So, here are my reviews--in no particular order--of the 9 Best Picture nominees that we did see:
Black Swan:
Natalie Portman is genius in her portrayal of a prima ballerina. I loved how vulnerable she seemed, even when fighting against external and internal forces. Mila Kunis is great at being a villainous character, and I really think that she's going to have a strong career ahead of her.
Inception:
Having seen this movie so many months ago, my memories are hazier than on most of these. That being said, I think this movie stayed with me for much longer than most other Best Picture nominees this year. I think that Christopher Nolan did an amazing job at creating a screenplay that seemed slightly plausible, even while your intelligence fights against the idea. After watching this movie, I caught myself trying to remember dreams and analyze them more than I had in the past. Leo DiCaprio was wonderful in the movie, but Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Leavitt were the show-stoppers for me.
The Social Network:
Blake and I avoided this movie for so long. Actually, it wasn't until his mom bought it for him for his birthday that we finally decided to watch it. I guess we were really uninterested in watching a movie about Facebook and how it came to be. Blake's never been big into FB anyway, so his aversion to this movie was totally understandable. However, once we watched it, I was struck by how believable Jesse Eisenberg was in his portrayal of Zuckerberg (especially after seeing interviews with the actual Zuckerberg). It was a good movie, but not Best Picture Winner caliber.
The Fighter:
I've loved this movie since the buzz first started around it. I was astounded to find out that Mark Wahlberg trained for 4 years while trying to get this movie made, even moving one of the real life people (Dicky Ecklund) into his house to help him train. These details and more caused me to think Marky Mark was going to run away with the movie when I finally saw it. However, about 20 minutes into the movie, it's painfully obvious that Christian Bale is going to steal the show and run for the hills with it. Emaciated and looking like he truly developed a drug habit for the role, I was astounded at the believablity of his performance.
The Kids Are All Right:
Blake and I just watched this movie this past week. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it, due to my intense hatred for Annette Bening (not sure why, but I've never ever liked her). I was totally wrong. This movie was perfect. It was a great movie for any family who has gone through family struggles. Everyone was great in this movie, including Annette.
The King's Speech:
MY FAVORITE MOVIE OF THE YEAR. Colin Firth is my King. Seriously though, I can't downplay my excitement over this movie. Geoffrey Rush is amazing in this movie. I was surprised, because while watching the movie, it was hard for me to remember that these people were actors, and not the actual royal family.
Toy Story 3:
I can't watch this movie without crying... EVERY TIME. Blake and Carter make fun of me when we watch it, but as a mother, it's almost impossible to not tear up at the end of the movie. I know that Disney/Pixar aren't planning on doing another Toy Story full-length feature film, but they are releasing two short films this year, so we can still get a fix of our favorite talking toys!
True Grit:
I knew that this was a remake (in a way) but since I'd never seen the original film, I wasn't biased. I thought that Hailee Steinfeld made a name for herself in her very first film. She commanded every scene she was in, which is (I'm assuming) what the Coen Bros. were hoping for. Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon's scenes together were wonderful and hilarious at the same time, which only served to make this another great movie pick for Best Picture.
Winter's Bone:
We watched this film during the gigantic ice storm that hit us this January. The weather outside felt as chilly as this film did. It just didn't... click with me. There is not one positive moment in this movie...at all. I just wasn't a fan.
My other Oscar picks:
Actor in a Leading Role: Colin Firth
Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bale
Actress in a Leading Role: Natalie Portman
Actress in a Supporting Role: Melissa Leo
Directing: The Social Network
Blake and I will be cozying up on the couch tonight to enjoy all of the Oscar festivities!!
