The Social Network's Oscar chances go Up in the Air?

On the surface, The Social Network and Up in the Air would seem to have little in common. But Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly notices some striking similarities that give me pause.

Like The Social Network, Up in the Air won a lot of Oscar precursors, but then gradually lost its momentum as Avatar and finally The Hurt Locker outpaced it.

Cue the current race. The Social Network was winning every award under the sun - at least until a few weeks ago, when The King's Speech started winning every other award under the sun.

Similarly, a lot of critics liked Up in the Air, (including me - it topped my 10 best list in 2009) but it gave way to films that were 1) A cultural phenomenon and 2) A scrappy, hard-hitting little indie directed by a woman who just happened to be the ex of the guy who made the cultural phenomenon.  It became a great David and Goliath story. Ultimately, I think Oscar voters thought "James Cameron has had his glory, let's give the upstarts theirs and make our own milestone in the bargain."

This year's story is a little different, though. The Social Network is clearly this year's critical darling. Save for maybe Toy Story 3, no film was better reviewed in 2010. So of course it would win with all kinds of critics' socieities.

Then came the Golden Globes, and The Social Network won there. That was a bit of a surprise, to me at least. I thought The King's Speech, with its very European story, would appeal heavily to the Hollywood FOREIGN press. It probably did. Nevertheless, the Facebook movie prevailed.

Then along came the Producers Guild, who turned the tide in favor of The King's Speech. Then it went on to win the SAG and DGA prizes as well. So many critics' jaws' dropped that oral surgery bills must be skyrocketing.

And yet, I wasn't SO shocked. One could argue the producers' went for it because it took years to make, with the filmmakers respecting the Queen Mother's wishes to wait until she passed on. The SAG awards went for TKS because it had a fairly large ensemble, which always helps. And I think the fact that the film was directed by Tom Hooper helped the regal story both at SAG and at DGA, because Hopper had a lot of goodwill directing the highly acclaimed HBO miniseries John Adams. Unlike the Oscars, the guilds have a heavy membership in the TV categories.

But  in his blog post, Gleiberman asks a good question. He points out that both Up in the Air and The Social Network suffered backlashes. They both fell victim to the general sentiment of "Yeah, it was good, but not as good as a lot of those highfalutin critics said it was."

So that makes me and Owen wonder  - just what IS an Oscar film supposed to be?  I think a lot of folks - Academy voters and Joe Schmoes alike - think Oscar = BIG, either in feeling or in spectacle. An Oscar winner can be a large-scale epic like Lawrence of Arabia, or a heart-tugger like Casablanca. Or both, like Titanic. An Oscar winner has to have a WOW factor. For a lot of viewers, both Up in the Air and The Social Network lacked that. Both films, especially The Social Network, try to SAY SOMETHING, but a statement never has as much pull as a handkerchief.

There are always exceptions  but in the end, it comes down to the age-old difference between the favorite film and the best film. For some, The Social Network may be the "best" movie. But for many others, The King's Speech will be the favorite. That's why I think the latter will win.

And as I wrote earlier this week, there is no shame in that.

Golden Globes reactions

January 16, 2011

Presented in the order of um ... presentation:

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter - Not only did he execute his usual transformative  work flawlessly, but he may also be transforming his image so that people like him again. He's the man to beat for the Oscar.

Best Original Score: The Social Network: Hooray for non-traditional work by multiple composers! That's probably a death knell for its Oscar chances, so I was thrilled to see Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross get their due. I would have voted for Hans Zimmer's propulsive Inception score, but no complaints. And the Social Network is great workout music to boot!

Best Original Song: Zzzzz ... something .... zzz .... Cher .... zzzz Diane Warren ... zzzz ... schlock.

Best Animated Film: Toy Story 3. Duh.


Best Actress. Comedy: All hail Annette Bening in The Kids are All Right, but I would have preferreed her partner, Juliane Moore. I would have preferred Emma Stone in Easy A even Moore. Er, more.

Best Screenplay, The Social Network: Never saw that coming. And if you believe that, Mark Zuckerberg is a panhandler.

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter.  I actually didn't recognize her at first, which says a lot about her ability. Naturally, I would have preferred her co-star to win - some chick named Amy - but recognition will come her way soon. It's just a matter of time.

(An aside - Megan Fox got to introduce The Tourist. Is that cosmically appropriate or what?)

Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network. Few directors out there have a better eye and sense of rhythm than he does.

Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version: Have to take this one on faith, as I've not seen the film, but Giamiatti was good even in a POS like Lady in the Water. Why not?

Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan: She was perfect.

Best Picture, Musical/Comedy: The Kids are All Right, of course. Any other winner would have been an embarrassment.

Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech: Inspiring.

Best Picture, Drama: The Social Network, bitch. Yeah, I would have preferred Inception. But I'll tell you this much. When it comes to your Oscar pool, bet against The Social Network at your peril.

Through the lens of a cinematography geek

January 11, 2011

The American Society of Cinematographers (that's what ASC stands for) has announced its nominees for its year-end award. I know this isn't a big deal to most people, but this is my favorite technical category. For those not in the know, the cinematographer is the camera chief - the man chiefly responsible for the lighting of a picture. 

I am a geek overall, but that's especially true when it comes to cinematographers. I know that field very well. I can spot the styles of certain DP's (that's directors of photography). I can name every cinematographer Martin Scorsese ever worked with from Mean Streets forward without looking at IMDB. I can also list all the DP's who have worked for James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.

Here's a demonstration, with some trivia about this year's nominees.

Danny Cohen, The King's Speech

Well, maybe Cohen isn't a good place to start. I'm least familiar with his work. And with all due respect, the nomination surprises me a bit. Cohen did good work, to be sure, but I would have much preferred to see Robert Richardson's work in Shutter Island nominated.

(Richardson at left, with Scorsese on Shutter Island)

Jeff Cronenweth, The Social Network

Croneweith has worked with Fincher before, having shot Fight Club. He is the son of esteemed cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, who shot Blade Runner. Jordon briefly worked for Fincher, having started Alien 3 before he fell ill and had to withdraw. Some of his work remains in the film, which was completed by Alex Thomson.

Cronenweth in foreground

Roger Deakins, True Grit

It's my guess that Deakins will be the one who will go on to win this year's Oscar - he's grossly overdue for one. In addition to shooting most of the Coens' films, he also shot The Shawshank Redemption and Kundun, among many others. He also served as a lighting consultant on both WALL-E and How to Train Your Dragon.

Deakins with Joel Coen

Matthew Libatique, Black Swan

Libatique has worked primarily with director Darren Aronofsky, but he also has some big-budget credits, incluidng both Iron Man movies. If I had a vote, Libatique would get it - I loved his combination of gritty realism and nighmarish visions. 

Wally Pfister, Inception

Pfister has shot every film by Christopher Nolan, save Following, which was shot by Nolan himself. He pulled a particulary neat trick with Inception, shooting some of the scenes (I suspect the snow ones) in 70 MM - something very rarely done anymore.

Pfister at left, with Nolan

The DGA noms - the HDTV squash n' stretch

January 10, 2011

The DGA noms were announced Monday.  The nominees are:


Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter

All five nominees are deserving, most especially Mr. Nolan. And he could win, but The Social Network has collected just about every critic's award under the sun, and I have a growing feeling that this is Fincher's year. And what's wrong with that, as the song once said?

The surprise for most people here was the omission of the Coens for True Grit. And they could still make Oscar's cut, supplanting Russell. Both fir the profile of auteur directors that the Academy likes, but the Coens have a longer resume and are more highly regarded. I'm betting they get in with Oscar.
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I was going to write about Exit Through the Gift Shop, which I watched on Sunday, but as the owner of a new HDTV, I feel compelled to speak out on a GIANT pet peeve of mine - people's insistence on "stretching" the picture to fill the TV frame.

This drives me NUTS , because it makes movies, especially old movies,  look terrible. A little education is in order here.

Movies come in 3 basic shapes. The first of these is the 1.33: 1 ratio, what's called the "Academy" ratio. Almost every movie made before the 1950s fit into this shape, which was a very modest rectangle and was the size of standard definition TVs. Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz and Singin in the Rain, to name a mere three, are examples.

Then there's the 1.85: 1 ratio, which came out in the 50s. This is about the size that HDTV's are now. Movies made this way include North by Northwest, E.T. and A Christmas Story, to be somewhat seasonal.

Finally, there's the 2.35: 1 ratio, or what's called Scope. Movies made this way include How to Marry a Millionaire, all the Star Wars movies, and Inception. HDTV's slightly letterbox Scope films, with small, unobtrusive black bars on the top and bottom.  Here's a comparison:

Blessedly, movies made in 1.85: 1 and 2.35: 1 typically don't suffer on HDTVs. But oh, the horrors that are done to 1.33: 1 movies. Here's a prime example:

This is the best musical of all time, Singin' in the Rain. The bottom frame is how it's supposed to look, with the bars on either side. This is the way Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen meant for us to see it. See how naturally proportioned the faces are, even with Donald O' Conner contorting his?

The middle image is zoomed in, which doesn't look horrible to me, but still isn't right. It's the top image that's the atrocity. 

Frustratingly, so many people feel they have to "stretch" the image to fill the frame which makes the actors look like linebackers, or like they had really horrible facelifts. Or maybe they're auditioning for Terry Gilliam's Brazil.

Whatever the case, it defeats the whole purpose of HDTV - to make the image look better. 

It's even worse when cable channels stretch the images on their own. AMC-HD is an egregious offender of this. They were showing John Ford's Fort Apache the other day. Fort Apache was NOT shot in widescreen. Yet AMC felt compelled to make it that way.

It's worse still when HD channels take a cropped version of a movie, like say, The Godfather, like the one that would get shown on a standard-def TV. Then, they stretch THAT image to fill the frame. It's comically, egregiously WRONG. 

I know some HDTVs have a mode that only stretches the outer image of the picture, keeping the center relatively intact. That looks kinda-sorta OK - unless the camera moves, in which people and objects on the outer edge of the frame  look like they're reflected in funhouse mirrors. This page explains the various modes pretty well. 

To my eyes, there's nothing fun about this. Whatever the case, it defeats the whole purpose of HDTV - to make the image look better. 

Let me put it this way. If Francis Ford Coppola came to your house and watched a cropped/stretched print of The Godfather, he'd probably shit his pants. And if you ask me, that's even worse than waking up next to a horse's head in your bed. 

PS - I know some plasma HDTV owners are concerned about the issue of a 4:3 picture causing "burn-in." This page addresses that issue. 

Live-blogging the Golden Globes

OK folks, I've decided to do this EW-style - one post for the whole show. To see the latest updates,  just keep hitting reload or refresh, or whatever your browser calls it.

Show and live-blog start in roughly ten minutes.

I am intentionally avoiding the red carpet stuff for this show, cos the Globes are funky enough as they are. That, and I value my brain cells.

Billy Bush --- ucch. My mind is going .... my mind is going ....

I heard beeping just as Gervais started. Turned out to be the local weather alert. I had been thinking "Wow, he's offending people already!"

Gervais - One thing that can't be bought is a Golden Globe - officially. -- OK, I like that line!

Plastic surgery joke. THAT's never been done before. Followed by dick jokes. I just don't find Gervais all that amusing.

 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Tough to guess. I'm rooting for Kendrick, guessing Mo'nique. She wins the applause-o-meter, certainly.

And I and the applause are right. No problem here. She was great in the film, though  I know at least one of my friends strongly disagrees.

PS - I won't be commenting on TV awards much if at all, since I pay so little attention to TV.

Hey, words that get MY attention - Paul McCartney is next! (He's up for Best Song)

Using Yellow Submarine to introduce Sir Paul - interesting choice!


BEST ANIMATED FILM

This ought to be UP - the HFPA are big on Pixar, as they should be ....

... and they are! YAY!

Wow  - Pete Docter, a man I've met, getting an award from a man I hope to meet someday! My mind just blew a little. Maybe I should call Pete and ask if he can hook me up ....

Kate Hudson introduces NINE and personally BEGS people to see it so they can do more than recoup the craft services budget.

And now to snooze a bit while the HFPA head talkzzzzzzzzz ...

You know,  I really hate these montages they play when they present the nominated films. They're even less informative than trailers -  they tell you absolutely nothing about the movies and are a waste of time.


BEST SONG

I don't have a good guess here. Could be Sir Paul, could be the CRAZY HEART tune ...

... and it's the CRAZY HEART tune. Very anxious to see the film. Don't feel that bad for Paul - it's nit one of his better tunes. Yes, you just witnessed me say something semi-negative about a Beatle. Write down the date!

And that may be one of the strangest acceptance speeches I've seen.

BEST SCORE

Again, this ought to be UP, although I'll have no problem if THE INFORMANT wins.

And UP deservedly triumphs. Giacchino is one of the best composers working today. Just a few notes of Ellie's theme makes me tear up ...

Ah my dear pregnant (sniff) Amy Adams - presenting a TV award. Strange. Oh well. Always glad to see her. Will probably see LEAP YEAR Monday. 


BEST ACTRESS (Comedy)

Hmm. Bullock or Streep? I'll guess streep, since Sandy is likely to get drama, unless Meryl splits ...

... and she doesn't. Meryl for J&J - most deserved.

"I want to change my name to T-Bone Streep" - LOL! Entertaining as always.

Random thought - you know, if they're really so concerned about saving time on this show, they really ought to seat the nominees closer to the stage.

 TV COMMENT

I did see Drew Barrymore's perf in GRAY GARDENS - very impressive, especially if you see the documentary on which it was based. She nailed it.

BEST SCREENPLAY

This goes to either UP IN THE AIR ... I think ....

... and I think correctly. SUPERB screenplay. Absolutely outstanding. Reitman seems to be such a genuine guy. Nice speech. See the movie if you have not already.

And Sophia Loren gets a standing O JUST for being Sophia. There's a measure of success - when you can get a standing O just by walking in a room.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

THE WHITE RIBBON has the most acclaim  ... and has the Globe too.  No surprise there. Looks gorgeous. There seems to be a maxim here - the less famous you are, the quicker you get cut off.

TV COMMENT

You know, I've never seen BIG LOVE, but I gotta like any show that uses "God Only Knows" as a key song.

 SUPPORTING ACTOR

I think this is pretty clearly Christoph Waltz - and I can see clearly now, the rain is gone. I  think that film is a bit overrated, but Waltz is absolutely the best thing about it.


CECIL B. DEMILLE

Presented to last year's presenter - Marty, AKA Mr. Scorsese, AKA The Man AKA The Greatest Living Director. Love that he's billed as a "preservationist." And is that the score for KUNDUN? Wow.
Montage is quite well done - gives you a good idea of his visual energy.

Immensely classy speech as ever - one that really drives home the point that movies are never truly "old" unless they fade from memory - and few, if any of his ever will.


BEST DIRECTOR

This is one of the exes - either Cameron or Bigelow, who used to be married to each other. I'll step put on a limb a bit and say Bigelow.

Ah, no, the other ex got it! He really did do revolutionary work. He gives Kathryn her due, as she so well deserves. And I have this sense that it really could win Best Picture - both here and at the Oscars. It's momentum is just too powerful.

TV COMMENT

Not at ALL surprised by GLEE's wiin. That show has been the phenomenon of the season. Very much enjoyed the one show I saw, with my 2nd favorite Broadway actress, Kristin Chenoweth.

 BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL

A month ago, I would have said NINE, but the film has fared so poorly at the box office. I'll guess JULIE AND JULIA ...

and WOW! THE HANGOVER gets it. That's a genuine surprise! Really funny movie, but I thought it too crass for the HFPA's taste. (Insert joke here about how the HFPA voters were plied with alcohol.)

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

I'll guess Sandy here, although I hope for Carey Mulligan ...

and most of my guesses have been good tonight. Very solid performance in a film that's a bit overrated but still affecting.


BEST ACTOR, COMEDY

I'll defer to the best perf here, Matt Damon in THE INFORMANT!

WHAT?????!!! DOWNEY??? For THAT film??? You have GOT to be kidding me! I enjoyed his work, but good grief - that wasn't that far removed from Tony Stark with a British accent and a violin. They BLEW that call!


BEST ACTOR DRAMA

Bridges could well get this, but so could Clooney ...

And Bridges got it! He is absolutely UNSTOPPABLE for the Oscar now. I just don't see anyone beating him.

BEST PICTURE, DRAMA

So am I right that AVATAR has too much momentum? ...

Yep, sure am! I'm getting closer to predicting it for the Oscar.

I've been sitting here for three-some hours now and I'm getting keyboard weary, so I will save my review of the underrated THE LOVELY BONES for later - though I just dropped y'all a hint.

For now, what did you think of the show and the winners?
 

How to live-blog the Golden Globes?

Everyone,

The Golden Globes are on Conan O'Brien's favorite network at 8 p.m. tonight, so I thought I'd ask my readers a question.

I was going to try to live-blog them like I have done for the Oscars in the past. In other words, I'll post to the blog as the awards are handed out and offer insightful and sarcastic commentary.

But how best to do it? Should I do it all in one post and refresh it, like EW does for their live blogs, or should I do separate posts for each category, as I have done in the past? What method do you think is better?

Golden Globe nomination reactions; (sometimes) tentative predictions

So what's my take on the latest movie award nominations? Just call me Magellan as I circle the Golden Globes.

Picture, Drama: "Avatar," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," "Up in the Air."

No great surprises here - and no Avatar is NOT a surprise the way it's been gathering steam. I call Up in the Air the favorite to win. The one omission I am somwhat surprised by is An Education, which only copped a single nomination, for lead actress Carey Mulligan.

Picture, Musical or Comedy: "(500) Days of Summer," "The Hangover," "It's Complicated," "Julie & Julia," "Nine."

Again, no jaw-droppers or even "Hmms" here. I actually like Julie & Julia's chances best, though I'm personally rooting for (500) Days of Summer.  And for those who think The Hangover has a shot at a Best Picture Oscar now, you're drunk. Star Trek will get nominated before The Hangover will.

Actor, Drama: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"; George Clooney, "Up in the Air"; Colin Firth, "A Single Man"; Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"; Tobey Maguire, "Brothers."

The HFPA may go for Clooney, whom they love, but I think the undervalued Bridges has a real shot - and I actually have Bridges in the top spot to win the Oscar at the moment. Maguire is a small but pleasant surprise.

Actress, Drama: Emily Blunt, "The Young Victoria"; Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"; Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"; Carey Mulligan, "An Education"; Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."

I would have called this for Mulligan in a walk, but with the film getting no other noms, I'm not  so sure now. I would rule out neither Sidibe (the HFPA loves to award newcomers) or Bullock (the HFPA loves stars).

Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"; James Cameron, "Avatar"; Clint Eastwood, "Invictus"; Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"; Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds."

So the trivia question comes to frutiion Which category has a former married couple competing against each other? Cameron and Bigelow. Barring an Up in the Air sweep, I think Bigelow's chances are very strong here. 

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Matt Damon, "The Informant!"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Nine"; Robert Downey Jr., "Sherlock Holmes"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "(500) Days of Summer"; Michael Stuhlbarg, "A Serious Man."

Delighted to see Damon and Stuhlbarg here; and Gordon-Leavitt as well. Not sure what to make of Downey's nom; that feels to me like a "Well, what else IS there?" pick. I actually like Damon's chances best, and the win would be well-deserved; it's Damon's best work to date.

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Sandra Bullock, "The Proposal"; Marion Cotillard, "Nine"; Julia Roberts, "Duplicity"; Meryl Streep, "It's Complicated"; Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia."

Roberts' selection is the biggest surprise among the major categories, and I say this as someone who found Duplicity extremely underrated. Roberts is fun in the film, but I am disheartened to see that Zooey Deschanel of (500) Days of Summer missed the mark. Ultimately, it doesn't matter - this is Julia Child's award in a walk.

Supporting Actor: Matt Damon, "Invictus"; Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"; Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"; Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"; Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds."

Very odd group. Damon is good but not THAT good in Invictus.  Harrelson is outstanding but his film doesn't have enough traction. Tucci could well win since he had an excellent year with excellent work in Julie & Julia, but The Lovely Bones is fading badly in the home stretch. As magnetic as Waltz is, I would not rule him out at all. He just may win. 

Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Nine"; Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"; Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"; Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"; Julianne Moore, "A Single Man."

The Up in the Air women will cancel each other out. Cruz has a shot, but Mo'Nique has built up great momentum, so I think it's hers to lose.

Foreign Language: "Baaria," "Broken Embraces," "The Maid (La Nana)," "A Prophet," "The White Ribbon."

I've seen none of the noms, but based on reputation, I like The White Ribbon to won.

Animated Film: "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," "Coraline," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Princess and the Frog," "Up."

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Really. Up is pretty well unbeatable here, as it should be.

Screenplay: Neill Blomkamp, "District 9"; Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker"; Nancy Meyers, "It's Complicated"; Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"; Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds."

I LOVE the nomination for District 9,  which was very clever, but Up in the Air's got this pretty easily, I think.

Original Score: Michael Giacchino, "Up"; Marvin Hamlisch, "The Informant!"; James Horner, "Avatar"; Abel Korzeniowski, "A Single Man"; Karen O, Carter Burwell, "Where the Wild Things Are."

Giacchino is a top candidate here, but I also loved Hamlisch's delightfully quirky/cheesy tribute to the sound of the 70s. Neither would surprise me.

Original Song: "Cinema Italiano" (written by Maury Yeston), "Nine"; "I Want to Come Home" (written by Paul McCartney); "Everybody's Fine"; "I Will See You" (written by James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell); "Avatar"; "The Weary Kind (Theme from 'Crazy Heart')" (written by Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett), "Crazy Heart"; "Winter" (written by U2), "Brothers."

Of course, Sir Critic is delighted to see Sir Paul, but even this Beatlemaniac has to admit it's not a great tune; I think T-Bone Burnett, who has done such good work as a musical arranger in the movies (he was the musical brain behind O Brother Where Art Thou and Walk the Line just to name two) could well win for his Crazy Heart song. I will also note that I am disappointed that none of Randy Newman's songs from The Princess and the Frog made it.

Your thoughts?