IMACKS

I was 14/24.

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Last year, I was 18/24 with my Oscar winning predictions. So I hope I am as or more accurate this year as I was last year. But by the looks of things, it is going to be tricky. It seems as if anything can happen this February.

Now, before you get into this, let me do some elaboration.

Where it says “Will win”, that is obvious. What from the nominations I predict will win.

Where it says “Deserves to win”, that means by out of the nominations.

Where it says “Personally”, that is out of all films from 2011. But some of the time, it will be out of the nominations because I may not know much about the particular category. Such as makeup, costume, or art direction.

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BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2
• Hugo
• Real Steel
• Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
• Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

Will win: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

Deserves to win: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

Personally: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

I completely understand why Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes would win this award, because its visual technology is groundbreaking. It’s one of the few films that its CGI does not take away from the emotional connection with the audiences. In fact, it enhances it. And when I say this, I just mean with the main ape character, Caesar. Not the rest. But at the same time, the visual effects are obviously CGI. Good CGI blends in with reality.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, on the other hand, is beyond groundbreaking. We only know it’s CGI because we know Transformers don’t exist. Everything it’s used for looks real. And its technological work had much more labor put into it. For example, when Driller took down that skyscraper, it took 288 hours per frame to create. And there are usually 24, 25, or 30 frames per second. Look how it turned out. 

BEST SOUND MIXING

• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
• Hugo
• Moneybag
• Transformers - Dark Of The Moon
• War Horse

Will win: War Horse

Deserves to win: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

Personally: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

War Horse will most likely win this because it won’t win much else and since it’s a Steven Spielberg film, the Academy feels like they have to give it something. And they will give this award to it. I respect and admire all sound mixing, because it takes a lot of thought and imagination. But I’ll compare and contrast, and choose a winner when there’s a competition for it. Finding sounds of different objects and noises and blending them with another to make a whole other sound has to be quite the task. But all the sound mixing War Horse contains of is horse galloping and war noises.

Now think about what had to make all those crazy machinery noises from Transformers; Dark Of The Moon, when they change from one form to another. What do you think was more challenging and which do you think turned out better? Besides, how can one not love the sounds of the Transformers?

And how did Moneyball get nominated? The only sounds are baseball bat cracks and Brad Pitt leaning back and forth on his desk chair. If Moneyball can get nominated for Sound Mixing, then why didn’t The Sandlot? Or Angels In The Outfield?

BEST SOUND EDITING

• Drive
• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
• Hugo
• Transformers - Dark Of The Moon
• War Horse

Will win: War Horse

Deserves to win: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

Personally: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon

Same thing applies to this as it does to my Sound Mixing elaboration. But, in addition, take those sounds that the Transformers: Dark Of The Moon sound guys came up with and try to line it up with the visuals. That has to be an extremely difficult challenge that deserves this award, considering how well it turned out.

I’d also like to mention that this award kicked Drive and all the makers of Drive right in the groin. Drive should have been nominated for numerous Oscars but the Academy only gives it one. And that’s okay. The Oscars revolve more around Hollywood films, not independent films, and that’s totally fine. But they do let one or two independent films slide in. Drive should have been one to slide in. The Academy must have known how great this film was and how much people like it, that they wanted to piss people off by snubbing it. And the worst part is, of all the awards one to nominate it for, they nominate it for Sound Mixing. Which was nothing spectacular. I would rather Drive get no nominations than just Sound Mixing. Seriously. I bet the makers of Drive are PISSED.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

• “Man Or Muppet” from The Muppets by Bret McKenzie
• “Real In Rio” from Rio by Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, andSidah Garrett

Will win: “Man Or Muppet” from The Muppets by Bret McKenzie

Deserves to win: “Man Or Muppet” from The Muppets by Bret McKenzie

Personally: “Gathering Stories” from We Bought A Zoo by Jonsi.

I’m shocked that “Gathering Stories” wasn’t nominated. Cameron Crowe, a guy fairly liked by the Academy, chose a great artist to write an original song for his film We Bought A Zoo. Now, even though We Bought A Zoo was no good, doesn’t mean its original song isn’t. “Gathering Stories” is a preciously beautiful song that deserves this award. Nothing against “Man Or Muppet”, though. But something against “Real In Rio”.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• The Adventures Of Tin Tin by John Williams
• The Artist by Ludovic Bource
• Hugo by Howard Shore
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by Alberto Iglesias
• War Horse by John Williams

Will win: The Artist by Ludovic Bourse

Deserves to win: The Artist by Ludovic Bource

Personally: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

All of John Williams’ scores these days sound exactly the same. They really do. But since it’s John Williams, the Academy feels like they have to nominate him. Also because he scored another Spielberg film. This is how the Academy works. It’s about reputation and who you know, for a large part.

It’d be fine to nominate one of his scores this year, but to nominate two? That’s incredibly unfair. The Academy could have chosen the best of those two so that a score that truly deserves to be on there could squeeze in. And why not the score to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? The time when Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross actually put together an actual score? And a score that is actually utterly fantastic? I hate how the time they don’t get nominated for a score, it’s the time when they make a score that belongs to be nominated. The Social Network’s soundtrack was good. But it wasn’t Oscar worthy at all. Especially in comparison to Hans Zimmer’s Inception. The Social Network is just like regular music. And by regular I mean it doesn’t sound like a score. Every time I listen to it I’m expecting the voice of Trent Reznor to kick in. This is not how a score should be composed. It was basically just Nine Inch Nails.

BEST MAKEUP

• Albert Nobbs
• Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2
• The Iron Lady

Will win: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2

Deserves to win: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2

Personally: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2

Now, I know a decent amount about makeup for the average heterosexual male, for I watched the LifeTime makeup competition show called Blush. And with that knowledge obtained about makeup, I’m actually shocked J Edgar was not nominated for Best Makeup this year. I thought they really made Leonardo DiCaprio not only look like a convincing old man, but a convincing J Edgar. And I feel like The Iron Lady kind of had the same objective, but I don’t see how it compares to J Edgar. Since The Iron Lady was nominated, J Edgar definitely should have. And if The Iron Lady wins, then it says that J Edgar deserved it and would’ve won if it was nominated.

But I think, and hope, that Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2 will win. My reasons for thinking it’ll win because it never got the Oscar for this award throughout the franchise, probably because they were waiting for the franchise’s last film in the series to hand it over to the makeup artists of the film. Which makes sense. I hope you’re catching on to how the Academy functions.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Anonymous
• The Artist
• Hugo
• Jane Eyre
• W.E.

Will win: Anonymous

Deserves to win: Anonymous

Personally: Anonymous

This is something I know little or nothing about. But I’ve observed from the past that usually period pieces win this award, and that’s why I’ve chosen to go with Anonymous, set in the Elizabethan era. That being said, I’m not 100% it’ll win. It’ll just follow a pattern I’ve picked up on.

BEST FILM EDITING

• The Artist
• The Descendants
• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
• Hugo
• Moneyball

Will win: The Artist

Deserves to win: The Artist

Personally: The Artist / Martha Marcy May Marlene / The Tree Of Life

A lot falls under a film’s editing. Finding a flow and pacing, use of transitions, building the story structure, and so forth. But, how the Academy sees editing, I don’t know. I feel like they don’t go by the same standards. They jump between all kinds of things with it.
I could say I’m guessing, but at the same time I’m not. I’m pretty sure The Artist will win. Its use of transitions are exactly akin to the transitions that 20s / 30s silent films used. It also has similar structure. And I think the Academy caught onto that. At least they better have or the Academy needs to be replaced.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• The Artist
• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
• Hugo
• The Tree Of Life
• War Horse

Will win: The Tree Of Life

Deserves to win: The Tree Of Life

Personally: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo / The Tree Of Life

I struggled between The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Tree Of Life on this one. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo has very detailed, crisp imagery that uses a good deal of white and gray and their shades. It’s great. And The Tree Of Life has some of the most beautiful imagery in film. In terms of what it’s looking at and how it’s looking at it. It also has much clean clarity. I will be happy if either films take this award home.

Hugo, though, has some great cinematography as well. Although I think a lot of that was actually done in post-production. In editing. 

BEST ART DIRECTION

• The Artist
• Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2
• Hugo
• Midnight In Paris
• War Horse

Will win: Hugo

Deserves to win: Hugo

Personally: Hugo

This is a topic I’m nowhere close being an expert on, but, I’m finna go with Hugo for two reasons. 1) It’s not going to win a lot of other awards. 2) I think its art designs and art sets look pretty legit. More legit than the reset. 

But I also think we might hafta look out for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2. Again, throughout its series, it hasn’t won any Oscars. Most likely because the Academy was waiting for the last film in the series. So it’s possible Harry Potter might snag this one. And it wouldn’t be a disappointing thing. 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

• Dimanche
• The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr Morris Lessmore
• La Luna
• A Morning Stroll
• Wild Life

Will win: The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr Morris Lessmore

Deserves to win: The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr Morris Lessmore

Personally: The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr Morris Lessmore

I’ve only seen two of these. The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr Morris Lessmore and A Morning Stroll. And I did see the trailer for La Luna, but never got around to actually seeing the whole thing. But, even having said this, The Fantastic Flying Books was magnificent. Very emotional piece with lots and lots of imagination and meaning. The animation was fabulous as well. I can’t say I’d be surprised if it doesn’t win, because I haven’t seen all of them, but I won’t be surprised if it does win. And chances are it probably deserved to.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

• A Cat In Paris
• Chico & Rita
• Kung Fu Panda 2
• Puss In Boots
• Rango

Will win: Rango

Deserves to win: Rango

Personally: Rango

Rango might not even win. I just now Puss In Boots and Kung Fu Panda 2 won’t. I’ve heard lots of good things, and read lots of good things, about A Cat In Paris and Chico & Rita, so one of those might win. But I’m finna stick with Rango anyway.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

• The Barber Of Birmingham: Foot Soldier Of The Civil Rights Movement
• God Is Bigger Than Elvis
• Incident In New Baghdad
• Saving Face
• The Tsunami And The Cherry Blossom

Will win: The Tsunami And The Cherry Blossom

Deserves to win: Saving Face

Personally: Saving Face

I haven’t seen any of these. But I did read the synopsis for each one. And choosing one based on that was a challenge. The Barber Of Birmingham could win because it’s about a stand against the prejudice towards black people, Incident In New Baghdad could win because it relates to the war over there, and The Tsunami might win because America still sympathizes with that tragedy.

My reason for picking The Tsunami And The Cherry Blossom is almost unknown. Just call it a hunch. But why I chose Saving Face as my personal choice, is because it’s about physical cruelty and abuse to the faces of women. And I can’t stand anything harmful to / about women. Call me a feminist, whatever, I don’t care.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

• Hell And Back Again
• If A Tree Falls
• Paradise Lost 3
• Pina
• Undefeated

Will win: Hell And Back Again

Deserves to win: Paradise Lost 3

Personally: Paradise Lost 3

This is exactly like the topic above. I haven’t seen any of these, but I’ve read all their synopsis. Same rules apply, too. With all the Iraqi stuff and whatnot. But since I have the whole Tsunami thing winning the Documentary Short, something similar to that will not when the Documentary Feature. And since there’s both an Iraqi short and feature, both won’t win. So they’ll save the Iraq film for the feature award. So that explains why I put Hell And Back Again. Does that make sense?

But I personally go with Paradise Lost 3 because that story is just frustrating, depressing, and interesting all at once. I already know about the true story behind it even before hearing about that particular documentary trilogy. It’ll piss you off. And win your sympathy / empathy.

BEST FOREIGN FILM

• Bullhead
• Footnote
• In Darkness
• Monsieur Lazhar
• A Separation

Will win: A Separation

Deserves to win: A Separation

Personally: Monsieur Lazhar

Not much to say here. I haven’t seen any. Once again. And yes, that makes me really sad. But I’ve heard nothing but great positives about A Separation. Everyone who’s seen it keeps talking about it. I really wanna see it!

But I personally picked Monsieur Lazhar because I saw the trailer and looks like a very emotionally involved film. Not just in a “sad” way. But in all around ways. I know A Separation is an emotional film. But it seems like a one-sided emotional film. By that I just mean it has one emotion (sad) throughout. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Just throwing that out there.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• The Descendants
• Hugo
• The Ides Of March
• Moneyball
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Will win: The Descendants

Deserves to win: The Descendants

Personally: The Descendants

In this category, I have some issues with. We all know it’s going to be a toss-up between The Descendants and Moneyball. But where’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? I thought it was well done and pretty accurate to the novel. The Descendants and Moneyball are great, but I’m not sure how accurate they are. And that’s something that should be accounted for a Best Adapted Screenplay. It has to be accurate to the book it’s based off, and be well done. Is it because there’s rape in Tattoo Dragon Girl? And that’s why it didn’t get nominated? Too much violence towards women? I don’t get it.
Moneyball, much like The Social Network (same writers), was well written but we don’t know if they really got the characters of the real people right. When I watch actual Mark Zuckerberg interviews, he’s nothing like he is in The Social Network. And since that’s the case, I doubt the other real people aren’t portrayed like they are in reality. But I could be wrong about that part.

Anyway, is that the same case with Billy Beane and other folks? 

Sure, Moneyball is super good, mainly because of the writing, but we don’t know how accurate it is in terms of plot, events, details, and characters. Unless we read the book.

The Descendants was great. I liked it better than Moneyball. But again, I didn’t read the book so I don’t know how accurate it is. Although, I saw an interview from the actual writer who was talking about the film, so it’s possible it’s pretty accurate.

Overall, to be a deserved Best Adapted Screenplay nominee, your film must be accurate to the source and be well made. All the nominees are, I’m just saying. It makes me think since Tattoo Dragon Girl didn’t get nominated when it was true to the novel and is very well made. Also, even if it was nominated, I would still vote for The Descendants, I think. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• The Artist
• Bridesmaids
• Margin Call
• Midnight In Paris

Will win: Midnight In Paris

Deserves to win: The Artist

Personally: Take Shelter / The Artist / The Tree Of Life

… Bridesmaids? What?

OH YEAH BECAUSE GIRLS WROTE IT AND IT STARRED ALL GIRLS AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY FUNNY SO THEY HAVE TO GET SOMETHING

Elaboration: I honestly feel like Bridesmaids only got in because it was written by women, and was actually quite amusing / funny. It also stars all women, who, of course, contributed to the movie’s funniness. Which I totally respect. But … it shouldn’t be nominated because of that. If guys wrote it and the cast was led by primarily men, it probably wouldn’t have gotten the attention it has. Don’t you think? And there’s nothing really too original with it. It feels like any of Judd Apatow’s movies. And none of those are Oscar worthy.

I haven’t seen Margin Call, and know nothing about it, so I won’t say anything there. But I doubt it’ll win anyway.

So, it’s a toss-up between The Artist and Midnight In Paris. I chose The Artist because it truly is brilliant. And critics love it. I feel like the Academy will love it too. They’re primarily old folks so they’re probably instinctively into it. But since it’s most likely going to win a bunch of other awards, it’s probable that Midnight In Paris will get it. Because, not only is it good, it’s by Woody Allen. And also, he hasn’t gotten an Oscar in a while, plus he’s getting older by the minute. They might want to be giving him his last one before he, you know, croaks. Nothing against Woody Allen. I love the guy!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Berenice Bejo in The Artist
• Jessica Chastain in The Help
• Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids
• Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs
• Octavia Spencer in The Help

Will win: Octavia Spencer in The Help

Deserves to win: Octavia Spencer in The Help

Personally: Jessica Chastain in Take Shelter

Octavia Spencer is a good actress, and she did a pretty good job in The Help. She also won the Golden Globe and the BAFTA. So it’s no doubt she’ll win the Oscar. And deservedly so, I suppose. But I do feel like Jessica Chastain would also deserve it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn
• Jonah Hill in Moneyball
• Nick Nolte in Warrior
• Christopher Plummer in Beginners
• Max Von Sydow in Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close

Will win: Christopher Plummer in Beginners

Deserves to win: Christopher Plummer in Beginners

Personally: Nick Nolte in Warrior

Wait, wait, wait, wait, Jonah Hill?

WHAT

I spent every second of his face time in Moneyball, trying to understand how he could EVER be nominated for that role and performance.

OH WAIT HE’S NOT JUST A FUNNY FAT OBNOXIOUS DOUCHEBAG FOR ONCE SO HE MUST BE GOOD

Anybody, and I do mean anybody, could have taken that role and done just as well as he did. I don’t feel like ranting about this, so I’m not going to. It’s just another ridiculous act of the Academy this year.

Now, this will be Christopher Plummer’s first Oscar, but only for two reasons: 1) Because after so many years of performances, he never got one. 2) He’s a straight guy playing a gay guy.

If you look at the Oscar history, any straight guy playing a gay guy, gets nominated and wins the Award.
I like Christopher Plummer, and he was pretty good in Beginners, but I just think Nick Nolte was better and more memorable in Warrior. 

BEST ACTRESS

• Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs
• Viola Davis in The Help
• Rooney Mara in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
• Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady
• Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn

Will win: Viola Davis in The Help

Deserves to win: Rooney Mara in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Personally: Rooney Mara in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Ugh. Nothing against Viola Davis, but Rooney Mara totally deserves this Oscar. That’s all I want to say.

But it’ll shock me that she doesn’t win because she got nude in Tattoo Dragon Girl. And about half the time a woman who is nominated for a role they got naked in, takes home the Oscar. And no, that’s not why I think she deserves to win. Rooney Mara just kicked major face in her role. Totally embraced it. Was totally immersed in it. Dedicated to it. And all that jazz. It shows too. Watch the film.

BEST ACTOR

• Demian Bichir in A Better Life
• George Clooney in The Descendants
• Jean DuJardin in The Artist
• Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
• Brad Pitt in Moneyball

Will win: George Clooney in The Descendants

Deserves to win: Jean DuJardin in The Artist

Personally: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter

This is another tossup.

George Clooney is getting nominated because it’s “about time” he wins an Oscar. And the Academy I’m sure feels guilty about it. But that being said, it was a good performance. To an extent. I feel like George Clooney is always playing himself in a way.

But Jean DuJardin might snag the Oscar because, for obvious reasons, he had to act in very specific manners since The Artist is a silent film. He had to act like the actors of that time did. And he did a remarkable job.

BEST DIRECTOR

• Woody Allen for Midnight In Paris
• Michael Hazanavicius for The Artist
• Terrence Malick for The Tree Of Life
• Alexander Payne for The Descendants
• Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Will win: Michael Hazanavicius for The Artist

Deserves to win: Michael Hazanavicius for The Artist

Personally: Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive

Michael Hazanavicius, deserves to win, when compared to these other directors for their specific film of the year. He’s a lover of silent films, and had to be to make such a film as The Artist, a silent throwback film to the silent films of the time it takes place in. He had to get similar camerawork style, structure, look, and et cetera. I don’t feel like going through every detail. But out of these directors and their films, he blows them out of the water. Kind of.

But, out of all directors of 2011 and their films, Nicolas Winding Refn definitely deserves to win. And I’ll say only two of the many reasons: 1) In the opening scene, he makes a “chase” scene that never goes over the speed limits one into an extraordinary exciting getaway scene. Also, it’s all shot within the car, which enhances this excitement because it’s as if we’re in the car with Driver and the two crooks. 2) He makes it known a scene is in a strip club without showing a montage of topless strippers with dollar bills being stuffed into their underwear by rich men in suits. All it is to reveal a strip club is when Driver walks in a narrow hallway with dance music playing, as there is a stripper-looking girl (not topless) standing around with her phone. Also, when Driver goes to the dressing room to confront a somebody, Refn makes the focus on those two rather than the strippers circling around them. It’s harder to look at the strippers than what’s going to between the two characters. Never been done before.

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

• Pentecost
• Raju
• The Shore
• Time Freak
• Tuba Atlantic

Will win: Tuba Atlantic

Deserves to win: Tuba Atlantic

Personally: Some Static Started

I never saw any of the nominated live action shorts. And I only saw the trailers to two of them. So I’m only going with Tuba Atlantic because it’s got a fun name and the trailers I saw didn’t look that good.

I chose Some Static Started because it is AMAZING. Just look it up.

Amazing camerawork, cinematography, editing, performances, and the whole ten yards.

BEST PICTURE

• The Artist
• The Descendants
• Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close
• The Help
• Hugo
• Midnight In Paris
• Moneybag
• The Tree Of Life
• War Horse

Will win: The Artist

Deserves to win: The Artist

Personally: Drive

Blah. I don’t wanna explain. But know I know what I’m talking about.

1. The Nolan Batman Trilogy

2. The Toy Story Trilogy

3. The Pusher Trilogy

4. The Vengeance Trilogy

5. The Naked Gun Trilogy

6. The Millennium Trilogy

7. The Dollars Trilogy

8. The Mad Max Trilogy

9. The Godfather Trilogy

10. The Jurassic Park Trilogy

I am not a big fan of sports, which means I am not a big fan of baseball.

I am not a big fan of business talk, which means I am not a big fan of business films.

So if you were to put baseball and business together in a single film, you can assume that I would hate that film.

And this is what Moneyball is.

A baseball business film.

But I did not hate it.

At all.

Moneyball is a true story that follows the general manager of the Oakland Athletics and hoarder of the past, Billy Beane, as he develops a new strategy to re-create the team to kick major face. He either just realizes or finally speaks about how the baseball business is ran improperly. Billy Beane finds a way to manipulate the system in a way that will give him talented, expensive ballplayers for a much cheaper price than they are truly worth. With the enormous help of his assistant general manager, Peter Brand.

What I feel like I need to dish out first is that I find the ethics of not just about the professional baseball scene, but the professional sports scene in general, ludicrous. But I want to say that I am going to write this review with that mindset put aside, no matter how hard it takes. After all, this is a critique of Moneyball’s filmmaking. Not a thesis paper about the immorality of sports ethics.

POSITIVES

I already brought up a very large positive comment, or compliment I should say, in my introduction.

1) I generally hate sports movies.

2) I generally find no interest in business films.

3) And of course, as you can imagine, I generally have a hard time liking when those two are mixed.

But Moneyball is a giant exception.

And the two main reasons this can be is quite obvious: The directing and the screenplay.

Allow me to dive in the screenplay for you.

Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin adapted from a book by Michael Lewis of the same name.

Do those two names sound familiar? 

They should. They wrote the adapted screenplay for The Social Network. And if you like The Social Network, I am pretty sure you will like Moneyball.

Moneyball is The Social Network of baseball.

Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin are a dynamic writing duo. Moneyball flows super well, knows its balance between drama and laughs, and has very detailed, engaging dialogue. Even finds a way to get emotional at times. It hits each mark. Within the film’s first fifteen minutes, you are stuck.

Personally, I did not have an interest to see this film (for it is baseball and business), but I knew I should eventually. So I walked into my “family room” of the house and my dad had just started it. With nothing else to do, and knowing I mind as well see the film now, I took a seat. In less than ten or fifteen minutes, I caught myself not wanting to get up and do something else. I wanted to watch the rest.

It did to me the same that The Social Network did to me.

HOW AM I ACTUALLY WATCHING A MOVIE ABOUT FACEBOOK

But in this case …

HOW AM I ACTUALLY WATCHING A MOVIE ABOUT BASEBALL

I can see Moneyball winning the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, but since the Oscars have looked nuts already, I guess I will not be surprised if it loses. At least it is nominated, I suppose. Gotta remember to look at the positives. Especially since I am in the “Positives” portion of the review.

Also worth noting, is that the film did not feel like 133 minutes. It did not feel any longer than maybe an hour and fifty minutes. But that is just me, just me.

Now, off to directing by Bennett Miller.

Thinking about how this is just a business film about baseball, how could one expect really good camerawork?

In this case, you can expect plenty.

So many cool things are done in Moneyball. Whether they are little subtle things, or pretty obvious ones.

This is something I definitely was not expecting. What I was expecting is just simple, ordinary, plain shots. Nor was I expecting in the moments there was actual baseball (there has to be less than fifteen minutes of baseball in this entire 133 minute film), that it would be real footages from the game. For the majority of the time. And I always like to see that. Rather than re-creating the factual game. But I will admit I have seen some exceptions. Only when the actors are really playing a factual game.

When a movie or film re-creates a game, it is not a big deal. It is a aesthetic thing. If you are going to re-create one, please have the actors play and show that they are clearly playing. If not, do not even bother. 

THAT’S A RULE

Bennett Miller also did a great job of finding the flow that Zaillian and Sorkin wrote and following it. Also, in finding the emotion and depth to Billy Beane. Normally I feel like that would be overlooked.

I keep typing Billy Jean when trying to type Billy Beane …

Shall I go to acting? Okay, I’ll go to acting.

BRAD FRIGGIN’ PITT

Haters finna hate but I love me some Brad Pitt.

And he gets my praise in Moneyball as Billy Beane, the main character of the film. He should get the praise of critics as well.

And I am sure he has.

I didn’t really look into it or anything, though …

Now, I will point out, though, it seemed as if he did not want to be in this film within the first thirty-fifty minutes of the film. But after that, he looked like he was finally getting into it.

One might say that it was just a part of the character but … eh, not really.

Brad Pitt gets serious, Brad Pitt gets funny, Brad Pitt gets angry, Brad Pitt gets joyful, and Brad Pitt does all that while being convincing.

It is not his best performance, but it is one worth acknowledging and enjoying.

Allow me to go on to Jonah Hill, okay?

#*$&*#@(&(Q#*#

JONAH HILL HAS BEEN NOMINATED A BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR FOR MONEYBALL

WHY

I seriously spent every second of his face time in the film trying to see and understand how and why he could have ever been nominated for this. 

Is it only because he is not playing a fat obnoxious douchebag for once?

Just since an actor shows ONE TIME that he can act in a different role from all his previous ones that are all the same, does not make that person Oscar worthy. 

Really?

I will rant about this later in my Oscar nominations rant video.

But anyway, I am not saying Jonah Hill as Peter Brand was terrible. I am not saying that at all. He played the part he got and played it the way it was written to be. Neither the character or the performance is anything that should win any kind of award. It is an ordinary role. It really, really, really is.

Congrats to him, though, I guess …

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was also featured in Moneyball, as the Oakland Athletics’ manager Art Howe. He was not featured enough to be mentioned on the film’s poster, I feel like. And it is another role that is kind of regular. He plays a stubborn guy with little or no charisma. There is not much depth to the character. But, I like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and he was as good as he could be for that role. I am glad he was in the film.

Moneyball’s editing also was nominated this year. And it really is not anything spectacular, but it does some pretty neat stuff here and there. When compared to the other contenders in its category, it deserves to be a nomination. So, the film’s editing is worth liking more than it is worth disliking.

Moneyball’s soundtrack was decent. There are two particular moments when it was used that I thought was put to pretty good use. I wish I could remember the first one, but the second one is when they … 

Oh.

That would be a spoiler.

Cinematography time!

And it was good.

Not terrible.

Not amazing.

Good enough.

And I think that is it for the positives.

NEGATIVES

I honestly do not have too many negatives to say here about Moneyball. The only ones I can really think of are two. And one of those is just me. A personal dislike.

1) The actors who played the baseball players were no good. But in its defense, none of them were main characters, so that does not matter too much. Although it does matter to a degree.

2) I noticed instantaneously when the film played This Will Destroy You’s “The Might Rio Grande”. I am a HUGE This Will Destroy You fan, and do not think what I am about to say is something along the lines of being angry because one of my favorite bands, that happen to be “underground”, are featured in a mainstream film. I am not. I have no problem with that, as long as it is used effectively. Moneyball uses the track three times in the film, and regardless of what many may think, I do not think it was used effectively. I do not think this was the film for its use. Although, I can cut some slack and say that, actually, one of those three times was used semi-effectively.

I feel like I have more negatives to say, but I cannot think of them at the moment. I just feel like there is something that quite does not make this film a 100%. 

Hm. 

Anyway.

It is 1:51AM and I have been sleepy since I started this thing.

So I’ma hit the hay now.

Moneyball is not a grand slam, but it is definitely a home run.

Three mangos out of four.

Let us take a look how accurate my predictions for nominations was this year.

And this year is complete utter bullshit in so many ways. I will blog about that later.

But remember, folks, or for you information if never read my predictions, I put in three more films in each category of my predictions just to have some backups.

And I actually did not do some of the categories because I just had no idea, because I had no way of really knowing or seeing the films. Such as Documentary, Documentary Short, Animated Short, Live Action Short, and Foreign Film.

Anyway, for example, if there are five nominees, I put eight. Three as backups.

Now you get it?

Good.

BEST FILM EDITING

My predictions were The Artist, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, The Ides Of March, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Tree Of Life, and War Horse.

The nominations are The Artist, The Descendants, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, and Moneyball.

So, I only missed one. Which was Moneyball. Not bad.

4 / 5 - 80%

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

My predictions were Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, Hugo, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, and Transformers: Dark Of The Moon.

The nominations are Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, Hugo, Real Steel, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, and Transformers: Dark Of The Moon.

Again, I only missed one. Woot.

4 / 5 - 80%

BEST SOUND MIXING

My predictions: The Adventures Of Tin Tin, The Artist, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Rango, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Super 8, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, and War Horse.

Academy’s nominations: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Moneyball, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, and War Horse.

Wowzers. Missed three, got two. Not so good.

2 / 5 - 40%

BEST SOUND EDITING

My predictions: The Adventures Of Tin Tin, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Rango, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Super 8, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, and War Horse.

Academy’s nominations: Drive, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, and War Horse.

This is the only thing Drive gets? Double U - Tee - Eff.

3 / 5 - 60%

BEST ART DIRECTION

Mine: The Artist, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, Hugo, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Sherlock Holmes 2: Game Of Shadows, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Tree Of Life, and War Horse.

Academy’s: The Artist, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, Hugo, Midnight In Paris, and War Horse.

Missed one, again. Yay.

4 / 5 - 80%

BEST MAKEUP

Mine: Albert Nobbs, The Artist, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, The Iron Lady, J Edgar, and My Week With Marilyn.

Academy’s: Albert Nobbs, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, and The Iron Lady.

Score!

100%

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

My predictions were Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, My Week With Marilyn, The Artist, Jane Eyre, Albert Nobbs, Hugo, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

The nominations are Anonymous, The Artist, Hugo, Jane Eyre, and WE.

Eh. Not too bad. But not that good.

3 / 5 - 60%

BEST DIRECTOR

My predictions were Alexander Payne for The Descendants, Clint Eastwood for J Edgar, David Fincher for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Michael Hazanavicius for The Artist, Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive, Stephen Daldry for Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close, Steven Spielberg for War Horse, and Terrence Malick for The Tree Of Life.

The nominations are Michael Hazanavicius for The Artist, Alexander Payne for The Descendants, Martin Scorsese for Hugo, Woody Allen for Midnight In Paris, and Terrence Malick for The Tree Of Life.

Same as above. Not TOO shabby.

3 / 5 - 60%

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

My predictions: Albert Brooks in Drive, Ben Kingsley in Hugo, Christopher Plummer in Beginners, Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn, Max Von Sydrow in Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close, Nick Nolte for Warrior, Phillip Seymour Hoffman in The Ides Of March, and Viggo Mortensen in A Dangerous Method.

Academy’s nominations: Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn, Jonah Hill in Moneyball, Nick Nolte in Warrior, Christopher Plummer in Beginners, and Max Von Sydrow in Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close.

4 / 5 - 80%

Can I please ace at one more category?

Fricken Jonah Hill.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

My predictions: Carey Mulligan in Shame, Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs, Jessica Chastain in Take Shelter / The Tree Of Life / The Help, Jodie Foster in Carnage, Marion Cotillard in Midnight In Paris, Octavia Spencer in The Help, Sandra Bullock in Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close, Shailene Woodley in The Descendants, and Venessa Redgrave in Coriolanus.

Academy’s nominations: Berenice Bejo in The Artist, Jessica Chastain in The Help, Mellissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids, Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs, and Octavia Spencer in The Help.

Ugh, I knew I should have put Berenice Bejo in mine! I don’t know how I let that slip!

3 / 5 - 60%

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Mine: Charlize Theron in Young Adult, Elizabeth Olsen in Martha Marcy May Marlene, Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs, Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia, Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn, Rooney Mara in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Viola Davis in The Help.

Academy’s: Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis in The Help, Rooney Mara in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn.

Terrific!

100%

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Mine: Brad Pitt in Moneyball, Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, George Clooney in The Descendants, Jean DuJardin in The Artist, Leonardo DiCaprio in J Edgar, Michael Fassbender in Shame / A Dangerous Method, and Michael Shannon in Take Shelter.

Academy’s: Damien Bichir in A Better Life, Jean DuJardin in The Artist, Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Brad Pitt in Moneyball.

Oh, so close!

3 / 4 - 75%

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

My predictions were John Williams for The Adventures Of Tin Tin, Ludovic Bource for The Artist, Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Alexandre Desplat for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, Howard Shore for Hugo, Hans Zimmer for Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game Of Shadows, Alexandre Desplat for The Tree Of Life, John Williams for War Horse, and Jonsi for We Bought A Zoo.

The nominations are John Williams for The Adventures Of Tin Tin, Ludovic Bource for The Artist, Howard Shore for Hugo, Alberto Inglesias for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and John Williams for War Horse.

Rats. Off by one. Again.

4 / 5 - 80%

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

My predictions were The Artist, Drive, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Ides Of March, J Edgar, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, and The Tree Of Life.

The nominations are The Artist, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, The Tree Of Life, and War Horse.

What? I didn’t put Hugo? Bogus me!

4 / 5 - 80%

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

My predictions: The Artist, Beginners, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Midnight In Paris, Shame, The Tree Of Life, Young Adult, and Win Win.

Academy’s nominations: The Artist, Bridesmaids, Margin Call, Midnight In Paris, and A Separation. 

Ouch.

2  /5 - 40%

I’m not sure what I was thinking with the last two categories. Way too many independent films I put in.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

My predictions: The Adventures Of Tin Tin, The Descendants, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Help, The Ides Of March, Moneyball, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and War Horse.

Academy’s predictions: The Descendants, Hugo, The Ides Of March, Moneyball, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Pretty good. I like.

4 / 5 - 80%

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Mine: The Adventures Of Tin Tin, Arthur Christmas, Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss In Boots, Rango, Rio, and Winnie The Pooh.

Academy’s: A Cat In Paris, Chico & Rita, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss In Boots, and Rango.

3 / 5 - 60%

I’m actually uber glad I got Cars 2 wrong.

BEST PICTURE

Mine: The Artist, The Descendants, Drive, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 2, Hugo, The Ides Of March, The Iron Lady, J Edgar, Midnight In Paris, Moneyball, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Academy’s: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight In Paris, Moneyball, The Tree Of Life, and War Horse.

3 / 5 - 60%

I hope you realize how much the Oscars suck this year. There are way too many snubs then should be tolerable.

I have lived in the Midwest my entire life.

Storms happen here all the time.

Snowstorms, rainstorms, thunderstorms, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

But I was raised by my no fear father to not fear them. So I never really have.

Until I saw Take Shelter.

Just kidding.

That last part isn’t true.

I just thought it would be a cool introduction.

Did you like it?

Take Shelter, for those who do not know, is about a man named Curtis who is happily living with his wife Samantha and deaf daughter Hannah, (who is the most adorable little girl!) in their Ohio home. He and his wife are clearly in love, and live in deep respect for one another. Even with their slim financials and special healthcare needs for Hannah, nothing gets in the way. Until Curtis begins to act strangely because of wild and peculiar nightmares he repeatedly experiences. 

Except that they are not just nightmares. 

They are something more.

Curtis believes that they are informing him of an upcoming storm like none anyone has seen before. So he obsessively starts to build a storm shelter in their backyard. Also testing, whether directly so or indirectly so, the love and trust his wife has for him.

Take Shelter is a powerfully effective film that will get into your bones and make you feel really uneasy. Do not be surprised if you start sweating.

POSITIVES

One of the film’s biggest accomplishments is its buildup. And its payoff.

It is practically perfect.

Scratch that.

It IS perfect.

The whole film is just one slow and heavy, but necessarily and conveniently so, buildup and setup for its perfect ending. Its perfect climax.

Oh, my goodness, that ending!

#*&$&(#*@

During the film’s entirety its unsettling tone, mood, and feel gets to you the more it progresses. To be approximately precise, it continues for its first hour and forty-five minutes. Then again at its last two minutes. It just might make you sweat, literally or figuratively speaking. And it just might get you paranoid about a storm when you leave the theater.

Or when you shut off the DVD player …

Mad, mad props to the director, Jeff Nichols.

Take Shelter gets you very involved. A few examples being: 

1) You will catch yourself wanting to yell at the screen to try to get Curtis to tell people why he begins to act so odd.

2) You cannot wait to see everyone’s reaction when …

3) After a while, you will beg for the storm he keeps preparing for to come. But not in the way that is like “Oh, come on, just get to the storm already.” No, it is not like that. It is an earnest crave the film purposely causes you to feel.

More mad, mad props to the director, Jeff Nichols.

What also makes it easier to become involved with the film, is the dynamic performances from pretty much everybody in the film.

Except this one lady … She bothered me.

But Michael Shannon, in this film, reaches his best performance yet, and I will not be surprised if it remains to be his best even when / if he retires. And I will be fine with that. I thought he was this good. You literally watch him peel and peel and peel into the brink of madness. Questionable insanity.

You will understand that last sentence when you see the film.

; )

And there is a part, or many parts, of his performance that we can all relate to.

I know I am not saying much about his performance as I do in the upcoming performances, but trust me when I say it is beyond astounding and definitely Oscar worthy. See for yourself. Seriously. He is absolutely great here.

And Jessica Chastain, who has starting to become one of my favorite actresses, also puts out a fantastic performance. Any time she plays a mother, she is more than believable. She also played the mother in The Tree Of Life. You watch her and you are convinced she is a mother, and it is beautiful. She is not the most attractive looking woman, but any time she acts, it is a whole other beauty she sends out and you see the beauty in her. Her performance in this film, marks the pinnacle of that statement. As does her role in The Tree Of Life, but not as strongly. Besides the motherly side of her performance, she plays a lovely wife that I hope my future wife will have some in common with. Just overall, she is superb. She had too many great moments in this film, and each one got me dry-throated and / or teary-eyed. Even in the moments she was not speaking.

A big thing to note about performances is the chemistry between Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. They are convincing and realistic. From the moment you see them interact with one another and together with their FRICKEN ADORABLE deaf daughter, you love them. And you hope to yourself that the film will show more of it, but that it would not be enough.

At least that is how I felt …

And their freaking deaf daughter! She is absolutely adorable! Physically and behaviorally. I could not tell if she is a great child actress or just such an awesome kid!

Another performance I see worth talking about is the performance of Shea Whigham, who plays Curtis’s co-worker and close friend. Now, although I have only seen him here in Take Shelter and Splinter (2006 horror film, one to check out), I can tell he is a pretty good actor. I liked him in Splinter but did not expect much else from him, at least any time soon. But I was wrong when I saw this film. He was not outstanding or anything, for his role did not call for it, but with what he had to work with, I would say he was pretty good. That is all about him. 

You probably found that pointless to bring up. 

But whatevs.

David Wingo’s soundtrack to Take Shelter is one of the best soundtracks of the year, not only because of the music itself, but because of how it works with the film and compliments the film. Most soundtracks are seemingly made just to be thrown in a movie just because, or to simply show off composing talent, but David Wingo really helps make the film what it is. It serves a great aid in creating the unsettling tone, mood, and feel of the film. It sounds like a subtle apocalyptic-like warning and hidden insanity. Despite how “simple” the music sounds. And it is the bigger reason to why the buildup and payoff of the film is as perfect as it is.

The editing was well done and worth not only mentioning, but worth mentioning in the positive section. I do not want to exactly say why, just wait for the nightmares. The editing does not deserve any awards of any kind or anything, but I do believe it needs to be praised. If that makes sense. 

Which I think it does …

Jeff Nichols’ dialogue in the screenplay is overall pretty good, except two moments, which I hope you will notice when you see the film.

A couple other things to mention, which most of you probably will not care about, is the sound and audio. Especially the outside sounds.

For some reason, when they were outside, and you can hear the rustle of the trees and the grass, the wind, and all that Midwestern natural stuff, it sounds the way it really would if you were there. I live in the Midwest, and in a similar area to the film, and the sounds from my place and the film’s sound, are pretty much exactly the same. Exactly.

I do not know what it is about its sound in that aspect that stood out from any other film I can think of. Also, with the outside stuff aside, are the small things. Like footsteps in the house, the voices of the characters, all sound as if you were in that house.

Gah, it is hard to explain.

What I might be trying to say is that none of it sounds dubbed, like pre-recorded stuff, or imported soundscapes.

Was that any better?

Poop.

NEGATIVES

In terms of camerawork, Jeff Nichols, the director, does not really do anything that stands out too much. There is enough good shots to count with one hand, but that is about it. But even with that being said, he still allows the camerawork to flow well with the film’s pacing and build. I just would have liked to see a lot more brilliant camerawork, especially during the nightmares. Especially at those times. If those were the only parts shot in a mesmerizing manner, it would completely cancel out anything outside of that. But it did not, really.

Actually, one of the nightmares was done pretty well. But it was more of a special / visual effects and editing thing. Which was still his idea, I am sure, anyway. 

Now, my next observation, which I do not think belongs to the positive or negative section, is the cinematography. It was pretty decent. It did not stand out either way. And what I could not tell, because I was so engaged with the story and whatnot, was whether it was natural lighting or set lighting. If it was natural, which if I had to guess is what I would say they used, they put it to good use. And if it was set lighting, it was done pretty well because I cannot tell for sure it was or not.

Those two things are the only negatives along with the two moments of odd dialogue selection, but both can easily be dismissed because it is not that bad, and the rest of the film makes up for it.

Anyway, time to wrap lock this review in a storm shelter.

Take Shelter will do to storm fearers what Contagion did to germophobes.

Four mangos out of four.

What I genuinely want to see: The Three Stooges, The Dictator, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, Brave, The Amazing Spiderman, The Dark Knight Rises, The Bourne Legacy, Total Recall, The Wettest County, Les Miserables, The Hobbit, and Django Unlimited.

What I am curious to see: Chronicle, Bullet To The Head, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Dark Shadows, Prometheus, Rock Of Ages, Abraham Lincoln - Vampire Hunter, Premium Rush, Savages, Gangster Squad, World War Z, and The Great Gatsby.

What I will be forced to see: Casa De Mi Padre, Scary Movie 5, Ted, Dog Fight, and Paranormal Activity 4.

What I will see for entertainment purposes only: Ghost Rider - Spirit Of Vengeance, The Avengers, Men In Black III, The Expendables 2, Dredd, Taken 2, and Skyfall.