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| The Fighter |
I'm pretty sure
The Fighter was the first movie I saw in the new year. My father wanted to see
Little Fockers. Thankfully, I persuaded him to see this instead. I have to say right up front, I do not like sports movies. I don't know why, the genre just doesn't appeal to me that much. But
The Fighter isn't so much a sports movie as it is a movie about family. The whole film is about struggling to accept one's family--the good and the bad. And there's a lot of bad in Mickey Ward's family: dependency, ignorance, addiction, etc. Yet, love is able to win out over all of these obstacles. While Mark Wahlberg plays the lead character, this is really Christian Bale's movie. He steals every scene with his emaciated presence and exaggerated facial expressions. It's hard to take your eyes off of him. But perhaps this isn't a good thing considering that he is the supporting actor in this film.
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| The King's Speech |
In stark contrast to the wild, over-the-top performances in The Figher, The King's Speech was amazingly subtle. The craziest thing about it was the wallpaper (you'll know what I mean if you've seen it). Once again, this was a film marked by outstanding performances. Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth were especially impressive. At one point, Firth's character confesses his childhood abuse to the tune of "Camptown Races" and it is heartbreaking, let me tell you. Bertie's brother is delightfully horrible, in such a way that you do not pity him one little bit throughout the course of the movie. But what I really loved was the relationship between Bertie and Lionel. Their evolving friendship and trust is lovely, and definitely the highlight of the film. That is not to belittle the directing either which was very appropriate--jarring and unsettling at times to highlight Bertie's discomfort. Don't be surprised if this one wins Best Picture, it's got a lot going for it.
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| Winter's Bone |
The next film I saw was...the opposite of feel-good. Winter's Bone is quietm frightening, and just plain haunting. Ree, played by Jennifer Lawrence is a remarkably stoic heroine. Like The Fighter, the importance of family and the destruction of Meth are at the core of this film. However, Ree never considers abandoning her family, even when it seems like the only option, and realistically, no one in this film is able to overcome addiction. Part suspense film, part coming of age story, and part brutal examination of poverty and violence, it's hard to put your finger on the nature of this movie. Perhaps the most upsetting thing about this gritty film is that its setting, while so unfamiliar to most Americans, is right in the middle of present-day Missouri. Ree's strength in this harsh world puts other movie protagonists to shame.
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| True Grit |
I watched True Grit immediately following Winter's Bone, and the similarities were stunning. They both feature a young girl trying to protect her family and find her father's murderer with nothing more than enormous strength, a brave desire to breach social boundaries, and the help of a flawed-yet-protective father-figure. However, True Grit is a Western, and surprisingly heartfelt and occasionally humorous. If all Westerns are like this one, I think I might develop a taste for the genre. Given the cast (Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin) it's pretty impressive that newcomer Hailee Steinfeld is not only able to hold her own, but also command an excellent performance. In fact, the best part of the film is watching her snipe at Bridges and Damon--the dialog and and their group dynamic is impeccable. It's not quite as quirky as the typical Coen Brother's film, but it's got heart and spirit, and that's something.
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| 127 Hours |
The final nominee I saw was
127 Hours, and I definitely saved one of the best for last. Director Danny Boyle described this film as "very British" considering that it's "
an action movie about a guy who can't move." That is the wonder of this film. How do we take a plot consisting of a man stuck under a rock and make it griping, make it attention-getting, make it
move. Yet, it does move--very well in fact. The pacing of this film is fantastic. Flashbacks and hallucinations give us movement (although they always bring us back to the rock), but also background and motivation on this fascinating character. Aron is a man who never lets anyone else in. That's why he's trapped and left to die; he told no one where he was going, and let no one go with him. In his 5 days under the rock, he has achieved what he has been aiming for his whole life--he is alone. And that's when he realizes that he can't go on living like that. Franco and Boyle both show enormous talent by creating a movie that has no right to be as gripping and entertaining as it is. Oh, and if you're squeamish, the part where he actually cuts off his arm is only 5 minutes long. You can handle it.
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