REVIEW: 2013 Oscar-Nominated Documentary Shorts

There aren’t many things that could have gotten to me to leave the house the day after a blizzard -- but last Saturday, my annual marathon of Oscar-Nominated Short Films at the IFC Center was one of them. This activity has quickly become one of my favorite movie-watching traditions of the year, right up there with THE TEN COMMANDMENTS on Easter weekend and 24 hours of A CHRISTMAS STORY. My day began with the Documentary Shorts, which were split into two programs, totaling nearly 3 1/2 exhausting hours; fortunately, they were generally quite strong and tapped into a variety of emotions. Let’s take a look....

KINGS POINT (USA) -- This is the true story of a bunch of senior citizens living together in a Florida retirement community -- find out what happens when they stop being polite and start getting real! Yes, on the surface, this 39-minute entry that focuses on the lives on several retirees (all former New Yorkers) at the Kings Point resort does feel like The Real World: The Golden Years, with all the humor, gossip, cliques and drama you’d expect. But as the layers are peeled back and we learn more about each person’s life, a much deeper story emerges about humanity’s desire for independence, our need for acceptance and ultimately resigning ourselves to the realities of the aging process. The group on which director Sari Gilman chooses to focus are eclectic and more than willing to share their stories and feelings with a mix of exuberance and melancholy. My personal favorite is Frank, an outgoing gent who enjoys female companionship but doesn’t want to get too close. At first, he comes off as a bit of a playboy, leaving broken hearts in his wake -- until he reveals that the reason he can’t bring himself to commit is because he has already buried one wife and doesn’t want to have to do it again. Sad.

MONDAYS AT RACINE (USA) -- In this 39-minute film from director Cynthia Wade, we follow the lives of several women who are battling breast cancer and learn about the impact the disease has had on their bodies, and psyches, as well as their families and personal relationships. Their stories are tied together by a Long Island beauty salon called Racine, run by two sisters who offer free services to women dealing with the effects of chemotherapy and hair loss. Their goal, on the third Monday of every month, is to help these women regain their confidence and dignity, while also giving them a place to meet & talk to each other. The result is both gut-wrenching and heartwarming, to say the least. If there’s one knock against the film, it’s that it doesn’t spend quite enough time in the actual salon; in fact, you could remove that framing device altogether and it wouldn’t lose any impact. But it’s still, obviously, great that the place exists, and the individual stories are extremely moving and more than make up for any cinematic shortcomings.

INOCENTE (USA) -- I really wanted to like this portrait of a homeless teenage girl who finds salvation and survival through art. Fifteen-year-old Inocente has been living on the streets and in various shelters in San Diego with her mother and siblings for nine years. But instead of succumbing to her dark childhood and seemingly-bleak surroundings, she focuses all of her energies into creating canvases that explode with color and passion. Directed by Sean Fine & Andrea Nix, the 39-minute film is told from Inocente’s perspective, in her own words, often accompanied by striking close-ups of her painted face, which achieves a sense of poetry and wisdom beyond her years. Unfortunately, the film also feels a tad manipulative and somewhat lacking in depth. Not to take anything away from Inocente’s struggles, but she seems like a very well-adjusted young woman, and while we are TOLD about some truly horrific things she has had to deal with, we never really SEE anything worse than her mother refusing to sign a permission slip. On one hand, this is a testament to her own strength and ability to overcome adversity and put it behind her -- but as a documentary, it feels somewhat incomplete.

REDEMPTION (USA) -- If you’ve spent any time in New York City, you’ve probably seen them but may not have given them much thought: People combing through the trash and carting around giant bags of empty cans and bottles, presumably to redeem them for a nickel apiece. In this 35-minute film, directors Jon Alpert & Matthew O’Neill follow some particularly memorable and charismatic members of this ever-growing legion, letting them tell their stories and offer insight into how the whole thing works, how they interact and feud with each other, and most of all, how they manage to survive in this rough economic climate. Even for a born & bred, self-involved New Yorker who is only peripherally aware of such subcultures, it’s interesting to see it in the forefront -- and frightening to think about how quickly such a lifestyle could become reality.

OPEN HEART (USA) -- If you are a child battling rheumatic heart disease in Rwanda, the odds are stacked against you. The one hospital in all of Africa that offers free cardiac surgery is located 2,500 miles away, and only a select few children are fortunate enough to get there. Director Kief Davidson presents a two-pronged story: First, it follows eight children who are chosen to leave their families and make this long, life-or-death journey. Second, it is a plea to ensure that this treatment continues to remain available. The doctors at the privately-run, state-of-the-art Salam Center, located in the Sudanese desert, led by Dr. Gino Strada, work tirelessly to save as many lives as possible, while negotiating with the government for funding and support. There’s a lot of information crammed into 39 minutes that might have been better served as a feature film -- in particular I would have liked to know more about Dr. Strada, a blunt and outspoken Italian who knows his stuff and isn’t afraid to talk back to no less than Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. As it stands, you can’t fault the film for focusing more on the kids, which it does well and, naturally, packs an emotional punch.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Kings Point, the most well-rounded (and entertaining, despite its innate sadness) of the bunch.
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Open Heart, for the double-whammy of emotional impact and humanitarian importance.

Next up... LIVE ACTION!

REVIEW: Warm Bodies

Praise the gods, we are finally living in a post-Twilight society. No disrespect to the teenyboppers (and teenyboppers at heart) who loved the series... but man, those movies were bad. Of course, the downside is that we will now likely be inundated with potential heirs to the throne -- a process which already began with I AM NUMBER FOUR a couple of years ago and looks to continue with the upcoming BEAUTIFUL CREATURES. On the surface, it would be easy to write off WARM BODIES, too, as nothing more than “Twilight with zombies” -- but to do so would be a huge mistake. Indeed, it is about a zombie and a human falling in love. And it does take great, often silly liberties with zombie lore. But it also combines these things with some important qualities that the Twilight saga could never grasp: Humor, intelligence, fun and yes, even heart.

In a familiar post-apocalyptic society, zombies roam free, aimlessly and mindlessly feeding at will. Or perhaps not so mindlessly: Our hero, R (he can't remember his full name), has a running inner monologue, implying that he is aware of what is going on but is powerless to control it. Does he want to kill people and eat their brains? Not really... but such is life (or death). R spends most of his days wandering around an old airport with other zombies, engaging in scintillating conversation (read: senseless grunts) with his best friend, hanging out in his custom lair, contemplating the meaning of it all....

But everything changes one day when R catches a glimpse of Julie and it's love at first sight -- a fairly typical rom-com "thunderbolt" moment -- except for the fact that Julie is human... and the moment occurs during a bloody battle… oh, and R just killed her boyfriend and ate his brains.

Those minor inconveniences aside, R rescues Julie from the battle and brings her to his lair to keep her safe from other zombies (and even worse, ruthless and cheesily-animated sub-zombie creatures known as "Bonies"). While terrified at first, Julie becomes intrigued by R's kindness, which goes against everything she thinks she knows. R, meanwhile, learns more about Julie's past by eating more of her boyfriend's brains and absorbing his memories (which, in this world, is an ability that zombies have) and slowly but surely rediscovers his own history and humanity. As their unlikely bond becomes stronger, it raises the even less-likely question: Is the power of love strong enough to breathe new life into the undead and save the world?

Director Jonathan Levine (50/50), who also wrote the brisk screenplay based on Isaac Marion's book, infuses the landscape with plenty of tongue-in-cheek laughs, lots of splatter and even offers some Romero-esque social satire. The savvy viewer may also notice some similarities to a certain Shakespearean couple with the initials R and J -- there's even a balcony scene! -- which adds another cheesy but clever layer. Performances are solid across the board, starting with Nicholas Hoult (perhaps still best known as the kid in ABOUT A BOY), who carries the story well and mixes R’s hunger for human brains with both warmth and angst. As Julie, Teresa Palmer (who was, ironically, in the aforementioned Twilight-wanna-be I AM NUMBER FOUR) is serviceable and looks good wielding heavy weaponry. Rob Corddry does scene-stealing work as R's best friend -- somewhat reminiscent of his character from HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, but, you know... a zombie. Analeigh Tipton makes a likeable, wacky best friend for Julie, while the great John Malkovich is believable as the leader of the human resistance who will shoot any zombie on sight -- and who also happens to be Julie's father (awkward!).

Zombie movies are almost always fun on some level, and while WARM BODIES is no SHAUN OF THE DEAD, it gives the genre a fun little nudge. I’m sure it will find an audience, but I doubt it will be quite the box office smash that the Twilight saga was -- which is unfortunate, because for a movie about the walking dead, this clever tale of star-cross'd lovers is full of life.

REVIEW: The Last Stand

As a comeback vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, THE LAST STAND is as forgettable as it is serviceable. In his first starring role since TERMINATOR 3 in 2003, Arnold plays Ray Owens, a former LAPD cop who left the big city to become sheriff of Somerton Junction, a sleepy Arizona border town. But when he receives word that a dangerous drug lord may attempt to pass through his town to try and cross into Mexico, he and his deputies set up their own resistance.

Some wild action sequences keep the first half of the movie interesting -- first the drug lord escapes from the FBI in Las Vegas in grand fashion, then leads them on a merry chase across the desert highway in a souped-up Corvette. Meanwhile, a dopey mystery involving the drug lord’s henchmen secretly building a bridge to Mexico keeps Arnold occupied. But in your head, you know an epic shootout, with Arnold front-and-center, is coming, and that keeps you going. When the bad guys roll into town and the guns start blazing and R-rated blood starts to splatter, things get pretty fun for a little while. On the downside, the full extent of this fun is sabotaged by some truly awful acting and dialogue (not to mention a plot riddled with as many holes as the parked cars that are constantly shot up for no apparent reason). Not that a Schwarzenegger film needs to be par with Shakespeare -- but half of Arnold’s appeal is removed when he doesn't have a single truly quotable line ("I'm the sheriff!" is no "Hasta la vista, baby").

Arnold still has a commanding presence, but unlike, say, PREDATOR, where he was backed up by the awesomeness that is Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura, he doesn’t get much help here. At this point, I think we can safely put Johnny Knoxville out to pasture -- outside of the Jackass world, he is pretty useless. Luis Guzman provides the real comic relief and arguably the film’s best “epic” moment. Forest Whitaker is bizarrely over-the-top as the worst damn FBI agent in the whole wide world, who, of course, foolishly underestimates Sheriff Owens’ abilities. As the villainous drug lord, Eduardo Noriega is sufficiently sleazy. And while Genesis Rodriguez is kind of hot, after this and last year’s MAN ON A LEDGE, she is quickly asserting herself as one of the more terrible actresses working today.

Schwarzenegger may yet have another great movie in him, but THE LAST STAND is merely a mild diversion that falls far short of greatness. On the other hand, when the drug lord’s aforementioned souped-up Corvette goes head-to-head with Arnold behind the wheel of a stylin' Camaro (the high point being a cat-and-mouse car chase in a cornfield, of all places), it suddenly becomes quite an effective ad for Chevrolet -- so maybe that’s what this was about all along. Well played....

REVIEW: Mama

If there's one thing that films made or endorsed by Guillermo del Toro have in common, it's a sense of atmosphere. Whether it's the brilliant PAN'S LABYRINTH or the flawed DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, the man knows how to set an eerie stage. MAMA tells the tale of two little girls who are found living in a cabin in the woods, feral and wild, seemingly left to their own devices for years following a family tragedy. They are taken in by a kindly uncle (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain) in an attempt to assimilate them back into society -- but as it turns out, they may not have been alone after all. The girls constantly speak of a mysterious "Mama," who, it seems, is not keen to let them go.

What began as a short, three-minute film by writer/director Andrés Muschietti is stretched to 100 minutes and the excess padding is occasionally felt. But thanks to that del Toro-approved sense of atmosphere, it is a tense, twisty-turny horror/mystery/thriller that cleverly plays with the idea of the mother-daughter bond on several different levels. The two little girls are outstanding and wholly believable (this, of course, is another common del Toro thread). The titular matriarch is perhaps a bit too in-your-face, but visually, she is damn creepy, evoking classic J-horror without feeling like a retread. The film even manages to pack an unexpected emotional punch at times.

But best of all, this may be the most fun Jessica Chastain has had in her entire career. You might think that such a film would be a step backward for her at this point, but after two years of appearing in countless grave, serious and/or topical films with subjects ranging from racism to terrorism to mental illness to the goddamn meaning of life, she is clearly reveling in the opportunity to play a bad-ass, smart-mouthed, black-haired, tattooed, tank-top-wearing, bass-playing rocker chick in a ghost story. Oh, mama, indeed!

REVIEW: Christian Marclay’s The Clock

As an art project, Christian Marclay’s THE CLOCK is impressive: Thousands of film clips, spanning the history of cinema, representing each minute of the day, are spliced together to create what is essentially a working, 24-hour cinematic timepiece. On the surface, it’s like the greatest YouTube mash-up video ever constructed. But for those who have even the slightest interest in film, its history, or the simple joy of watching a movie, it can be an absolutely transcendent experience.

God knows how many movies Marclay and his team scoured over a two-year period before finally unleashing this magnum opus on the world in 2010. The sheer scope of the project is hard to fathom, and I don’t think anyone has yet figured out exactly how many clips appear and what they all are. But what is truly amazing about THE CLOCK is that it actually manages to form an oddly cohesive narrative -- perhaps not always logically, but certainly emotionally. There is, of course, no beginning and no end, but ebbs and flows of dramatic tension result from the nature of humanity and our relationship with the passage of time. Many clips feature mundane activities: Walking, sleeping, reading, talking. But at key times -- usually every quarter hour –- there is a rise in activity because that is, simply, when people typically do things. We don’t make plans for 4:33 p.m.; we make them for 4:30. And then things get really interesting as the top of the hour approaches, often with great rising action and a flurry of images as the big moment strikes.

Of course, that is not always the case. In BACK TO THE FUTURE, lightning strikes the clock tower at 10:04 p.m. (this memorable moment is represented spectacularly). Moments like that, which diverge from the usual structure of time, are even more fascinating. But in either case, Marclay brilliantly creates drama, humor, action sequences and general weirdness by using clever editing (both images and sound) to manipulate, tweak and even subvert the humanity-time relationship -- which, in many ways (at least, as far as movies are concerned), has not changed very much over the past century.

It is amazing how well some of Marclay’s edits work on a purely visual or thematic level. Very often, a phone will ring in a clip from one decade, only to be answered by someone in a film decades later... or a door opens in ancient black-and-white and a person emerges in the present day... but it happens at the same moment on the clock! A personal favorite moment occurs at 1:54 a.m.: A couple is having steamy sex, only to cut to James Stewart waking up with a start in REAR WINDOW. Just what WERE you dreaming about, Jimmy?? Another occurs at midnight -- obviously a highly-anticipated moment. It starts with Big Ben being destroyed in a huge explosion (V FOR VENDETTA), goes into a rapid-fire montage of clock faces displaying the midnight hour, and ends with Big Ben suddenly rebuilt (none other than GONE WITH THE WIND, when Rhett Butler comforts Bonnie Blue after a nightmare and the clock is visible in the background). Thus, as the madness of midnight ends, the world begins anew... from a certain point of view.

Since I was there late at night and into the wee hours of the morning, the themes and images that comprised my experience told a late-night story -- which, some might say, is the best time for a story to come together. Lots of couples on dates. Late night encounters, poker games, rendezvous. Lots of sex. Sleeping, of course. Bouts of insomnia (indeed, the movie INSOMNIA makes an appearance very late). Phones constantly waking people up at ungodly hours. Interestingly, there are also some instances where Marclay & Co. apparently couldn’t find a clip to fit the time; these moments are usually represented by random dream sequences -- bizarre, twisted, feverish -- which, in a way, perfectly fits the mood of the late-night crowd.

In truth, THE CLOCK makes one extremely aware of the passage of time while also causing one to lose track of it completely. It’s fun to play “Spot the Clock”: Sometimes it’s in plain sight, sometimes it is well-hidden in the frame, sometimes it is actually the focal point of the shot. But eventually, you might become so enthralled in the “story” that you’ll simply forget to look for the clock altogether. And then suddenly, you’ll remember again, and it’s 10, 15, 20 minutes later. It really is a trip.

Now, I managed to take some notes during my epic, borderline insane 8 1/2 hour overnight viewing. When I entered the exhibit at 9:30 p.m., I was greeted by a shot of Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry Callahan talking to the villain Scorpio on the phone. Ten o’clock is marked by an extended execution scene from THE GREEN MILE. The aforementioned BACK TO THE FUTURE moment happens on schedule at 10:04, though to my personal delight, it is immediately preceded by a shot from POLTERGEIST. Sparks fly between Harrison Ford and Kate Capshaw in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM at 10:16. ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING drew a nostalgic laugh from the crowd at 10:40 p.m. Eleven o’clock highlights a scene from a film called THE HONEY POT (which, admittedly, I had to look up; to that point, THE CLOCK can also be quite humbling to even the most ardent film buff -- for every clip I recognized, there were countless more that I did not!) in which Rex Harrison handles an hourglass and declares, “There's good time and bad time, you know -- the clocks don't give a damn what time they measure.” My girl Scarlett Johansson makes an appearance in a cab in Tokyo at 11:41, and a minute later, a scene from A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET featuring a young Johnny Depp drew the biggest crowd reaction of the night.

Midnight happens and then things get crazy. At 12:05, in LOVE AND DEATH, Woody Allen is called a great lover, to which he responds, “Well, I practice a lot when I'm alone.” At 12:45, a clip declares, “You can’t beat the clock!” to which I said under my breath, “We’ll see about that!” (Spoiler alert: The clip was right.) One movie I had hoped would be well-represented was Scorsese’s AFTER HOURS, and I was not disappointed -- its first of several appearances comes at 1:40 a.m. The grand staircase of James Cameron’s TITANIC fills with water at 2:15 a.m. (A NIGHT TO REMEMBER is also used several times). Some unusual late-night choices include SAW and not one, not two, but THREE Adam Sandler movies -- perhaps Marclay is a fan? An Emilio Estevez movie (STAKEOUT? ANOTHER STAKEOUT? Something else?) is recalled on three occasions, too. I received a personal jolt of happiness at exactly 4:00 a.m. with two clips from AMELIE. After that, my note-taking ceased because I was starting to fade... and perhaps not coincidentally, this is when the most bizarre dream sequence montages kicked in (I did manage to note one such sequence at 4:50 a.m. with the following: “????”).

Finally, at 6:00 a.m., a double-dose of Bill Murray as Dr. Leo Marvin attempts to wake up Bob Wiley and “I Got You Babe” wakes up Phil Connors, who proceeds to smash the alarm clock (a specific moment I’d been striving towards all night). Robin Williams then bellows, “GOOOOOOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!” And as I was putting my jacket on and preparing to leave, I was treated to a scene from a movie that I’d been hoping to see, but was strangely (perhaps purposefully?) absent until this final moment: BEFORE SUNRISE. In the clip, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are sitting at the foot of a statue following their all-night jaunt through Vienna, and he paraphrases the following poem:

“‘All the clocks in the city began to whirr and chime. Oh, let not time deceive you -- you cannot conquer time. In headaches and in worry, vaguely life leaks away, and time will have its fancy tomorrow or today.’ Something like that....”

For some, the experience of THE CLOCK would continue for God knows how long. For others, it had just begun as they walked into the room at that wonderful moment. For me, after eight and a half hours, I really couldn’t imagine a more perfect ending.

THE CLOCK has been playing at MoMA for the past month, but, unfortunately, ends its run tomorrow (Monday, 1/21) at 5:30 p.m. If you hurry, there’s still time to catch some of it! (Seriously... go right now.) It is one of the most astonishing movie-watching experiences I’ve ever had -- I cannot stop thinking about it and cannot wait to pick up where I left off next time the opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, time marches on....

REVIEW: Gangster Squad

There’s probably a good movie buried somewhere in GANGSTER SQUAD, Ruben Fleischer’s crime thriller based on the true story of a group of vigilante cops who are assembled to take down the ruthless leader of a burgeoning west coast syndicate. Set in 1949 Los Angeles, the film features top-notch, stylized production design and a checklist of great actors wielding tommy guns while wearing snazzy suits. Unfortunately, the aesthetic value of the film is constantly undermined by shoddy writing and a maddening contradiction of style and tone.

To that point, perhaps the best thing to come out of the film is that it makes me want to watch both DICK TRACY and L.A. CONFIDENTIAL again as soon as possible -- because those were clearly the two movies that Fleischer (of ZOMBIELAND fame) and writer Will Beall wanted to make. But, it seems, they couldn’t choose between the two and just decided to mash them together and see what happens. The result is a movie that is occasionally campy, occasionally dramatic, mostly uninspired and never engaging.

To their credit, the cast seems to be having fun. Sean Penn, in particular, relishes in his role as mobster and former boxer Mickey Cohen, grumbling and cursing and punching and literally ripping people in half as he makes his way to the top of the L.A. crime scene. The good guys, led by Josh Brolin and including Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Pena and Robert Patrick, spout empty dialogue about waging war in a post-WWII society, but generally speaking, character development is non-existent (though Patrick’s old sharpshooting cowboy is fun, if oddly out of place). The film does take full advantage of its R-rating, with almost constant gunfire, brutal beatings and plenty of blood splatter -- but with so little substance behind it, the violence quickly grows tiresome.

But perhaps most egregiously, GANGSTER SQUAD wastes its most valuable asset: The smoldering on-screen chemistry between Gosling and Emma Stone. The two of them melted hearts (and celluloid) with their adorable, steamy romance in 2011’s CRAZY STUPID LOVE, and previews implied that they would do it again here. Sadly, their screen time together is limited and spoiled by stilted dialogue; Stone, in particular, looks amazing but is never given a chance to show off her quick wit. That said, under the right circumstances, Gosling + Stone is a pairing that makes me feel kinda funny (like when we used to climb the rope in gym class) -- give these kids a sexy, well-written romantic comedy, stat, and let us sit back and enjoy.

In the end, GANGSTER SQUAD is a forgettable mess and the very definition of a wasted opportunity. Stronger writing and more confident direction could have made this a summer hit -- instead, it’s easy to see why it has been relegated to the early January movie wasteland.

Ben's Oscar Picks & Predictions

Ahh, my favorite time of year -- Oscar time! This year’s nominations have been revealed and they are an interesting mix of expected titles (LINCOLN, LES MISERABLES, ZERO DARK THIRTY) and surprises (LIFE OF PI, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, AMOUR), with refreshingly few head-scratchers. Granted, 2012 was such a great year for movies that the Academy would have really had to go out of their way to screw things up too badly. It should make for a very interesting and fun evening, come February 24th... but first, let's break down each category and try to make sense of it all. As always, I will include my predictions based on who I WANT to win and who I think WILL win. And the nominees are....

BEST PICTURE
AMOUR
ARGO
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LES MISERABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
ZERO DARK THIRTY

I will say this: 2012 was probably the first year that justifies the decision to have more than five Best Picture candidates, because there were a LOT of worthy titles... many of which are represented here. I love that LES MIS (my #2) got a slew of nods across the board, and I also loved ARGO and ZERO DARK THIRTY, but I don't think any of them are major contenders. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK has a lot of buzz and momentum and is very lovable indeed. The Academy must've been in a philosophical mood when they honored LIFE OF PI all over the place -- great movie, beautiful visuals. DJANGO is the only nominee that would outright annoy me if it won -- it has its moments but is nothing special. I would have much preferred to see something like MOONRISE KINGDOM in that spot. The big shockers are the indie darling BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD and foreign gem AMOUR -- very awesome to see them here. Can’t imagine AMOUR winning, though BEASTS may have a shot if the Academy goes that route. That leaves my #1 movie of the year, and the leader with 12 overall nominations, LINCOLN, as frontrunner at this moment -- which would be fun, because my #1 movie hasn't won Best Picture since RETURN OF THE KING in 2004. Plus we’re due for Spielberg's everlasting genius to be re-recognized.

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

BEST ACTOR
Denzel Washington, FLIGHT
Hugh Jackman, LES MISERABLES
Daniel Day-Lewis, LINCOLN
Joaquin Phoenix, THE MASTER
Bradley Cooper, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

This category is kind of moot point, because there is no way in heaven, hell and all spaces in between that Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't win his unprecedented third Best Actor Oscar for his work in LINCOLN. The man is a god. But most of the rest of the crop isn't half bad. The exception is Denzel, who essentially played a caricature of himself in FLIGHT; his inclusion here is a joke and an insult to the actors whose places he stole, such as Jack Black (BERNIE) or Ben Affleck (ARGO) or, if the Academy was really daring, Denis Lavant (HOLY MOTORS). But it was nice of them to include the very deserving Joaquin Phoenix, despite his aversion to the whole award show scene. Jackman dominates the soaring LES MIS, and Cooper takes his a game to a new, unexpected level in SILVER LININGS, but again, there's no stopping DDL, the greatest actor of our time.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Daniel Day-Lewis
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Daniel Day-Lewis

BEST ACTRESS
Emmanuelle Riva, AMOUR
Quvenzhané Wallis, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Naomi Watts, THE IMPOSSIBLE
Jennifer Lawrence, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Jessica Chastain, ZERO DARK THIRTY

First off, can all nations, religions and creeds please come together to celebrate the awesomeness that is Quvenzhané Wallis’ nomination?? Despite the fact that she was only six years old, she was a tiny powerhouse in BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, carrying the film like a seasoned veteran, and giving a performance that was both memorable and deeply affecting. There has been a stunning backlash against her performance, with some suggesting that she doesn't deserve the nod because she was too young to fully understand what she was doing. Frankly, that is bullshit. A great performance is a great performance, regardless of whether the actor/actress has fully honed his or her craft -- and after all, the award is called, “Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role.” All that being said, I don't think she will win (though if she does, I will smile my face off) -- Jessica Chastain was as good as it gets in ZERO DARK THIRTY and I think she has the edge -- but don't count out America's newest sweetheart, Jennifer Lawrence, who is now the youngest-ever two-time nominee. Naomi Watts was great in the otherwise forgettable THE IMPOSSIBLE, so I think she gets overshadowed here. Emanuelle Riva could be the dark horse for AMOUR -- her performance was as heart-wrenching as any in recent memory and it wouldn't surprise me if Oscar gives her a tear-stained trophy, especially if the Chastain & Lawrence cancel each other out. (Also, kudos to the Academy for not automatically nominating Marion Cotillard just because she played a woman with no legs in the otherwise-unmemorable RUST AND BONE.)

I’M ROOTING FOR: Wallis
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Chastain or Lawrence

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin, ARGO
Christoph Waltz, DJANGO UNCHAINED
Tommy Lee Jones, LINCOLN
Philip Seymour Hoffman, THE MASTER
Robert De Niro, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Very happy that the Academy decided to honor THE MASTER in the acting categories, if nothing else, because the performances really are tremendous. Hoffman is brilliant as always, and would be an easy winner if not for Tommy Lee Jones, who does his best work in years and even manages to steal some scenes from DDL in LINCOLN. If they had to nominate someone from DJANGO, it should have been Samuel L. Jackson, whose villainous character stole the entire movie (though DiCaprio is always a viable option, too) -- Waltz is great, but his performance isn't too far removed from his work in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. Along the same lines, Alan Arkin has once again been nominated for playing Alan Arkin -- which is hugely entertaining, but not necessarily Oscar-worthy anymore. (Would have really loved to see Matthew McConaughey get a nod here, since he had such a tremendous year with FOUR worthy performances -- KILLER JOE, in particular, but I would have accepted the more crowd-pleasing MAGIC MIKE. And I realize it’s too much to ask to recognize Mark Duplass just yet.) And then there's De Niro with his first nod in a while -- wouldn't be a huge shock if the Academy decided to honor him just because he's De Niro -- but in the end, I think Jones takes it.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Tommy Lee Jones
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Jones (or De Niro)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, LES MISERABLES
Sally Field, LINCOLN
Amy Adams, THE MASTER
Helen Hunt, THE SESSIONS
Jacki Weaver, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Pretty sure this category is another no-brainer, because Anne Hathaway's brief appearance in LES MIS has become the stuff of myth & legend -- particularly her soul-crushing rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream," which I believe to be the best individual scene of any movie last year. She captures Fantine’s downward spiral and despair more vividly than any stage version I’ve seen. Although, if LINCOLN is primed for a sweep, Sally Field could sneak in there -- it was a standout performance in a male-heavy film (plus, we really, really like her). I LOVE that Amy Adams got a nod because (a) I'm deeply in love with her, and (b) her work in THE MASTER was very much against type and further evidence of her greatness. Helen Hunt gives a fearless performance in THE SESSIONS, while Jacki Weaver was solid in SILVER LININGS -- though personally I would've liked to see Ann Dowd from COMPLIANCE (my #10 movie of the year and one that will likely gnaw away at my psyche for years to come) snag one of those spots.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Anne Hathaway
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Hathaway (unless LINCOLN sweeps everything)

BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Haneke, AMOUR
Benh Zeitlin, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Ang Lee, LIFE OF PI
Steven Spielberg, LINCOLN
David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Some major shockers here. No Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY) or Ben Affleck (ARGO) or Tarantino (DJANGO) or Tom Hooper (LES MIS) -- instead, we get newcomer Benh Zeitlin for his transcendent film of wonder & hope... and Michael Haneke, whose AMOUR is as bleak and devastating as any major Oscar nominee in recent memory. Crazy. But awesome. Meanwhile, I'm not sure anybody could have pulled off LIFE OF PI quite like Ang Lee, so his nomination is well-deserved. Russell could win some crowd-pleaser points. But my guess is that the general bizarreness of this category opens the door for the Bearded One to win his first statue since 1999 -- hail Spielberg!

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

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMOUR
DJANGO UNCHAINED
FLIGHT
MOONRISE KINGDOM
ZERO DARK THIRTY

So, so happy that my #3 movie of the year, MOONRISE KINGDOM, got some love here! Such a brilliant script on so many levels and one of Wes Anderson's best ever. I will be rooting for it hard. A little bummed, though, that Rian Johnson’s mind-bending LOOPER and Paul Thomas Anderson’s deep THE MASTER aren’t represented. DJANGO is Tarantino at his most self-indulgent; this is a sympathy nomination at best. FLIGHT, meanwhile, may be the biggest joke of the whole night, even more than Denzel's acting nod -- the film is a preachy, overly melodramatic exercise in pointlessness. ZERO DARK THIRTY is a taut & intense story with nary a wasted moment, but in the end, I think AMOUR's devastating tale of old age & unconditional love will have left enough of a lasting impression (read: scarred everybody for life) that it will win.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Moonrise Kingdom
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Amour

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ARGO
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Very, very sad that my #4 movie of the year, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (and author / screenwriter / director Steven Chbosky in particular), didn’t get some much-deserved praise here -- it is a wonderful film and a perfect adaptation. In light of that miscarriage of justice, I'll stick with the LINCOLN sweep. In many ways, Tony Kushner's amazing script is more vital than Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance -- a brilliant, multi-layered political procedural / character portrait. BUT! This could also be the category where the Academy decides to throw ARGO a bone -- and it wouldn't be undeserving, with its OCEAN'S 11-meets-MUNICH snappiness. BEASTS and LIFE OF PI are more a testament to their direction, whereas SILVER LININGS is all about the performances, so I think we can safely count them out.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Lincoln
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Lincoln (or Argo)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BRAVE
FRANKENWEENIE
PARANORMAN
THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS
WRECK-IT RALPH

Not gonna lie... I'm a little disappointed that they didn't scrounge up some random foreign animated fare to mix things up, like they did with THE SECRET OF KELLS in 2011 and CHICO & RITA and THE CAT IN PARIS last year. Fortunately, it was a very strong year for popular animation, so I guess such tactics were unnecessary. I'll be rooting for the ode to old-school video games, WRECK-IT RALPH, out of sheer nostalgia and Disney adoration -- but don't count out Pixar, especially if the Academy keeps an open mind and realizes that BRAVE is way better than the critical consensus. FRANKENWEENIE (also produced by Disney, FYI) was a return to form for Tim Burton, but PARANORMAN was easily the year's best kiddie-horror-cartoon and could eke out a win over the bigger money-makers. Aardman’s THE PIRATES! is hilarious but I doubt it has a chance, unless the two Disney films and the two horror films cancel each other out.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Wreck-It Ralph
WILL PROBABLY WIN: ParaNorman

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
AMOUR (Austria)
KON-TIKI (Norway)
NO (Chile)
A ROYAL AFFAIR (Denmark)
WAR WITCH (Canada)

Sigh, I thought I did so well with the foreign films in 2012, but I've only seen one of these. Very surprised that the French phenomenon, THE INTOUCHABLES, isn’t here, not to mention the aforementioned (and overrated) RUST AND BONE. Fortunately, the one I did see is AMOUR, the likely winner -- and it kind of has to be, since it's also nominated for Best Picture. If it lost here, wouldn’t it create a paradox that could tear the very fabric of the time-space continuum and destroy the universe? (Probably.) I will do my damnedest to see the others before the big show (especially KON-TIKI because Norwegian cinema rules; also, damn, I regret not seeing A ROYAL AFFAIR when it was playing at the Paris theatre for like two months), but if any of them pose any threat to AMOUR's emotionally-crippling power, it will be something to see indeed.

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

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
ANNA KARENINA
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SKYFALL

Roger Deakins, the legendary cinematographer who is perhaps best known for his work in the Coen Bros. universe (including FARGO, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, A SERIOUS MAN and more), has been nominated for nine previous Oscars and has not yet won. I think it's probably time to change that. He gives SKYFALL a distinct western feel, which, infused with that classic Bond style, helps the film rise to another level. On the snub side, it’s shocking that THE MASTER isn’t here (guessing the Academy didn’t get to see it in glorious 70mm?), and I guess LES MIS’s visual style was too wacky (though it worked for me). Meanwhile, LIFE OF PI perfectly captures the dreamlike visual quality that was in my head as I read the book, while LINCOLN is shot in such a way that it manages to feel both epic and intimate. ANNA KARENINA is pretty to look at, and DJANGO UNCHAINED utilizes many spaghetti western visual tropes and things, but neither are deserving of a win. No, I think the 10th time will be the charm for Mr. Deakins.

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

BEST EDITING
ARGO
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
ZERO DARK THIRTY

Historically, this is often the category that determines what will win Best Picture -- though that theory was thrown out the window last year when THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO won despite not even being nominated for the big prize, so who knows what'll happen this year. ZERO DARK THIRTY is the fastest-moving two-and-a-half-hour movie ever thanks to some tight editing, while ARGO is both snappy and intense. LIFE OF PI shifts seamlessly from one dreamlike-sequence to the next and wouldn’t be a bad choice. SILVER LININGS feels too conventional -- but the fact that it’s here at all could be a sign that the Academy is infatuated with its undeniable charm. In the end, I think the old prediction method will work, and LINCOLN wins.

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

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LES MISERABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN

Hey, look, they changed the name from "Best Art Direction" for some reason. Go figure. Anyway, this is where I'm going to switch gears and stop rooting for LINCOLN and hope that LES MIS pulls out some aesthetic awards. Say what you want about the singing & bombastic nature of the storytelling, but you can't deny that the recreation of 19th century France is pretty outstanding. ANNA KARENINA is a contender because period pieces always are (and this one has a bit of a visual twist), while LIFE OF PI is a gorgeous-looking film in every way. THE HOBBIT looks great but is way more CGI-heavy than the LOTR trilogy, which probably hurts its chances. Would have been nice to see some recognition for Wes Anderson’s attention to visual detail in MOONRISE KINGDOM, but in the end, LINCOLN probably continues its sweep in these categories, and I cannot argue with that.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Les Mis
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Lincoln

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA
LES MISERABLES
LINCOLN
MIRROR MIRROR
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

Oooh, look, we've got ourselves a Snow White vs. Snow White smackdown! MIRROR MIRROR wins that battle in my book (and really, the less said about SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, the better), but neither of them stand a chance here. If ANNA KARENINA is going to win anything, it will be this one, because Keira Knightley always looks so damn good in a corset. But I think I'll be rooting for LES MIS, with its 19th century Parisian griminess -- and expecting LINCOLN, with its many, many top hats and coats, to take home the gold.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Les Mis
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Lincoln

BEST MAKEUP
HITCHCOCK
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LES MISERABLES

When I saw CLOUD ATLAS, I thought it was an absolute lock for a Best Makeup nod, if nothing else -- for God's sake, some of the makeup work was so good that my audience actually applauded when the closing credits revealed which well-known actors played which unrecognizable characters! Too bad. Anthony Hopkins' transformation into HITCHCOCK was better than, say, DiCaprio's J. Edgar Hoover... but still closer to an SNL skit than an Oscar-winner. As much as I love LES MIS, I don't think the makeup work was so amazing -- if anything, they should've made Hugh Jackman look a bit older at the end (though they really did dress down Anne Hathaway, didn’t they?). Which leaves THE HOBBIT: There was some damn good dwarf and hobbit and creature makeup in there amidst the heavy CGI. It could win by default, and that's fine with me.

I’M ROOTING FOR: The Hobbit
WILL PROBABLY WIN: The Hobbit?

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
ANNA KARENINA
ARGO
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SKYFALL

Really, really surprised that BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD isn't nominated here, since that amazing score, along with Quvenzhané Wallis' performance, is what drives the film and makes it so memorable. A bunch of my other personal favorites (RUBY SPARKS, CLOUD ATLAS, THE MASTER) were also left out, and I honestly couldn't hum a single note of ANNA KARENINA, LIFE OF PI and SKYFALL (except for the classic Bond theme, of course) if someone put a gun to my head -- which leaves this category wide open for the great John Williams to potentially win his first Oscar since SCHINDLER'S LIST in 1994. That would be amazing! Plus LINCOLN has a damn good, understated, hummable score that represents the film nicely -- the old man's still got it.

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

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Before My Time," CHASING ICE
"Pi's Lullaby," LIFE OF PI
"Suddenly," LES MISERABLES
"Skyfall," SKYFALL
"Everybody Needs A Best Friend," TED

Goddamn the Academy for making it necessary for me to watch TED, despite my disdain for Seth MacFarlane. (In fact, I watched it yesterday, and while it was not very funny, it WAS an effective ode to the 35-year-old male with arrested development who is also dealing with a breakup after four years... um, not that I know anyone like that.) I'm guessing Adele's SKYFALL theme will win this award, as it is the most well-known (and it’s quite good), especially since the new LES MIS song is not quite up to the quality of the existing material (though I still like it). Don't remember the PI song and haven't seen CHASING ICE (yet).

I’M ROOTING FOR: “Suddenly,” because, y'know, LES MIS
WILL PROBABLY WIN: “Skyfall”

BEST SOUND MIXING
ARGO
LES MISERABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SKYFALL

As I understand it, sound mixing refers to the way various layers of sound effects, dialogue, etc., of a film are blended together for our auditory pleasure. I think LES MIS is the likely winner because of the difficulty involved with having the actors sing live on set -- which, even if you don't like the film (damn haters), is undeniably an impressive achievement. SKYFALL and ARGO could be contenders because of the many elaborate action sequences and talk-fests, respectively. LINCOLN and LIFE OF PI, who knows. Surprised not to see more big action blockbusters here, like THE AVENGERS or THE DARK KNIGHT RISES -- though the latter was probably hurt because no one could understand what the fuck Bane was saying (and also, it’s not nearly as good as the fanboys would have you believe).

I’M ROOTING FOR: Les Mis
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Les Mis

BEST SOUND EDITING
ARGO
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LIFE OF PI
SKYFALL
ZERO DARK THIRTY

Sound editing, meanwhile, is related to sound design, the creation & selection of sound effects, etc. Again, no big blockbusters is surprising -- but again, the sound in both THE AVENGERS and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES were probably more LOUD than impressive, if you think about it. With that in mind, I think SKYFALL wins this one, or maybe LIFE OF PI, or maybe DJANGO steals one. Or ARGO or ZERO DARKY THIRTY. Who the hell knows.

I’M ROOTING FOR: Skyfall
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Take your pick

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LIFE OF PI
THE AVENGERS
PROMETHEUS
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

Yay, THE AVENGERS is an Oscar-nominee! I hope they use the clip of Hulk smashing Loki around like a rag doll as the presentation clip. Fuck SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN. PROMETHEUS had some good-looking effects but probably not good enough (especially when subconsciously compared to ALIEN). THE HOBBIT actually features some of the best-looking CGI I’ve ever seen -- if any Academy members actually saw it in HFR / 48fps, it could push them over the edge. Otherwise, I think LIFE OF PI, with its dreamy visuals and truly remarkable (dare I say vital?) use of 3-D, will win this one.

I’M ROOTING FOR: The Hobbit (and The Avengers, just because)
WILL PROBABLY WIN: Life of Pi

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
5 BROKEN CAMERAS
THE GATEKEEPERS
HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE
THE INVISIBLE WAR
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Again, I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't: I saw a bunch of excellent docs in 2012, but only two made the cut here. Come on, no WEST OF MEMPHIS, THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE, QUEEN OF VERSAILLES or JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI?! Oh well. THE INVISIBLE WAR, which deals with the epidemic of rape in the military, is one of the most infuriating & upsetting & bleak docs I've ever seen -- absolutely essential viewing. However, HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE (about AIDS activism in the ‘80s), while also difficult & emotional, is a bit more on the hopeful side, which could sway voters. I have not seen the rest, but of course, will do so by any means necessary -- in particular, I hear SUGAR MAN is quite good.

I’M ROOTING FOR: The Invisible War
WILL PROBABLY WIN: How to Survive a Plague

You may notice that I left out the three Short Film categories -- that's because I haven't seen any of them yet, but I fully intend to do so as soon as they open at the IFC Center in a few weeks, and will review them all shortly thereafter... so stay tuned for that.

The most wonderful night of the year, Oscar Night, is Sunday, February 24th, and you can bet that I will be right here with my 8th ANNUAL LIVE MOMENT-BY-MOMENT OSCAR COMMENTARY! Such a great year for movies and such a strong crop of nominees means that I should be a mostly-happy camper throughout the show regardless of who wins... but then again, I DO hate this year's host, Seth MacFarlane, so that could add some vitriol to the proceedings. We shall see! In the meantime, who do YOU want to / think will win Oscar gold? Discuss!