Oscar Noms

Well, I didn't do too bad in predictions. I'm fairly happy with the overall nomination slate. There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men are the leaders this year with a well-deserved eight nominations apiece. Atonement is close on its heels with 7 nominations. I was extremely happy to see Atonement squeeze in a Best Picture nomination. Many prognosticators had given the film a very slim chance of making it in, but there it is at any rate (and it was my best picture of the year - although having now seen There Will Be Blood - after my 2007 rankings - I might have had a slight shift in my list).

Also, I was extremely pleased that Michael Clayton had such an impressive showing - Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. The film is a solid, solid piece of work. It's a tight, taut, intelligent, riveting piece of filmmaking and deserves the recognition its receiving here and in the various guild races. Ratatouille's five nominations including Original Screenplay and Animated Film are right on as well.

I do wish Sweeney Todd had fared better, but at least Johnny Depp got his nomination. Also, did we really need THREE songs from Enchanted up for Original Song?? Now the question is, "Will Amy Adams get to sing them?" Or should I be asking, "Will there be a ceremony??" I have a feeling there will be. Now that the writers are beginning to talk with the producers again, we can hope!

JT

Oscar Predix

For what it's worth, here are my Oscar nomination predictions for major categories (nominations are announced this Tuesday morning):

Best Picture
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Juno
Atonement
Michael Clayton

Best Director
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men
P.T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Sean Penn, Into The Wild
Sidney Lumet, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Emile Hirsch, Into The Wild

Best Actress
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Keira Knightley, Atonement
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
Amy Adams, Enchanted

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Vanessa Redgrave, Atonement
Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Hal Holbrook, Into The Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Paul Dano, There Will Be Blood

Best Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, Juno
Judd Apatow, Knocked Up
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Ratatouille
Steven Zaillian, American Gangster

Best Adapted Screenplay
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men
P.T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Wilson's War
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Christopher Hampton, Atonement

Recently...

READ:
The Emperor's Children
by Claire Messud
A fascinating, but slightly flawed, portrait of the intersecting lives of a group of New Yorkers during the months leading up to and following after September 11th, 2001. The "emperor" in the title refers to Murray Thwaite, a celebrated writer; the "children" are the twenty/thirtysomethings that seem to orbit around him - both as a person and as a very idea. Messud's character-driven novel consistently moves towards the fateful day of 9/11 all the while sending you deeper and deeper into the lives of the characters - their fears, hopes, ambitions, secrets. It's disappointing that the novel trips somewhat in the end. The closing chapters are a tad on the anti-climactic side, even feeling a bit rushed as the final pages draw near.

VIEWED:
La Vie En Rose
starring Marion Cotillard, written by Olivier Dahan and Isabelle Sobelman, directed by Olivier Dahan
This biopic of famed French singer Edith Piaf is electrifying thanks to Marion Cotillard's force of nature performance as the brilliant but troubled singer. The film itself travels the typical biopic road (albeit with a bit more interesting use of time-shifting than you typically see), but Cotillard's performance is one to treasure. What she achieves in this film is nothing short of breathtaking. She completely bypasses mere imitation of a personality or performance traits. Instead, she so completely embodies her character in such a way that her performance becomes this vital, living, breathing thing that you simply cannot turn away from. It is nothing short of remarkable. Cotillard won the Golden Globe for Best Actress/Musical or Comedy (ironically, this film is technically not a musical and certainly not a comedy) for her work in this film. Look for her name when Oscar nominations are announced.

27 Dresses
starring Katherine Heigl and James Marsden

Very predictable film following the well-worn path of countless middle of the road romantic comedies that have come before it. What keeps the film's head above water are the performances of Heigl and Marsden. The two had great chemistry, and they've both shined in far better films (she in Knocked Up and he in Hairspray and Enchanted among others). Here's hoping the exposure they are sure to get from this most-likely hit will give them the opportunity to move on to material far better suited to their talents.

sevenLOVE/v3 - Favorite Films of 2007

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen: my top films of 2007.

1.) Atonement

Hands down, no question, my top film of 2007. I read the Ian McEwan novel in November and was mesmerized by it. The film did not disappoint. Frankly, it is one of the best book-to-film adaptations I have seen. The story remains intact and is brought to intense, cinematic life by acclaimed director Joe Wright, screenwriter Christopher Hampton, and actors James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, and Vanessa Redgrave. It is a beautiful film - rich with complex performances, superb writing, stunning visuals, brilliant music (including Elegy for Dunkirk - one of the most moving and haunting pieces of film music I have ever heard), and a breathtaking 5-minute, unbroken tracking shot of WWII Dunkirk, all in testament to the devastating power and beauty of McEwan's original story. Atonement is the finest film of the year and demands repeated viewings that uncover additional layers of meaning and insight. A future classic.

2.) Juno

One of the wittiest, sharpest, and most human comedies to come along in quite some time, Juno is a marvel. It feels perfect. There are no throwaway scenes. Every line is essential to the story and feels true. Ellen Page is revelatory as Juno, the 16-year old teen who becomes pregnant and decides to give her baby away to a couple wanting to adopt. Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J.K. Simmons all give excellent performances as well. The real star here though is Diablo Cody and her incredible debut as a screenwriter.


3.) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street


Sweeney Todd is the creative zenith of Stephen Sondheim's career as a composer/lyricist as well as one of the highlights of Broadway history. Sondheim's rich and complex score, at once rife with biting humor and wickedly macabre, has been performed by musical theater companies and opera companies alike worldwide. It turns out that Tim Burton was the perfect auteur to translate this stage masterpiece to the screen. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter turn in masterful performances, the orchestrations of Sondheim's music are sublimely wonderful, and the production design is a marvel of 19th-century London grit and grime. Sweeney Todd deserves a spot near the top of the list of movie musicals.


4.) No Country For Old Men

A story, as sparsely told as the Texas desert in which it takes place, yet with such richness and force as to grab hold of you within the opening scene and refuse to release its grasp and allow you to breathe until well into the closing credits. The themes are heavy and the battle lines boldly and clearly drawn. The richness of character work done by Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin has to be seen to be believed. Unrelenting in its storytelling and not for the faint of heart.


5.) Michael Clayton

Praised by critics upon its release, but somewhat underappreciated at year's end, Michael Clayton is still a force to be reckoned with. Rising far above its corporate thriller genre roots, this film is everything it should be - intelligently rendered with fearless performances from George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, and Tilda Swinton; and a forward-moving, top-notch screenplay exposing the dirty deeds of corporate sin and one man's cleansing epiphany of morality in the midst of it all.


6.) Hairspray

Joyous. Exuberant. Thrilling. I could go on. Adam Shankman's adaptation of the Tony-winning, smash Broadway musical Hairspray (itself an adaptation of an earlier John Waters film) exploded off of the screen in a kaleidoscope of melody, dance, color, flash, heart, and yes, lots of hair. The performances are outstanding especially Nikki Blonsky's debut as Tracy Turnblad and the revelatory performance from James Marsden as Corny Collins. The music is, of course, sensational. The choreography is on fire. The production design superb. The closing number will convince you that you can fly through the already blown-off roof. An expertly and joyously rendered screen musical that would not be out of place in the Oscar Best Picture race.


7.) Ratatouille

Such a delight. Pixar strikes again. Proving that an animated film can be both intelligent and heartwarming at the same time, Ratatouille cooks up the perfect blend of humor and pathos. As with all Pixar films, the visuals are incomparable. Brad Bird directs Ratatouille with a master storyteller's touch and vaults the film to stand alongside Pixar's especially notable masterpieces - Finding Nemo and his own The Incredibles.


Honorable Mentions:
-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
-the best Harry adaptation yet. David Yates had no easy task in translating the largest and one of the best Potter novels to the screen, but he succeeds with flying colors. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson become better actors with each successive movie, and we get the bonus of a fabulous performance by Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, one of the most incredibly loathsome characters in all Potterdom. The series has grown up with this installment.

-American Gangster
-A classic American story of moral values, passion, crime, and family all mixed up into an irresistable cinematic gumbo. Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington are riveting to watch, and Ridley Scott turns in one of his best directorial efforts.

-Waitress
-A perfect little movie. Released amidst the storm of prequels during May, this little film is leagues better than any of those overbloated films were. Keri Russell, who was always eminently watchable during her 4-year college run on Felicity, proves here that she can more than handle a grown-up, complex adult female role with grace and aplomb.

sevenLOVE/v2 - Favorite Books of 2007

I adore reading. I love fiction both contemporary and classic, literary and mass market; biographies, you name it. These books, although not published in 2007, were ones that left a mark on me as I read them this year.

1.) Atonement, Ian McEwan

Not only was this the best book I read in 2007, it is one of the best novels I have ever had the pleasure to read period. (The film is one of the best of 2007 as well. Look for more in my Favorite Movies of 2007 post.) Hauning, exquisite, beautiful, and completely devastating all at the same time, this book will move you, challenge you, and make you want to immediately head to the bookstore and pick up McEwan's entire body of work.






2.) Winter's Tale, Mark Helprin

Broad and epic in scope, yet fiercely intimate, this doorstop of a novel will take you into both the innermost parts of your heart and to another world entirely. I actually read this during the early winter months of 2007, and I can't think of a more perfect time to pick it up. The novel trips just a bit in its final pages, but it's an extremely satisfying journey. A perfect book to get lost in on a cold, wintry night.






3.) Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen

I love Jane Austen. She was a wonderful writer. Once you get rolling, it's next to impossible to put one of her books down. Her social commentary, biting wit, and shrewd intelligence were light years ahead of her time. In the last part of 2007, I began working my way through her novels. I've still got four to go, so you'll probably see Austen on my 2008 list. I do think, though, that even when finished with her body of work, Sense and Sensibility will hold a special place in my heart. It was my first Austen, read about 13 years ago after seeing Ang Lee's stunning adaptation (which is one of my favorite films). As part of my Austen journey, I revisited the novel and discovered all over again it's intelligence, humor, heartbreak, and ultimate rewarding of steadfast love in the face of trial and tribulation.


4.) The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory

I picked up this book for several reasons. One being that I love history and have always been somewhat fascinated with this particular period of English history (Tudor England). Secondly, I'm a bit of a rudimentary Anglophile so anything British peaks my interest. Thirdly, there had been so much hype and popularity surrounding this book that my curiosity needed to be satiated. It turned out to be a ripping read. It isn't 100% accurate, but then how could it be? Still, Gregory fascinates as she takes you within the inner workings of the Tudor court and more specifically inside the mind and heart of Mary Boleyn, sister to the more wildly, historically popular Anne Boleyn (she of the Thousand Days). We see this volatile period of Tudor England through her eyes from the intrigues of Henry VIII's court to Anne Boleyn's tragic and brief time as Queen of England. Gregory is very detailed and the novel reads like a breathless diary. The film, starring Scarlett Johannson and Natalie Portman, opens February 29th.


5.) Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

A friend of mine was reading this during spring break as we lounged on the beach and was singing its praises, so I dutifully headed to the bookstore to check this classic out for myself. It's really the ultimate gothic romance with Heathcliff as the absolute standard of brooding, dark, romantic obsession and the English moors themselves staking claim as a vital character in the story in their own right. If you think classic literary fiction is stagnant, you haven't read this. It is more breathtaking a page turner than any thriller being written today.




6.) Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides

I've never been disappointed in an Oprah Book Club pick. It's true. I don't get around to reading every single one, but whenever I do, I always find myself in the middle of a fantastic reading experience. Middlesex was no different. This tale of a hermaphrodite named Cal, growing up in Detroit in the 1960's, is a stunner. In telling the complicated and intimate story of Cal, Eugenides also tells a broader story of 20th-century America and all that that means - immigration, industrial growth, social turbulence, and the American Dream.

January 2008 iPod Playlist

Like You'll Never See Me Again, Alicia Keys
Back To Black, Amy Winehouse
Love Is A Losing Game, Amy Winehouse
Not While I'm Around, Barbra Streisand
Pretty Women/The Ladies Who Lunch, Barbra Streisand
Alone, Celine Dion
With You, Chris Brown
Clumsy, Fergie
Moon River, Jane Monheit
Coming Home, John Legend
Say, John Mayer
No Air, Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown
Awake, Josh Groban
LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (Tiesto Remix), Justin Timberlake
What I Cannot Change, LeeAnn Rimes
Bleeding Love, Leona Lewis
Superstar, Lupe Fiasco & Matthew Santos
Gardenia, Mandy Moore
One And Only, Mariah Carey & Twista
So Lonely (One And Only Part II), Mariah Carey & Twista
Won't Go Home Without You, Maroon 5
Come To Me (Peace), Mary J. Blige
You Don't Know Me, Michael Buble
That's All, Michael Buble
Stardust, Nat King Cole
I Wish You Love, Natalie Cole
The Altar (Acoustic), Nichole Nordeman
Say (All I Need), OneRepublic
Prodigal, OneRepublic
Come Home, OneRepublic
Umbrella (The Lindbergh Palace Remix), Rihanna
Rehab, Rihanna
Dvorak: Rusalka, Op. 144, B 203 "La Luna", Sarah Brightman
Preisner: Winter Light, Sarah Brightman
Umbrella, Scott Simons
Amazing (Thin White Duke Edit), Seal
With Or Without You, U2
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, U2