Ranking 2011's Oscar Nominated Films

I've had the feeling that I saw less Oscar nominated movies this year than in previous years. Not so. In fact I feel less complete in Oscar knowledge this year than in previous years when I had seen more films nominated. This year, it scales out to 24, only 5 of which I'd profess to truly love, and only one of those is nominated where it most matters. "Drive" only has one nomination to its name. The worst film I saw of the bunch, until today, was "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2", and it has three, which I suppose is somewhat deserving, but it only repeats the Academy's favoritism towards glitzy, gaudy, and obvious.

If nothing else, this gives me an outlet for ranking some of the other films that didn't make the cut past the top 20. I have no doubt people will think I'm crazy in ranking "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" above "The Tree of Life", "The Descendants", and "The Adventures of Tintin", but for the life of me I had more of an experience in Michael Bay's rampant actioner than I did with those that rank lower than it. Anything lower than 20, I did not like, so the majority of the films nominated that I've seen, I do enjoy them. I think that they are rather good. It doesn't change the fact that there are better films out there that simply aren't being represented here, and that's a shame.

OSCAR 2011 PREDICTIONS: Art Direction

I'm a proponent of specificity over style, at least in terms of Visual Effects, Art Direction, and such in terms of visual mediums. As such it massively pisses me off when films like "Hugo", "Harry Potter", and "War Horse" make it in because they're "pretty". I use pretty in quotations, because in most cases, it's a hollow beauty. I'm quite simply irritated by the fact that the unprecedented-this-year work behind "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" was ignored, but... forgive? No. Just adapt. Of the films here, the only ones I can say are rather good in terms of set design and such are "The Artist" and "Midnight in Paris". However, the latter didn't absolutely rock my socks off, so here's hoping that "Artist" goes for a sweep. It'll probably go to "Hugo", just because that's the obvious choice.

WILL WIN: "Hugo"

COULD/SHOULD WIN: "The Artist"

SHOULD REALLY WIN: "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy"

OSCAR 2011 PREDICTIONS: Best Makeup

Another year goes by, and we get another slate of easy throwaways for the squandered makeup category. At this point, I don't really know what they're qualifying as strong makeup, or if they even have any knowledge towards such. I can get this out of the way in one paragraph. Somebody explain to me where the skill is in the useless and purposeless plastering on "The Iron Lady" or "Albert Nobbs". The former will win, almost certainly, but with no real reason for such. "Harry Potter" is there just as a little bit of merit for their series finale. It could win, as having the strongest work there, but it's too hard to care in a category with this little real skill.

Will Win: "The Iron Lady"

Should Win: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"

Should Really Win: "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

OSCAR 2011 PREDICTIONS: Visual Effects

In spite of everyone's deep angers usually incurred by the Oscar nominations, mostly involving films that we didn't want to see and now must out of obligation, things still operate in a forward motion as we hurtle towards the eventually depressing ceremony. And what safer way to head into the predictions than with visual effects, which seems set predictably in stone months in advance. The fact that "The Tree of Life" isn't here clears up competition to a predictable fit for what it always has been. What are the flashiest, showiest, and most obnoxiously sparkly films in play? They don't really care about technique so much until they really have to make a decision.

The inclusion of "Hugo" just seems to be riding on a wave of buzz for it to clean up house entirely. I have considerable doubts about it, but it could very well take this and many others if it proves to be an inexplicable sweep. "Real Steel" is only here for flash points, and it does have some admittedly stylish moments, but they are amongst a great deal of nonsense going on. Even though the film would be nothing without it, it doesn't feel like they really fuel the film. It would go on without them, though not nearly as convincingly. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" is a mixed bag, as there are times when it is kind of pretty, but the rest of the time it just looks utterly stale and lifeless. It's not a manifestation of magic so much and computer engineering, and you can feel that.

Carpet-Bagging: The Big & Loud Bracket

I'm officially kicking off this official segment to discuss any and all things Oscar and awards related, as last year was very loose with its designation. I'm still not into making predictions until September is well underway. In fact, I don't feel comfortable making guesses on films I haven't had the chance to see yet. The only mildly certain bet I can place is that Alexandre Desplat will be nominated in Best Original Score again, and he will, in all likelihood, not win. As far as what I've already seen, I wouldn't say his work on "A Better Life" has much traction, but he may find an unexpected push in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2".

In spite of my downtrodden pan of the film nearly a month ago, his score had me padding my eyes quite a few times. Unfortunately, it was whilst I was at home listening to it, wishing the film had only lived up to it. Talking of the massive blockbuster of the summer, Warner Bros. is clearly intent on a Best Picture push for their biggest cash-cow of the year. While I doubt it will get the 5% of the votes needed to secure a nomination, and sincerely hope that's the case, the film has insurmountable box office power and a frankly unbelievable critical backing to boot. It could get enough of a passionate vote to make it in.

However, I expect it to find more success in the technical categories, which I'd be so happy about if they weren't so poor this time out. Desplat's score is the best of the series, and that's the biggest recommendation I can push. However, I had nothing but contempt for the stale and obvious approach to the cinematography, and only a little less for the visual effects. They were competent most of the time, but the broomstick scenes in the Room of Requirement are the worst visual effects I've seen in the entire series. Art Direction is almost guaranteed, and it's been the film's strongest player in past years. No acting, directing, or writing accolades to be nominated here.

Mischief Managed: Epilogue to "Potter"

Well, I guess this is quite effectively, and permanently, it for the Harry Potter phenomenon that has been going on for more than a decade now. If I haven't made it clear already, I'd like to say how severely sorry I am that I didn't love Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. However, the feeling I have, more than anything at this very moment, is utter disbelief. I start to wonder exactly what it was that people saw in this film that 97% of critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, gave it the go ahead. I know Rotten Tomatoes isn't a very reliable source for how good a film is, and I learned to disregard them a while back.

Still, the movie that I saw was rather sloppy, stiff, silly, and unrefined in most aspects. Yes, it tied up the story, but it didn't take time and effort to make it the best it could be. And it seems like they're completely fine with what they made, as the final shot of the film features our main characters grinning so self-righteously. The film is, as we speak, demolishing box office records left and right, so what I have to say doesn't really matter. I'm not pretending that it does. It gets to the point where I can't be held accountable for what you are likely to like or dislike. The best and worst decision I ever made was to review films honestly from my own point of view. That does polarize you from quite a few of your readers.

Film Review: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (**1/2)

Within minutes of returning home from seeing the eighth and final Harry Potter film, I started tweeting away my untarnished thoughts on the event. I only got out three slight jabs, as I realized how many people on the receiving end of them were probably massive fans of the books and the films. I was suspended in disbelief when all the positive reviews came flowing in, because it does seem curious for a film series that's garnered quite a bit of critical recoil in the past to suddenly get all this buzz. It goes to show how the weight of hype and expectation can forcibly change an experience. Oddly enough, it didn't change mine. How I saw the film the first time is how I'll always see it, and trying to deny that is foolhardy.

The proudest jab, and somehow compliment, that I laid out on Twitter early this morning was "I feel like 'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' is the perfect companion piece for 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'." I meant that in the best respect to "Transformers" and the worst respect to "Potter". That's largely because both films are so completely obsessed with that final battle, where everything blows up and the ultimate stakes are at risk. After taking care of that final mission in Gringotts, which is surprisingly one of the more favorable parts of the film, they just rush on over to Hogwarts, and then everything goes off like clockwork,

By "clockwork", I mean unyielding and extremely flawed if you throw in the wrong cog. The thing with the Transformers comparison is that while both go into the final battle with urgency, we never get a sense of exactly what we have to lose in Potter. Yes, it's the final war of the wizarding world, and in fact the muggle world as well, but we never once get any sense of extreme danger. In fact, in David Yates' intention to move things along quickly, the battle feels way too small and glossed over. We barely even see the full extent of it. He instead decides to dwell too long on plot details that could've been given a little less time and devotion. Occasionally the film moves too rapidly, and then it just slows to a sluggish crawl.

The Weekend Report: "Hallows" Breaking Records Already... Again...

It feels like the insanity caused by the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is almost unsubstantiated, because a month ago I felt like this was going to be a critical and (to some degree) financial failure. Yes, it has gotten nary a bad review, but it seems unorthodox for something like this to call forth such excitement. Maybe I'm just underestimating it, but the film is destined to break box office records this weekend regardless. As a matter of fact, it already has. The finale managed to draw in epic scale crowds for the midnight opening, burgeoning the profit to $43.5 million, and effectively shattering the previously laid record.

I'd say that the film has a more than decent chance of breaking the opening day record as well. Some are currently saying it could be as much as $80 million, but I testify that it could go on to nearly $90 million. It's to be seen how much of a drop it takes on Saturday and Sunday, but it will nevertheless be the biggest opening weekend of the year by far. The only competition, and it's still to be seen how poorly it will play, is Winnie the Pooh. It's clearly playing to the kid crowd, whereas Potter is geared towards the teen demographic. The kids honestly won't care that it's only an hour long, and they'll drag their parents in easily. The optimist in me says the film could go to $20 million, but I realize how unlikely that is.

Prologue to "Potter"

If you haven't already noticed, and I'm not sure what kind of hole you have to be in for that to be the case, the decade in the making Harry Potter film franchise is about to come to an end. There was a pit in your gut to watching Deathly Hallows: Part 1, because even if you weren't saying goodbye, you knew the end was coming. That's not to overlook the film's many numerous pitfalls. It moved at a glacial pace in the second half, overlooked a few key deaths that would have emotionally compounded the experience (Mad-Eye, we barely knew ye'), and it placed us outside of the comfort zone of Hogwarts without matching that spectacle. I put the film in my top ten last year, but six months later, I cannot believe how wrong I was.

So now we're heading into Part 2, which is offering a lot more blockbuster excitement than the first half of the film. At this point, I'm not even sure if it's appropriate to call it the first half, rather than a film that exists perfectly on its own. I keep trying to watch Part 1 again, and I simply can't get past the Death Eater discussion scene without losing interest. Then going back over the entire series, I wonder what ultimately was the point of it all? There's so much that could have been done better and wasn't, but it's too late to go back. To be honest, I don't even think I want to. The excitement was there, but it was a child's excitement.

The somewhat amazing thing about the series is that it does perfectly carry you through your own childhood journey. Each film is built to appeal to the age of the characters it's portraying. Deathly Hallows: Part 1 speaks to college idea of leaving home and being somewhere strange and unfamiliar. In the same way, Part 2 is about returning home to a feeling of nostalgia, yet feeling oddly misplaced after so long, and finally moving on past it to a new life. I won't have my review up until Saturday, but many will obviously be shelling out the cash to go to the midnight showing. Best of wishes to all of you, but know that the magic can't and won't last forever.

For Your Anticipation: Come to Die

How can I still be preparing for disappointment at this point? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has the backing of nearly the entire critical mass, which I find more than a bit surprising. They've long been difficult to praise the series, without necessarily denouncing it. Now, it seems like they've been cast a spell upon, forgive the pun if you will. No, I most certainly will not be checking in with the midnight showing tonight. Tickets were sold out a while back anyway. I'll be gracing a late Friday showing with a friend or two, kicking back a diet coke, and waiting reserved anticipation for it all to be over.

Big Hogwarts Takeover

"Dark Knight", "John Carter", "Sherlock Holmes", and "Contagion" trailers playing in front of "Potter" finale

If that title is too insanely long for you, know that it's in service of fantastic news. On the heels of discussion about fantastic film trailers of the past, the final film in the Harry Potter series has just received an extra bump of anticipation. With everybody already in line for the midnight showing, it seems that every studio out there is trying to feed off the event by premiering trailers for their high profile projects. It seems that way, but in actuality Warner Bros. is trying to fuel most of its upcoming hits, with one particular hits standing above the rest.

There's no reason to beat around the bush. The first trailer for The Dark Knight Rises, capping off Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, is set to make its debut. Of course, I don't expect much more than a simple tease, because the teaser for The Dark Knight was purely dialogue driven, and the Inception teaser did nothing to answer questions about Nolan's mystery project. Still, expect it to get people talking until another trailer comes around sometime between December and January. Nolan knows better than to blow his wad a year in advance.

On a less massive point, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is also expected to throw a trailer into the ring. They already placed a few posters online, showing off a once more bearded Jared Harris as Moriarty. Here's hoping they do all they can to make his character as fascinating as possible. Steven Soderberg's Contagion is finally getting a trailer, which could work the same way The Town did last year. However, the trailer I'm most anticipating is outside of Warner Bros., and instead from Disney. Andrew Stanton's John Carter gets a teaser, and just in time. I was nervous that we wouldn't get a first look until November. I'm just glad that it's actually been happening. There's also word on a trailer for Martin Scorcese's Hugo, but we'll wait to see if that's any more than just rumor. In any case, the trailers are enough reason to shell out $10 at the theater.

Films to See in 2011: July

So June went by with a deafening whimper, and as for how a whimper can be deafening, it's because you can't really hear anything. As May provided an excess of revitalizing filmmaking, not so much stunning as it was refreshing, June was the inevitable hangover. July is a spring of steady euphoria as we get back to some sense of sanity and stable thought. Transformers: Dark of the Moon switched months just after I posted my most anticipated films of June, so I'm tempted to rule July as an utterly depressing wreck starting out. Still, it will have that transforming robot heat going forward a few days ahead of time.

There are films that I am somewhat looking forward to, but don't quite break the top three. Horrible Bosses and Crazy, Stupid, Love both seem to go for the same sort of comedic demographic, with the latter having some sort of edge going for it, but both being general degradable. Friends with Benefits has more certain comedic spark, but I remain quietly skeptical. Captain America: The First Avenger seems to be on the same level of entertainment as Thor, so that's perhaps promising, but possibly disastrous. The biggest surprise omission is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, because even though I really loved Part 1, I expect a disappointing conclusion to the saga. That being said, I'm still very excited. So here are my picks, and you can comment below to tell me yours.

3. Tabloid

Directed by Errol Morris

The biggest barrier that modern moviegoers need to overcome is documentaries, because they're not always as depressing as Waiting for "Superman". Sometimes they're incredibly revealing and intense (The Cove), or spryly entertaining with a unique touch (Exit Through the Gift Shop). Tabloid looks like it's setting itself up in the ranks of the latter, looking at the true story of a woman who is either a monster or a victim, and I tend to believe the former. Then again, so little is told by the trailer that it's impossible to tell the eventual outcome of this film. I'm impressed when a doc tackles a little told and narrow subject only to reveal how fascinating it is.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" Final Trailer

It's almost over? Such a shame. I was kind of hoping the series would bounce back. I've gone down on my appreciation for Harry Potter, as I just realized that it could have been so much more than it is. Every new poster that came out further validated my disgust, as they all pretty much sucked. So I was more than a tad pessimistic going into this trailer. I actually thought it was kind of awesome. Yes, there are some really stale visual effects, and I really hate those. Still, there was just too much awesome in this trailer to hate it. I know that I'm going to be firing gripes here and there when the film finally comes out, but for now I'm more excited than I was before.

Teaser Trailer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

So, it looks like I've quit the whole "Potter-Watch" segment, despite my greatest efforts. As much as I admire the series, my interest has waned a bit. I'm still excited for the finale, but this trailer is very much a confirmation of certain fears. Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was such a brilliant film in terms of improving from where the series has been before. Still, that film doesn't hold up quite so well on repeat viewings. I still respect it as an effort of outstanding cinematography, and that's something sadly missing from the trailer for the final film. There's also a lack of what I call "finale drive". I'm about as excited by this trailer as I was by the Thor trailer. It's not a total failure, but it evokes the film being something of such. I'm still excited, but I expect an upset. I hope I'm wrong.

Digital 3D in Summer 2011

I feel like the film industry has learned some valuable lessons in terms of using Digital 3D in film. I am, personally, an affable fan of the technique just so long as it is done correctly. It's like really good chocolate, but you can still overdo it. This Summer has found a certain measure of moderation, with X-Men: First Class, Super 8, and Cowboys & Aliens all opting out of Digital 3D. I think it's a worthy rule that if your film isn't just standard popcorn fare that you shouldn't go for 3D. In the meantime, there are some films that you could easily see in 2D without complaint. I'll try to give you a decent idea of which films would be worth the extra three bucks.

May

Thor - Post-conversion, but deals with epic celestial realms. Probably still majestic and preferable in 2D.

Priest - Not in 3D. Not in 2D. Not on DVD. NOT EVER!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Promising visuals from Rob Marshall in service of a less than spectacular screenplay. If you see it at all, go for 3D.

Kung Fu Panda 2 - Heartfelt animation from Dreamworks, so definitely worth 3D.

June

Green Lantern - It's practically an animated film, and the superhero was made for 3D. Should attract the same fans as Avatar, so you'll see it in 3D either way.

Cars 2 - If it's not in the sky, it's not worth your time. If you see Pixar's latest, see it in 2D.

July

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Sparks, explosions, clanging metal, and more explosions. Shut your brain off and see it in frantic 3D glory!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - I'm completing the journey in 2D. You should too.

Captain America: The First Avenger - Seems to evoke the film I would have died to see in 3D, Star Trek, so go for the glasses.

The Smurfs - Seriously? Don't even bother.

Potter-Watch (47 of 77): Ron and Hermione

Below the obvious coming of age story that takes up the main focus of the Harry Potter series, there has always been a sweet underlying romance pervading through the series. I'm obviously not talking about Harry and Ginny, sweet as they may be together. I just never really felt the inevitability of fate weighing on them being together. The low level relationship that has been building across the series is Ron and Hermione, and I'd be the last person to admit that. Over reading the first five books in the series, I could see what Rowling was building between them, but I can't say I exactly approved of it. I always thought that Ron was too much of an unnecessary idiot to deserve Hermione, despite the great comic relief he gives to the series.

The final two books gave something of a literary reconciliation for the romance, giving Ron a more important role and making him just a more likable character. The final three film do the same sort of catharsis, most especially in Deathly Hallows: Part 1. One of the things I found most impressive was how much Rupert Grint improved beyond his work in the rest of the series. Even more impressive was the sweet and rocky chemistry between him and Emma Watson. The best example of this is probably in this deleted scene from the film, one that you can't help but wish had made it to the final product, but you can see how it ended up being left on the cutting room floor. The montage of Ron slowly becoming more envious of Harry really moved things along rather well, and this scene would have reformatted and perhaps slowed down that entire proceeding. All the same, it serves as a wonderful separate piece of the puzzle, even if it isn't quite locked in. I really suggest playing it alongside the beginning of the track "Hermione's Parents" by Alexandre Desplat.

Potter-Watch (46 of 77): It All Ends 7.15

You didn't think I was going to throw a poster for The Tree of Life your way and neglect to show you this fabulous piece of marketing, did you? I know that there are several detractors in the franchise, and it's something that I honestly understand. The first two films were wasted potential, somewhat alleviated by the marvelous third installment, but then they descended into another murky area, and by the time the sixth film came around most non-fans had already given up hope. It didn't matter that the series was about to be injected with a powerful burst of new life to even the playing field. The sixth film was simply a sign of the greatness ahead of us with Deathly Hallows: Part 1. I have doubts that Harry PotterDeathly Hallows: Part 2 will live up to that, but I remain as eagerly excited as before. This poster has an epic feeling to it that just screams conclusion. We're just a few months away now, and the tension is palpable.

Potter-Watch (45 of 77): Petunia's Farewell

Beyond simple fanaticism, I still believe that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is amongst the greatest films of 2010. My love for the epic fantasy has only grown with the subsequent months since I made my constantly self-correcting list of the best films of 2010, placing it currently around the #4 spot. There is such powerful storytelling at work that transcends anything the series has given us before. It's hard to believe that it could be an incomplete film, but a recently released deleted scene from the film featuring Aunt Petunia saying goodbye to Privet Drive makes me wish for an extended edit of the film. Either that or they replace Ron's relatively pointless standing bit at the beginning with this emotional farewell. Take a look below at this truly dynamic scene that widens the scope of the already epic beyond imagination finale. Special accolades for Fiona Shaw's wonderful final performance in the series.

To watch more, visit www.t5m.com

Potter-Watch (44 of 77): Reflections on the Mirror

Since nothing much has been going down recently concerning the impending Harry Potter finale, I feel it's a good idea to reflect on a few of the extraneous details of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 that make it one of my favorite films of 2010. At the start of the film, Harry is gazing into this mysterious shard of glass that is showing a reflection that isn't his. For the uninitiated in the series, this is indeed quite a mystery, especially if you haven't read the books. For the sake of the film series, lets disregard what actually happens in Rowling's literature and focus on the film at the moment. Harry takes the mirror out at several different points in the film, and in ways it can be seen as a dial to illustrate his state of mind.

In the beginning, when Harry is swallowed by depression over Dumbledore's death, he sees what appears to be the image of his old headmaster. Much later on in the film, after Ron has left and his wand is broken, Harry stares into the shard out of desperation, and sees nothing but an empty room, showing just how alone he is in this fight. At the end of the film, it actually proves itself to be useful, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione are trapped in Malfoy Manor. Harry desperately takes the shard out of his sock, with Luna noting on how odd it is that he's carrying it around. In the reflection, he sees the man he saw in the beginning of the film, and cries out for help. Moments later his prayer is answered by a heroic house elf named Dobby, and we all know what happens from there. What we don't know is who was on the other side of the mirror, how did they know Dobby, how did Harry come to own the piece that he has, and will these questions be answered in the finale. Hopefully they will, because otherwise Steve Kloves makes the mistake of leaving out important and potentially emotional details. You can't fit everything into this saga, but you can try. And yes, that is a marvelous new image from the final film.