And The Oscar Goes To . . .

I've just spent the last thirty minutes watching the acceptance speeches for this year's Oscars on it's official website. By all accounts, it looks like it was a grand night with its fair share of embarrassing speeches, co-ordinated close ups and poignant moments. In particular, the announcement of Heath Ledger as Best Actor brought genuine tears to the house.

How did I fare? Not too bad, but I missed out on the big prize, Best Movie and Director. Slumdog Millionaire was an obvious favourite and picked up many awards; congrats goes out to Danny Boyle and his crew for their wonderfully colourful movie.

Four for four in the actor categories, so I am happy with that. Kate Winslet would have been a close call with Angelina Jolie but it was a much deserved win. Heath Ledger was an absolute shoe in if there ever was one and Penelope Cruz was a favourite and her acceptance speech enjoyable to watch. Sean Penn's win would have split a few opinions, other people thinking that Brad Pitt or Mickey Rourke should have taken the Oscar, but my opinion remains that his performance in Milk was the best of a very good bunch.

Special mention goes out to Wall E for Best Animated Feature; I can picture the little guy adding the gold statue to his collection of odds and sods.

As for the Oscar poll, the group did well with six for six - well done to those of you who got them all.

Well that's it! An enjoyable, at times draining, three weeks of Oscar movie watching and reviewing. I hear the music starting up so I best be on my way.

Congratulations to all!!

MY OSCAR TIPS

Tonight the winners will be announced and the Oscars handed out. I've spent the last two weeks or so watching all the nominations in the top six categories, determined to view the entire field in order to make an informed decision as to what and who I believe should win. Barring one movie, Frozen River, I have managed to cover all nominations.

The reasons for my nominations are evident in my blog posts, in the movie reviews, so I will not repeat them here, unless I have something more to say.

So without further preamble, here are my Oscar tips:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

SEAN PENN in MILK

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

HEATH LEDGER in THE DARK KNIGHT

Performance by an actress in a leading role

KATE WINSLET in THE READER

(This was by far the toughest choice - honorable mention to Angelina Jolie)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

PENELOPE CRUZ in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Achievement in directing

DAVID FINCHER for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Best motion picture of the year

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

So there they are and I will know by the morning how close I got. Of course, conflicting with the Academy's ultimate choices is not such a bad thing, but I know that these were the performances that impressed me the most over the past month and I wish them good luck. Good luck also to Wall E, which deserves every award it is nominated for.

Originally, I was going to "watch" the Oscars on the web, however, it starts at 1 a.m. and finishes at 5 a.m.; I'm not that dedicated.

Look out for a recap of the winners first thing tomorrow morning and keep voting on the right hand side.

I'd like to thank so many people . . .

27: VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actress in a supporting role - Penélope Cruz

Where?

Wandsworth, 620pm (hmmm, what can I have to eat? Oh sod it, Nandos it is!)

Comments?

So we come to the end, the final nomination out of the six main categories. It's a little bit sad but also a relief as well. I've managed to watch all nominations except one before the Oscar winners are announced, starting in just under six hours time - a bit of an effort if I do say so myself.

What a nice, breezy, humorous movie to end the Oscar marathon with. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a very enjoyable romp about relationships, both long lasting and fleeting, and the need to live life to its fullest, a consistent theme amongst many of the nominated movies. This one does it best though, with Woody Allen's dry humour, great performances from the four leads - Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall and Penélope Cruz - and the beautiful summer images of Barcelona.

The four main characters, Vicky, Cristina, Juan, and Maria Elena, get caught up in a tangled web of love, sex, longing, romance, passion and artistry. The movie is funny in a light hearted way, with Vicky (Rebecca Hall) assuming the Woody Allen type character, a newly engaged neurotic who is reluctant to throw caution to the wind and do anything spontaneous. Cristina (Johansson), her friend, is the complete opposite, always wanting to try different things, always looking for something; she doesn't know what she wants but she knows what she doesn't want, which doesn't really help her. They end up spending a weekend with Juan (Bardem), a Casanova type Spanish painter who seduces both women, an expression of his desire to grasp the moment. Things are going quite well, albeit in a complicated fashion, when Juan's ex wife (Cruz) returns to Barcelona after a cry for help via an attempt to kill herself. She once stabbed Juan with a knife in the heat of an argument, is obviously completely round the bed and she is none too pleased with the current romantic arrangements. Comedy ensues.


Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a very enjoyable movie with tasteful sexual encounters, intricate relationship threads and a funny script by Mr Allen. His he back to his best? Hard to tell, but taken in isolation, this movie is great fun and should be re-released in the summer, just to set the mood.

Oscar Glory?

Penélope Cruz plays the psychotic ex-wife, Maria Elena, a woman who is very passionate in everything she does, whether it's painting, arguing, lovemaking or stabbing her ex-husband. Cruz is excellent, very entertaining, and she gives the movie a bit of extra sexy Spanish spark. The arguments between her and Juan, both in Spanish and English, are hilarious.

I actually like her for the Oscar, ahead of Amy Adams, mainly because Cruz takes the role and makes it her own, without having to rely on the drama of the situation to dictate it. And she is a joy to watch. After Revolutionary Road, this movie was a god send, a feel good movie. Sure, it's light and breezy and can be forgotten soon after, but it's enjoyable while you watch it and Cruz is a big part of that.

Rating?

7.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"That's me done."

Paying For It - Number 3 (Oscar Edition)

When the nominations for this year's Academy Awards were announced, Changeling, a Clint Eastwood movie set in the 1930s about a mother who loses her child and is used by the Los Angeles Police Department to further their own crusade to resurrect a flailing public image, was on its last legs at the box office. After a few more sessions here and there followed by a final screening on a Sunday at Cineworld Trocadero, it disappeared from the screens.

At this point in time, I had resigned myself to the fact that I had missed it, just one of two instances in my attempt to see all nominated movies for Oscars 2009. The other was The River, which I don't think has ever been screened in the UK.

To my delight, the National Film Theatre decided to present a short run of Changeling in their Studio cinema, a five row, 35 seat cube set in the theatre's foyer. I managed to acquire the final seat for last Friday's session and, although I was pretty close to the screen, I enjoyed the film immensely.

It's a harrowing tale and a frustrating one. To think that, in the 1930s, a stricken mother, searching for a lost son, can be subject to ridicule, slander and incarceration by the very police she hopes will find her son is heartbreaking. Angelina Jolie is amazing as Christine Collins, the distraught mother who finds her son missing when she comes back late from work one day. What happens over the next five years is almost unbelievable if it wasn't true.

In a nutshell, the LAPD forces Collins to accept that the boy that they find 5 months after her son's disappearance is her son, even though the boy is 3 inches shorter and is circumcised. It is definitely not her son, but the more she protests, the more frustrated the authorities get, eventually throwing her into a psychiatric ward for women. Christine Collins has a saviour though, in the guise of Reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich) whose determination and support brings hope.

Jolie puts in a fine performance and currently, with the movie still fresh in my mind, I am unsure as to whether she will win the Oscar for Best Actress over Kate Winslet or not. This will be a decision made at the final hour.

The other actors, Malkovich, Jefferey Jones (as Juvenile Department captain), Michael Kelly (as the detective who discovers horror at a farm in Southern California) and Jason Butler Harner all put in fine performances and Eastwood's direction is as good as ever.

A fine film and one that I am glad to have seen before the Oscar ceremony begins.

26: REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a supporting role - Michael Shannon

Where?

Wandsworth, 6pm (no time for Nandos this time, straight from work and into the cinema).

Comments?

Revolutionary Road is about a quite depressing little topic - the claustrophobic confines of a set life, whether it be the day to day repetition of a dead end job that does not excite or a marriage that is going through the motions, suppressing any urge to break free and live a fulfilling life.

Frank and April Wheeler were once a happy couple, full of promise and vigour, enchanting each other with free flowing minds and ideas of travel and wonder. Something changed over the course of their marriage: they had kids; Frank settled down in his now deceased father's job in marketing, hating the tedious working life; April is shackled to her home, cleaning and looking after the kids, totally devoid of inspiration, regularly sensing the lost magic and potential her marriage once had. The tension brought about the Wheeler's situation is tangible and many arguments occur. Infidelity seems to be the only way for them to feel anything. One day, April proposes that they do what they always wanted to do, go to Paris, allowing Frank to find out what he really wants to do with his life. For a brief moment, one that you wish would last, they set in motion plans to uproot their family and go for it, enjoying a sense of freedom that they had long thought impossible. Inevitably, things take a turn for the worse.

Although Revolutionary Road is set in 1950s America, it can easily be transferable to the current day and any location. Many people are in a similar situation to the Wheelers, but whether you are or not, the movie brings about feelings of the inadequacies of one's life to the surface. It's not an entertaining movie to say the least. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are both outstanding but that is the problem: they are too convincing and the arguments and choices they have to make hits close to the bone. I left the movie a little depressed, although there was an overwhelming urge to do more with my life.

Definitely not a date movie. And definitely not one to take your spouse to. If you want to express the point of this movie to someone you love, i.e. you can't allow life to remain stagnant, do it over a bottle of wine in the park and do it positively.

Oscar worthy?

Here's another very small supporting role up for an Oscar. Michael Shannon appears in three scenes in this movie, maybe totalling fifteen minutes at a stretch. That said, you do wish for more. His portrayal of a slightly crazed mathematician brought to visit the Wheelers by his elderly parents is engrossing. His frank comments hit home for Frank and April, both positively when they are glowing from their announcement to move to Paris and negatively when things go a little tits up. Very well handled indeed.

Will he snare the Oscar ahead of Heath Ledger? No. However, if his role had more screen time, it might have been a close call.

(I've mentioned this before, but it seems the Academy has been scraping the bottom of the barrel for nominations in some respects (and this isn't directed at Shannon's role at all). I checked last year's nominations for Supporting actors and actresses and all of them have meaty roles and plenty of screen time - think Ben Affleck in Jesse James, Jaiver Bardem in No Country for Old Men and Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone. This year, we've got at least three nominations for bit parts. Surely, Oscar, with a little bit more digging, there were better supporting roles out there? Or was it a case of production companies being a bit lazy in putting forward roles for consideration? Food for thought. Apologies to Shannon for hijacking his moment.)

Rating?

6 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"I'm depressed."

25: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Achievement in directing - Danny Boyle

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

Haymarket, 6pm (probably the worst cinema I've been to out of the Cineworld chain; the screen wasn't centered, there was a huge wide gap in the seating so that you couldn't sit anywhere near the middle, and there was a slope in the floor and seats, which after two hours, gave me a numb ass).

Comments?

Slumdog Millionaire is quite a clever movie; it's also funny, moving and charming. It is also the hot tip for Best Movie, the "slumdog" of the nominated movies beating all odds to win the major prize, not unlike the movie's main character, Jamal Malik, who gets to within one question of the million pounds (20 million rupees). However, it is doubtful that Danny Boyle's movie will be pulled at the last minute for cheating, as what happens in Slumdog Millionaire.

The structure of the film, on the face of it, is quite ingenious. Jamal is sitting in the hot seat on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, the Indian version. Across from him is the host Prem Kumar (brilliantly played by Anil Kapoor), who encourages Jamal and digs at him throughout. Why wouldn't he? Jamal is a slumdog, part of the lower class and his only achievement thus far, monetary wise, is to secure a job as an assistant at a telephone call centre.

Despite all this, he answers the penultimate question correctly and his hauled straight to jail on charges of fraud and cheating before even getting the chance at the big prize. What follows is a question by question account of how Jamal knows the answers, based on his experiences in the slum (luckily the answers-slumdog life links are in chronological order). Within the flashbacks of his life, we discover that he fell in love with a childhood sweetheart and that, before coming on the show, he had lost her forever.

It's a good movie, no doubt about it. Danny Boyle's direction is very good, as always, and he brings all the feel good elements together nicely, with added authenticity by using Indian actors and locations.

Whether or not the numb ass or the stupid idiots in the audience who insisted on talking throughout (obviously at a high pitch tone so that no one else seemed to notice, if their willingness to suffer silently was any indication), but I couldn't really connect with this movie. Sure, it was funny, and the scenery and images are wonderful, but I found myself not really caring whether Jamal got the girl or the millions. When things turn tragic and there is a race against time at the end, I found myself not feeling much at all.

The Millionaire quiz show scenes are a double edged sword: they are probably the most entertaining to watch, but end up bisecting the movie, almost as a distraction to the Slumdog's tale. To me, the movie became focused on "what happened in his life that allowed him to answer the next question" and this little trick became a bit tiring for me.

If I was able to buy into it a bit more, felt closer to the characters, then these little annoyances would have passed me by. A lot of other people loved the movie and it's bound to win the Oscar, so I guess I just have to blame my disinterest on the numb bum and the chatterbox in the audience.

Oscar worthy?

I suppose I've said my piece about the movie already. It will probably win the Oscar, but for me, it wasn't engaging enough and I felt more of an emotional tie to the likes of Milk, The Reader and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Danny Boyle's directing is always good though. He always does something different and is quite an artistic filmmaker. But I can't base my Oscar choice on his previous films and I still think Fincher did a better job this time around.

Rating?

7 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"Not much to say really but tut tut, sigh loudly, scoff and hope the person sitting next to me gets the thinly veiled point and stops talking throughout the movie. God forbid I'd politely ask them to shut up. Hmmm, guess what my pet hate is?"

24: THE WRESTLER (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a leading role - Mickey Rourke


Performance by an actress in a supporting role - Marisa Tomei

Where?

Wandsworth, 8.15pm (Nandos again).
Comments?

The Wrestler suffers from too much hype. My expectations of this movie were pretty high, especially in regard to Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei's "comeback" roles. Not to say that the movie isn't any good or that their acting performances aren't top notch; they just don't live up to the hype.


Director Darren Aronofsky follows Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke), usually from behind, as the once top billed wrestler (his hey day was 20 years ago) continues a fading career at smaller just-above-amateur contests where he is still respected. These early scenes are good for giving the audience a little bit of insight into what happens backstage, bringing humour to the fact that the whole show is staged and highlighting the importance of the wrestler's performance to the sport's success.


The Ram takes every chance he can get and he moves to bigger wrestling exhibitions that use broken bottles, chairs and a staple gun to bring in the crowds. He hasn't exactly stooped to an all time low, but he is not exactly living the high life. He has an estranged daughter, he has no partner, he has been evicted from his caravan, and he puts his body through the wringer in these sickening contests.


After one too many staple gun punches to the head, a health scare puts Randy on a course to put his life back on track. He finds a real job, he discovers love with an ageing stripper (Marisa Tomei) and he attempts reconciliation with his daughter. Ultimately, he steps back into the ring, a place where he knows he is something, he is someone, he is The Ram.





It's a sad tale that is often used in sporting movies. The body gives out, too many knocks to the head takes its toll and, in some instances, the sporting heroes are left with nothing, not even their dignity. The Wrestler takes this often used premise and gives it a different slant through an engaging film that just misses out on meeting expectations.


Oscar worthy?


Both Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei are very good in The Wrestler. Rourke, in particular, puts his heart and soul into his character and it is no doubt his best acting role. The sadness and inevitability of his demise, especially in the climatic final scene, is expressed with skill in The Ram's eyes. You can not help but feel sympathy and pity for the ageing wrestler, testimony to Rourke. Tomei is good too, putting on a brave performance as Pam, Randy's love interest, personifying the life that could've been.

As with the film itself, their performances are great and skillfully delivered, but my high expectations of their comeback roles raised the bar, putting it just out of reach of Oscar glory. That said, Rourke does deserve all his other awards; I just think that there is another out there who will take the golden boy home.

Rating?

7.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"Maybe it will win an Oscar; The Boss has written a song for it!"

23: RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actress in a leading role - Anne Hathaway

Where?

Chelsea, 8.40pm (second in a double bill).

Comments?

On first glance, Rachel Getting Married looks like a non taxing rom-com that would not be to my liking at all. Anne Hathaway is the lead actress; there's the word "married" in the title. I was not hoping for much, hoping for something that I would at least be able to sit through.

Digging a little deeper, I saw that the movie was directed by Jonathan Demme, the man who gave the cinematic world The Silence of the Lambs. Okay, this made me feel a little better. Sure, it still looks like a marriage rom-com but maybe there's something a little darker underneath. I was right.

Rachel Getting Married is an intense, fly on the wall study of a dysfunctional family attempting to come together for a momentous occasion, but instead bringing all festering anxieties and arguments to the surface. It is a captivating account of how far families can be torn apart and how they can, if not in totality, be brought back together.

Kym returns home from rehab for her sister's wedding. Rachel is marrying a musician and is deeply in love. Kym's arrival is not exactly welcomed by Rachel, a little too late in an attempt at reconciliation, but their father, overbearing and protective of Kym, does everything he can to keep the wedding on track. Sounds like something Steve Martin and Martin Short might be involved in, but rest assured, this is as far from The Wedding Planner as anything could be. Nothing is held back or sweetened; this is raw, visceral stuff.

Deep down below the surface, Kym is fighting her family, who, whether spoken or not, hold her accountable for a tragic accident that occurred when she was sixteen years old. The horrible incident in the past permeates the movie from beginning to end, just as it would do so for the family members for the rest of their lives, and it is depicted in many poignant scenes. One such scene involves a dishwasher stacking contest in the kitchen which comes to an abrupt end by the appearance of a solitary plate, accidentally retrieved from the cupboard at the height of the contest. Memories come flooding in, filling the silence.

Rachel Getting Married drains the emotions from each end of the spectrum, sadness and regret, to joy and love, but you will leave the cinema feeling fuller in spirit. An important movie, deftly handled and superbly acted, this may not be a rom-com or a date movie, but it is an experience that touches the heart and soul, a "marriage" movie that has to work hard for happiness.

Oscar worthy?

I can be comfortable in saying that Rachel Getting Married should have been up for more Oscars. If The Academy turned their eye to more independent, challenging pieces, Rachel would maybe up there for Best Movie, but definitely for Best Director. It doesn't even get a nod for Best Screenplay, which was written by Sydney Lumet's daughter, Jenny, and is both raw and warm in its delivery. Lines like "he lives in our hearts and pays a little rent everyday" and "I wish that you both will live to 100 years old and that I will live to one day less, so I will always know that people like you never die" may sound corny in this context, but upon hearing them on screen, they felt like the most original lines I've heard in some time.

Although Rachel Gets Married is not an Oscar film, I believe it is better off for it. A small indie type film and release guarantees it remains at a size befitting the story and production.

As for Anne Hathaway, she is excellent as Kym, the family's embarrassment who, no matter how hard she tries to deny it, wants acceptance. However, the actress is not alone. Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel, Bill Irwin as the father, Debra Winger as the estranged mother, and everybody else in the cast down to the wedding singers (which of there are plenty) are brilliant and, this is a complement to the cast as a whole, they are so well rounded and natural in their performance that they don't even appear to be acting. There should definitely have been a few Best Supporting nominations thrown into the mix here, especially for DeWitt (who, after seeing this movie, I've added to my Celebrity Sex-e-Que © list) and Irwin; both fine performances. As for Hathaway, I think she is great in this movie, but her co-actors are just as good, thus diluting her chances, in my eyes, for the Oscar.

Rating?

8.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"I didn't expect to gain anything from this movie, but I'm pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect to lose anything either, but where's my bloody umbrella!"

OSCAR POLL

Running along the right hand side of this blog are a series of polls - one for each of the main six categories for this Sunday's Oscars.

Please feel free to vote on each of the categories - once in each of the categories - before 10pm this Sunday. We will then see how close we are to the winners.

I will submit my vote close to 10pm, not too soon after posting my own selections for the Academy Awards.

Good luck to everyone!

A Quick Word On Best Supporting Actor

When the nominations for this year's Oscars were announced, there were two movies in the major categories that I had already seen: The Dark Knight and Tropic Thunder.

The Dark Knight formed part of my Cineworld challenge and is reviewed here. I praised Heath Ledger in that review and I will praise him again here. His performance as The Joker is memorable for all the right reasons - a brilliantly concocted and delivered version of Batman's old nemesis. Heath's tragic death occurred just before the film's release. It didn't hurt the movie's sales, but it wasn't his death that had people coming back for repeat viewings or had critics and the public alike praising Chris Nolan's magnificent film. Amongst other things, it was Heath Ledger, at his acting best, delivering an amazing achievement in acting history. Oscar assured.

Robert Downey Jnr's nomination came as a complete surprise. The movie, Tropic Thunder, which I saw twice in Dubrovnik for less than a quid each time, is a complete pisstake of war movies, hardly a film that would cross the desk of those in The Academy as a consideration for an award. That said, Downey Jnr is the best thing about the movie and his turn as an Australian method actor who goes to great lengths to play an African American soldier is hilarious and absolutely brilliant. A performance that can be watched over and over again. If it wasn't for Heath Ledger, I would have loved to have seen Downey Jnr win.

Both these nominations indicate that the Academy are opening up to left of field ideas when it comes to nominations and awards, as opposed to sticking to the mainstream line. However, for every Downey Jnr nomination, there is a Best Picture snub, and this time it was for The Dark Knight. How that didn't make it to the final five, I have no idea. Anyway, that's a gripe for another post.

22: DOUBT (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a supporting role - Philip Seymour Hoffman

Performance by an actress in a leading role - Meryl Streep

Performance by an actress in a supporting role - Amy Adams

Performance by an actress in a supporting role - Viola Davis

Where?

Chelsea, 6.30pm (a pain in the ass to get to, so a double bill was required to justify the trek).

Comments?

As can be seen by the Oscar nominations, this is a movie for the actors. Despite a tremendous effort by the director, John Patrick Shanley, who also wrote the screenplay based on his own stage play, the ensemble cast carry this movie beyond that of just a good dramatic film.

Doubt held my attention throughout. It is a harrowing tale about the suspicions of the Principal of a Catholic Church in the Bronx; suspicions of the Father of the Church and how he may have strayed from the flock, taking particular small boys with him.

The paedophile priest, unfortunately, has become a bit of a cliche in movies and real life, but it pays to remember when watching this movie that it is set in the sixties. The Principal, Sister Aloysius, played by Meryl Streep, has grave concerns about the Father's conduct and for her to make any accusations at all is a major step outside the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. But, nevertheless, she takes those steps and puts Father Flynn's reputation at risk.

Are the accusations unfounded? Shanley skillfully ensures that nothing is clear cut and that the audience remains in the same boat as the main characters, never really sure what is happening behind closed doors. Some of the characters have no doubt, they have their certainty that they are right; some seem certain but then their minds are changed, they become confused, they choose what is less hideous to comprehend, they want "simplicity back". Others make decisions that seem unfathomable in the face of the obvious repercussions.

The movie builds up along the thoughts and feelings of these characters, driven forward by the actions of those who think they are right, and ultimately searches for a satisfying resolution. A final emotional statement ensures that this can not be so, a revelation that, on the face of it, shatters everything that has gone before, but upon reflection, in my opinion, refers to something less obvious, and reflects a greater fear, a greater sense of self doubt, one that is not so easy to cast out.

Oscar worthy?

What a cast! Streep! Hoffman! Adams! It's a stellar line up of consummate professionals and they deliver in spades. The skill that these actors show is amazing; their performances breathtaking without dominating any one particular scene. They form part of the bigger story, each of them bringing a captivating performance to the screen.

I read somewhere that there was an award (not in the Oscars) for best ensemble cast and that the Doubt team were nominated. They should win that, for sure. A confrontation scene mid-way through the film, with the three actors above involved, is something truly mesmerising to experience; you can not help but enjoy watching them in full flow, acting their socks off, but avoiding taking it too far. Professionals, every one of them.

In my opinion, though, no one will win an Oscar. Not because of their performances, but because of who they are up against. Streep is amazing and, as expected, at her best, bringing the very strict and stubborn Sister Aloysius to life; Hoffman as Father Flynn, as he so perfectly does, tip toes along a line of creepiness, staying on the right side so as to keep the doubt brewing. That said: Streep will lose out to Winslet; Hoffman to Ledger. It's a shame but it doesn't take anything away from their performances.

Best Supporting Actress could be a different kettle of fish. Amy Adams is very good but she is slightly overshadowed by the two headline acts above; but that works, as she plays Sister James, young, naive and totally overwhelmed by the head Sister and Father Flynn. Another great performance.

Viola Davis is good too, as the mother of the only African American boy in the Church. Her son attracts the care and attention of Father Flynn and his well being becomes of great concern to Sister Aloysius. The mother makes a decision that shocks and Davis plays it quite well, but her screen time is minimal, fifteen minutes tops, not enough in my opinion to make a good enough impression.

So, the jury is still out on Best Supporting Actress. I haven't seen the other nominations yet, so I won't make a call. I will say, on their performances alone, the Oscar probably isn't here either. The team at Doubt need a new category in the Oscars - Best Ensemble.

Rating?

8 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"Either I've discovered something quite profound in the movie's last words or my mind is not completely with it because I haven't eaten enough food. More popcorn for the next one please."

21: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a leading role - Brad Pitt

Performance by an actress in a supporting role - Taraji P. Henson

Achievement in directing - David Fincher

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

Wandsworth, 8.15pm (after half a chicken with medium Peri Peri sauce).

Comments?

What a magical film this is! A magical film indeed. An astounding film with a unique premise and a warm message to convey. Fine performances, brilliant directing, a perfect script. Oscar whitewash? We'll come to that later.

The movie begins with the birth of a baby boy, born with the facial features and health of an eighty year old man. "He looks just like my ex-husband," says one of the residents of a New Orleans retirement home. The little baby was abandoned there by its father out of pure disgust for what he believes is a monstrous deformity of a child. The comment by the elderly resident is an example of the many warm comedic moments throughout the film.

The concept of the movie: as the boy grows older, his body grows younger. At five years old, he looks like an ageing midget (a cute one at that), in his early twenties, he takes on the appearance of a elderly gentleman with white hair and liver spots (but unmistakeably a bit of a ladies man underneath). And so on.

The premise is captivating and creates many interesting and humorous moments, all delivered with the utmost skill by the director, David Fincher. I did find myself wondering where it would end, how Benjamin Button would appear when he reached old age. Although the result, in my opinion, conflicted with the "rules" of Button's reverse ageing process, it was still touching. Just like the rest of the movie.

Those actors not nominated for Oscars turn in amazing performances, from the ever reliable Cate Blanchett as Button's everlasting love, Jared Harris as Captain Mike, a raucous character whose tattoos tell a sad story, Tilda Swinton as a upper class British woman whom Button falls for while staying in Russia and Jason Flemyng as Button's guilt ridden father. These characters, and many more, leave the movie as quickly as they arrive (only to reappear later), short term appearances with long lasting impact, each character personifying the movie's beautiful message.

Under the brilliant makeup (and it is brilliant, Cate Blanchett's appearance as a young twenty year old was amazing and moved me in more ways than I care to mention) and the perfect performances of the skilled actors, there is a simple story and a simple message, one that still resonates deeply. I won't mention what it is, as that would be spoiling your discovery of it. Needless to say, the movie made me think about my own life long after the credits had finished rolling.

Oscar worthy?

Oscar whitewash? Oscar clean sweep? Is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button that movie that heads off home after the ceremony with a big bag of golden statues over its shoulder, leaving everyone else to lick its wounds?

It's very very possible. However, it won't be a clean sweep, as it does not appear in every category - not in Best Actress or Best Supporting Actor. That small point aside, it could well pick up the rest.

Brad Pitt puts in a solid performance, understated in parts, amazing in others. His range is stretched here in a subtle way and he steps up to the plate, conveying a warm hearted man with the name of Benjamin Button. And the ladies love him. Is his performance better than Sean Penn? I'm borderline on this. Maybe Mickey Rourke will top them both.

Taraji P. Henson has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress as the African American woman who "adopts" the baby Button at the retirement home. She has presence and savvy on screen, a joy to watch, but I don't think she will take the Oscar. I thought that maybe even Tilda Swinton was better, but that's just my opinion.

As for Best Director and Best Movie, yes, I think Benjamin Button will win. It is such a beautifully shot, well constructed, warm hearted movie that it deserves recognition as a work of art. I took this movie with me out of the theatre and it still stays with me, a sign of something special. Out of what I have seen thus far, I would say that David Fincher and the production team will receive the Oscars. But Slumdog Millionaire may have something to say about that.

Oh yeah, was the movie too long as some have suggested? I didn't even notice.

Rating?

9 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"Nothing could be more entertaining or joyful than watching the young Benjamin Button in his old guise discovering life."

Paying For It - Number 2 (Oscar Edition)

Running through the list of nominations in the six main categories for this year's Oscars, I noted that there were a couple of movies that I wouldn't be able to see. They were a little obscure and quite possibly wouldn't make it to mainstream release in the UK.

One of those was Frozen River with Melissa Leo, nominated for Best Actress In A Leading Role. The movie is about a border crossing between New York State and Quebec and looks quite special. Unfortunately, I will not be able to see this movie before the Oscars. I know Melissa Leo's work from Homicide Life on the Street, so I am very happy for her to be nominated.

The other movie that looked destined to be unwatched before the Oscars was The Visitor. Thankfully, I was able to snare a screening of The Visitor at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, as part of a double Hiam Abbass bill.

The lead actor, Richard Jenkins, is up for Best Actor and he is very good in his role as a teacher, Prof. Walter Vale, dejected with his life, after losing his wife. He returns to his apartment in New York to attend an economics seminar and finds a couple dossing there, a Syrian musician, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and his Senegalese girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira), both who are in the country illegally. He develops a friendship with them and is pulled into their struggle to remain in America, to be able to fulfil their dreams. Tarek's mother, Mouna (played by the charming Hiam Abbass), arrives in New York to find her son and a relationship develops between her and Walter, one that is innocent and heartwarming. Walter finds a cause and a love, both of which are fleeting, both of which impact him deeply.



Richard Jenkins will not win an Oscar for his role; he is definitely worthy, but the star quality power of Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Mickey Rourke will be too much for him. A fine performance nonetheless.

The movie itself is wonderfully touching and hats go off to its writer and director, Thomas McCarthy, last seen playing a dodgy reporter in season 5 of The Wire.

Outside of the Oscar race but still noteworthy was the second movie in the double bill at Riverside Studios, The Lemon Tree. It is a touching story surrounding a lady (Hiam Abbass again) who defends her lemon tree plantation from destruction by her neighbour. A simple story in theory, but the fence line between neighbours is the border between Israel and Palestine and her neighbour is the Israeli Defense Minister. A touching movie and once again, Haim Abbass is wonderful.

20: MILK (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a leading role - Sean Penn

Performance by an actor in a supporting role - Josh Brolin

Achievement in directing - Gus Van Sant

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

West India Quay, 5.30pm (first time at this cinema, very nice and modern, tiered seating, big screens, big sound, on the DLR).

Comments?

Milk is a tender, faithful and ultimately heartbreaking true story about Harvey Milk, an American politician and gay rights activist who was the first openly gay man to be elected into politics as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. It was a major win for the gay movement and many celebrated the nomination in the Castro District of San Francisco, where Milk established his base.

Milk's life as we join it in the movie, is unfulfilled and dissatisfying, a dead end job and a suppressed personal life. He begins a relationship with Scott Smith and together they head for San Francisco for a better, more open life. They witness oppression and bigotry towards homosexuals, forming the catalyst for Milk's move into politics. His mandate: equal rights for gays. He is unsuccessful during two campaigns, but with Smith and a team of dedicated workers who believe in his cause, he achieves his historical election to the Board of Supervisors.

The movie is upheld by the spirit of Harvey Milk, a heart-warming man who stood up for what he and many others believed in. He became an icon for the gay movement, a spokesperson, and unfortunately, a target. However, his ultimate downfall is not brought on solely by homophobic sources, but from a disturbed fellow Supervisor, Dan White, who lets the pressure of the situation and his own confused state lead him to an unspeakable act.

The acting performances are amazing in this movie, with Sean Penn leading the charge as Harvey Milk. Other notable turns are from James Franco as Scott Smith, Josh Brolin as Dan White and Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones. Deigo Luna contributes a fine supporting role as Jack Lira, a lost soul who falls for the charismatic Milk but struggles to share him with the man's political passion.

Milk is an entertaining movie that will pull at the heart strings. It depicts an important episode in the gay movement with honesty and heart, a true reflection of the man, Harvey Milk.

Oscar worthy?

Milk has four nominations in the major categories of this year's Oscars, with no other film faring better. It definitely deserves the nominations, an excellent, moving film with fine performances.

Josh Brolin's portrayal of Supervisor Dan White is expertly done. However, he has reasonably little screen time for a supporting role. What he does with it is tremendously good and he is a fine actor, but he is up against Heath Ledger and the two performances are miles apart.

As for the Directing and Best Movie nominations, I'd say it is right up there with the other four in each category. A thoroughly entertaining movie depicting an important movement in political history. Gus Van Sant's direction is flawless, an exceptional effort indeed. It's hard to tell thus far who will win, who is a dark horse and who will miss out on the golden statue in these categories. We may see a split in the categories, where normally, Best Directing follows Best Movie. If I had to make a call, I would say Milk stands a better chance in Best Movie.

As for Sean Penn, his performance mesmerised me; it was outstanding. The character is so believable, it actually feels like you are watching the man's life unfold before you. Big smiles, subtle campness and fine acting add to the transformation. But it is more than just a transformation, it is an expression of Milk's tenacity and big heart, his ruthlessness and caring persona, a statement of what it meant to be gay in San Francisco in the seventies. I haven't seen The Wrestler yet, but my hot tip is that Sean Penn will win the Oscar.

Rating?

8.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

It's bloody cold," in reference to standing outside waiting for the DLR to arrive.

19: FROST / NIXON (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a leading role - Frank Langella

Achievement in directing - Ron Howard

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

Shaftesbury Avenue, 845pm (straight after The Reader, although I did pause, not wanting to dissipate the thoughts and feelings generated from watching that movie. A hunger for popcorn, missed due to a late arrival time at The Reader, made the decision for me).

Comments?

Frost/Nixon is about the disintegration of power and the decline of a political figure. It is also about show business and what makes good show business, what makes or breaks a career in entertainment and what the masses enjoy the most during prime time. It's about the numbers and it's about the lies.

Richard Nixon and Watergate. David Frost and a career on the brink. History brought them together in a head to head battle recorded on tape and shown to a worldwide audience. And to the winner goes the spoils.

Nothing excites me more than to watch a moment in history play out- it sends shivers up your spine and you know as you witness it that this moment is another chapter in world history. The next best thing to being there is to experience a dramatic representation of the event, to live it as it was lived, to understand what it felt like to be in the crowd in Dallas when the shots rang out, to feel the pressure of the last moments during the Cuban Missile Crisis, to wonder what the hell Harold Holt was doing jumping into the sea (okay, maybe not). It excites you, it scares you and it makes you wonder about the "what ifs". JFK, Thirteen Days, United 93, Saving Private Ryan, even a movie like Zodiac - all these depictions of real events are amazing to watch and interesting to debate.

Oliver Stone did it best in JFK. Sure the details were questionable, but there was such a sense of being there in that movie, of reliving the events of the assassination as if it was happening for the first time - and you are there, watching it happen. It drew me in for three hours and hasn't left me since.
This was what I was hoping for in Frost / Nixon. Unfortunately, it failed me. Don't get me wrong, it is a very good movie and the performances of Frank Langella and Michael Sheen are flawless. I just think Ron Howard let the side down and could taken more risks with his direction, brought the audience, made the movie more visceral and less intellectual.

There is a moment in the movie when the camera focuses on Frost (Sheen) asking a probing question directly into the camera. The image whirs across, the camera swivelling around to face Nixon (Langella) to receive his reply, right up close, face to face. At that moment, however brief it was, I felt drawn in as if on a roller coaster ride - I got excited. The camera whirred again, but not back to Frost but to the team waiting in the Green Room, egging him on. I visibly sunk into my seat, disappointed. This great use of the camera never reappeared and for the remainder of the movie I may as well have been watching the original interview. Albeit it trivial and minor, that camera pan was a glimpse at what might have been.

Frost / Nixon is a good movie, no doubt about that, and hats go off to the lead actors, who perfected their roles, giving us a sense of pity and sorrow for Nixon and a feeling of buoyancy for Frost. It just ain't no JFK.

Oscar worthy?

There is no doubting that Frank Langella's performance as Richard Nixon is a masterful one and very entertaining to watch but I don't think it deserves Oscar glory. During the movie, it felt like you were just watching someone act like Nixon as opposed to watching Nixon himself, a weakness inherent in the role and one that doesn't take anything away from Langella's acting ability. It is a shame that Michael Sheen wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actor but that race has already been won too in my opinion. As for the movie itself, it shouldn't poll well for directing or best picture, although it may do well in Best Screenplay (Adapted).

Rating?

7 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"Must jump on to You Tube to see the real thing."

18: THE READER (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actress in a leading role - Kate Winslet

Achievement in directing - Stephen Daldry

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

Shaftesbury Avenue, 6pm (one of two planned movies for the night).

Comments?

I was readying myself for an uncomfortable movie experience when I settled into my Cineworld seat at Shaftesbury Avenue cinema. I had seen the previews of The Reader and knew this was a movie touching on the annihilation of Jews during World War II. But that was not the half of it.

The Reader is a love story. It is still an uncomfortable viewing, but for a different reason - this is a story of first feelings: love, loss and betrayal. One can relate to the primal feelings expressed by the main characters, if not the context. What makes this movie stand out from your everyday love story is not this context, but the decisions made by the characters, each and every one in defiance of the formula. But each decision rings true, as frustrating as it is to watch.

Decisions have to be made by the audience too - a decision of sympathy and sadness for lost possibilities versus condemnation of an atrocious crime driven by nothing more than a sense of duty. It's a tough one, but the romantic in me fell for the former.

Kate Winslet is amazing as Hannah Schmitz, the object of passion for a seventeen year old Michael Berg (played with perfect innocence by David Kross) who happens across her one day when he falls sick on a tram in his home city of Berlin. All the actors, including Ralph Fiennes, are perfect, but it is Winslet's performance that resonates and rings true, that captivates and elicits conflicting feelings. Right from the start, her mannerisms, characteristics and facial expressions betray a troubled spirit, a woman dealing with her own personal shame, a shame that is misplaced when viewed objectively in the context of her other actions, and ultimately leads to her downfall. Kate Winslet's professionalism means that her performance complements the movie, without upstaging it.

The Reader is a movie that will cling to you long after it finishes, leaving you with mixed emotions and a sense of loss, but one thing is for sure, this is another great performance by a true talent.

Oscar worthy?

Not until I sat down to write this post did I realise that The Reader is up for both Best Director and Best Movie. In fact, after watching the movie, not knowing any different, I thought that it should be. This early on, it's hard to say whether it will fare well in those categories, but without evidence to the contrary, Kate Winslet will win Best Actress - her performance is pitch perfect, subtle where it has to be and just amazing to watch. The Streepster might pip her at the post, but Kate deserves it based on this performance.

Rating?

8.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"The Oscar Series has begun and Kate looks the goods."