Thank God, finally a funny person doing the Oscars.  The 50 year old comedian who had brought us such classics like Coming to America, Beverley Hills cops, Donkey from Sherk and so many more characters will be hosting the 84th Academy awards. I can finally watch the show without boredom.  Thank you Eddie saving us

Buzz started circulating over Labor Day weekend that the 50-year-old comedian-actor was being considered for the host job. In some ways, it’s no surprise, since Murphy is starring in the upcoming film “Tower Heist,” which was directed by Brett Ratner –  who is also producing the Academy Awards show with Don Mischer. “Tower Heist” is set to open in November.

By selecting Murphy, the academy is returning to its comedic host roots. The academy attempted to court younger viewers, hiring James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host the 83rd Academy Awards in February. Franco, who in addition to hosting was nominated for a lead actor Oscar for “127 Hours,” was roundly trounced by critics for his lackluster performance; reviews were kinder toward Hathaway.

LA Times

Here’s our thoughts on this years Oscars, just a quick wrap-up of the nights proceedings and the awards handed out

Contest winner
stephlynette

Welcome to our Oscar Pre-selection show and contest. here we make our Oscar selection picks and also have a contest were you can win a couple of prizes for your own Oscar selection.

Best Original Screen Play                 The King’s Speech
Best Adapated Screen Play              127 Hours
Best Supporting Actress                    Michelle Leo
Best Supporting Actor                        Christian Bale
Best Actress                                        Nathalie Portman
Best Actor                                            Colin Firth
Best Director                                       Darren Aronofsky
Best Picture                                         Black Swan

Contest Rules.

Very simple post either on this video or at booredatwork.com you picks for the above stated Oscar category by 5pm on the 27th of Feb.

The closest answer to the winners fro the show win on of three prizes

Power Mat wireless charger
Creative lab HD web cam
Solar in car Bluetooth hands free kit

List of Reviews

True Grit
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/20/true-grit/

Winters Bone
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/20/winters-bone/

Blue Valentine
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/21/blue-valentine/

The Town
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/21/the-town/

The kids are Alright
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/18/i-mean-the-kids-are-alright/

127 Hours
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/19/127-hours/

the Social Network
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/20/the-social-network-yes-facebook/

Toy story 3
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/20/toy-story-3/

Rabbit Hole
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/21/rabbit-hole/

Black Swan
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/11/darren-aronofsky-does-know-strange-black-swan/

The Fighter
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/11/the-fighter-project-of-love/

Inception
http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/17/inception-the-mind-is-a-maze-3-levels-deep/

Every year at the Oscars, there is a film that surfaces that does not have a lot of fanfare, a lot of the recognition and celebration that many of the other films have; they lack big names, recognizable faces, and the immense resources of other films – instead relying on the talent of a combination of the production team, director, writers and actors.  Last year, that film was “An Education”; This year, it is “Winter’s Bone”

The story comes from a 2006 novel of the same title, a cold and desolate name with a lonely, cold mystery at its heart.  Written with the rural Midwest in mind, it is based on the tight knit circle of people who make Meth, and a girl that is an outsider trying to track down her father.  Without knowing where to go, or who to turn to and trust, she aimlessly searches for the truth.  Adapted for the screen, this tale is shot by award winning director Debra Granik, who has already won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance in 2010 for this film.

Granik shoots this film in a cold, dark way – leaving the subject matter feeling even colder.  The film truly has an isolated feel, partially because of the subject matter, partially because of the independent feel of the film itself.  The isolationism of the film as combined with the blue-gray skies of a rural winter in Missouri makes this film feel colder then it actually is.  The talents of Ms. Granik combine well with the subject matter, leaving one feeling empathy for the main character yet detached from her as well.

That character, Ree Dolly (as played by Jennifer Lawrence) has the innocence of a 17 year old but the stand-offish quality of the head of a family with little to no support.  This type of existence coupled with the knowledge and experience of a family member actively pursuing the production of Meth creates quite a sad, yet driven individual.  Her performance is breakout, and poignant, but not quite ready for an Oscar.

The flip side of this is Ree’s Uncle, Teardrop (John Hawkes) the standoffish, embittered Brother to the lost Dolly.  His character – though never quite showing his soft side – does show more range then I gave John Hawkes credit for.  His dark, brooding sense is the antithesis of Ree, yet he shows enough compassion and protection over her to keep her from serious trouble, which seems to be lurking around each corner for her.

As a whole, this film is a jumping off point for many careers; for Jennifer Lawrence and Debra Granik, it is a move into the ventures of film that come with a bright future.  For John Hawkes, it is a show of range and depth not previously seen or experienced.  Whether this wins an Oscar or not,  its principle devices have been made – a good film that improve and brings out the best of all involved.

Up Next: Rabbit Hole

On December 25th, after a day trapped indoors with the family and little else to do but eat, sleep and watch television, I decided to venture out with my friend, LOS, and catch a film.  Since I rarely make it to Maine, and since LOS is a huge (Huge is an understatement for this – monumental or colossal would be much truer in this context) fan of John Wayne films, and I am a consummate fan of the Coen Brothers, we decided that there was only one film we could settle on to watch and enjoy – True Grit.  As we seated ourselves without snacks in a row 3/4 of the way back, dead in the middle of the row, a group of late teens situated themselves behind us, and pontificated about the Coens for no less then 20 minutes, while Los and I laughed at the conversation; half was false insight, the rest was just dead wrong.  But then the lights dimmed, the teens quieted and the film began.  At the end, I knew for certain there were no less then 3 Oscar noms coming for this piece; in reality, there were 8 – but according to the rules, I must write about 5 of them.

Starting with last year’s winner for Best Actor, Jeff Bridges puts the grit into True Grit.  Only twice as a Best Actor winner repeated the following year – Spencer Tracy (for Captains Courageous and Boys Town) and Tom Hanks (for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump), so Jeff Bridges is staring into history just by being nominated for this role.  As Rooster Cogburn (Immortalized by John Wayne in the 1969 film True Grit) he brings the look of Bad Blake from last years win into a period piece with slightly less drunkeness and much more humor then I thought.  His comedic timing and down and dirty attitude anchored the film; his timing and humor gave levity at just the right moments.  It was amazing to sit in a 2/3 full theatre and laugh my ass off at some of the one liners he dropped, that the majority of people missed.  Even now, re-watching it – the humor and hilarity is there, in a dry way.  Be careful not to miss it.

The humor is in no part helped by the Coen’s Adaptation of the screenplay from the 1968 novel that bears the same name.  The Coen’s do have a way with the word, and from all accounts I have seen, this is a much more accurate adaptation from the novel then the 1969 John Wayne film was.  Taken – and narrated – from the female character’s point of view, it helps give us – the outsiders – a feel as an outsider should feel when embarking on an adventure such as this.  Combined with the intelligence of the Coen’s, the snappy dialogue and the little bits of humor gently sprinkled throughout makes this piece not only thoroughly enjoyable, but it subtly finds a way to keep you wrapped up and in non-stop.

By using the feminine perspective, they needed a strong female to lead the charge throughout this piece.  This is where Hailee Steinfeld comes in, the 14 year old protagonist who give us the perspective of the entire film.  The Coen’s settled on her, leaving the bulk of the film heaped upon her shoulders.  While I respect the choice, and understand the limitations of having a child to lead 2 past Oscar winners (Bridges, and Matt Damon) as directed by 2 time Oscar winners (The Coen’s won for Fargo and No Country for Old Men) her nomination is peculiar, as she really did not act much in the course of the film.  Yes, she said the lines, and pleaded at points, and panicked at others – but none of it felt particularly strong.  Though capably acted, there wasn’t anything of exception in the delivery.

Unlike last years product (A Serious Man) which only garnered a nod for Best Picture, this year the Coen’s have also gathered a nom for Best Director.  To me, that shows the measure of how serious and good a film really is in the age of 10 Best Picture nominees.  And the Coen’s shoot grand outdoor shots as good – if not better – then anyone in Hollywood.  They are very comfortable shooting in a landscape that is both grandiose and breathtaking all at once, plus when they are writing or adapting the script – you get a sense they are planning the film as they are writing it.  As they did with Fargo, and No Country for Old Men, you get a sense of comfort within them of the subject matter at hand that they have not had for their last few films.  Now, an adaptation of a novel that had previously been adapted and filmed 42 years earlier does not bode well for the Coen’s – but none the less, they have yet again created a masterpiece that is both visually and intellectually stunning.  It might not win a lot of awards – but it should win something along the line.

Next up: Winter’s Bone

Pixar’s Re-incarnation of this storyline is the second film in two years to make the list for Best Picture from Pixar, after last years hit "Up". A near annual mainstay for best animated feature, Pixar has been cracking into the Best Picture category after the 2010 expansion to 10 films. With this years Nominations, it is up for both Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Now we are all familiar with the overall story at this point – toys coming to life when there are no humans around see them, and they are able to live and survive in the fantasy world of children. With Toy Story 3, we see how the toys adapt to survive once their children are adults. Though thoroughly interesting, amusing, and clever – after 3 films and 15 years, the entire franchise seems played out. Because the toys are helpless to save themselves in the presence of a human, they end up in death-defying situations that they need to extract themselves from to survive. While widely entertaining, interesting and fun – the plot has been done so many times it almost feels tired when it shouldn’t. The dialogue is interesting, but can only go so far in an animation of this caliber, though the humor is will timed and wryly written, I think of other animations in the past that were better.

As far as Best Picture goes – no Animation has ever won Best Picture. Let me rephrase that to help it sink in: Never in the history of the Academy has an Animation won the Best Picture Oscar. Never. There are some tough factors working against it that will probably keep the academy from every voting one in. Toy Story 3 will not be the first – though entertaining, amusing and a good film, I have seen at least 3 films in the past 10 days that are head and shoulders better. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoyed Toy Story 3 – it was the second time I have seen it. But other then Best Animated feature, I do not see how this is going to win an Oscar.

Up Next: True Grit

Ok, all comments aside about me reviewing this film on facebook itself – I see the irony.  The horse is dead, no need to beat it.  Now lets walk away from that sleeping dog, and approach the subject at hand…

David Fincher is a visionary director.  I have always enjoyed his style – and taking something as dry as the creation of facebook, and making it into a meaty, interesting production is a feat unto itself.  Combining the uniqueness of David Fincher’s views cinematographly and the varied landscapes of the changing world throughout the story.  He creates a visually interesting piece of what could have been a relatively dry subject matter.  Within this, he directed a lovely piece (helped in no small part by Trent Reznor’s score, which in and of itself should bring home Oscar gold) but by shooting this in a non-linear style, it makes the subject matter not only more palletable, but increased the drama exponentially.

This, of course – was helped why a well written and organized script, that had both a build up to the drama, and an appropriate response to said drama.  Combined with a smart, fresh dialogue that was not only snappy but savvy.   The non-linear approach, as laid out through flashbacks of a mediation setting between all warring parties is a smart and fresh look at the preceding years; though non-linear In the overall story, the full timeline is smooth and without fail.  The dialogue between programers I think was probably a lot more witty and quicker in the film then in real life, as was a lot of the dialogue overall.  But – from a strictly script standpoint, it was a very strong entry.

A Best Actor nom for Jesse Eisenberg.  Was that really deserved?  Yes, he has starred in such greats as Adventureland, and Zombieland – but does that get him onto this list?  Being an “asshole” (as described in the film, not by this author) does not an oscar winner make.  Yes, his character was vulnerable, yes he was standoffish – but he had an amazingly small range, and a whole lot of sarcasm, none of which is a surprise or a stretch from an acting point of view.  He never made the character likable, nor did he make him a villian – somehow he found a middle ground covers neither, nor does it make him particularly interesting.

Up Next – Toy Story 3

This is one of the few films I have ever reviewed where I start and go “Do I really want to do this?”

Initially, I was excited – a James Franco/Danny Boyle project is a can’t miss, a sure film for me to not only enjoy but embrace.  It was one of those I had circled on my list as a “I can’t wait for this”.   Then I started, and the moment – the VERY MOMENT – I started the film, I felt a pang of regret.  It was like being a kid, getting to the top of the roller coaster in the very front car, looking down that big first drop and knowing there is no way for this to stop, its too late – your in for the ride.  Throughout the entire opening credits right up until the film’s title, thats how I felt; taken in along for the ride until we were on top of that second hill, and I knew everything was ok for now.

Danny Boyle’s multi-layered multimedia film creation is something of a wonder.  By using a scripted piece, like Ralston’s own camera, and other stylized elements, we see a unique vision as trapped in an inescapable place; he sets the score straight by Utilizing what appeared to be film in the daydreams, flashbacks, hallucinations, and nightmares, and video for things shown in real-time.  The schism he creates  between the falseness of dreams, and the fears of reality give an additional layer to an extreme screenplay.

“127 Hours” is adapted from Aron Ralston’s book “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”  and from all intents and purposes, the author has said it was very well and accurately adapted.  As lonely as this script (and book) could have been, featuring a man alone in the wilderness (see: Castaway) the dreams, fantasies, and delusions give this an extra wrinkle that make this not only interesting but keeps you on the edge of your seat.  Much like Titanic, we all know the plot line to this, and how it ends; unlike Titanic, this film was actually good.

(Obligatory annual James Cameron bash – completed)

None of this would have been made possible without the performance of James Franco.  Of my generation, I consider him to be one of the finest straight forward actors.  In this, carrying a larger then normal portion of the film, he never struggled under the weight – instead creatively thriving with it, allowing the character to bounce, balance and go different places under his imaginative guidance.

All in all – solid film.  But for an Oscar, you need to be more then solid.

Next: The Social Network

In the vein of the great film “The Queen” we delve back into the life of the British monarchy for a film about her father, King George the VI.  Having read up and researched the varying opinions on this film, I found that most judge this to be little more then a made for TV movie put to the big screen.  Now, I know that a vast majority of us have HD televisions at this point in life, so i can see how some may have an opinion of such, but in watching this, I found it to be less Made-For-TV and more of a traditional British film, shot very precisely, without additional modern flair that might be the rule in many other dramatic pictures, especially in America, where drama needs to be epic.

No, in this case, the historical plot line, coupled with the rich and simple story of a man who was never meant to be king attaining such a right as his country reaches an impasse – leaving him to be the unifying force of an entire nation.  The screenplay was richly written, and sublimely creative, forgiving enough and vast enough to allow for all the subtleties of the actor’s craft to shine.  It is the fertile, rich soil which allows the talent to grow, spreading their branches far and wide

It is always the best and greatest measure of a dramatic talent when you don’t even realize who they are, just that they are there, in character, living this existence.  I spent the first few scenes of the film before I was aware I was watching Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth (Or, as many of us might know her, the “Queen Mum”).  Simply wonderful are the first things that come to mind with her; tender and endearing, she plays the stoic, tough wife of King George the VI.  This was the perfect role for her, as a loving disciplinarian, and as someone willing to go the extra mile, go the distance for her husband.

The ying to King George’s yang would lie with Lionel Lougue, as wistfully mastered by Geoffrey Rush.  He is every bit as important to King George as the King is himself.  As a quirky therapist, thespian and teacher, he shows less range then the other characters – but more empathy and heart then all the others put together.  He understand not only himself but the man he is working with, a simply mastery that is lightly touched upon with the gentle grace of solemnity.

Lastly, Colin Firth as the Stuttering King George the VI.  Firth likened the role to that of a pro athlete, that doing such an intense stutter utilize different parts of his body at different times.  What amazed me the most about his character is the regal-ness of him from beginning to end.  He held himself as a king, even as he struggled; the subtleties of his character is not only breathtaking to watch but amazing to comprehend.  By working to hard to emulate the former king’s speech patterns he channeled the king himself in a superb performance.

Easily one of the five best films of the year, brilliantly acted (as I stated to my friend, LOS “You know you have watched a truly amazing film where Geoffrey Rush is the worst actor in it and it is still simply brilliant”) and written.  This critically acclaimed film was a simply joy to watch; I expect not only Oscar gold for it, but that I will also be watching it again very soon.

Next: 127 Hours

Ever sit down, and listen to someone else explain a dream to you, and after 30 seconds, you want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them until their nose bleeds?

Inception is the exemption to that rule

In a masterfully layered storyline with levels of intrigue, depth of characters and creative writing, the vision of Christopher Nolan comes to life in an intersecting visual and mental landscape where the only limitation is one person’s mind.   I get the feeling watching this film, that Christopher Nolan walked into his first pre-pro meeting and described what he wanted and needed, and everyone laughed, told him it couldn’t be done.  And he simply got them to do it.

The stunning visuals start right from the first scenes, as they work one person’s mind to extract the data that they need – only to come up short, but yet not as he offers them the idea of inception, or planting and idea versus extracting information.  Working from this script framework, the instituting of different characters, levels and depth creates an impressive piece from a visual standpoint, and a rich, deeply layered plot.  Alas, the script is straightforward from a dialogue sense, and is only average in acting.  While the visuals and storyline make this movie impressive, it is not of Oscar’s caliber.

Next: The Kids are All Right

]]> http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/17/inception-the-mind-is-a-maze-3-levels-deep/feed/ 1 http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/11/the-fighter-project-of-love/ http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/11/the-fighter-project-of-love/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:34:26 +0000 Micah Hatch http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/11/the-fighter-project-of-love/ Some projects are just labors of love.  You need to take your time, work them, adjust, adapt, sell, re-sell, re-package and sell again – all without selling out.  Mark Wahlberg’s devotion and love to re-enacting the story of Mickey Ward is obvious, with the time and energy he took to salvage this picture time and [...]]]>

Some projects are just labors of love.  You need to take your time, work them, adjust, adapt, sell, re-sell, re-package and sell again – all without selling out.  Mark Wahlberg’s devotion and love to re-enacting the story of Mickey Ward is obvious, with the time and energy he took to salvage this picture time and again to get the story out is endearing; the people he surrounded himself with create a lovely picture of the darkness, despair and grittiness of Lowell, Ma.  Envision the film as a painting – the darkness of Dickey (Christian Bale) combined with the lightness of Charlene (Amy Adams) and all the colorful (language and otherwise) of Alice Ward (Melissa Leo) all painted with the masterful strokes of a brush by director David O. Russell.

But none of it would happen without the canvas – in the case, the script.

The script is a lovely rendition of what true life is like in southie, in Fitchburg and Lawrence, Lowell and Brockton.  There is a certain about of intelligence written into the lack of intelligence; there is a purity that comes with the portrayal of a class of individuals who find education a hindrance, are willing and able to look away from the local crack houses, and find drinking in the afternoon to be a cultural norm.  The dialogue is straight out of the worst bars and establishments along the Charles; in fact, it has been about 3 years since I have heard that level of cursing in such a coarse and rapid succession.  To write such true and honest dialogue has to come from someone who either experienced these towns on their own, or came from such an arena.

The colorful matriarch of the family, Alice, played in all its trashy goodness by Melissa Leo.  Strong and stubborn, proud and always playing the victim, she created a vivid character that was surprisingly and tender at just the right moments, and cruel and vicious with a balance of rash temper as anyone with a scotch/irish mother can attest to.  Though it does take 3/4 of the film before you see her true intentions and spirit come out, she does find this amazing way to keep you enraptured even when she is at her most volatile.

But she could not hold a candle to the Charlene portrayed by Amy Adams.  Smarter and opportunistic, she seizes what opportunities in life that come her way, without being a leech.  coherent yet aggressive, it was a wonder to see Amy Adams play a character with such a “dirt under the fingernails” mentality, a girl who as been around the block, and can see you coming from a mile away, and knows what the end game is before you even say word one.  Plus, it seems she got a Phd in Boston Swear-slang before the film began – because I haven’t heard cursing like that from a girl since my old commute used to take me down 93 to Quincy in 100 degree heat without AC.  Yes, I was cursing too, or being colorful with my language as my grandmother used to say.

Christian Bale as Dickey Englund.  My God.  The dedication to emulating his speech, his words, his mannerism and style – it was like watching someone dance with their mind, body and words all at the same time, while creating a character arc that is vastly different from beginning to end.  Like watching  child grow into himself – that was the development and movement within the character.  It was a thrill to watch – thats all I can say.

All of these elements are combined on the palet and painted onto the canvas by David O. Russell.  In a lovely balance of characters and story, he did aptly to get the information out, and in watching this, I think back to another greater-Boston based film, as there are a lot of similarities: Good Will Hunting.  As in both, there is an excellent story, and superb supporting character (Robin Williams won Best Supporting for GWH) and had a ton of nominations – but it just wasnt ready for prime time.  While David O. Russell’s day will come – this is not the day.

Next: Inception

He has this amazing ability to take things that the rest of us see, experience, take in, on a daily basis and twist them into the absurd, the grotesque, the plain and simple strange.  “Black Swan” is his latest creation to do so, by taking the ever so familiar ballet Swan Lake, and turning it inside out, creating a sense of dysfunction, disorder, and and chaos that leaves the viewer marveling at the beauty yet somehow catapulted by the results.  By focusing on the pre-production, the rehearsal and staging of the ballet, Swan Lake in itself becomes a macabre character in this plot of twists and turns, psychological horror and myopic characters solely fixed on their own goals.  His use of mirrors to accentuate and deepen the madness is a brilliant move, allowing the characters to see within themselves through the reflection; his use of chiaroscuro allows for depth in character, both freeing and exposing yet vastly dark and hidden, giving the audience mere glimpses at first of the darkness seething below.

This would be all for naught without the amazing work of Natalie Portman.  I dare say she has entered the “Heath Ledger” zone for character, commitment, and transformation with her role.  The level of commitment is evident every time she dances; the time, effort, and dedication it takes to work ones self into the shape to dance and move like she did is beyond my very comprehension.  Her character, and its transition from beginning to end is nothing short of amazing; to witness her shift is heart breaking and breath taking, delving so far into the character it is near impossible to see where the swans end and she begins.

It seems like every year I come across a film that hits all my heart strings, playing a beautiful chord within me.  Visually stunning, beautiful acting, acute and precise directing, solid editing, and accentuated by the most lovely use of sound.  Though more like “Requiem for a Dream” then “The Wrestler”, Aronofsky has a dark, yet sensual style to his film making that few will imitate, but none will emulate.

I think I might have found the perfect film for the 2011 Oscars.

Next:  The Fighter

]]> http://booredatwork.com/2011/02/11/darren-aronofsky-does-know-strange-black-swan/feed/ 1 http://booredatwork.com/2011/01/25/the-83rd-annual-academy-awards-nominees/ http://booredatwork.com/2011/01/25/the-83rd-annual-academy-awards-nominees/#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:57:58 +0000 Thunder E http://booredatwork.com/2011/01/25/the-83rd-annual-academy-awards-nominees/ Here they are: 83rd Annual Academy Award Nominations Best Supporting Actress Amy Adams – “The Fighter” Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech” Melissa Leo – “The Fighter” Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit” Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom” Best Supporting Actor Christian Bale – “The Fighter” John Hawkes – “Winter’s Bone” Jeremy Renner – “The [...]]]>

Here they are:

83rd Annual Academy Award Nominations
Best Supporting Actress

• Amy Adams – “The Fighter”
• Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech”
• Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
• Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”
• Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”

Best Supporting Actor

• 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”

Best Actress

• Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”
• Nicole Kidman – “Rabbit Hole”
• Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
• Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
• Michelle Williams – “Blue Valentine”

Best Actor

• Javier Bardem – “Biutiful”
• Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”
• Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”
• Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
• James Franco – “127 Hours”

Best Director

• Darren Aronofsky – “Black Swan”
• David O. Russell – “The Fighter”
• Tom Hooper – “The King’s Speech”
• David Fincher – “The Social Network”
• Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – “True Grit”

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

• Mike Leigh – “Another Year”
• Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson – “The Fighter”
• Christopher Nolan – “Inception”
• Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg – “The Kids Are All Right”
• David Seidler – “The King’s Speech”

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• “127 Hours” Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
• “The Social Network” Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
• “Toy Story 3” Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
• “True Grit” Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
• “Winter’s Bone” Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

Best Animated Feature Film

• “How to Train Your Dragon” Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
• “The Illusionist” Sylvain Chomet
• “Toy Story 3” Lee Unkrich

Best Art Direction

• “Alice in Wonderland” Production Design: Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
• “Inception” Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat
• “The King’s Speech” Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Judy Farr
• “True Grit” Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

Best Cinematography

• “Black Swan” Matthew Libatique
• “Inception” Wally Pfister
• “The King’s Speech” Danny Cohen
• “The Social Network” Jeff Cronenweth
• “True Grit” Roger Deakins

Best Costume Design

• “Alice in Wonderland” Colleen Atwood
• “I Am Love” Antonella Cannarozzi
• “The King’s Speech” Jenny Beavan
• “The Tempest” Sandy Powell
• “True Grit” Mary Zophres

Best Documentary (Feature)

• “Exit through the Gift Shop” Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz
• “Gasland” Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
• “Inside Job” Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
• “Restrepo” Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
• “Waste Land” Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

• “Killing in the Name” Nominees to be determined
• “Poster Girl” Nominees to be determined
• “Strangers No More” Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon
• “Sun Come Up” Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger
• “The Warriors of Qiugang” Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon

Best Film Editing

• “Black Swan” Andrew Weisblum
• “The Fighter” Pamela Martin
• “The King’s Speech” Tariq Anwar
• “127 Hours” Jon Harris
• “The Social Network” Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

Best Foreign Language Film

• “Biutiful” Mexico
• “Dogtooth” Greece
• “In a Better World” Denmark
• “Incendies” Canada
• “Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)” Algeria

Best Makeup

• “Barney’s Version” Adrien Morot
• “The Way Back” Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
• “The Wolfman” Rick Baker and Dave Elsey

Best Music (Original Score)

• “How to Train Your Dragon” John Powell
• “Inception” Hans Zimmer
• “The King’s Speech” Alexandre Desplat
• “127 Hours” A.R. Rahman
• “The Social Network” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best Music (Original Song)

• “Coming Home” from “Country Strong” Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
• “I See the Light” from “Tangled” Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
• “If I Rise” from “127 Hours” Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
• “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″ Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

Best Picture

• “Black Swan” Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
• “The Fighter” David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
• “Inception” Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
• “The Kids Are All Right” Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
• “The King’s Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
• “127 Hours” Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
• “The Social Network” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
• “Toy Story 3” Darla K. Anderson, Producer
• “True Grit” Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
• “Winter’s Bone” Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

Best Short Film (Animated)

• “Day & Night” Teddy Newton
• “The Gruffalo” Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
• “Let’s Pollute” Geefwee Boedoe
• “The Lost Thing” Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
• “Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)” Bastien Dubois

Best Short Film (Live Action)

• “The Confession” Tanel Toom
• “The Crush” Michael Creagh
• “God of Love” Luke Matheny
• “Na Wewe” Ivan Goldschmidt
• “Wish 143” Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

Best Sound Editing

• “Inception” Richard King
• “Toy Story 3” Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
• “Tron: Legacy” Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
• “True Grit” Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
• “Unstoppable” Mark P. Stoeckinger

Best Sound Mixing

• “Inception” Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
• “The King’s Speech” Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
• “Salt” Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
• “The Social Network” Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
• “True Grit” Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland

Best Visual Effects

• “Alice in Wonderland” Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
• “Hereafter” Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
• “Inception” Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
• “Iron Man 2” Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

Life can be inexplicably dark at times. All of us hit that time where we are at a low point; sometimes it is set into action by an event or chain of events, other times it is just for no other reason then simply “just because”. With the light times comes the dark. And by no means was this film light.

Set in an unspecified area of the US, Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) has been rotated out of active duty due to his injuries sustained in the course of battle. Reassigned to pair with Capt. Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) his new assignment is to read the script, and deliver the news to NOK’s (next of kin) that their soldier husbands/sons/daughters will not be coming home. Within this announcement, there is no offers of comfort allowed – simply an announcement and then they are on their way.

Dark and heavy, the writing task with this is no easy feat. The script in itself does some heavy lifting – even approaching such a terribly strong topic is heartbreakingly difficult. I simply feel emotionally drained just watching it – writing it, living every word in your mind before it makes it onto paper would be such and exhausting task that I cannot even comprehend it. 2 Main characters (Montgomery and Stone) gradually peel back layers hidden under combative soldiers, and expose the true men underneath; the vulnerable and compassionate, the lonely and the begrudging. You get the sense that as different as they might be, the more similar they actually are.

Oliver Stone once said of Woody Harrelson (Just before casting him in the role of Mickey Knox in “Natural Born Killers”) that Woody has an “inherent sickness to him”. There is a level, always brewing right under the surface that makes him seem like a slight sociopath – always knowing how to say the right thing at the right time. The was a decent role for him, giving him more depth as a person then I have seen from him in a long, long time. I fall back to comparing him to his character of Larry Flynt in “The People vs. Larry Flynt” where his character evolved, transformed, was deep, and he was wholeheartedly behind it. As Capt. Stone, he did a very solid job – but not spectacular to the point of and Oscar win.

When you sit back to watch this film, be ready. It might take you places your not ready to go. It might be heavier then you need to go, and it might leave you flat on your back afterwards. All that being said – sometimes you need to visit the dark places in life just so you can truly appreciate all the light around us.