The Directors Guild implausibly honored Hooper’s garish work; I’m counting on the Academy to correct that injustice and reward Fincher’s much richer, cagier achievement.
I’m betting on crotchety Academy voters thinking, “Melissa, your Variety ad was pushy. I’m voting for that nice True Grit girl.”
The visionary Fincher must escape the DGA curse. We command it.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale, The Fighter John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
In a strong year for crazy mamas, this Aussie wins, claws down.
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan David O. Russell, The Fighter Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
David Fincher, The Social Network Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, True Grit
Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams, The Fighter Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Every story element of this film, every frame, is designed to suit the prejudices of the Academy; if it can’t win Best Picture, then what’s an Oscar for?
A cartoon rendering of a mind-bent crack addict, but Bale gives it a wild snap.
I’ll take the scarily authentic Hawkes over Bale (too self-conscious). I’d have sworn Hawkes was dug out of some dark hollow. Or prison.
Funny, sexy, sensitive, insightful and not a word out of place–a great humanist story.
Best Picture
Black Swan The Fighter The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech 127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone
Inception
Original Screenplay
Another Year
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
Maybe I’m being contrarian, but the riveting Franco did something I would have said was impossible: he made 127 Hours’ inevitable self-amputation emotionally thrilling.
As cool and complex as The King’s Speech is warm and obvious, Inception gets points for seducing a mass audience into following a multilayered, mysterioso epic.
I can’t just lie down and forget the most exciting movie of the year.
Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone
Mary
Will Win
Should Win
Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Richard
Will Win
Should Win
I’d happily pack all five of these for my desert-isle life, but this would be the one I’d watch first.
Props to Franco for his film-long monologue and to Eisenberg for playing the genius as Martian invader, but Firth gets my vote as the pent-up prince, furious George; the actor displays a delicacy and power the rest of the movie only aims at.
Creating what he called “the Citizen Kane of John Hughes movies,” Aaron Sorkin turned a series of courthouse depositions into a Mensa comedy-thriller.
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