Che

So today I saw Che and it's safe for me to say that this is the best movie I've seen of 2009 thus far. I'm also willing to say that had I been lucky enough to watch it in 2008 it would have been up there if not at the top of that list as well. It's an even handed, engrossing, intimate look at one of the most enigmatic and polarizing figures of the 20th century.

Che is performed magnificently by Benicio Del Toro and is reigned in magnificently by Steven Soderbergh. It would be so easy to load this movie full of passionate and rousing speeches and that would undoubtedly have been the route of 99% of the directors in the world it also would be counter to the worldview that Che was purported to have. That being a man of the people who if nothing else believed himself an equal to those he was leading. Del Toro did a magnificent job of allowing this to shine through and Soderbergh countered this by elevating him through top notch filmmaking. It's clear through use of low angle shots, lighting, and costume design that Soderbergh at the very least respected Che and his commitment to the cause so therefore such an even handed look is to be commended.

Che is clearly not perfect and the failure of the Bolivian revolution illustrates this. The failure isn't his fault specifically but his failure to recognize the mood of the populace was. The people of bolivia were in a decidedly different frame of mind. Cuba was itching for a change and Bolivia was not but Che's tunnel vision and his failure to understand that others may not share his point of view didn't allow him to see this made all the more ironic considering Che outlines at the beginning that the success of a revolution depends on the people and their desire for it during an an interview in New York. It's this reason why spending two hours on each revolution is necessary. Watching the positive momentum build in Cuba and comparing that to slow but utterly complete descent into failure in Bolivia is fascinating.

The only criticism I have is that the use of people like Lou Diamind Phillips and Matt Damon, as good as they were, may be a mistake. When they make their way on screen they make themselves instantly the focus. It's entirely possible that this is Soderbergh's intent seeing as the two characters play integral parts in the failure of the revolution. I'll have to watch it again...or interview him to be sure.

Postively, we are given terrific performances by Franke Potente who completely emmerses herself in the role and is all but invisible. The music is strange for a war film but oddly fitting. The cinematography was terrific as well.

I also need to give credit to the production companies who allowed Soderbergh to make the film he clearly wanted. They spent a serious amount of money on a film with almost no commercial value considering it's nearly four and a half hours and is almost entirely in Spanish.

In closing, sure, I suppose one could make a shorter movie, but why? It's a terrific four and a half hour case study into Che himself and revolution. It's utterly engrossing and worth every minute. If it takes watching each part in two days, by all means do it. It is more than worth your time and definitely doesn't deserve any pre wrapped straws (if you'll recall, that's good!!). It disappoints me that this was entirely forgotten at Award time as it definitely deserved recognition.

When you get the chance, watch and enjoy.

My Oscar Special

So I'm in the middle of watching Changeling and Angelina Jolie somehow garnered an Academy Award nomination. This is the type of performance where the actress is wearing a sign around her neck begging for an academy award nomination all the while not providing a single solitary authentic emotion (also see Charlize Theron in pretty much every movie she's in). The movie itself is also so bad it's baffling.

The situation on which the movie is based is so bizarre, so I'll grant that Clint Eastwood must have had a difficult time coming up with a plausible conspiracy, but I have spent the whole time wondering if it takes place in a different universe in which everyone is completely devoid of logic. The cinematography is good, music is overraught and draws way too much attention to itself. Anyhow, I didn't intend to write a full review but this one deserves a solid:

Anyhow, that's my long way of saying that Angelina Jolie SHOULD NOT be nominated for her academy award. There is no way she deserved it more that Sally Hawkins, it's a tragedy, quite frankly. For that matter, neither did her husband/boyfriend/whatever Brad Pitt. He was the weakest part of Ben Button. There are a few dozen actors that deserved the nomination more and not the least of which is Leo.

The Reader, really? Kate Winslett WAS good, but she is by far the strongest aspect of a moderately weak film. Maybe it's hollywood law that a movie about the holocaust must be nominated no matter how terrible it is. The Boy in the Striped PJs is a much better option should that be the case!

Other problems:
-No Dark Knight nomination for Best Picture? Original Score? Director? Really?
-The Wrestler for Best Song...
-Wall*E for Best Picture...
-Gran Torino for worst acting (that's a category, right?)

Anyhow, enjoy the awards and all of their inevitable mistakes. And so I can finally warrant the warning you must go through to read this, Fuck, shit, damn.

It's been a while since I've posted on my blog, but that's mainly due to the lack of quality movies to be seen. This weekend will be a busy weekend, so get ready! Until that time, here are my thoughts on all academy award nominations:

Performance by an actor in a leading role:

Although I'm happy Richard Jenkins, Langella, and Sean Penn are nominated,
this award belongs to Mickey Rourke. As far as who IS going to get it? I
suspect the award will go to Sean Penn.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:

This is a pretty interesting category and the addition of Robert Downey
Junior is pretty awesome, his performance was pretty difficult. Josh
Brolin was good, Michael Shannon was a personal favorite of mine in
Revolutionary Road, and Hoffman is ALWAYS good. Everybody knows Heath's a
lock though. Rightfully so, too.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

I don't like Angelina Jolie and I don't think she should be nominated.
Melissa Leo was really good as was Kate Winslet (who may win). I'm also the
only person in the world who didn't like Rachel Getting Married. Sure, it's
a decent movie, it just didn't resonate with me at all and I wasn't a big
fan of the lead character. I also don't think Anne Hathaway was the best
actress in the movie, let alone the year (that was Rosemary DeWitt). I
reviewed Doubt when I saw it and didn't think much of it but the more I
think about it, the more I like it. Meryl Streep should win - and she may
(although this should be Sally Hawkins award). My Pick: Kate Winslet
(head, not heart)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

I'm going to make this short and sweet. Amy Adams was overrated, Viola
Davis was good, Toraji P. Henson was decent, Marisa Tomei was Marisa Tomei,
and Penelope Cruz was GREAT. She's your winner.

Best animated feature film of the year

My Pick: WALL*E (although Kung Fu Panda was underrated)

Achievement in art direction

This really should go to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or maybe even
Revolutionary Road but will probably go to some POS like The Duchess. My
Pick: Benny

Achievement in cinematography

By all rights, this should go to Slumdog millionaire. It was beautifully
shot. I wouldn't be upset if The Dark Knight got it though My Pick:
Slumdog

Achievement in costume design

This always goes to some POS period piece that has no business winning.
The voters have no imagination. This one is The Duchess.

Achievement in directing

The Academy clearly doesn't know what a director does based on a few
nominations and they always give it to the Best Picture winner so I'm going
with Danny Boyle.

Best documentary feature

I've actually seen most of these and if there is any good left in this
world, Man on Wire gets it.

Best documentary short subject

The Conscience of Nhem En deals is about Cambodia 30 years after the end of
the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. This sounds like a winner to me!

Achievement in film editing

I thought The Dark Knight was pretty well edited. My Pick: The Dark
Knight.

Best foreign language film of the year

I intend on seeing The Class at some point and that should clear off most of
them on this list. I expect Waltz With Bashir wins.

Achievement in makeup

I expect Ben Button wins but I think The Dark Knight should win based on Two
Face and The Joker. My pick: The Dark Knight

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score):

Ring one up for my boy Thomas Newman! It should go to The Dark Knight
though.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

Should go to The Wrestler but I expect Slumdog to split votes and Down to
Earth to win.

Best motion picture of the year

The more and more I think about it, the more and more Doubt was really a
pretty good movie and I wish it was nominted over both The Reader and
Benjamin Button. I'd also like to see The Dark Knight tossed in there.
It's a tragedy really. My winner remains the same, though. It's Slumdog
Millionaire. Rightfully so, too. It's not the masterpiece No Country for
Old Men was, but few movies are and the more and more I think about it, the
better that movie gets. My Pick: Slumdog Millionaire.

Best animated short film:

I managed to catch most of these in various sources. Presto was cute and I
expect it'll win. The others are all worth the time though. If they show
up in iTunes, I'll probably pick them up.

Best live action short film

This one is a shot in the dark, I've seen none of these. I'll go with Auf
der Strecke just 'cause.

Achievement in sound editing

Race between The Dark Knight and Wall*E. My Pick: Wall*E

Achievement in sound mixing

It's the same race here too with a different result: The Dark Knight

Achievement in visual effects

I suspect Benjamin Button will win another award here. If the movie did
anything well, it's visual effects.

Adapted screenplay

By all rights this should be Slumdog Millionaire.

Original screenplay

And in a shocker, IN BRUGES (and the crowd goes wild!!!). Terrific
Dialogue. Really top notch stuff.

Anyhow, here's what I think this year. The Oscars are a bit of a mess this
year but Slumdog winning 4 or 5 would really do a lot to legitimize them.