Not about “art” but…

Well, this post is not really about the visual arts but is important and pertinent all the same. The Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday morning and the results are quite exciting. I must preface this by saying that besides from the visual arts, going to the movies is one of my favorite things to do in my spare time (not that there is much of that anymore).  I wanted to discuss the highlights of the nominations and put my two cents in. 

I will limit this discussion to the big three: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress. Here are the nominations:

BEST PICTURE

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* “Milk” (Focus Features)
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ACTOR

* Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ACTRESS

* Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Well. I must say that for all the movies I’ve seen, on this list I’ve only seen Rachel Getting Married, Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire. Most likely I am going to see Frost/Nixon tonight - which I am so so so excited about. The ads look wonderful and the actor who plays Nixon (Frank Langella) is wonderful. He played Nixon in the stage version of the production for years. I’d also very much like to see the Reader - mostly because I love Kate Winslet and don’t know if I can sit through the oh-so-depressing Revolutionary Road. I’ve heard that it’ll make you never want to settle down with kids and a family. But on the whole, I thought Anne Hathaway was incredible in Rachel - and it was a great film for her to do to sort of her get out of that sickly sweet typecast “Princess Diaries” mindset. Slumdog was similarly wonderful - though I was a bit disappointed but probably only because I’d heard SO many good things about it. If I’d walked into the film thinking it was just an ordinary slums-meet-love story I’d have been blown away. And Benjamin Button was pretty mind-blowing. It touched on absolutely every human element out there (death, love, life, health, friendship, etc.). I am a major sap, but I cried through the whole thing it was so touching. I don’t know that I could see it away (cue emotional distress) but I would highly recommend it to absolutely anyone. 

On the whole I was very impressed with the output of the film studios this year. Normally there is a mega but mediocre blockbuster (maybe Benjamin) that sweeps the whole thing. This year I think there is a lot of variety and a lot of smaller, word-of-mouth films like Slumdog. 

You now have one month to see all these films. Get out there are do it now!

3 years ago | Tags: movies, Anne Hathaway, Art Oscars Best Picture Best Actor Best Actress Benjamin Button Frost/Nixon Milk The Reader Su Slumdog Millionaire Kate Winslet Frank Langella films