Cinema Citadel

Picks and Predictions: Today is the Big Day

Sarah Star — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:39:10 +0000

Today is the day! Today is like my Superbowl, it’s the day of the Academy Awards! I am as giddy as a school girl today, the stars, the little gold men, the red carpet, it’s like crack to me! I can’t get enough! Over the last couple months I have given you an insight into many Oscar nominated movies and in my opinion this is the strongest year for film that I have seen in a very long time. In this post I will reveal to you my picks for the winners and who I predict will actually take home the Oscars. So tune in at 5pm PT on ABC to experience all the razzle dazzle, Mr. Hugh Jackman and to see if your favorite film will walk away with the highest honor in filmmaking.

First my Oscar predictions are:

Best Picture:

Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor:

Sean Penn

Best Actress:

Kate Winslet

Best Supporting Actor:

Heath Ledger

Best Supporting Actress:

Penelope Cruz

Best Director:

Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

Cinematography:

Slumdog Millionaire

Art Direction:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Original Screenplay:

Milk

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Slumdog Millionaire

Makeup:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Costume Design:

The Dutchess

Editing:

Slumdog Milionaire

Original Score:

Slumdog Millionaire

Original Song:

Jai ho from Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Editing:

The Dark Knight

Sound Mixing:

The Dark Knight

Visual Effects:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Animated Feature

Wall*E

Okay and now my picks for what I believe should win are:

Best Picture:

The Reader

Best Actor:

Sean Penn

Best Actress:

Angelina Jolie

Best Supporting Actor:

Heath Ledger

Best Supporting Actress:

Taraji P. Henson

Best Director:

Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

Cinematography:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Art Direction:

Changeling

Best Original Screenplay:

Milk

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Frost/Nixon

Makeup:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Editing:

Slumdog Millionaire

Original Score:

Slumdog Millionaire

Original Song:

Down To Earth from Wall*E

Sound Editing:
The Dark Knight

Sound Mixing:

The Dark Knight

Visual Effects:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Animated Feature

Wall*E

I hope you have enjoyed my Oscar coverage and if you have bets going, GOOD LUCK!!!

Peace.

Sarah Star

Slumdog Millionaire

Sarah Star — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:18:57 +0000

Slumdog Millionaire is one of the only “feel-good” type movies nominated for an Oscar and even this underdog tale has a lot of very emotional and heartfelt moments. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is an orphaned street kid who has landed an appearance on India’s version of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Jamal against amazing odds has exceeded expectations on the show by reaching a record number and the producers, suspect him of cheating and alert the police. Jamal is then arrested and is brutally interrogated by the inspectors. As the interrogation progresses, Jamal’s story is told through vexing flashbacks that show his troubled childhood and also explain how he knows the answers to the questions asked of him on the show. Slumdog Millionaire is a beautifully woven story both by director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy. Dev Patel gives a mature and affecting performance, all of the virtually unknown actors are at the top of their game. This film is beautiful in so many ways and deserves the credit it has received this award season. This film is available in MoPix and I strongly suggest using it for there are a lot of subtitles throughout the film. Slumdog Millionaire is a must see and will keep you thinking long after the credits role.

Nominated for:

Best Picture

Best Director: Danny Boyle

Cinematography

Film Editing

Music (Score)

Best Song: Jai Ho

Best Song: O Saya

Sound Editing

Sound Mixing

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Could have also been nominated for:

Art Direction

(Fox Searchlight)

Starring: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor and Saurabh Shukla

Rated: R

Running Time: 120 mins

This film is currently available in MoPix

The Visitor

Sarah Star — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:25:44 +0000

Like the previous Oscar winner Crash, The Visitor is a story about how just one person can change your life. In this superlative, emotional film; Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) is a sixty two year old economics professor living in Connecticut, who has lost his passion for teaching and writing and is trying different things to fill the deep void in his life. When his college sends him into Manhattan to attend a conference, he decides to stay in his apartment in the city, to his surprise he finds a young couple who through a real estate scam have taken up residence. The young couple Tarek (Haaz Sleiman), a Syrian man, and Zainab (Danai Gurira), a Senegalese woman have nowhere else to go and being the gracious man he is, Walter decides to let the couple stay with him until they find somewhere else to go, grateful for Walters kindness Tarek, a talented musician insists on teaching him how to play the African drum. Through the instrument’s energetic rhythms Walter finds strength in his wavering spirit. The friendship between these two men deepens through the lively world of jazz clubs and Central Park drum circles, until one day when Tarek is arrested in a Subway station as an illegal immigrant and held for deportation. Walter is compelled to help his new friend with a passion he had long ago lost, through these new found friendships with these strangers Walter is awakened to world he has never known. This script is brilliantly penned, heartfelt and passionate. Richard Jenkins gives an award-worthy performance and director Tom McCarthy achieves the perfect blend of compassion and love. Some moments in the movie may be hard to follow, a lot is said through emotions shown in these tremendous actors faces. This film is available on DVD and watch instantly on NetFlix so grab a sighted friend and prepare to be enlightened.

Nominated for:

Best Actor: Richard Jenkins

Could have also been nominated for:

Best Picture

Best Director : Tom McCarthy

Best Original Screenplay

(Overture Films)
Starring: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman and Danai Gurira
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 108 mins
This film is currently NOT available in MoPix

Frozen River

Sarah Star — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:53:51 +0000

First time director Courtney Hunt’s Frozen River is a tale of two women from different walks of life, driven by financial hardships to form an unlikely partnership smuggling illegal immigrants across the Canadian border. Ray (Melissa Leo), is a struggling mother of two boys, who works at a dollar store and lives in a trailer home park in upstate New York. When Ray’s husband runs off with the money that is to be used as payments for the families new doublewide trailer, her life begins to spiral into a financial tailspin. While searching for her deadbeat husband Ray encounters Lila (Misty Upham), a Mohawk Indian from an area reservation who had stolen her husbands abandoned car from the bus station. Ray soon learns of Lila’s smuggling operation through a non police patrolled area of the Mohawk territory, the frozen St. Lawrence River, and out of necessity they form an uneasy alliance. As the film wears on, the tension builds, for Ray trying to make the final payments on her new home and for Lila attempting to earn enough money to redeem herself to her in-laws to get her child back. It is as story about two completely different women who find common ground while struggling through an unforgiving economy. Unfortunately, a truly compelling storyline is lacking in this film and there is very little dialogue to help the visually impaired keep up. Melissa Leo’s performance was very gritty and real, however does not hold up to the magnitude of the other nominees.

Nominated for:

Best Actress: Melissa Leo

(Sony Classics)
Starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott and James Reilly
Rated: R
Running Time: 96 mins
This film is currently NOT available in MoPix

Milk

Sarah Star — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:32:32 +0000

Gus Van Sant brings this tragic true story to life once more in an emotionally artistic way. In 1977 San Francisco, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) was elected to the Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into public office in America. This is not just a story about gay rights, it is a story about human rights, and fighting for what you believe in and never giving up on what is right. Harvey Milk formed alliances across the political and citizen spectrum. From teachers to senior citizens, from hippies to the Mayor of San Francisco (Victor Garber), Harvey Milk changed history and the very nature of what it means to be an advocate for human rights. Milk dissects the last 8 years of Harvey Milk’s life, while living in New York City Harvey turns 40 and feeling as though he has accomplished very little, he wants to find better purpose in his life, so him and his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) move to San Francisco where they open a small business called Castro Camera. With the support of his working class business neighbors and the beautiful city of San Francisco empowering him Milk begins to become an agent for change. With help from Scott and a young drifter Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) Milk dives headfirst into the heavy political scene. Reinforcing his public appeal with his witty humor Milk’s actions begin to reach many people who are looking for change and hope and chance at equal rights. When Milk is finally elected supervisor, he tries to bring together his efforts with another newly elected Supervisor, Dan White (Josh Brolin). As White and Milk’s political agendas continue to deviate it brings about catastrophic and tragic events. Sean Penn gives one of the best performances of his career and by far deserves more then an Oscar for this amazing transformation into a beloved historical figure. With supporting actors like James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna and Victor Garber under the flawless direction of Gus Van Sant and the moving original screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, Milk proves to be a definite top contender for Best Picture of the year. This film offers plenty of dialogue as well as a narration from Harvey Milk and should be very easy for the visually impaired to followed, it is still playing at some theatres and should be on DVD shortly. It’s a definite must see.

Nominated for:

Best Picture

Best Actor: Sean Penn

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin

Costume Design

Director: Gus Van Sant

Film Editing

Music

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Could have also been nominated for:

Art Direction

Best Supporting Actor: James Franco

(Focus Features)
Starring: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Deigo Luna and Victor Garbor
Rated: R
Running Time: 128 mins
This film is currently NOT available in MoPix