Ladies and gentlemen you will soon find that I am a film nut. I am especially fascinated with the idea of film awards, and I always have been as long as I can remember. I remember the first Oscar ceremony I ever watched was in 1991 when Silence of the Lambs won best picture, and ever since then I was intrigued by what constituted "best picture" and why awards giving bodies like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the organization that awards the Oscar) prefer certain films over others. I truly believe that film is one of the most powerful art mediums. In so many ways, I look at film as looking into a mirror and seeing a reflection of our society at any given time. Take for example the popular films of this year, films like Wall-E, that is really in so many ways is an attack on mass consumerism, and to those that could care less about mankind's continuing destruction of our beautiful earthly home, it indeed is a stern warning. I also think of what was probably the most popular year so far, The Dark Knight, perhaps the darkest film yet from the bat franchise. It is a film that is a call for justice in dark and uncertain times and that explores conflicting emotions inside us all. Awards, especially the Oscars, in my opinion, really give the viewer a look into what the public psyche is at any given time. As you observe the films that are nominated for awards and that win awards, it gives you a sense of what concerns society and what society values at that particular point in history. Take for example the films of the 1940s that took home the big prize, especially during the early-40s, films like Casablanca, Mrs. Miniver, and The Best Years of Our Lives. All of these films were dark indeed, really capturing the feeling of the World War II era in America and around the world. At any rate, this year looks like it will be offering up challenging and thought provoking films down to the very final week of the year. Awards season actually officially kicks off when the National Board of Review announces their winners, and that day is today. This year's winner, and now front runner, is Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire. This is a film that I have actually been anticipating for a while, and I am very happy to see the enthusiastic reviews it has already been getting. The following is Fox Searchlight's summary of what the film is about, for those of you that are hearing about it for the first time..."The story of Jamal Malik (Patel), an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika (Pinto), the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions. Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show? When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out. At the heart of its exuberant storytelling lies the intriguing question of how anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love."
Ladies and gentlemen, the story sounds like one for the ages, and I'm so excited to see a non-Bollywood, serious, thoughtful film taking place in Mumbai, which incidentally is the scene of the latest heinous act of terrorism. The film actually opens in Midtown Atlanta tomorrow at the Tara. Along with Slumdog Millionaire, some other films that I am eagerly anticipating are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, and I would say that Frost/Nixon is my most anticipated film of the year because (1) Frank Langella is one of my favorite actors, and unfortunately so few people are familiar with his masterful work on-screen, and (2) I am ready to see any quality film that takes place during the Cold War era, and this one has been getting stunning reviews from those that have seen it pre-release. Below are the other winners from today's announcement...
• Best Film: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
• Best Director: DAVID FINCHER, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Best Actor: CLINT EASTWOOD, Gran Torino
• Best Actress: ANNE HATHAWAY, Rachel Getting Married
• Best Supporting Actor: JOSH BROLIN, Milk
• Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• Best Foreign Language Film: MONGOL
• Best Documentary: MAN ON WIRE
• Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
• Best Ensemble Cast: DOUBT
• Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: DEV PATEL, Slumdog Millionaire
• Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: DEV PATEL, Slumdog Millionaire
• Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: VIOLA DAVIS, Doubt
• Best Directorial Debut: COURTNEY HUNT, Frozen River
• Best Original Screenplay: NICK SCHENK, Gran Torino
• Best Adapted Screenplay: SIMON BEAUFOY, Slumdog Millionaire and ERIC ROTH, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Spotlight Award: MELISSA LEO, Frozen River and RICHARD JENKINS, The Visitor
• The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: TRUMBO
• Top Ten Films (aside from the winner):(In alphabetical order)
BURN AFTER READING
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
DEFIANCE
FROST/NIXON
GRAN TORINO
MILK
WALL-E
THE WRESTLER
• Top Five Foreign Language Films :(In alphabetical order)
EDGE OF HEAVEN
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
ROMAN DE GUERREA
SECRET
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
• Top Five Documentary Films(In alphabetical order)
AMERICAN TEEN
THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON)
DEAR ZACHARY
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED
Top 10 Independent Films of 2008:(In alphabetical order)
FROZEN RIVER
IN BRUGES
IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS
MR. FOE
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
SNOW ANGELS
SON OF RAMBOW
WENDY AND LUCY
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
THE VISITOR
FROZEN RIVER
IN BRUGES
IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS
MR. FOE
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
SNOW ANGELS
SON OF RAMBOW
WENDY AND LUCY
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
THE VISITOR
Just for the record, I am very happy to see that the National Board of Review awarded Mongol Best Foreign Language Film, even if the Whappeys did not this year (meh!). Be sure that I will be following the awards race very closely on the blog through the Oscars, and I look forward to following it with all of you. Next up: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards on Tuesday, December 9!
23 comments:
I saw Wall-E twice I loved it. I'm glad it's one of the top 10. And The Curious Case of Benjiman Button looks pretty good too but I'm not too crazy about Brad Pitt.
I think there was another bomb in Indira Ganthi Airport in New Dehli, India. IM not sure though, some lady said it was on the radio like an hour ago. Mr.Prill, can you confirm, I dont think its on the news yet.
P.S. ill be sure to put Slumdog MIllionaire on my list of movies to watch.
apparently two gunshots were said to be heard at the airport, but security forces were not able to find the source, and therefore the gunshots can't be confirmed. it shut things down for a bit and cause a little bit of a panic since everyone is a little on edge right now, but all is back to normal. no worries.
oh i thought it was a bomb.
I read what you said about Wall-E, and human's carelessness of the destruction of Earth. However, the only thing most people know about environment destruction is "global warming" which is infact a myth, green house gases don't destroy the environment, they stabilize it! I keep seeing this ad on clean coal, where it shows a wasteland, trying to show that there is no clean coal, and continuing to release green house gases with sources of fuel like coal and oil destroys the environment and the earth will becom a wasteland, which is not true. Clean coal is a smart piece of technology, especially since about 50% of American power is generated off of coal. Clean coal is simply adding water to coal to release Carbon Monoxide(syngas), Hydrogen gases, and Sulfur Dioxide, which can be reverted into solid sulfur. Syngas can turn gas turbines to produce electricity, and can also be converted to gasoline.
Also, you don't see anyone complaining about Compressed Natural Gas, which is 95% methane, a green house gas. It's not destroying the ozone or any nonsense. I know this doesn't really relate, but I wanted to throw this out there. Environment destruction is cutting down trees, and not replanting, but there are large organizations that try to help with these things.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! WALL-E! i love that movies. it's so cute.
ok so when i was looking through the lists..i realized i've never heard of most of thses movies. well ecpect for like 2. and now i want to go see that movie with Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married.
yeah i kinda wanna see rachel getting married, and believe it or not, i haven't seen wall-e yet, i can't wait to see it.
and is this awards thing like something on tv or the internet? or what?
YAY FOR WALL-E AND MONGOL~ NOw I think I'm going to watch it. I was kinda like ehhh when you were talking about it in class but if it one "Best Foreign Language Film" then it must be prettttty good.haha
Remember I'm a "squeamish viewer" isn't a wee bit battely....Just guessing since it is THE MONGOLs.
i dont think ive seen any of the movies on the list unfortunetly
but i really want to see changeling its seems good and must be because its on the list
why have i never heard of slumdog millionaire? i tend to hear about movies. i want to see wall-e. it looks really cute, and the curious case of benjamin button looked really interesting. so did the changeling.
i'll admit the only winners on that list that list (with the exception of the top ten list) that i plan on seeing is Thur Curious Case of Beniman Button and Milk. Milk i definently want to see since sean penn and james frasco are like amazing actors.
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE! i wanted to watch that movie so bad.. it sucks that it wont be out in any big movie theaters :/
I haven't heard of any of those movies besides rthe dark night. I imagine that India has increased it's airport security much like we did after sept 11
I never saw Wall-E but I liked most of the other Pixar movies so I'm sure it was good. I really want to see the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It looks like one of those strange but good movies.
:D
I am suprised that I have not heard of more of those! And I am extatic about seeing the curious case of ben. button!!! :D :D that is totally my kinda of story!
and slumdog millionare sounds fantastic! but I don't think anyone would want to go see it with me! my friends are boring!-jk. but u know what I mean! Almost knowone will watch Pan's Labrynth with me and it is one of my fav. movies, just because it is in spanish!
------ and AWESOME MASON! thank u for posting that
i LOVE pan's labyrinth miss gustufson... it's a story of immense dark beauty.
Go Dark Knight! That was an awesome movie.
Oh my goodness, I have not watched ANY of the films written above!!! I feel like I have been living in a cave!
Any weekend movie suggestion for me??
i certainly do miss chung. one of the films that was mentioned as one of the top 10 independent films of 2008 is "the visitor." the film is FANTASTIC, i HIGHLY recommend it.
wow!so many awesome movies...yay for wall-e because thats the only movie on the list that i even knew about! i haven't watched any of these, but they seem prety cool! one day i'll go to the theater and buy myself fifty tickets to go ad watch all of these! (JK) but still,cool!
haha thanks for this prill! I missed all the awards shows this year... yeah I loved Wall-E... but yeah thanks for this!
Bonjour Monsieur Prizzle, I wanted to inform you that I'm watching that movie "House of Saddam" on Channel 502, HBO. Part 1 of 2 part series. It just started, and it seems promising. It's much like these biopic series you'll see springing up on tv. Like Frost/Nixon. I'm gonna try to watch the whole thing, unlike the movie today. I was feeling sleepy near the beginning, and kept dozing off, but I saw most of it after I regained full consciousness. That was fun, but a little crowded. Hope we can do it again in the future, and I'm sure we will...
So, it is kinda sad that I read through this entire list and there are only like three movies I have even heard about this year, but I havent even seem any of them, and its not like I dont watch movies so, thats weird..
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