Anyway, on to the original topic for the post, I kind of love movies, so I get really excited for awards shows. I don't really know why, and I know it's pretty weird, but it's true. Usually, I try to see as many of the nominated movies as I can before the shows so that I can be justifiably excited or upset. The Golden Globes are tonight, and thanks to a movie-marathon weekend with my younger sister, I was able to get in all the movies nominated for Best Picture in the Drama category (we made it in just under the wire with a matinee showing of The Fighter today). Here are the nominated movies in order of my preference (and I'll say that 1 and 5 were easy for me--but 2-4 was really difficult):
1) The Fighter
With apologies to my older sister, who didn't really like this movie, I thought this was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Christian Bale, who I have loved since I was a kid and saw Newsies and Little Women, is absolutely phenomenal--if he doesn't win for Best Supporting Actor, I will be shocked. The first half of the movie is really sad and hard to watch, but then it hits rock bottom and comes back. It ends up being, I think, a hopeful and inspirational story about family and redemption. I cared about the characters and desperately wanted Mark Whalberg's character Micky (with no e) to succeed. My heart broke when he lost a fight, and I cringed in my seat and hid my eyes during the fight scenes whenever he took a punch. I haven't wanted anything in a long time the way I wanted Christian Bale's character to not start using drugs again after he got out of jail. That's one of my big tests for movies--do I care about the characters? Does what happens to them matter to me? This movie passed that test with flying colors. It does have some pretty bad language and some drug use, but overall I loved it. (It also passes my younger sister's and my DVD test--I will buy this movie on DVD probably as soon as it comes out.)
2) The King's Speech
This movie beat out Inception and The Social Network for the #2 spot mainly because it is the only one of the three that I thought was happy. Colin Firth is amazing in it (I wouldn't be surprised if he won Best Actor)...as is Geoffrey Rush. Helena Bonham Carter also turned in an amazing performance. It was surprisingly funny. Of all the movies nominated, this is the only one that I would say could be labeled a "feel-good" movie. I would say it is the most enjoyable of the five nominated films.
3) Inception
In a year when 3 of the 5 nominated movies are based on true stories, this movie kind of needed it's own category. It's really difficult to compare it to movies based on fact. As far as I'm concerned, Christopher Nolan is a genius, and I love every movie he makes. I also love movies that make you think...a lot...and this one does. I just watched it for the second time, and I think that time through I finally got everything that was happening. I loved all the special effects, loved Ellen Page, and loved Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
4) The Social Network
I think this is the saddest movie I have ever seen. Ever. I'm serious. It's the story of how facebook was started (although Mark Zuckerburg didn't really have anything to do with it--the movie--obviously he had everything to do with facebook). Basically he wants to do something great so he will become popular. And he ends up with basically no friends. It's horribly depressing. There's not one real, authentic, lasting relationship in the whole movie. It does, however, make what I think is a rather strong statement about the changes in human interaction that the increase in technology has caused in our culture and about how facebook has devalued and diluted the definition of the word friend. Because of the timely nature of its social statement, I think this movie will probably win (it did win the Critic's Choice Award for Best Picture already). And although I think Colin Firth will win, I wouldn't be shocked if Jesse Eisenberg did.
5) Black Swan
If one of your best friends, who has almost identical taste in movies and tv as you do, tells you not to see a movie, listen to him or her. Seriously. I beg you. Listen. I didn't, and I went to see this movie anyway. It's disturbing. And confusing because Natalie Portman's character basically goes crazy. There's no real, prolonged conversations between anyone, so you're never really sure what's going on. My favorite thing about the movie was Mila Kunis; she was great. If she was in it more, I probably would have liked it more. (I want her to win for Best Supporting Actress, but I don't think she will.) Natalie Portman will probably win for Best Actress. I guess she deserves it...she did do a pretty decent job of pretending to lose her mind. And she did have to work really hard and learn ballet.
Just a few other notes/opinions on who I want to win things....
--Jim Parsons should win for being Sheldon in Big Bang Theory because he is hilarious.
--I wish something other than Mad Men would win for Best TV Series Drama. I like Dexter. I try and watch Mad Men, but I don't really get why everyone thinks it's so great. All the episodes I've seen made me sad. I wish Michael C. Hall would win too.
Happy Globes watching!
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