My Oscars Review

My feelings toward this years Academy Awards were a little different. Of course I was as excited as ever, but my excitement mostly stemmed from the announcement that the one true Oscar host was to be, once again, BILLY CHRYSTAL. I was tickled pink to see the reinstating of billy inserted into all the best picture parody scenes and soo happy to see George Clooney play along. I don't care if Billy's one liners all bombed. I think he needs to host until he dies. He brings humor and class to the event. Best of all, i felt the presenters were fairly tame, not trying to out do each other and not slit-your-wrists annoying!

 For one of the first times since the academy has decided to choose more than 5 nominated films for best picture, I had seen all of them but War Horse. I don't care how nominated that movie was, it looked DUMB! And unless someone tells me that the horse in fact does a performance like unto Circe De Sole at the Oscars, I will still not be seeing it. 

To be honest I was not blown away, out of my socks by any of these films. While everyone I feel did work upstanding to their current reputation, I was not WOWed. And that is what I feel should be the distinguishing factor for films honored to be recognized. But in the midst  of our traditional Oscar Prep Weekend I was some what disappointed. I only came to recognize a certain few until after 2 weeks of critical simmer for certain moments or characteristics.   

The Tree of Life. Dear Terrence Malick, I love you. The New World is one of my favorite movies. Unfortunately, no one else agrees. I can't count how many people I've recommended it to. I feel his style is clear. He has a unique ability to tap into a very naturalistic and earth movement in how he directs his cinematography and sound. I was not expecting The Tree of Life to be as abstract as it was. During the first 15 minutes I had to continually repeat to myself, "Number one rule of abstract: Don't look for a story line. Forget your linear thinking and reason and just observe." 

        This is the reason I picked Tree of Life as a stand out for Best Picture. It does something different and does it well! 

BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, no votes for you, Tree of Life! I should probably preface this next shout out by saying I am not the biggest fan of the over eccentric smiles and frowns style of acting that we so often admire in old movies (ahem...Audrey Hepburn)...which is much like The Artist is shot. I was entertained and surprised how intrigued by the story as I was...bla...bla...bla. But then (Alice mouths words) Black screen with white words: WUH BAM! The moment I saw that this film was a CLEAR choice for Best picture.  The main character wakes up to sound filled world. Chairs moving. Dogs barking. Clocks ticking. And then everyone realizes what a foli artist does! This showed a creative team not willing to "play it safe" in a silent world, but taking the artistic choices. Choices that made a stark and brilliant way to catch our attention to what we had been missing. It seemed so forward in a Brechtian sort of way, pulling us out of the glam into a feeling of insignificance. It propeled a story on a deeper level, inciting a subconscious connection to a character who's perfect world was silently careening out of control.