The State of the Race: The Best Best Pictures

It’s funny to think that a whole year’s worth of films can boil down to just ten. There has been much chatter on Twitter of late that this would be a great year to have only five nominees rather than ten. This business of picking “the best” is really about what a majority thinks, not what a few critics think; even the most powerful critic in the land cannot push through a darling that has found no agreement elsewhere.

And so when one well known critic lamented the usual cycle of winners the debate came up yet again – do you reward what you feel is the best or do you make an extra effort to be original with your choices, push something unique into the mix? The New York Film Critics Circle did that with The Kids Are All Right for Screenplay and Supporting Actor. But to me, the point is not to make yourself better known, or to stand apart from the crowd simply for the sake of serving your own ego. If you are asked an honest question, you should think about it for a minute and then decide what you think is the best. That doesn’t necessarily mean the one you liked best. It could be. But hopefully, as a critic or an Academy voter you have a slightly more heightened ability to recognize something exceptional.

These critics awards represent a consensus. They are not in place to single out one critic and say, “wow, look how cool he/she is. She broke free from the herd.” No. They are in place to reward excellence, whether or not they agree with other groups or not. Some years their choices are all over the place. But some years they rally behind one film above all others. Punishing the film for that is infantile behavior, in this Oscar watchers opinion. And trust me, I’ve spent enough time on an elementary schoolyard to know infantile behavior when I see it.

Now that the WGA and the PGA have solidified what is looking like an eleven film race for ten slots. You might think that the weaker films would be 127 Hours or The Town. But in fact, those films look more secure than two others. So let’s look at how it’s all been stacking up.

Funnily enough, if you look at three samples of the top ten of the year – the American Film Institute, the BFCA (Critics Choice) and the Producers Guild, you have:

The King’s Speech would be on all three, it should be mentioned, were it not for the “American film” glitch, and in fact, it was given a special citation because of that. So I think that means it’s Winter’s Bone vs. The Kids Are All Right. But then again, we still don’t know what AMPAS will do. What a drag to have to pit one female-directed film against another. Two very different films, both featuring strong women, both very well reviewed. It’s a little depressing, to be sure. Two movies which were co-written, directed by and starring women are struggling for one slot.

In finding our Best Picture we have to look for the one with the teflon coating, just as we have to do so with our Presidential candidates. Which ones have enough teflon to deflect the chinks in the months leading up to the Oscar race?

But let’s look at 2010’s Big Winners so far.

1. The Social Network

What makes it so good? It’s the movie about Facebook that’s not about Facebook. If you watch the DVD commentary on the upcoming release you will see the kind of meticulous attention paid to the film by the core crew of filmmakers. You will see Aaron Sorkin, the writer, very much present through many of the scenes. You will see debates and discussions by Sorkin and David Fincher to parse out the meaning of each scene, the intent, the purpose. The editors, the costumer and the set designer all serving the story in the same attentive way. That meant they all had to be roughly on the same page. And they were.

The Social Network is about so many things – how we’re living now, how we relate to each other’s life changes. It’s about the fundamental contest between the smart – the geek – and the entitled, the old money rich who used to run things. There is a new geek in town, though, isn’t there. The hackers are the ones wearing suits (or hoodies). But it’s also about our nature to do things to impress our fellow man and change the world for the better by ruling it.

The reason The Social Network is the best film of 2010, though, is partly the story – but it’s more about the filmmaking. It’s about the lean directing, the sharp and insightful writing, the deeply felt performances, and the score, boy is it ever about the score. The editing is clean as a whistle, and the cinematography is so sublime one never thinks or notices that it is digital video.

Are the characters likable? I don’t know if I can answer that question because, to me, they are all likable, even Sean Parker. They are likable the same way Hannibal Lecter is likable: they thrill us with their acumen. Sure, much of this is Sorkin’s way of turning a phrase, but it is also just this collaboration of artists working at the height of their talent and ability. Do we always come to our great films looking for idealized versions of ourselves? Or is there room to examine the other parts of our personalities – envy, drive, ambition, greed, jealousy, desire, coveting – it is all at play in The Social Network.¬† It is a celebration of a success, this rewarding of The Social Network. It is so on its game, this movie, that almost any other film standing next to it seems sluggish.

Whether it’s an “Academy movie” or not is beside the point, really. Excellence in filmmaking should be lauded. It isn’t breaking new ground the way Black Swan or Inception have. But it is the standard by which all other films this year will be judged.

Box Office to date: $93 million

WINS
Boston Film Critics – Film, Director, Actor, Screenplay, Music
National Board of Review – Film, Director, Screenplay, Actor
Los Angeles Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay (tie)
New York Film Critics – Film, Director
Southeaster Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
Washington DC Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
Online Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
New York Film Critics Online – Film, Director, Screenplay
Indiana Film Critics – Film, Screenplay
St. Louis Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay, Music
San Francisco Film Critics – Film, Director (tie), Screenplay
Las Vegas Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
Chicago Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
Dallas Fort Worth Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
Florida Film Critics – Film, Director, Screenplay
Oklahoma Film Critics – Film, Actor, Director, Screenplay
Utah Film Critics – Film (tie), Director (tie), Screenplay
Toronto Film Critics – Film
Village Voice Critics Poll – Film
AFI Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS
Producers Guild
WGA
HFPA – Six – Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Screenplay, Music
BFCA – Nine – Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Screenplay, Music, Sound, Ensemble, Editing
SAG – Two – Picture, Actor

2. The King’s Speech

Why it’s good: The performances really drive The King’s Speech. They are so on the money, so dazzling and captivating, one feels one’s heart being ripped violently from one’s chest. The best scene in the movie is when King George confesses to Lionel that he was really left handed but that he was punished and then made right handed. Firth is just so expert at this it is really something astonishing to watch. He’s aided by the equally brilliant Geoffrey Rush – two character actors taking the lead is not something we see in films anymore. Firth, as his reward, gets to paint little airplanes. There is nothing so sweet, nothing more moving than that scene. It is perfect.

A second viewing of the film reveals a much more meaningful and tender performance by Helena Bonham Carter, who seemed, at first glance, to have phoned it in. But she doesn’t. It is her more quiet moments of regarding her husband that hit the hardest. The sweet faces of the daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, herald England’s future to come. It is put together so lovingly, the film is ultimately so emotionally satisfying, it is a pleasure to sit through; you find you really do care about a rich King who has trouble speaking, despite his wealth and privilege.

Box Office to date: $24 million

WINS
DC Critics – Best Actor
Los Angeles Film Critics – Best Actor
St. Louis Film Critics – Best Actor, Supporting Actor
Southeastern Film Critics – Best Actor, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay
New York Film Critics – Best Actor
San Francisco Film Critics – Best Actor, Original Screenplay
Chicago Film Critics – Best Actor
Florida Film Critics – Best Actor
Austin Film Critics – Best Actor

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
Golden Globes 7 – Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay, Score
BFCA – 11 – Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Costume, Score, Cinematography, ensemble
SAG – 4 – Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Ensemble

3. Inception

Why it’s good – after all is said and done, the beauty and ambition of Inception still shimmers all of these months later. Yes, part of that is how many fans it has; they will not let the movie die. But the other part of it is the film itself. While its beginning has a bit too much exposition, once the film kicks in, having explained its laws of nature to us, we are taken on a vividly imaginative ride. Inception is a grand illusion that somehow makes us feel like we are going through the dream stages and dwelling in this world. Christopher Nolan uses our own glimpses into our subconscious to draw us in. We have memories we’ve been keeping alive. We have things we’re afraid of – thoughts we can’t exactly control no matter how hard we try: they creep in anyway.

The key to this movie, though, is the love story. In the end, Inception is about our inclination to get lost in a dream world, whether it’s love or some other matter. Sooner or later we have to pull ourselves out because the real world is so much more interesting. But even still, at the end of Inception we don’t know if we’re still in a dream or we’ve emerged into reality. As with The Social Network, what keeps Inception afloat is the filmmaking — like Fincher, Nolan has complete command of the canvas. Editing, cinematography, art direction and score all working beautifully together to create one of the best films of 2010.

Box Office total: $293 million

WINS:
Indiana Film Critics – Director
Utah Film Critics – Director
Chicago Film Critics – Screenplay, Cinematography
DC Film Critics Screenplay, Cinematography, Score
Florida – Screenplay, Cinematography
Oklahoma – Screenplay
Vegas Film Critics – Editing, Cinematography, Visual Effects
Houston Film Critics – Cinematography, Score
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
WGA
Golden Globes – 4, including Picture, Director, Screenplay, Score
BFCA – 9, including Picture, Director, Screenplay, Editing, Score, Visual Effects, Action Film, Sound, Art Direction

4. True Grit

Why it’s good – The Coen brothers are in complete command of what they’re doing now. They don’t do it just to amuse themselves, not that they ever did. True Grit is their first pass at sentimentality, as they do the western genre proud. What is great about them, as is great about other directors working at the top of their game, is that they take their time in their confident storytelling. They are going to tell the story the way they want to tell it, and not as a way of living up to the hype of their previous films. This one isn’t nearly as dark, and it isn’t as violent or profanity-ridden. What it is, though, is tender and infinitely touching, especially the last twenty or so minutes.

No, in many ways it isn’t a “Coen brothers movie,” but it is a film directed by the Coen brothers. It is just a damned good movie is what it is. Led by Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and the perfectly cast Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit affords us one of the few truly pleasurable cinematic experiences of the year. It doesn’t require much of us except escaping into that world. It is a film about doing what’s necessary and living with the sacrifices. You can’t get what you want without paying a price. The Coens with No Country for Old Men and now with True Grit are finding their voice, oddly enough, through the voices of other writers, and it’s quite a thing to watch.

Box office to date: $89 million

WINS:
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010
Houston- Supporting Actress
Indiana- Supporting Actress
Southeastern- Supporting Actress, Cinematography
Toronto- Supporting Actress
Chicago- Supporting Actress
Austin – Supporting Actress
Boston – Cinematography
St. Louis – Cinematography
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild –
Golden Globes –
BFCA –
SAG – Actor, Supporting Actress

5. The Fighter

Why it’s good – The Fighter is the kind of movie that director David O. Russell excels at — what Spinal Tap might call a “freeform jazz exploration.” O. Russell does the opposite of what Fincher does: he doesn’t refine his marble into a perfect sculpture – the thing spills out in every direction, wildly, brazenly so. It is helped by some powerhouse performances, with Amy Adams and Melissa Leo, not to mention Christian Bale. It’s hard to imagine any film beating this one for SAG ensemble, as one would feel the need to reward them all. That would give The Fighter potentially three SAG awards heading into the Oscar race, which would leave it in good stead indeed.

The best thing about The Fighter, of course, is Mark Wahlberg, who quietly plays the latest cinematic boxing hero with so much vulnerability, one tends to feel sympathy for him most of all. His isn’t the most attention-grabbing performance but it is, inexplicably, the most moving. The Fighter is a feelgood film, to be sure. This is a movie that wants things to end happily for this family, cobbled together haphazardly though they are.

In the tradition of boxing movies, this one feels original – not easy to find something new to say about fighters, but this one manages to do just that. If it betrays its own intent by the end one has to assume that’s been done intentionally. It’s a happy ending for imperfect people.

Box office so far – $46 million

WINS:
National Board of Review – Supporting Actor
D.C. – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (Leo)
Houston – Supporting Actor
Boston – Supporting Actor, Ensemble
NYFCO – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (Leo)
Indiana – Supporting Actor
St. Louis – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (Leo)
Dallas – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (Leo)
Florida – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (Leo)
Austin – Supporting Actor
Oklahoma – Supporting Actor
Vegas – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (Adams)
Chicago, Supporting Actress – Amy Adams
New York Film Critics – Supporting Actress (Leo)
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild – Best Film
WGA – Best Original Screenplay
Golden Globes – 6 nominations – Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actress
BFCA – 6 nominations – Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actress, Screenplay
SAG – 4 – Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actress, Ensemble

6. Black Swan

Why it’s Good – there are two things that drive the genius of Black Swan – Aronofsky’s willingness to completely “go there” and Natalie Portman’s willingness to match it. As much as has been written about Black Swan, its story is unflinchingly up-close and personal into the neurosis of a prima ballerina on the rise. This ballerina, not ALL ballerinas, is driven to be “perfect” and that drive causes her to lose her mind, bit by bit, just as it simultaneously inspires her to be the best – greatness comes at the highest possible price. Portman comes at the role with ferocity, tapping into that thing in her that connects with Nina.

Black Swan is a difficult sit, but by the time Portman makes her transformation, and the film ends on a perfect note, it becomes clear that you’ve just seen something unlike any other film this year, maybe ever. Like The Social Network, the film moves a rhythm, this time it’s Clint Mansell’s unforgettable score and Tchaikovsky but you can’t separate certain scenes from the music. When you remember back Black Swan, you hear music and you see Portman’s face, ever trapped in close-up, a fly under glass — she is so beautiful on the outside, so broken on the inside.

Without Portman, it’s hard to imagine Aronofsky pulling it off, but without Aronofsky, it’s hard to imagine Portman pulling it off. They are a perfectly matched director and star – a Scorsese and DeNiro remade.

Box Office total so far: $47 million

WINS:
Los Angeles Film Critics – Cinematography
New York Film Critics – Cinematography
Austin Film Critics – Picture, Actress, Director, Screenplay, Cinematography
San Diego – Director
San Francisco – Director, Cinematography
Boston Film Critics – Editing
Houston Film Critics – Actress
Boston Film Critics – Actress
NYFCO – Actress, Cinematography, Score
Indiana Film Critics – Actress
St. Louis Film Critics – Actress
Vegas Film Critics – Actress
Chicago Film Critics – Actress, Score
Dallas Film Critics – Actress
Florida Film Critics – Actress
Oklahoma Film Critics – Supporting Actress
Vegas Film Critics – Art Direction
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
WGA
Golden Globes – 4 nominations – Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress
BFCA – 12 nominations – Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actress, Supporting Actress, Editing, Sound, Score, Costume, Art Direction, Makeup
SAG – 3 – Actress, Supporting Actress, Ensemble

7. The Town

Why it’s good – this is one of those movies that is just flat out entertaining. Director and co-writer Ben Affleck is, as it turns out, quite a talented and adept director, particularly with the action scenes, but also with the quieter moments between the characters. Of all of the current Best Picture contenders, The Town sits right alongside The Social Network, True Grit and The Fighter as being great crowd-pleasing entertainment. It’s more than that, too, of course. The ensemble actors are pivotal in the success of the film, particularly Jeremy Renner, but also Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall and Affleck himself. The script adaptation is one of the best things about it, but you have to watch it a couple of times to get the great lines down, of which there are many.

The Town is one of the biggest surprises of 2010, how it’s kept afloat, flying way under the radar, but is just the favorite of so many it keeps popping up on lists; it seems to have the kind of devoted following that can often carry a film to the Oscars. Can Ben Affleck become one of the five Best Director nominees? Hard to say. But even if not, the film should find a spot in the Big Ten, especially if they’re looking to keep the Best Pic lineup with one foot in films the public likes, as opposed to the insular world of critics.

Box Office: $92 million

WINS:
National Board of Review – Ensemble
Washington DC Critics – Ensemble
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
WGA
Golden Globes – 1 Supporting Actor
SAG – 1 – Supporting Actor

8. 127 Hours

Why it’s good – 127 Hours was probably the most talked about film during the festival circuit, along with The King’s Speech. Viewers have been deeply moved by Aron Ralston’s story of survival, of James Franco’s unflinching performance, which went to dark and terrifying places at times, but also maintained a level of optimism that was probably the thing that saved his life. Franco was born to play the part. The last part of the film has left even the most emotionally reserved among us dissolving into pitiful tears of joy. It’s not hard to get caught up in a great Danny Boyle movie. He is such an exuberant filmmaker – free, up, imaginative. To that end, 127 Hours often feels much more like a celebration of life than anything else. It is not a meditation on death, but a chance for us to look around at what we have, how much we have, even when it feels like we have nothing.

The “scene” involving the arm being hacked off is brutal, to be sure. But can anyone say they’d want it any other way? Would you really not want to know how hard that was for him? To me, if you take that part out there is no point in making the film at all.

Box office: $10 million

WINS:
Utah – Actor, Film, Cinematography
NYFCO – Actor
Indiana – Actor
Vegas – Actor
Dallas – Actor, Cinematography
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
WGA
Globes – 3 – Actor, Screenplay, Score

9. Toy Story 3

Why it’s good — Toy Story 3, other than being just a good movie, which it is, and other than being the biggest money maker of the year, which it is – but the thing that’s really driving this film in the Best Picture race is that it closes out the beloved Toy Story series. Three near-perfect films, the crowning achievement of Pixar all contribute to the notion that Toy Story 3 could be the first animated film to win Best Picture. Andy must say goodbye to his toys. The film’s central theme is letting go and growing up. It is the one film in the whole of the Best Pic race that comes without a single negative. Sure, it will not have any acting nominations, but it will have writing and probably many more in various categories like score, song and sound editing. Pixar just keeps setting the bar higher and higher, so much so that there appears to be a permanent Pixar slot in the Best Pic lineup with ten nominees.

Box Office: $415 million

WINS:
NBR, D.C., Houston, Boston, NYFCO, L.A., Indiana, St. Louis, Southeastern, San Diego, San Francisco, Vegas, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, Austin, Oklahoma, Utah, OFCS) – Animated Feature
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
Globes – 1 – Animated Feature

10. The Kids Are All Right

Why it’s good – we’ve already been over and over all of these films and sometimes it feels like there is nothing new to say, but we must remember, because there is no better time than right now to remember, why this was such an interesting, important film. Yes, it’s revolutionary in that it’s co-written and directed by a woman, and that it is about lesbian parents trying to hold their family together: a traditional story told in an untraditional way, but it is really more than that even: it is just a really good movie on top of that. The characters are richly drawn, expertly acted and manage to make us care about their various struggles. Cholodenko doesn’t back off the sex thing — doesn’t everyone’s mind go there anyway? Like “how do they do it?” She doesn’t back off of it because you wouldn’t back off of it if it were a movie about a straight couple either. So why do it now?

One tends to get so comfortable with the couple, even in their dysfunction, that we almost hate to leave them all by the end of the movie. And that may be the highest compliment an audience member could pay a film. I wanted to move in with them, hang out and sing Joni Mitchell songs and drink red wine, argue politics, rip up weeds and plant things. The film is driven by an always brilliant Annette Bening, but the supporting cast are all good – Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore specifically.

Box Office: $21 million

WINS:
New York Film Critics – Best Actress, Screenplay, Supporting Actor
New York Film Critics Online – Ensemble
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Producers Guild
WGA
Golden Globes – 4 Picture, Actress, Actress, Supporting Actor
SAG – 3 – Actress, Supporting Actor, Ensemble
BFCA – 4 – Actress, Supporting Actor, Screenplay, Ensemble

10. Winter’s Bone

Why it’s good – co-written and directed by Debra Granik, and starring the find of the year, Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone takes us into the back country where meth has ravaged the population, and a young girl runs out of options pretty fast. But strong, survivor Ree makes the best of her situation as she sets out to keep her home and family intact. A catatonic mother, two dependent siblings, Ree is one of the year’s cinematic triumphs – a capable teen who stares down into the abyss of despair and finds the light.

Granik is a director to watch – a visionary with a great eye for composition and an attention to detail that had her getting help from the locals to ensure the film’s authentic feel. It is one of the best reviewed films of the year and is surely deserving of all of the praise. Winter’s Bone is fighting for a place in the Best Pic ten right now. Hopefully enough people will actually watch it to see how great of a movie it really is.

Box office: $6 million

WINS:
San Diego – Picture, Actress
DC – Actress
Toronto – Actress
Dublin – Actress
AFI – Top Ten Films of 2010

NOMINATIONS:
Golden Globes – 1 – Actress
BFCA – 3 – Picture, Actress, Screenplay
SAG – 1 – Actress, Supporting Actor