Should I Watch These? Oscars 2012

I remember a year when the nominees were announced I had seen all of the films except the one's which had yet to be released. This year, not so.

From whittiling out the films I have seen, I can see a list of films that - for the most part - I don't want to see. Tree of Life I have just purchased on Amazon, so its only a matter of time with that bad boy. The Descendants hasn't been released in the UK - and I will watch it when it is released. And I guess its inevitable that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be viewed. But everything else, I could easily argue my reasons against.

But can you convince me? I have edited down all the nominee's to only the film's I haven't seen. So, according to my list, I only have four Best Picture nominations ...

If you scan down the list to the other categories - and it seems that for Original Score and Best Art Direction I am all over them - you will see the films and actor nominated which I know nothing about, as I have not seen the film.

Which of these should I be making a real effort to hunt down? Which of these are worth finding at a matinee, at a cinema on the other side of London, purely to 'tick-off' on the list of Films-to-see-in-2011? I have roughly one-month to make the effort!

Best Picture:
THE DESCENDANTS
EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE
THE HELP
MONEYBALL

Best Director:
Alexander Payne, THE DESCENDANTS
 Terrence Malick, THE TREE OF LIFE

Best Actress:
Viola Davis, THE HELP
Meryl Streep, THE IRON LADY
Glenn Close, ALBERT NOBBS
Rooney Mara, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Best Actor:
George Clooney, THE DESCENDANTS
Brad Pitt, MONEYBALL
Demian Bichir, A BETTER LIFE

Best Supporting Actress:
Octavia Spencer, THE HELP
Jessica Chastain, THE HELP
Janet McTeer, ALBERT NOBBS

Best Supporting Actor:
Christopher Plummer, BEGINNERS
Jonah Hill, MONEYBALL
Nick Nolte, WARRIOR
Max Von Sydow, EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

Best Original Screenplay:
MARGIN CALL
A SEPARATION

Best Adapted Screenplay:
THE DESCENDANTS
MONEYBALL
THE HELP
THE IDES OF MARCH

Best Animtaed Feature:
A CAT IN PARIS
KUNG FU PANDA 2
PUSS IN BOOTS
RANGO

Best Foreign Language Feature:
BULLHEAD
FOOTNOTE
IN DARKNESS
MONSIEUR LAZHAR
A SEPARATION

Best Cinematography:
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
THE TREE OF LIFE

Best Editing:
THE DESCENDANTS
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
MONEYBALL

Best Art Direction:

As an Art teacher, I am quite proud I watched all of these. Says something about what type of film I am attracted to!

Best Costume:
ANONYMOUS
JANE EYRE

I told you W.E. would get something for this!

Best Make-Up:
ALBERT NOBBS
THE IRON LADY

Best Original Score:

I also love music and film scores - purchasing The Adventures of Tintin too! Again, I think this represents me a little.

Best Original Song:
“Man or a Muppet”, THE MUPPETS
“Real in Rio” RIO

Best Sound Mixing:
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
MONEYBALL
TRANSFORMERS: THE DARK OF THE MOON

Best Sound Editing:
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
TRANSFORMERS: THE DARK OF THE MOON

Best Visual Effects
REAL STEEL
TRANSFORMERS: THE DARK OF THE MOON

Best Documentary Feature:
HELL AND BACK AGAIN
IF A TREE FALLS
PARADISE LOST 3
PINA
UNDEFEATED

Best Documentary Short:
THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM
INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD
SAVING FACETHE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

Best Animated Short:
DIMANCHE
THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. LESSMORE
LA LUNA
A MORNING STROLL
WILD LIFE

Best Live Action Short:
PENTACOST
RAJU
THE SHORE
TIME FREAK
TUBA ATLANTIC

A-Z #84: Gladiator

You can pick up hundreds of DVDs for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. It's never about quantity, it's about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and understanding why I own the films ... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#84 - Gladiator

Why did I buy it?

 

I didn't see it at the cinema. I know, I know, it's one of those films you must have seen at the cinema, but alas, I did not. But as an employee of Woolworths, on the Entertainment counter, I saw a huge bunch of people buy this on its release. I was a little shocked that I was not more aware of it and bought it, without having seen it... and boy was it good.

Why do I still own it?

Sarah loves it and I do think its great. The sheer scale of the film is incredible - especially my favourite gladiatoral match with the tigers. I didn't even know who Russell Crowe was at the time - though, in fairness, when I finished watching the film, it was Joaquin Phoenix that I remembered vividly. The thing is, I have had this film for a long time, in the hope that it'd be worth buying the Director's Cut but - as you have seen from my post on Donnie Darko - sometimes the directors cut simply ain't no good! Has anyone seen it? Which one is better? It's an incredible film and to think that Ridley Scott also made Blade Runner and Alien simply shows how talented the man is.

The LAST Simon and Jo Film Show: 27/02/2011 Danny Boyle's 'Frankenstein' and Drive Angry

Unfortunately, The Simon and Jo Film Show has now transmitted it's last podcast. Over 70 episodes, 5 Bourne Brain Baffler's, 5 London Film Festival podcasts, 2 special editions (to see the episode-list click here) and here we are with a final episode.

We record live from outside the National Theatre and, indeed, it does get windy - so apologies for that. But, no film news or box-office this week simply discussion on the National Theatre's production of 'Frankenstein' directed by Danny Boyle and starring Johnny Lee Miller (Trainspotting) and Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC's Sherlock Holmes TV series). Details about the cinema-release of this play is here.

We then run through our Oscar-picks and what we think may win, only to finish with a visit to the club and then review Drive Angry starring Nicholas Cage, Amber Herd and William Fichtner.

The blog will still be running but, alas, the end has come to a podcast which we have always enjoyed making and thank all our listeners for putting up with our ramblings and banter!

Links

Facebook-er of the week is Luke Owen who writes for Flickering Myth and created 'The Collecters Room' and can now be found on IMDB.

Twitter-er of the week is Jeff Brandt - aka jtbrandt23

Blog of the Week is Top 10 Films, run by Dan.

Thanks to listeners who have always supported us, namely:

Mad Hatter at The Dark of the Matinee

Fletch/Mr Cabin/Dylan at Blog Cabins

Shannon the Movie Moxie

Rachel from Rachels Reel Reviews

Liam Crosbie

Jon at Spendor Cinema/Duke of Yorks, Brighton
Scott and Whitney from Frankly, My Dear

Nick at Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob

Travis at The Movie Encylopedia

Every listener at Flickering Myth

Tom from Reviews by Tom 

Our favourite cinemas in London:

The Ritzy, Brixton

Clapham Picturehouse

Duke of Yorkes, Brighton

Curzon Soho

Curzon Mayfair

Barbican Centre

BFI Southbank

Music

To go off with a bang and, as there is no music available for 'Frankenstein', I have picked my favourite tracks by Underworld - one of my favourite artists - who also composed the score for the 'Frankenstein' production at the National Theatre.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #21: Ben-Hur

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films... or you can tell me whether I should sell 'em...

#21 - Ben-Hur 

Why did I buy it?

A few reasons which, if you are reading these points, no doubt you will gather - first up, the most successful Best Picture Oscar winner. It won 11 Academy Awards and was only matched 48 years later by Titanic and then a few years after that by The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Fact is, it has never been topped.

Secondly, my brother - the Bangor/Bath Rep - and I have always joked about this film. It felt like, when we were younger, our Saturday and Sunday afternoons were plagued by this film taking over the family TV. Unlike the kids of today, we had our NES set-up in the lounge so everything had to be shared ... but ultimately Dad chose what was on TV and, if Ben-Hur was on, there was no way we would sit there for four-hours until he was finished. We would simply remain gutted and leave the room - potentially setting up our NES with the crappy black-and-white TV. Duck Hunt was no fun on the blac-and-white TV. [Second] Fact is, I never sat and watched the whole thing - though we would mock my Dad endlessly for it - so I knew I had to at some point... and by purchasing this sweet, 4-DVD boxset, I knew that I would eventually watch it...

Why do I still own it?

The Best Picture point still stands. Sarah and I watched it over a weekend - 2-hours Sunday and 2-hours Saturday - when we lived in Finchley, North London. Personally, I love the Jesus Christ parrallel story - how, rather than seeing God-as-man, we see, just a man who is broken down to nothing - ut is forced to stand up. The chariot-race is the stuff of legend and, I think there truly is something incredible about such a huge, epic story - I mean, I don't even think Gladiator is on such a huge scale: does Gladiator take on God himself? without even showing his face?

But you may disagree - shall I throw Ben-Hur to the lions?

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #9: American Beauty

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a buck each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films...

#9 - American Beauty

Why did I buy it?

The first time I watched this was when babysitting my niece (at the time she was a 1-year old ... now she is 10! That is nuts!) at my sisters house and she had this on her shelf. I knew very little about Oscar's but I think, as a teenage boy, a cover design with girl-from-American-Pie's belly button is always going to attract my attention. I watched it, nearly cried ("and my grandma's skin ... like paper..." sob sob) and could not believe how involved I got. I think, indirectly, my sister Helen's vague interest in film actually built up my own interest to some small extent.

Why do I still own it?

Because it is constantly rewatchable. Its not very long and the soundtrack is awesome (I additionally have both soundtracks - Thomas Newman's score alongside the pop tracks used - such as 'The Seeker' by The Who and 'All Right Now' by Free). I heard, on Filmspotting, a discussion about 'What Film Changed Your Life' and I think, having chosen this one, I think this is where my taste in film graduated from 'like' to 'love'. Not only was I so emotionally invested in the film by the closing credits - but I also thought it was so cool and yet profound. To be profound does not mean you have to be Plato - if you want Plato, go to The Matrix trilogy.

The simplicity of motif's in American Beauty roots it in a classical art form - the symbolism of youth in the rose petals is akin to the use of flowers in Botticelli's La Primavera.

Foolishly, this passion and enjoyment of the film spilled over into recommendation and my Mum - though fantastic, she is indeed Catholic - watched the film and felt otherwise. Some middle-aged man fantasizing about a school-girl is never going to be (a) profound or (b) artistic. It is merely seedy and immoral.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #7: Amadeus

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a buck each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films...

#7 - Amadeus

Why did I buy it?

Best Picture-a-thon as I have every intention of watching every Best Picture Oscar Winner ... ever. That really is about it.

Why do I still own it?

Because, despite the epic nature of the story, I think there is something fascinating about the envy, greed and friendship between the two composers - Salieri and Mozart. Don't get me wrong, maybe one day this will be moved out for a different period-biopic, but currently, this interesting biopic of Amadeus Mozart is a great insight into the madness, desire and personality (his bloody laugh) of an artist.

Additionally, though I have no intention of having all of Milos Formans films, it is nice that I have more than one - and Forman is one of those directors very few people know about (Well, maybe us Film Obsessives do - but Formans name is not up there with Scorsese, Coppola and Spielberg, despite some incredible films). So, with a certain air of arrogance, I can say things like "oh, well, if you like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest then you'll love something he made a short while after ... " and know what I'm talking about when I pull out Amadeus...

  

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.