Academy Awards 2008: If I Picked the Winners...

I don't like this year in the Oscars. It has already happened. Critics (minus Ebert, thank God!) rave on the greatness of Benjamin Button, but the movie is fatally an hour too long. Three hour movies require them to be without question the best movie of the year and one for the ages. If it is three hours long, it must be Braveheart, Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, and if it had been longer, The Dark Knight. Heat was three hours long, but it wasn't going for an Academy Award. What it was going for, it succeeded, and there are loyal fans who happily sit through those three hours.

The Dark Knight didn't get a nomination. Neither did The Wrestler, where I felt two acting nominations were merited. I'd like to see two wins for Wrestler. They're the deserving underdogs.

After having done so well with giving No Country for Old Men everything it deserves, the Academy fails this year to acknowledge the best movie of the year. SHAME! The Academy needs to redeem itself back to the mainstream. If you've watched two of the movies on the nominations list, good for you. They were on a very limited release and none of them blockbusters.

Some winners are obvious - cough, Heath Ledger - and rightfully so. Here are my picks, with explanation, if I feel they are needed.

Best Picture
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire - Most Likely
Pick - not nominated, but The Dark Knight.

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn in Milk - Most Likely
Brad Pitt in Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler - Pick

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie in Changling
Marissa Leo in Frozen River
Meryl Streep in Doubt - Pick and Most Likely
Kate Winslet in The Reader

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin in Milk
Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder - Honorable Mention
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight - Pick and Most Likely
Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in Doubt
Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis in Doubt - Most Likely
Taraji P. Henson in Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marissa Tomei in The Wrestler - Pick

Best Directing
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire - Pick and Most Likely
Stephen Dardry for The Reader
David Fincher for Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant for Milk

Best Original Screenplay
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk - Most Likely
WALL·E - Pick

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt - Pick
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire - Most Likely

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire - Pick and Most Likely

Best Achievement in Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight - Pick
Frost/Nixon - Most Likely
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

2007 Academy Awards: Picks and Wins

The winners against my picks. Feel free to comment on how you feel about the picks and wins.

BEST PICTURE
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men - Pick and Winner
There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose - Winner
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno - Pick

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood - Pick and Winner
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster - Pick
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton - Winner

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men - Pick and Winner
Hal Holbrook, Into The Wild
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men- Pick and Winner
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman, Juno

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, Juno - Pick and Winner
Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins, The Savages

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Christopher Hampton, Atonement
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men - Pick and Winner
Sarah Polley, Away From Her

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Persepolis
Ratatouille - Pick and Winner
Surf's Up

BEST ART DIRECTION
American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass - Pick
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Winner
There Will Be Blood

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country For Old Men - Pick
There Will Be Blood - Winner

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Across the Universe, Albert Wolsky
Atonement, Jacqueline Durran
Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Alexandra Byrne - Pick and Winner
La Vie En Rose, Marit Allen
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Colleen Atwood

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side - Winner
War/Dance - Pick

BEST FILM EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum, Christopher Rouse - Pick and Winner
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Juliette Welfling
Into the Wild, Jay Cassidy
No Country for Old Men, Roderick Jaynes
There Will Be Blood, Dylan Tichenor

BEST MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose - Winner
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Pick

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Atonement, Dario Marianelli - Winner
The Kite Runner, Alberto Iglesias
Michael Clayton, James Newton Howard
Ratatouille, Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma, Marco Beltrami - Pick

BEST SOUND EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum - Pick and Winner
No Country For Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Bourne Ultimatum - Winner
No Country For Old Men - Pick
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma
Transformers

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Golden Compass - Winner
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers - Pick

If I Picked the Winners of the 2007 Oscars

Here they are. This is a "who should win," not a "who will win." Please don't bet money based on this.

BEST PICTURE
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men - Pick
There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno - Pick


BEST ACTOR
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood - Pick
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster - Pick
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men - Pick
Hal Holbrook, Into The Wild
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men- Pick
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman, Juno

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, Juno - Pick
Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins, The Savages

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Christopher Hampton, Atonement
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men - Pick
Sarah Polley, Away From Her

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Persepolis
Ratatouille - Pick
Surf's Up

BEST ART DIRECTION
American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass - Pick
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
There Will Be Blood

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country For Old Men - Pick
There Will Be Blood

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Across the Universe, Albert Wolsky
Atonement, Jacqueline Durran
Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Alexandra Byrne - Pick
La Vie En Rose, Marit Allen
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Colleen Atwood

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War/Dance - Pick

BEST FILM EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum, Christopher Rouse - Pick
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Juliette Welfling
Into the Wild, Jay Cassidy
No Country for Old Men, Roderick Jaynes
There Will Be Blood, Dylan Tichenor

BEST MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Pick

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Atonement, Dario Marianelli
The Kite Runner, Alberto Iglesias
Michael Clayton, James Newton Howard
Ratatouille, Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma, Marco Beltrami - Pick

BEST SOUND EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum - Pick
No Country For Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country For Old Men - Pick
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma
Transformers

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers - Pick

This article will be followed up by the Red Tie Year In Review - my analysis of 2007 as movies and market, what we saw and what we should have saw, and what the industry needs to do. Also, Red Tie Oscar Review will be next.

Red Tie Ten 2007

Here's the top ten movies you should see that came out in 2007. They are listed in alphabetical order.

1. 300

The movie was the Spring break blockbuster immortalized in repeated spoofs and parodies, as well as without a doubt, the manliest film of 2007. When you think about it, I doubt there is a better guy movie. It's about men taking on tough childhoods, making mad love to their wives, kicking ass, taking scars, and dying for everything they stand for. For guys, it's the best damn entertainment with teen boy fans, sold like nothing else and did wonders on DVD sales, and the level of successful CGI and glorified, slow-violence, worked in a way that truly captures the comic book into film without the overly loyal, drenched feeling of Sin City.

2. 3:10 to Yuma

Westerns are a rarity, and good westerns are fewer still. 3:10 captures thrilling action, a moral commentary, and in the background, a comment on westerns and the turning of the era away from outlaws. While it focuses on a broke rancher escorting a lethal outlaw to the train that will take him to trial, every character involved has a degree of depth, from the cruel bounty hunter, a good-hearted doctor, the rancher's son, and relative's of the outlaw's victims met along the way. Great performances from Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, the underrated Ben Foster, and support from Peter Fonda and Alan Tudyk carry this move from start to finish.

3. Bourne Ultimatum

The best action of 2007 belongs to Bourne. Director Paul Greengrass went so far as to have camera men jump off buildings (suspension cables attached) to capture the hero jumping off buildings into windows. The shakey cam is taken to a new level, but this time taken seriously with well thoughtout chase and action scenes, where even if you aren't fully aware of the Jason Bourne story, you can still appreciate the spy action. The editing and camera work makes it clear who is chasing who over large areas, where they are each heading, and more. The clearer understanding adds to the action, and Greengrass found ways to have us keep up every step of the way.

4. Golden Compass

In the recent age of trilogies, we haven't gotten many that spark philosophy, fantasy, and horror in their adventures. The Golden Compass blends everything you could want in a fantasy, from the lovable characters and adventure, to turns and wonderment. Yet the harm to the little children sends chills down my spine, while the philosophy arguments still have me thinking.

5. Juno

I'll offer a steak dinner to find more a movie with more lovable characters this year. Juno is the lovable Ellen Page, who decides to try out sex with her best friend, played by Superbad's Michael Cera. Three months later, she's repetatively getting positives on her pregnancy tests. She finds adoptive parents for her newborn while being all too cool about the pregnancy. There isn't a character in this movie you wouldn't want to hug. The turns I can't get into without ruining great parts of the movie, but the relationships are wonderful and have heart like no other movie.

6. The Lookout

7. No Country for Old Men

8. Ratatouille

9. Sweeney Todd

10. Transformers

(Article under construction...)

10.

Red Tie Awards 2007

Of all the movies I've seen and scraped up during 2007, here are the ones that deserve an award not presented at the Oscars, SAG, or Golden Globes. Just as the awards are a type of self-recognition (more on that on my review of the Academy Awards), I feel these films deserve an award that describes each of them, as well as how critics and the general public treated these films. That's not to say the general public is wrong or insignificant, but like the first award, sometimes one slips under their radar that deserves second recognition.

Most Over-Looked Film this Year: The Lookout
Early in 2007, well before any Oscar contenders, Joseph Gordon-Levitt proved his acting worth as a teen responsible for a car crash killing two of his friends and handicapping himself with short-term memory loss. He lives with guilt, is misunderstood by his family, and can't cook dinner or flirt. He is exploited by "friends" to help them rob the bank he works as a janitor at. Jeff Daniels avoids cliches (thank God!) as the wise blind roommate. Daniels cliche-dodging is as great an achievement as the unique film itself. Gordon-Levitt manages to never slip in a challenging role, often making the most of not doing anything, a true acting feat. The movie is unique. A robbery and shoot-out take place, but the personal drama of the handicaped is what really takes the center stage, and every actor excells, even those with little-to-no lines. The movie came too early, and aside from Jeff Daniels, stars only very promising new-comers and unknowns. Regrettably, this gave it few connections. While I was a fan of the writer/director, he is a first-time director whose writing is overshadowed by the directors he wrote for and the release date was too early to be competition for the well-knowns at the Oscars. If there is one movie you didn't hear about that you should see, it is The Lookout. Easily, almost automaticly, it makes the top 10 list for my year.


Most Over-Rated Movie of the Year: Eastern Promises
Please don't get me wrong. This is a good movie, only it isn't the movie critics said it would be. It is surprisingly uneventful and can't decide whether it is to be a movie about a woman wanting to protect a child from Russian mobsters or a movie about a mob boss and his two sons, neither of which is fit to follow in the family business. Most critics were quick to claim it was a Russian Godfather, only it turned out to be anything but. Godfather was about relating to evil because of family loyalty, succession, and one man's trip down that path. Messages about business and treatment to women and loyalty fall into place. Here, I only see the business side. The plot is there, but I'm left asking for more, a better ending, and greater change in the characters. This is a good movie, but far, far, far from the Godfather.


Best Character and Best Villian: Javier Bardem as Anton Chirugh in No Country for Old Men
The movie opens, after a narrative from Tommy Lee Jones about facing true evil, with Chirugh in cuffs, sliding his hands from behind him to in front, and then strangling an officer without a saying a word. He kills people over coin-flips and the whole movie follows those that stand in his sights and Chirugh's efficiency and cold-blooded, steady pace in going at them. Easily, the movie could have just been him going about his business.

Best Hero: Gerald Butler as King Leonidas in 300
Rarely do we get such characters, that without patronizing or forced speeches, can relay being a hero. The follows a sacrifice mission to give Sparta and Greece time to rally against the Persians. The focus on personal sacrifice, fearless to death and combat, and a sense of great leadership makes Butler immortalized in this character.

Most Lovable: Juno
Roger Ebert may have described this movie best when he said "you will just want to hug the characters." Ellen Page comes off as a young, new generation Audrey Hepburn as the pregnant teen Juno, who matures with things beyond her maturity. Looking at her, we see a child smarter than she looks, learning from mistakes with good intentions. In a movie that has the star attend an abortion clinic when she first finds out, it stays very light and loveable.

Best Cliche Dodge: Jeff Daniels as Lewis in The Lookout

A blind roommate is one of the most over-used themes in movies. Some blind wise guy can see what others don't. Lewis (played to a T by Jeff Daniels) didn't fall into that. It wasn't symbolism, but instead part of a story. He tells the story of how he became blinded, and mentions the moral of how he would still have his sight if he just asked "what am I doing here?" He tells this the only person exploiting Chris (Lewis' roommate) who has any signs of a conscience. While we don't fully know what happens to her character afterwards, it implies she left because of the conscience and story of Lewis. Lewis does this not with sage-like wisdom, but honest story that actually relates to his blindness, instead of being blind for the sake of being blind.

Most Disappointing Line: "Yeepie-Kay-Yay, Mother--" from Live Free or Die Hard

Where's the F word! The line because famous for being roudy, modern cowboy without the manners, matching the divorced husband instead of the typical guy riding off in the distance, creating a new kind of hero. They took out the most characterizing word of the line.

Most Satisfying Line: "Tonight, We Dine In Hell!" from 300

The single line delivered the trailer and all the marketability of the movie.

Compliment to the Industry Award: Transformers

This award I select for the movie that is going to be most entertaining, keeps a broad audience, and will be remembered. Michael Bay did this with Transformers, and kept the flaws to a minimum by knowing what kind of movie he was making and therefore set up a movie that could laugh at itself. Sitting though it, I didn't feel like I was watching a nerd flick or sci-fi epic, but just a fun movie with groundbreaking special effects. Too many movies get the effects, but don't have the attention and writers for the fun jokes and ability to make fun of itself, or loses a director that can make us feel for Optimus Prime's speeches and capture us to root for the soldiers. I was critical because this could be a great movie, but for the price theaters charge and the general direction towards IMAX, surround-stereo sound, and special effects, more movies need the balance that compliments the industry at that time.

Insult to the Industry: Worst Movie of the Year is Captivity

The movie sucks. How badly? I saw this movie with 9 total strangers in the theater. The other 9 got their money back while I stayed so I'd be qualified to give this movie this award. 9 out of 10 people left this movie, and the 10th is giving it this award. I, myself, didn't apply the term "torture porn" to any movie in the Saw or Hostel series, but I do apply it here. It's predictable, no character development, narrow audience with narrower appeal, and memorable in all the ways a movie shouldn't be. The only thing amazing about this movie is that its director once won an Academy Award. It will be referanced in the Red Tie Law under "what not to do!"

Best Action: Live Free or Die Hard

Best Comedy: Superbad

Best Horror: 1408

Best Remake: 3:10 to Yuma

Best Sequel/Prequel Improving Originals: Live Free or Die Hard

Best Sequel/Prequel Ruining Originals: Spider-Man 3

Best Movie Mocking Movies: Shoot 'Em Up

Best Laydown: Queen Elizabeth telling the Spanish in Elizabeth: the Golden Age

Best Speech Before a Battle: "Come and get them!" in 300

Best Impression: Julia Roberts as Joanne Herring in Charlie Wilson's War

Worst Impression: Timothy Olyphant in Hitman.

Most Human Character: Juno in Juno

Least Human Character: Plainview in There Will Be Blood

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