Oscar Talk: The Pictures (Featuring PGA nominations)

The PGA nominations were announced today and only a few persons on twitter seemed interested. You know why? When the race gets upped to ten nominees there’s an obvious dilution of the importance of the nominees. Who cares which ten the PGA nominate when three-quarters of them will be also-rans. And the list is especially safe and banal – the PGA nominees look like this: 127 Hours / Black Swan / The Fighter / Inception / The Kids Are All Right / The King’s Speech / The Social Network / The Town / Toy Story III / True Grit

                   

That’s about as generic as you can get, and I kind of suppose that that could easily be what the nominations look like come Oscar morning. If there’s any palpable omission (as far as Oscar prognostics go) it’s the lack of love for Winter’s Bone, which I can’t say I’m surprised about. In the scheme of things I’d say The Town and Winter’s Bone are fighting for that final spot, and as much as I’m not in love with The Town it does have the obvious pedigree which Winter’s Bone is sorely lacking.

                          

But enough of PGA, more on the race – I suppose it’s time for me to cast off my longstanding stubbornness/stupidity and submit to the fact that True Grit is a serious Oscar contender, it’s even being tossed around as a potential one to upset the race. I’m not sure I’m buying that. I’d say there are the two films fighting for the top spot - The Social Network and The King’s Speech are fighting for the top, though fighting is probably the wrong word because even though I’d love Hooper’s drama (still unseen for me, bah) to take the prize I’m not one of those people who continue to doubt the power of Fincher’s drama. Underneath those two we’ve got Black Swan, Inception, The Fighter and yes, True Grit. More than True Grit I wonder if Black Swan could be a surprise of the evening, but then I don’t think there will BE any surprises.

The Kids Are All Right will apparently take up the comedy quotient which is lovely, but it’s a shame that Cholodenko doesn’t even seem like a contender in the directing category – but more on that later in the week. It’s difficult to decide just where 127 Hours sits, it seems – in theory – like a contender, but the deafening lack of buzz makes me dubious – I still don’t think that Franco is really a contender (in the way of a potential win) in the Actor category. And apparently Toy Story III is going to take the now annual Pixar nod, which I’m less enthused about. Which leaves us with spot #10 – Winter’s Bone or The Town.

                     

Excuse the cynicism, I suppose perhaps all the voters are enamoured with these flicks but it seems like such lazy choosing when there are other films available. I’m still nonplussed, offended even, at the egregious lack of love for Rabbit Hole but for Nicole. I’m still questioning whether the voters have actually seen this one. I guess Shutter Island is officially out of the race, but I’m a tad surprised it gained absolutely no love here. Then there’s Get Low, I’m not sure what to make of Schneider’s film’s chances. Even Duvall seems like a precarious prediction at the best of times, I had been thinking that love for him could spill over to this category, but in retrospect – that’s probably not going to happen. Sure would love to see them shake it up a bit, how about (insert gasp) How to Train Your Dragon in the place of Toy Story III. I don’t know, something – anything. Damn this race is looking especially bland. Ugh.

                                           

So, Winter's Bone or The Town? Any impossible nominees you'd love to see come to fruition? 

Winter’s Bone

It’s a bit unfortunate how peripheral factors can’t help but influence the way you end up viewing movies. I’m almost certain that cynical mood I was in when I watched Winter’s Bone might have made me just a a little less receptive to the small-town troubles of Ree and her family. Incidentally, the unaffected tone of the film prevents the decidedly provincial theme from permeating the movie and turning me (with my severe cynicism) off. Thus, the obvious cinematic experience of the film turns into an interesting experience in what seems like voyeurism. Even though I don’t have the sort of brain willing to immerse myself in a film’s narrative, I will say that Winter’s Bone though not my favourite movie of the year is the one which follows its own rules the best. It’s always satisfying when a movie makes sense in its own world.

 

Narrative-wise the plot is simple, painfully so even. Ree is seventeen and in charge of her two younger siblings. Her mother is on the way to being catatonic and her father is due for court but missing. Their family house is a portion of his bond, and if he doesn’t turn up their house if forfeited. Naturally, he doesn’t. Winter’s Bone is not about plot, to be honest I’m not sure it’s about style either. Neither is particularly riveting. If anything, Winter’s Bone is about its performances – its lead performance to be exact. The film depends completely on Jennifer Lawrence’s ability to convince us of our plight. What makes her task difficult is that Debra Grankik (writer and director) doesn’t care to make the film whimsical, not in the slightest. The only bits of the narrative presented are the essentials – tearful confrontations are scant, and when present not romanticised in the least. Lawrence’s gift is her ability to reveal key bits of characters in a way that’s so natural it seems almost documentary-like. True, movies are movies but Winter’s Bone is the type of film that works in spite of (or maybe even because of) its capacity to seem pragmatic.

Oddly, it’s Lawrence’s ability to balance the film on her shoulders that ends up working out as a detractor of sorts. True, John Hawkes turns in a fair supporting effort but the narrative is interested in Ree at the expense of the supporting cast. In its defence, Winter’s Bone works better than films of the type – say Fish Tank for example – because it knows its limits. I wasn’t a big fan of Fish Tank because in its pseudo-naturalistic way it loses sight of its plot. Winter’s Bone works because of its singular plot. It doesn’t get preachy, even if the ending was just a little too sweet for my cynical self though. Cynicism aside, though, even I could take note of a good film when I see it. Winter’s Bone is not a perfect film, and in the grander scheme of things Jennifer Lawrence’s performance trumps the actual film. But in a year where the pickings seem woefully slim I’ll take what I can get - Winter’s Bone is a keeper.

          

B

   

[I know I promised more material in November, but seriously Uni – University, not Univarn – is kicking my ass. Review of The Social Network soon though...]