In Search Of Magic

I am two thirds of the way through my Oscar movie marathon for 2011. I want to see all ten Best Picture nominees, as well as all of the movies from which Best Actor or Best Actress performances were nominated. And, I want to see them all before the Academy Awards Ceremony on February 27th. So, in addition to Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, and Winter's Bone - I will need to see Biutiful, Rabbit Hole, Blue Valentine, The Town and Animal Kingdom. As of tonight, I am 11 down and 4 to go.

This little exercise has encouraged me to look at movies I would normally have no interest in seeing. For example I hate the sport of boxing,which was a hurdle I had to overcome in order to see The Fighter. For my trouble, I was rewarded with Christian Bale's performance. He lost a lot of weight to play the role of a washed up, crack addicted ex-boxer whose last shred of self respect hung on the question of whether he had actually knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard as he'd like to remember, or whether Sugar Ray had tripped. Before I saw this movie, I liked Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech) for best supporting actor, but Geoffrey seems a little tame to me now.

In addition to Christian Bale's spot-on performance in The Fighter, and the ride to save Mattie's life in True Grit, another magical experience for me was in the music from 127 Hours. Bill Wither's Lovely Day was entirely unexpected given what went before (musically speaking) in the movie, and so very uplifting. It was a life-affirming counterpoint to a scene that was utterly dismal, all the more so because it was based on real life events.

Winter's Bone was raw and touching - do people still live like this in America? When I saw the lead character taking her younger brother and sister (they were what, eleven and seven?) through the motions of target practice with a rifle and assorted empty plastic containers, admonishing them to "never, ever, never" point the gun at each other - I thought: guns sure make sense in Missouri, especially when your own kin are out to get you. I loved Jennifer Lawrence in this movie (lead actress). As she and her two younger siblings stared longingly at their neighbor skinning a deer while they were starving in plain sight next door, the brother wondered aloud whether they could ask for a piece of meat.

Her reply was the best quote of the movie: 'You should never ask for what ought to be offered'.

What didn't thrill me though, was The Social Network. It's very of the moment, I suppose - but it didn't take me anywhere special. Neither did  Black Swan, for all its dark weirdness. Nicole Kidman was pretty good in Rabbit Hole, but I was too distracted by her puffy lips. I don't think plastic surgery serves actors very well. Also, Nicole seems to have a stock way of expressing grief - same as she did in the movie Far and Away, which was a long long time ago when Tom Cruise still seemed normal.

Contrasted with Annette Bening in The Kids are All RIght, Nicole Kidman was as responsive as a rock. Annette Bening was wrinkled and bleary eyed, slightly plump and scarily real. I still have to see Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine, but so far Annette Bening has my vote for best actress.

Son (to his mothers, Annette Bening and Julianne Moore): 

I don't think you guys should break up

Annette Bening: Why?

Son: Because you are too old.

Which proves that gay marriage has one key advantage over 'hetero' marriage.

With partners of the same sex, the prospects of each finding a new partner are equally good... or equally bad.

The King's Speech is favored to win almost every category in which it is nominated, so I'm purposely not focusing on it too much. I've seen it and I loved it, especially one luminous scene in which the King and Mr. Logue are walking out in the sunshine after a rainshower.

This scene is visually unusual - somewhat backlit with the pavement shimmering like pewter, the two figures almost halo-ed and silhouetted. This bright scene is the setting for one of the emotional low points of the movie.

Though I've seen Inception three times, I don't think it is going to win many awards. It's in the vein of other brain teasers like The Prestige and The Departed: nail-biting suspense and a convoluted story line that requires at least 5 viewings to grasp fully - but how you love every minute of your nervous confusion!

Yet to be seen are: Biutiful, Blue Valentine, The Town and Animal Kingdom. I'm still on the lookout for magic.