Ben's Oscar Picks & Predictions

It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeeearrrr! That’s right -- it’s Oscar time! The nominations have been announced and apparently the Academy has kind of gone off the deep end. There are some very questionable picks and mind-boggling snubs -- but also some really good picks that make me very happy -- and also some flat-out weirdness. But I guess that’s fitting since it was a weird year for movies. With that in mind, let's take a look at each category and try to figure out what the Academy has been smoking. As always, I will also provide my predictions based on who I WANT to win and who I think WILL win. Ready? LET'S GO!

BEST PICTURE
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE
THE HELP
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MONEYBALL
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE

Fun fact: my #1 movie of the year hasn’t won Best Picture since RETURN OF THE KING in 2004, and here we have HUGO with a total of 11 nods, which suddenly thrusts it into the discussion. Could it happen?? God, I hope so! As of now, THE ARTIST and THE DESCENDANTS are probably the two frontrunners, so here’s hoping they cancel each other out, thus allowing HUGO to swoop in. I also love that MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (my #2 movie of the year) is getting some major recognition. Wasn’t sure if THE HELP would sustain its buzz but apparently it has; that's fine. MONEYBALL is a good movie; never thought of it as a Best Picture contender, but here we are. WAR HORSE is this year’s SEABISCUIT, I guess; I liked it, and it IS the kind of movie that makes Oscar cry. The Academy probably included THE TREE OF LIFE to make itself feel smart. And then there’s EXTREMELY LOUD, which I also liked, but come on! One of the most baffling Best Picture choices ever, especially considering it is neither a critical nor commercial success. I reeeeally wish they’d just go back to five nominees -- nine is better than ten, but still way too many, especially since, let’s face it, this is a three-horse race at most. And while it would give me great pleasure to see HUGO win, I can’t argue with the silent film (which also made my Top 10) and the Clooney picture (which just missed).

I’M ROOTING FOR: Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Artist

BEST ACTOR
Demián Bichir, A BETTER LIFE
George Clooney, THE DESCENDANTS
Jean Dujardin, THE ARTIST
Gary Oldman, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Brad Pitt, MONEYBALL

First of all, let’s talk about who WASN’T nominated -- namely, Michael Shannon for TAKE SHELTER (best overall performance of the year, in my opinion), Ryan Gosling for DRIVE and Michael Fassbender for SHAME. Utterly senseless (unless maybe Fassbender also got votes for some of his other films and cancelled himself out?). One of these guys should absolutely be there instead of Bichir, whose nomination makes no sense to me. A BETTER LIFE had a strong story but, frankly, the acting was just not very good -- yet Bichir has had buzz swirling around him for a while and I guess it worked out. A wasted nomination. On the other hand, it is SUPREMELY AWESOME that Gary Oldman has finally gotten his first nod! I think he will take the gold -- one of those “career” wins, plus his performance in TINKER TAILOR was one for the ages -- despite the frontrunner status of both Clooney and Dujardin (either of whom would also be deserving). Pitt, meanwhile, was excellent in MONEYBALL but doesn’t stand a chance.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Oldman
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Oldman

BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close, ALBERT NOBBS
Viola Davis, THE HELP
Rooney Mara, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Meryl Streep, THE IRON LADY
Michelle Williams, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

More massive snubs here: It’s an absolute travesty that Tilda Swinton and Elizabeth Olsen were not nominated for their work in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, respectively -- easily two of the best performances of the year. I also would have loved to see Kirsten Dunst get a nod for MELANCHOLIA, but it seems that film has been blacklisted across the board, perhaps due to Lars von Trier’s Nazi comments at Cannes. Too bad. Anyway, I still think Michelle Williams’ magical performance as Marilyn Monroe is the one to beat, and rightly so. But don’t count out Viola Davis, who could win if the Academy decides to make a statement by honoring THE HELP. Streep is nominated for the 17th time, but will likely lose for the 15th time because THE IRON LADY is simply not very good in spite her efforts (unless of course the Academy decides that this is the year to finally honor her -- who could argue with that?). Sorry, Glenn Close, but your nomination is a joke. Lastly, I’ve heard some buzz brewing for Rooney Mara -- I guess that makes her the dark horse, but she’s not even the best Lisbeth Salander that we’ve seen recently, so it’d be silly if she won.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Williams
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Williams, but maybe Davis

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
Jonah Hill, MONEYBALL
Nick Nolte, WARRIOR
Christopher Plummer, BEGINNERS
Max Von Sydow, EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

Bizarreness abound here. First of all, how weird is it that Jonah Hill is an Oscar nominee?? Dude loses a bunch of weight, doesn’t die, and look what happens! Makes you wonder what might’ve been if Farley had cleaned up his act... sigh. I seriously don’t get the love for Nick Nolte in WARRIOR -- the movie was surprisingly good because of the way it wore its heart on its sleeve, but the acting was pretty mediocre across the board. Branagh was very good as Sir Lawrence Olivier; a worthy nod. Max von Sydow seems like a gimmick nod for two reasons: (1) Because he didn’t speak a word in the film, and (2) so they could have two octogenarians going against each other. Speaking of which, might as well give Plummer the gold right now -- he was fantastic in BEGINNERS, a movie I would’ve liked to see get even more love!

I’M ROOTING FOR: Plummer
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Plummer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo, THE ARTIST
Jessica Chastain, THE HELP
Melissa McCarthy, BRIDESMAIDS
Janet McTeer, ALBERT NOBBS
Octavia Spencer, THE HELP

Kind of surprised that Shailene Woodley from THE DESCENDANTS didn’t get a nod here, especially since the film got so much love from the Academy. She DEFINITELY should have gotten the spot over McCarthy, whose nod is just ridiculous. BRIDESMAIDS is now officially the most overrated movie of 2011. It was funny and all, but NO WAY IN HELL does it deserve Oscar attention! Hell, if THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRIGIN isn’t Oscar-worthy, then BRIDESMAIDS sure the hell isn’t. Ridiculous. Meanwhile, law of averages said that Chastain would get nominated for something -- the girl was in SEVEN movies last year (THE HELP being her best work). Bejo was enchanting in THE ARTIST and could surprise if the film sweeps. McTeer was by far the best thing about the otherwise-lame ALBERT NOBBS -- in fact she breathed legit life into the proceedings to the point where I may actually be rooting for her on some level. But I think Spencer will win this one -- she was the clear standout of THE HELP’s very solid ensemble.

I’M ROOTING FOR: McTeer or Spencer 
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Spencer

BEST DIRECTOR
Woody Allen, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST
Terrence Malick, THE TREE OF LIFE
Alexander Payne, THE DESCENDANTS
Martin Scorcese, HUGO

Call me crazy, but I have a feeling that Scorcese could pull this one out regardless of how HUGO fares the rest of the night. Academy could choose to honor him for the “pro-cinema” message that HUGO conveys, not to mention that probably no one else could have made the film work quite so well. I hope that happens. But Hazanavicius or Payne could pull it out if either of those films sweeps. I love PARIS but it’s more a testament to Allen’s writing. As for Malick... meh.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Scorcese
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Scorcese, Hazanavicius or Payne... who knows?

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
THE ARTIST
BRIDESMAIDS
MARGIN CALL
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
A SEPARATION

PARIS! PARIS PARIS! If Woody Allen wins this, for what is easily his best movie in decades, and possibly of all time (yeah, I said it), I will be deliriously happy. It could face stiff competition from A SEPARATION, which featured a ridiculously taut and compelling script. THE ARTIST is probably the favorite by default, but even if it sweeps elsewhere, I hope the Academy spreads the wealth here. MARGIN CALL is the only major Oscar nominee I haven’t seen -- which pisses me off, since I saw 155 movies last year -- but I will rectify that soon and you can’t rule out films with timely topics. And BRIDESMAIDS... gimme a break. Probably the first time an Oscar-nominated screenplay features an extended scene about diarrhea -- which wouldn’t have necessarily been a bad thing if the scene was actually funny.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Paris
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Artist

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
THE IDES OF MARCH
MONEYBALL
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Obviously I’ll be rooting for Scorcese’s magical ode to cinema, HUGO, and I guess it could win if it wins everything (which would be awesome). That said, I think Alexander Payne and THE DESCENDANTS will win this one regardless of what it does elsewhere. Or maybe TINKER TAILOR’s dense but gripping story will pull it off. THE IDES OF MARCH isn’t really eye-opening as far as political revelations are concerned, but it was entertainingly cynical. MONEYBALL, again, is just along for the ride, but always nice to see a baseball movie get some love (actually, when’s the last time that has happened?).

I’M ROOTING FOR: Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Descendants

BEST ANIMATED FILM
A CAT IN PARIS
CHICO & RITA
KUNG FU PANDA 2
PUSS IN BOOTS
RANGO

Wow... let’s just take a moment and contemplate the fact that, for the first time ever, Pixar is NOT nominated in a year they’ve released an eligible film. That’s just... wow. But hey, nice of them to phone it in this year to open up the field for a change (they had won FOUR years in a row, and six overall). I will tell you right now, I had not heard of A CAT IN PARIS and CHICO & RITA before the nominations were released, but I now can’t wait to se them -- kudos to the Academy for thinking outside the box when it comes to animation, at least! Since THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN didn’t get a nod for some reason (does the Academy consider motion-capture to be cheating?), as of now, RANGO is my pick to win -- it is a great film, and another testament to movie-lovers, which seems to be a theme this year. I actually would have nominated CARS 2 over KUNG FU PANDA 2, but no matter -- neither it nor PUSS IN BOOTS will win.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Rango, for now
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Rango, for now

BEST FOREIGN FILM
BULLHEAD (Belgium)
FOOTNOTE (Israel)
IN DARKNESS (Poland)
MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Canada)
A SEPARATION (Iran)

Well, the only one of these I’ve seen is A SEPARATION, the clear frontrunner, and one of the best movies of the year, foreign or otherwise. If one of these other titles is going to win, it will have to be REALLY freaking good (though a quick perusal of plot summaries informs me that IN DARKNESS is about the Holocaust, so it can’t be counted out). Hopefully I’ll get a chance to see some of them before the big show. Come on, Netflix and IFC Center, don’t let me down!

I’M ROOTING FOR: A Separation
WILL PROBABLY WIN: A Separation

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE ARTIST
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE

I’m gonna stick with HUGO across the board here -- Scorcese’s films are always visually interesting, but this one is a veritable feast for the eyes, and he made 3D glasses a necessary part of the movie-watching experience for the first time ever. It should win for breathing new life into a technology that had very nearly worn out its welcome. THE ARTIST, of course, has the whole black-and-white, old-Hollywood thing going for it. WAR HORSE has an epic, GONE WITH THE WIND-esque look that we rarely see anymore. DRAGON TATTOO looks like it could be set within David Fincher’s crazy universe, which is always interesting. But I can see the Academy throwing THE TREE OF LIFE a bone here -- it might be overwrought, but it sure is pretty.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Tree of Life

BEST EDITING
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL

What’s the rule of thumb? The Best Picture winner almost always wins Best Editing? Or at least, they’re always nominated for both... which rules out DRAGON TATTOO (which is ironic because it was extremely well-crafted). Not really sure what will happen here, to be honest. I’m rooting for HUGO because I love it, but THE ARTIST and THE DESCENDANTS could easily scoop it up. All I know for sure is that MONEYBALL ain’t winnin’ nothin’. Actually, the movie that should probably be here is DRIVE, but that movie got snubbed something fierce... damn shame.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Artist

BEST ART DIRECTION
THE ARTIST
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
WAR HORSE

No way THE ARTIST doesn’t win this one, since it is such a perfect recreation of a classic-era silent film. But lest we forget, HUGO captured that same time period from another perspective (and set in Paris, which is innately prettier than Hollywood). Come to think of it, so did MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, much of which was set in 1920’s Paris -- I’d have no problem seeing that win. I also love the aesthetics and locations of WAR HORSE and POTTER, so really, I’d be okay with any of these.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Hugo or Potter or Paris 
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Artist

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
ANONYMOUS
THE ARTIST
HUGO
JANE EYRE
W.E.

Period pieces abound here. Haven’t seen ANONYMOUS yet, but I’m guessing it has the Shakespearean thing going for it. JANE EYRE has the 19th century England thing going for it. W.E., also, surely looks ever-so-British (damn you, Madonna). It’s probably between HUGO and THE ARTIST for their recreations of the golden age of cinema in Paris and Hollywood, respectively. Could go either way! (P.S., you guys getting tired of all the HUGO pics? Well, too bad! SWEEP! SWEEP! SWEEP!)

I’M ROOTING FOR: Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Artist

BEST MAKEUP
ALBERT NOBBS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
THE IRON LADY

Whew, thank God J. EDGAR wasn’t nominated here -- worst old-age makeup ever (in fact, I’m glad that shitty movie got snubbed across the board). Forget about MRS. DOUBTFIRE, er, I mean, ALBERT NOBBS (seriously, don’t they look similar?). Meryl Streep’s transformation into Margaret Thatcher was impressive so IRON LADY is a possibility. But I think POTTER, with all its creatures and characters and things, has to win here. Hell, in a perfect world, POTTER would get an honorary Oscar to pay tribute to the series as a whole, since it is collectively one of the great cinematic achievements of our time. A measly makeup award is the least the Academy can do!

I’M ROOTING FOR: Potter
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Potter

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
THE ARTIST
HUGO
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
WAR HORSE

Bah, none of my favorite scores of the year are here, so one of my favorite categories is ruined. EXTREMELY LOUD is not Best Picture-worthy, but I would have liked to see Alexandre Desplat’s score get some recognition (not to mention his POTTER score, which tied the saga together nicely). I really liked the score for BEGINNERS, too. Also, what does the Academy have against electronica? No Daft Punk / TRON: LEGACY last year (a travesty that still sticks in my craw) and no Chemical Brothers for HANNA this year. (Just realized that Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’ DRAGON TATTOO score was snubbed, too -- guess the Academy was also freaked out after seeing Trent in a tux last year.) Anyway... can’t argue with a double-dose of John Williams, though neither TINTIN nor WAR HORSE were particularly memorable (still, I’d cheer loudly if he won). Loved everything about HUGO. Don’t remember TINKER TAILOR. I think I’ll actually pick THE ARTIST since the score is so vital to a silent film and it works wonders -- though I understand one of the more prominent cues is actually lifted from the score to VERTIGO, so that’s kinda cheating, maybe. I dunno. It’s still good.

I’M ROOTING FOR: The Artist 
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Artist

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Man or Muppet" from THE MUPPETS
"Real in Rio" from RIO

Ladies and gentlemen, we live in a world in which THE MUPPETS are nominated for an Oscar! This is awesome because it means they will probably be there... and Jason Segel & Walter will probably perform the song, which is almost guaranteed to win because who gives a crap about RIO. Kind of funny that people always complain about the Best Song performances taking up too much time during the telecast, so this year they whittled it down to two. This is a good thing because it means we won’t have to suffer through crap from Madonna and Sinead O’Connor and whoever else. Instead, we get MUPPETS!!!

I’M ROOTING FOR: Muppets!
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Muppets!

BEST SOUND MIXING
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE

Just to recap (mostly for my own benefit), sound mixing refers to the way the various sounds, effects, dialogue, etc., of a film are mixed together to create the glorious euphonies that fill our ears when we watch a film. Or in the case of TRANSFORMERS, cacophonies -- the sound mix is crazy in that film, but not necessarily in a good way. MONEYBALL seems like an odd choice, and DRAGON TATTOO probably featured a good sound mix but damned if it sticks out in my head. HUGO is a perfect film through-and-through, but you know what? I’m gonna go with WAR HORSE here just to mix things up (pun very much intended). Lots of stuff going on in that epic, with the sounds of war and the horse itself and the sweeping score and everything in between.

I’M ROOTING FOR: War Horse or Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: War Horse?

BEST SOUND EDITING
DRIVE
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE

Sound editing, meanwhile, is related to sound design, the creation of sound effects, etc. Maybe DRIVE will get a pity award here. Or TRANSFORMERS -- I bet if you break down the aforementioned cacophony of those mind-blowing action sequences, the individual sound effects are pretty impressive. I feel like HUGO and DRAGON TATTOO both utilized some interesting sound effects. And WAR HORSE, again, with the war and the horse and etc. -- I bet it wins both categories. But really, this is another crapshoot.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Transformers or Hugo
WILL PROBABLY WIN: War Horse

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
HUGO
REAL STEEL
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

Some good-looking stuff across the board here -- but it’s a moot point because this award belongs to RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES primarily for the unbelievable motion-capture performance of Andy Serkis. I mean, he could have conceivably gotten an ACTING nomination if the Academy had any balls. As it stands, this award will be the only way to honor the reigning King of Motion Capture. Hopefully the special effects guys will bring Serkis on stage with them when they win!

I’M ROOTING FOR: Apes
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Apes

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
HELL AND BACK AGAIN
IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT
PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY
PINA
UNDEFEATED

Again, I’ve only seen one of these -- Wim Wenders’ PINA -- and it was absolutely outstanding, from the jaw-dropping 3D visuals to the genuine emotional punch. As with the foreign films, the other nominees will have to be REALLY damn good to beat it. Looking forward to seeing as many of them as possible before the big show. (HELL and TREE are both available on Instant Netflix, so that’s a good start!)

I’M ROOTING FOR: Pina, for now
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Pina


Of course, I also fully intend to see the Oscar-nominated short films, which open at the IFC Center on Feb. 10th. (This year, I even hope to squeeze in the documentary shorts for the first time ever!) Oscar night is Sunday, Feb. 26th and you can bet that I will be right here at BenLikesMovies.com with my 7th ANNUAL LIVE MOMENT-BY-MOMENT OSCAR COMMENTARY! Seriously... it is always epic and entertaining and insightful and a damn good time, so be sure to check in throughout the telecast. Until then... who do YOU want to / think will win Oscar gold? Discuss!

December Movie Denouement, Part 2

The rest of the December crop, and thus, the last batch of movies I saw in 2011. Read quick, because it’s almost time to pop the bubbly!

CARNAGE -- Two couples (Kate Winslet & Christoph Waltz and Jodie Foster & John C. Reilly) meet to discuss a confrontation that occurred between their kids. The discussion is begrudgingly civil at first, but gradually becomes more and more heated, finally escalating into all-out verbal warfare from which they cannot seem to escape. The result is often both funny and cringe-inducing as deep-seeded personal issues are revealed and exploited. Acting is obviously outstanding -- I mean, what could be better than watching these four great actors go at each other for an hour and a half? The material certainly fits right in with Roman Polanski’s usual themes of entrapment and the darker sides of humanity (if only he wasn’t such an asshole, so I could watch his films and not hate myself afterward). But I don’t know... I found it difficult to get completely invested because the whole thing is kind of silly. In reality, as soon as shit got nasty, any sane person would just get the hell out of there. If you’re a fan of the talent involved (and why wouldn’t you be?), then it’s a worthwhile curiosity -- but in the end it feels like a pointless exercise.

WE BOUGHT A ZOO -- This is the story of Benjamin Mee, a struggling single dad who packs up his two kids and moves to a new house to make a fresh start. The catch: They’ve actually bought a dilapidated zoo, which they now own and manage. With the help of a motley crew of zoo workers (led by a dressed-down but still-scorching hot Scarlett Johansson), the Mees attempt to rebuild the zoo as well as their lives. Contrived holiday-season sap? Oh yes. But everyone is so damn likeable that it works. Matt Damon plays Benjamin with wholesome earnestness and humor. His relationships with his kids are believable, as is his understated romance with Scarlett. (Incidentally, I’m going to need a video montage of every time Scarlett says the name “Benjamin,” for my own personal use. Get on that, Internet monkeys!) The budding friendship/romance between young Dylan Mee and a free-spirited zookeeper’s assistant is also very cute, though I think someone slipped something into Elle Fanning’s drink because she is perpetually, creepily smiley. Supporting cast, including such names as Thomas Haden Church and Carla Gallo, is eclectic and funny. At its core, it’s a movie about grand gestures, which is right up Cameron Crowe’s alley -- I particularly like (and have followed) Benjamin’s advice to Dylan that it only takes “twenty seconds of insane courage” to make something great happen. Not Crowe’s best film by any means, but effectively heartwarming in the moment.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO -- I enjoyed the Swedish versions of these films and I’m not sure an English-language remake was absolutely necessary. But thanks to David Fincher’s direction and some excellent performances, this version works exceptionally well. The cool thing about Fincher is that all of his films look & feel like they exist within the same universe. So you have Detectives Mills & Somerset tracking the serial killer John Doe, while at the same time, the Zodiac killer is on the loose, Edward Norton is being suffocated by Meat Loaf’s bitch tits, and Mark Zuckerberg is sitting in his dorm room creating Facebook. Meanwhile, in Sweden, disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is recruited by reclusive millionaire Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to solve the mystery of his missing niece, who disappeared without a trace decades earlier. A labyrinthine investigation ensues and Blomkvist enlists the help of a mysterious tattooed-and-pierced computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara in a star-making turn). Lisbeth also has her own problems -- namely, an asshole of a social worker who tries to control her life & finances (among other things). The film is intense, filled with menace and occasional extreme brutality, and driven by another relentless score by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross. Craig infuses a bit more humor and steel-eyed confidence into Blomkvist, and Rooney Mara’s Lisbeth, while still bad-ass and awesome, has a fragility to her that Noomi Rapace’s interpretation did not. These subtle but key differences make for an experience that may not necessarily be better than the darker, grittier Swedish version, but works in its own right and allows it to co-exist as a separate vision. Should be interesting to see what happens with the rest of the trilogy.

ALBERT NOBBS -- A very sad, strange little film about a very sad, strange little man... or rather, a woman (Glenn Close) who dresses as a man in order to keep a job as a butler at a well-to-do hotel in 19th century Ireland. None of her employers or co-workers have any idea of this secret -- Albert does his (her) job well and blends into the background, keeping a nest egg hidden in a floorboard with the hope of someday escaping this life of suppression. One day, a burly painter by the name of Hubert (Janet McTeer) does some work at the hotel and discovers Albert’s secret when they are forced to become bedfellows. But turns out Hubert has a secret of his own -- he is a she, too! And he has embraced his situation, gotten married to a woman and lives an exuberant life that introduces Albert to a whole new world of possibility. Albert hopes this life may be achieved with the help of a young housemaid named Helen (Mia Wasikowska), who, unfortunately is smitten with a strapping loner (Aaron Johnston). It all sounds very intriguing, but the story plods along, only displaying rare bursts of excellence when Close and McTeer are onscreen together. Close is great but blends into the background perhaps TOO much; McTeer, however, breathes much-needed life into the proceedings and if an Oscar nod is destined to come from this film, I hope it goes to her.

PARIAH -- Alike (Adepero Oduye) is an African-American teenager living in Brooklyn. Lee, as she prefers to be known, likes girls -- a fact that she is slowly but surely coming to embrace. She dresses like a tomboy and sneaks off to a lesbian nightclub with her outspoken best friend, Laura (Pernell Walker), but she is shy and unsure how to proceed, sort of feeling her way through the process. Unfortunately, she has no help from her her parents, who have their suspicions about Lee’s lifestyle on top of their own marital troubles. Her mother, Audrey, tries desperately to force her to stay away from Laura and wear girly clothes, while her aloof father, Arthur, has convinced himself that there is no issue at all. When Audrey forces Lee to hang out with a co-worker’s daughter, it becomes a turning point that leads to new experiences, emotions and confrontations. If this sounds familiar, it’s because we have seen this kind of coming-of-age story before. But blistering performances (especially from Oduye and Walker), along with a potent script by Dee Rees (who also directed), help elevate it to something much more. A tremendously moving film, bursting with realism and heart, that should probably be required viewing for all in this day & age.

THE IRON LADY -- No actor or actress is taken more for granted than Meryl Streep. Think about it: She’s widely considered to be the greatest actress alive and has been nominated for SIXTEEN Oscars. Yet she hasn’t actually won since SOPHIE’S CHOICE in 1983. Since then, she easily could have walked home with gold every single time. When it comes to sheer acting talent, she is always head and shoulders above the competition. And yet, she never wins! My only guess is that the Academy must figure, “Eh, she’ll get it next year... let’s give someone else a shot.” Which brings us to this biopic of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Streep is, as always, at the top of her game, perfectly capturing Thatcher’s strength and tenacity, not to mention her voice and mannerisms. Unfortunately, the movie is simply not very good. Much like this year’s other big-name biopic, J. EDGAR, this one is too conventional and frustratingly shallow. I mean, say what you want about Thatcher’s ultra-conservative politics, but she WAS the first female leader in the western world -- yet the film never gives this fact proper gravitas. Instead, we get scenes of an elderly Thatcher doddering around, talking to her dead husband (Jim Broadbent) and reminiscing about her younger days. Story-wise, it’s a big yawn. Fortunately, the power of Streep makes the elderly scenes watchable (much better old-age makeup than the clown costumes in J. EDGAR, too) and the younger scenes fascinating. There’s no doubt that she will be nominated for her 17th Oscar -- but thanks to the shoddy material, she will also likely suffer her 15th defeat.

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE -- I believe there are two types of people in this world: Those who will watch this movie and succumb to the raw emotion, or those who will scoff at it for being manipulative Oscar bait. If you’ve been paying attention to this blog over the past few years, you can probably guess that I fall into the former category. Yes, it’s about 9/11 and it stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. Yes, it’s schmaltzy and sentimental and tugs on one’s heartstrings with reckless abandon. Yes, it may go a little too far with fantastical shots of Hanks falling to his doom from the burning World Trade Center. But damned if it isn’t extremely effective. It’s the story of Oskar Shell (Thomas Horn), a wildly precocious and inquisitive boy whose father is killed on what Oskar calls “The Worst Day.” A year after the tragedy, Oskar gets the nerve to dig through his father’s closet, where he accidentally stumbles upon a key in an envelope marked with the name “Black.” He decides that this key must unlock a hidden message from his father and becomes determined to find it. Thus, he embarks on an epic journey through the five boroughs -- one of coping, self-discovery and a greater understanding of the world around him. The film is filled with whimsy and taps into every emotion, especially for those of us who were in NYC and watched 9/11 happen with our own eyes (pretty much everyone at my screening was a blubbering mess by the end). I actually don’t think it is anywhere near good enough of a movie to compete for Oscar gold (except maybe for Best Score -- nice work from Alexandre Desplat), but as an experience, it is incredibly moving.

A SEPARATION -- The final movie I saw in 2011 was part family drama, part mystery, part socio-religious commentary on life in contemporary Iran. Expertly crafted by writer/director Asghar Farhadi, it begins with a court proceeding that shows the apparent crumbling marriage between Nader and his wife Simin. Simin wants to leave Iran for their daughter’s sake (and, considering the way women are still treated in Iran, her own, too), Termeh, but Nader refuses because he doesn’t want to leave his father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Things don’t go Simin’s way and she leaves them. Nader in turn hires a maid to help clean house and take care of his father, who is indeed in bad shape. From there, the film spirals off in a whole other direction and becomes a murder mystery of sorts that reveals the nature of Iranian culture and politics, the differences in class and religious beliefs and the fine line between truth and perception. As the mystery unfurls, it takes on a Hitchcockian feel in the sense that all of the clues are laid out -- you just need to pay attention and find them (which is easier said than done). Performances are outstanding, characters are complex and dialogue is multilayered -- you may find your sympathies changing as new information comes to light. An intense, intricate, riveting film that has gotten universal praise so far (100% on RottenTomatoes) -- if there’s a more worthy Best Foreign Film out there, I hope I get a chance to see it!

And on that note, after 155 trips to the movie theatre over the past twelve months, we can put 2011 in the books. My Top 10 and Bottom 10 lists, as well as all sorts of other year-end goodies, are coming soon, so stay tuned! Happy New Year to all -- and may the best of 2011 be the worst of 2012!