I must start with an apology. In spite of my unsure purpose and desperately undefined goals for this blog, my going an entire month (it's been way more than that now but what-the-hay...)without posting to it is unacceptable. I site as an excuse that I've been busy at dinner with Roger (the link elaborates). Apologies completed, there is much business to attend to: The Globes air Sunday night and I have yet to share my opinions and predictions! But that's about to change...
On the Globes' official site (available on my Important Links posting), the Motion Picture nomination categories are listed from the most important (Best Picture -Drama) to the least (Best Original Song). I shall start with the least and work my way up:
Best Original Song:
"Cinema Italiano" -Nine
This song was written just for the film version of this broadway hit. It has a different sound than the other, less "pop-y" songs in the film and that somewhat hurts the flow and continuity of the film. The song itself is fun but doesn't have any highs and lows and plays rather monotone (depriving Kate Hudson of the chance to truly wow us with her singing debut in a movie). Towards the end, Kate gets to show off a little vibrato but that's the highlight of the song. Unfortunately, like much of the movie, this musical number is good for visual appeal but doesn't hold any depth beyond that.
"I See You" -Avatar
This song does not appear in the film but plays during the credits immediately following it. It vocalizes one of the film's major romantic themes of not just seeing another being but actually seeing into who they are. Musically the song plays as a soulful, emotional ballad reminiscent of "My Heart Will Go On" from Cameron's last epic, Titanic. Musically it may be the strongest nominee in this category, but that doesn't neccessarily ensure a win (i.e. when Crash's "In The Deep" was beaten by Hustle & Flow's "It's Hard Out There For A Pimp" at the Oscars).
"I Want To Come Home" -Everybody's Fine
I haven't seen the film or heard the song and thus decline comment.
"The Weary Kind" -Crazy Heart
Friday Night it won The Critic's Choice Award and I personally believe that this song is the front-runner. In an ideal world where ideal songs won, they would win because they perfectly vocalized exactly what a character was going through while also embodying the film's theme as a whole (i.e. Dreamgirls' "Listen" gave voice to Beyonce's character's desire to be heard while also embodying the film's theme that no voice should be silenced... unfortunately this song lost out to Melissa Etheridges theme for "An Inconvenient Truth" -clearly an example of the Oscars desire to make a political statement about environmental responsibility instead of awarding the year's best song).
Having not seen the film, I cannot comment on whether this song acts as synecdoche for the movie's themes as a whole; but having heard most of the song, I can say that it clearly vocalizes who Jeff Bridges character is and what he's going through. Award-givers in this category also tend to favor songs sung by a character as opposed to a song sung by an uninvolved person about the film (giving this song a leg up on Avatar's "I See You"). The famed T. Bone Burnett is also involved with the composition of this song and he has proved to be an awards favorite over the years.
"Winter" -Brothers
I saw the film. I don't remember the song... that does not bode well.
Best Original Score:
Up - The music embodies the bouyant tone and sense of wonder that the whole film encapsulates, it certainly has a shot at the win.
The Informant!- I did not see the film and hence cannot comment on it's score, but the content of the film doesn't seem to warrant or even hint at a score of an awards-nominated quality.
Avatar - This film boats a sweeping score that begins by suggesting the epic nature of the spectacle to come but is also able to slow down and linger on the emotional highs and lows of the material. At points it could be called standard "epic fare", but it amounts to so much more than that as a whole (namely at the points where Hometree is burned down and then when that same theme is reprised as the heroes begin to succumb to the enemies' attacks in the film's climactic battle sequence). I think this score has the best chance at the win and I would like to see either this film or the following do so in this category.
A Single Man- This is a film that is many times overcome by its gorgeous cinematography, its beautiful score, and even its eroticism. The score is indeed beautiful though, and though it overcompensates for the film's material at points, it many times aids in the films purposes and especially in its themes of the constant passing of time. Though it cannot boast the sweeping symphonic grandeur of the Avatar score, it is a lovely and demure score nonetheless. It certainly deserves and has earned its nod just as much as any of the other scores in this category.
Where The Wild Things Are - I have not seen this film and thus must reserve comment, but from what I have heard in clips, it is a score than captures the whimsy and wonder of its films' content just as can be said of Up's.
Best Screenplay:
Before giving my thoughts on the nominees in this category, I must express my deep-seeded anger over the fact that the Globes has foolishly decided to wrap up both the Original and Adapted Screenplay categories in this preposterous franken-category. Screenplays that have been formed from nothing deserve to be considered separately from those that have taken their inspiration from pre-existing material! But I (reluctantly) digress...
District 9 -This was one of the most overrated films of the year mostly on the premise of its nonexistent originally. It fulfilled every cliche of its genre and though it boasted some spectacular special effects, its script was chalked full of standard action movie lines, and told a story that didn't explore anything new or groundbreaking. It has no business being in this category.
The Hurt Locker -This film has been a critical darling and has done well to-date on the awards circuit. It is a daring story of great subtlety but also one of sparse (though striking) dialogue. So the script itself is not particularly noteworthy, which leaves the story. It has one that hasn't been told, and it must be given credit for that, but it certainly isn't the most original script/story (screenplay) of the year. I'm not really mad over it being nominated though.
It's Complicated -This is the screenplay that will have audiences gasping, "Meryl Streep said what?!" It's sophisticated, clever, but overwhelmingly Nancy Meyers (who has now personally come to embody her own genre of film). Now this might be the best Nancy Meyers yet (sorry Something's Gotta Give fans), but it doesn't deserve a win. The film's script though, should be recognized as that of a stylish, sophisticated, adult comedy.
Up In The Air -This IS (hands-down) the best adapted screenplay of the year. It is modern, stylish, heartbreaking, devastating, funny, and flat brilliant. It should and will win Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars this year, but due to the Globes' folly it must compete with original screenplays.
(Record scratching sound) There were obviously more categories and nominees to be discussed. But in hopes of finally getting back to writing this blog I'll simply post what I wrote O so long ago and you can all wait for my review of the Nolan's freshmen foray in cinema: Following (the review is already handwritten I just have to type it to put it on here). See you all soon!
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