Oscar nominations were unveiled on Tuesday, and while previously it looked like The Social Network was a shoo-in for the win (as it was racking up a lot of other awards), it now looks like there will be some competition from The King's Speech, which surprised many by receiving the most Oscar nominations (12) of any film. I can already say that the ten nominees are not the same as my ten favorite films of the year, and I'll release my top ten at a later time. Here is my personal ranking of the ten nominees (along with a brief comment on each), which will definitely not reflect the opinions of the Academy.
#10 - The Fighter
A boxing movie that is fun but overacted just about to the point of being annoying. In such films, it's important that we really care for the main character as a human being. However, in this case, all the attention is stolen by supporting characters. While the story of Christian Bale's character is intriguing, the other characters in the family are impossible to take seriously, which is a problem in a movie that in theory should strive for realism. To compare The Fighter to Rocky and Raging Bull is blasphemy.
#9 - True Grit
Certainly a solid re-imagination of the novel, and while I did find some aspects to be improvements over the 1969 film, there were also aspects that were weaker, and so I question the need for another film adaptation. In this version, I like the darker tone as well as the overall acting. However, in terms of storytelling, I prefer the older film, which features Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne / Jeff Bridges) as more of a main character as opposed to faithfully sticking to the perspective of Mattie Ross (Kim Darby / Hailee Steinfield).
#8 - Toy Story 3
With the expansion of the Best Picture nominees to ten films, I get the impression that each year's Pixar film will be a near lock for nomination, which is a great compliment to Pixar, though I feel that the quality has dropped off since WALL-E. Certainly Toy Story 3 was an enjoyable and emotional experience, but to me, it was more solid than special. I respect Pixar's unique ability to make films that appeal to all ages, but for the adults, this sequel probably relied too much on the nostalgia factor that I might have had if I were in love with the first two Toy Story films.
#7 - 127 Hours
I'll agree with the consensus that 127 Hours is impressive in that it makes a thoroughly entertaining movie out of a plot that is 90% described by the sentence "a man gets his arm stuck under a rock." In a way, this film is similar to The Hurt Locker in that both films really dig deep not into your emotions but into your actual sensations. Danny Boyle makes the most out of the plot through effective use of sound and cinematography, and especially an Oscar-worthy performance from James Franco, whose character goes through everything from emotional flashbacks to farcical self-interviews.
#6 - The Kids Are All Right
I'm not sure why movies of this type are always billed as comedy-dramas (Sideways comes to mind) when really they're just character-driven dramas with no more than a moment or two of comic relief and sometimes a couple of quirks. With that rant aside, The Kids Are All Right is very enjoyable and explores family-related situations beyond what I've seen from any other film. The acting really drives the film, with the most memorable performance by Annette Bening, along with a solid and completely contrasting performance from Mark Ruffalo.
#5 - The King's Speech
The King's Speech, much like its Oscars rival The Social Network is high in the likability factor in that both films are rather straightforward and can be enjoyed easily without too much effort on the part of the viewer's intellect or emotions. Rather, these two films rely on great dialogue and acting for more organic entertainment. I can't say that the film has any aspects that will stick with me for the rest of my life, but it is definitely a solid, entertaining, and very likable film that revolves around the uninhibited performances of Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.
#4 - Winter's Bone
It's great to see the low-budget Sundance Film Festival winner included in the nominees this year. Winter's Bone has its foundation on a strong main character and an atmosphere that is mysterious and unsettling. Instead of being told a story, we instead live through the story, basically experiencing ourselves the ordeal of Jennifer Lawrence's character Ree Dolly. In addition to Lawrence's subtle yet compelling performance, the genuineness and stark realism of the film is what brings it as high as #4 on this list.
#3 - The Social Network
If I could describe this film in one word, it would be "solid." Not mind-blowing, but solid. Aaron Sorkin's fast-paced, witty script is the main star here, and the acting (with a few exceptions) is strong enough to do the writing justice. I hate to say it, but I get the impression that the "true story effect" (i.e. the notion that when a film is based off a true story, it is automatically better) is really inflating the critical response to this film. While I do appreciate the film's relevance to real life, it still for me lacks the "oomph" factor for me to rank it any higher than #3 on a weak year.
#2 - Black Swan
The start of the movie is rather slow and has more of a horror-like feel, but the film gradually accelerates to a finale that is so good that it pushes the movie above a more overall solid effort (The Social Network) in my rankings. The horror aspect seems random at first, but it really comes together by the middle. Natalie Portman's acting makes her a frontrunner for the Best Actress award, and the camerawork is especially superb - as if the camera is dancing ballet itself.
#1 - Inception
The only movie of the bunch that made me go "whoa." Inception was engaging from beginning to end, and created a world that was so engrossing and evocative, while maintaining a high level of entertainment by avoiding an overly convoluted plot. Leonardo DiCaprio once again shows us here (and in Shutter Island) why he is one of the greatest actors of our generation, yet he continues to be overlooked by the critics. Sadly, the film is essentially out of the running for Best Picture, as director Christopher Nolan was - for a second film in a row (The Dark Knight) - snubbed of a Best Director nomination.
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