazi villain” is kind of like saying “fat overweight guy”) of all time. You know you have to hate him – he’s a Nazi – but you just can’t.

Best Supporting Actress: Vera Farmiga

At the age of thirty-six and after superb roles in Running Scared, The Departed and Up In the Air, it’s now safe to say that Vera Farmiga is a big Hollywood star. She has quality written all over her.

P.S. Note that in the competition between the ex-couple Cameron and Bigelow, (each had 9 nominations), Bigelow wins, but not with a knockout (More wins to Bigelow, but Avatar did get the best pic prize).

Think the Academy was wrong? Think we’re bluffing and don’t really possess the list of winners? Comment and let us know.

Technorati Tags: Oscars 2010, Oscar winners, Academy Awards

Popularity: 7% [?]