Friday, November 11, 2011

It’s Oscar Season!


This is the time of year that the studios roll out their Oscar contenders; oh sure, there will be some trite junk for sure (you can’t pay me to go see ‘Jack and Jill’), but for the most part, the upcoming slate of Oscar bound pictures is one of the strongest I have seen in some time. Sorry Twiheads, the new ‘Twilight’ movie did not make the list – when I do my clunker list, maybe then! So, here, in order of release date, is my list of Oscar contenders. Try and go see them and let me know what you think!

11/16: ‘The Descendants’ – George Clooney is Matt King, a husband and father on a tragic journey of discovery from Alexander Payne, who won an Oscar for ‘Sideways’. After his wife suffers a boating accident, Matt is left alone to deal with his two indifferent daughters and the revelation of his wife’s infidelity.  Early buzz, Clooney gives the performance of a career.

11/23: ‘Hugo’ – If anyone can make an Oscar worthy 3D movie, Martin Scorsese can! ‘Hugo’ is the story of an orphan living a secret life within the walls of a Paris train station where he becomes caught up in a magical and wondrous adventure. Based on the bestselling novel ‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’, this is Scorsese first attempt at a family film as well as a 3D film.

11/23: ‘A Dangerous Method’ – Can a movie that pits Carl Jung against Sigmund Freud possibly win an Oscar? With Michael Fassbender is Jung, Vigo Mortensen is Freud and Keira Knightley is the unbalanced yet seductive patient they are battling over, I think they have a good shot!

12/9: ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ – Based on the novel by John le Carre, Gary Oldman is back in rare form as George Smiley, a disgraced British spy who is bought back into the fold by his government during the height of the Cold War.

12/21: ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ – The first novel in author Stieg Larsson’s trilogy to be released by Columbia Pictures features David Fincher at the directing helm and Daniel Craig as an investigator looking into a mysterious death. While the trailers practically reveal the entire movie, anything from David Fincher has my vote! Be sure to try and Redbox the original Swedish version of the films!

12/25: ‘War Horse’ – Steven Spielberg ventures into war torn England and Europe during World War I for this study of the bond between a horse and a young boy in what is sure to be an emotionally charged as well as beautiful piece of film making.

12/25: ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’ – Oskar (a young and very talented Thomas Horn) is convinced that his father (Tom Hanks), who died in the 9/11 attacks, has left him a message hidden within the city. With a mother (Sandra Bullock) who has been distant and unapproachable since the loss of her husband, Oskar sets out on a journey of discovery and healing. Sure to strike an emotional cord along with Academy favorites Hanks and Bullock, this is sure to garner more than a few nominations.

12/30: ‘The Iron Lady’: Meryl Streep is back in this portrait of Margaret Thatcher, arguably one of the most powerful women of the 20th century and the only female Prime Minister of England. In a role perfectly suited for Streep, this could be the gold statue she has been waiting for.

There are a few more worth mentioning: ‘Garbo: The Spy’, ‘Rampart’, ‘Shame’, ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’, ‘Tin Tin’, ‘Albert Nobbs’, ‘We Bought a Zoo’ and ‘Shame’.  There are a few you may have missed as well, so either run out to Redbox or to the theater this weekend to catch these: ‘Moneyball’, ‘Drive’, ‘Anonymous’, and maybe ‘Ides of March’ although I thought that film could have been better.
I am going to be bringing back the Oscar contest as well this year – so you better study up!

2 comments:

Michelle Regan said...

Good rundown of the Oscar potentials, Bob.

Bob said...

Thanks!!! I am glad you enjoyed it!