PETA2.com

Friday, February 18, 2011

Black Swan

As a film critic, I find it much more difficult to right a review praising a film than a disapproving one. The dictionary definition of a critic: a person who often finds fault and criticizes. I suppose I know more adjectives that define imperfect than perfect. But I cannot use those imperfect words because this film was the exact opposite, it was perfect.
You could vaguely describe it as beautiful. That is not doing any justice to this stunningly intricate film. Natalie Portman is intriguing in her performance as Nina, who is obsessed with perfecting her ballet performance as Odette in 'Swan Lake'. She is beginning to find confidence, but that is shattered when a free-spirited dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), steels the attention. Nina slowly breaks down, becoming more like the black swan, Odette's evil sister, Odil. Now Nina wants her 'turn'...
David Aronofsky is simply an ingenious artist. The camera angles, the eerie music, the persistent symbolism. Nina's emphasized breath gives the film a haunting element, and yours eventually becomes as heavy as hers. I eventually realized, that when the film had ended, my mouth was wide open. I did not move the entire film, and all of the credits (with my mouth still open). Go to this film, and you will witness art. Images you will never forget.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

83rd Oscar Acadamy Award Nominations

The Golden Globes were a joke, but the Oscars are a little more tasteful...



Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Kids Are Alright
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Best Directing
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
David O. Russell - The Fighter
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
David Fincher - The Social Network
Joel & Ethan Coen - True Grit

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Jeff Briges - True Grit
Jesse Eisenburg - The Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Benning - The Kids Are Alright
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale - The Fighter
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are Alright
Geoffry Rush - The King's Speech

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Best Art Direction
Alice In Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollow Part 1
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit

Best Cinematography
Black Swan
Inception
The King's Speech
The Social Network
True Grit

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Mike Leigh - Another Year
Screenplay by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson- The Fighter
Christopher Nolan - Inception
Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg - The Kids Are Alright
David Seidler - The King's Speech

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Danny Boyle & Simon Baeufoy - 127 Hours
Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network
Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, & Lee Unkrich - Toy Story 3
Joel & Ethan Coen - True Grit
Debra Granik & Anne Rosillini - Winter's Bone

Music (Original Score)
John Powell - How To Train Your Dragon
Hans Zimmer - Inception
Alexandre Desplat - The King's Speech
A.R. Rahman - 127 Hours
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Social Network

Music (Original Song)
Music & Lyrics by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges, & Hillary Lindsey - "Comin' Home" (Country Strong)
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glenn Slater - "I See The Light" (Tangled)
Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyrics by Dido & Rollo Armstrong - "If I Rise" (127 Hours)
Music & Lyrics by Randy Newman - "We Belong Together" (Toy Story 3)

Costume Design
Alice In Wonderland
I Am Love
The King's Speech
The Tempest
True Grit

Makeup
Barney's Version
The Way Back
The Wolfman

Best Animated Feature
How To Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3

Documentary (Feature)
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Gasland
Inside Job
Restrepo
Waste Land

Documentary (Short)
Killing In The Name
Poster Girl
Strangers No More
Sun Come Up
The Warriors of Qiugang

Foreign Language Film
Biutiful (Mexico)
Dog Tooth (Greece)
In A Better World (Denmark)
Incendies (Canada)
Outside The Law (Hors-la-loi) (Algeria)

Short (Animated)
Day & Night
The Gruffalo
Let's Pollute
The Lost Thing
Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, A Journey Diary)

Short (Live Action)
The Confession
The Crush
God of Love
Na Wewe
Wish 143

Visual Effects
Alice In Wonderland
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 1
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2

Film Editing
Black Swan
The Fighter
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network

Sound Editing
Inception
Toy Story 3
Tron: Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable

Sound Mixing
Inception
The King's Speech
Salt
The Social Network
True Grit

Thursday, February 10, 2011

2011 Golden Globe Winners

I know, the Golden Globes were quite a while ago, but I have just been so busy (high school stuff)! Better late then never!



----------

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: The Social Network
Who should of won: Black Swan


Best Director - Motion Picture
Winner: David Fincher - The Social Network
Who should of won: Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan


Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Colin Firth - The King's Speech


Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Natalie Portman - Black Swan


Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
The Kids Are Alright


Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Paul Giamatti - Barney's Version


Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Annette Benning - The Kids Are Alright


Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Christian Bale - The Fighter
Who should of won: Geoffry Rush - The King's Speech


Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Who should have won: Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech


Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Arron Sorkin - The Social Network


Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Winner: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Social Network
Who should have won & nominated: Clint Mansell - Black Swan


Best Animated Feature Film
Winner: Toy Story 3
Who should of won: The Illusionist


Best Foreign Language Film
In A Better World (Denmark)


Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Winner: "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" - Burlesque
Music & Lyrics by Diane Warren
Who should have won: NONE!


----------


Best Television Series - Drama
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)


Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire (AMC)


Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Winner: Katey Sagal - Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Who should have won: Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer (TNT)


Best Television Series - Comedy/Musical
Winner: Glee (NBC)
Who should have won: 30 Rock (NBC)


Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical
Winner: Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory (CBS) <-----(good for him!) Who should have won: Steve Carrel - The Office (NBC) Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical
Winner: Laura Linney - The Big C (Showtime)
Who should have won: Tina Fey - 30 Rock (NBC)


Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Carlos (SUNDANCE)


Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Al Pacino - You Don't Know Jack (HBO)


Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Claire Danes - Temple Grandin (HBO)


Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Chris Colfer - Glee (FOX)
Who should have won & been nominated: Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock (NBC)


Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Lynch - Glee (FOX)