Oscars 2013

The 85th Academy Awards is just around the corner and here in Singapore all but two of the Best Pictures nominees - "Beasts of The Southern Wild" and "Django Unchained" - have been screened. I have watched a lot of movies over the past few months, and other than the aforementioned two pictures, I had watched all the other nominees. Same goes for the Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director races. As we all know, the eventual winners get the their little gold man because of a multitude of reasons and not only because they are the BEST of their category. Politics, goodwill, marketing and gossip all play a part. For folks who follow this blog, it is no secret that I am not a fan of "Argo". Nothing against Ben Affleck, but I sincerely do not understand why "Argo" (and Affleck) is sweeping all the precursory awards. "Amour" is my favourite show of the year and if I have my way it would win everything it is nominated for. A bonus will be if Whedon's "The Avengers" get its sole award too! With all that out of the way, below is my list of who I think should win, and my predictions on who will win, the Big 8 awards and my personal 3 favourite categories of Best Animated Film, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score, come Oscar night. 

*Winners are highlighted in red. 6/11 predictions correct...damn, that's bad. 

BEST PICTURE

Amour

Argo

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Django Unchained

Les Miserables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Silver Linings Playbook

Zero Dark Thirty

Who Should Win: Amour or Zero Dark Thirty

Who Will Win: Argo 

Argo's win here will be inevitable given its sweep, but its lost will be greatly appreciated (even if to Lincoln).

BEST DIRECTOR

Michael Haneke, Amour

Ang Lee, Life of Pi

David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

Steven Spielberg, Lincoln

Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Who Should Win: Michael Haneke

Who Will Win: Steven Spielberg

In another world, Kathryn Bigelow should have been nominated for Zero Dark Thirty and win the award. In her absence, Haneke would be a befitting recipient, but alas, Amour is a little watched foreign language film. It will be a fight between Spielberg's historical behemoth and Lee's gorgeous CGI epic.

BEST ACTOR

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Denzel Washington, Flight

Who Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis or Joaquin Phoenix

Who Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis

This is almost a lock for Day-Lewis amazing performance, although Phoenix was equally impressive in the underwatched The Master.

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Who Should Win: Emmanuelle Riva or Jessica Chastain

Who Will Win: Emmanuelle Riva

Riva is simply amazing in Amour, but if the Amour curse strikes, then I'd rather hope Chastain gets the award for a strong portrayal of an equally strong character. Unfortunately, as much as I think Lawrence is a gifted artiste, her role is Silver Linings Playbook lacked complexity and layers. But she has the goodwill factor going on for her. Going out on a limb, I predict the Oscar will go to Riva in respect for her work and her age.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Alan Arkin, Argo

Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Who Should Win: Tommy Lee Jones or Philip Seymour Hoffman

Who Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones

This is a close fight here. De Niro has the sympathetic vote and he may actually win it, but Jones was really outstanding in Lincoln. Hoffman is really more a co-lead than supporting actor and he may suffer for that. Arkin (and Goodman) was the best thing in Argo, but the others are too strong.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams. The Master

Sally Field, Lincoln

Anne Hatheway, Les Miserables

Helen Hunt, The Sessions

Jackie Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook

Who Should Win: Anne Hatheway or Sally Field

Who Will Win: Anne Hatheway

This is another lock-in. Hatheway simply got the award just for her heartbreaking scene of "I Dreamed a Dream". However, Sally Field was consistent throughout the whole duration of Lincoln compared to Hatheway's rather short appearance as Fantine. But duration as never stopped anybody from winning. Poor Adams, always a bridesmaid.

BEST WRITING - ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Amour, Michael Haneke

Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino

Flight, John Gatins

Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola

Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal

Who Should Win: Michael Haneke or Wes Anderson/Roman Coppola or Mark Boal

Who Will Win: Mark Boal

Amour might actually win this as a consolation price (other than Best Foreign Film). Moonrise Kingdom was a really sweet, and smart, movie about young love but its quirkiness is also its downfall. Zero Dark Thirty was well written and narratively strong, but its controversy regarding torture is an opportunity for Amour to win this award.

BEST WRITING - ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Argo, Chris Terrio

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin

Life of Pi, David Magee

Lincoln, Tony Kushner

Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell

Who Should Win: David Magee or Tony Kushner

Who Will Win: Chris Terrio

The Argo effect. If Magee or Kushner wins this, the other's respective director will win the BEST DIRECTOR, and Argo wins Best Picture. If Argo wins this, there is a small chance that it will lose the big award. Argo has a great story but the way it was written was tacky and unnecessarily dramatic. Cloud Atlas should have been at least nominated here.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Brave

Frankenweenie

ParaNorman

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Wreck-It Ralph

Who Should Win: ParaNorman

Who Will Win: Wreck-It Ralph

ParaNorman was smart, funny, touching and sincere, but adult-skewing. Wreck-It Ralph appealed to everybody and was entertaining too. Rise of The Guardians should have at least gotten a nomination. Its failure is a puzzle.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Anna Karenina, Seamus McGarvey

Django Unchained, Robert Richardson

Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda

Lincoln, Janusz Kamiński

Skyfall, Roger Deakins

Who Should Win: Roger Deakins

Who Will Win: Claudio Miranda

Deakins' name is not on the ballot so voters may just see Skyfall and give it a pass. On the other hand, Miranda has been sweeping the awards. Kamiński's work was also gorgeous in Lincoln.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli

Argo, Alexandre Desplat

Life of Pi, Mychael Danna

Lincoln, John Williams

Skyfall, Thomas Newman

Who Should Win: Alexandre Desplat

Who Will Win: Mychael Danna

Desplat should win because I think he has done marvelous work throughout the year. His best score this year was actually for Rise of The Guardians, but his work for Zero Dark Thirty and Rust and Bone were also brilliant. His score for Argo was actually rather underwhelming compared to the others. Newman and Williams did not perform as well this year. Although Danna might actually sneak in a win since his score for Life of Pi was actually better than Desplat's Argo. (*note: Skyfall's "Skyfall" should surely win BEST SONG)

Flight

A powerful, brave performance by Denzel Washington in a harrowing and sobering movie about addiction and morality. The first 15 minutes alone is worth the price of admission and the movie as a whole world have been ace if not for that rather lame and disappointing ending. That first fifteen minutes is easily one of the best action sequences in recent memory and it could possibly be also because I have an intense phobia of flying. That and a couple of ingenious shots by Robert Zemeckis made the movie interesting throughout. But it really is Washington's performance that anchors this film over its rather long playing time. John Goodman's character is also another scene stealer and his brief appearances are always a delight! The rest of the cast are unfortunately overshadowed and barely made much of a lasting impression even Melissa Leo and Don Cheadle. If the movie, Zemeckis and screenwriter Gatins could have boldly embraced the concept of the anti-hero and follow through it all the way to the end, this would have been a terrific, way above par movie. TV has led the way jn embracing the Anti-Hero but seldom do big budget Hollywood films do so. Pity. A waste.

Lincoln

A distinctively American, and totally Spielbergianly indulgent, historical drama that may not play as well to the international audience despite a tour de force, immensely astounding and amazingly immersive performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. He is going home with the Oscars no doubt about it. I can see why Spielberg may not be winning the awards as this is surely not his strongest film. But why Affleck is beyond me, when Bigelow and Haneke are way more deserving! Spielberg's signatures are over this film with glares, flares, backlights and shadows play. He composes images beautifully and these are lensed gorgeously by by Janusz Kamiński, in particular one very memorable moment with Lincoln's eldests son. Kaminski and Deakins ("Skyfall", any my first choice) are the top contenders for Best Cinematography.  There is a steady hand directing throughout but the pacing is inconsistent and the narrative occasionally falters. Kushner may be blamed for the latter as his script although sprinkled with moments of wit and dry humour, is also peppered with clunky exposition that unless uttered by Day-Lewis is rather aversive. However, the lines spoken by Lincoln were lyrically beautiful and impactful. Tommy Lee Jones and his curmudgeonly old man is the second best thing of this movie. He gets the best one liners and delivers most of the chuckles in this otherwise serious film. A strong contender for Best Supporting Actor (and in my opinion, Philip Seymour Hoffman is really more of a Lead Actor than a Supporting Actor for "The Master", but may be Jones' strongest rival). Sally Field gives a solid performance as Mary Lincoln although she does look decidedly older than Day-Lewis' Lincoln. Her one scene opposite him as she goes through a gamut of emotions is as strong as Anne Hathaway's "I Dream a Dream" but perhaps less showy, so she may be in the running but is a distant second for Best Supporting Actress. The other supporting casts were less memorable but at least not distracting. Both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lee Pace were barely recognisable. John William's score was boring and insipid, and sincerely, his nomination (and Newman's for "Skyfall") is a bit of a head scratcher compared to Desplat's other two non-nominated works for "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Guardians". The epilogue was too long and could have ended 10 minutes earlier if the final scene was tagged on right after the surrender. There was no need to show *Spoiler Alert* Lincoln's death *End Spoiler* ... don't we all know it? That is a classic example of Spielberg being overly heavy-handed and indulgent. The Best Director race may actually be very interesting this year!

*note: kept having flashbacks to "House of Cards" throughout! Who's the whip I wonder :)

House of Cards

Pilot, Episode 2 - 5: An interesting concept by Netflix to roll out all 13 episodes at one shot. With a very strong cast led by Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright this is an intriguing look into American politics and the backroom scheming and mechanics that goes on. Spacey is brilliant by as the shark of Congress, circling the ocean and laying out his cards, but a house of cards is still just a house of cards and very susceptible to falling down. And the higher you build the house, the larger the stakes, and the more spectacular the fall. 5 episodes in, and the base is perhaps almost complete. Spacey's character tends to break the fourth wall and this Shakespearean quality can be at times insightful and witty, but can also be occasionally jarring to the action and insulting to the audience. Spacey's southern accent also drawls in and out, which is annoying. Wright is his other half and she is just as ambitious and calculative as he is, and perhaps she is even more scarily so what with her icy demeanor. These two have an absolutely intense and brilliant chemistry, and in a weird way, they are actually quite believable. Kata Mara, on the other hand, is quite a caricature. Initially her lacked of intensity could be attributed to her character, but as the series progresses, she seemed more and more like a little girl lost in an adults' game, and trying so desperately to fit in. I guess younger sis Rooney Mara was too busy to take on this role. The other supporting cast that stood out so far was Corey Stoll, and he imbued his character with some sort of sad pathetic loneliness that makes you want to root for him, but at the same time, want him to fail and man up. David Fincher directed the first two episodes and it was clearly in his signature style and palette. There were some gorgeous frames, and in particular the window scene, which subsequent directors liked to emulate. James Foley followed up with a competent direction, then we had Joel Schumacher. Jeff Beals provided the score and he seemed to have been influenced quite a bit by Fincher's last films' collaborators Trent Razor and Atticus Ross, the duo behind the OST of  "The Social Network" and "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo".

Episode 6 & 7: Half way through the first season and I guess with all the success that Underwood has attained so far, it is time to plot his fall. These two episodes really brings to the forefront the previously underused Michael Kelly as Doug Stomper. I really like the chemistry between Spacey and Wright, and the complexities of their characters and how these two strong actors bring them to life. The biggest fault of this series thus far is the slightly sub-par lines these incredible actors are made to sprout. I can imagine how much more brilliant this series would be if someone like Sorkin (couldn't Fincher get him on board) wrote the lines? Although his politics (see "The West Wing" and "The Newsroom") may clash with the ideologies of the show. And Spacey's fleeting accent is really distracting. Kate Mara's character is turning more and more into an unlikeable bitch, and I am still very perplexed whether this unpleasant screen presence is due to the way the character is written, the actress (in)abitlity to connect the character with the audience, or just plain bad acting (which I doubt).

Episode 8: A character piece. Not much in terms of plot development but rich in character building and layering for Frank and Pete, and to a lesser extent Claire. Not many shows can do such a good "filler" episode, but stunning acting by Kevin Spacey really elevates this episode to brilliance. This Remy character is kind of a conundrum. Not really getting his purpose. The lack of Zoe/Mara is actually quite refreshing and she was not missed. Really good music by Jeff Beal here too.

Episode 9-11: The build up to what seems to be a very exciting and nail biting finale. The lines are drawn and the fog of war lifted. Superbly well acted by Spacey and Stoll. But the last two episodes will clearly belong to Frank. Wright underscored Claire with an emotional core that is layered beneath her ambitions and desire for power. It is slightly heartbreaking to see her battling between these two sides of her: the strong woman or the dependent girl, and trying to amalgamate both. I see how Zoe is written and her purpose to the plot, but her portrayal by Mara borders more on psychotic (similar to her character in "American Horror Story") rather than a younger, naive version of Claire. But she clearly will play a role in Frank's downfall. The interesting thing about recent TV series that focuses on the anti-hero, what is their arc going to be? The total downward slide to villainy, or a redemption arc after hitting rock bottom? For Frank, I see a somewhat realistic, un-Hollywood plot, where the good guy does not necessary win and the bad guy does not necessarily fail.

Episode 12 & 13: The final two episodes were brilliant. Cohesive circle of life and karma being a bitch, things that happened previously are all brought back in these last two hours. Riveting scenes and tense moments of backroom politicking, without the senseless actions and cheap tricks. Frank and Claire are back to where they started in the start of the series but, oh boy, are they in for hell of a ride next season. Zoe is more bearable here, as she, Janine and Lucas, gather up the breadcrumbs and try to form a cohesive breaking story. Mara is more tolerable here, until she devolved back to her insecure girly state. Janine (Constance Zimmer) makes for a more interesting journalistic character. Claire's storyline again reflects the morality of the ages and the irony of lying and virtue. Suddenly Jillian becomes more deplorable than the Underwoods. It is amazing how the antihero (and heroine) are written so well, and acted so brilliantly, that we are actually rooting for them to succeed in their goals. The ending/cliffhanger felt a bit lame, and cheap, but knowing that this show is commissioned for two seasons (at $100 million!!) is understandable for them to drag it out a bit more. But closing the story now may be a much neater option.

The Americans

Pilot + Episode 2, "The Clock": FX's latest series by ex-CIA officer Joe Weisberg stars Keri Russell of Felicity fame, and Matthew Rhys, last seen on "Brothers & Sisters". As I watched the first two episodes concurrently, I must say I kind of got a better sense of the series than if I were to just catch the Pilot alone. The pilot, like most pilot, has a job to do: sell the show to a network, and it did it perfectly. Great directing, tight pacing, taut tension, fantastic acting and a general plot as to what this show is about. But the second episode, though it still deals with spycraft, puts more emphasis on the characters and moral dilemma. Their dynamics were strongly explored in the pilot, but it is the second episode that both Russell and Rhys add layers to their roles. Topped that with lines filled with subtexts and innuendos, and you end up with more a character study rather than a procedural like spy romp a la "Alias". Speaking of which, Russell is essentially what happens if you mix Felicity with Sydney Bristow and dump her onto a Cable channel. Both she and Rhys really shine in their roles, and they deliver their multi-faceted emotions through their face and their voice. Noah Emmerich is the only other outstanding supporting cast, and his portrayal of their FBI neighbour is both terrifying, intriguing and strangely the anti-villain of this drama.

Episode 3, "Gregory": This spy drama is really more heavy on the drama than the spying. Russell and Rhys are the main reasons to continue to watch this show. Their acting is superb. Their last scene was quiet and powerful and heartbreaking. As is new recurring actor Margo Martindale, she is sufficiently menacing and intriguing. Gregory on the other hand is really just a plot tool to develop the leads' characterisation. Plot-wise, still a yawn at most times.

Episode 4, "In Control": A tense spy-game with great acting again by Russell, Rhys and Emmerich. Old school spying is so much more exciting than the new fangled tech-heavy shows of contemporary times. When information is not gleaned with just a few keystrokes but through doggedly hard work. This show employs flashback much more efficiently than the batch of shows recently, without sacrificing narration and pace. Now that it has been renewed for a second season, it will be quite interesting to see how they are going to end this season.

Episode 5, "COMINT": This kind of old-school spy shows are so much more interesting. And the producers smartly focused more on the drama rather than the espionage. Margo Martindale seems kinda wasted here, hopefully her role gets expanded. Similarly, Emmerich's family life, although meant to be a contrast to Russell's and Rhys', is falling very flat and seems extraneous. This show is a keeper, and I can't wait to see how it all ends.

Episdode 6, "Trust Me": A standout episode in this series so far. Predictable plot but bolstered by strong acting from Russell and Rhys. Exploring their dynamics and their ever evolving relationship between each other and their government is really what "The Americans" is about. The B-plot about the FBI is veering on tedious as is the X-plot between Stan and his wife. The C-plot about the kids is just plain silly. Sure, a bit of characterisation about the children of spies, but kind of stupid and hamfisted, no?

Episode 7, "Duty and Honour": This show is really steadying improving and getting me addicted to want to watch it every week as it rolls out. The relationship between Rhys and Russell is fascinating, but at this half-way point, I wonder how this show will continue on to next season. And how it will grow and mature beyond there. The writers have nicely dovetailed the B-spy-plot nicely into the storyline and kept the Stan-FBI-Russian-chick to a soft C-plot just to remind us of their continued existence.

Nam Nam Noodles Bar

Vietnamese noodles and sandwich cafe at Wheelock's basement that has been drawing in a crowd every time I walk past. Small basic menu but very fast service. The beef combination phó soup arrived in less than 7 minutes after ordering. At $9.90, it was decent. The soup by itself was bland but after adding in a wedge of lime, fish sauce and peanut oil, it improved. The beef ball was quite good, bouncy but not artificial; the beef slices was so-so. The crispy roll was fried till well crispy but inside still nice and warm and not too oily or mushy.

Verdict: A decent cheap Vietnamese phó place. Not great, but not revolting.

Quartet

Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut misses the mark of excellence and is only saved by the marvellously restrained and dignifiedly polished Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay. He somehow lacks the British sensibility to bring this British dramedy across effectively. Ronald Harwood's script based on his play has a pertinent theme it wants to sat, although well written, with well played quips, one liners, puns and wit, but unfortunately when translated to the big screen it kind of fall flat. Both director and playwright are to be blamed. Hoffman's direction is pedestrian at best, filled with cliches but there are occasional brilliance. Polanski's "Carnage", though not without flaws, is how one should strictly translate a play to the screen. Lucky for Hoffman, his main cast are his saving grace. Maggie Smith plays the curmudgeon dame, again, who softens slowly, but her portrayal is not flat and insteads infuses the character with certain complexities that makes her great to watch. Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Michael Gambon rounds out the main cast with aplomb. Although Collins' dottiness can be a bit too overbearing. Dario Marianelli's score complements the classics and wisely chose not to overpower them. A great cast with a good material, but sadly paired with the wrong director and only climbed to the rung of good and failed to reached the heights of excellence.