Ten really good movies. Ten movies and to only choose one as the best. This is a tough job. I would hate to be part of the Academy voting team. Too stressful. I don't know how one could declare just one of the ten as being the best of the best.
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air
I can definitely whittle the 10 down. I don't believe all 10 should have been nominated. I do recommend all of them for viewing, but not for best picture.
Up? It's an animated film. Granted, it is one of the best animated films I have seen in a long time. The story is just fantastic and I dare anyone to watch it without welling up. It truly is a beautiful movie. But...it was also nominated for best animated film. They should have just stuck with that or get rid of the animated category all together if they want to include them with the best pictures.
The Blind Side? Great movie. Great story best on real people. Sandra Bullock was really, really good in this role. But I also believe that this movie is kind of forgettable. It didn't blow me over.
Up In The Air? I'm not really sure why it was nominated. It was good. Very enjoyable. But like the Blind Side, I think over time you will forget it. It's not a movie that will stick with you forever. And a word of caution...don't watch it if you are a wee bit tired. It will put you to sleep. So, while the movie is enjoyable, make sure you have the head and the alertness to watch it. I'm speaking from experience.
A Serious Man? I thought this was a great movie. Better than Blind Side and Up in the Air. I thought the acting was great by the whole cast, mostly unknowns. I don't think I would forget this movie so easily. Maybe....maybe I would consider this for a nomination. But not a winner.
So, that leaves The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Avatar, District 9, Precious, and An Education. These are my top picks out of the Best Picture nominations. But yet again, I have trouble picking just one winner. I would have to dissect each movie. Break it down.
The Hurt Locker won the Academy Award for Best Picture. I thought this movie was fantastic. Very simple but intense. Acting was great. Filming was great.
Precious was phenomenal. Perhaps one of the most talked about movies of the year. A small movie that left a big impact in my mind and heart. The lead was played by an unknown. And the well known were unrecognizable.
Inglorious Basterds is probably the guilty pleasure of my top six. Violent. Fun. Ridiculous. Unbelievable. Immature. So enjoyable in a way that only Quentin Tarantino can do.
An Education is perhaps one of my favorites. A simple yet complex movie. Great acting. Great writing. A great story. You know how it's going to turn out, but you can't help but root for it all work out differently. There's something about this movie that seems so familiar in a personal way. We all wanted to break away from the rules and regulations of school and parents. We all wanted to prove we were smarter than they would give us credit for. I really loved this movie.
District 9...I can't say enough good things about this one. I thought the lead actor was the best of the year. The special effects were outrageous. Action packed from beginning to end. Another small movie that came out of nowhere and blew us away. It left me wanting more.
Avatar. THE MOVIE that everyone was talking about. People went crazy for this movie. Like Star Wars crazy. People couldn't stop talking about it. Everyone was asking "Have you seen Avatar????" And I hadn't.
Until last night. I finally got to watch this movie that people swore would take home the Oscar. Avatar. The movie with the blue aliens.
Avatar. The movie that had been told before time and time again. Pocahontas. Ferngully. The true-life story of the Native Americans minus the happy ever after ending. It's all the same story. But Avatar takes it to a whole new level.
It's Sci-Fi. It's a visual piece of delicious eye candy. It has the heroes and villains. It has the love story. The under dog. It has a whole lot of good movie making. But, the story is old. The acting wasn't the greatest. So, based on the special effects and imagination...yes, this movie deserves a nomination. It is going to stick with us for a long, long time. It's going down in movie history.
But Avatar lacked the superb acting the other nominees had. Anyone could have played anyone of those roles and it still would have been blockbuster hit. It lacked originality in the story. I have heard that every story is just a story we have been told before, just reworked and told differently. I believe that. But Avatar is just too similar.
Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed the movie. Really, really, REALLY enjoyed it. I plan on buying it because the filming and the whole Pandora and it's inhabitants are great. The movie has a great message too. So, I'm not entirely mocking Avatar. I recommend it. I INSIST that people should see it.
But Avatar is not my winner. Nor is The Hurt Locker.
So, after much thinking...I managed to pick my top three.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
An Education
And my Winner is....
District 9
Great story. Great acting. Great action. And sorry Avatar, but the special effects were tons better too.
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