TITLE: Avatar
NOMINATIONS: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects
RATED: PG-13
GENRE: Science Fiction / Fantasy
LANGUAGES: English / Na'vi
NOTABLE CREW: Writer/Director James Cameron, Composer James Horner, Cinematographer Mauro Fiore, Editing John Refoua & Stephen E. Rivkin, Production Design Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg
SUMMARY: When Jake (Worthington), a paraplegic war veteran, is given the opportunity to take his scientist brother's place on a mission to the alien planet Pandora, he has nothing left to lose. His mission: to operate an "avatar" resembling one of the alien race of "Na'vi" to act as body guard to the scientists trying to befriend the aliens and liaison to the military trying to destroy the aliens. As Jake gradually develops a bond with the natives, the planet, and a beautiful Na'vi named Neytiri (Saldana), he must learn to look beyond appearances and becomes the Na'vi's best hope to save their home.
WHAT I REALLY THINK: Absolutely stunning visuals. Good, but not entirely original, story. (Anyone seen Ferngully?) It was clear that Cameron spent all his efforts on developing the look, but not enough time coaching the actors. The best performances came, surprisingly, from the CG Na'vi characters, rather than from the humans.
COOL FACTOIDS: James Cameron supposedly first got the idea for Avatar from a dream.
WHO SHOULD WATCH IT: For the visual palette alone, I'd recommend it to anyone.
SHOULD IT WIN?: Visual effects? Yes. Best Picture? No. Strip away the pretty visuals and the performances and the screenplay don't have a glowing tree branch to stand on.
NICELY DONE AWARD: (Do you have to ask?) The Visual Effects team! (Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andy Jones) Everything from the soaring tree tops and glowing puddles of the planet Pandora to the glorious blue skin of the Na'vi themselves, this movie is a feast for the eyes! Nicely done, visual effects team!
Special Mention: Actress Zoe Saldana! You're speaking an imaginary language, hissing, fighting, flying, doing it all from behind a computer generated character, and still out showing Sam Worthington! Between this and Star Trek, I'd say this is just the beginning of a beautiful career. Nicely done, Zoe!
TITLE: The Hurt Locker
NOMINATIONS: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Jeremy Renner)
RATED: R (for war violence and language)
GENRE: Drama/Action/War
LANGUAGES: English / Arabic
STARS: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
NOTABLE CREW: Director - Kathryn Bigelow, Writer - Mark Boal, Cinematographer - Barry Ackroyd
SUMMARY: Sgt. James (Renner), the new team leader of an army bomb squad in Iraq, has an unconventional and reckless approach to his dangerous occupation. He and his by-the-book squad (Mackie and Geraghty) must learn to work with each other and keep their sanity in tact if they want to survive long enough for their tour of duty to end.
WHAT I REALLY THINK: A gripping look at the sort of physical and psychological terror our soldiers face every day. It may have inaccuracies, but I'm not in a position to tell the difference. Remarkably moving, suspenseful, and well-acted.
COOL FACTOIDS: Director Kathryn Bigelow, nominated this year for Best Director, is the ex-wife of James Cameron, who is also nominated this year for his movie Avatar.
WHO SHOULD WATCH IT: Anyone who doesn't mind the shakey camera docu-style look of the film. I think this style adds to the sense of realism by giving the audience presence, but some people get motion-sick. It's okay. I understand.
SHOULD IT WIN: Yes. Though it has some stiff competition in all its categories. Its strongest category is Best Director.
NICELY DONE AWARD: Director Kathryn Bigelow! There are few truely note-worthy women directors out there, even less that would direct an action film! Her keen sensibility brought a strong sense of emotion and suspense to an otherwise testosterone-heavy story. Nicely done, Kathryn!
NOMINATIONS: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique)
RATED: R (for child abuse, including sexual assault, and pervasive language)
GENRE: Drama
LANGUAGES: English
STARS: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey
NOTABLE CREW: Director - Lee Daniels, Screenwriter - Geoffrey Fletcher, Original Story - Sapphire, Editor - Joe Klotz, Executive Producers - Oprah Winfrey & Tyler Perry
SUMMARY: Clarireece 'Precious' Jones (Sidibe) endures unimaginable hardships at the hands of her rapist father and abusive neglectful mother (Mo'Nique). Destitute, obese, 16 years old and pregnant with her second child, Precious, with the help of teacher Ms. Rain (Patton), must find a way to rise above her seemingly hopeless circumstances to find out that there is always something to live for.
WHAT I REALLY THINK: Touching human interest story. The oversaturation of horrible situations in the protagonists' life is almost unbelievable until you remember that this sort of thing can and does happen to young people all the time. A few heavy-handed performances and an ambiguous resolution, but overall a harrowing morality tale.
COOL FACTOIDS: This is the first film of star Gabourey Sidibe, who had to be forced to audition by her friends. She is now nominated for an Oscar!
WHO SHOULD WATCH IT: Not for the faint of heart. This girl's life is brutal. But I definitely recommend it for anyone 18 and over.
SHOULD IT WIN?: I love rooting for new actors, so go for it Gabourey Sidibe! As for Best Picture, while its filmic quality may not be in the same standing as its competitors, its moving subject matter may be enough to tip the gold its way.
NICELY DONE AWARD: Author, Sapphire! The subject matter is so heavy that it can be difficult to talk about, much less write a book about! Her courage in telling the story of the unlikely protagnist inspired the film and forces the reader/viewer to view that 'angry' teenager in a whole new way. Nicely done, Sapphire!
TITLE: Up
NOMINATIONS: Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Screenplay
RATED: PG
GENRE: Animation/Family/Adventure/Comedy/Drama
LANGUAGES: English
VOICE STARS: Edward Asner (Carl), Christopher Plummer (Muntz), Jordan Nagai (Russell), Bob Peterson (Dug)
NOTABLE CREW: Writers/Directors - Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Composer - Michael Giancchino
SUMMARY: 70 year-old Carl Fredrikson finally embarks on the adventure of his dreams when he ties balloons to his home to fly it to Paradise Falls, a place where he and his late-wife had always wanted to go. But plans change when he discovers Russell, an optimistic young scout, has stowe-awayed in his home! More adventure comes when they reach Paradise Falls, a land of large birds named Kevin, talking dogs, and a sinister explorer-poacher! Carl must learn that there is more to life than holding onto the past if he is ever to get his new friends to safety!
WHAT I REALLY THINK: Fantastic! Absolutely! Pixar does it again. The first 15 minutes will make you cry, and the last will make you laugh.
WHO SHOULD WATCH IT: Everybody! And I mean that, adults. It's a touching story about an old man coming to terms with grief, a message best understood by adults! Don't worry, there's plenty of laughs, fun, and -- squirrel! -- that will keep the kids viewing too.
SHOULD IT WIN?: Oh, most certainly for Animated Feature. And, dare I say, it deserves that Original Screenplay trophy too. As for Best Picture, I don't imagine that going to an animated one this year, especially with the competition, but I like to dream of a world where a touching, well-written, well-directed, massively appealing movie, even if it's animated, can win Best Picture.
NICELY DONE AWARD: Writer/Directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson! How you and the Pixar team keep doing it year after year, I don't know, but whatever you're doing, don't stop! Nicely done, Pete and Bob!
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