Academy Award Snubs: The Best Pictures of the 2000s

As I sit here on my brand new Mac Book Pro I will start by writing about the films Oscar forgot in the
 Best Picture category.  The Academy Awards do a decent job of picking five great films in a year.  There are some years where they did better than most, and some year where the nominees were trash.  In 2008 they snubbed The Dark Knight and the next year they had ten nominees.  The Dark Knight was never cited as the reason for ten nominees in the Best Picture race, but it was a contributing factor.  Here are five (well 8) films that deserved a nomination their year and some honorable mentions.

1-The Dark Knight (2008)-The film that "started" the thought process behind ten Best Picture

nominations.  The Dark Knight was a the highest grossing film of the year, and surprisingly was one of the best films of the year as well.  Christopher Nolan's direction was genius.  What would it have replaced: The Reader starring Kate Winslet was another movie about Nazism in World War II and probably the worst to earn a Best Picture nomination.

2-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) I could have used my own bias to place this at the number one spot, but the The Dark Knight's snub was the biggest middle finger I have ever seen (until Nolan was snubbed for directing Inception).  This is possibly one of the most original films ever, and it earned some big nominations like Best Actress Kate Winslet and best original screenplay (which it won) but when a film this original comes along it should not be ignored.  What would it have replaced:  The paint by number bio-pic Ray.  This was a decent movie but I have seen before, and the Academy loves to honor films they have seen before.

3-Mullholland Dr (2001).  This dark and twisted tale constructed by David Lynch is something you have to watch several times in order to get the full effect.  The plot is well-out there, but this is one of the best films of the decade.  This is not a movie for everyone, but everyone should give it a shot, because it makes you think, and has something to say about the inner workings of Hollywood.  What would it have replaced: Gosford Park-This is a great film and Altman's direction is brilliant, but Mullholland Dr. surpasses this by miles.

4-Pan's Labyrinth (2006)-The best foreign film of the last decade deserved a nomination in this category.  This film did great in the technical categories, but failed get a nomination in Best Picture.  Unlike animated features foreign films were sometimes nominated in this category, and this is one of the worst snubs ever!  What would it have replaced: Tough call, I would say Babel.  Babel was a great acting showcase, but as a film lacked something.

5-The Incredibles/Finding Nemo/Wall-E-Pixar has a three-peat of snubbed animated feature films.  The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Wall-E all deserved a Best Picture nomination, and the creation of the Best Animated feature category ruined this from happening.  There were films in each of their year they could have replaced each of them are some of the best films I have ever seen.

This video below highlights the beauty of Pixar and the joy it brings to all of our worlds.

Honorable Mentions:

Memento (2001)

Children of Men (2006)

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003)

Far from Heaven (2002)

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Three: Reality Television Abound in the Truman Show

Living home has been fun because it has inspired me to write in this blog much more, I had a bit of writers block for a bit, but there is so much material in living at home.  I could write 25 different chapters (but I won't be).  Last night I sat in front of television screen with my family, and is astounded me, and I had always known this, but the fact is they watch SO much reality television.  From 8 pm to 11 pm I watched The Biggest Loser, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and The Voice.  The only time I ever watch reality television is when I am at home (although I occasionally watch some cooking shows on Food Network and The Real Housewives.) 

Reality television has just never been for me full time, I can't watch a show where there is no character development, everyone seems fake and so happy with their experience, and even their scripted dialogue is bad.  I had to take a break at 9 pm and watch the season finale of Glee which was also disappointing, and felt just ho hum.  Watching all of these reality television made me think of a movie that discusses what it means to watch someones life from birth, The Truman Show.

The Truman Show (1998)  is directed by Peter Weir (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Dead Poet's Society) and starred Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank the star a reality television series that chronicles his life from birth up until well the time in which this movie takes place.  This alternate reality takes place in giant dome free from the outside world where the shows permanent director Christof (Ed Harris) controls not only the actors movements in Truman's life, but the the weather, the product placement etc.  The dangers of extreme reality television are portrayed in this film when Truman's girlfriend is kidnapped and Christof selects an actress named Hannah to play his future wife Meryl (Laura Linney).  Truman starts to realize his life is being controlled by producers and directors and wants out of his fake world, and into a real one that he can control where he can be with the woman he loves.

In our world where reality television monitors families and their "daily" lives I can't help but think that as viewers we need to stop indulging in this crap.  I admit I am guilty of watching these shows too, I have watched the guidos fist pump on the Jersey Shore, I have seen tables flipped on the Real Housewives, and I have seen people sing with bad pitch on American Idol.  Landing on television or in front of a camera is the dream for so many people, but there are some who would rather escape it.  I say accept your fifteen minutes and walk away then read a book!  I will end this blog with a youtube clip of Jim Carrey signing off.

Stop! Don't Do it!!! You are Wasting your money on that!! Summer Movies You Should Avoid!

As I looked at the slate of movies that have been released or will be released within the next couple of months I noticed a couple of things 1) I will be wearing a lot of 3-D glasses 2) there will be lots of explosions in the movies and 3) there will be some pretty terrible writing (my prediction).  Now the "summer" movie season has begun earlier and earlier each year.  This year started with the unnecessary (but number one film at the box office for the year so far) Fast Five.  Then came Thor and that sleeper comedy Bridesmaids, and this past Friday saw the release of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film, On Strange Tides.  Now I would go see Fast Five if I had a free pass, but it would not be a top choice, and I have not seen 2 Fast 2 Furious or The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift or even the stupidly titled Fast and Furious so I guess I miss out.  The first film this year that I will NOT and I repeat NOT go to see is:

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Out in theatres now)- Even Johnny Depp who has made some questionable choices lately (Alice in Wonderland) has said we need to do a wait and see for this film.  I thought the last two films were terrible.  Johnny Depp was great, in the first film and deserved his Oscar nomination, but the fact that these films keep getting worse and worse just makes me want to jump ship.
What you should see instead: Anything, Thor, Fast Five Bridesmaids-Pirates is waste of your money!!

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Released May 26th)- I find Jack Black annoying even in panda form.  My reasons can be said as simply as this, I disliked the first film I will surely not be around for a sequel.

What you should see instead: The Hangover 2- Drag your child to see this so they can sit through one of your films, for once!

Cars 2 (Released June 24)-Another animated film makes this list.  I didn't like the first one and I think this is the one Pixar movie I disliked.  I think it is hilarious that they picked to make a sequel to this film, but my guess is because it is the most generic of all of their films and easiest to produce a sequel to.  I hope the young children enjoy this film very much!

What You should see instead: Bad Teacher-Even Though I am not a huge fan of Cameron Diaz, this look hilarious

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Release date July 1st)-The first two films are terrible.  The first one had great visual effects save the day to make the film watchable, but the visual effects were lousy in the second film.  I do not care if Shia goes on Ellen and says the underwear model can act (she can't-easy prediction) or that he "approves" of this script.  They told him they would write him out like they did Megan Fox if he didn't say that and in a film series where character development and actors are expendable,  I would probably say that too.

What you should see instead:  I may eat my words on this, but Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts looks adorable and family friendly-If that matters.

The Smurfs and Cowboys and Aliens (Released on July 29th)  With Cowboys and Aliens.  This may prove me wrong also but it just doesn't look that great and the graphic novel is not the best.  I am also tired of adaptations of my favorite cartoons from when I was a child-Garfield was bad, and so was Alvin and the Chipmunks, stop ruining my childhood.

What you should see instead:  Crazy Stupid Love looks great with an amazing cast that includes Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Morissa Tomei, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.

I am going to leave August alone for now, but I hope this helps you find some good movies to see, and the ones to avoid!!

*Blogger's note-Maybe you should skip The Hangover 2-but those who want to see it won't

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Two: Groundhog Day Edition

In my last blog post I talked about how I have learned a few different lessons about living at home in my late twenties.  The first thing I learned or felt was that as you change you may not feel like your home is still the same place, because you create a separate identity from the people who live there.  Tied into that first lesson is the fact that things never seem to change.  My house feels as though the same things happen over and over again.  Last night my sister and I got into a fight, probably for the thousandth or millionth time.  We will probably fight again.  My mom is cleaning, my dad is outside doing yard work, and my sister is trying to find a place to do what she needs to do (i.e. talk on the phone).  I feel like I have woken in Groundhog Day (1993) like Bill Murray and my days have blurred together.

The great thing about the movie Groundhog Day is first it stars Bill Murray in one of his funniest roles ever as weatherman Phil who goes to this small town to report on Groundhog Day; Phil ends up re-living the same day over and over again.  As Phil gets tired of the monotonous events in his life he starts to do crazy things, eating whatever he wants, killing himself to make the day go quicker, assuming that he is some type of God or as he would say in the film "I'm not thee God."

The movie focuses Phil getting things right and being the best he can be for everyone ( a lofty goal that can only exist in film) but this has a darker Capra-esque quality to this film.  Similar to It's a Wonderful Life in this film Phil figures out that his life has meaning and even in this small town he can make his valuable relationships special.  There is a love story as well which involves Andy McDowell, and it is cute, but the heart of this story centers around doing right by everyone, and not always being so cynical about life.

So as my dad is mowing the lawn, or as my mom is cleaning the house, and things seem to stay the same day in and day out.  I should make the most of my time at home and try and be the best son and brother I can be, because these moments are fleeting. I hope I never wake up at 6:00 am while home....

Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part One: I'm in a Garden State of Mind

So I am done with my graduate degree, what an accomplishment.  In between getting a job and graduating

with a masters, I somehow ended up living at home for a short amount of time.  I love my family, they are great and would do anything for me.  With that said, my mom actually just walked into my room and asked me if I could clean up my room; she has also asked if I brushed my teeth and sent me a text message last night asking me where I am.  My sister has a new boyfriend, and I got to spend time with him this weekend, and she is becoming an actual adult.  Going home has taught me a couple of lessons, and I think that I have learned in films that these messages ring true. 

1) Home isn't about the actual place or people it's about the feeling you get while your there. The first message about home I learned comes from the films Garden State (2004) and it involves my favorite quote from a film ever.  Zack Braff's character Andrew and Natalie Portman's character Sam talk about home and the ineraction goes like this:

"Andrew Largeman: You know that point in your life when you realize the house you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of a sudden even though you have some place where you put your shit, that idea of home is gone.
Sam: I still feel at home in my house.
Andrew Largeman: You'll see one day when you move out it just sort of happens one day and it's gone. You feel like you can never get it back. It's like you feel homesick for a place that doesn't even exist. Maybe it's like this rite of passage, you know. You won't ever have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for your kids, for the family you start, it's like a cycle or something. I don't know, but I miss the idea of it, you know. Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place."

The sentiment is sometimes maudlin, but do we long for our childhood when we go home?  Is there something missing when we enter this place?  The phrase home is where the heart is, is cliche for a reason, but does it ring true?  I often think about my home and where my family are and how living in this shell of a place is different from what it used to feel like.  I know that things never feel the same, but when people go back they act as though nothing has changed.  Yet everything has changed.  I am lived outside of this house on my own for the last almost ten years.  I have created an identity separate from my family so how do I reconcile the different pieces of myself.

The movie Garden State is poignant for me because it has made me think about what going back to your hometown means as you grow and change.  People grow, and move on without you there.  Yet there are also things that don't change and Andrew finds himself at party with old friends doing familiar things.  This film is genius because it highlights all the elements of the struggle to find what home and family mean.  The soundtrack to this film, is my favorite soundtrack of all time.  The music highlights every element of the film perfectly.  My favorite song in the film is from the band Frou Frou entitled "Let Go.  The music defines this movie, and frames Braff's character so well.  Garden State defines the melancholia of a generation and what home means.

As I sign off this blog entry my mother just came into my from and complained about my room not being clean.  Tomorrow's blog post will highlight the second lesson I have learned.

Rose Byrne: Burn her Name into your Memory

After seeing the film Bridesmaids for a second time this past Friday I realized that one of its stars is truly on the rise.  Yes, Kristin Wiig is on her way up, but actress Rose Byrne has become a huge presence on both television and in film.  My first true understanding of her talent was not in film, but in the television show Damages.  Damages was on F/X for three seasons and was recently picked up for a fourth season by Direct-TV.  The premise for the first season of this television show had to do with a young up and coming lawyer who was seen running out of an apartment with blood all over her.  We get to see her journey and relationship with manipulative boss Patty (Glen Close).  Byrne's dramatic prowess is impressive; she has garnered several Emmy nominations for her performance, and has been able to go toe to toe with Glen Close a tough challenge for any actor.

This woman has such a range on her and her film career if proof of this; she has done great work in period pieces like I Capture the Castle (2003) to an over sexed Rocker in Get Him to the Greek (2010).  Byrne has been  heartbreaking in dramas like Adam (2009) where she plays Beth the love interest of a young man with Aspergers.  This woman has range and her turn in Bridesmaids shows us she can truly be funny as well as a good dramatic actress.  In the next couple of weeks Byrne will play Moira McTaggert in X-Men: First Class and will get even more exposure.  I hope that producers in Hollywood take notice of her serious talent and cast her more, and help her to garner more attention.

A Tribute to Working Girl: Getting a Job!



So I may or may not have accepted a new job today.  The first thing that came to my mind was whew, what a relief, the and then for some reason I thought of the movie Working Girl (1988).  This great film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weave, and Joan Cusack is all about Melanie Griffiths character Tess is about her taking on a job that belongs to her boss.

There is no parallel between Tess's struggle and my own search for her job, but this movie to me represents that eternal struggle to keep fighting and pursuing a job until you know it is the right fit.  At this moment in my life I think I am making the right decision and working towards my own eternal happiness.  There is so much I want from life, and like Tess I just have to put myself out their and work my not "boney ass."

In this film Tess deals with and ungrateful boss, Catherine (Weaver), and colleague she sleeps with (Ford) and a best friend Cyn (Cusack) who plays a secretary who doesn't have the career aspirations that Tess has.  When you think about these different roles in the film, they represent the struggle that we all face in our working environment.  How do we deal with a superior we don't agree with, should we mix business and pleasure and what consequences do we face with that?  How does friendship affect the positions we have and can building friendships prevent us from our true potential. This film has a lot to do with upward mobility and I hope my next job helps me to learn what I need to be the best professional. In my next job that I have that may or not be starting soon (possibly in Boston)  I hope to be able to work through and with my colleagues.

Watching movies are my escape from the work world and Working Girl has been one of my favorite movies for years, partially because I just relate to the characters, but also because hell maybe I am the eternal working girl!  So as Carly Simon sings at the opening and closing credits to this film, Let the River Run!