Nomination Thoughts (The Big 8)

- With the announcement of the Oscar nominees for 2011 released last Tuesday it is officially Oscar season. A lot of the categories went mostly as anticipated but there were several surprises and of course perceived snubs. Lets dig into the list of nominees:

Best Picture:

-The Artist

-Hugo

-The Descendants

-The Help

-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

-Moneyball

-War Horse

-Tree of Life

-Midnight in Paris

Thoughts- 8 of the 9 nominees were in my predicted 10. The only one that made it in that I didn't predict was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close which was in my personal top 10 so I was pretty happy about that one. The only flaw here is the exclusion of Drive which I consider a huge snub. Drive was one of the slickest, retro-cool movies of the year and has already developed a large cult following which will probably make it one of the more remembered films of the year. With the way the other nominations came out The Artist is the prohibitive favorite trailed closely by Hugo with The Descendants, Moneyball, Midnight in Paris and The Help as long shots. Tree of Life, War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close will have to be happy with their nominations because they have no shot.

Best Director:

-Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) (1st Nomination)

-Alexander Payne (The Descendants) (2nd Nomination for Directing)

-Martin Scorsese (Hugo) (7th Nomination for Directing/ 1 Previous win for The Departed)

-Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) (7th Nomination for Directing/ 1 Previous win for Annie Hall)

-Terence Malick (Tree of Life) (2nd Nomination for Directing)

Thoughts- It is the 4 highly thought of veterans against the newcomer. I had 3 of the 5 right in my predictions, with Allen and Malick sneaking in ahead of Spielberg and Fincher. Once again I don't have any problems with this group of nominees although I would have liked to see Refn for Drive (This is going to be a theme). The major surprise here is the exclusion of Spielberg who is maybe the most highly thought of director in Hollywood. It is very interesting that War Horse got nominated for Best Picture and Spielberg missed out, as I would have thought they would have been a package deal with either both missing or both making it. Most years the favorite for for Best Picture carries over to the director but this year could definitely be different because any of the 5 nominees have a legitimate shot at winning. My money right now is that the Artist will sweep the first two categories but that could change very fast.

Best Actor:

-Brad Pitt (Moneyball) (3rd Nomination for Acting)

-George Clooney (The Descendants) (4th Nomination for Acting/ 1 Previous win for Supporting Actor in Syriana)

-Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) (1st Nomination)

-Demian Bichir (A Better Life) (1st Nomination)

-Jean Dujardin (The Artist) (1st Nomination)

Thoughts- Again got 3 out of the 5. Very surprised that Bichir got in ahead of Gosling (Drive or Ides of March), DiCaprio (J. Edgar) and Fassbender (Shame). I love Gary Oldman as an actor, and it is unbelievable that he has never been nominated before with his track record, but it is disappointing that he is nominated for his role in an almost unwatchable movie. This topic will come up again later when I have a bigger problem, so suffice it to say for now that I hated Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. This is the battle between Pitt and Clooney to see who will nab their first win as a lead actor, however Oldman definitely falls into the category of getting a "career" win, and if the votes get split and dispersed enough that brings Dujardin into the mix. My thought right now is that Pitt's name gets called but like most of the categories this year there is not a lot of certainty which could make for a very interesting and surprising night.

Best Actress:

-Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) (6th Nomination for Acting) (Haven't Seen)

-Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) (3rd Nomination for Acting)

-Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) (1st Nomination)

-Viola Davis (The Help) (2nd Nomination for Acting)

-Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) (17th Nomination for Acting-not a typo/ 2 Previous wins for Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie's Choice) (Haven't Seen)

Thoughts- I got 5 out of 5 in the category. A very strong lineup and once again I can see this categoy going several different ways. A strong case could be made for Close, Williams, Davis and Streep while Mara is the only nominee I can't see winning. I have yet to see Albert Nobbs but everything I have heard is that it is a terrible movie but Close is outstanding in it, and this is probably the last time the Academy will be able to reward Close with a win. A strong case could also be made that it is ridiculous that Streep has 17 nominations and only 2 wins, with the last one coming in 1983, and a push could be made to reward her with a 3rd win. Side note- Streep has been nominated in each of the last 5 decades (70s-1, 80s-7, 90s-3, 00s-4, 10s-2) that is unbelievable. With both of those cases being said, most people tend to think (myself included) that the 2 best performances this year belong to Williams (my pick) and Davis, so this category is far from an easy pick this year.

Best Supporting Actor:

-Christopher Plummer (Beginners) (2nd Nomination for Acting)

-Jonah Hill (Moneyball) (1st Nomination)

-Nick Nolte (Warrior) (3rd Nomination for Acting)

-Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) (2nd Nomination for Acting)

-Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) (2nd Nomination for Acting)

Thoughts- Only got 2 out of 5 here. Very happy to see that Sydow got a nod for his emotional turn in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I was a little surprised that Hill and Nolte both received nominations. While Hill is very good in Moneyball, that movie is carried by Pitt's performance and the outstanding screenplay. It is also unusual for the Academy to nominate someone whose career had previously consisted of raunchy humor that the Academy usually turns a disdainful look at. Nolte is a respected veteran actor but I didn't think he had enough screen time in an underseen movie that didn't generate buzz in any other categories, so that one was a little surprising. The glaring omission and possibly the biggest surprise of the nomination morning was the exclusion of Albert Brooks for turn as a cold, heartless mob boss in Drive. Brooks was easily my favorite supporting role of the year and topped the list for several other respected critics. The frontrunner here appears to be Plummer for his turn as the gay father of the protagonist in Beginners. He is the respected veteran without a win and he gave the performance that has been the most heralded of the year for the group, so it is his award to lose coming down the homestretch.

Best Supporting Actress:

-Berenice Bejo (The Artist) (1st Nomination)

-Jessica Chastain (The Help) (1st Nomination)

-Octavia Spencer (The Help) (1st Nomination)

-Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) (1st Nomination)

-Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) (2nd Nomination for Acting)(Haven't Seen)

Thoughts- Nailed 3 out of 5 predictions in this category. This is another category where I am disappointed at the exclusion of Carey Mulligan for either Shame or Drive, as both performances deserved to be recognized. I know there is group of supporters for McCarthy and Bridesmaids, but I just didn't get it and can't do anything but shake my head when I think about her being nominated. Spencer and Chastain both made it in for The Help and rightfully so. It is looking like one of them will take home the award and the precursors all suggest that it is going to be Spencer, although I would personally vote for Chastain. The upset could happen if The Help ladies split the vote which would leave a pathway for Bejo to win, especially if The Artist continues to gain momentum and push votes in all of its categories. McTeer will have to just be happy about a nomination because I doubt enough people have even seen Albert Nobbs to vote for her.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

-Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian and Stan Chervin for Moneyball (1st Nomination for Chervin, 2nd Nomination for Sorkin/1 win for The Social Network, 4th Nomination for Zaillian/1 win for Schindler's List)

-John Logan for Hugo (3rd Nomination)

-Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for The Descendants (3rd Nomination for Payne in Writing/1 win for Sideways, 1st Nomination for Faxon, 1st Nomination for Rash)

-George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon for Ides of March (2nd Nomination for Clooney in Writing, 2nd Nomination for Heslov, 1st Nomination for Willimon)

-Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1st Nomination for O'Connor, 1st Nomination for Straughan)

Thoughts- Another 3 for 5 category, and another disappointing snub for Drive. This category is really a 3 way race between Moneyball, The Descendants and Hugo, and by declaring a winner this category is in essence eliminating the other 2 from any hopes of winning Best Picture. The screenwriting marvel of turning a dry economics of baseball book into a compelling and entertaining movie is a huge feat and should land Moneyball a win in this category in my opinion. The Descendants and Hugo would also be deserving winners and definitely have shown the support and acclaim to pull off the win. Clooney will have to be happy with his nomination in this category for Ides of March. That brings me to the part where I get to rant a little as I mentioned a few categories previously. How in the world can you take an acclaimed novel about cold war era spies and make an almost unwatchably boring and incoherent movie and it be considered an Oscar nominee... Yes i'm talking about you Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Best Original Screenplay:

-Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris (15th Nomination in Writing/2 wins for Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters)

-Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (1st Nomination)

-Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo for Bridesmaids (1st Nomination for both)

-Asghar Farhadi for A Separation (1st Nomination) (Haven't Seen)

-J.C. Chandhor for Margin Call (1st Nomination) (Haven't Seen)

Thoughts: Usually one of the hard categories to predict, and this year was no exception with surprise nominations for both the Iranian foreign film A Separation and little seen political movie Margin Call. It is a shame that 50/50 was excluded here as it really was one of the most well writting movies this year in my opinion as it seamlessly walked the line between comedy and drama while dealing with a topic as heavy as cancer. There is also another nomination for Bridesmaids that makes me cringe but it has no shot at winning along with A Separation (It will probably win Foreign Picture) and Margin Call. So this category is a two way shoot out between the break out star Michel Hazanavicius and tidal wave that is The Artist and the consumate veteran in Woody Allen who has written one of the most touching and entertaining works of his distinguished career in Midnight in Paris.

2011 Cinematic Courier Awards

In lieu of the official Oscar nominations being announced tomorrow morning, it is time to unveil the Cinematic Courier awards for 2011.

BEST PICTURE- The rules for the Oscars have changed slightly this year in the Best Picture category in that a film must secure at least 5% of the first place votes on the ballots to be eligible for a nomination. So instead of previous years where there were either 5 or 10 spots, this year there will be somewhere between 5-10 nominees based on how many films qualify. In keeping with the rule change the Cinematic Courier's list for Best Picture is relegated to films that were given either an A or A- which happened to come out to 9 for the year.

The Nominees:

-The Artist

-Drive

-Hugo

-J. Edgar

-Midnight in Paris

-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

-50/50

-War Horse

-My Week With Marilyn

Winner- The Artist

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-The Artist

-Drive

-Hugo

-Midnight in Paris

-War Horse

-The Descendants

-The Help

-The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo**

-Tree of Life**

-Moneyball**

**- Depending on how many qualify

BEST DIRECTOR:

-Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

-Martin Scorsese for Hugo

-Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

-Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive

-Steven Spielberg for War Horse

Winner- Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

-Martin Scorsese for Hugo

-Steven Spielberg for War Horse

-Alexander Payne for The Descendants

-David Fincher for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BEST ACTOR:

-Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar

-Jean Dujardin as George Valentine in The Artist

-Ryan Gosling as The Driver in Drive

-Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam in 50/50

-Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in Moneyball

Winner- Ryan Gosling as The Driver in Drive

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in Moneyball

-Jean Dujardin as George Valentine in The Artist

-George Clooney as Matt King in The Descendants

-Ryan Gosling as Stephen Meyers in Ides of March

-Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan in Shame

BEST ACTRESS:

-Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark in The Help

-Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn

-Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

-Felicity Jones as Anna in Like Crazy

-Elizabeth Olsen as Martha in Martha Marcy May Marlene

Winner- Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark in The Help

-Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn

-Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

-Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in Iron Lady

-Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs in Albert Nobbs

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

-Albert Brooks as Bernie Rose in Drive

-Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn

-Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson in J. Edgar

-Brad Pitt as Mr. O'Brien in Tree of Life

-Max Von Sydow as The Renter in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

The Winner- Albert Brooks as Bernie Rose in Drive

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Albert Brooks as Bernie Rose in Drive

-Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn

-Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson in J. Edgar

-Christopher Plummer as Hal Fields in Beginners

-Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud in A Dangerous Method

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

-Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote in The Help

-Jessica Chastain as Mrs. O'Brien in Tree of Life (Technically against Oscar rules that you can't be nominated twice in the same category... don't care)

-Carey Mulligan as Irene in Drive

-Carey Mulligan as Sissy Sullivan in Shame (See above)

-Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller in The Artist

The Winner- Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote in The Help

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote in The Help

-Carey Mulligan as Sissy Sullivan in Shame

-Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller in The Artist

-Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson in The Help

-Shailene Woodley as Alexandra King in The Descendants

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

-Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillan, Stan Chervin for Moneyball

-John Logan for Hugo

-Hossein Amini for Drive

-Eric Roth for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

-Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, Alexander Payne for The Descendants

The Winner- Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillan and Stan Chervin for Moneyball

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillan, Stan Chervin for Moneyball

-John Logan for Hugo

-Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, Alexander Payne for The Descendants

-Tate Taylor for The Help

-Steven Zaillan for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

-Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

-Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

-Will Reiser for 50/50

-Terence Malick for Tree of Life

-Dustin Lance Black for J. Edgar

Winner- Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

Predicted Oscar Nominees:

-Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

-Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

-Will Reiser for 50/50

-Mike Mills for Beginners

-Diablo Cody for Young Adult

-There you have the official 2011 Cinematic Courier Awards. I am going to forego the awards for the technical categories so that I can talk some more about them once the real nominees are announced. I am also going to wait for the Animated/Foreign/Documentary categories simply because I have not seen enough of the potential nominees to have an informed opinion.

A Year to Remember

At the end of every year the talk centers around the the best that the year had to offer. This applies to many different aspects of life including films. Everyone wants to know what was the best movie, the best performance and so on. With the scope and size of Hollywood, and the seemingly infinite number of movies that are released in any given year, I think many people forget the amount of time, personel and money that it takes to write, film, produce and market a movie. It can take a full year (sometimes multiple years) of work by an individual director, actor or producer to make one movie. Sometimes lightning strikes and an individual is able to be a part of multiple movies in a given year. This post is an acknowledgement of the people of Hollywood who went over and beyond for 2011 and gave us both quality and quantity. Here is a top 5 list of men and women who gave exceptional performances in multiple movies for 2011.

THE MEN:

George Clooney: Clooney proved once again in 2011 that he is a man of many talents. The year saw him give two great performances as well as showcased his talents in the writing, directing and producing roles.

The Descendants (Acting)- A man who seems to have everything in the paradise of Hawaii has to face the difficulties of a family on the brink as Hawaiian land owner Matt King. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Actor)

The Ides of March(Acting, Writing, Directing, Producing)- Helped write the screenplay while also stepping behind the camera to direct and produce. Also showed up in front of the camera playing Presidential hopeful Mike Morris. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture)

Michael Fassbender: Say hello to a soon to be superstar in Hollywood. 2011 was the coming out party for one of the most talented young actors in the business. Relegated to supporting roles and independent movies in previous years, Fassbender was finally given a chance to shine in the spotlight in 2011 and he definitly made the most of it.

Jane Eyre (Acting)- Playing the high class love interest Edward Rochester.

X-Men: First Class(Acting)- An integral part of breathing new life into the franchise by capturing the humanity and consuming hatred of Erik Lehnsherr that resulted in the creation of Magneto.

A Dangerous Method(have not seen) (Acting)- Played the contemporary to Sigmund Frued and founder of Analytical Psychology Carl Jung. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Actor)

Shame (Acting)- Courageous and heartbreaking depiction of the lonliness and depression of a sex addict as Brandon Sullivan. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Actor)

Ryan Gosling: Continues to prove he is in the top echelon of young Hollywood. Gosling proved in 2011 that he can play the cool anti-hero, as well as showcased his comedic chops.

Crazy,Stupid,Love (Acting)- Showed he has a funny side as the slick womanizer trying to change his ways Jacob Palmer.

The Ides of March (Acting)- The lynchpin to showcasing the dirty side of politics, as campaign manager Stephen Meyers. (Possible Oscar nominee- Best Actor)

Drive (Acting)- Showed he has the cool confidence to be this generation's Paul Newman. A slick, violent turn as a wheelman caught up in the mob known only as The Driver. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Actor)

Brad Pitt: So often, people consider Brad Pitt as a good looks movie star that they forget he is one of the more talented actors in Tinseltown. 2011 showcased those talents in two very different yet effective roles.

Tree of Life (Acting)- Shined in a difficult role as a hard working disciplinarian father Mr. O'Brien, who during the 1960s wanted the best for his family but was not always able to effectively communicate that desire. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actor)

Moneyball (Acting)- Infused life and entertainment into the numbers behind the business of baseball as the charismatic leader and GM of the Oakland A's Billy Beane. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Actor)

Steven Spielberg: Arguably the greatest movie making director of all time burst back onto the scene in 2011. What is even more interesting is he did it following the same recipe that he created by making heartwarming, epic movies that bridge the gap between critical success and entertainment value. Not only did he direct 2 movies in 2011, in his "spare time" he produced 6 movies and 2 successful TV series.

War Horse (Director and Producer)- Brought his classic approach of epic visuals and sweeping scores to WWI seen from the eyes of a horse who touches the lives of countless people on both sides of the war. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Director and Best Picture)

The Adventures of TinTin (have not seen) (Director and Producer)- One of Spielberg's greatest accomplishments is his ability to make movies that cross generation gaps. In the same year he directs a movie about WWI, he also is able to direct an animated adventure story that appeals to all generations. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Animated Picture)

Super 8/ Transformers:Dark Side of the Moon/ Cowboys and Aliens/ Real Steel (Executive Producer)

TV- Falling Skies and Terranova (Executive Producer)

THE WOMEN:

Jessica Chastain: Talk about a coming out party. Chastain may have had one of the greatest years in acting history. Not only did she set the bar with 6 movies released in 2011, she was outstanding in all of them while taking on very different roles and characters.

The Debt (Acting)- Showcased her action talent as a member of Israeli special forces sent to capture a Nazi war criminal following WWII.

Take Shelter (have not seen)(Acting)- Played Samantha, a mother and wife trying to understand her husband as he prepares the family for his perceived coming of dooomsday. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actress)

Coriolanus (have not seen) (Acting)- Plays Coriolanus's wife Virgilia in the modern take on the play of the same name by Shakespeare.

Texas Killing Fields (have not seen) (Acting)- Plays Detective Pam Stall as part of the team investigating unsolved murders in the bayous of East Texas.

Tree of Life (Acting)- Provided the contrast to Pitt's disciplinarian parent as the ethereal version of a soft spoken, loving and nurturing mother figure. She was able to speak volumes despite saying very little as Mrs. O'Brien. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actress)

The Help (Acting)- In my opinion, the best part of the movie. Plays the secluded outcast of high society Celia Foote, who is trying desperately to fit in. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actress)

Viola Davis: Another example of a talented actress who has served her time playing small character roles only to finally be given the opportunity to shine as the star.

Trust (Acting)- Small but pivotal role as the compassionate social worker Gail Friedman who is trying to break through to a damaged young girl.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Acting)- Another small but impactful role as Abby Black who holds the key to a young boy's search for answers following his father's death on 9/11.

The Help (Acting)- Gave the performance of a lifetime as Aibileen Clark who is the central voice in the expose of the relationship between the white aristocracy of the deep south and the black maids who worked in their homes and raised their children. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Actress)

Jennifer Lawrence: A young actress who burst onto the scene last year with her Oscar nominated performance in the little seen movie Winter's Bone, took that momentum and really capitalized on it. She had a successful follow up year by giving two strong supporting roles, as well as contributing to the ensemble of the franchise reboot X-Men. Her biggest moment of 2011 however is undoubtedly landing the role of Katniss Everdeen in the upcoming Hunger Games series which will undoubtedly turn her into a household name the same way the Twilight series did for Kristen Stewart, with the only difference being that Lawrence can actually act.

The Beaver (Acting)- A successful role as the high school valedictorian with a rebelious side Norah.

Like Crazy (Acting)- Her second movie acting opposite Anton Yelchin, however this time she gives a heartbreaking performance as the "replacement" girlfriend Sam, who just isn't enough.

X-Men: First Class (Acting)- One of the central characters to the reboot was the blossoming of the insecure and self consious Raven into the alluring and sensuous Mystique.

Carey Mulligan: Ever since she emerged with her Oscar nominated turn in An Education, Mulligan has proven that she can play the naive, innocent role. This year she succesfully broadened her acting chops with more risque and vulnerable roles that proved she will be at the top of a lot of director's list when looking to cast dramatic female characters. She will get her first shot this year with the role of Daisy in The Great Gatsby opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (Be sure to put that one on the Must See List).

Drive (Acting)- Irene is a lonely mother who is longing and desparate for meaning and security in life both for herself and her child as she allows herself to become more vulnerable with the enigmatic Driver. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actress)

Shame (Acting)- As Sissy Sullivan she captivates as the lonely sister searching for acceptance and meaning by reaching out to her sex addicted brother. A raw and deep performance of sadness and despair, with a haunting scene in which she sings New York, New York which is one of the most touching scenes of the year. (Possible Oscar Nominee- Best Supporting Actress)

Emma Watson: Cast as a young girl for the role of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, no one could have imagined the actress she would turn out to be. She constantly matured with the character taking on bigger challenges along the way, and now is positioned to parlay what could have become a classic child actor fading into obscurity into a successful film career.

Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 (Acting)- Brought a stubborn yet adoring know-it-all likeability to the character of Hermione Granger that became one of the best parts about the series.

My Week with Marilyn (Acting)- Watson's first foray into the world beyond Harry Potter and she showed that she can hold her own outside of the series. She takes a simple role as the costume tech Lucy and makes it memorable.

Coming Soon:

-Tuesday morning is the official announcement of this years Oscar nominees. My predictions as well as the 2011 Cinematic Courier Awards will be posted tomorrow evening.

2011 The List

Just a quick list of the movies I took in this year along with their grades.

1. The Artist (A)

2. Drive (A)

3. Hugo (A)

4. J. Edgar (A)

5. Midnight in Paris (A-)

6. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (A-)

7. 50/50 (A-)

8. War Horse (A-)

9. My Week with Marilyn (A-)

10. Like Crazy (B+)

11. The Descendants (B+)

12. Tree of Life (B+)

13. Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 (B+)

14. Trust (B+)

15. Crazy Stupid Love (B+)

16. X-Men: First Class (B+)

17. Moneyball (B+)

18. The Help (B+)

19. Super 8 (B+)

20. The Ides of March (B+)

21. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (B+)

22. The Adjustment Bureau (B)

23. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (B)

24. Warrior (B)

25. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (B)

26. Martha Marcy May Marlene (B)

27. The Lincoln Lawyer (B)

28. Source Code (B)

29. Everything Must Go (B)

30. In Time (B)

31. Atlas Shrugged Pt. 1 (B)

32. The Conspirator (B)

33. The Debt (B)

34. Larry Crowne (B)

35. Jane Eyre (B)

36. Captain America: The First Avenger (B)

37. Contagion (B-)

38. The Beaver (B-)

39. Real Steel (B-)

40. Beginners (B-)

41. The Rum Diary (B-)

42. Seven Days in Utopia (B-)

43. No Strings Attached (B-)

44. Battle Los Angeles (B-)

45. Bridesmaids (B-)

46. Shame (C+)

47. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (C+)

48. Red State (C+)

49. Immortals (C+)

50. Thor (C+)

51. I Am Number Four (C+)

52. Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon (C)

53. The Mechanic (C)

54. Sanctum (C)

55. The Green Hornet (C-)

56. Bad Teacher (C-)

My Top 15 of 2011 (So Far)

-As a kick start to my new year's resolution of being a more active blogger, I figured I would start by summarizing my adventures at the movies this last year. Here are my top 15 movies that I have seen so far this year.

1. The Artist: Who would have thought that a black and white, silent movie could feel so fresh and exciting in a world dominated by special effects and technology. Perfectly walks the line between classic presentation and modern themes of fame and obscurity. My favorite of the year.

2. Drive: Easily the coolest movie of the year. Ryan Gosling oozes quiet, cool confidence as a wheel man who lives by his own rules.

3. J. Edgar: A dramatic historical ride through middle and late 20th century America, seen from the eyes of arguably the most powerful man behind the scenes. DiCaprio gives an award worthy performance as the insecure, power hungry man who was probably the most despised yet feared man in Washington.

4. Midnight in Paris: A nostalgic ride through the streets of 1920's Paris, a place where some of the most revered artists, authors and musicians called home. Woody Allen proves he still has it.

5. 50/50: How do you make a dramatic comedy about cancer? This movie has the answer. You will laugh and cry through a young man's struggle for survival and meaning.

6. War Horse: Classic Spielberg. This movie is breathtaking to experience through its dazzling cinematography, epic score and innocent love story between boy and horse. However at the end of the day it falls short of Spielberg's best for being overly sentimental and predictable.

7. The Descendants: George Clooney proves once again he has the mid-life crisis character down pat. An honest look at a life in paradise that is not always everything the surroundings suggest.

8. Like Crazy: Probably one of the best romantic dramas in recent years. The roller coaster ride of love complicated by the realities of life. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones are two of the best young actors in the business.

9. Tree of Life: It is hard to put this movie into words. You will either love it for its grandeur and genius or despise it for being incomprehensible and foolishness. Terrence Malick attempts to explore the meaning of life, creation, nature vs. nuture, and man's relation to each other and to God, all encapsulated within a 1950's family in Waco, Texas.

10. Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Pt. 2: A fitting end to a great series. The last two movies showed the maturation of the story along with the actors. What started out as an entertainment over substance series became moviemaking magic, effectively incorporating a coming of age theme within an exciting fantasy world.

11. Trust: A little seen movie that explored the dangers of social interactions online especially for young girls. A young teen is lulled into a sense of familiarity with a stranger online only to learn he may not be who he seems. Clive Owen's portrayal of a distraught father failing to protect his daughter coupled with his realization that he is guilty of playing into the marketing strategy that "sex sells", was one of the best performances of the year.

12. X-Men: First Class: A summer blockbuster that delivered on substance and style. A winning formula of talented young actors and an exciting script that didn't sacrifice character development for cheap thrills. Hopefully there will be a few more of these coming down the pike.

13. Crazy Stupid Love: If all romantic comedies were this good it wouldn't be as hard to get guys to go to one. A great cast coupled with an original story that provided strong characters and fun twists.

14. Moneyball: More of a character study than a baseball movie, Brad Pitt's portrayal of Billy Beane was one of the more entertaining performances of the year. An interesting and sometimes comical look at what happens when you decided to turn an industry on its head, buck tradition and defy the odds to try something original. Extra points for making the numbers of baseball entertaining for the casual viewer.

15. The Help: One of the most loved movies of the year didn't impress me as much as some. A poignant look at the 1960's deep south where racial tensions still soared, and focused on the black maids who managed the households of the white aristocracy. I enjoyed the great performances that carried the film, but felt it had an inconsistent tone along with lazy writing that produced stereotyped characters instead of real depth.

- I still have several films to catch before the list will be finalized but this is where it stands as of the first of year. Check back in for updates as Oscar season rolls in.