Oscar snubs

We all have our favorite movies, eclectic sample of eccentric tastes. From that big sample, only those which repeatedly appear in the massive selection of audiences, become classics. Peculiar films in which the critic and the spectator agree to claim the results. Casablanca, The Godfather, Gone with the wind and Brave Heart come to my mind. Just to name a few.

But, what really happens behind the filmakers, actors and cinema technicians most-wanted award? More and more frequently, press and audience seem to ask why movies such as The Shawshank Redemption, one of the best ranked in IMDb, lost the beloved award in 1994 against Tom Hanks charisma, as Forrest Gump, in one of the best quality competitions on Oscar history.

Some other strange cases incude Best Picture winner Shakespeare in Love or Crash. I won't even mention the names of certain actresses who win against Meryl Streep outstandig acting level. But, who's blaming them? Imagine Meryl rising each year to recieve the statue while her colegues complaining about living the same era she does. At least she now has 3 Oscars and a record for being the most nominated actor ever.

The biggest irony appears, when excellent actors, don't recieve their Oscar under the predicament that "their time hasn't arrive yet". The only thing that ocurrs later, is they don't have another option than a)Give them an Oscar for a minor performance or, b) as in Heath Ledger example, give the award posthumoustly.

Leonardo DiCaprio, best actor of his generation, has only 3 nominations and still no Oscar at home. Kate Winslet bearly got it after some 15 outstanding performances, while Catherine Zeta Jones had only to dance -just a little because pregnancy didn't allow too much- to get an award. And I won't even tell about Oscar-stealing-American-Sweethearts (please don't thing in Gwyneth Paltrow or Sandra Bullock now), because I wouldn't finish some time soon.

Back to the beginning: We all have our favorite movies. And often, we will wonder why people behind the Academy Awards act in the most (political or economics?) unexpected ways. But Hollywood glamour stands still... more anorexical than ever but as controversial as ever, and that is, dear reader, what keeps us expecting the red carpet, the unique kisses, the well-deserved awards and the Cinema bombast.

Versión en español / Spanish version

Transformers: Dark of the moon

I haven't written a review on this movie because a part of me  was avoiding it. Is one of those completely predictable movies, supported only by amazing sound and visual effects. But the thing is, that with this one, is the third time we see that. 

On the top of it, there's a weak script and a two and a half hour movie. Which exceds the patience capacity on one's expectatives, particularly because the plot is neither complicated or dense. And yes, Megatron is back for the third time.

Shia LeBeuf is charismatic and fun, which probably keeps dragging people to the theater; but the screenplay is plain and Optimus Prime speech begins sounding  exaclty the same every time: "And our races will fight for a better future.. together". Or something pretty similar.

I admire Michael Bay's capacity on transmitting so much grandiloquence and also, of manufacturing movies of this caliber so quickly. But his weakness lies on the comparison: Nowadays is common to watch action movies accompanied of scripts so much more propositive and solid than this one (Ironman and The dark knight are good examples). Here, it wasn't enough to have Frances McDormand and John Malkovich -both in overacted performances-, or the visual impact brought by Patrick Dempsey and model Rosie Huntington (this one ends harmless after a huge battle). 

In a few words, is a film suitable to authentic Transformers fans or for those who won't miss the spectacular effects it has. Besides it, it has more form than function.

It kind of sucks!

Spanish version here

SUCKER PUNCH

I

Zack Snyder stupefied everybody with his post-modern epic movie 300. Frank Miller had shown that kind of visual concept on his graphic novel, but we have never seen it on the big screen. And it was unique. Then it came Watchmen, another excellent adaptation of the same genre with maybe less impact on the box-office than its predecessor but with the same quality.

So when I first heard about Sucker Punch, I did nothing but to rise my expectations of what I thought, It would be the-next-Kill-bill. A female version of 300 in therms of power and strength.

The trailer was also appealing and I felt fortunate to have a double pass to the opening night. And then I watched the movie. 

II

From the very beginning it has the format of a high-definition musical video. And the soundtrack, I must say, it's good, an anthology of hit songs in renewed versions. The effects are good and the action sequences may be impressed in the world of  the video-games audience. Oscar Isaac is someone to watch, as well as in Agora, his character has shades and are well performed. 

The rest of it, its an authentic waste of money -not only to the spectator but to the producers-. It is a shame that the manufacture of the movie feels expensive, well-trained, but the screenplay was conspicuous by its absence. The main character, played by Emily Browning, feels so artificial and overacted, and so are the supporting ones including Abby Cornish, Jena Malone, and Vanessa Hudgens. Even Carla Gugino, who was very convincing in Watchmen, here feels like a cartoon. At least it should be appealing to lolita-style lovers. 

The leading lady lives little in the real world, then she goes to a second world when we can never enjoy anything and finally, she defends herself in the third world. Some kind of cheap copy of Inception without the good acting and good script. 

The whole movie easily falls for cliché. Submerged in visual allegories of the sub-worlds created by the heroin, whose best quality lies on hypnotizing clients with a dance so outstanding we never get to see. But as I said, accompanied with nice songs.

In the end, I felt absolutely cheated. 

To me, Snyder is a director with great potential, and with a strong personal style (a rare talent); but unfortunately, a weak screenwriter. I rather watch him working on projects like -his previous job on animation- Ga'Hoole, than in another movie with such a graphic power but a lack of content.

I told you: If it sucks, I will tell you… And I did!


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Spanish version: Si lees español, quizá quieras ver lo que escribí en: Séptimo Sentido