'Tis The Season For Oscar Bait
Indded it is, the time of year when the studios are releasing so many movies they have Oscar hopes for, that they have to hold some of them back and give them only limited releases now, and wide releases next month. And both of the films in this column are prime examples. (By the way, I almost feel like apologizing for the relentlessly positive tone of these reviews for such a long time now. Since I tend to see most movies in second run discount houses and don't review those, the lesser titles haven't been getting reviewed here... and believe me, I've seem some lesser stuff. And when I get to use a gift card or free pass to see something first run, it tends to be something I'm might sure I'll like. These are two more upbeat, positive reviews: sorry. Maybe I should start doing an occasional second-run review just so I can have some fun tearing something apart. But for now...)
************************************************************************************
1. "Doubt". John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck") brings his own stage play to the screen here. Set in the early 1960's just as the Catholic church is beginning to institute some long hoped-for reforms that many traditionalists resent, it tells the story of a nun played by Meryl Streep who becomes convinced that a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has made "improper" advances to a young boy who is a student at their school. She has no concrete evidence... however, she's not about to let this stop her from bringing the priest down and forcing him out. But the boy's family is afraid of drawing public attention to the case for a number of reasons of their own, not the least of which is the fact that he is the school's very first black student.
SO... if Streep completely abandons any doubt and charges ahead with her plans and it turns out that Hoffman is innocent, she's destroying an innocent man's life and career. But if she lets her doubt control her and prevent her from doing anything and it turns out he DID what she suspects, the boy would continue to be abused. And even if she does the right thing, the boy is going to be "put through the ringer" one way or another. Lucky for her she has (or at least ADMITS TO having) no doubts or compassion (when Hoffman asks her "Where is your compassion?", she responds "Nowhere that YOU can get at it!").
We're wrestling with issues of religious faith, personal responsibility, basic right and wrong, racial issues, and a whole lot more here (not the least being women's issues: we're frequently reminded that this is a world in which the problems and complaints of women, no matter how well justified, are generally ignored). Obviously the sort of thing that is more common in works for the stage than for the screen. But Shanley does a fine job of making this a FILM in its own right while making the tone and approach of the original play work just as well in its new medium. Not to mention making the viewer continually ask themselves what they would do in this situation... and then re-think their original reaction, and re-think it yet again. (And possibly a final time in the very last scene.) A movie that makes you think about moral questions? Hard to believe, but true. That alone is a major point in its favor aas far as I'm concerned.
And the film comes complete with at least three performances that go a long way towards making it all VERY real and putting the audience right into the story. I can almost gaurantee that there will at least be nominations for Streep, Hoffman and Viola Davis, who plays the boy's mother in a couple of short but extremely memorable scenes. (And if I had a vote, I'd give the actual award to Davis.) Coming during the same holiday season that gave us "Frost/Nixon" (also with the original playwright adapting their own work), it's a good solid reminder that film adaptations of plays don't always HAVE TO be nothing MORE THAN filmed plays.
2. "Seven Pounds". And from a somber work about doubt and all sorts of moral questions, we go to a Will Smith movie. But it's not as much of a jump as you might think. In spite of his frequent involvement in big-budget action fare like "Independence Day" and "Men In Black", Smith has shown the capacity to give some fine performances as far back as "Six Degrees Of Separation", and has gradually been growing as an actor in recent years, even in those big budget releases: I personally thought his performance in "I Am Legend" was a genuinely top-notch one regardless of genre. In "Seven Pounds" (it's a little difficult to explain the title's significance without giving away some major spoilers), he gets a movie that is definitely a Hollywood studio release, no doubt about it, but that gives him some solid material to work with, and takes more chances than you generally see with commercial releases.
Smith's character is clearly searching for seven complete strangers with the intent of doing SOMETHING that will greatly change their lives for the better. But just who his character really is (he's definitely not what he seems), why he's doing this, and just what is causing the obvious emotional pain he's going through is a mystery. A mystery that, I might add, is not cleared up until the very end of the movie, causing some critics to call it a "gimmick" movie. But the story works just fine whether you know the conclusion or not (not that I'm going to reveal it here). And it gives him a concrete motive for his actions (something a lot of movie characters don't have). The film is told in a series of events that definitely don't follow a straight chronological line (something that some might find annoying), and the fact that it asks so many questions without revealing many answers until late in the film will strike people who want everything explained to them up front as equally bothersome. Personally, though, I think the unorthodox approach (for a Hollywood release) adds to the emotional impact of the movie.
Speaking of which, the emotional impact: be warned up front that this is a tear-jerker of colossal proportions. I understand that there are people who have little patience for or tolerance of movies that are designed to release the old flood gates. As often as not, I would find myself among that crowd: most such films feature sub-par stories and lazy performances, on the apparent theory that if they can make you cry they don't need to do anything else. But "Seven Pounds" wants to make its audience feel connected to the rest of the human race, and understand the truth of the saying that no man is an island. Not to mention what a difference one person can make. Sorry for not being clearer, but you'd be lining up to shoot me if I got any more specific (maybe I shouldn't be assuming that you're NOT).
Accompanied by some of Smith's best work ever, and excellent support from Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Barry Pepper ("Saving Private Ryan") and others, "Seven Pounds" is, to me at least, a very emotionally affecting movie of the sort that Hollywood doesn't do often enough. Though he probably won't win, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Smith get nominated for this. And while I would probably give the award to Frank Langella myself, it would not exactly be undeserved if Smith got it. He really is that good.
**********************************************************************************
Coming soon will be the annual top ten lists (one for commercial releases, one for art house films) but I thought it might be fun to list who I would personally give the Oscar to in a few major categories if I had a vote. This is by no means trying to predict who WILL get nominated or will win... just who I personally would vote for if I were able to. This, before the nominations have even been announced.
Director: Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Lead Actress: Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Lead Actor: Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Film: "Frost/Nixon"
So now we'll see...
************************************************************************************
1. "Doubt". John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck") brings his own stage play to the screen here. Set in the early 1960's just as the Catholic church is beginning to institute some long hoped-for reforms that many traditionalists resent, it tells the story of a nun played by Meryl Streep who becomes convinced that a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has made "improper" advances to a young boy who is a student at their school. She has no concrete evidence... however, she's not about to let this stop her from bringing the priest down and forcing him out. But the boy's family is afraid of drawing public attention to the case for a number of reasons of their own, not the least of which is the fact that he is the school's very first black student.
SO... if Streep completely abandons any doubt and charges ahead with her plans and it turns out that Hoffman is innocent, she's destroying an innocent man's life and career. But if she lets her doubt control her and prevent her from doing anything and it turns out he DID what she suspects, the boy would continue to be abused. And even if she does the right thing, the boy is going to be "put through the ringer" one way or another. Lucky for her she has (or at least ADMITS TO having) no doubts or compassion (when Hoffman asks her "Where is your compassion?", she responds "Nowhere that YOU can get at it!").
We're wrestling with issues of religious faith, personal responsibility, basic right and wrong, racial issues, and a whole lot more here (not the least being women's issues: we're frequently reminded that this is a world in which the problems and complaints of women, no matter how well justified, are generally ignored). Obviously the sort of thing that is more common in works for the stage than for the screen. But Shanley does a fine job of making this a FILM in its own right while making the tone and approach of the original play work just as well in its new medium. Not to mention making the viewer continually ask themselves what they would do in this situation... and then re-think their original reaction, and re-think it yet again. (And possibly a final time in the very last scene.) A movie that makes you think about moral questions? Hard to believe, but true. That alone is a major point in its favor aas far as I'm concerned.
And the film comes complete with at least three performances that go a long way towards making it all VERY real and putting the audience right into the story. I can almost gaurantee that there will at least be nominations for Streep, Hoffman and Viola Davis, who plays the boy's mother in a couple of short but extremely memorable scenes. (And if I had a vote, I'd give the actual award to Davis.) Coming during the same holiday season that gave us "Frost/Nixon" (also with the original playwright adapting their own work), it's a good solid reminder that film adaptations of plays don't always HAVE TO be nothing MORE THAN filmed plays.
2. "Seven Pounds". And from a somber work about doubt and all sorts of moral questions, we go to a Will Smith movie. But it's not as much of a jump as you might think. In spite of his frequent involvement in big-budget action fare like "Independence Day" and "Men In Black", Smith has shown the capacity to give some fine performances as far back as "Six Degrees Of Separation", and has gradually been growing as an actor in recent years, even in those big budget releases: I personally thought his performance in "I Am Legend" was a genuinely top-notch one regardless of genre. In "Seven Pounds" (it's a little difficult to explain the title's significance without giving away some major spoilers), he gets a movie that is definitely a Hollywood studio release, no doubt about it, but that gives him some solid material to work with, and takes more chances than you generally see with commercial releases.
Smith's character is clearly searching for seven complete strangers with the intent of doing SOMETHING that will greatly change their lives for the better. But just who his character really is (he's definitely not what he seems), why he's doing this, and just what is causing the obvious emotional pain he's going through is a mystery. A mystery that, I might add, is not cleared up until the very end of the movie, causing some critics to call it a "gimmick" movie. But the story works just fine whether you know the conclusion or not (not that I'm going to reveal it here). And it gives him a concrete motive for his actions (something a lot of movie characters don't have). The film is told in a series of events that definitely don't follow a straight chronological line (something that some might find annoying), and the fact that it asks so many questions without revealing many answers until late in the film will strike people who want everything explained to them up front as equally bothersome. Personally, though, I think the unorthodox approach (for a Hollywood release) adds to the emotional impact of the movie.
Speaking of which, the emotional impact: be warned up front that this is a tear-jerker of colossal proportions. I understand that there are people who have little patience for or tolerance of movies that are designed to release the old flood gates. As often as not, I would find myself among that crowd: most such films feature sub-par stories and lazy performances, on the apparent theory that if they can make you cry they don't need to do anything else. But "Seven Pounds" wants to make its audience feel connected to the rest of the human race, and understand the truth of the saying that no man is an island. Not to mention what a difference one person can make. Sorry for not being clearer, but you'd be lining up to shoot me if I got any more specific (maybe I shouldn't be assuming that you're NOT).
Accompanied by some of Smith's best work ever, and excellent support from Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Barry Pepper ("Saving Private Ryan") and others, "Seven Pounds" is, to me at least, a very emotionally affecting movie of the sort that Hollywood doesn't do often enough. Though he probably won't win, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Smith get nominated for this. And while I would probably give the award to Frank Langella myself, it would not exactly be undeserved if Smith got it. He really is that good.
**********************************************************************************
Coming soon will be the annual top ten lists (one for commercial releases, one for art house films) but I thought it might be fun to list who I would personally give the Oscar to in a few major categories if I had a vote. This is by no means trying to predict who WILL get nominated or will win... just who I personally would vote for if I were able to. This, before the nominations have even been announced.
Director: Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Lead Actress: Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Lead Actor: Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Film: "Frost/Nixon"
So now we'll see...
posted by Joe Bunce at
8:22 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home