One Category at a Time: Original Screenplay

I'm having a really tough time deciding how to feel about the slate of Best Original Screenplay nominees this year. On the one hand, there's nothing more gratifying than to see the two legitimately best screenplays of the year mentioned alongside each other. On the other hand, there's nothing more irritating than to see two uninspired screenplays squeeze out underrated gems like 50/50 and Young Adult in the one category where they could have earned some recognition. And then there's the Best Picture winner's token nomination for Writing. No strong feelings either which way about that one.

My Awards nominations: Actor

Some tough calls for me to make in this category. I wish I could include more that these five Leading Actor nominees:

MICHAEL FASSBENDER in Shame:

A perturbed, methodical portrait of addiction and sexual dependency that commands our attention even when we would rather not look. Fassbender's work keeps us gripped to a film that, frankly, isn't as interesting as his character is. Even during long, uneventful takes, we are fascinated.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT in 50/50:

A superb, controlled performance that maintains the character's typically mellow demeanor but subtly infers the anxiety simmering within. He often has to play the comedic straight man to multiple characters, which he handles perfectly without ever losing sight of his character's emotional journey.

WOODY HARRELSON in Rampart:

A painfully real depiction of an angry, foolish, tormented man in denial about himself and the world he lives in. Harrelson's performance is immersive and lived-in, implying a masterful application of method and a reliance on character-specific instincts.

BRAD PITT in Moneyball:

Some people quibble that there's too much Brad Pitt in his portrayal of Billy Beane. I argue that there's just the right amount of Brad Pitt, whose movie star charisma does indeed gleam through, but never at the expense of his internalization of a man questioning his own worth.

ANDY SEKIS in Rise of the Planet of the Apes:

Serkis, naturally, brings is A-game. His Caesar is one worth hailing; a sensitive, confused, angry soul condemned to the body of a beast. It's his performance that moves and inspires the audience far more than his human costars. Once again, he is deserving of an Oscar nomination he won't receive.

Just missed:
George Clooney in The Descendants, Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Jean Dujardin in The Artist, Ryan Gosling in Drive, Matthias Schoenaerts in Bullhead

My Awards nominations: Ensemble

The best Acting Ensembles of the year are:

50/50:

Each member of Adam's social circle responds to his illness in a different way. This kind of character-driven film requires the very best from its ensemble, and all players nail their respective roles with naturalistic ease.

The Help:

The sincerity of the acting sells the sentimentality. Each performance is sharply realized by a splendid cast. All actors bring something different to the table, resulting in a rich blend of diverse characters.

The Ides of March:

Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be said of the supporting players is that no one of them stands out. They're all doing precise and distinct character work that always hits the target without screaming for attention.

A Separation:

There's not a mediocre performance to be found in this movie. Every character is superbly played with authentic dimensionality, both through solo scenes and when interacting with each other. A perfect, organic ensemble performance.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy:

Oldman and his tightly knit supporting cast (which includes the likes of Colin Firth, John Hurt, and Tom Hardy) give a collective performance that is quietly controlled, so as to keep the focus on the complex screenplay.

Just missed: Beginners, Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris

My Awards nominations: Original Screenplay

On the heels of the WGA's announcement, here are my five best Original Screenplays of 2011:

50/50 (Will Reiser):
That the story of a young man diagnosed with cancer could be treated as a comedy is something of a small feat. That the humour never strays into morbid territory is more impressive still. One of the most emotionally compelling aspects Reiser's screenplay is how it devotes balanced attention to Adam's family and friends.

Beginners (Mike Mills):
This gentle little drama about the generation-spanning challenge of finding happiness succeeds in great part due to Mills' thoughtful screenplay. It's beautifully restrained, employing a melancholy sense of humour when needed to lighten his film's understated but deep-running sadness.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin):
Durkin is clearly a talent to watch. His screenplay is an artful psychological study that unobtrusively guides the audience to their own understanding of what is dream and what is reality, what is paranoia and what is justified fear. The story does meander a bit, but it feels real that way.

Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen):
Playing both cynic and sentimentalist, Allen presents us with a humourous and perplexing psychological love affair that draws us to an epiphany about the root of nostalgia and our human dissatisfaction. It is his freshest, most imaginative premise since The Purple Rose of Cairo.

A Separation (Asghar Farhadi):
A complex, layered story whose painful truths are universal ones. It delves deep into human conscience and exposes the dangerous inconsistencies between our personal moral codes, our responsibilities to model ethics for our children, and the emotional consequences of neglecting those responsibilities.

Just missed: The Artist, Rampart, The Tree of Life, Young Adult

Reviews

As usually is the case for me this time of year, I need a space to catch up with capsule reviews I've neglected to post upon seeing the film in question. I'll update this post throughout the season as I see more films.