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2007 Oscars Preview: Ten Films You Should See Before Oscar Night
02/20/2008 2007 will go down as one of the best years for film. In fact, too many good films were released in the past year, leaving some films (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Into the Wild, Sweeney Todd) out of categories in which they might normally have been competitive. In a year that saw so many great titles, some films (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Hairspray, Zodiac) were left out of the Oscar party altogether. Nonetheless, the Academy has spoken, and to help guide your attention, I’ve compiled a list of ten films you would do well to see before the big night on Sunday. 10. AWAY FROM HER – 2 nominations Former Academy Award winner Julie Christie is arguably the odds on favorite to win her second Oscar in four tries and in over 40 years. The film, which is available now on DVD, also earned Sarah Polley a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. I, in fact, have yet to see this film myself, but it would be a good idea to check out the performance that puts Christie on track to ending up with her second statue by the end of the night. 9. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD – 2 nominations Released on DVD Feb. 5, Andrew Dominik’s pensive drama set in the west chronicling the life and death of Jesse James won’t disappoint true movie aficionados. With his role here as the title character and as Richard last year in Babel, Brad Pitt shows he has a talent for turning in subtle yet believable performances. Casey Affleck shows his Best Supporting Actor nomination was indeed no mistake with his vivid turn as the creepy, star-struck Robert Ford. If the Academy knows their stuff, cinematographer Roger Deakins will win (finally) for capturing the lush scenery of the time period. He is a double nominee this year, sharing his other Cinematography nomination with No Country for Old Men. Though they failed to earn a nomination for the music, composers Nick Cave and Warren Ellis construct a haunting, effecting score that, frankly, was wrongfully snubbed by the Academy. 8. RATATOUILLE – 5 nominations Surely by now, you’ve seen Brad Bird’s latest animated gem. On the off-chance that you haven’t, make sure to see Ratatouille before Sunday, where it is expected to win (quite handily) the Oscar for Animated Feature. Bird proves after the success of The Incredibles that he is quickly becoming Pixar’s go-to-guy, and he delivers here in what is probably his best film to date. No film has ever made me want to go to Paris more, or learn to appreciate French cuisine. No actor in recent memory has done voiceover work as well as Peter O’Toole does here. And no animated film has deserved the number of accolades (5 nominations) and praise (it was the best reviewed film of last year) like Ratatouille. 7. PERSEPOLIS – 1 nomination If there’s one film that Ratatouille should watch out for, and if there’s one film that deserves the Animated Feature award just as much if not more so, it is the French film Persepolis. You may say to yourself that a black-and-white foreign animated film about a girl caught in the midst of war in Iran can only be so good. Well, if you have reservations, check them at the door, and go out to see one of the true highlights of last year’s Cannes Film Festival (it won the Jury Prize). 6. ATONEMENT – 7 nominations One of the five films nominated for Best Picture, Atonement is a beautifully photographed adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan. Nominee Saoirse Ronan is the highlight of the film, which, after her exit, loses a lot of its momentum and, more than likely, your interest. I suggest seeing Atonement not because I think it is one of the ten best films of the year, because I don’t. I found the film to be a mixed bag that owes its Best Picture nomination to a more deserving picture. I recommend the film so that you can allow yourself to see each of the five nominated films for Best Picture, and to make a more informed decision for yourself about which is the best of the best, or at least, the best of the best according to the Academy. 5. MICHAEL CLAYTON – 7 nominations George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton each earned their nominations for Actor, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress, respectively, in a film that earned 7 nominations, including Best Picture. Writer/director Tony Gilroy, who wrote the script for The Bourne Ultimatum, writes his sharpest script here in a legal drama that raises interesting questions and satisfies with an appropriate ending. 4. JUNO – 4 nominations It’s made the most money ever for Fox Searchlight, and there’s a good reason for it. Juno is funny, smart, quirky and touching. Ellen Page, a nominee for Actress, is reason alone to see this film, but the entire cast is absolutely on top of their game, including Jennifer Garner in a performance many feel should have landed her on the Supporting Actress shortlist. 3. DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – 4 nominations Every once in a while, a film will come along that reminds me of why I love film so much. Last year, that film was Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Going on first impressions, I wouldn’t think a film about a man paralyzed by a stroke in a film would be that engaging, and even if it was, it would probably be extremely depressing. I was glad to be wrong in this instance. The film balances humor and tragedy well, and the story is so engrossing you never want the film to end. Aside from the story, it’s expertly photographed by nominee Janusz Kaminski. This is, in my opinion, the best film of the year 2007, and one of the best films ever made. You might have a chance to check it out in time for the Oscars, as it is playing at the Athens Cine on Friday, February 22. 2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD – 8 nominations It has become common to expect nothing less than an amazing performance from Daniel Day-Lewis, and he doesn’t disappoint here. There Will Be Blood garnered 8 Academy Award nominations, along with No Country for Old Men, and it deserves every last one of them. Thanks to the performance of Day-Lewis, the well-written script by Paul Thomas Anderson, and the cinematography of nominee Robert Elswit, the film pulls you in from the very beginning and never lets go, making a usually daunting 158-minute length seem less intimidating. 1. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – 8 nominations Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know by now that if you see no other film this year, you owe it to yourself to check out the Coen Brothers’ latest film, No Country for Old Men. Javier Bardem’s turn as Anton Chigurh is one of the best villainous portrayals in film history and, rightfully so, it is very likely to land him his first Academy Award. Very few films that come out have the right to immediately be deemed ‘masterpieces.’ This is one of those rare cases. While the ending may not be to everyone’s liking (I found it appropriate, my parents are another story), the film does work more often that not, and seeing as how it is poised to win the top prize on Sunday night, it should definitely not be missed. The Academy Awards are Sunday, February 24 on ABC. Comments [post a comment]Comments are closed |
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Saturday, March 13, 2010
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