1. Tr
ue Grit- Absolutely loved it. I will proudly have it sit on my shelf next to the original. The casting was perfect, the story more detailed, the cinematography beautiful. I was sure I wasn't going to like it since I love the original so much, but I was greatly surprised. Didn't want this one to end. Doesn't come out on video until June but I will be sure to get a blu-ray copy.2. Toy Story 3-A fitting ending to the trilogy. Was such a moving story that Brenna and Sharon were teary eyed. I wish more live action films had characters as well developed as Buzz and Woody. Already own my copy.
3. The Fighter-This film was quite a crowd pleaser. I didn't know much about it going in and I'm glad I didn't. The beginning was filmed in such a gritty manner that I was sure I was in for a dark, dangerous '70's style film. Well, it did turn out to be a '70's type film but that film was Rocky! The supporting performances were brilliant but I felt that the performance of Mark Wahlberg was terribly underrated. He was the emotional center of the film and was a calm presence in the midst of all the chaos happening around him. I already own my copy of this film as well.
4. 127 Hours-Nice testament to the human spirit and the will to survive. At times funny, sad, and suspenseful, the film hits the ground running at continues at a rapid pace. The audience knows what is coming but it was not nearly as grotesque or hard to watch as I expected. James Franco is engaging and charismatic. He is able to convey hope and despair, commanding the audience's attention while spending a great deal of time on the screen alone. Have already purchased this one as well.
5. The King's Speech-I liked The King's Speech. It was very easy to watch and follow. The performances were uniformly excellent and it had the whole triumphing against adversity angle. It's pretty straight forward in it's storytelling but it's a good story and done very well. This is a maybe I'll purchase if the price is right.
6. Winter's Bone-Enjoyed this film immensely. It is quiet, dark, haunting, intense, sad, unsatisfying yet satisfying. I didn't know anything about this movie and I think I was better for that. I just sat and let the movie slowly weave its spell around me. I'll leave it here and hopefully you'll watch it and let it do the same for you. I'll purchase when the price is right.
7. Inception-Intriguing film. It was fascinating to watch and try to figure out exactly what was happening and what wasn't. The film didn't have a real emotional pull for me but visually the film was stunning. I'll probably buy it at some point.
8. The Social Network-It took me a bit to ground myself during this nonlinear film but the was part of the enjoyment of it. Justin Timberlake was great in this as was the rest of the cast.
The characters are alternately funny, frustrating, sympathetic, and annoying. The movie really left me wanting to discover more about the story as it continues to play out. Probably won't buy this one.
9. The Kids Are All Right-Very enjoyable film with two powerhouse performances by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. The premise is interesting and handled with comic tende
rness. While I did like the movie, don't see this as a purchase.10. Black Swan-I wrote an earlier review of this on on my blog. I admired this film. It was very well done but ultimately not my kind of movie. While I could appreciate the artistry of the film it was just not the kind of journey I would take more than once. I know I will never purchase this one. Oh yeah. I really didn't care whether or not Natalie Portman danced or how much she danced in the film. It made no difference in my appreciation for the film.
So there you have it. My order of the Oscar nominated films. Feel free to share your opinions of these films, even if a few months late!
Have a good one.
