Oscar Recap 2013
Odds are I should have done this a few days ago but things are busy. Also odds are I should have actually watched the awards, but I figured out a couple years ago I could either watch 3-4 hours of bad production, lame jokes, and stars butt kissing each other and acting all out of breath or I could just spend five minutes reading off a list. So here I am with comments on each winner (all based on the ones I actually saw, of course).
Best Picture–Argo. I’m feeling pretty smug and self satisfied about this as Argo was my pick for best picture of last year. I saw most of the nominees for a change and will admit they were all admirable movies (except maybe Les Miserables. My opinion on that one has kind of soured in the months since reviewing it. I suspect if I were to sit through it a second time it would be pretty agonizing) but Argo was my choice. Well done.
Best Actor–Daniel Day Lewis for Lincoln. Again no real argument. I was really impressed by him. I was a little surprised that Hugh Jackman got a nomination for Les Mis. Not that he did a bad job or is not a really good actor, but can you really be said to be acting when you spend 90% of your screen time singing? (Lincoln image courtesy of the Funny T Shirt category)
Best Actress-Jeniffer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook. Unfortunately this is one of the films that slipped my net. My cousin saw it and enjoyed it a lot. She wrote the review. I will have to see it. I think Jeniffer is a really talented actor and am glad she got it.
Best Supporting Actor-Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained. I thought he was awesome in this, although I also really like Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln.
Best Supporting Actress-Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables. Not sure about this one. She was only in about 1/3rd of the movie (yes I’m still bitter about that. I really wanted to see her throughout the film. I like her a lot) and again, if you spend all your time singing are you really acting? However, none of the other nominees really jump out at me so I don’t know.
Best Animated Feature Film-Brave. Ugh. Here is one where I really disagree. Wreck It Ralph was far superior in almost every regard except for maybe the art. It had a much better story, was funnier, and actually had a character arc and cool underlying message about accepting and loving who you are while not ascribing to labels. Brave was just another Disney pretty princess fairy tale about some little girl choosing her own husband (someone pack up this movie and set the Wayback machine for 1952 quick!). Trite in almost all regards whereas Wreck It Ralph worked incredibly well on multiple levels.
Best Cinimatography-the Life of Pi. Totally agree. This film was beautiful.
Costume Design-Anna Karenina. Didn’t see it. Not going to see it. Yes, I suck as a reviewer.
Best Directing-the Life of Pi. I am going to agree here as well. The director managed to take the smallest set in the universe and turn it into a complete world, as well as pace the film wonderfully.
Documentary and Documentary Short-I don’t watch documentaries for the most part, unless it’s about Star Trek fans or Warhammer. Sorry but I didn’t get into this to learn stuff.
Film Editing-Argo. I’m actually torn between this and the Life of Pi. Both films were brilliantly edited but the Life of Pi managed to take what could easily have been the most boring stretch of film in cinima history and keep me engaged. Argo kept me engaged as well but was working with easier to use footage. I think if I were in the Academy I would have voted for the Life of Pi.
Foreign Film–Being a typical poorly educated cultural tunnel vision American I didn’t see a lot of foreign film last year. During my movie selection process it usually goes like this: “Hmm. There’s a Bollywood film that is getting good reviews. Odds are it will be fun to watch a make for a good review. What’s this? Kevin James plays a 43 year old MMA guy in Here Comes the Boom!? Score!” and that’s it for my attempt at cultural self improvement for the month.
Makeup and Hairstyling-Les Miserables. I’ll give them that. They successfully transformed Anne Hathaway from my 100% dream woman into my 99.3% dream woman.
Musical Score-the Life of Pi. Music is something I really only notice in a film when it is bugging me (cough cough Rock of Ages cough cough). Otherwise it is literally background noise.
Music Best Original Song-Skyfall from Skyfall. Again, not something that registers well for me.
Production Design-Lincoln. I’d give it to them.
I’m going to skip a bunch of the technical awards I don’t have a real opinion on.
Writing Adapted Screenplay-Argo. No Argo-ment here.
Writing Original Story-Django Unchained. I’m glad Tarantino got something out of this. He does deserve way more credit than Hollywood gives him. 100 years ago Django will be far more remembered than Argo I suspect.
That’s pretty much it. I think it funny that the writing awards are listed last when if I were in charge they would be first. I think writing the the 800 pound monkey on the back of most of Hollywood right now. Oh, well. Thanks for reading. I’ll try to write up my review for Jack the Giant Slayer later on today. Follow me on Twitter @Nerdkungfu. If you have comments on my remarks or the awards feel free to post them here. Off topic questions or suggestions can be emailed to [email protected]. By the way one of my readers asked me to add a link to his Kickstart campaign to get a pretty cool Street Fighter/Sesame Street mashup poster printed. I think it’s pretty kick ass. If you want to support him check out his campaign here. Talk to you soon.
Dave
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