Welcome back. I hope you have had a chance to see some of the nominated films and performances since my last installment. Today I’d like to discuss “Up” and “Up in the Air”. I stated earlier that I would bet the ranch on “Up” winning best animated for obvious reasons, but come on, this is no “Fantasia”. It starts out so depressing that I almost forgot it was a Disney film. Positives? Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer do excellent voiceovers and carry the dialog well. It also has a lot of general silliness and clever lines to support the story, which is key for a Disney presentation.
Despite this, and the fact that I did enjoy it and even laughed out loud at times, I must reiterate that in a five picture format, “Up” is out.
Hey Hollywood, in your desperate attempt to expand the category you should have looked a little deeper; how about “Star Trek” for example. I am not a “Trekie” by any stretch but I am a J.J. Abrams fan so I thought this would be worth seeing. I was right. I think he nailed this one and it was overlooked in the overpopulated best film category. The story was compelling and the cast was dead on. The fact that it is up for four other awards I think supports my theory.
Then we have “Up in the Air” with George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. I love Clooney and think he is extremely versatile and charismatic. From his outstanding serious roles in “Michael Clayton” and “Syriana” to his comedic style in “Burn after Reading”, he is as solid as they come. I enjoyed “Up in the Air” and I have no problem with the nomination for best picture. I would, however, have a problem with it taking home the statue. It doesn’t go deep enough for me and, in a year with some very strong films, it comes off a little soft by comparison. It is also up for adapted screenplay and, despite a Golden Globe victory, it would not get my vote there either. Clooney won’t win this year and neither will his two supporting actress nominees Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick (Twilight). I personally liked Farmiga’s role more than Kendrick’s, who I thought should have been played by someone a little older or maybe just looks older. That’s just me. You may remember Farmiga from her outstanding performances in “The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas” and “The Departed”. Jason Bateman, who I’m a big fan of, has a small role but once again showcases his broad range. As far as best director goes, this year Jason Reitman is a real long shot in such a strong line up and it would both surprise and disappoint me if he won.
I will be including an official ballot with my final picks so take a look – I use my own personal format with opinions of who I think should win, who I think will win, and my sentimental favorites. That’s just the way I roll. Until next week, I remain, John
Related posts:
- Cinetalk
- Cinetalk: Something Old, And Something New
- CineTalk
- Cinetalk’s Oscar Wrap Up
- Cinetalk:Wax On,Wax Off
