Oscarquest 2010 cont'd

Ok, I did some heavy Oscarquesting today.

The Hurt Locker

Whoa. It was f-ing INTENSE. In all of the reviews that I read, the word "tense" was generally the common thread, and well, whodathunkit?, the reviews were dead-on. There were a few parts where I actually found myself taking quick breaths in and out, as though I was trying to dismantle an IED instead of sitting on my can in a cool, quiet theater. I give Kathryn Bigelow and her fantastic cast a lot of credit. I think I'm a fairly savvy consumer of art, and eliciting that kind of response takes some muscle. There is a shit-ton of muscle happening in this film. Alright, so the reviews of this film are pretty accurate, and I'd say it's also the case of the other two I saw, so I'll just comment on some little peccadilloes that delighted or impressed me-- and maybe if you see these movies, you'll enjoy them, as well. In the case of The Hurt Locker, a key image is one of Jeremy Renner's character wearing a special suit designed for IED experts. (IED stands for "improvised explosive device"-- they are unsophisticated, and therefore unpredictable, bombs that are common in the action in Iraq.) The suit is really thick and bulky, and it includes this massive helmet and collar. When Renner's character is wearing it, he looks like an astronaut. Here's the thing, though-- wearing a suit like that would probably make someone walk with a ridiculous stride. But Renner manages to have his character actually STRUT in this thing. When you first see this, it speaks volumes for who this guy is. He's not just another soldier; when the suit is on, he's THE guy, he's the expert, he's calling the shots, he's the only one around who can do what he does. Total bad-ass. I don't know if it was Renner or Kathryn Bigelow who developed that swagger, but it is brilliant.

Bottom line: if Avatar wins Best Picture over The Hurt Locker, I will absolutely throw something at the TV. Same goes for Best Director. And maybe even Sound, too-- there is one sequence where the diffusion of a bomb is intercut with a man running down some stairs, and the sound effect is wonderful.

The Last Station
I haven't really wrapped my brain around the story quite yet. I'm not entirely sure that I took from it what was intended. However, it was a wonderful movie. Helen Mirren was just ridiculous, of course. Paul Giamatti did his job with aplomb-- big f-ing surprise. Christopher "Captain Georg Von Trapp" Plummer was wonderful-- hardly a spring chicken, so again, no breaking news that he would turn in a great performance. For me, the biggest stand-out was James McAvoy. (He was in Atonement with Keira Knightley, and played Paul Bettany's pervert little brother in Wimbledon.) His character goes through a nice transition from start to finish, and I loved the way McAvoy demonstrated the change. The movie is about the last days of Count Leo Tolstoy's life, and McAvoy is hired as a sort of secretary by a member of Tolstoy's entourage. (That's the best way I can describe it. Just see the damn movie. It's gorgeous.) One particular moment that I just loveloveloved was the initial meeting between Tolstoy and Valentin (McAvoy). Valentin is a huge Tolstoy devotee, and subscribes to a philosophy and lifestyle that Tolstoy espoused-- so he is obviously about to soil himself with excitement upon meeting this idol. The dialogue between them is kind of charming, and Valentin's awe at Tolstoy's warm demeanor results in little tearful breakdown. I hate to belittle the character (I mean, Valentin was a real guy, so I should be respectful), but it was so cute!! Also, there is one particular scene between Plummer (he plays Tolstoy-- probably should have mentioned that) and Mirren (as Countess Sophya somethingsomethingsomething Tolstoy) that clues the audience into what kind of love they shared. I don't want to give it away, but it was the type of scene where I felt like I shouldn't be watching. It was so intimate and genuine, that it felt like I was actually watching the interplay between a married couple, and I was being nosy. THAT is good acting.

Bottom line: This movie makes the Megan Foxes of the world that much more unbearable. It's always good to see champions playing their game. Mirren was wonderful, but I really think that Carey Mulligan's performance in An Education is more worthy of an Oscar. I haven't seen the competition yet, but Christopher Plummer is overdue for some recognition. Did you know that he did the narration for that children's show, David the Gnome?!

Up in the Air
This one was the most congruent with my personal tastes in movies. It's the classic dramedy and there are a lot of parallels one could draw between Up in the Air and the ultimate DKM movie, The Apartment. I really like Jason Reitman-- moreso for Thank You For Smoking than for Juno-- he has a great knack for tone. There are some gut-wrenching scenes in this story, but he manages to temper them with little comedic beats. The three main characters were all great roles, and the performances were spot-on. I mean, honestly, spot-on. I think I was most impressed with Anna Kendrick. This girl cut her teeth on Broadway, did some film work, has a role in the shitstorm that is the Twilight empire, and then gets a role going toe-to-toe with George Clooney. AND SHE KEEPS UP!! When she was on screen, I kept seeing her as one of those tiny, insane female gymnasts that the US sends to the Olympics-- there's no curve, no warmth, just muscle and determination, in an 80-pound frame. The moments when Kendrick softens and breaks a little are really great to watch. (I have to mention: Kendrick's face is sort of severe and sharp-- not unlike another actress who did some fantastic dramedy work in The Apartment, cough-cough...coincidence?!) So, the peccadillo-- alright, remember the scene in Almost Famous when Kate Hudson's Penny Lane is told of just how flagrantly her love interest betrayed her? And Hudson managed to register about 6 different emotions on her face within the course of about 6 seconds? Ok, well, there's a moment when Clooney has to do the same thing-- it's a similar gut-punch, but Clooney's reaction is just a split-second, and it's really subtle...but it just got me. I love the Clooney. Big fan.

Bottom line: I hope this movie wins something. I really don't even care what. It was everything I like in a film. Relevant, well-acted, a few surprises, and maintains a very careful balance of drama and comedy.

Note: I have consumed way too much popcorn and fountain Diet Coke over the past few days. I need some Brussels sprouts in my life.