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Tuesday 25 January 2011

Thoughts on Oscars

Ok, so my first proper entry, and it's about exactly what the blog title primarily suggests, and as promised in my first entry.  We have all the major buzz going on with awards season approaching (that's the real awards, not the pathetic Golden Globes, which don't believe in animation as real filmmaking, it would seem, and think it perfectly fine to suggest "The Tourist" and "Burlesque" as serious considerations for any award at all, even more unbelievably as considerations for "Musical and Comedy"....what the hell!!)  So, here are my thoughts, bearing in mind I have not seen all the nominated films myself; I am aware "127 Hours" is getting a lot of recognition, though having not seen it I cannot pass comment, and for all I know, it could storm the whole thing.

Best Actor - Colin Firth.  End of.  I am aware James Franco is a big contender, and loved him in "Milk", so perhaps....I doubt it though.

Best Actress - Hmmmm...let me think....will be VERY surprised if it doesn't go Portman's way....just for the time and effort put in!

Best Support Actor - Would actually love to see Rush get some recognition, cos it strikes me he is just as big a part of that story, and is clearly a genius, but apparently Bale actually STEALS "The Fighter" from under Wahlberg's feet, so I can't see this award getting away from him.  As a sidenote, I take the oppurtunity to sing the praises of Vincent Cassel, who was not nominated for his performance in "Black Swan".  Whilst this might be understandable when compared to the other entrants, I still wish this man would get a bit more recognition than he seems to.  This is not the first time he has missed out, and even if a lack of nomination for "Black Swan" is acceptable, the Academy's fawning over Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" whilst completely ignoring Cassel was a criminal oversight!

Best Support Actress - Apparently Hailey Steinfield is a phenomenon in "True Grit", but I see Carter in with a good chance, due to it being a high profile part, and of course being a departure from her few recent Burton outings.  Plus....Queens do well ;)

Cinematography - As my sister put it, due to the competiton this year, "people might die!"....Any of the four main ones for this one, I think!  Possibly "Social Network" for me actually.

Music - Oooh....I've only seen a couple of the entries, but Zimmer is a hard man to beat.....Reznor and Atticus did a great job with "Social Network" though; just like "Inception" the music really worked well.  Could be either for me, though this is a category where a "surprise win" for "Black Swan" or something really left field wouldn't....surprise me

Best Editing - If it were down to me, it would be for "Inception", simply on how much of an effort that was

Best Director - Nolan, Fincher or Boyle (my money would be on the former two)...Aronofsky did a wonderful job and I love the bloke, but I don't think the Academy will go that way yet, especially given the competition this year (which is great to see!) and of course there's a bit of politics in there.  It's similar to how Scorsese didn't win for most of his life....I think Aronofsky has that same "anti-award" feeling about his work...it will happen eventually, but not this time.

Best Film - Inception; Arthouse Hollywood Blockbuster, who would have thunk?  And by the guy responsible for the best Batman incarnation...can't see anything else taking that, even though I would point out the nominations are AMAZING this year!. It's great to see some quality cinema coming out!  Also...nice to see "Toy Story 3" is actually considered a real film, rather than just an animation (fuck you, Golden Globes!)  If "The Social Network" takes it, I won't be upset, and it's possible!

All of that is obviously just gut instinct on the buzz at the moment, but I'm hoping I'm on the money for at least some of if.  We shall see.

Next entry: Discussion of "Black Swan" and "Possession", the 1980's video nasty!

Thursday 20 January 2011

What's This All About?

So here I am heading into yet another weekend for which nothing is really planned, beyond reading more of "The Swan Thieves" (which it was agreed this evening would make an odd but exciting band name), having finished Steig Larsson's "Millenium" trilogy, which I will be blogging about at some point.  So apart from reading a bit, I'm not sure what to do with myself.  I guess I may be nipping out for drinks tonight, and perhaps, if I'm lucky, some jukebox hijacking (the local pub has a rocking one), unless of course there's some sort of entertainment there; the word "entertainment" is used very loosely, as it does tend to be pretty pants.  Beyond reading and going out for drinks with some mates and rocking the pub with some choons, however, who knows....  There is the fact that on Sunday I shall be seeing Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" (very excited...and it occurs to me there are a lot of swans entering my life at the moment....wonder what that means?) having dinner and then going out for more drinks in the evening.  But apart from reading, going out for drinks with mates, seeing "Black Swan", having dinner, probably at Nandos, and partying it up with some dudes....my weekend is due to be pretty unexciting.

I figure I should type up my first blog.  Knowing how to start a blog, the very first entry, the one you're reading, is a toughie!  Do you just go straight into a topic and hope people just find you interesting?  Will people find anything I have to say about film and whatnot interesting?  Am I simply writing this to myself?  I guess it doesn't matter; I enjoy it, though of course it would be nice to think somebody will stick with me, as I stick with others.

I feel I should say thank you to my friend Sam, who is also a blogger here; she text me her URL, I found the idea fascinating, and almost on impulse found myself designing this.  It sounds silly, but I almost feel bad, as it looks like I'm playing copycat and just ripping off what she did long before me.  Truth is she inspired this decision, and I thank her for letting me read her blog.....I simply had not thought about it until now. 

They say write about what you know or love.  Well thankfully both of those requisites apply to film...but why write about film on here when you have IMDB ("Internet Movie Database" for all you uncool kids not in the know)?  Well, I suppose it's the freedom; I do enjoy reviewing films on there and linking them to those people who are interested, but the freedom of a blog to write about whatever take your fancy, not being limited to one topic, was appealing, and as I do have interests outside of cinema (not that you'd know it sometimes), like music.....and films, I embraced the notion.  I just hope those people who are interested in my reviews on IMDB are willing to keep an eye on my blog.  God, the fear is to be boring, to not have anything to say....still, I shall aim for about two entries per week, or as things come up that I really want to talk about (even if it is ultimately to myself). 

Some people blog by video, some people keep things more personal by writing in a diary.....and some people have a life and don't do this sort of thing at all, preferring to spend their time out with friends.....real ones!  We can but dream.  Still, I'm a geek, and I hope to draw all the other geeks to me, by the thousand, simply by the power of words.....If the pied piper did it, I can do it....and I won't be drowning anyone in any sea, setting anyone on fire, or encouraging any other type of mass suicide, so that's got to be a bonus, right?