Academy Award-nominee Christopher Plummer plays a man in his 70s coming out, in Beginners.
The Academy Award nominations were announced earlier today in Los Angeles, and if you care about movies and are on some kind of social network, you've noticed people are talking about this. If you haven't yet seen the complete list of nods, go
here, then come on back.
On the acting front, my thoughts are mostly positive.
Demian Bichir for the little-seen
A Better Life is the big surprise. (The film, a drama about a Mexican illegal immigrant in Los Angeles is now available on DVD.)
Clooney, Pitt and
Dujardin are all deserving, I would say---even though I'm one of the few who didn't adore
The Artist---and great to see
Gary Oldman recognized for his work in
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy---his first Oscar nod, incidentally---even though the film is more of an ensemble with many great performances. It seems a bit odd to single someone out, but that's what the Oscars does. No Best Ensemble award for performance, while teams in other categories are recognized. There's something they could consider.
The Actress in a Leading Role category is stellar, lots of deserving roles, though you've gotta feel for
Glenn Close in
Albert Nobbs, yet to open in Halifax.
Streep has to be the favourite here for
The Iron Lady, a movie that isn't much more than a venue for a dazzling performance, and Close has never gotten the kudos she deserves from the Academy, despite an amazing career. Props to
Rooney Mara for
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It's a powerful performance, and even though she isn't likely to win in this company, the nomination is an implicit industry recognition that she's "arrived."
The Supporting Actor categories include a nod to
Jonah Hill for
Moneyball. Good for him, but really? I didn't think he particularly shone in the role, though I really liked the film.
Nick Nolte was a surprise for his role in
Warrior, but an amazing performer whose tabloid appearances sometimes overshadow a killer career.
Max von Sydow is excellent in a so-so movie. But big props to Canadian thesp
Christopher Plummer, who deserves to win, if not for a great part in a great movie (
Beginners), then for his body of work, which is often tacitly recognized with these things. (If he wins, maybe they'll play him up to the podium with a selection from
The Sound of Music. He'd hate that.)
Nice to see
Melissa McCarthy nominated for
Bridesmaids for a couple of reasons: she created a memorable character earning some of the film's biggest laughs and comedies get too few awards. Also good to see
Jessica Chastain recognized, though they could have chosen her role in
The Tree of Life or
Take Shelter to nominate.
The list for Best Picture this year includes nine films. I think it's pretty representative of a lot of conservative choices, remarkable as much for what isn't on there as for what is. I like
The Tree of Life, The Descendants, Moneyball and
Hugo. Even
The Artist, I can understand why it would earn a place on this list, along with
Midnight in Paris, which gets props for being so popular, though I'd say is less deserving of awards than, say, other semi-recent
Woody Allen pictures such as
Vicki Christina Barcelona or
Match Point. But
War Horse?
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close? Those movies have no business being anywhere near a list of the best of 2011. Especially while
50/50, Young Adult, Shame, Take Shelter, Melancholia, Martha Marcy May Marlene were all snubbed.
And speaking of snubs, where is
Charlize Theron's nomination for
Young Adult? Or the same film's screenwriter
Diablo Cody in the Original Screenplay category? Where is
Michael Fassbender's nomination for
Shame?
Other Canadians aside from Plummer earning recognition this morning include
Philippe Falardeau's
Monsieur Lazhar in the Best Foreign Language film category. Hope we see that soon in Halifax cinemas! Also,
In Darkness, the Polish entry, is a Canadian co-production. Two animated shorts are NFB productions,
Dimanche/Sunday, directed by
Patrick Doyon, and
Wild Life, directed by
Amanda Forbis and
Wendy Tilby. And we shouldn't forget Canuck
Howard Shore is up for Best Original Score for
Hugo.
