SAG shines light on some unexpected outliers

As the critics groups mostly fall in line with the same, repetitive choices this time of year, it's always a brief treat to see what the Screen Actors Guild nominating committee can come up with to surprise us.

The major talking points with this year's crop are the unexpected inclusions in the Supporting categories of Nicole Kidman in the critically polarizing The Paperboy and Javier Bardem for his charismatic Bond villain in Skyfall. Both Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor have had lots of wiggle room (at least more than the Lead categories which are beginning to solidify), and either of these nominations could have an influence on Academy balloting which begins in just one week.

The crowded Lead categories are naturally more noteworthy for the performances that were excluded than the ones they let in. Best Actor has seemed like a six-way race for some time now between Day-Lewis, Cooper, Jackman, Washington, Hawkes, and Phoenix all vying for five slots. It was Phoenix who suffered the unavoidable SAG snub, a victim of his film's challenging nature. I've been wondering if his undeniable performance is in fact deniable after all, but up against leading men in five more universally liked movies could be the kiss of death. For the leading ladies, it was Emmanuelle Riva who got left off the ballot, but Marion Cotillard got in. Let's not kid ourselves: two Lead Actress nominees for foreign films at the Oscars was always going to be a long shot, and with Cotillard more of a household name stateside than Riva, this could be the slate we see on Oscar night (although I'll be rooting for Quevanzhane Wallis, who was ineligible with SAG, to be nominated).

The Ensemble category filled out with all the usual Best Picture contenders, though some might be surprised by The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I'm not. If ever there was a film that could play to old Academy types, this is it. All nominees with brief thoughts after the cut.

Review - Skyfall

It's iterated often in Skyfall that the old fashioned ways are sometimes the best. It's a persistent theme that permeates both the literal narrative and the conceptual approach to the 23rd entry in the storied James Bond franchise. While the story debates the virtue of antiquity in a modern world, the film adheres to Bond tradition as seen through a filter of contemporary dramatic substance for present-day audiences to appreciate. The Bond is old-school (rustically so at times), but the treatment he gets is fresh.

With the theatrically-minded Sam Mendes at the helm, Skyfall indulges us in a sense of detail to character that is uncommon to Bond films. None of the previous 22 have dared plumb the depths of 007's traumatic past and haunted present that this one attempts to – with some success, as well. Nor have any of them explored the practically maternal relationship between Bond (Daniel Craig's third outing) and his MI6 shot-caller M (reprised once again here by Judi Dench). Skyfall puts their connection front and centre as one of the main driving forces of the plot.

One Category at a Time: Actor

What more can really be said? Everyone who follows movie awards (and even those who don't!) knows that Colin Firth is winning an Academy Award on February 27th. And not without good reason. His turn as the Duke of York is a heartfelt portrayal of damaged self-esteem, and he handles his character's transformation into a humble but unafraid leader with grace and emotion.

Even though it's a foregone conclusion that Firth has it in the bag, it's still worth tipping the hat to his fellow nominees, who comprise a stellar lineup. It's pleasing to see Javier Bardem's understated but devastating work in Biutiful didn't go unrewarded (even if it came at the expense of Ryan Gosling). Jesse Eisenberg and James Franco are on hand to represent the younger Hollywood generation with a pair of outstanding performances -- in The Social Network and 127 Hours respectively -- that paint vivid portraits of human nature and the consequences of our failure to connect with others (or the pleasures of our succeeding to do so). And of course, coming off his long-time-coming victory last year, Jeff Bridges is back in vogue for an unforgettable and highly enjoyable scenery-chewing outing in True Grit.

It's a scene-stealer to be sure, but not an Oscar-stealer. Having won nearly every critics award, the Golden Globe, the Critics' Choice, and soon the SAG, I'll be shocked if anyone other than Colin Firth wins it.

Will win: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Runner-up: Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Should win: Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Should have been nominated: Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine

Fails and Wins of the Epic Variety

Now that I've had a chance to mull things over a bit, it's time for me to decide where I stand when it comes to this year's slate of Academy Award nominees. All said and done, things went more or less according to plan, so it's easiest to discuss my observations on an individual basis.

-The first thing that strikes me is how much the overall nominations were hogged by all the Best Picture nominees. Only four non-Best-Picture nominees (Biutiful, Alice, Harry Potter, Dragon) received multiple nominations. Beyond a smattering of single-nominated films, all the nominations went to Best Picture contenders. Each one as at least 4 nominations.

-With twelve noms to The King's Speech including Sound Mixing, I think it's safe to say it's the frontrunner.

-The most glaring surprise is the omission of Christopher Nolan in Best Director... again. Frustrating more than shocking. I might be a little more surprised if they hadn't done the exact same thing with Memento and The Dark Knight.
FAIL

-So sad that Ryan Gosling couldn't manage a nod for his astonishing work in Blue Valentine (FAIL), but so happy for Javier Bardem breaking through with his challenging and terrific performance in Biutiful (WIN). Other than that, no real surprises in the acting categories.

-More egregious than Christopher Nolan's snub in Best Director is Lee Smith's snub in Film Editing. How the editors branch failed to call Inception one of the five best edited films of the year is beyond me!
FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!

-I Am Love's nom in Costume Design came out of nowhere, but it's a smart contemporary nomination and a pleasant surprise.
WIN

-Relieved to see How to Train Your Dragon make it in for Original Score.
WIN

-No "Shine" for Best Song?
FAIL

-No Alice for Best Makeup!
WIN

-Exit Through the Gift Shop for Best Documentary!
HUGE WIN

-Dogtooth for Best Foreign Film?
???

Best of the Decade #8: No Country for Old Men (2007)

Hopelessly dire in its content and tone, No Country for Old Men is the most entertainingly depressing film of the decade, and an A+ social commentary from the prolific Coen brothers. As implied by its ambiguous and divisive ending about a discouraging dream had by the film's hero and moral centre (played with superb restraint by Tommy Lee Jones), the main theme of the film is about the futility of battling evil, and the desperation felt by those that take up the good fight anyway. Like the film’s steely villain (an outstandingly creepy Javier Bardem), violence and chaos cannot be stopped. Delayed, wounded perhaps, but to try and vanquish it is a fool’s errand. It'll walk the earth ‘til the end of time. Fun, huh? The Coens also dabble with themes of the randomness of the universe, what we can chalk up to fate and what we can control ourselves.

Ever the visual storytellers, the Coens and their DP of choice, Roger Deakins, give the film a dark and foreboding atmosphere. The Coens themselves (under their longtime pseudonym Roderick Jaynes) cut the footage together as only they can, amping up the excitement so subtly that you barely notice. Equal praise must be given to sound designer Skip Lievsay, whose nuanced sound mix is one of the most effective of the decade.