What up movie fans? Welcome to the latest blog series brought to you by yours truly. In what I am calling "Matt At The Movies", I will review movies that I see throughout the year right here.
Thanks to a pass that allows me to see movies at a certain movie theater in Columbus for free, I have made it a point to see a lot more movies than I usually would. That includes movies I am excited to see and others that I just go see because it's free and I hav nothing to lose but a few more brain cells.
I will review my first movie in due time but before that, it's Oscar Week! Depending on the year, I'm either excited or apathetic toward the Academy Wards. This year, I'm excited. I've seen a good share of the movies that are nominated and seen many of the performances that are nominated in the acting categories. And while some of the awards are no in doubt of who will win, it's exciting to see those awards that are still up in the air.
At the end of this post, I will share my Oscar picks. But before that, I will share my picks of best movies and performances of the year. I thought of coming up with a great name for these awards (Barnsies, Simbas, Moscars) but I didn't like any of them. So instead, they're just winners.
I'm not exactly going to use the Oscars categories. Best Actor means for the year, not just for one movie sometimes. And instead of best picture, I split them up by genre. And you'll notice, not all categories will have 5 nominees. These are my awards so I'll do them my way.
In all, I saw 23 movies that came out in 2012. I will only be judging performances from the movies I have seen. Those movies are (in order of release): Safe House, Project X, 21 Jump Street, American Reunion, The Avengers, Ted, Magic Mike, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises, The Campaign, Premium Rush, End of Watch, Looper, Taken 2, Seven Psychopaths, Argo, Flight, Skyfall, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty, This is 40, Django Unchained
BEST ACTOR NOMINEES - 2012
Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - The Dark Knight Rises, Premium Rush, Looper, Lincoln
Channing Tatum - 21 Jump Street, Magic Mike
Denzel Washington - Safe House, Flight
BREAKDOWN: Cooper's performance was simply amazing. It came out of nowhere for me, considering his other fare (The Hangover, The A-Team). But he really threw himself into this role. He made me hate him, like him, root against and root for him, all within 2 hours. Easily the best performance of his career... Day-Lewis is no doubt one of the best actors out there right now. There was simply no one better to play Abe Lincoln than him. Never during the movie did I ever think it was him. I always thought it was the President... Gordon-Levitt had a busy year. Premium Rush was entertaining and he was solid. Looper was probably his best performance, as he went toe-to-toe with Bruce Willis. I bought him as an action star for the first time. Yes, he starred in The Dark Knight Rises but that movie was never about him. He was also solid in a complimentary role in Lincoln, especially in an emotional scene with his Dad upon seeing the body parts of soldiers... Tatum was in more than just these 2 movies he is nominated for. In all, he starred in 4 that were released in 2012. He showed some above-average comedic chops in 21 Jump Street. Many times, he was funnier than co-star Jonah Hill (who I think overdoes it too much). Magic Mike was not supposed to be a lesson in acting but he was admirable in it. I bought his character because he was that guy... Washington is among my favorite current actors right now. Yes, he tends to play the same character (angry Black man, whether in power or not in power), but he does it very well. Safe House was nothing special but not awful. But Flight showed a side of him I had not seen in a long time. A vulnerable, emotional wreck side that captivated me from start to finish.
BEST ACTOR - 2012: Daniel Day-Lewis
BEST ACTRESS NOMINEES - 2012
Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
Mila Kunis - Ted
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Leslie Mann - This is 40
Kelly Reilly - Flight
BREAKDOWN: Chastain was spectacular in this role. She had to play a tough and at times, heartless person and she did it well. She did not overact and made her character likable despite the rough exterior... Kunis is becoming one of the most reliable actresses in film right now. She's not going to wow you (acting I mean) but she will give you a solid performance that compliments her fellow actors and the movie. I thought in Ted, she did a nice job playing off of Wahlberg and a dirty-talking bear that she can't even see... Lawrence probably was good in The Hunger Games but I wouldn't know. I didn't see it. But I did see her in this movie and am already excited to see her next movie. She's just 22 but in a role that demanded her to act older, she prevailed. The intensity she brings to that performance is truly impressive. And it wasn't all drama as she had some nice one-liners that showed she can act with the best of them. Her chemistry with Cooper to was top notch... Mann is never going to win any awards in her career. And honestly, most people don't know her name. But for me, she is one of the best comedic actresses out there right now. She's a real trooper, going that extra mile so the joke lands. She clearly knows how to ad-lib with the best of them. And maybe most importantly, has no shame, which makes her likable in every movie she's in. She's not trying to be funny. She just is... Reilly was a no-name to me before I saw her in Flight. In fact, she still is a no-name to me, as I had to look up her name for this. But her performance in the movie stood out. Alongside Washington, she helped drive the movie to its thrilling conclusion. She was pushed hard by Washington's character but instead of fading into the background in those scenes, she shined right with him.
BEST ACTRESS - 2012: Jennifer Lawrence
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINEES - 2012
Alan Arkin - Argo
Javier Bardem - Skyfall
Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook
Leonardo DiCaprio - Django Unchained
Samuel L. Jackson - Django Unchained
Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln
Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike
Chris Tucker - Silver Linings Playbook
Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained
BREAKDOWN: Arkin is 78 years old. Wouldn't know it by his lightning quick retorts and overall great acting in this movie. Great in comedies or dramas... Bardem plays one of the best Bond villians I've ever seen. His performance was simply genius. Creepy and engaging... De Niro has been doing a lot of weird movies lately. Movies like Meet The Fockers and such. Nice to see him in a movie that challenges him and forces him to use his skills, because when he does, he proves yet again he is one of the best. An amazing performance in this movie... DiCaprio is already known as one of the best actors in the game right now. And in his first turn as a bad guy, he excelled. Loved every second of his portrayal of a slave owner in this over-the-top Tarantino film... Jackson is known for his propensity to curse in movies and that's about it. But I think people forget he can really act. He proved that in this movie...Jones clearly put all he had into this performance. His speech was one of my favorite moments of the movie. You can feel the conviction he had, which was critical to making the movie impactful. One of the best performances of his career... McConaughey has long been regarded to me as one of the worst actors in the world. He changed my mind for at least 2 hours in this movie. Playing a role he would normally not play, he really showed some acting chops...Tucker has not been in a movie since the 1990's it seems like. And it was with Jackie Chan. Yikes. But for real, it's good to have him back. And shockingly, it's not for his comedy. In fcta, it's for his earnest performance in this movie. Welcome back Chris... Waltz is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I adored him in Inglorious Basterds. In fact, I thought he carried that movie. He didn't have to carry this one but he still stole much of the spotlight with his great timing and ability to make you believe everything he is saying.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - 2012: Robert De Niro
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - 2012
Judi Dench - Skyfall
Sally Field - The Amazing Spider-Man, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway - The Dark Knight Rises
Melissa McCarthy - This is 40
Kerry Washington - Django Unchained
Jacki Weaver - Silver Linings Playbook
BREAKDOWN: Dench has always been good in the Bond movies but in this one, she was stellar. The storyline called for a big performance and she gave it. She deserved an Oscar nomination I thought...Field was steady in The Amazing Spider-Man, giving enough to make me care about her character. But it was her performance in Lincoln that impressed me so much. A little bit crazy, a little bit snarky and a lot bit passionate. She aced this tough test of playing Mary Todd Lincoln... Hathaway was probably better in Les Miserables, but I didn't see it so I can't judge her on the performance that will likely win her an Oscar. But I did like her in the role of Catwoman. She had the right amount of pizzazz for the role and thought she added to the movie more than took away from it... McCarthy may have been in the movie for less than 5 minutes but it's 5 minutes I remember. Her scene with Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in the principal's office goes down as one of the best scenes of 2012. Can ad-lib with the best of them... Washington got zero credit for understated performance. I'm not sure why either. I thought she was outstanding. Her performance made me really believe in the relationship with Django... Weaver had the tough task of acting alongside three Hollywood heavyweights but aptly delivered in her role as matriarch of one o the most dysfunctional families in Philadelphia. A very solid performance that I'm gald got recognized by the Academy.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - 2012: Sally Field
BEST MOVIE: COMEDY NOMINEES - 2012
American Reunion
The Campaign
Ted
This Is 40
21 Jump Street
WINNER (AND WHY): Ted - This was really between Ted and American Reunion. This is 40 was in a clear third. What puts Ted on top is that it was an original idea that was hilarious from start to finish. The jokes are some of the best I've heard in a comedy and being a big fan of Family Guy, I knew they would be a little raunchy too. The movie never drags and ends in a fulfilling way. The same can be said for American Reunion but with it being the fourth movie of a series, it loses on originality. With that said though, really gald they made it.
BEST MOVIE: ACTION NOMINEES - 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Looper
Premium Rush
Safe House
Skyfall
Taken 2
WINNER (AND WHY): Skyfall - This was a pretty easy decision. Looper was great, don't get me wrong. Original, exciting stuff. The Dark Knight Rises was good as well, though the first hour was pretty brutal. Skyfall though had it all. Superb acting. Amazing cinematography. Quality music. And one bad-ass hero. I think it is the best Bond film ever. Even if you aren't a Bond fan or seen zero of them, this is one you HAVE to see. It's that good.
BEST MOVIE: DRAMA NOMINEES - 2012
Argo
Django Unchained
Flight
Lincoln
Magic Mike
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
WINNER (AND WHY): Silver Linings Playbook - This was a tough decision. 5 of these movies are up for the Oscars Best Picture prize and for good reason. And the 2 that are not are fine movies as well. Magic Mike was unexpectedly good. Actually had a plot to it. Flight had me engaged from start to finish and had an ending that I really enjoyed. Django Unchained was not only funny and entertaining but action-packed. A wee bit long but it never lost my attention. Zero Dark Thirty was intense as expected. The scene to go kill Osama Bin Laden made you feel like you were there. Lincoln took me into 1865 and for nearly 3 hours, lost me in the fight for equality. Thanks to amazing acting, costume design and many other things, it provided me not just a historical lesson but a lesson in great movie-making. Argo was simply terrific. I did not know the story beforehand which likely helps it rank higher in my book than Lincoln but it's a fine movie because of the acting and the flow of the movie. It kept moving and kept you engaged. Loved it. But Silver Linings Playbook wins because it affected me. I left the theater and remember thinking just how well done that movie was. It made me think. It made me hate and love characters at times. It frustrated me but ultimately entertained me. It had plenty of comedy and more than enough drama. Best movie I've seen this year for sure.
As far as the movies I wanted to see but unfortunately did not, they are: Red Tails, Jeff, Who Lives At Home, The Hunger Games, The Five-Year Engagement, Seeking a Friend For The End of the World, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Celeste + Jesse Forever, The Bourne Legacy, 10 Years, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Cloud Atlas, Life of Pi, Les Miserables
And last but not least, my picks for the Academy Awards this Sunday. These are not so much who I think should win but who will win.
MY OSCAR PICKS
Best Director: Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Best Picture: Argo
Hope you enjoyed the inaugural "Matt At The Movies" post. Hopefully, many more are to come.
Hakuna Matata.
