Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

Seen on January 6th, 2011

The story of how an eccentric French shop keeper and amateur film maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Documentary Feature

I blame Kris Tapley of incontention.com for me seeing this film. I knew nothing about it, then, suddenly, it was his number one film of 2010... and I said: oh, shit, then it must be good. I knew already that it was the cool [eyes rolling] film of 2010, because people kept writing about it. And truth is: it's an interesting experiment, but I'll be damned if this is a real documentary. Plus, not to be ignored: it had the most annoying person/character on screen that anyone could ask for.

Those who've seen it know who Thierry Guetta is; didn't that asshole just annoy you? :) how can you watch a documentary when its center person is such a loser. That's why I never watch Jackass. The good stuff about Exit is that to me it felt more like a film than a documentary, and if you look at it as a film, Banksy's direction is pretty awesome.

My rating for the film: 7.5/10. Yes, I think the second part is quite directed and this is not a documentary about art, it's a directed experiment about how to trick people. That's why it shouldn't win Documentary Feature, in my opinion.

Inside Job (2010)

Takes a closer look at what brought about the financial meltdown. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Documentary Feature (WINNER)

I sometimes watch documentaries because they make me feel smarter. That's true: except when I see them for pure fun, like The September Issue or Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work - both of them terrific stuff. But back to Inside Job: I don't usually follow the Oscar race in this category, but this documentary caught my attention and I'm glad I saw it. It made me furious, but I'm happy it opened my eyes.

Someone called it the best horror film of the year or the scariest, and he was right. It's a terrifying documentary telling the truth about how American bankers fucked-up the world, and they're still doing it (yes, with Obama's approval). Nothing has changed, nothing will change towards better. What I appreciated about it is that it hits on both sides, Democrats and Republicans and that it was a very insightful material. It will probably win, but I can't judge on its competition, because the only other one I saw is Exit Through the Gift Shop.

My rating for the film: 8/10. Good stuff, especially in the second part.

TRON: Legacy (2010)

Seen on December 18th, 2010

The son of a virtual world designer goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Sound Editing

If there was a 2010 film other than Inception that required a big screen experience, this was it. To fully appreciate its fabulous moments, you need to see it on the big screen, with crazy sound all around you. Because when it's good, TRON: Legacy is fantastic; when the screenplay drops the ball, it's still interesting.

Arguably, the first 30 minutes of the film are the best I've seen all year. There's a fabulous cool mystical easiness to the beginning that makes the experience really special. The visual effects (minus Clu), the art direction, the costume design, the cinematography - all are fabulous and would've deserved Oscar nominations. And the original score, oh the original score: I still get excited about Son of Flynn - Daft Punk did an AMAZING job, so stupid that they were snubbed.

My rating for the film: 7.5/10. The film loses its focus in the second half, and I admit some might think I was too generous. But the visuals and the potential of the film - hard not to consider. Of course it deserves the Sound win, which will not happen.

Rabbit Hole (2010) (2nd time)

Life for a happy couple is turned upside down after their young son dies in an accident. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Actress: Nicole Kidman

Unlike in the case of Blue Valentine, watching this for the second time wasn't as difficult - which is part compliment, part not. Rabbit Hole is meant to be a film that moves you, something both heartbreaking and funny at times, a good character study and all of that. Unfortunately, I wasn't moved by it, not the first time, not the second time.

Nicole cries her eyes out, and while I can sense good acting all around, I wasn't touched by it and never really cared about the dead child storyline. What's to blame for that? I dunno, because I'm not sure what the purpose of the film is. John Cameron Mitchell's direction (I adored him in Hedwig) is quite special, quite subtle but, in my opinion, the pace that he sets for the film somehow stops it from being moving... something's too simple. Does that make sense? Rabbit Hole is like a beautiful painting for the most of it, and while I think the screenplay is quite smart, I didn't care for the film and the story as a whole, just for bits and parts.

Yes, Nicole is good. Aaron is ok and I was more impressed with him pulling off the perfect husband image - which I completely bought. The screenplay is ok, and the best scenes for me were easily the ones in the park. But Rabbit Hole is still difficult to rate, and I go back and forth, trying to figure out how I really feel about it.

My rating for the film: 7.5/10. It was a 7 after the first viewing, but the dialogues between the teen and Nicole's character really are something. However, the film never gets the emotional punch it needs, in my opinion.

Blue Valentine (2010) (2nd time)

The film centers on a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between two time periods. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Actress: Michelle Williams

I'm usually all for movies that make you think and are meaningful, but Derek Cianfrance's love child film is a bit too much for me; it goes too deep on the depressing chapter, making it terribly uncomfortable at times. For me, it's the classic example of a film that I much respect, but that I would never be able to love. Seeing it for the second time was even more difficult: yes, because it's real and on the spot, but so damn sad.

It's beautifully directed, the cinematography is lovely, the editing is efficient, the two performances are simply beautiful: Ryan especially, as he delivers one of his best. The screenplay is not the highlight, but there were scenes that I adored, most of them in the happy days part: "you always hurt the one you love" of course, their final love scene and the wise words of the grandmother. It's an honest film, but too pessimistic too often.

My rating for the film: 8/10. In all fairness, I think you need to be a bit of a snob to give this film an A. :)

Unstoppable (2010)

With an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, a veteran engineer and a young conductor race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Sound Editing

Of course, I wouldn't have seen this film had it not been for the Oscar nomination, and not because it's an action film: but because it's that type of action film, with a plot that you can easily figure out from the trailer, and that is simply filled with cliches.

And I was right: however, the Oscar nomination is really worthy, and the sound is fascinating in its own way; I liked the small touches of weirdness, like giving the train a monsterous sound and making it a character of its own. There's also a lot of editing going on, so I wouldn't have been surprised with a nomination for that also. Other than that, there are few special elements. The screenplay especially is quite challenging: they could've stopped the train in many different ways, but then we wouldn't have had a film, right?!

My rating for the film: 6/10. The acting is decent, the final chapter has one or two thrilling moments, but the rest is just predictable.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Seen on December 4th, 2010

The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home. [imdb]

Nominated for 5 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Animated Feature (WINNER)
Best Original Song (WINNER)
Best Sound Editing

The Toy Story trilogy was the best discovery I've made in 2010, and one that I am so very happy about. The first 2 films were fabulous: very creative and funny, and Toy Story 3 was no exception. The guys who wrote the screenplay are instant idols of mine, because I can only imagine how difficult it is to still make it sound fresh and create such wonderful dialogue.

This animated film is so well directed, there's not a single boring moment. Of course, I am subjective, because I was already a fan of the characters when I saw this - but when you get great writing and professionals working on it, how can you not be charmed. Its Best Picture nomination is one of the very few reasons I can accept a line-up of 10 films there, and of course: it will have an easy win for Animated Feature.

My rating for the film: 9/10. The almost-perfect, super funny animated movie.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Seen on November 20th, 2010

A young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed. [imdb]

Nominated for 2 Oscars:

Best Animated Feature
Best Original Score

2010 seemed to be another good year for animated, at least on a nominee level. I was a bit skeptical while approaching Dragon, because I suspected (and I was right) that the story was gonna be rather predictable, at least on the humans level of the screenplay. But even so: the writing was never meant to be its strength; the success of the film is mostly due to the incredible visual effects.

As much as I adore Toy Story 3, nothing can compete with the visuals from Dragon, which are simply spectacular: those scenes with the flying and big battle scene make for some of the year's best film moments. The direction is great, the film is well-balanced, with mostly just the right amount of cheesy. It's a worthy nominee in the animated category and the score nom is a nice touch, even though it has no chance of winning for either.

My rating for the film: 8/10. An entertaining film experience.

The Social Network (2010)

Seen on November 14th, 2010

A chronicle of the founding of Facebook, the social-networking Web site. [imdb]

Nominated for 8 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: David Fincher
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg
Best Adapted Screenplay (WINNER)
Best Cinematography
Best Editing (WINNER)
Best Original Score (WINNER)
Best Sound Mixing

This used to be the next Best Picture winner, but it sure isn't anymore. Had it reached that title, it would've been both a worthy one, but also quite the unusual film to make history. David Fincher has created another special film; David Fincher, in my opinion, is definitely one of the top 5 best directors working right now. The Social Network is not a favorite of mine, I don't see it as a classic, but it's damn well made.

As I said: the biggest strength is the direction, because otherwise how could you really sell Sorkin's screenplay (fabulous, but so difficult to do the right way); Fincher should've won 2 years ago for Benjamin Button imo, and I still hope he has a chance this year. The other nominations are more or less worthy, even though it's hard to believe they've ignored the best supporting male performance of the year: Andrew Garfield should've been there, he's the soul of the film and so good at it. I'm not that crazy about Eisenberg, but maybe it's just the type of character.

My rating for the film: 8/10. Not my favorite of the 10 BP nominees, but in the top 5 definitely. I'm not crazy about it because of its subject matter which didn't always grab my attention, because otherwise it's a fine film. And how cool are the visuals with Armie Hammer? :)

The Kids Are All Right (2010) (2nd time)

Two children conceived by artificial insemination bring their birth father into their family life. [imdb]

Nominated for 4 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Actress: Annette Bening
Best Supporting Actor: Mark Ruffalo
Best Original Screenplay

The film definitely felt a bit better the second time around: it's because looking at it again made me appreciate the performances more. Of course, Annette is fabulous, Julianne delivers a good performance, but Mia Wasikowka's acting seemed much better & more touching to me upon a second viewing. Don't start me on Ruffalo, though, I don't understand the buzz around his performance.

The screenplay is quite good, with good dialogue and a nice story. While the direction is mostly subtle, you can notice small elements that make it special and the editing of the film is dead on. Had we had 5 BP nominees, it wouldn't have made it: but I'm glad it did, it'a a small, special movie - and it might just hold Annette's all time best.

My rating for the film: 8/10. It has a good pace, it's never boring.

Salt (2010)

A CIA agent goes on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Sound Mixing

Talk about getting surprised once in a while by an action flick... there's not a single break moment in Salt or a lazy scene, as the action never stops: one great scene after another. Of course, it's not always that believable, but it's a decent screenplay, with twists and turns all the way. Hardly what I expected from the trailer.

Angelina delivers an unexpectedly good, profound, touching performance and she's so damn cool in those chase scenes. While it's not really one of the year's best, Salt is still an underrated film, as it was one of the most enjoyable 2010 films I saw.

My rating for the film: 7.5/10. Yes, it will get more than The King's Speech on my list :))

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Seen on October 24th, 2010

Because of his superhero alter ego, Tony Stark must contend with deadly issues involving the government, his own friends and new enemies. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Visual Effects

It sounds hard to believe, but I actually liked this film more than the original Iron Man; not that I'm that crazy about this movie, but I thought it was more entertaining and also more relevant & creative when it came to the special effects. It's a standard action movie, with some parts better than others, but the action scenes worked quite well.

Its visual effects, of course, cannot compete with Inception's, but it's a worthy nominee in this category. Robert Downey Jr. is just as fun as always and it's incredible how he can bring humanity and personality even in the most thin-written characters. The much underrated Sam Rockwell is a nice touch to the cast and all supporting players make the best they can.

My rating for the film: 7/10. You can't blame it for the action flick it is, and how exciting was the Grand Prix scene.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Seen on August 21st, 2010

19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror. [imdb]

Nominated for 3 Oscars:

Best Art Direction (WINNER)
Best Costume Design (WINNER)
Best Visual Effects

Was this film bad, or what? :) Of course, I'd never adventure with it the second time around, but what was Tim Burton thinking... Even if it would've been technically successful, which it certainly isn't, how could anyone get past the bad presentation of the story and the lack of rhythm that the film has.

I don't care what it's based on, but the screenplay in its final print is Razzie-worthy; the cinematography is too colorful, too fake, the art direction hardly impresses and the visual effects... sure, the giant head looks nice, but how about that fake countryside sky: can't they even film regular trees in the part of the movie connected to reality?! The background was a mess all throughout the film. However, the 2 good achievements are worth mentioning: the beautiful costumes, and I hope Miss Atwood wins, and the makeup which went unrewarded.

Strangely enough, the acting was not the biggest problem for me. I thought Johnny was just ok, nothing terrible about his acting and Helena Bonham Carter really delivered a fabulous performance - the whole film should've been just about her, no doubt about it. :)

My rating for the film: 3/10. Boring, boring, boring; Burton should've known better and he should've cared more.

The Illusionist (2010)

A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Animated Film

Coming back home from it last night, I wrote on the other blog: "The most beautiful animation I have ever seen; technically flawless. But it doesn't have enough soul" - and I stand by it, now, the day after. Because it did look gorgeous, like nothing I had seen before: the cinematography, if I can call it like that, it's incredible, the colors, the shots, the care for detail - hard to put into words.

But it still left me unsatisfied, especially the ending. Part of the fault, I think, is in the screenplay: I wish there would've been more of a story and I suspect it might've been an instant classic all around, had it had more dialogue and a writing I could relate to. The direction is great and I can only imagine the work that was put into the making of this film. Also, how silly it is that the Academy didn't recognize the marvelous music: which goes all throughout the film, without bothering at all.

My rating for the film: 7.5/10. How could I rate it? It's impressive, but I didn't emotionally relate to it. Hey, at least Despicable Me wasn't nominated.

Winter's Bone (2010) (2nd time)

A girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact. [imdb]

Nominated for 4 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence
Best Supporting Actor: John Hawkes
Best Adapted Screenplay

This movie was one of the pleasant film surprises I've had in 2010, because, while preparing to see it for the 1st time, I really expected it to be more Frozen River-like (which meant bad supporting acting and low production values). Instead, Winter's Bone has believable, relevant acting all around, the cinematography is efficient, the original score has the right mood and it all comes together nicely.

There's not much of a story in the film, but it's strength lies in the simple way it's crafted and in the charisma / right casting of leading actress Jennifer Lawrence, of which I'll write more on the other blog. John Hawkes and Dale Dickey give some very interesting supporting performances, while Debra Granik's subtle direction works fine, especially in the famous lake scene.

My rating for the film: 8/10. It felt nice even the second time around and I'm happy it got nominated: it's better than most of the front-runners.

True Grit (2010)

A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer. [imdb]

Nominated for 10 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Sound Mixing
Best Sound Editing

I have just seen it, so I'm still in the first impressions phase and have it fresh in my mind. It was a good film, it was an ok film. I've enjoyed it, but I still think it could've been better. By the end of the film, I felt a bit disappointed, maybe the story wasn't challenging enough or maybe the ending required more emotion, more passion.

The beginning is the best part and it's captivating storytelling. Jeff Bridges gives a good performance, but far from his best. Hailee is ok, but maybe a bit overrated; of course, her placing in Supporting is a category fraud, but I've seen much worse cases (Casey in The Assassination of Jesse James, for example). I was so captivated by the male characters in the second part, that I found her presence less oustanding than in the first half. I don't see what the big buzz surrounding her is all about, and in a race between her and Melissa Leo for the win, to me it should be a no-brainer victory for Leo!

Matt Damon delivers his regular ok, but I was very captivated by Barry Pepper's very short but terrific performance. He has come a long way since Battlefield Earth. :) The technical recognitions seem fair enough, but the Coens getting the nomination and not Christopher Nolan is kind of upsetting to me. True Grit is a film I like, it has its good moments, but to me it won't be one of the year's favorites.

My rating for the film: 8/10. I would've given it maybe a bit less, but it was pleasant to see.

The Wolfman (2010)

!!! I saw it in February 2010 !!!

Upon his return to his ancestral homeland, a man is bitten and subsequently cursed by a werewolf.

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Makeup (WINNER)

I was quite anxious about seeing it and I didn't expect too much on a screenplay level. And of course it didn't deliver on the story part, but the mood of the film seemed quite right. It's silly writing, it has a silly ending and the direction is not as steady as it would've been required. But it was easy to watch and the cinematography, art direction and costume design would've deserved more recognition.

Benicio delivered a good, strong performance, way above what the material required. I remember Anthony Hopkins to be quite ok in the role, nothing special, but Emily Blunt is also much above the screenplay, doing her best with such a cliched role. I am actually a bit surprised by the makeup nomination (really!), not just because I thought they had completely forgot about the film, but also because I remember there were a lot of visual effects in the transformation scenes, and we know people from the Makeup branch don't like it when it's hard to separate the actual makeup from the fx.

My rating for the film: 5.5/10. It will probably win it, considering Alice was unexpectedly snubbed.

I Am Love (2010)

!!! I saw it in December 2010 !!!

A tragic love story set at the turn of the millennium in Milan.

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Costume Design

I never would've suspected when I first saw the film that it would ultimately become an Oscar nominee. We knew it wasn't eligible for Foreign Language Film and we knew that Tilda would more likely not receive a Best Actress nomination, so imagine my surprise (and a smile on my face) when it got nominated for Costume Design!

I wanted to start with this film, not because I loved it, but because I really admire the nomination. The contemporary costume designs are fabulous and Tilda looks breathtaking especially in the first half - she never looked more gorgeous and luxuorious!

On the film itself, the highlight is the technical part, including art direction and gorgeous cinematography. Tilda delivers a very subtle, but good performance, not something I go for usually, but she was consistent and every small flaw is to be blamed on the screenplay. I didn't like the ending, I didn't appreciate the sudden change in the second act - but even so, it's a film I admire, because it has a very special look, a special style.

My rating for the film: 7/10. I will however point out the double standard when it comes to nudity. They show the naked woman from almost every angle, but never the man; one would expect more equality from an European film :)

Now that the Oscar nominations have been announced, I'll start posting about each of the nominated 2010 films that I have previously seen, mentioning the date when I saw the movie (actual date or approximation). I'll watch again some of them: the Best Actress ones, Inception, but most of them are either still fresh in my mind or here's a simple argument: why would I wanna see Wolfman again?! :)

The Shop on Main Street (1965)

Slovakia during WW2. Tono lives a poor life, but the fascist authorities offer him the chance to take over the little shop for sewing material, belonging to an old Jewish widow. [imdb]

Nominated for 2 (1+1) Oscars:

Best Foreign Language Film: Czechoslovakia (as a 1965 film) (WINNER)
Best Actress: Ida Kaminska (as a 1966 film)

I've been wanting to see this film for quite some time now and watching a black & white low budget Czechoslovakian film is definitely something different from the current wave of 2010 films I'm watching these days. The Shop on Main Street has been praised by many critics and it's regarded as one of the worthy Best Foreign Language Film winners. I found it to be interesting, but not a masterpiece.

The film is never difficult to watch, in the too slow kind of way. But even so, the first part is not as interesting / conflictual as the last 30 minutes which totally change the tone of the film. The two leading actors give some special performances and the direction is quite solid for the most of it. Even with such praising, I still feel however that the subject had lots of potential and could've been done in a better way, more intense and maybe with a better ending.

My rating for the film: 8/10. I would've went with less if it weren't for those 20-30 minutes in the second act when the film really becomes unpredictable.

Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966)

It tells the story of working-class artist Morgan Delt, obsessed with Karl Marx and gorillas, who tries to stop his ex-wife from remarrying. [wiki]

Nominated for 2 Oscars:

Best Actress: Vanessa Redgrave
Best Costume Design, Black-and-White

I was watching it and I kept thinking: what is this??? :)) it's not a comedy, because there was nothing funny about it. It has a wacky story and a screenplay that literally goes nowhere. It doesn't have a distictive style and there's nothing about the performances to stand out. The film looks just like another excuse for the director to push forward some socialism values.

And making them political is fine with me, as long as it all makes sense and it's not just thrown in there. The love story is virtually missing and the characters are painfully underwritten. The last 15-20 minutes are almost unwatchable and it's one of the worst, pointless endings I've ever seen. :) it's not a bad movie in the Glitter kind of way and I don't hate it, but it's so confused and confusing and unjustified that it gives no pleasure to the experience.

My rating for the film: 2.5/10. "Oscar" and Vanessa's performance should not be in the same sentence.

Georgy Girl (1966)

A homely but vivacious young woman dodges the amorous attentions of her father's middle-aged employer while striving to capture some of the glamorous life of her swinging London roommate. [imdb]

Nominated for 4 Oscars:

Best Actress: Lynn Redgrave
Best Supporting Actor: James Mason
Best Original Song
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White

This is one of those film you just know it was cool when it was released. And a bad film it's not, it just lacks a sense of direction and some experienced, more inspired writing. I did smiled at times, especially in the first half, but it's gets just really boring and unfocused at one point.

Lynn is clearly the star and she made me laugh at least in the Italian scene. She was just a 22 year old girl when she did the film and while you can sense the lack of experience, she definitely feels fresh and what the role needed. James Mason is fine, but nothing Oscar worthy, while the very young Charlotte Rampling is very sexy, bitchy and perfecty cast.

My rating for the film: 6/10. I'm sure it's a classic for many, but for me it doesn't succeed in any genre.

A Man and a Woman (1966) (3rd time)

A man and a woman meet by accident on a Sunday evening at their childrens' boarding school. Slowly they reveal themselves to each other. [imdb]

Nominated for 4 Oscars:

Best Director: Claude Lelouch
Best Actress: Anouk Aimée
Best Foreign Language Film: France (WINNER)
Best Original Screenplay (WINNER)

For many years now I've had Un homme et une femme among my top favorite 20 films of all time. When I first saw it, it blew me away because I hadn't seen anything like it before and I'm sure people from 1966 felt the same thing. Its unique qualities are the simplicity of the story and how sophisticated and well thought the execution is.

The highlight is not the acting, even though it's some of the most natural love story interaction you'll ever see on screen. It IS one of the best directed films I have EVER seen. The cinematography is fantastic, the editing is magic, the screenplay is pure and simple, the music is legendary. And then back to the directing: Claude Lelouch wasn't even 30 years old when he did this and I don't know how but he fitted the pieces perfectly creating such a balanced, marvelous, sophisticated, cool, great looking film. The last 10-15 minutes are bliss and relevant for the film's heart and emotions. The ending is superb.

I wanted to be them. I wanted to be with them.

My rating for the film: 9.5/10. More people should see this, especially if they have a weakness for well made simple romantic stuff. French movies rock.

Hamlet (1948)

William Shakespeare's tale of tragedy of murder and revenge in the royal halls of medieval Denmark. [imdb]

Nominated for 7 Oscars:

Best Picture (WINNER)
Best Director: Laurence Olivier
Best Actor: Laurence Olivier (WINNER)
Best Supporting Actress: Jean Simmons
Best Original Score
Best Art Direction (WINNER)
Best Costume Design (WINNER)

Last year I started pushing myself into seeing all the Best Picture winners, some for the first time, some again, in chronological order. The 21st Best Picture winner was definitely... difficult to watch or just not engaging. I didn't enjoy Hamlet and I found the incredibly long first half quite painful to sit through.

It's not the story, which I find interesting and we have the 2nd part to prove it. It's not the shakesperean dialogue, which I can get used to. It's the damn slow pace, the shaky direction in the first part and some unsatisfying acting. While watching the first hour, I was quite sure this was going to be the worst BP winner I'll ever see. Some casting choices are just crazy, but surprisingly enough it's the actress who plays Gertrude who delivers the best performance. Jean Simmons has nothing to do with any Oscar talk and Laurence Olivier... well, sometimes he's just perfect with the dialogue, other times he overplays the gay arrogant card.

On the good side, it has an efficient original score, the ghost scene is good and the last 30 minutes have a much better pace than the rest of the film. But even so: how snobbish were the Academy voters for choosing this over Treasure of Sierra Madre and Johnny Belinda, the two all-American favorites?! It's a win hard to explain.

My rating for the film: 4/10. I'm sure some adore it. I'm also sure many didn't get past the first 10 minutes.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) (3rd time)

The film focuses on the self-destructive relationship of history professor George and his hard-drinking wife Martha, as they invite a younger couple over for drinks. [wiki]

Nominated for 13 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: Mike Nichols
Best Actor: Richard Burton
Best Actress: Elizabeth Taylor (WINNER)
Best Supporting Actor: George Segal
Best Supporting Actress: Sandy Dennis (WINNER)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (WINNER)
Best Original Score
Best Editing
Best Art Direction, Black-and-White (WINNER)
Best Costume Design, Black-and-White (WINNER)
Best Sound

There are many things I like about this film and there are also things I think could've been done better or adapted better for the screen. But regardless of how memorable or not you find it to be, this is a very well acted, special film. Can you believe it was the directorial debut of Mike Nichols, who was in his early 30s at that time? Looking at the film, you'd think it has years and years of experience behind it. Because, while it's mostly about the performances, it all seems well glued together and this was not an easy play to deal with.

Elizabeth, of course, delivers her all time best and maybe the performance that really brought her the acclaim from critics; strangely enough, it would also be her last important role. Sandy Dennis did deserve the win, George Segal was quite great, but I need to say something about Burton. To me, this is his best performance I've seen him do, and that means a lot. Even after watching Man for All Seasons, I don't see how Scofield won the Oscar over Burton and over Michael Caine's delicously fabulous performance in Alfie. Burton might just have the most challenging and subtle role of the film and nobody could've done it better or been able to face just as well Liz's Martha!

The cinematography win seems worthy, even though some complain about excessive close-ups; I enjoyed it, it made the film look special. But while there's nothing wrong with the Art Direction and the Costumes, these wins are ridiculous: absolutely nothing to justify them. Moreso, the following year, the Academy stopped giving separate awards for B&A and Color, probably due to these 2 unfortunate wins.

My rating for the film: 8.5/10. It has parts that might be too slow, but it's overall an achievement. Also, I have to admit I might've changed the twist in the ending, as I think something ever more powerful would've helped the film's believability more.

Toy Story 2 (1999)

When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends vow to rescue him, but Woody finds the idea of immortality in a museum tempting. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Original Song

I have continued my way through the Toy Story series and I really didn't know what to expect from the second one. Thankfully, I thought it was great!!! Even with a bit of a slower beginning, the film totally manages to rise up quality wise especially in the second part, making for another fun, smart, animated film.

The screenplay is, just like for the first Toy Story, the best in show. Some of the jokes were hilarious and the creativity of the storyline continues to impress me. Even moreso than the first film, this one has lots of heart; and it smartly kept using the funniest characters from the first part. It deserved a Screenplay nomination for sure; and had there been an Animated Feature category back then, it would've easily won.

My rating for the film: 8.5/10. I'm not the biggest fan of Randy Newman, but the nominated song really is memorable and perfectly used in the film.

Toy Story (1995)

A cowboy toy is profoundly threatened and jealous when a fancy spaceman toy supplants him as top toy in a boy's room. [imdb]

Nominated for 3 Oscars:

Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
Best Original Song
+ Special Achievement Award for Animation techniques (WINNER)

The perspective of having to see Toy Story 3 forced me into finally seeing this first film and, very soon, all trilogy. Why did I wait so long when I knew this was a revolutionary animated feature? It's because I thought it would look dated and that it would be a boring story. And, of course, I was wrong; but happy to be so.

While it doesn't blow you away like today's computer generated animation, the film WORKS and doesn't look gimmicky. It's colorful and MOST IMPORTANTLY it's very very funny and creative. I expected a simple story, but the screenplay is just great, with lots of twists and turns and always keeping humor and a sharp eye for detail. I actually think it should've won the screenplay Oscar. To me it's up there with all the newer stuff like Finding Nemo and Wall E!

My rating for the film: 8.5/10. Had I seen it back then, I would've probably given it even more! But a very entertaining, smart film and what a capable, strong direction!

Nell (1994)

It tells the story of an adult woman who has to face other people for the first time after being raised by her mother in an isolated cabin. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Actress: Jodie Foster

You know, Jodie Foster almost didn't take the part, because she just wanted to direct the film. I can't imagine that. Later, she said that considers this to be her best performance. While I'm saving most of my ideas on that subject matter for my next week's profile, I will say that rarely have I seen so much prejudice on a performance like in the case of Jodie Foster's Nell. All you need is a careful look at it and see that it's more than jurd weird noises. I didn't expect what I got.

Getting back to the film: of course it has some cheesy, almost predictable moments. The screenplay is no masterpiece, but the acting makes up for other flaws: all actors are doing a good job, from Liam Neeson to Jeremy Davies playing a very offending redneck. The direction is mostly ok, but what convinced me not to go for less that a 7 was the last minute of the film. I've learned so much about Nell in those 60 seconds and it was a smart choice to end it with that final shot.

My rating for the film: 7/10. It's flawed, but I was captivated and that's because of you-know-who.

Little Women (1994) (2nd time)

The March sisters live and grow in post-Civil War America. Based on the well known novel. [imdb]

Nominated for 3 Oscars:

Best Actress: Winona Ryder
Best Original Score
Best Costume Design

I have to admit I have never seen the 1933 classic version with Katherine Hepburn and I've also never read the book(s). So this was my first contact with the story: I mention that just so people don't think I'm comparing it, when I'll start trashing it :)) kidding. :P

The thing is: we're seeing 2 movies here: there's the first part, which is joyful, easy to watch and mostly fun light entertainment. And then there's the second half, which is boring, predictable, cheesy, boring again and doesn't have Kirsten in it. The second hour reaaaaaally sucks. Other than that, Winona gives a good performance, but that's the impression left on me because of her charisma and not because she had any big aha-acting moment. More on her next week, on the other blog.

My rating for the film: 5.5/10. 1994 was responsible for some awful supporting performances, ignored by the Razzie. Christian Bale should've made the list, because he's pretty bad in this.

Tron (2nd time)

A hacker is literally abducted into the world of a computer and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program. [imdb]

Nominated for 2 Oscars:

Best Costume Design

Best Sound

I have written before about that categories of movies that you respect more that you like; actually there's a bigger gap: while you might find them umpleasant, you still admit their certain achievement. In a way, Tron is that kind of a film for me. I think the story is silly, the screenplay is messy, but it really feels like a road opener.

And Tron became memorable because of the visuals (might look ridiculous today, but even so: they have their charm) and because of an interesting direction and some unusual special effects. The sound and sound editing are very efficient and the costumes feel inovative even through there were some execution problems. What it lacks the most is a good story, because as it is right now: it misses the suspense, the twists, all is predictable and with easy solutions at hand, which makes it quite boring at times.

My rating for the film: 5/10. I am REALLY waiting for TRON: Legacy, because I'm sure it's gonna be much much better and visually stunning.

Tom & Viv (1994)

It tells the story of the troubled relationship between the American poet, T.S. Eliot, and his first wife, Vivienne Haigh-Wood. [imdb]

Nominated for 2 Oscars:

Best Actress: Miranda Richardson
Best Supporting Actress: Rosemary Harris

Ironically enough, 2 or 3 years ago this was one of the films I was desperately trying to find, definitely in my top most wanted list. Then I downloaded it from Youtube, saw 20 minutes of it and gave up. I had sensed that it was mostly no good, and I knew there was no rush to it.

Seeing it from beginning to end kind of confirms my intuition. The film IS for the most part a waste of time. It's not really a biopic, we find out almost nothing about the poet or his work, the characters are poorly developed, the direction is shaky and, most importantly, the characters are very dislikeable. I've researched a bit, and Viv seemed to be a fascinating woman, very intelligent, very human, yet the screenplay focused mostly on the crazy side.

Willem Dafoe is awful and creates and annoying leading character, I've never disliked him so much. Miranda is unbearable in the first half, but her last scenes are quite touching, because she finally gets to act normal. The only character I liked and felt emotionally touched by, though not because of the screenplay, was the mother, played in a very dignified way by Rosemary Harris, who does so much with so little. Her nomination really makes me happy, because she's such an amazing subtle actress and that suitcase-packing scene works just because of her acting.

My rating for the film: 4/10. I'm being generous because of Rosemary and because of the asylum scenes. Other than that, one of the most boring films I ever saw.

The Client (3rd time?)

A young boy who witnessed the suicide of a mafia lawyer hires an attorney to protect him when the district attorney tries to use him to take down a mob family. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Actress: Susan Sarandon

First of all, I need to say I really like the poster of this film, which is relevant, classy and just looks so damn fine. Growing up, I saw it a lot on the cover of the Grisham novel and it's a special one for me. Moving to the film itself, it does feel weaker with every viewing. My biggest problem with it is the screenplay.

Of course, The Client was meant to be a box office hit and it really was. While the screenplay is ok, there are many convenient solutions or circumstances that just kill some of the story's believability. It is entertaining and easy to watch, but it could've been taken to another level. Not to mention those mafia guys: some of the most clicheed portrayals and really bad casting.

On the good side, there's the acting of the 2 leading characters. Susan Sarandon does a fine job with what the screenplay has to offer and she feels right for the part. The revelation is of course Brad Renfro, who feels trashy enough for part, looks good enough for a child lead and always stays in character. [I wanted to write here about how this role changed his life and how he would probably still be alive, had it not been for his Hollywood career. But such things of destiny happen all the time, to everybody, every minute].

My rating for the film: 7/10. I am surprised that Mary-Louise Parker didn't receive a Razzie nomination for her embarassing performance as the mother.

The Razor's Edge (1946)

An adventuresome young man goes off to find himself and loses his socialite fiancée in the process. [imdb]

Nominated for 4 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor: Clifton Webb
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Baxter (WINNER)
Best Art Direction, Black-and-White

I was mostly provoked by two things into seeing this film. The first one: my incresing curiosity regarding Anne Baxter's Oscar winning performance, because I've recently praised her great acting in All About Eve. The second one: Andrew's lack of hesitation when declaring Anne Baxter as one his favorite actresses and Bette Davis not. :P But this... oh, boy, it's soooo wrong!

There is something so hilarious (and mind this is NOT a comedy) about Tyrone Power going up a mountain in India to discover himself, stearing at a cardboard mountain, talking with the wise Indian guy (who happens to have a perfect English accent) and in the end becoming a very efficient faith healer... I barely helped from cracking up. RIDICULOUS! :))) just like most of the film.

Because it really goes nowhere. What was the writer thinking? What was the director doing? How could THIS get nominated for Best Picture?! The story has no highlight in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Few decent parts are due to sparks of acting coming from supporting cast, because otherwise it's a boring, pointless (!!!) film.

Anne Baxter is good, but not when you'd expect her to. I've read of quote of hers saying this is the only good performance she's ever deliver. But she's clearly wrong, as this is not half as good as her All About Eve highlights. She HAS a good scene, a very good one, shared with Gene Tierney before Sophie starts drinking again; but too often I could notice the lack of experience. Not a bad win though, especially as I'm not familiar with the competition.

Clifton Webb is very appropriate for the role and it's a worthy nomination, that could've easily tricked Oscar into a win, especially with the showy ending and all. No point in mentioning much about Tyrone's stuffed performance, but I would say that Gene Tierney gets an AWFUL character, but some pretty good acting moments. She is effective, natural, but the screenplay kills any chance for greatness. Other than that, the film seemed like a mess to me, the most disoriented film I've seen lately.

My rating for the film: 3.5/10. Enjoyable for all the wrong reasons (involuntary humor).

Blue Sky (1994) (2nd time)

It tells the story of an Army officer whose outspokenness and his wife's mental illness have made him an outcast among his fellow soldiers. [wiki]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Actress: Jessica Lange (WINNER)

The trivia behind this movie might be more interesting than the film itself. Blue Sky was completed in 1991, but because of the studio's money trouble it wasn't released until 94. And how could I not ask myself: what if? Had it been released in 91 or 92, Lange probably would've gotten nominated, but wouldn't have standed a chance against Foster or Thompson for the win. And still this would've made room for Sarandon or Ryder to take the 94 gold instead!

But getting back to the film: it's a basic drama, with no big complications, I mean secrets plot-wise. In a way, I appreciated that, because it has a clear structure and doesn't get too lost along the way. I wasn't excited to see it again, but it also didn't bother/bore me as much as I expected it would. Of course, the last part is too optimistic and idealized and the ending not so good; yet again: it could've went much worse.

The element that kept my interest must be Jessica's engaging performance. It's not a brilliant one, nor a very good one, but there IS something attractive about the character and she is the spark of color in the rather dull ensemble. I think she would've easily missed the win in any other year, but considering the weak field of 94, her victory isn't/wasn't that much of a surprise.

My rating for the film: 6.5/10. It should've been a 6, but there is something comforting about the structure of the story.

The Egg and I (1947)

On their wedding night Bob informs his new bride Betty that he has bought a chicken farm. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Supporting Actress: Marjorie Main

In an evening without internet I went back to see what films I had stored here and The Egg and I was one of them. I wanted something that wasn't complicated, Oscar-connected and rather enjoyable. The Egg and I is a silly film, but with some funny moments. The last part was problematic, but overall I got what I expected.

Claudette Colbert is too old for the part, but somehow she manages to make it work and delivers a funny & sweet performance. However, the most charming performance easily comes from Marjorie Main as Ma Kettle (a role that she recreated in 7 other movies following this, I think). I don't know if it really was Oscar calibre, but she was definitely funny and very natural.

My rating for the film: 5.5/10. The last chapter is the least attractive, rather boring and spoils a bit the experience. But the film had potential.

Witness (1985)

A young Amish boy is sole witness to a murder; policeman John Book goes into hiding in Amish country to protect him until the trial. [imdb]

Nominated for 8 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: Peter Weir
Best Actor: Harrison Ford
Best Original Screenplay (WINNER)
Best Cinematography
Best Original Score
Best Editing (WINNER)
Best Art Direction

Just like in the case of Wall Street, I had seen scenes of this film before, but I'll pretend like it's the first time. I dunno why I imagined this to be relaxing; it was in a way, but just because it's so simple and unoriginal that it required no special focus. Or maybe I wanted to solve the mystery of Best Actor 1985, and now I can say that Ford, Garner and Nicholson had nothing to do with any Best line-up.

The film as a whole is disappointing, but not as much as the pieces themselves. Of course, I found some good parts, actually just one: the guy being crushed by the corn (or whatever that was), it was a beautifully shot scene. And Peter Weir does the best he can with a screenplay of suffocating mediocrity. The ending itself proves how unspecial the screenplay is and, as a somewhat screenplay-writer myself, I can guarantee that was the ending-solution of someone who had no idea how to end an uninteresting story. Peter Weir saves it by making it look more sophisticated or deep; but it wasn't.

What's more painful about the screenplay win is the terrific competition (haven't seen all, but boy do the sound interesting AND original): The Official Story, Brazil, Back to the Future, Purple Rose of Cairo. The editing Oscar is silly when put next to Out of Africa's nomination, the original music sounded like it was for a Science-Fiction, while the Art Direction nomination is... unimaginable, yet true.

I don't want anybody to think I hated it. NO, I didn't. It's just a terribly overrated film with almost nothing special compared to any OK good police flick. Ford is fine for the role, but gives his same usual ok performance, and Kelly McGillis is just good.

My rating for the film: 6/10. One of the most undeserving screenplay wins ever.

Wall Street (1987)

A young stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a greedy corporate raider. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Actor: Michael Douglas (WINNER)

I'm gonna act like this was the first time I was seeing Wall Street even thought I had catched scenes of it on TV before. I remembered the main plot, but definitely not the details. And, well, the film hasn't aged in a graceful manner: it is dated, but even so: there's something attractive about it, the sharpness that Michael Douglas brings to the table.

Michael Douglas won the Oscar and Daryl Hannah won the Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress. He didn't fully deserve it, but she did. While Michael is easily the best thing about Wall Street, those who've seen Jack Nicholson in Ironweed (yet many people haven't) might agree with me that he gave a better, more complex performance. Even so, Gordon Gekko is a delight.

Charlie Sheen is too cocky for the role, but Martin Sheen gives a very good supporting performance. I wasn't sure at first about Daryl's acting, as I thought the character might be stupid and in sleepwalking mode; then I convinced myself that the character could've actually been something had it not been played by a dummy who can't even open her mouth and say the lines. Great in Kill Bill, awful here.

My rating for the film: 6.5/10. Even if it should never go beyond a 6, the beginning and the ending feel strong. It's the middle that almost kills it.

Sunset Blvd. (1950) (2nd time)

A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. [imdb]

Nominated for 11 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: Billy Wilder
Best Actor: William Holden
Best Actress: Gloria Swanson
Best Supporting Actor: Erich von Stroheim
Best Supporting Actress: Nancy Olson
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay (WINNER)
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White
Best Music, Scoring (WINNER)
Best Editing
Best Art Direction, Black-and-White (WINNER)

Not that I don't believe All About Eve to be a better film or just more on my taste, but I am still surprised that Sunset Blvd. didn't win Best Picture and Best Director. It's a film done so well and, more importantly, in takes place right in Hollywood's backyard. It seems to be the perfect film for Academy members to vote for. I'm sure it was a close race and in any other year Sunset Blvd. would've been a sure bet.

The camera work is amazing and the film has a freshness to it, it feels new and important. The direction is brave, with one or two mistakes I've spotted, but still incredible alltogether. The screenplay is definitely worth of an Original Screenplay win and I'm just happy it didn't go up against All About Eve and both got to win for writing. Does Sunset have one of the best endings ever? That final scene is simply perfect and as a movie fan I just couldn't get enough.

The acting is good, great at times and it's a strong ensemble. I'm not saying Gloria deserved to win, but she was a fine runner-up for Best Actress and I'm sure she lost just by a couple of votes. William Holden is very effective, but I think he was even better that year in Born Yesterday. I could live without those supporting nominations, but nothing bad there. From the technical point of view, it would've deserved a Costume Design nomination, but I don't really get the win for Best Music, considering All About Eve had two legendary catchy tunes.

Sunset Blvd. remains a classic and has definitely passed the test of time. It still feels fresh and a delight for any Hollywood fan.

My rating for the film: 9/10. Even though I'm on the All About Eve side, I can still call it a must-see.

To Be or Not to Be (1983)

A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when he's suddenly confronted with the German invasion starting World War II. [imdb]

Nominated for 1 Oscar:

Best Supporting Actor: Charles Durning

I never was and probably never will be a fan of Mel Brooks. It's true, I haven't seen The Producers (68), but I did get the unfortunate chance to catch Blazing Saddles and the ones with Robin Hood and Dracula on tv and probably some others that I tried often to forget. I think his humor is clumsy and he can't decide between lack of taste and standard comedy, usually choosing something flat in the middle. To Be... is a bit different.

While I didn't go crazy for his acting, the film is enjoyable. It's silly, not strong in the screenplay, not always funny, but definitely smart. Had I seen the original 1942 version, I'm quite sure I would've disliked this, but considering I hadn't yet, I found some of the screenplay twists to be quite enjoyable and surprising. Anne is good, but the funniest is Charles Durning in a very worthy Oscar nomination. He is incredibly charming and those who aren't familiar with his funny side will be surprised.

My rating for the film: 6/10. It drops the ball towards the end, but it has it's good moments. It was relaxing, which was what I was going for. I'm strangely curious what people thought of it: Did you see it?

Runaway Train (1985)

Two escaped convicts and a female railway worker find themselves trapped on a train with no brakes and nobody driving. [imdb]

Nominated for 3 Oscars:

Best Actor: Jon Voight
Best Supporting Actor: Eric Roberts
Best Editing

I had actually seen the first 20-30 minutes of Runaway Train a couple of years ago on tv and I was surprised back then to see that it received Oscar nominations for acting, as none of the 2 male leads impressed me in those 20 minutes. Now, I've mostly changed my mind. And the film itself was very enjoyable and quite entertaining and I feel it's a forgotten, maybe underrated film of the 80s.

The stunt work is incredible and the technical part works fine. The screenplay is far from perfect, but the direction is quite courageous and good for the material. Jon Voight delivers a very loud performance that worked perfectly for me. As I was not crazy for William Hurt (Kiss of the Spider Woman) and don't understand the noms for Nicholson and Garner, I dare to say Jon Voight might've deserved an Oscar win for Best Actor. At the other end, Eric Roberts' performance looked ridiculous to me for 90% of the film and it didn't seem natural. He has some excellent 3 minutes, but other than that it's pure bad.

My rating for the film: 8/10. I was tempted to give more, as I am still a bit under the influence of the terrific ending.

Driving Miss Daisy (1989) (2nd time)

It tells the story of the friendship between an old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in 1950s American South. [imdb]

Nominated for 9 Oscars:

Best Picture (WINNER)
Best Actor: Morgan Freeman
Best Actress: Jessica Tandy (WINNER)
Best Supporting Actor: Dan Aykroyd
Best Adapted Screenplay (WINNER)
Best Editing
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup (WINNER)

The film is part of a new tradition I'm trying to set to actually watch some relaxing films, because sometimes I'm too tired for heavy drama. This was the case here, and even though I didn't go crazy for Driving Miss Daisy in the past, I suspected it was going to be an enjoyable watch, mostly because it has a witty old lady as a title character. And it was fun and time flew by. Many people really dislike it, but that was a wacky year for the Oscars, starting with the nominations... I haven't seen the competition for Best Picture, but I can just say that I did enjoy this little flick and that it's definitely NOT one of the worst Best Picture winners outthere.

***trivia time: Driving Miss Daisy is one of only 3 films to win Best Picture without having a Best Director nomination. The other 2 films are... let's say... not so recent: Wings (1927-1928) and Grand Hotel (1932).***

What was strange about watching it again was that I remembered a quite different ending, at least in their final meet. But I'm glad I was wrong, because I was taken a bit by surprise. Jessica Tandy delivers a good, solid performance even though she could've used one or two more dramatic scenes. Even so, she's lots of fun and the highlight of the film (I am not opening the Best Actress 1989 topic). Morgan Freeman is very in character and it's one of his best performances, at least on the funny side.

My rating for the film: 8/10. The adapted screenplay win is much deserved.

EDITED: 26/06/2014. After seeing it for a 3rd time, I'm changing the rating to: 8.5/10. ;)

Caged (1950)

A naive nineteen year old widow is sent to a woman's prison and is exposed to hardened criminals and sadistic guards. [imdb]

Nominated for 3 Oscars:

Best Actress: Eleanor Parker
Best Supporting Actress: Hope Emerson
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay

I went into seeing this film with hope that I'm going to see something enjoyable, cheesy, relaxing, dated, with good performances. It's a women's prison film, so come on: I wasn't gonna take it that seriously! And in the end the film had ups and downs, but it always kept my interest, even in the bad scenes. Because, in the end: bad is better than boring.

I didn't really fall for Hope Emerson's tough performance, even though it's a character lovely to watch and the other supporting ladies were just ok. The screenplay could've been better, and the star of the film is undoubtedly Eleanor Parker. She's very good when the screenplay helps and the flaws in the performance are not really her fault. My biggest problem with the film itself were those rushed final 15 minutes, which didn't make too much sense and didn't help in fully developing the character's arc.

My rating for the film: 7/10. More on Eleanor next week, on the other blog.

Airport (1970) (2nd time)

Melodrama about a bomber on board an airplane, an airport almost closed by snow, and various personal problems of the people involved. [imdb]

Nominated for 10 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Supporting Actress: Helen Hayes (WINNER)
Best Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Original Score
Best Editing
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Sound

This is what happens when you don't have internet in the evenings, after work, in a foreign country: you watch another disaster movie from your computer. Airport was not as good as I remembered it to be. Actually, it a terribly overrated film, in the sense that it's NOT what it claims to be. You cannot call yourself a disaster movie if you have just ONE victim and the whole disaster moment lasts for just 20 minutes! :)) What's even more silly is the dvd poster which shows a big airplane in flames! The airplane is NEVER on fire in the film, it just has a hole in it! :))

Getting past that, it's still not much of a film. Some deliver good performances: Burt Lancaster and Maureen Stapleton are the best. Van Heflin is also quite effective, but we must talk about Helen Hayes and one of the most infamous Oscar wins in that category! While I agree with those who say she didn't deserve it, it's not like it came out of nowhere. She consistently shows up in the film and she makes for the only FUN element of this melodrama. Her scenes are light and relaxing, she is believable in the role and the scene in which she's pretending to be crying is funny and very well executed. So, dear haters, she's definitely not the worst Best Supporting Actress winner! Try Gloria Grahame!

The story is pretty stupid, Dean Martin looks like he's sleepwalking through most of the film, but I would mention the wonderful original score from Alfred Newman, in his final film project. Had it not been for Love Story, he would've won this category posthumously.

My rating for the film: 5/10. Definitely not Best Picture material, but an easy watch with a couple of scenes acted well.