2012 Oscar Predictions

It's only October, but here's my early take on predictions.

-Best Picture-
01. The Artist
02. The Descendants
03. J. Edgar
04. War Horse
05. The Help
06. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
07. Midnight in Paris
08. The Tree of Life
09. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
10. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

-Best Director-
01. Stephen Daldrey, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
02. Alexander Payne, The Descendants
03. Steven Spielberg, War Horse
04. Clint Eastwood, J. Edgar
05. Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

-Best Actor in a Leading Role-
01. George Clooney, The Descendants
02. Jean Dujardin, The Artist
03. Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
04. Gary Oldman, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
05. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50

-Best Actress in a Leading Role-
01. Viola Davis, The Help
02. Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
03. Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
04. Elzabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
05. Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

-Best Actor in a Supporting Role-
01. Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
02. Albert Brooks, Drive
03. Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
04. Christopher Plummer, Beginners
05. Armie Hammer, J. Edgar

-Best Actress in a Supporting Role-
01. Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
02. Octavia Spencer, The Help
03. Sandra Bullock, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
04. Jessica Chastain, The Help
05. Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method

Drive

Remember when video stores were insanely popular? I spent most of my youth renting VHS tapes from them. I would mostly rent cheap slashers, but every once in a while I would rent films like Escape from New York (1981), The Terminator (1984), Blade Runner (1982), and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). These movies were dark, menacing, and stylish - movies that are in a genre of their own, 80's noir. Drive feels like one of those movies.

Prior to seeing this flick, I was expecting some high-octane blockbuster featuring sexy star of the moment, Ryan Gosling. I got the opposite. Drive is a slow-moving, noir-ish throwback to the films I mentioned above. Gosling delivers a white-hot performance that smolders on screen. You cannot take your eyes off of him. It's an hypnotic joyride you don't ever want to stop.

This film has a pretty bare bones plot. Ryan Gosling plays a nameless character that only goes by Driver in the end credits. He's a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for the LA crime world. He gets involved with his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and becomes attached to her and her son. Things go awry when he gets involved with the mob and, of course, conflict ensues. Despite the unoriginal plotline, the acting is tour de force. Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, and Christina Hendricks all shine in their limited roles. Even Hellboy's Ron Perlman permeates on screen. The first fifteen minutes are probably one of the best opening sequences I've ever seen.

The real star of the movie is the direction of the Danish Nicolas Winding Refn, who takes everything he's seen in those early 80's noir films and splashes them all over this film. Some may say this film falls in the "style over substance" category, but I assure, this film is mesmerizing - like a drug you want to OD on. The film also supplies a razor sharp soundtrack and score. Synth-heavy melodic songs that provide a haunting feel to Drive.

This film feels like one of those lost 80's classics you see late on television. You have totally forgotten about them, but once you revisit them, you're instantly hooked. The LA sunset that shines through the palm trees become a familiar place, despite ever being there.

10/10

Skateland

In the midst of all the current teen flair, it’s nice to see a throwback film that you don’t really have to think too much about. While lacking in originality, the performances, art direction, score, music selection, and cinematography are all quite nice. Skateland has a familiar storyline about coming of age in the early 1980’s. Shiloh Fernandez (Red Riding Hood) plays Ritchie Wheeler, a twentysomething who manages a roller rink appropriately named Skateland. His goals are put on hold to the dismay of his family and on and off girlfriend Michelle (Ashley Greene, Twilight). His life consists of partying with his friends, driving around, and working at the faux-utopian roller rink.

When his best friend, Brent (an excellent Heath Freeman – also writer and producer), comes back to town, Ritchie starts to reconsider his life. There might be more to life than just living the lazy teenage dream. Unexpected tragedies ensue giving the film some much needed conflict – the film has a slow pace the first half of the film, but quickly picks up, thankfully. The only real beef I had with the film was the title selection. It’s called Skateland, yet it’s only shown onscreen for a few scenes. Not a total deal breaker, but that surprised me, especially since the atmosphere of the place was flawless and felt dream-like when it was shown.

We’ve all seen Skateland before, with major influences from Dazed and Confused, American Graffiti, and the recent Adventureland (hmm, similar title). But if you enjoy those films, you will enjoy this one. If you’re looking for something new, then I suggest checking something else out. Fernandez, Greene, and Freeman all shine in their roles and give us something real and natural – something not seen much in the teen films of today. The music in this film is like an 80’s mixtape that is sure to provoke some nostalgia. Not a complete gem, but a good way to spend a Friday night. 7/10

My Top 100 Artists of All Time

1. The Police
2. Led Zeppelin
3. Van Halen
4. Nirvana
5. The Replacements
6. Joy Division
7. The Killers
8. Queen
9. Boston
10. Journey
11. The Cranberries
12. The Doors
13. The Beach Boys
14. White Lies
15. Madonna
16. Kings of Leon
17. Fleetwood Mac
18. Bruce Springsteen
19. The Bravery
20. The Cure
21. Ramones
22. Lady Gaga
23. Janis Joplin
24. The Beatles
25. New Order
26. Mazzy Star
27. Kate Bush
28. ABBA
29. Alanis Morrissette
30. Jackson Browne
31. Black Sabbath
32. Heart
33. Rush
34. Paramore
35. Tina Turner
36. Pink Floyd
37. Coldplay
38. Michael Jackson
39. Johnny Cash
40. Paul McCartney
41. Blue Oyster Cult
42. Taking Back Sunday
43. Jefferson Airplane
44. Elton John
45. INXS
46. Hole
47. Oasis
48. Credence Clearwater Revival
49. Phil Collins
50. John Lennon
51. The Cars
52. Rilo Kiley
53. Radiohead
54. Our Lady Peace
55. Beyonce
56. Jewel
57. Neon Trees
58. Britney Spears
59. Sigur Ros
60. Janet Jackson
61. Vampire Weekend
62. Carrie Underwood
63. Florence + the Machine
64. Thirty Seconds to Mars
65. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
66. Alice Cooper
67. Green Day
68. The Runaways
69. Interpol
70. Eminem
71. Alicia Keys
72. Weezer
73. Blondie
74. Foo Fighters
75. The Rolling Stones
76. Best Coast
77. Deathcab for Cutie
78. Lynyrd Skynyrd
79. Pearl Jam
80. Aerosmith
81. M.I.A.
82. Miranda Lambert
83. ‘Til Tuesday
84. Genesis
85. Phoenix
86. Elvis Presley
87. The Sounds
88. The Smiths
89. Adele
90. Rod Stewart
91. Band of Horses
92. Robyn
93. Amy Winehouse
94. Mumford & Sons
95. Lykke Li
96. Eddie Money
97. Tom Petty
98. TLC
99. Electric Light Orchestra
100. Patsy Cline

My Top 100 Movies of All Time

100. Blue Velvet (1986)
099. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
098. All About Eve (1950)
097. American Graffiti (1973)
096. My Girl (1991)
095. The Exorcist (1973)
094. Stand by Me (1986)
093. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
091. Sixteen Candles (1984)
090. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
089. Election (1999)
088. Toy Story (1995)
087. Super 8 (2011)
086. The Terminator (1984)
085. World Trade Center (2006)
084. Lucas (1986)
083. Casino (1995)
082. The Fighter (2010)
081. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
080. Blow (2001)
079. Uncle Buck (1989)
078. Pulp Fiction (1995)
077. Changeling (2008)
076. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
075. Mask (1985)
074. Junebug (2005)
073. Rachel Getting Married (2008)
072. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
071. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
070. Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
069. Adventureland (2009)
068. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
067. Batman Returns (1992)
066. Spider-Man (2001)
065. Finding Nemo (2003)
064. Saved! (2004)
063. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
062. Ordinary People (1980)
061. Private Benjamin (1980)
060. Inception (2010)
059. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
058. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2009)
057. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
056. Closer (2004)
055. The Social Network (2010)
054. Cool Hand Luke (1969)
053. The House of the Devil (2009)
052. Batman (1989)
051. The Sixth Sense (1999)
050. District 9 (2009)
049. Alien (1979)
048. Up (2009)
047. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
046. Vertigo (1958)
045. Jaws (1975)
044. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
043. Beauty & the Beast (1991)
042. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
041. Psycho (1960)
040. Black Swan (2010)
039. Superman: The Movie (1978)
038. Blue Valentine (2010)
037. Clueless (1995)
036. Zodiac (2007)
035. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
034. In the Loop (2009)
033. Girl, Interrupted (1999)
032. Match Point (2005)
031. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
030. Elizabethtown (2005)
029. Silkwood (1983)
028. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
027. Heathers (1988)
026. Up in the Air (2009)
025. The Dark Knight (2008)
024. The Shining (1980)
023. Thirteen (2003)
022. East of Eden (1955)
021. Pleasantville (1998)
020. Dazed and Confused (1993)
019. Vanilla Sky (2001)
018. (500) Days of Summer (2009)
017. Mean Girls (2004)
016. Juno (2007)
015. Giant (1956)
014. Jerry Maguire (1996)
013. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
012. Garden State (2004)
011. Boogie Nights (1997)
010. Scream (1996)
009. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
008. Wall-E (2008)
007. The Breakfast Club (1985)
006. Halloween (1978)
005. Gone with the Wind (1939)
004. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
003. Milk (2008)
002. Walk the Line (2005)
001. Almost Famous (2000)

I Like Twilight

The Twilight saga (series, books, movies, whatever) may be the biggest pieces of shit the entertainment world has ever seen. But I like the series. It's teen fluff, which I enjoy. And Stephanie Meyer may be a hack, but I give her some balls for changing the lore of the vampire and werewolf world into her own. I've compiled a list of reasons why I enjoy it, despite the haters.

1. Kristen Stewart. Her stoner-eyed girl next door awkward approach is something to be seen on screen. This girl is hilarious.
2. The soundtracks to the films.
3. Catherine Handwicke's direction for the first film in the series. The color, the atmosphere, the lighting, and score make it look like a lost teen angst classic.
4. Robert Pattinson's brooding appearance.
5. The escapism. I guess you can that about any fantasy story, but this one really sucks you in, no pun intended.
6. The backstories in "Eclipse". Meyer becomes a completely different writer when you come across the origin stories of Rosalie and Jasper - actually some of the best pieces of writing I've read, truth be told.
7. Dakota Fanning. She's just...awesome.
8. The horror movie feel of "Eclipse". After the snoozefest that was "New Moon", "Eclipse" knocked me on my ass with it's direction and completely different feel.
9. Taylor Launter's body. Yeah, I said it.
10. The feeling of reassurance after reading one of the books, or watching one of the movies. Don't ask.

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