Does the Independent Spirit Still Exist?

Last night the Weinstein Company film Silver Linings Playbook took home four prizes at the Independent Spirit Awards,  Best Picture, Best Director, Lead Actress, and Screenplay.  Now I don't know about you, but I would not define Silver Linings Playbook as an "independent film."  Silver Linings Playbook comes from a well established director,   The production budget for the film was also 21 million dollars.  21 million hardly screams low budget film.

The history of the trophy's symbolic nature proves this award show is a bit different, than the wins from last night.  The original trophy for the film was "presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. The trophy was modified in 2006 "depicting a bird sitting atop of a pole with the shoestrings from the previous design wrapped around the pole."  The goal of this award show was to honor small budget films, their directors, and the small films, which rarely got attention from either award shows or audiences.  The award catapulted many to much more famous careers. 21 million dollars is hardly a "shoe string budget."

Silver Linings competitor Beasts of the Southern Wild is the best example a film that mainstream audiences have seen, but still fits the category of being an independent film.  The budget for this film was very small, and a few sources I have seen cite it as 1.8 million dollars.  Making any film for this amount of money is next to impossible today.  First time film maker Benh Zeitlin used the "shoe string" mentality to weave the magic of this film, and Forbes magazine cites his model as one of the most innovative ways of putting a film together.

Does it matter that Beasts is Oscar nominee, no, it is one the small films which Oscar has started to embrace.  Over the year's the Independent Spirit Awards have matched up with many films which were Best Picture nominees at the Oscars.  At the bottom is a full list of ISA winners in Best Picture.  The is only one film which won at these awards and then won Best Picture at the Oscars, and thats The Artist.

Yet I have to think/hope/wonder shouldn't this group think independently?  Pick your own winners, do not try and line up with the Oscars.  The one category where this rang through last night was with Best Actor.  John Hawkes won for The Sessions, while competing against Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper.  I am tired of these award show honoring the true independent films in the "othered" categories like Beasts only winning in Cinematography, and films like Safety Not Guaranteed, Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Middle of Nowhere not making a bigger impact.  Those are the true independent films of the year.

Time for Film Independent, who puts on this award show to either own up to their Oscar correlation, and  get out of the tent in afternoon and be corporate.  Otherwise they should embrace the "spirit" of the film they are supposed to root for and be more independent minded.

Here is a list of the Best Feature Winners throughout the shows history
The Artist
Black Swan
Precious
The Wrestler
Juno
Little Miss Sunshine
Brokeback Mountain
Sideways
Lost in Translation
Far From Heaven
Memento
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Election
Gods and Monsters
The Apostle
Fargo
Leaving Las Vegas
Pulp Fiction
Short Cuts
The Player
Rambling Rose
The Grifters
Sex, Lies and Videotape
Stand and Deliver
River’s Edge
Platoon
After Hours

Academy Award Week (2013): Best Director (No Your Pick Can't be Ben Affleck)

This year one of the most interesting, if not the most interesting race is Best Director.  Over the years at the Academy Awards Best Picture and Best Director often match up.  Over the last twenty years (from 1992-2012) Best Picture and Best Director have matched up 16 times, which is an impressive statistic.  This year Argo's name is chiseled on the statue already, and unless if you have been living under a rock you know Ben Affleck was snubbed.  Affleck has won this award at the BFCA, Golden Globes, DGA, and BAFTA.  Without Affleck nominated this makes this race a lot more interesting than I can remember.

While I am not going to go on a rant about sexism within the film industry I am a bit baffled at why more people over cited Affleck's snub instead of Bigelow's snub.  I do believe that this will go down as one of the biggest mistakes in Oscar history.

How do you define great direction, and who was "snubbed?"  One way at looking at great direction is by using auteur theory.  Auteur theory "holds that a director's film reflects the director's personal creative vision, as if they were the primary "auteur" (the French word for "author"). In spite of—and sometimes even because of—the production of the film as part of an industrial process, the auteur's creative voice is distinct enough to shine through all kinds of studio interference and through the collective process."  While this perspective is a bit more old school and looks at film as a one man show, many would attribute this vision to greats like Orson Welles, and Alfred Hitchcock.  These men controlled the vision for their films.

If you look at this year's director race many would describe David O. Russell's direction using auteur theory.  O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook is a passion project dedicated to his son.  O. Russell's film is about a bi-polar man returning home to his family.  O'Russell has talked openly about his son being bi-polar and what it meant for him to make this film.

Benh Zeitlin who directed Beasts of the Southern Wild directed the script and scored the film.  This was Zeitlin's first film and made on a shoe string budget.  Zeitlin's heart and soul went into this film, and his vision drives the heart of the film.

One of the reasons auteur theory is widely criticized is because it negates the contribution of other people who worked on the film stating the the director is the end all be all.  Zeitlin and O. Russell did not create their films out of thin air, no man is an island after all.  If you look at Steven Spielberg's work in Lincoln and here him talk about Tony Kushner's script, and every aspect of the film you feel this sense of teamwork.

This couldn't be more true with Ang Lee and his direction of Life of Pi.  Lee's work with his cinematographer, visual effects team, screenwriter, and son on created an beautiful experience from a book that was thought to be impossible to adapt to the big screen.  The use of 3D technology along with many other elements transcends most traditional aspects of film making, and made this an incredible achievement.

The nominees are 

Michael Haneke-Amour

Ang Lee-Life of Pi

David O. Russell-Silver Linings Playbook

Steven Spielberg-Lincoln

Benh Zeitlin-Beasts of the Southern Wild

Who will win?  Without a previous winner/front runner in the group this leads things wide open.  While many would probably say Spielberg I just do not think he is going to win.  My gut tells me this is a race between David O. Russell and Ang Lee.  In the past director's win in this category have won a good deal of the time because the film "feels important" or because it has an "epic" nature."  Think Ben-Hur, Lord of the Rings, Schindler's List, Out of Africa, The Sound of Music.  There are location shots, visual effects, and so on.  This could be Beasts, Pi, or Lincoln.  Zeitlin is in fifth leaving Lincoln and Pi to fit that category.  Pi and Lincoln are both well respected films, from respected directors.  Before I go on about those two films like Silver Linings Playbook rarely win director, Annie Hall fits within that category, but that rarely happens.  So I am going to go with my gut and say Ang Lee.

Will Win: Ang Lee-Life of Pi

Spoilers: Steven Spielberg and David O. Russell

Top Ten Films of 2012

Within this list I used my own words from past reviews, and ranked my top ten films of 2012.

1-Zero Dark Thirty

"This is one of the best films of the year, the subject matter is handled beautifully, by the geniuses Bigelow, and Boal.  Along with Chastain this team is complete, and they work together effortlessly. Zero Dark Thirty is a thrilling ride into the search for a monster, and never lets you leave the edge of your seat."

Of all the films this year Zero Dark Thirty proves to be allegorical to the evolving theme of the film. In an changing society the hunt for a terrorist provides relief yet anguish.  The way Bin Laden was found harkens to the simplicity, with a take down by Navy S.E.A.L.S.  Yet the brutal tactics of torture and cultural differences add to changing global conversation. In a closing thought of where do you want to go next, the question is left to relieve, but haunt. This is the smartest, film of the year, and the team of Bigelow and Boal did it again!

2-Beasts of the Southern Wild

“For Benh Zeitlin's first major feature film this is one of the most masterfully directed films.  Zeitlin's work with the camera, and his actor's, none have which had done any major motion picture, proves that the energy and heart behind a director can make a film.  Zeitlin not only directed the film, but her helped write the screenplay, and helped compose one of the best scores of the year.  As you watch Beasts you would imagine that Zeitlin is an experienced filmmaker, who has mastered the craft of film making and has been making movies for years.  It's not the years that count, but the passion behind the auteur, and Zeitlin's work on this film is nothing short of amazing.”

3-Amour

“Haneke's direction and script brilliantly unfold a tale filled with moments of agony, grief, but ultimately filled with love.  As you watch Georges struggle, or Ann slip further into illness their connection may hit rough patches. Haneke does not spell out his direction with 100 percent certainty; he often works in the grey leaving ambiguity for the viewer to decide the meaning of a touch, a look, or silent moment.  This helps further strengthen the depth of the story, and makes the performances in his film even stronger.”

4-The Master

“One of the brilliant aspects of this film is the way Paul Thomas Anderson focuses on Joaquin Phoenix's Quell and the disillusionment he faces in a post World War II society.  Most people always painted the 50s as this golden era of family values, the husbands/men came home from the war they got their plot of land in Levitttown, settled with their "girl" and led a happy life.  Anderson uses the concept of this lost soul and the newly developed "religion" which takes advantage of those people had no place when they came back from the War.”

5-Argo

“The star of this film (in all ways possible) is leading man/director Ben Affleck.  Affleck moves away from Boston and into the terrain of Hollywood and Iran.  One of my favorite lines in the script comes from the fake make-up artists on the film John Chambers (John Goodman) in which he states "So you want to come to Hollywood and and act like a big shot without actually doing anything?..You will fit right in."  This along with the line about anyone being able to direct are laugh out loud moments, but Affleck proves everyone may be able to point the camera, and shoot, but not everyone can create such great work.  This is one of the best films of the year, and Affleck's direction helps set the stage for everything to be made possible.”

6-Moonrise Kingdom

“We Anderson does an incredible job making the children the center focus of the story while creating interesting and complex supporting characters out of the major stars.  Murray and McDormand are great are Suzy's parents, and they add their brilliant comic flare.  Norton rarely gets to flex his comedic chops, which is a shame because he is a talented actor who can do it all, and I love watching him take his role as Troop Leader 55 so seriously.  I was struck most by Bruce Willis; he hit this role out of the park, and has done some of the best acting I have ever seen him do, his raw emotion mixed with great wit is terrific in this film.  Then there were the great small roles for the flawless Tilda Swinton, the straight man Harvey Keitel, and the incredible Jason Schwartzman who always shines in his films.

7-Holy Motors

“Director Leo Carax a former film critic, takes you on a journey fitting together these different puzzle pieces to create something much larger about film.  Carax worked on a larger budget American film, but the film never came to life. With this project never coming to life Carax, started working on this low budget film, and was finally brought to the screen 13 years after his last picture.  Motors feels  like director David Lynch's Mullholland Dr. both providing a sharp critique on movies today, and the evolution of the modern cinema.  The "actor" goes from gig to gig without the emotional understanding of the part or faking the way they feel about the character.  One of the funniest moments was when Lavant played the dying millionaire whose step niece was grieving for him.  After he said his goodbye in what would be defined as on screen, Monsiuer Oscar gets up asks the girl her name and walks out of the room.”

8-Skyfall

“One of the brilliant aspects of this film is the sense of a world changing, but that this change is causing more chaos than good.  The post 9/11 world where the terrorist runs rampant, and is beyond the simple bald man stroking a cat, the villain has to be smoked out the old fashioned way.  How is the James Bond character relevant, or is he?  This franchise poses the question that was established in Casino Royale.  Bond has to become a new man, even though he may not be ready or even up to the challenges of the the people he will have to face.  Craig tackles this role better than ever in this film, not only showing that he can kick ass, but continuing to show the evolution the character started in this "reboot."

9-Lincoln

“As Daniel Day Lewis steps on stage, there is chill that passed down my spine, something he often invokes with his acting, or presence.  Day Lewis is a brilliant as Lincoln; he brings to life the man, his speeches, and shows you just how comfortable he was connecting with the masses.  Lincoln was one of the few Presidents we have had who came from nothing, Day Lewis connects with this aspect of Lincoln, and proves that within him there is a way for you to connect with him in this role on every level in believe in the greatness of this man.”

10-Looper

“Johnson's script and direction are key players in bringing this world to life.  Bob Ducsay's editing brilliantly blends the complicated elements of the story.  There are moments when you feel that the complicated nature of the story could hold the film back, but Docsay's editing helps strengthen the power of the story, with quick cuts that blend the stories of young and old Joe.”

Oscars go for Lincoln and Life of Pi while Snubbing Affleck and Bigelow

Today the Oscar nominations were announced with hilarious gusto by Emma Stone, and host Seth MacFarlene.  Before going on to the nominations, I must say that MacFarlene and Stone were the best announcers I have ever seen, and if this is any sign MacFarlene is going to be a great host, especially when you start with a Hitler joke.

Lincoln leads the nominations with 12, although Life of Pi is close behind with 11 nominations.  Both Lincoln and Life of Pi have performed the most consistently throughout this award season, and this includes in the most shocking category Best Director.  Spielberg, and Lee are the only two people who have consistently received nominations throughout the award season.  O. Russell has only been nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics, and nowhere else.  Haneke only had BAFTA, and Zeitlin appeared out of thing air, leaving the biggest snubs of the day Bigelow and Affleck in the dust.

Amour and Beasts of the Southern Wild are the biggest surprises and gainers of the day, Amour received 5 nominations, and is the first foreign language film to be nominated for Best Picture since Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.  This is the only "genre" film to be nominated this year.  Beasts had a lot of support as well, and managed to pull off 4 nominations including Picture, Director, Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.  After these two films shocking me I came down to Earth and realized Silver Linings Playbook received 7 nominations, and was the first film to have nominees in all four major categories since Warren Beatty's Red in 1981, 31 years ago.

Affleck missed out on a Director nomination for Argo, but the film itself scored 7 nominations, which is pretty impressive, although without Affleck the film looks weaker, and will not win Best Picture without a Director nomination.  Zero Dark Thirty was a heavy favorite with critics groups, but only managed to receive 5 nominations, and Bigelow was also snubbed, my guess is because of the torture issue.  Tom Hooper was nominated at the DGA just a few days ago, and his film received the magical 8 nominations (same as Dreamgirls), but no director nomination.  Django like Zero Dark had their director, Tarantino, left out in cold, and received 5 nominations.

In the acting categories the biggest snubs were John Hawkes for The Sessions, and Marion Cotillard who have consistently been nominated throughout the award show season.  While these folks missed out on the party the surprise inclusions were Joaquin Phoenix after his major gaffe, Jacki Weaver, she had no major precursor nomination, and Riva, and Wallis, although I predicted Wallis.  Emanuelle Riva is the oldest nominee ever, and Wallis is one of the youngest at 9.  One of the other fun things is that every nominee in Supporting Actor category is a past winner, this has never happened, and will mean someone adding a second trophy to their mantel.

Beyond Affleck and Bigelow's snubs this is a solid group of nominees, and I am proud they went for a small foreign language film and a movie about a young girl who lived in the bathtub.

Best Picture
Argo
Amour
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Lincoln
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director
David O. Russell-Silver Linings Playbook
Ang Lee-Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg-Lincoln
Michael Haneke-Amour
Benh Zeitlin-Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis-Lincoln
Denzel Washington-Flight
Bradley Cooper-Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman-Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix-The Master

Best Actress
Naomi Watts-The Impossible
Jessica Chastain-Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence-Silver Linings Playbook
Emanuelle Riva-Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis-Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz-Django Unchained
Phillip Seymour Hoffman-The Master
Robert DeNiro-Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin-Argo
Tommy Lee Jones-Lincoln

Best Supporting Actress
Sally Field-Lincolm
Anne Hathaway-Les Miserables
Helen Hunt-The Sessions
Jacki Weaver-Silver Linings Playbook
Amy Adams-The Master

Best Adapted Screenplay
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Argo
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Life of Pi

Best Original Screenplay
Flight
Zero Dark Thirty
Django Unchained
Amour
Moonrise kingdom

Foreign Langauge Film
Amour
No
A Royal Affair
War Witch
Kon-Tiki

Best Animated Feature
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-it Ralph

Best Cinematography
Anna Karenina
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

Best Costume Design
Anna Karenina
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

Best Documentary Feature
5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
The Invisible War
Searching for Sugar Man

Best Film Editing
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Makeup.Hair Styling
Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Miserables

Best Original Score
Anna Karenina
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

Best Original Song

"Before my Time" from Chasing Ice

"Pi's Lullaby"from Life of Pi

"Suddenly" from Les Miserable

"Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from Ted

"Skyfall"from Skyfall

Best Production Design

Anna Karenina

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Les Miserables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Sound Editing

Argo

Django Unchained

Life of Pi

Skyfall

Zero Dark Thirty

Sound Mixing

Argo

Les Miserables

Lincoln

Life of Pi

Skyfall

Best Visual Effects

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Life of Pi

Marvel's: The Avengers

Prometheus

Snow White and the Huntsman

Oscar Roundup 2012: Producer's Guild Tries to Narrow Down the Field

On January 3rd the Producer's Guild Award (PGA) nominations will be announced.  Sasha Stone over at awardsdaily.com has compiled an incredible analysis on this award, and the impact on both Oscar nominees, and eventual winners.  Over the last few years the Academy Awards rules for Best Picture have changed, in both 2009 and 2010 there were 10 nominees, meanwhile in 2011 their could be anywhere between 5 and 10 nominees (9 films made the final cut at Oscar).  The PGA maintain their ten nominee rule, thus making this group more help in determining the top contenders for the top prize rather than a better statistical analysis on all of the winners.

Last years set of nominees were as follows:

• The Artist (Winner)
• Bridesmaids (replaced by Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)
• The Descendants (AA nominee)
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (replaced by Tree of Life)
• The Help (AA nominee)
• Hugo (AA nominee)
• The Ides of March (only 9 nominees)
• Midnight in Paris (AA nominee)
• Moneyball (AA nominee)
• War Horse (AA nominee)

Of last year's nominees The Artist, The Descendants, War Horse, Hugo The Help, Moneyball, and Midnight in Paris were sure fire nominees.  While precursors could have narrowed that list down a bit those 7 films seemed to be the most solid.  Bridesmaids made the cut because of its big box office, btu was never a serious contender.  To be honest I am shocked Tree of Life and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close made it in over The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Ides of March.  In the end who knows what made those two the eventual Best Picture nominees, but they meet the different extremes in regard to critical reception. 

With the new Academy structure for voting the Best Picture race goes back to being about the top 5-10 films they are passionate about rather than checking off 10 films like within 2009 and 2010.  In 2010 the list almost matched up 10 for 10 with Winter's Bone replacing The Town at the Academy Awards.  In 2009 the PGA went 9 for 10 as well, the PGA nominated Invictus while the Oscars nominated The Blind Side.

Year after year the PGA usually match up, missing one of the Best Picture nominees, 2008 The Reader, 2007 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, 2006 Dreamgirls, 2005 Walk the Line, and so on.  So what does this mean?  With a definitive 10 nominees we could have a year like last year where as many three films do not line up, or as we know based on statistics one "bigger" film will receive a nominations and will not be in the Oscar line-up.  One of the important statistics that comes from this award is the eventual winner, although within this shortened Oscar season this may change.  So who will make the the top ten?  Here goes nothing:

The films guaranteed to make the cut

Argo

Lincoln

Les Miserables 

Silver Linings Playbook

Zero Dark Thirty

I would argue that if the Academy goes back to five films, or there were five films nominated this year these would be the five, although with Les Miserables mixed reviews, it could have fallen into a Dreamgirls situation, but these seem to have the most passionate, ardent fan base in the Picture category.

The Strong Bets

Django Unchained

Life of Pi

Moonrise Kingdom

All of these films are solid, doing well at the box office (or performed well at the box office), and have the feel of strongly produced films.  If there are only 8 nominees I would argue that these would be the 8, and this could be the case.  Rather than muddying up the waters the Academy may want a clean 8.  However based on precursor awards these are the best performing films.

The Last Two Spots...

Before I even list off these last two spots all I have to say is that they are tough to predict, these last two spots are the two films which based on probability may not make the cut, but I have to go with my gut. In alpha order my thoughts:

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel-SAG and Golden Globe nominee, did excellent at the box office, while these have direct impact, the film was a hit on all levels, and has a strong shot at a Best Picture nomination.

Beasts of the Southern Wild-While the film has made the top ten at Critics Choice, National Board of Review, and American Film Institute, does no Globe nominations mean something?  Maybe, but this could also be the art house film that makes the cut.

The Dark Knight Rises-The Dark Knight was a nominee, but does this film have the legs to also make the cut, I unfortunately do feel as though this film will, but it still has a shot, namely because its an impeccable concluding chapter. 

Flight-Never count out a film like this, with great passion and determination, this could last year's Extreme Loud type Oscar nominee.  The only draw back is that Flight has not made major award shows Best Picture list.

The Master-This year's Tree of Life, although I am actually not convinced people "love" this film the way folks loved Tree of Life.  The Master made the Critics Choice top ten, but I am not convinced that's enough to help them here.

Skyfall-The most successful James Bond film at the box office and critically, at the moment the film is the fourth highest grossing film of the year, and this is the place where all of these accomplishments may just be rewarded.  On the other hand its a Bond film.

And now my final 10

Argo

Beasts of the Southern Wild

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Django Unchained

Lincoln

Les Miserables 

Life of Pi

Moonrise Kingdom

Silver Linings Playbook

Zero Dark Thirty

Alt. Skyfall

Beasts of the Southern Wild is the Most Beautifully Lyrical Film this Year!

Beasts of the Southern Wild (5 out 5 Stars)

Directed by Benh Zeitlin (first major feature)

Written by Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin (first screenplays)

Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis, and Dwight Henry 

After missing this film in the theatre I had to pay to rent this because this was a film I was excited about seeing.  As I hunkered down at my computer to watch the film, I was enveloped in one of the most engrossing and emotional films this year.  Beasts of the Southern Wild is in fact the most beautifully lyrical film the year!

 Beasts follows the story of a young girl Hushpuppy (Wallis) and her father Wink (Henry) who live in the most southern tip of Louisiana Bayou, entitled the Bathtub, which is cut off from the rest of the world.  As the ice caps start melting, and more and more storms hit the gulf, the residents of the Bathtub including Hushpuppy and her father are forced to deal with the changing structure of their home.  Hushpuppy's mother swam away a long time ago, and all that she has in life is her father.  As Hushpuppy's father teaches her independence; she is learning to be the the person her father wants her to be in an evolving world as he starts to get sick.

For Benh Zeitlin's first major feature film this is one of the most masterfully directed films.  Zeitlin's work with the camera, and his actor's, none have which had done any major motion picture, have proven that the energy and heart behind a director can make a film.  Zeitlin not only directed the film, but her helped write the screenplay, and helped compose one of the best scores of the year.  As you watch Beasts you would imagine that Zeitlin is an experienced film maker, who has mastered the craft of film making and has been making movies for years.  It's not the years that count, but the passion behind the auteur, and Zeitlin's work on this film is nothing short of masterful.

Zeitlin has created a world outside of our modern era, but builds connections that resonate within our current society.  While many will draw numerous comparison to way the various hurricanes have effected this area, and the way our changing environment has hurt people all over the world, these facts are true.  These natural disasters and our environmental problems have affected people in this way, but Zeitlin's direction, and script go much deeper than the simple evolution of the climate changes, but rather the effect society plays on the human soul.

Zeitlin and Alibar (both new to writing major feature length films) create a world that use archetypes that may seem as though they are something in which they aren't. Hushpuppy may have a father with whom most would consider drunk and abusive, but within this world, The Bathtub; he is struggling with the common human emotions of pride, anger, and the hope that he can raise his daughter to live within this world free of the society beyond the barrier.  

As you watch Dwight Henry in the role of Wink, you follow him on a different journey than the one with Hushpuppy; she is our narrator, and you see the world through her eyes.  Henry's performance as Wink a father who wants nothing more than for his daughter to be fearless, and brave, is one of the most heart wrenching performances of the year.  Wink wants his daughter to be a bold brave independent person.

Hushpuppy is wise beyond her years, but yet there is still innocence within her eyes.  Much of the credit to her performance can be seen in one of the most beautiful performances from Quvenzhane Wallis.  Wallis is a marvel; she gives one of the bravest performances of the year. At one point within the film Hushpuppy states  “I’m recordin’ my story for the scientists of the future. In a million years, when kids go to school, they gonna know: Once there was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her daddy in the Bathtub.”  Wallis's brave performance proves Hushpuppy is an adventurer a titan, and like many who traveled before her, she is the brave soldier trying to survive the changing of her own environment.

 Hushpuppy exists within a world where she looks at those around her and wants to find a family, through love.  Hushpuppy has been abadoned by her mother, sees the community around her disappearing because of the polar ice caps, and the weather, and she wants to cling to the love she sees around her.  Zeitlin and cinematographer Ben Richardson help to create one of the most sumptuously visual worlds.  As you look at things through Hushpuppy's eyes you feel as though Zeitlin's direction knows exactly how to tell her story, and Richardson's camera work colors in between all the lines creating one of the visually stunning films of the year.  

Beats is a work of visual beauty, and most of the message of the film is something beyond the words on the page within the screenplay.  Whether is be a quiet look of Hushpuppy as she is held for the second time in her life, the haunting score from Zeitlin and Dan Romer as Hushpuppy confronts the beasts from the melting ice caps, or the stunning stills of The Bathtube from  Richardson.  Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the most emotionally grossing journeys on film this year.

AFI Names Top Ten in Movies and Television for 2012

The American Film Institute (AFI) named their top ten in both film and television today, for the year 2012.  The AFI process have a "unique jury process in which scholars, film and television artists, critics and AFI Trustees determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as provide a detailed rationale for each selection."  

The film list does not always indicate the Best Picture nominees, last year's list included Bridesmaids, and there have been many films included on this list, which did not make the cut, come oscar time.  the only major snub is The Master, but the inclusion of the Dark Knight Rises makes sense as it's the only blockbuster on the list.

Some may be wondering where films like Skyfall may be, but since Skyfall is seen as British film it is not in consideration, and my guess is the reason Les Mis made the list was because of Universal's production, otherwise the rest of these films are as American as apple pie.

Film
Argo
Beasts of the Souther Wild
The Dark Knight Rises
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

On the television side, the only surprise for me is the exclusion of Veep and Parks and Recreation.  Veep should have made the cut!  Overall a solid list.

Television
American Horror Story
Breaking Bad
Game Change
Game of Thrones
Girls
Homeland
Louie
Mad Men
Modern Family
The Walking Dead

LA Film Critics Changes Things Up, Picking Amour for Best Pic, and Many New Acting Winners!

If you thought the critics group winners had become stale and boring, then you thought wrong.  Most of the critics groups have anointed Zero Dark Thirty and helmer Kathryn Bigelow as the winners, but LA went with a different track.

LA picked the French film Amour, which is a favorite in the Best Foreign Language category at this oscars.  The big question on the table is does this film stand a chance in the Best Picture race?  Over the last twelve years (starting in 2000) 9 of the 12 films were nominated for Best Picture.  The films that missed out were About Schmidt (2002), American Splendor (2003), and Wall-E (2008).  Splendor is the only film that did not, or was not ever taken seriously for an Oscar.  Splendor was obviously in consideration, but was not an "Academy" film.  Does this bode well for Amour, or because the Academy sees it as a genre picture will they keep it out of top ten, and give it a bunch of other nominations?  This helps get the film more attention, but does not guarantee a nomination.

Paul Thomas Anderson won his first critics award this year (although Bigelow was the runner up).  Anderson's The Master, which was seen as early threat at the critics awards, finally made it to the big show.  The film won for Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), and Best Production Design.  The film was a runner up in many other categories including Best Picture.  Phillip Seymour Hoffman being left off the proves that many critics may not be fooled into thinking he is a supporting player.  

jennifer Lawrence finally won her first award this year, for Best Actress.  I am a bit surprised she bested Emmanuelle Riva, who starred in the Best Picture winner Amour, but this win proves how disjointed opinions are within this category this year.  The critics are all over the map with this category, proving that this award can go to anyone, although my money is on Jessica Chastain.

Beasts of the Souther Wild did quite well her also, winning three prizes including Best Supporting Actor (Dwight Henry), Best Score, and the New Generation Award for director/composer Benh Zeitlin.

Skyfall's win in Cinematography can't be ignored, and shows Roger Deakins may finally get that unattainable Oscar win, which I hope he does.

Three things to take stock of Zero Dark Thirty only had one win, Best Editing, Lincoln was nowhere to be found, and Argo claimed its first victory at critics awards with Best Screenplay.  LA certainly shook things up and made this race a little more interesting.

Best Film: Amour
(runner-up:  The Master )
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master
(runner-up: Kathryn Bigelow)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
(runner-up: Emmanuelle Riva)
Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
(runner-up: Denis Lavant, Holy Motors
Best Supporting Actor: Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild
(runner-up: Christof Waltz, Django Unchained)
Best Supporting Actress:  Amy Adams, The Master
(runner-up: Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises and Les Miserables)
Best Editing: Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg, Zero Dark Thirty
(runner-up: William Goldenberg, Argo)
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, Skyfall
(runner-up: Mihai Malaimare Jr., The Master)
Best Score:  Benh Zeitlin & Dan Romer, Beasts of the Southern Wild
(runner-up: Jonny Greenwood, The Master)
Best Screenplay: Chris Terrio, Argo
(runner-up: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Production Design: Jack Fisk, The Master
(runner-up: Adam Stockhausen, Moonrise Kingdom)
Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie
(runner-up: It’s Such a Beautiful Day)
Best Documentary: The Gatekeepers
(runner-up: Searching for Sugar Man)
Best Foreign Language Film: Holy Motors
(runner-up:  Footnote)
New Generation Award: Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild