With the Academy Awards
coming up on this Sunday night, it’s time to take one last look at all the
contenders for the movie industry’s coveted top prize.
BLACK SWAN
Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis,
Barbara Hershey & Winona Ryder
Directed by Darren Aronofsky for distribution by Fox
Searchlight
“I just want to
be perfect.”
The
Summary:
A ballerina (Natalie Portman) competing for the lead spot in the
New York City ballet’s production of "Swan Lake," finds the pressure
of the competition impacting her grasp on reality.
The
Background:
Darren Aronofsky is known for dark edgy style and this drama had
plenty of both. It also has a number of nominations, including one for
lead actress Natalie Portman, who is the heavy favorite. While Aronofsky is one
of the most talented young directors on the scene, he’s always been shut out of
the Academy Awards, but this year both him and his movie were recognized with
nominations, a sure sign the voters are beginning to expand their very
structured horizons.
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THE FIGHTER
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa
Leo & Jack McGee
Directed by David O. Russell for distribution by Paramount
Pictures
I'm the one
who's fighting. Not you, not you, and not you.
The Summary:
The true story of “Irish” Mickey Ward
(Mark Whalberg), a boxer from Lowell, Massachusetts who rose to fame after a
rocky early career.
The
Background:
Traditionally boxing movies do
extremely well during the awards season and Wahlberg has become an early odds
on favorite to win big. Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams who play
Wahlberg’s volatile brother, mother and love interest (respectively) have
picking up buzz with every passing award ceremony. In fact many believe Bale
and Leo are locks to win which could land Paramount’s tentpole a TKO on Oscar
night.
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Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph-Gordon Levitt, Ellen
Page,
Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy & Michael Caine
Directed by Christopher Nolan for distribution by Warner
Brothers
“Dreams
feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize
something was actually strange.”
The
Summary:
A skilled thief (Leonardo DiCaprio) who extracts secrets from
people’s minds must reverse the process to reclaim his past and settle an old
score.
The
Background:
Warner Brothers knew it had something special in this action
thriller from the incredibly talented Christopher Nolan; although they didn’t
know just how special until the movie ballooned up the box office. The film
succeeded because audiences now know what to expect from the thriller’s
visionary director and as a result Warner Brothers was rewarded tenfold for
their trust and patience. Now Nolan, his cast and the studio are all reaping
the benefits this award season.
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THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska,
Josh Hutcherson & Mark Ruffalo
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko for distribution by Focus Features
“marriage is
hard... Just two people slogging through the sh*t, year after year, getting
older, changing.”
The
Summary:
Two children (Mia Wasikowska & Josh Hutcherson) conceived
through artificial insemination and raised by lesbians (Annette Bening &
Julianne Moore) track down their birth father (Mark Ruffalo) and introduce him
into their lives.
The
Background:
This is not your typical family movie and that’s why it works.
With Bening and Moore, as a lesbian couple who have to come to grips with their
kids desire to meet their birth father, the movie already had a solid
foundation to build off of before the script was even finalized. This is also one of those type of movies that
the Academy had in mind when it expanded the Best Picture category to ten and
as a result it was given the recognition it deserved.
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THE
KING’S SPEECH
Starring: Colin
Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter,
Guy Pearce
& Michael Gambon.
Directed by Tom
Hooper for distribution by The Weinstein Company
“If I am King,
where is my power? Can I declare war? Form a government? Levy a tax? No! And
yet I am the seat of all authority because they think that when I speak, I
speak for them.”
The Summary:
The true story of how King George VI (Colin
Firth) found his voice courtesy of Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), a maverick
speech therapist called in to help him overcome a stutter.
The
Background:
If early critic’s lists are to be
believed, then this year’s “Best Picture” race is over and “The King’s Speech”
is the winner. Breaking it down further, the movie has everything Academy voters
love and with the Weinstein’s guiding the PR ship, it should have been a smooth
ride across the award season waters. Although in the early stage of the Oscar
race, the ship came across some rough sail as “The Social Network” went from
dark horse to frontrunner. Although now after a slew of important victories
under its belt, “Speech” could regain its status as King.
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127
HOURS
Starring: James
Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara & Lizzy Caplan
Directed by
Danny Boyle for distribution by Fox Searchlight
“You know, I've
been thinking. Everything is... just comes
together. It's me. I chose this. I chose all this. This rock... this rock has been
waiting for me my entire life”
The
Summary:
The true story of hiker Aron Ralston (James
Franco), who spent a harrowing 127 hours with his arm trapped under a boulder
in an isolated Utah canyon.
The
Background:
“Slumdog Millionaire” director Danny
Boyle chose to reunite with Fox Studios for his first film since his big Oscar
win a few years ago and so far it looks to be paying off. Ralston’s story was already
generating Oscar buzz well before its release, as was the actor portraying him.
James Franco has built up an amazing following the last few years even though
he basically dropped off the grid to go back to school. Although while Boyle
was snubbed in the Best Director category (and in good company this year), both
Franco and the film did pick up key nominations. It is unlikely either will
triumph, but both will make voters give pause.
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THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Starring: Jessie
Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Joe Mazzello & Rashida Jones
Directed by David
Fincher for distribution by Columbia Pictures (Sony)
“The
internet's not written in pencil... It's written in ink.”
The
Summary:
The story behind the rise of the
Facebook social networking phenomenon and the trouble sudden fame brought to
its creator (Jesse Eisenberg)
The
Background:
Similar to the social network website it is based on, the movie
started out with some solid buzz and then literally exploded onto the scene.
Talk went from it garnering a few nominations to later possibly dominating the
field, before finding a middle ground on nomination morning. Although the
question lately has become was it a case of “too much, too soon,” as the
original frontrunner “The King’s Speech” has run the table as of late.
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TOY STORY 3
Starring (voices):
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty,
Michael Keaton,
Timothy Dalton & Whoopi Goldberg
Directed by Lee
Unkrich for distribution by Disney/Pixar
“So
long... partner. ”
The
Summary:
As their owner prepares for college, a
group of toys begin to realize they face an uncertain future.
The
Background:
Pixar took its arguably most beloved
set of characters and gave them a send-off worthy of the era of they helped
usher in back in the late 1990’s. With this third and presumably final entry
into the franchise, the studio has proven once again there’s animation and then
there’s Pixar. Unfortunately, the Academy still believes that animated movies
don’t belong on the same tier as their live-action counterparts. Yes, they have
instituted a “Best Animated Film” award, but even that has come under
controversy. It’s unfortunate that movies like this are given a nomination in
what seems like name only. “Toy Story 3” was without a doubt one of the best
movies of 2010, but it is highly unlikely it will receive the votes needed to
win the big prize. While settling for “Best Animated Film” isn’t something to
be taken lightly, this movie deserves more.
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TRUE GRIT
Starring: Jeff
Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin,
Barry Pepper &
Hailee Steinfeld
Directed by Joel
Coen & Ethan Coen for distribution by Paramount Pictures
“You
must pay for everything in this world, one way and another. There is nothing
free except the grace of God”
The
Summary:
A fourteen year old girl (Hailee Steinfeld)
turns to a trigger-happy US Marshal (Jeff Bridges) for help after her father is
brutally murdered in front of her. Once she gets the Marshal on board, the
situation becomes more complicated when she insists on joining him in tracking
down the killer.
The Background:
In 1969, John Wayne starred in the
original “True Grit” and picked up his first and only Best Actor Academy Award.
With the Coen Brothers behind this 2010 remake, Paramount is hoping for similar
luck for both the film and lead Jeff Bridges who also happens to be the
reigning Best Actor winner. “Grit” started off as a dark horse courtesy of a
slow run at the box office, but has quietly moved to the forefront and
accumulated over $100 million at the box office. This horse may now be a stud.
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WINTER’S BONE
Starring: Jennifer
Lawrence, John Hawkes, Lauren Sweetser,
Kevin Breznaha & Garrett Dillahunt
Directed by Debra
Granik for distribution by Lionsgate
“Never
ask for what should be offered.”
The
Summary:
A teenage mother (Lawrence) must search the Ozarks for her
deadbeat drug dealing father after he jumps bail prior to his trial.
The Background:
Every year the Academy nominates a handful of people and films
that the majority of the movie-going public has never heard about at all. This year a number of those slots were filled
by “Winter’s Bone” and its talented stars Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes. A
haunting drama, the movie has been on a number of critic’s year end lists and
has enjoyed a nice second life on DVD. While it is unlikely to pull off any
upsets, this time the prize may very well be the nomination.
