The 84th Annual Academy Awards

The nominations are finally out! The Academy went with nine Best Picture nominees. I went with eight in my predictions and all eight of those made the list. How could I have known EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE would snag a nod in the top category? And what? A tenth film would have really been that bad? Round it out, people!

First of all, I was 82% right with my predictions. My worst showing came from the Original Screenplay category. MARGIN CALL? Who knew? There are some mistakes I'm quite pleased about. The first is Terrence Malick for Best Director for THE TREE OF LIFE, which also made its way into the Best Picture race when so many people had written it off. The new Best Picture voting system favours films that have passionate followings and that definitely applies to this polarizing picture.

Other happy surprises this morning include Gary Oldman's Best Actor nomination for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, which also managed a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination; Melissa McCarthy for Best Supporting Actress in BRIDESMAIDS, which also scored a Best Original Screenplay nod; and Max von Sydow for Best Supporting Actor in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE. All three names were tossed around but were never sure things and I'm happy to see them amongst this list.

Unacceptable oversights on the Academy's part include Michael Fassbender for Best Actor in SHAME. This snub is reason enough for me to consider not watching the show. Tilda Swinton in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN was also overlooked. I never really thought she could make it in such a competitive year but Elizabeth Olsen was incredible in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE. 50/50 missed on the Best Original Screenplay category too. And Albert Brooks was overlooked for his delicious turn in DRIVE. Oh, and what about PROJECT NIM for Documentary Feature or the Golden Globe winner for Best Animated Feature, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN?! And to top it off, all of these incredible films were ignored completely in all the other categories (except for DRIVE, which scored a Sound Editing, and TINTIN, which scored an Original Score nod).

Oh, and did anyone notice that THE HELP did not score a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination? I guess that Best Picture win is looking a little less likely.

Here is the full list of nominees for the 84th annual Academy Awards. The winners will be announced on February 26, 2012.

(Scroll over any film title for the original Black Sheep review.)

BEST PICTURE

THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
THE HELP
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MONEYBALL
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Demian Bichir in A BETTER LIFE
George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS
Jean Dujardin in THE ARTIST
Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Glenn Close in ALBERT NOBBS
Viola Davis in THE HELP
Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Meryl Streep in THE IRON LADY
Michelle Williams in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Kenneth Brannagh in MY WEEK WITH MARIYLN
Jonah Hill in MONEYBALL
Nick Nolte in WARRIOR
Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS
Max von Sydow in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Berenice Bejo in THE ARTIST
Jessica Chastain in THE HELP
Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS
Janet McTeer in ALBERT NOBBS
Octavia Spencer in THE HELP

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

A CAT IN PARIS
CHICO AND RITA
KUNG FU PANDA 2
PUSS IN BOOTS
RANGO

CINEMATOGRAPHY

THE ARTIST
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE

ART DIRECTION

THE ARTIST
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
HUGO
WAR HORSE

COSTUME DESIGN

ANONYMOUS
THE ARTIST
HUGO
JANE EYRE
W.E.

DIRECTING

THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
THE TREE OF LIFE

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

HELL AND BACK AGAIN
IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT
PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY
PINA
UNDEFEATED

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM: FOOT SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
GOD IS THE BIGGER ELVIS
INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD
SAVING FACE
THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

FILM EDITING

THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

BULLHEAD (Belgium)
MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Canada)
A SEPARATION (Iran)
FOOTNOTE (Israel)
IN DARKNESS (Poland)

MAKEUP

ALBERT NOBBS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
THE IRON LADY

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
THE ARTIST
HUGO
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
WAR HORSE

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

MAN OR MUPPET from THE MUPPETS
REAL IN RIO from RIO

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

DIMANCHE/SUNDAY
THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE
LA LUNA
A MORNING STROLL
WILD LIFE

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

PENTECOST
RAJU
THE SHORE
TIME FREAK
TUBA ATLANTIC

SOUND EDITING

DRIVE
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE

SOUND MIXING

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE

VISUAL EFFECTS

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
HUGO
REAL STEAL
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
THE IDES OF MARCH
MONEYBALL
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

THE ARTIST
BRIDESMAIDS
MARGIN CALL
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
A SEPARATION

readmore »»  

Black Sheep predicts the 2012 Academy Awards

It's a shame the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to change the Best Picture rules this year. Now, anywhere between five and ten films will be nominated for the field's most prestigious honour in a year that could have easily seen ten very deserving candidates fill those slots. Instead, each film must garner 5% of the first place vote in the Academy's intricate and complicated system to earn a slot in the Top 10. If only six films manage it, then so be it, there are only six nominees this year. At least they would know that the films nominated have passionate followings.

I predict eight films will be nominated for Best Picture tomorrow. A secret part of me really wants to say nine because I would love to see BRIDESMAIDS sneak in there too. I think it has a pretty good shot but I'm playing it conservatively. This way if I'm wrong, well I'll be happy to be it.

The following are my predictions in the eight major Oscar categories. The nominees will be announced tomorrow at 8:30 AM, my time. (That's PST, in case you don't know where I live.)

(Click on any title to read the original Black Sheep review)

BEST PICTURE

THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
THE HELP
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MONEYBALL
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE

BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Michel Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST
Alexander Payne for THE DESCENDANTS
Martin Scorsese for HUGO
Steven Spielberg for WAR HORSE

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS
Jean Dujardin in THE ARTIST
Michael Fassbender in SHAME
Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL

BEST ACTRESS

Glenn Close in ALBERT NOBBS
Viola Davis in THE HELP
Meryl Streep in THE IRON LADY
Tilda Swinton in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
Michelle Williams in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Brannagh in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
Albert Brooks in DRIVE
Nick Nolte in WARRIOR
Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS
Max von Sydow in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo in THE ARTIST
Jessica Chastain in THE HELP
Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS
Janet McTeer in ALBERT NOBBS
Octavia Spencer in THE HELP

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50
THE ARTIST
BEGINNERS
BRIDESMAIDS
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE DESCENDANTS
THE HELP
HUGO
MONEYBALL
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Check back tomorrow for the full list of nominees and to see how I did. I've made a few risky choices so my fingers are crossed. Also, the term "risky" is relative in this scenario as we are in fact talking about Oscar predictions.

readmore »»  

Black Sheep on The Oscars

The 83rd annual Academy Awards began with a riveting montage of the fantastic batch of films that make up this year's Best Picture nominees. As Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's now Academy Award winning score from THE SOCIAL NETWORK triumphantly backed up the incredible imagery from these films, it felt like it was truly going to be the movies' biggest night. What followed was three hours of missed opportunities and lame ideas that amounted to an evening that didn't even seem the least bit concerned with the films it was meant to honour.

I was hopeful for Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts. Yes, it was obvious from the start that the Oscar producers, Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer, wanted to draw in a younger demographic. I'm surprised they didn't just enlist Justin Bieber to get the job done. At least he would have been awake for the whole thing, which is more than I can say for Franco. This is a man who clearly prides himself on walking his own line at all times. Why anyone ever thought he would be ideal to host one of the most mainstream events on the planet is beyond me? A number of people I spoke with wondered just how stoned he was, but all i could see was the look on his face that suggested he would rather be anywhere other than there. Maybe he was nervous being nominated but he had no chance of winning. A smart guy like Franco should have known that.

I do think that Hathaway has a very winning and inviting personality. When she sings, she is enchanting and when she jokes, she is adorable. But when she had to work double time to make up for the lack of personality in her co-host, it seemed to turn her into this combustible energy ball that could potentially implode at any moment, taking all of Hollywood with her. She did still come across as an appreciative person, humbled by the position she held for the night. It was endearing and I just really felt bad for her, having to endure through this clearly misguided adventure.

As awkward as they were, the transitions and pace of the rest of the show was infinitely more clunky. I thought they got the awards out fast enough but they kept singling out past Oscar winners to exemplify the categories that were about to be announced. The virtual screens that I read so much about before the big night ended up being a completely unnecessary distraction. A background is just that; you are not supposed to draw attention to it but yet we did over and over again and for what? To focus on films of yesteryear instead of actually allowing the films of 2010 to adorn the screens, perhaps allowing them to shine on their own night.

There were other choices too that were just too obvious to be ignored. No actor was ever played off by the orchestra, no matter how long they rambled on about self-important nonsense or pretended to be surprised by the win. Apparently actors could swear, quite obviously on purpose, and that would be fine too. Anyone else was fair game. The winners didn't really listen to the orchestra though and just kept going but maybe they wouldn't have had to if we didn't spend so much time listening to lengthy trips down memory lane from random, iconic actors - some were more enjoyable (Kirk Douglas) than others (Billy Crystal).

The producers cut the montages that apparently everyone hates but somehow found time to highlight previous Oscar telecasts and other random moments in Oscar history. This leads me to another major Oscar confusion this year. The show was constantly referred to as the young and hip Oscars. There was no continuity to this theme though. Tom Hanks would be presenting one moment and then Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, the next. And if they were clearly trying to be so modern, why did they feel the need to spend so much time looking back instead of looking at all the fantastic movie magic that is happening right now? After all, wasn't that the reason we were there?

In the end, the tug of war between old and new also spilled over to the awards themselves, with THE KING'S SPEECH, a period piece about overcoming adversity in a historical context, triumphing over THE SOCIAL NETWORK, that rare film that taps directly into the pulse of of our current experience. By the time the announcement was made though, everyone knew what was coming and everyone just seemed to want it to come.

My suggestion for next year, fire Cohen and Mischer, and hire me to produce.

Here is the full list of Academy Award winners ...

BEST PICTURE

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

TOY STORY 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

IN A BETTER WORLD

CINEMATOGRAPHY

INCEPTION

EDITING

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

MAKEUP

THE WOLFMAN

ORIGINAL SCORE

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ORIGINAL SONG

"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

SOUND MIXING

INCEPTION

SOUND EDITING

INCEPTION

VISUAL EFFECTS

INCEPTION

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

INSIDE JOB

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

STRANGERS NO MORE

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

THE LOST THING

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

GOD WE LOVE

readmore »»  

For Your Consideration 2011

Happy Oscar Day!! For all of you having guests over to watch the Academy Awards this evening, I offer you the following musical selections for your consideration. Throughout 2010, I took note of all the songs in the movies that stood out for me and have compiled this tracklisting to represent the year in film. There are a few songs from movies I love and a few from films I can hardly stand but this isn't about the movies for a change. It is about the music. And so I give you:

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

2011

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross ... THE SOCIAL NETWORK ... In the Hall of the Mountain King

The Langley Schools Music Project ... CATFISH ... Good Vibrations

James Murphy ... GREENBERG ... Please Don't Follow Me

Radiohead ... INCENDIES ... You and Whose Army?

Florence + The Machine ... TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE ... Heavy in your Arms

Beachwood Sparks ... SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD ... By Your Side

MGMT ... THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT ... The Youth

The Beatles ... DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS ... Fool on the Hill

Eddie Vedder ... EAT PRAY LOVE ... Better Days

DeVotchKa ... JACK GOES BOATING ... Dearly Departed

Dinah Washington ... SHUTTER ISLAND ... This Bitter Earth

John Legend & The Roots ... WAITING FOR "SUPERMAN" ... Shine

Penny & The Quarters ... BLUE VALENTINE ... You and Me

Alicia Keys ... SEX & THE CITY 2 ... Empire State of Mind Part II

Christina Aguilera ... BURLESQUE ... Bound to You

The Knife ... LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES ... Pass This On

Daft Punk ... TRON: LEGACY ... Derezzed

Underworld ... BIUTIFUL ... Shudder / King of Snake

Hans Zimmer ... INCEPTION ... Time

That should all fit nicely on one CD. For those of you operating digitally, you can also add Hans Zimmer's "Half-Remebered Dream", also from INCEPTION, as the first track. It pulls it together nicely. Also, I had to cut one song because of space restraints but, again digitally speaking, you could also add the Oscar-nominated "Coming Home", as sung by Gwyneth Paltrow, from the film COUNTRY STRONG, right after the BURLESQUE track.

I hope you like the tunes. They make for great welcome music for your party. Then when the music fades, you can let the festivities begin. I will be at the Drake Hotel for dinner and the show tonight. Here's hoping for an exciting evening with some surprises and memorable moments. One last time for good luck .. Go SOCIAL NETWORK!!

readmore »»  

Black Sheep predicts The Academy Awards

Oscar weekend has finally arrived. I began my weekend's festivities last night with a panel discussion on the Oscars, on Montreal's CJAD show, Delmar at Night. (Click here for the audio.) I got to make my predictions in many of the major categories and chat up one of my favorite subjects on air, which is always just an incredible treat for me. And now the fun continues with my official Oscar predictions in all the categories. You can use them if you like in your Oscar poll but be forewarned, I do not always win the prize. This means you cannot come back crying to me if you lose using my suggestions. That said, I will want a 10% cut if you win.

And so, once again, here are the nominations for the 83rd annual Academy Awards ...

BEST PICTURE

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

Will Win: THE KING'S SPEECH

Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THE KING'S SPEECH is a beautiful film but it is simply easier to digest than THE SOCIAL NETWORK. One makes you feel good while the other makes you weary of where were headed. This should not be discounted when the king is inevitably crowned.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem in BIUTIFUL

Jeff Bridges in TRUE GRIT

Jesse Eisenberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH

James Franco in 127 HOURS

Will Win: Colin Firth

Should Win: Javier Bardem

I will applaud Firth's win because he is a fine actor who delivers a royal performance in THE KING'S SPEECH but he deserved to win last year for A SINGLE MAN. Bardem is simply heartbreaking in BIUTIFUL but the unexpected nod will have to be enough for him.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Annette Bening in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Nicole Kidman in RABBIT HOLE

Jennifer Lawrence in WINTER'S BONE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN

Michelle Williams in BLUE VALENTINE

Will Win: Natalie Portman

Should Win: Natalie Portman

Although, my heart goes out to Annette Bening. She keeps bringing out these incredible performances in years when one other lady just happens to be getting a little more attention than she is.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER

John Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE

Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN

Mark Ruffalo in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Geoffrey Rush in THE KING'S SPEECH

Will Win: Christian Bale

Should Win: Christian Bale

Geoffrey Rush could very seriously pull an upset here. He is invigorating in THE KING'S SPEECH and the film clearly has a great deal of support. Bale is transformed in THE FIGHTER though. He is also long overdue.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams in THE FIGHTER

Helena Bonham Carter in THE KING'S SPEECH

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER

Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM

Will Win: Melissa Leo

Should Win: Melissa Leo

There is serious talk that Leo and Amy Adams will split the vote for roles in the same film, leaving Hailee Steinfeld to come through. This will be my biggest Oscar upset if this happens. Hopefully, common sense will prevail. They were just ads, people!

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for TRUE GRIT

David Fincher for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH

David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER

Will Win: David Fincher

Should Win: David Fincher

Tom Hooper won the Director's Guild Award and has that great KING'S SPEECH momentum behind him so he could upset but this is only his first nomination. Fincher has been making great films in Hollywood for years. I would have said that Christopher Nolan had the best chances but somehow, he failed to get a nomination. Bizarre.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

ANOTHER YEAR

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

Will Win: THE KING'S SPEECH

Should Win: THE KING'S SPEECH

INCEPTION and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT are serious contenders here. The Academy might want to reward Nolan here for their director gaffe and he did also win the Writer's Guild Award. Still, David Seidler's script for THE KING'S SPEECH is fresh and unexpected and my guess is will be swept up with the support for the film.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

127 HOURS

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

Will Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

This one is a lock. Check it off right now. Don't even think about it. Done. Move on already.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

THE ILLUSIONIST

TOY STORY 3

Will Win: TOY STORY 3

Should Win: TOY STORY 3

Another lock. We're done here.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

BIUTIFUL

DOGTOOTH

IN A BETTER WORLD

INCENDIES

OUTSIDE THE LAW

Will Win: BIUTIFUL

I can't really say what should win here as I have not seen all five nominees. I can say that BIUTIFUL obviously has strong support as it has a Best Actor nod as well and is an incredible movie. I did not love INCENDIES but I would still be thrilled to see Montreal's Denis Villeneuve take the Oscar!

CINEMATOGRAPHY

BLACK SWAN

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TRUE GRIT

Will Win: TRUE GRIT

Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

All five nominees are visually stunning and THE KING'S SPEECH could always sweep here too but TRUE GRIT cinematographer, Roger Deakins, has been nominated nine times now and has never won. This would be a good year for him to do so.

EDITING

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Will Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

All that going back and forth in space and time between the past and two simultaneous lawsuits should do the trick here.

ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

TRUE GRIT

Will Win: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Should Win: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1

I just keep thinking those Harry Potter movies keep getting better looking each year. I would love to see THE KING'S SPEECH take it though considering the recent accusations that they used the same set as a gay porn film.

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

I AM LOVE

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE TEMPEST

TRUE GRIT

Will Win: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Should Win: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

If Tim Burton's mess has one thing going for it, it's outlandish costume work.

MAKEUP

BARNEY'S VERSION

THE WAY BACK

THE WOLFMAN

Will Win: THE WOLFMAN

Should Win: BARNEY'S VERSION

If only because BARNEY'S VERSION makeup artist, Adrien Morot is from Montreal. It was a great job too. Also, THE WOLFMAN should not win an Oscar.

ORIGINAL SCORE

127 HOURS

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Will Win: THE KING'S SPEECH

Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

I'm thrown with this category. Apparently THE SOCIAL NETWORK score is too modern for the Academy. Why then am I reading that Alexandre Desplat will take it for THE KING'S SPEECH when the obvious second choice is Hans Zimmer for INCEPTION?

ORIGINAL SONG

"If I Rise" from 127 HOURS

"Coming Home" from COUNTRY STRONG

"I See the Light" from TANGLED

"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

Will Win: 127 HOURS

The Academy has clearly shown its love for A.R. Rahman and I don't see it stopping anytime soon.

SOUND MIXING

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

SALT

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TRUE GRIT

Will Win: INCEPTION

Should Win: INCEPTION

No contest. Maybe THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Big maybe though.

SOUND EDITING

INCEPTION

TOY STORY 3

TRON: LEGACY

TRUE GRIT

UNSTOPPABLE

Will Win: INCEPTION

Should Win: INCEPTION

This time, no contest at all.

VISUAL EFFECTS

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

HEREAFTER

INCEPTION

IRON MAN 2

Will Win: INCEPTION

Should Win: INCEPTION

Please. They folded a city in half.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP

GASLAND

INSIDE JOB

RETREPO

WASTE LAND

Will Win: INSIDE JOB

The insider trading documentary about the financial meltdown has the relevant edge but I sure am hoping Banksy takes it for EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. I want to see art happen on stage or people in monkey masks circling Anne Hathaway and James Franco.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

KILLING IN THE NAME

POSTER GIRL

STRANGERS NO MORE

SUN COME UP

THE WARRIORS OF QUIGANG

What might win: KILLING IN THE NAME

I have seen none of these so I am fully going on what I am reading online here.

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

DAY & NIGHT

THE GRUFFALO

LET'S POLLUTE

THE LOST THING

MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY

Will Win: DAY & NIGHT

I am reading a potential upset by THE GRUFFALO or LET'S POLLUTE sounds interesting but my fingers are crossed for this simple and original Pixar short.

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

THE CONFESSION

THE CRUSH

GOD WE LOVE

NA WEWE

WISH 143

Will Win: NA WEWE

My gut is telling me this way but I hear THE CONFESSION has a shot too.

There you have it. My official predications for this year's Oscars. Well, they are official for now. I might change my mind at the last second. As long as the ballots are in before the first award is announced, it is fair game.

I am to spend the rest of the day watching some Oscar nominated classics and relaxing. Check back tomorrow for my annual Oscar mix CD tracklisting. Let Black Sheep set the mood for your pre-show party ...

Good luck with those polls!

readmore »»  

Black Sheep's Oscar Screening Guide

The Academy Awards are but three weeks away and, with 56 different films nominated for Oscars this year, if you have not started your academy screening yet, it doesn't seem likely you will be able to see them all unless you basically have nothing else to do between now and February 27. Fear not though, with a little planning, you can still catch all the likely winners in all the major categories. Those are the only one's anyone ever remembers anyway, right? (wink.) Allow me to demonstrate ...

First things first, get thee to ye olde video shoppe, if one still happens to exist in your neighborhood. One quick visit and you can pick up half the Best Picture nominees. Better yet, don't even get up. Order them all on demand. In one weekend you can knock off INCEPTION, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TOY STORY 3 and WINTER'S BONE.

INCEPTION is a serious contender in the Original Screenplay category, as well as in Art Direction and Cinematography. It is also practically a lock in both Sound Mixing and Editing as well as the Visual Effects category. I see it walking away with 3-4 and it is an awesome good time so definitely see it if by some freak accident, you have not already done so.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK has lost serious steam in the Best Picture race after it's win at the Golden Globes but it still remains the biggest competition for the big prize. I don't think anyone has ruled it out just yet and rightfully so. Aside from a potential Best Picture triumph, David Fincher is still tipped to win Best Director despite his loss with the Director's Guild. Also, Aaron Sorkin is all but guaranteed to win the Best Adapted Screenplay prize and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are the favorites in the Original Score category. I don't see it taking home any more than 3-4 prizes but what it does take will be big. Must see before Oscar night for sure.

TOY STORY 3 will almost certainly win Best Animated Feature but it will likely stop there. Annette Bening is the biggest threat in the Best Actress category and the best hope for THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT to take home an award. I don't see WINTER'S BONE unfortunately taking any of the four categories it is nominated in but you should see it regardless. There are very great reasons this little movie got so much recognition from the Academy and, if you aren't able to see it before the ceremony, be sure to watch it afterward.

If you have any extra time on your hands, you can also catch Best Supporting Actor nominee Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN, surprise Best Supporting Actress nominee, Jackie Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM and Best Animated Feature and Original Score nominee, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. All are available to rent now. None will actually win but if you want to be thorough, you should see them.

Now, next weekend is Valentine's Day weekend and this year's romantic offerings at the movies are insulting - an Adam Sandler mess, Shakespeare retold with animated gnomes and Justin Bieber in 3D. If your first Valentine's Day movie is any of these, you are guaranteed to break up, I'm sure.

Ladies, why not show your men you can take things a little rough and bring him to THE FIGHTER? You will get to enjoy Marky Mark and the numerous cat fights and big hair while he will be amazed you chose to "suffer" through a boxing movie just for him. And fellas, why not bring your gals to the ballet? BLACK SWAN may take place in a ballet company but you get to see Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis make out and the film is so intense, no one will want to be sleeping alone that night. As an added bonus, you will see the likely winners for Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Christian Bale and Melissa Leo) as well as the likely Best Actress winner (Portman).

127 HOURS and TRUE GRIT are still both playing in theatres and you could easily see them if you had the time but I honestly don't see either film walking away with any gold. The Coens might surprise me with a Cinematography win but if you miss either of these, I can't see it having too big an impact on your Oscar night.

What does that leave? Oh right, the official front-runner, Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH. After taking home the Producers, Directors and Screen Actors Guilds' top honours, it seems unstoppable. The good news is that it is a fine piece of filmmaking and well deserving of all its praise. Why not see everything you can before Oscar weekend and save this one for last? Treat yourself to a royal dinner and then enjoy the film that is poised to take Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth. It could also easily walk away with Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design and Art Direction. I have a distinct feeling Oscar night will be a regal affair so if you miss THE KING'S SPEECH, you might as well not bother watching.

Black Sheep will be posting reviews for all the Best Picture nominees in the days to follow and will also post an interview with Oscar nominee, Javier Bardem (Best Actor for BIUTIFUL), next weekend.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your screenings!

readmore »»  

Tis the Season: The Academy Award Nominations

(Scroll over any film title for the full Black Sheep review.)

I know it's late but I just got in not too long ago from that meeting. I have now seen the nominations for the 83rd edition of the Academy Awards, which I recorded so I could pretend like I saw them live. This actually worked. I was tense as Mo'Nique called out the nominations and thrilled to hear that many of my secret hopefuls made the final cut. Shall we break it down then?

THE KING'S SPEECH leads the Oscar tally with 12 nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Direction of course, as well as one for each of the principal cast members. TRUE GRIT follows closely in second place with 10 nominations, thanks to an unexpected direction nod for Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. THE SOCIAL NETWORK and INCEPTION, then come in third place with 8 nominations between them. I was expecting a stronger showing for these two films and slightly less for the Coen Brothers picture to be honest, but in general, I am very happy with the direction the Academy went in this year with their nominees. There were a number of surprises and snubs, which is inevitable, but for the most part, I think Oscar got it right. Shall we break it down even further then?

Most of the Best Picture nominees were considered locks this year. Really, it seemed as though three films were fighting for the ninth and tenth slot when it came down to it. Those three films would be 127 HOURS, WINTER'S BONE and THE TOWN. Ultimately, it was THE TOWN, Ben Affleck's critically acclaimed dramatic thriller, that missed out. It actually only garnered one nomination, in the Supporting Actor category for Jeremy Renner, when it was considered a strong contender in the Best Picture race, as well as the Adapted Screenplay category. Both 127 HOURS and WINTER'S BONE fared much better than expected and will certainly benefit from these nominations. 127 HOURS, which scored nods for its screenplay as well as the lead performance by Oscar host, James Franco, rolls into 600 theatres this weekend and could use the boost at the box office. WINTER'S BONE meanwhile, is already available to rent or own. This fantastic indie picked up well deserved nominations for it's star, Jennifer Lawrence, and supporting actor, John Hawkes, as well as a nod for its screenplay.

The lead acting categories played out exactly as I wanted them to. The most triumphant success amongst them may be Javier Bardem's seemingly miraculous nomination for his incredible performance in BIUTIFUL, a Mexican film that has not been seen by many at this point. The Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu directed picture, also nabbed a Best Foreign Language spot. Michelle Williams scored her second career nod for her performance in BLUE VALENTINE. This was also not a lock so I am thrilled to see her get this well deserved accolade, as it will also drive more people to see this bleak film. Her co-star, Ryan Gosling, did not make the cut finally.

The supporting acting categories provided some of this morning's biggest surprises. The biggest of those would certainly have to be Jacki Weaver, nominated for her performance in the little seen, ANIMAL KINGDOM. She was always a contender but there was a great deal of confusion in this category this year. Ultimately, Hailee Steinfeld, scored her nomination for TRUE GRIT in the supporting category, when there was much debate over whether she would end up in the lead actress race. Lesley Manville, in ANOTHER YEAR, had a similar confusion and ended up not being recognized in either category, not that she was a shoe-in for either really. A notable absence here would have to be Mila Kunis, in BLACK SWAN. I never saw her performance as award worthy but it was certainly being talked up quite a bit in recent weeks and I thought she would end up on the list. On the men's side, it was the aforementioned nod for Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE that blocked out another young hopeful, Andrew Garfield, in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

Perhaps the biggest snub amidst this morning's nominations is Christopher Nolan being locked out of the Best Director race once again. He did earn his second nomination for writing INCEPTION today but he was considered a sure thing is the directing category. He has been nominated three times by the Director's Guild of America, including this year, but is consistently shut out here. Instead, the fifth slot went to the Coen Brothers, as mentioned before. Aside from THE SOCIAL NETWORK director, David Fincherm and the Coens, the remaining three nominees are all here for the first time. They are Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN, Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH and David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER.

The rest of my shocks and disappointments are as follows. While I am thrilled to see Mike Leigh score a nomination for the beautiful original screenplay, ANOTHER YEAR, I am surprised not to see BLACK SWAN there. In fact, I am a little surprised that BLACK SWAN only managed 5 nominations in total the way that film's momentum has been building. I didn't truly expect Daft Punk to score a Best Original Score nomination for TRON: LEGACY but it would have been a hoot if they did. I was very happy to see the progressive Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score for THE SOCIAL NETWORK make the list though. Oh, and I know BURLESQUE was bad but you could have found at least one song from that the film to round up the Original Song nominees to five. There was another glaring INCEPTION snub in the editing category. I thought for sure that was a lock. I'm very pleased to see great films like Banksy documentary, EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP and Pixar animated short, DAY & NIGHT, earn their spots in their respective categories. Speaking of Pixar, TOY STORY 3, picked up five nominations of its own, including Best Picture and Original Screenplay. And finally, represent Canada! Denis Villeneuve's INCENDIES scored Canada a nomination in the Best Foreign Language race.

I've done the math and I was 87% accurate in my predictions. I got all the lead acting nods right (even Bardem!) and suffered one wrong answer in each of the other categories I made predictions for. Look for reviews of many of the nominated films to come in the weeks ahead on Black Sheep Reviews and I invite you to share your opinions on the Oscar nominations below.

The 83rd annual Academy Awards will be presented on February 27, and hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway. This is the full list of nominations:

BEST PICTURE

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem in BIUTIFUL

Jeff Bridges in TRUE GRIT

Jesse Eisenberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH

James Franco in 127 HOURS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Annette Bening in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Nicole Kidman in RABBIT HOLE

Jennifer Lawrence in WINTER'S BONE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN

Michelle Williams in BLUE VALENTINE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER

John Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE

Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN

Mark Ruffalo in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Geoffrey Rush in THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams in THE FIGHTER

Helena Bonham Carter in THE KING'S SPEECH

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER

Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for TRUE GRIT

David Fincher for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH

David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

ANOTHER YEAR

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

127 HOURS

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

THE ILLUSIONIST

TOY STORY 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

BIUTIFUL

DOGTOOTH

IN A BETTER WORLD

INCENDIES

OUTSIDE THE LAW

CINEMATOGRAPHY

BLACK SWAN

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TRUE GRIT

EDITING

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

TRUE GRIT

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

I AM LOVE

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE TEMPEST

TRUE GRIT

MAKEUP

BARNEY'S VERSION

THE WAY BACK

THE WOLFMAN

ORIGINAL SCORE

127 HOURS

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ORIGINAL SONG

"If I Rise" from 127 HOURS

"Coming Home" from COUNTRY STRONG

"I See the Light" from TANGLED

"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

SOUND MIXING

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

SALT

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TRUE GRIT

SOUND EDITING

INCEPTION

TOY STORY 3

TRON: LEGACY

TRUE GRIT

UNSTOPPABLE

VISUAL EFFECTS

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

HEREAFTER

INCEPTION

IRON MAN 2

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP

GASLAND

INSIDE JOB

RETREPO

WASTE LAND

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

KILLING IN THE NAME

POSTER GIRL

STRANGERS NO MORE

SUN COME UP

THE WARRIORS OF QUIGANG

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

DAY & NIGHT

THE GRUFFALO

LET'S POLLUTE

THE LOST THING

MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

THE CONFESSION

THE CRUSH

GOD WE LOVE

NA WEWE

WISH 143

For more information on the Academy Awards, please visit their website at Oscars.org.

readmore »»