Here are the five nominees: (Winner in Bold)
Biggest Snub:
Hilary Swank – Conviction
My Overall Thoughts:
This
My Rankings:
Actress
5. Michelle Williams
4. Annette Bening
3. Jennifer Lawrence
2. Nicole Kidman
1. Natalie Portman
Movies
5. Black Swan – Another completely incoherent Aronofsky film. I understand that much of it is meant to be a metaphor but why can’t he just tell a straight story like he did in The Wrestler (2008). Despite the craziness of the narrative, Portman is hauntingly great in the lead role. Unfortunately tho, this film as a whole is a complete waste of time.
4. Blue Valentine – Interesting idea that isn’t presented well at all. I understand what they were trying to do here, but the way that the story moves in a very non-linear fashion really hurts things a lot because it makes things much more convoluted and confusing. Gosling and Williams are both great actors, but the story doesn’t give either of them enough range to really shine. Williams did receive an Oscar nomination for her performance here, but I think that her character could have been developed much better. The story would have been much better of they chosen to just show the build up of their relationship as was suggested during production.
3. Winter’s Bone – Lawrence is great in this film and it showcases her talent. The story is quite a simple one, but the cinematography and production design make it feel so rich and majestic. Despite liking it, I’m not sure this was deserving of a Best Picture nominee because it’s all Lawrence who makes this work so well.
2. The Kids Are All Right – Very interesting idea that works really well. The cast is superb and helps make this story feel very realistic. They touch upon some really interesting issues that play out in a nice and enjoyable fashion. As good as this film is tho, I’m still not sold on the idea that it is the kind of film that is Best Picture caliber eventhough it was able to win the Golden Globe that year for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy
1. Rabbit Hole – This is a great depiction of how tragedy can affect a couple and how no matter how hard they try, some things need to be explored separately instead of together as a couple. Eckhart and Kidman are both superb in these roles and give us a clear impression that they are lost ever since their son died. Really like the way that they show how each of them befriend other people and begin to spend time with them instead of each other and subsequently learn so much more about their own feelings towards things due to these new interactions. Kidman was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance here. The dialogue is superbly written and some of the conversations are quite poignant. The film delves deep into the ideas of tragedy, healing and the feelings of loss and keeps things interesting throughout.
Do I agree with the Oscar winner? – Most Definitely! Despite hating BS, I am willing to admit that NP was superb in this role and was quite deserving of winning this award.
Let me know what you think about these films and my rankings!
