Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Dances with Cliches

Last night we headed out to the lovely Capitol cinema with the AmJam (aka Al and Jen) to see if Black Swan could live up to the surrounding pre-Oscar hype-fest.
And straight after seeing it last night I thought that it was visually stunning, brilliantly acted and deeply disturbing.
Al thought it was a cliché-ridden load of old drivel.
I must now reluctantly admit that, having slept on it, I am leaning towards Team Al.
It’s not that it isn’t clever, or well executed, or beautiful to look at but it is also predictable, overwrought and not quite as clever as it thinks that it is.
It certainly had chilling moments but the bits that made me alternatively jump out of my skin or cover my eyes tended to be more of the “ewww that is really gross” as opposed the shivers down the spine, blood running cold variety.
And a lot of the time I jumped because Jen jumped, love, love, love sitting next to Jen in movies – she is so gloriously participative in the best possible way.
There is some very clever stuff with mirrors, some of it quite literally blink and you miss it in terms of subtle creepiness but much of the pivotal character's descent into madness feels more like a paint by numbers guide to portraying a woman on the brink of insanity. It’s all been done before and a lot better.
To be fair though Natalie Portman is excellent, such a complete physical transformation requires enormous dedication and true grit (can’t wait for that one to come out) - she deserves the Best Actress Oscar that she will almost certainly win.
But Best Picture? Nah......not in a field that includes the King’s Speech.......not in a million years.
Mind you if it comes down to a trans-Atlantic showdown you just never know. The Fighter is also a strong (ahem) contender but I think that The Social Network might be too of its time and less of an enduring classic to hold water as a serious Best Picture option. And although it was good it wasn’t memorable in the way that a best picture ought to be and in my humble opinion it doesn’t belong in contention. However it was always going to be included in the lineup and I'm sure it would be a popular choice.
Can’t comment on True Grit – haven’t seen it yet but the Academy does love the Coen boys so you never know..........that said it’s a re-make of a classic and however good it is that may count against it.
And as for the rest of the field. Inception – sci-fi – mind-bendingly clever sci-fi but sci-fi nonetheless – it’s niche market, a lot of people didn’t get it and it won’t win . The Kid’s Are Right – I really enjoyed this film but I still have to say “what the”? It’s sweet and funny and there are some great performances but it doesn’t belong in the best picture category – won’t win, Toy Story 3 – in there for no other reason but to bulk out the category, likewise 127 Hours and Winter’s Bone – which may well both be extremely good films but they haven’t the proverbial snowballs chance of beating out the heavy hitting (and heavily studio backed) competition.
When DID this category get so huge anyway? And why does the academy insist on putting very average movies alongside great movies and expecting us all to believe that they have the same shot at the little gold man.
In reality it is a five way race between True Grit, Black Swan, The King’s Speech, The Fighter and The Social Network which will quite possibly win even though it doesn't really deserve to (according to me at least). Everyone else in this catagory might just as well slip out early, avoid the limo-gridlock and get a head start drowning their sorrows at the after parties.

Next time – just for fun – my Oscar predictions. AmJam I challenge you to come up with yours – loser buys dinner at Barilla Dumpling opposite the Capitol – divine delicious dumplings for four for $23.00. I LOVE our neighborhood!

1 comment:

AoteaWriter said...

Lovely lovely lovely. Inception won't win because it's sci-fi. Full stop. I don't think any sci0fi flick has ever won, yet they tend to be movies that stick: we all know who / what pod people are, we know about the time the woprld stood still, Alien was a groundbreaker (as was Star Wars, and 1002 before it. 1002?) I'd find it difficult to name the oscar winners from the years they were released. Niche, yes - but hugely influential niche. Narrow minded bastards in Hollywood think they're the only stars.