Warhorse

Tali: Warhorse is a period drama centered around different facets of WWI - from the English side, to the German trenches, to observers and everyone in between. However, the focus of the film is the horse (Joey) and its triumphant journey across Europe after it is sold to the army to pay for a failing farm. I was not at all interested in seeing this movie - I had heard it was a waste of two and a half hours (if it wasn't nominated for Best Picture I would never have given it a chance). I have to admit, however, that the film is not that bad. As a viewer you want for Joey to go on and eventually be reunited with his owner/pal. However I felt that the use of humour and mythology surrounding the horse (allowing it to 'speak' and response to the people actors) seemed a bit juvenille and distracting, which essentially took away from the epicness of the film. If it wasn't a Speilberg picture it wouldn't have been nominated. And what's with that goose?!?!

2012 Oscar Predictions and Winners!

Ladies and gentlemen.. we present to you our 2012 Oscar Winner Predictions!

Actress in a Leading Role: Glen Close (Albert Nobbs), Viola Davis (The Help), Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Meryl Streep (Iron Lady), Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)
à Tali: my heart belongs to Rooney Mara but I pick Michelle Williams
à Leo: Meryl Streep or Michelle Williams……I’ll take the latter.
à WINNER: Meryl Streep

Actor in a Leading Role: Demian Bichir (A Better Life), George Clooney (The Descendants), Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
à Tali: George Clooney
à Leo: Jean Dujardin or George Clooney…..I’ll take the former.
à WINNER: Jean Dujardin

Animated Feature Film: A Cat in Paris, Chico and Rita, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots, Rango
à Tali: Puss in Boots
à Leo: Rango
à WINNER: Rango

Directing: The Arist (Michel Hazanavicius), The Descendants (Alexander Payne), Hugo (Martin Scorsese), Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen), the Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)
à Tali: Martin Scorsese
à Leo: Hugo
à WINNER: Michel Hazanavicius

Music (Original Song): Man or Muppet (The Muppets), Real in Rio (Rio)
à Tali: are you kidding? THE MUPPETS!!!
à Leo: The Muppets
à WINNER: MUPPETS!!!!!!!!! But why didnt they perform???

Writing (Adapted Screenplay): The Descendants, Hugo, The Ides of March, Moneyball, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
à Tali: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
à Leo: The Descendants or Hugo….
à WINNER: The Descendants

Actress in a Supporting Role: Berenice Bejo (The Artist), Jessica Chastain (The Help), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs), Octavia Spencer (The Help)
à Tali: Octavia Spencer (eat her shit)
à Leo: Octavia Spencer
à WINNER: Octavia Spencer (we ate her shit up)

Actor in a Supporting Role: Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Nick Nolte (Warrior), Christopher Plummer (Beginners), Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)
à Tali: Christopher Plummer
à Leo: Nick Nolte
à WINNER: Christopher Plummer

Best Picture: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, Tree of Life, War Horse
à Tali: The Artist
à Leo: fuck all these movies except for Hugo, but my money is on The Artist.
à WINNER: The Artist

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Tali: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (ELIC) follows the trials and tribulations of Oscar, an ecentric (and likely autistic) boy who lost his father in 9/11 and attempts to make sense and order out of chaos and confusion. The film attempts to make 9/11 and its effects a personal manner, rather than focusing on the event as a national tragedy. As a result, I found myself not feeling as overwelmed - mostly due to the nature of Oscar; I found him quite annoying and almost too bratty to be given any sympathy. Not to sound heartless, but the film made me cry a heck of a lot less than I was expecting. Sandra Bullock delivers as usual, but is overshadowed by Thomas Horn (Oscar) whose otherwise crazy behavior often overshadows the depth and despair of the other characters. Politics and manners will make this a contender for Best Picture. Not the worst film, but definitely not all it could have been.

Tree of Life

Tali: Tree of Life is the non-linear story of Jack O'Brian's (Sean Penn's) emotional and sometimes painful childhood. The film evoked powerful emotions and a sincere desire to see the boy through his darkest days and to help him get through the difficulties of masculine pressures and an overbearing father. The boy actor who plays Penn's younger self is amazing and a pleasure to watch and he should be in the Best Supporting Actor Category over Jonah Hill any day. Although a beautiful film, the latter storyline is intercepted by a different yet simultaneous story - the tale of the beginnings of the universe and life on Earth. Although marvelous and stunning visuals (and some excellent old fashioned effects), I felt like I was watching an IMAX documentary about dinosaurs... and was not too pleased that this interrupted my otherwise very well done film.

The Help

Tali: The Help - set in 1960's Missippi - follows a young white aspiring writer as she befriends 'the help' - the African American maids who have serviced her family and most other affluent white American's in the region for generations. I was skeptical about this film - friends in feminist circles deemed it a, "white washed and sometimes racist depiction of history." The film has all the potential in the world to be a heartfelt and honestly story about the realities of race relations in the deep south. Although never offended by any of the content, the film falls flat and focuses more so on the personal development of the white characters rather than seeing any sort of deeper emotion in the main black characters (which is such a shame! There was so much potential for something to errupt; a love and friendship similar to The Colour Purple, but fails to even reach that class of storytelling). Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer steal the show and deserve recognition for their amazing performances.