Black Sheep on The Oscars

The 83rd annual Academy Awards began with a riveting montage of the fantastic batch of films that make up this year's Best Picture nominees. As Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's now Academy Award winning score from THE SOCIAL NETWORK triumphantly backed up the incredible imagery from these films, it felt like it was truly going to be the movies' biggest night. What followed was three hours of missed opportunities and lame ideas that amounted to an evening that didn't even seem the least bit concerned with the films it was meant to honour.

I was hopeful for Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts. Yes, it was obvious from the start that the Oscar producers, Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer, wanted to draw in a younger demographic. I'm surprised they didn't just enlist Justin Bieber to get the job done. At least he would have been awake for the whole thing, which is more than I can say for Franco. This is a man who clearly prides himself on walking his own line at all times. Why anyone ever thought he would be ideal to host one of the most mainstream events on the planet is beyond me? A number of people I spoke with wondered just how stoned he was, but all i could see was the look on his face that suggested he would rather be anywhere other than there. Maybe he was nervous being nominated but he had no chance of winning. A smart guy like Franco should have known that.

I do think that Hathaway has a very winning and inviting personality. When she sings, she is enchanting and when she jokes, she is adorable. But when she had to work double time to make up for the lack of personality in her co-host, it seemed to turn her into this combustible energy ball that could potentially implode at any moment, taking all of Hollywood with her. She did still come across as an appreciative person, humbled by the position she held for the night. It was endearing and I just really felt bad for her, having to endure through this clearly misguided adventure.

As awkward as they were, the transitions and pace of the rest of the show was infinitely more clunky. I thought they got the awards out fast enough but they kept singling out past Oscar winners to exemplify the categories that were about to be announced. The virtual screens that I read so much about before the big night ended up being a completely unnecessary distraction. A background is just that; you are not supposed to draw attention to it but yet we did over and over again and for what? To focus on films of yesteryear instead of actually allowing the films of 2010 to adorn the screens, perhaps allowing them to shine on their own night.

There were other choices too that were just too obvious to be ignored. No actor was ever played off by the orchestra, no matter how long they rambled on about self-important nonsense or pretended to be surprised by the win. Apparently actors could swear, quite obviously on purpose, and that would be fine too. Anyone else was fair game. The winners didn't really listen to the orchestra though and just kept going but maybe they wouldn't have had to if we didn't spend so much time listening to lengthy trips down memory lane from random, iconic actors - some were more enjoyable (Kirk Douglas) than others (Billy Crystal).

The producers cut the montages that apparently everyone hates but somehow found time to highlight previous Oscar telecasts and other random moments in Oscar history. This leads me to another major Oscar confusion this year. The show was constantly referred to as the young and hip Oscars. There was no continuity to this theme though. Tom Hanks would be presenting one moment and then Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, the next. And if they were clearly trying to be so modern, why did they feel the need to spend so much time looking back instead of looking at all the fantastic movie magic that is happening right now? After all, wasn't that the reason we were there?

In the end, the tug of war between old and new also spilled over to the awards themselves, with THE KING'S SPEECH, a period piece about overcoming adversity in a historical context, triumphing over THE SOCIAL NETWORK, that rare film that taps directly into the pulse of of our current experience. By the time the announcement was made though, everyone knew what was coming and everyone just seemed to want it to come.

My suggestion for next year, fire Cohen and Mischer, and hire me to produce.

Here is the full list of Academy Award winners ...

BEST PICTURE

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

TOY STORY 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

IN A BETTER WORLD

CINEMATOGRAPHY

INCEPTION

EDITING

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

MAKEUP

THE WOLFMAN

ORIGINAL SCORE

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ORIGINAL SONG

"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

SOUND MIXING

INCEPTION

SOUND EDITING

INCEPTION

VISUAL EFFECTS

INCEPTION

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

INSIDE JOB

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

STRANGERS NO MORE

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

THE LOST THING

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

GOD WE LOVE

For Your Consideration 2011

Happy Oscar Day!! For all of you having guests over to watch the Academy Awards this evening, I offer you the following musical selections for your consideration. Throughout 2010, I took note of all the songs in the movies that stood out for me and have compiled this tracklisting to represent the year in film. There are a few songs from movies I love and a few from films I can hardly stand but this isn't about the movies for a change. It is about the music. And so I give you:

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

2011

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross ... THE SOCIAL NETWORK ... In the Hall of the Mountain King

The Langley Schools Music Project ... CATFISH ... Good Vibrations

James Murphy ... GREENBERG ... Please Don't Follow Me

Radiohead ... INCENDIES ... You and Whose Army?

Florence + The Machine ... TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE ... Heavy in your Arms

Beachwood Sparks ... SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD ... By Your Side

MGMT ... THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT ... The Youth

The Beatles ... DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS ... Fool on the Hill

Eddie Vedder ... EAT PRAY LOVE ... Better Days

DeVotchKa ... JACK GOES BOATING ... Dearly Departed

Dinah Washington ... SHUTTER ISLAND ... This Bitter Earth

John Legend & The Roots ... WAITING FOR "SUPERMAN" ... Shine

Penny & The Quarters ... BLUE VALENTINE ... You and Me

Alicia Keys ... SEX & THE CITY 2 ... Empire State of Mind Part II

Christina Aguilera ... BURLESQUE ... Bound to You

The Knife ... LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES ... Pass This On

Daft Punk ... TRON: LEGACY ... Derezzed

Underworld ... BIUTIFUL ... Shudder / King of Snake

Hans Zimmer ... INCEPTION ... Time

That should all fit nicely on one CD. For those of you operating digitally, you can also add Hans Zimmer's "Half-Remebered Dream", also from INCEPTION, as the first track. It pulls it together nicely. Also, I had to cut one song because of space restraints but, again digitally speaking, you could also add the Oscar-nominated "Coming Home", as sung by Gwyneth Paltrow, from the film COUNTRY STRONG, right after the BURLESQUE track.

I hope you like the tunes. They make for great welcome music for your party. Then when the music fades, you can let the festivities begin. I will be at the Drake Hotel for dinner and the show tonight. Here's hoping for an exciting evening with some surprises and memorable moments. One last time for good luck .. Go SOCIAL NETWORK!!

Black Sheep's Oscar Screening Guide

The Academy Awards are but three weeks away and, with 56 different films nominated for Oscars this year, if you have not started your academy screening yet, it doesn't seem likely you will be able to see them all unless you basically have nothing else to do between now and February 27. Fear not though, with a little planning, you can still catch all the likely winners in all the major categories. Those are the only one's anyone ever remembers anyway, right? (wink.) Allow me to demonstrate ...

First things first, get thee to ye olde video shoppe, if one still happens to exist in your neighborhood. One quick visit and you can pick up half the Best Picture nominees. Better yet, don't even get up. Order them all on demand. In one weekend you can knock off INCEPTION, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TOY STORY 3 and WINTER'S BONE.

INCEPTION is a serious contender in the Original Screenplay category, as well as in Art Direction and Cinematography. It is also practically a lock in both Sound Mixing and Editing as well as the Visual Effects category. I see it walking away with 3-4 and it is an awesome good time so definitely see it if by some freak accident, you have not already done so.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK has lost serious steam in the Best Picture race after it's win at the Golden Globes but it still remains the biggest competition for the big prize. I don't think anyone has ruled it out just yet and rightfully so. Aside from a potential Best Picture triumph, David Fincher is still tipped to win Best Director despite his loss with the Director's Guild. Also, Aaron Sorkin is all but guaranteed to win the Best Adapted Screenplay prize and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are the favorites in the Original Score category. I don't see it taking home any more than 3-4 prizes but what it does take will be big. Must see before Oscar night for sure.

TOY STORY 3 will almost certainly win Best Animated Feature but it will likely stop there. Annette Bening is the biggest threat in the Best Actress category and the best hope for THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT to take home an award. I don't see WINTER'S BONE unfortunately taking any of the four categories it is nominated in but you should see it regardless. There are very great reasons this little movie got so much recognition from the Academy and, if you aren't able to see it before the ceremony, be sure to watch it afterward.

If you have any extra time on your hands, you can also catch Best Supporting Actor nominee Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN, surprise Best Supporting Actress nominee, Jackie Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM and Best Animated Feature and Original Score nominee, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. All are available to rent now. None will actually win but if you want to be thorough, you should see them.

Now, next weekend is Valentine's Day weekend and this year's romantic offerings at the movies are insulting - an Adam Sandler mess, Shakespeare retold with animated gnomes and Justin Bieber in 3D. If your first Valentine's Day movie is any of these, you are guaranteed to break up, I'm sure.

Ladies, why not show your men you can take things a little rough and bring him to THE FIGHTER? You will get to enjoy Marky Mark and the numerous cat fights and big hair while he will be amazed you chose to "suffer" through a boxing movie just for him. And fellas, why not bring your gals to the ballet? BLACK SWAN may take place in a ballet company but you get to see Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis make out and the film is so intense, no one will want to be sleeping alone that night. As an added bonus, you will see the likely winners for Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Christian Bale and Melissa Leo) as well as the likely Best Actress winner (Portman).

127 HOURS and TRUE GRIT are still both playing in theatres and you could easily see them if you had the time but I honestly don't see either film walking away with any gold. The Coens might surprise me with a Cinematography win but if you miss either of these, I can't see it having too big an impact on your Oscar night.

What does that leave? Oh right, the official front-runner, Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH. After taking home the Producers, Directors and Screen Actors Guilds' top honours, it seems unstoppable. The good news is that it is a fine piece of filmmaking and well deserving of all its praise. Why not see everything you can before Oscar weekend and save this one for last? Treat yourself to a royal dinner and then enjoy the film that is poised to take Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth. It could also easily walk away with Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design and Art Direction. I have a distinct feeling Oscar night will be a regal affair so if you miss THE KING'S SPEECH, you might as well not bother watching.

Black Sheep will be posting reviews for all the Best Picture nominees in the days to follow and will also post an interview with Oscar nominee, Javier Bardem (Best Actor for BIUTIFUL), next weekend.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your screenings!

Tis the Season: The Academy Award Nominations

(Scroll over any film title for the full Black Sheep review.)

I know it's late but I just got in not too long ago from that meeting. I have now seen the nominations for the 83rd edition of the Academy Awards, which I recorded so I could pretend like I saw them live. This actually worked. I was tense as Mo'Nique called out the nominations and thrilled to hear that many of my secret hopefuls made the final cut. Shall we break it down then?

THE KING'S SPEECH leads the Oscar tally with 12 nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Direction of course, as well as one for each of the principal cast members. TRUE GRIT follows closely in second place with 10 nominations, thanks to an unexpected direction nod for Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. THE SOCIAL NETWORK and INCEPTION, then come in third place with 8 nominations between them. I was expecting a stronger showing for these two films and slightly less for the Coen Brothers picture to be honest, but in general, I am very happy with the direction the Academy went in this year with their nominees. There were a number of surprises and snubs, which is inevitable, but for the most part, I think Oscar got it right. Shall we break it down even further then?

Most of the Best Picture nominees were considered locks this year. Really, it seemed as though three films were fighting for the ninth and tenth slot when it came down to it. Those three films would be 127 HOURS, WINTER'S BONE and THE TOWN. Ultimately, it was THE TOWN, Ben Affleck's critically acclaimed dramatic thriller, that missed out. It actually only garnered one nomination, in the Supporting Actor category for Jeremy Renner, when it was considered a strong contender in the Best Picture race, as well as the Adapted Screenplay category. Both 127 HOURS and WINTER'S BONE fared much better than expected and will certainly benefit from these nominations. 127 HOURS, which scored nods for its screenplay as well as the lead performance by Oscar host, James Franco, rolls into 600 theatres this weekend and could use the boost at the box office. WINTER'S BONE meanwhile, is already available to rent or own. This fantastic indie picked up well deserved nominations for it's star, Jennifer Lawrence, and supporting actor, John Hawkes, as well as a nod for its screenplay.

The lead acting categories played out exactly as I wanted them to. The most triumphant success amongst them may be Javier Bardem's seemingly miraculous nomination for his incredible performance in BIUTIFUL, a Mexican film that has not been seen by many at this point. The Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu directed picture, also nabbed a Best Foreign Language spot. Michelle Williams scored her second career nod for her performance in BLUE VALENTINE. This was also not a lock so I am thrilled to see her get this well deserved accolade, as it will also drive more people to see this bleak film. Her co-star, Ryan Gosling, did not make the cut finally.

The supporting acting categories provided some of this morning's biggest surprises. The biggest of those would certainly have to be Jacki Weaver, nominated for her performance in the little seen, ANIMAL KINGDOM. She was always a contender but there was a great deal of confusion in this category this year. Ultimately, Hailee Steinfeld, scored her nomination for TRUE GRIT in the supporting category, when there was much debate over whether she would end up in the lead actress race. Lesley Manville, in ANOTHER YEAR, had a similar confusion and ended up not being recognized in either category, not that she was a shoe-in for either really. A notable absence here would have to be Mila Kunis, in BLACK SWAN. I never saw her performance as award worthy but it was certainly being talked up quite a bit in recent weeks and I thought she would end up on the list. On the men's side, it was the aforementioned nod for Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE that blocked out another young hopeful, Andrew Garfield, in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

Perhaps the biggest snub amidst this morning's nominations is Christopher Nolan being locked out of the Best Director race once again. He did earn his second nomination for writing INCEPTION today but he was considered a sure thing is the directing category. He has been nominated three times by the Director's Guild of America, including this year, but is consistently shut out here. Instead, the fifth slot went to the Coen Brothers, as mentioned before. Aside from THE SOCIAL NETWORK director, David Fincherm and the Coens, the remaining three nominees are all here for the first time. They are Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN, Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH and David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER.

The rest of my shocks and disappointments are as follows. While I am thrilled to see Mike Leigh score a nomination for the beautiful original screenplay, ANOTHER YEAR, I am surprised not to see BLACK SWAN there. In fact, I am a little surprised that BLACK SWAN only managed 5 nominations in total the way that film's momentum has been building. I didn't truly expect Daft Punk to score a Best Original Score nomination for TRON: LEGACY but it would have been a hoot if they did. I was very happy to see the progressive Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score for THE SOCIAL NETWORK make the list though. Oh, and I know BURLESQUE was bad but you could have found at least one song from that the film to round up the Original Song nominees to five. There was another glaring INCEPTION snub in the editing category. I thought for sure that was a lock. I'm very pleased to see great films like Banksy documentary, EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP and Pixar animated short, DAY & NIGHT, earn their spots in their respective categories. Speaking of Pixar, TOY STORY 3, picked up five nominations of its own, including Best Picture and Original Screenplay. And finally, represent Canada! Denis Villeneuve's INCENDIES scored Canada a nomination in the Best Foreign Language race.

I've done the math and I was 87% accurate in my predictions. I got all the lead acting nods right (even Bardem!) and suffered one wrong answer in each of the other categories I made predictions for. Look for reviews of many of the nominated films to come in the weeks ahead on Black Sheep Reviews and I invite you to share your opinions on the Oscar nominations below.

The 83rd annual Academy Awards will be presented on February 27, and hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway. This is the full list of nominations:

BEST PICTURE

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem in BIUTIFUL

Jeff Bridges in TRUE GRIT

Jesse Eisenberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH

James Franco in 127 HOURS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Annette Bening in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Nicole Kidman in RABBIT HOLE

Jennifer Lawrence in WINTER'S BONE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN

Michelle Williams in BLUE VALENTINE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER

John Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE

Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN

Mark Ruffalo in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Geoffrey Rush in THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams in THE FIGHTER

Helena Bonham Carter in THE KING'S SPEECH

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER

Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for TRUE GRIT

David Fincher for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH

David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

ANOTHER YEAR

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

127 HOURS

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

THE ILLUSIONIST

TOY STORY 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

BIUTIFUL

DOGTOOTH

IN A BETTER WORLD

INCENDIES

OUTSIDE THE LAW

CINEMATOGRAPHY

BLACK SWAN

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TRUE GRIT

EDITING

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

TRUE GRIT

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

I AM LOVE

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE TEMPEST

TRUE GRIT

MAKEUP

BARNEY'S VERSION

THE WAY BACK

THE WOLFMAN

ORIGINAL SCORE

127 HOURS

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

ORIGINAL SONG

"If I Rise" from 127 HOURS

"Coming Home" from COUNTRY STRONG

"I See the Light" from TANGLED

"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

SOUND MIXING

INCEPTION

THE KING'S SPEECH

SALT

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TRUE GRIT

SOUND EDITING

INCEPTION

TOY STORY 3

TRON: LEGACY

TRUE GRIT

UNSTOPPABLE

VISUAL EFFECTS

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

HEREAFTER

INCEPTION

IRON MAN 2

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP

GASLAND

INSIDE JOB

RETREPO

WASTE LAND

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

KILLING IN THE NAME

POSTER GIRL

STRANGERS NO MORE

SUN COME UP

THE WARRIORS OF QUIGANG

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

DAY & NIGHT

THE GRUFFALO

LET'S POLLUTE

THE LOST THING

MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

THE CONFESSION

THE CRUSH

GOD WE LOVE

NA WEWE

WISH 143

For more information on the Academy Awards, please visit their website at Oscars.org.

Tis the Season: Black Sheep's 2010 Oscar predictions

So my boss just called me and told me that I have to attend a business breakfast meeting tomorrow at 8:30 AM. I'm sure he didn't notice but it was almost like he was canceling Christmas for me because, as I'm sure you must already know, the Academy Award nominations are being announced at, you guessed it, 8:30 AM (EST) tomorrow. At the very least, it now feels like I have to go to church first before I can open my presents on Christmas morning. Oh well. I'm a big boy. And I'm a professional. Also, I have an iPhone so when the breakfast meeting gets boring ... and trust me, it will ... I can sneak a peak.

This means my reporting on the Oscar nominations will be delayed until the afternoon or the later morning. Thank you for your understanding. In the meantime, it is time for my Oscar predictions. Let's see how well I do this year! Of course, you will know that before I do.

(Scroll over any film title for the full Black Sheep review.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

CHRISTIAN BALE in THE FIGHTER

ANDREW GARFIELD in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

JEREMY RENNER in THE TOWN

MARK RUFFALO in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

GEOFFREY RUSH in THE KING'S SPEECH

(Black Sheep's dark horse: Armie Hammer in THE SOCIAL NETWORK)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

AMY ADAMS in THE FIGHTER

HELENA BONHAM CARTER in THE KING'S SPEECH

MILA KUNIS in BLACK SWAN

MELISSA LEO in THE FIGHTER

HAILEE STEINFELD in TRUE GRIT

(Black Sheep's dark horses: Lesley Manville in ANOTHER YEAR, Dianne Weist in RABBIT HOLE.)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

(Black Sheep's dark horse: ANOTHER YEAR)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THE TOWN

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

WINTER'S BONE

(Black Sheep's dark horse: RABBIT HOLE)

BEST ACTOR

JAVIER BARDEM in BIUTIFUL

JEFF BRIDGES in TRUE GRIT

JESSE EISENBERG in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

COLIN FIRTH in THE KING'S SPEECH

JAMES FRANCO in 127 HOURS

(Black Sheep's dark horse: None. Bardem is already dark enough.)

BEST ACTRESS

ANNETTE BENING in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

JENNIFER LAWRENCE in WINTER'S BONE

NICOLE KIDMAN in RABBIT HOLE

NATALIE PORTMAN in BLACK SWAN

MICHELLE WILLIAMS in BLUE VALENTINE

(Black Sheep's dark horse: None. Everyone I want to see there is already there. Back off Hailee Steinfeld ... Get back into the supporting category where you belong. And you barely even belong there as far as I'm concerned.)

BEST DIRECTOR

DARREN ARONOFSKY for BLACK SWAN

DAVID FINCHER for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

TOM HOOPER for THE KING'S SPEECH

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN for INCEPTION

DAVID O. RUSSLL for THE FIGHTER

(Black Sheep's dark horse: None. I like that bunch.)

BEST PICTURE

127 HOURS

BLACK SWAN

THE FIGHTER

INCEPTION

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KING'S SPEECH

THE TOWN

TOY STORY 3

TRUE GRIT

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

(Black Sheep's dark horse: WINTER'S BONE easily deserves to be there more than 127 HOURS, THE TOWN, TRUE GRIT and even THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. I seriously hope it makes this list. And the only reason I gave the advantage to 127 HOURS is because Franco is hosting the show.)

Even as I type those choices up, I am saddened to think I will not get to hear Mo'Nique tell me herself how well I did with them. Anyway, it will be late but check back tomorrow to see how many I got right and for a full list of the nominations.

(Go Canada, Denis Villeneuve and INCENDIES in the Foreign Language Film category!)

THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES

Written and Directed by Juan Jose Campanella
Starring Ricardo Darin, Soledad Villamil and Guillermo Francella

If in fact the secret is truly in their eyes, as is announced like some new revelation in the title of this 2010 Oscar winner for Foreign Language Film, THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (EL SECRETO DE SUS OJOS), then it must never have been much of a secret to begin with. As far as I knew, the eyes have always been the gateway to everything you want to know about another person but when it comes to this picture, you can almost get everything you need right there on the surface without any need to go deeper whatsoever.

Argentinean director, Juan Jose Campanella, has been working in the American television industry for years, from series as varied as “30 Rock” to “House”, but has only tried his hand at feature films a few times in his life. Not surprisingly then, this particular feature feels an awful lot like an episode of television – an episode of “Law & Order” to be specific, a franchise that Campanella has actually directed before. Ricardo Darin plays Benjamin Esposito, a retired police officer who has decided to write a novel about one of his most famous unsolved mysteries. Naturally, digging up the past brings a lot of unresolved feelings back to the surface of his life, as well as those whose past he is digging up alongside his own. It’s a great story, and I can see why it would have haunted him all these years, but it isn’t anything you couldn’t catch on any of the countless cop shows out there already.

I understand that just because a picture picks up an Oscar does not make it a great film but I still can’t help a certain level of expectation.  THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is a very straightforward detective drama with promises that there are further levels just lying beyond our field of vision. When I looked into its eyes though, I didn’t see anything more waiting underneath.

Shearing the Oscars: Animated Feature

This is a big year for the Animated Feature Oscar. For the first year since it originated in 2001, there were enough films released in the Academy calendar year to warrant expanding the number of nominees from the usual three to the maximum five. With Pixar's UP leading the category as the frontrunner, the expansion might not lead to an unexpected winner but it has already brought about one of the year's biggest surprise nominations, the very little known, THE SECRET OF KELLS. The unexpected inclusion meant big studio hopeful CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS and past winner, Hayao Miyazaki's PONYO were shut out. Let's take a look now at what did make the cut.

CORALINE


There is no denying the artistry of, CORALINE, Henry Selick's miniature epic. Not only is the stop-motion animation technique used so brilliantly, in both a creative and technical fashion, but the tale itself, based on the Neil Gaiman story, is genuinely original. While the film clearly connected with art enthusiasts and young girls, it may have been inherently too cold to remain fresh in voters' minds a year later. It has been honoured as one of the American Film Institute's Top 10 films of the year but this will not be Selick's year for Oscar as well

FANTASTIC MR. FOX


Wes Anderson's magical masterpiece, FANTASTIC MR. FOX, is the next biggest threat in this category. It is the only other nominee aside from UP to find its screenplay, co-written by Anderson and indie filmmaker, Noah Baumbach, honoured by critics' associations. The film's score, composed by Alexandre Desplat is also nominated for an Oscar. The National Board of Review even awarded Wes Anderson a special acheivement award for creating such a brave, new approach to animated film. All of these factors could push FOX past Pixar but it will have to dig a lot deeper still to get up as high as Pixar is.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG


Disney was pushing two films for this category aside from UP, the aforementioned PONYO and their first 2D animation in years, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG. Between the two, the latter is certainly the easier choice. Unfortunately, in my opinion, while I do feel Disney was able to get back to its roots with their fresh take on this classic tale, they did not do anything past presenting their first African-American princess to modernize their tested formula. They even brought Randy Newman back to compose a few diddies and, nothing against the perfectly acceptable songs, the Academy honoured him as well. This is a safe entry but no actual threat.

THE SECRET OF KELLS


GKIDS, the U.S. distributor for THE SECRET OF KELLS, opened their mostly hand-drawn fable in one Los Angeles theatre for one little week last year so that their film could be eligible for Academy consideration. Once they passed that hurdle, they held Academy screenings and shipped out screeners but did nothing really more to push their film. As it somehow managed to score a nod alongside these other films with distributors with deep wallets, the film must be pretty good. I cannot say, personally, as I'm one of the millions who hasn't seen it. Although I doubt it can pull off the impossible and take the win here, it's planned spring release will definitely be much more fruitful than I'm sure GKIDS ever imagined.

UP


It is so easy to say great things about Pixar. I could not believe they pulled this one off, to be honest. And when I realized after seeing it that they had, I could not really believe I ever doubted them. Pixar hasn't always won over the hearts of the Academy though. MONSTERS INC lost the inaugural Animated Feature award to SHREK and CARS lost to HAPPY FEET in 2006. Those two weren't also nominated for Best Picture though. Besides, they have won four out of the last eight years so it isn't that a big a stretch to see them taking it a fifth time. It's no bigger stretch than a rickety old man and a boy scout flying high above the world in house attached to hundreds of helium balloons anyway.

WHAT WILL WIN? UP

WHAT MIGHT STILL WIN? FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Next up in Black Sheep's Academy Awards spotlight, it's time to get down to the written word and look at this year's nominees in the writing categories. That's next weekend. In the meantime, Black Sheep reposts full reviews for some of the nominated animated features all week.

Oscars Out

Last week, Black Sheep gave you a head start on your Oscar viewing with a guide to all the nominated films that are available to rent now. By now, you should have at least seen THE HURT LOCKER and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS and DISTRICT 9. If you haven't, you need to pick it up, people. The Oscars are less than three weeks from now and you still have a lot to watch, I'm sure. Now, as for what is still playing in theatres, five of the ten Best Picture nominees are available to you. While the chances are good that you saw AVATAR and THE BLIND SIDE already, you don't want to miss UP IN THE AIR, PRECIOUS or AN EDUCATION either. I thought rather than focus on the films you likely have the easiest access to, I would focus a little more on the films that may not make your final cut in hopes that you will squeeze them in.

Here are the five best Oscar nominated films you might not have seen yet:

CRAZY HEART
Nominated for:

BEST ACTOR - JEFF BRIDGES
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL
BEST ORIGINAL SONG - THE WEARY KIND


CRAZY HEART is currently playing on a little over 1000 screens in North America and therefore shouldn't be too hard to find playing near you. Scott Cooper's film has a strong chance of taking home two Oscars come the big night, the first for Jeff Bridges and the second for the fantastic Ryan Bingham song. I'm not so sure how Maggie Gyllenhaal ended up nominated for her work here but she certainly doesn't take away from the film. CRAZY HEART is one of those quiet films about real people dealing with real problems that are just a little too real for some audiences. Bridges is so strong as alcoholic country singer, Bad Blake though, that it is easy to overlook the smaller budgetary issues.


THE LAST STATION
Nominated for:

BEST ACTRESS - HELEN MIRREN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER


THE LAST STATION imagines the last days of Russian author and reluctant near-prophet, Leo Tolstoy. Christopher Plummer plays Tolstoy and Helen Mirren plays his wife, Countess Sofya. The two are a long time married, have been drifting for years and are finally reaching their boiling points over their issues. THE LAST STATION was not recognized in any other category but it is still certainly worth it to watch these two go at it as they are both incredible professionals. It doesn't hurt that James McAvoy is always around for eye candy either.


THE MESSENGER
Nominated for:

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - WOODY HARRELSON
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY


The full Black Sheep review will be coming next week on THE MESSENGER but it has actually been playing in theatres here and there since November. I cannot say that I agree with the screenplay nomination for director, Oren Moverman and co-writer, Alessandro Camon. I found it lacked subtlety at times but it is still moving and engaging. The ensemble itself, rounded out by Ben Foster, who in a different year, could have easily seen his first nomination, and Samantha Morton, who should have quite honestly been listed amongst the nominees in place of Gyllenhaal, is dead on. And Harrelson leads the pack, capping off a great year with a well-deserved nod. THE MESSENGER opens in Canada on February 26.


A SINGLE MAN
Nominated for:

BEST ACTOR - COLIN FIRTH


The lack of Academy support for Tom Ford's debut feature, A SINGLE MAN, really surprised me when the Oscar nominations were announced. I expected Julianne Moore to pick a Supporting Actress nod. I hoped Abel Korzeniowski would pick up a nod for his sumptuous string score. I thought for sure it would pop up under Art Direction or Costume Design, considering how fashionable and stylish the whole thing is. I would have loved to have seen Ford himself recognized for his tender screenplay even. Sadly, I saw none of that happen. Still, if Colin Firth's nomination for his work as George is the only prize it takes, I will be thrilled.


THE WHITE RIBBON
Nominated for:

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY


I told a friend of mine the other day that I was going to see a depressing black and white art film this past weekend. She humoured me at first but definitely thought I was crazy when I told her it was two and a half hours long and in German. Despite her lack of understanding as to how that could actually make for a great afternoon, I would actually see Michael Haneke's THE WHITE RIBBON again. I knew nothing of its plot going in and I think it best if you go in as blind as I did. The resulting experience will be all the more bewildering. THE WHITE RIBBON is not a likely winner in the Cinematography category but could surprise and is certainly one of the top two contenders in the Foreign Language category.


Next up for Black Sheep's Oscar coverage, Black Sheep looks at the Animated Feature category this weekend. Look for reviews for the Oscar nominated films throughout the week. Now, get out there and see those movies!

Shearing the Oscars: Best Actress

I'd best start by sharing some love on this, the day devoted to the subject. It would be necessary to do so simply because I will need the reminder after I get done with this piece.

This year's Best Actress Oscar race is not so much a puzzle to me as it an infuriating farce that exposes the emptiness of the Academy Awards. Sandra Bullock is the front runner for her work in THE BLIND SIDE. I don't mean to be hurtful. I saw the movie; I thought she was good in it but Oscar good? Please. Of course not, but she has had a really good year and has done so many great things for the box office over the years. Her top competition is Meryl Streep for her work in JULIE & JULIA. Streep has scored a record breaking 16 nominations with this last one but hasn't won since 1983. Naturally, we have to throw her something as some point. At least Streep's performance is Oscar worthy but what I don't understand is why the headlines don't read, "It's Down to Sidibe and Mulligan!"

Here are the nominees for Best Actress ...

SANDRA BULLOCK as Leigh Anne Tuohy in THE BLIND SIDE


I am not going to just denounce Bullock's nomination here. I didn't mind John Lee Hancock's THE BLIND SIDE. It was certainly designed to be satisfying but it accomplished its goals. Bullock carries the weight of the film on her shoulders and does it with strength and attitude to spare. She is also written in such a saintly manner that her character comes off as too perfect to be actually human. The fact is that Bullock has the nomination and the edge to win because she is well liked in Hollywood and Hollywood enjoys rewarding contribution over performance from time to time. Remember Julia Roberts in ERIN BROCKOVICH?

HELEN MIRREN as Countess Sofya in THE LAST STATION


At 64 years of age, this is Helen Mirren's fourth Oscar nomination. She won in this exact category in 2006 for her work in THE QUEEN. She returns now by portraying another famous historical figure, Countess Sofya, wife of Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, in Michael Hoffman's THE LAST STATION. Whereas her work in THE QUEEN had to be spot on given people's familiarity with the subject but, with little existing footage of Countess Sofya, Mirren had to create a character rather than recreate. This role is just not loud enough in a year like this one and I'm pretty sure Mirren knows it.

CAREY MULLIGAN as Jenny in AN EDUCATION


I am convinced that Carey Mulligan is going to be around for a long time and seen as one of the next generation's greatest actresses. In Lone Scherfig's brilliant, AN EDUCATION, she plays Jenny, a teenage girl of excessive intelligence and discipline who longs to let her passion run free. The range of Jenny's journey requires Mulligan to balance the many faces of this teenage girl - the good student, the perfect daughter, the virgin girlfriend to a man ten years her senior and of course the woman she so hurriedly wants to be. The National Board of Review and the Toronto Film Critics Association threw their support behind Mulligan but the film just never caught on like it should have.

GABOUREY SIDIBE as Clareece "Precious" Jones in PRECIOUS


I'm sure I've said this before but it bears repeating; I was completely floored when I met Gabourey Sidibe in person this past fall at a roundtable with her and PRECIOUS director, Lee Daniels. Ignorantly, I expected her to be much like the damaged, frightened, introvert she played in the film but she is the complete opposite. Beforehand, I did not think her performance was much of a stretch from who she had to be in reality. How could it be? Yet somehow, this bubbly, outspoken young lady found a pain so dark that everything she actually is is swallowed up by Precious. Sidibe was honoured by the National Board of Review but most of the film's award focus goes to co-star, Mo'Nique. Sidibe deserves this but will have to hope Streep and Bullock cancel each other out.

MERYL STREEP as Julia Child in JULIE & JULIA


When I mentioned that Streep broke a record this year with her 16th nomination for JULIE & JULIA, I neglected to mention that it was her own record of most career nods she broke. There is no question that Streep gives everything every time she goes out there (almost, anyway) and not having been rewarded by the Academy since 1983 seems unacceptable but why can't we remember that we should be honouring individual performances and not bodies of work. That said, I would much rather watch Streep take this than see Bullock get it for just putting in the time. Unfortunately, with the Screen Actors Guild in Bullock's camp, it might be tricky.

WHO WILL WIN? Sandra Bullock

WHO COULD STILL UPSET? Gabourey Sidibe

Next up in Black Sheep's Oscar coverage, we give you a guide to what nominated films are still playing in theatres out there and what you need to make sure you need covered before Oscar night.

Again, before I go, much love to all the Black Sheep readers!

Oscars @ Home

There are over 40 different films nominated for Oscars this year and less than 30 days before the actual telecast. Let's be real here. Unless you've been thoroughly preparing for this throughout the year, you will not get a chance to see all the nominated films in time. Even if you did prepare, or are a film critic like myself and have seen 30 of the nominated films already, there are some selections, like the surprise animated feature nominee, THE SECRET OF KELLS, which won't reach theatres until after the awards are handed out. And so I suppose the goal is to do the best we can with what time we have and with the resources available to us.

This is where I come in. I will help you make sure you see as many of the right films possible before the big night. To make it easier on you, I'll start with all the nominated films that you can get at the video store or on demand or delivered to your door. Believe it or not, there are 16 films available to rent before the telecast airs, five of which are nominated for Best Picture. You can start your journey comfortably in your living room and work your way up getting out of the house and into the crowds to see the rest. I will rank them in order of importance and list the awards they are nominated for so that you can see why I consider them important.

1. THE HURT LOCKER
Nominated for:

PICTURE
DIRECTOR
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ACTOR
FILM EDITING
CINEMATOGRAPHY
ORIGINAL SCORE
SOUND MIXING
SOUND EDITING


Tied for the most nominations with AVATAR, THE HURT LOCKER is your first stop. Unfortunately, as it only pulled in $13 million or so in theatres, it is a lot of people's first stop so it might be hard to find. If you're a fan of the war genre and appreciate the tension that only dismantling bombs can carry, you should just buy it. It's a gorgeous film. THE HURT LOCKER has a great chance to win in all of its categories, except the acting (sorry, Jeremy Renner), so this is a must if you want to follow on the big night.

2. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Nominated for:

PICTURE
DIRECTOR
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
SUPPORTING ACTOR
FILM EDITING
CINEMATOGRAPHY
SOUND MIXING
SOUND EDITING

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS has only one less nod than THE HURT LOCKER but not as much buzz. I would say it would be a surprise Best Picture winner but if anyone has a shot at a directing upset, it's Quentin Tarantino. Christoph Waltz is a lock for Supporting Actor and Tarantino might take the screenplay nod instead of the directing award. This one is also a must see.

3. DISTRICT 9
Nominated for:

PICTURE
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
FILM EDITING
VISUAL EFFECTS

DISTRICT 9 is a long shot in all of it's categories but the fact that it managed that much attention in such big categories makes me think a lot of people liked this one. It is a must see before the telecast just because of what it is nominated for but as it won't likely win, it won't be the end of everything if you miss it.

4. UP
Nominated for:

PICTURE
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ANIMATED FEATURE
ORIGINAL SCORE
SOUND EDITING


UP has a very good chance to beat FANTASTIC MR. FOX for Animated Feature and an off chance at the screenplay bid so it is a contender but I don't see it as a Best Picture threat. Composer Michael Giacchino could grab another award for his score but I don't know how many people watch the Oscars for the music category. If you haven't seen UP, you should. You'll be happy to see it win whatever it does.

5. A SERIOUS MAN
Nominated for:

PICTURE
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Two biggies there but no support in any other category suggests people liked A SERIOUS MAN but weren't floored by anything in particular about it. Personally, I loved everything about it and still think Michael Stuhlbarg was robbed in the Best Actor category. It comes out tomorrow and Black Sheep's full review will be up then.

6. JULIE & JULIA
Nominated for:

ACTRESS

JULIE & JULIA only has the one nomination but it happens to be a record-breaking one for Meryl Streep and people are saying that it is going to come down to her or Sandra Bullock in THE BLIND SIDE. If you want to get in on that race, you need to start here.

7. IN THE LOOP
Nominated for:

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY


Although I was sad not to see Tom Ford pick up a nod for writing A SINGLE MAN, I am thrilled to see the screenplay for IN THE LOOP up for it instead. This is definitely one of the sharpest, dirtiest, most hilarious films I've seen in years. You likely have never heard of it but if you are debating watching it because of the nomination, good for you! You will laugh very hard at this British political satire. It is brave and shocking and again, so funny!

8. STAR TREK
Nominated for:

VISUAL EFFECTS
SOUND MIXING
SOUND EDITING
MAKEUP

STAR TREK may have missed out on the bigger prizes but these four nods tie STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME for the most Oscar nods for any Star Trek film. You don't need to see this beforehand but you should definitely see it.

9. THE COVE and FOOD INC.
Each nominated for:

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

You don't always get to see the nominated documentary features that easily and THE COVE and FOOD INC. are two that you don't want to miss. Both will change your life and just imagine how smart you'll look at your Oscar party when you can say you've seen two of the nominated documentaries.


THE REST ...

The following films are nominated here and there and also available to watch before the telecast, in case you wanted to be thorough. Once you're done with the first half of this list though, you should probably get to the theatre before the rest of these. Priorities, people!



BRIGHT STAR
(Nominated for Costume Design)

COCO AVANT CHANEL
(Costume Design)

CORALINE
(Animated Feature)

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
(Cinematography)

IL DIVO
(Makeup)

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
(Sound Mixing)