Pretzel Logic: February 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Week in Albums: Feb. 25

This week's album recap was delayed a bit by my Oscar coverage and an annoying computer virus. But, better late than never, right? Lots of exciting stuff this week, so let's jump right in...

#1

The King of Limbs
Radiohead
self-released

I cannot think of a single contemporary band that labors under as much pressure as Radiohead. Every time they put out an album, anything less than a universal classic will be seen as a disappointment. This is what happens when four of your first seven albums are considered cultural landmarks and two more are considered merely phenomenal. Yet, The King of Limbs feels calculated to diffuse some of the Radiohead-mania. Over a brief 37 minutes, these eight songs showcase textures and nuances rather than catchy songcraft or raw, emotional catharsis. The first four are rhythmically frenetic, while the second half features more languid, emotional tones. All eight require repeated listening before they start to make sense, as the listener becomes accustomed to the odd twists and turns. Unlike In Rainbows or OK Computer, which can reward you on the first listen, The King of Limbs demands time from you. I'm not surprised that many critics and fans see it as a bit of a let-down, but I think these criticisms are misplaced and premature. If you're not sold yet, go back and listen again. Then listen again. And then listen again. At some point, the brilliance will hit you. This is one of Radiohead's best works. They just don't want you to realize it yet.

Simon's Grade:

We're New Here
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
XL

The week's most unanimously acclaimed record was We're Not Here, a remix of last year's Gil Scott-Heron album I'm New Here by the xx's Jamie Smith. Replacing Scott-Heron's eclectic mix of musical styles with his own icy electronics, Smith's final product is odd and unsettling, but often compelling, especially on the stellar second half. By snatching bits of Scott-Heron's distinctive, gravely voice off I'm New Here and burying them under minimal keyboards and skittering percussion, We're Not Here sounds more modern and cohesive than I'm Not Here ever did. It's still a bit uneven, with moments of the first half veering dangerously close to the murky waters of boredom, but the highlights, especially the closing "I'll Take Care of You," definitely make this an album of note.

Simon's Grade:

21
Adele
XL

Well, here's one I didn't expect. Up-and-coming British diva Adele surprised everyone this week by releasing her sophomore album, 21, to a clamor of critical acclaim. And the kicker here? I'm pretty sure it deserves it. This is most certainly pop music, but it's a powerful and honest brand of pop that we haven't heard much since the 1970s. 21 is a soulful, emotional break-up album, fueled by Adele's strident vocal performances and unexpectedly edgy compositions from her team of collaborators. The opening trio of "Rolling in the Deep," "Rumour Has It" and "Turning Tables" is virtually impossible to argue with, while the closing "Someone Like You" will shortly become inescapable on every TV show that needs an emotionally dramatic soundtrack. There's even a hushed cover of the Cure's "Lovesong" thrown in! Hipsters like myself have long ago resigned ourselves to the fact that the radio doesn't play good music anymore. However, a few more pop albums like 21 and I might have to start listening.

Simon's Grade:

Also this week: Pitchfork threw out a few Best New Musics that didn't find a whole lot of praise elsewhere, including Space is Only Noise by Nicolas Jaar (4 pretzels), The Magic Place by Julianna Barwick (3.5 pretzels) and Underneath the Pine by Toro y Moi (3 pretzels).

Friday, February 25, 2011

Simon's Oscar Preview: Best Picture

This week's schedule:
Monday - Art & Design, Music
Tuesday - Technical Achievements
Wednesday - Short Films, Special Feature Films
Thursday - Writing & Directing, Acting
Friday - Best Picture

We've reached the end of our Oscar preview, which means it's time to look at the ten films nominated for the film industry's highest award: Best Picture of the year. As we run through all ten nominees, I'll provide my own commentary on why I think they might win. At the end, I'll reveal my last predictions and who I think ultimately deserves top honors.

BLACK SWAN
Why It Might Win: Aronofsky's bleak, claustrophobic psychothriller was certainly the year's cross-over art movie. It was one of the top 30 grossing films at the box office, despite being a very challenging and often inaccessible work. Anchored by Natalie Portman's already-legendary performance of a ballerina pushing herself to the edge both physically and mentally, Black Swan has a lot going in its favor. It could find itself with a surprising victory if the Academy voters are won over by sheer style and emotional weight.

THE FIGHTER
Why It Might Win: I fully expect The Fighter to take home both Supporting Actor/Actress awards, so already this is a movie that cannot be ignored. Even beyond Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, this film is full of stellar performances. Amy Adams has her own Supporting Actress nod this year, while Mark Wahlberg has been drastically underrated for his quiet, reflective character at the film's center. This is very much a traditional Best Picture-type film, with a strong ensemble cast, an uplifting underdog story and competent directing. In a year featuring many unique and unorthodox Best Picture nominees, voters could find solace in the good ol' comfort food of a boxing flick.

INCEPTION
Why It Might Win: No acting or directing nominations are rarely good signs for a Best Picture nominee. However, not unlike last year's Avatar, the technical grandeur of Inception is worth noting. What's more, Inception features a far more compelling story at its heart than Avatar, fueled by Christopher Nolan's Writers'-Guild-Award-winning script. Inception also won over the masses, ranking 6th overall in box office profits. Remember: the Academy has handed out their top honor to films like Gladiator and The Return of the King in just the past ten years. There's definitely room for high-concept, popcorn-friendly blockbusters at the Oscars.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Why It Might Win: Lisa Cholodenko's off-beat family dramedy has been finding favor here and there all year long. It already has a Golden Globe win for Best Comedy or Musical and both Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo have acting nominations at the Oscars. Cholodenko's script is also in the running for Original Writing. I won't lie: this is the one movie nominated for Best Picture that I actively disliked, but obviously, I'm in the minority on this one. Voters could very well buy into the romantic tension at the film's core, while the lesbian themes ensure that the movie feels very contemporary and in line with current issues.

THE KING'S SPEECH
Why It Might Win: For so long, we all assumed The Social Network's Oscar victory was a foregone conclusion. Then, late in December, The King's Speech opened in theaters and all the predictions were thrown into chaos. After dominating at the BAFTAs (what? British people like British movies? Who knew?) and netting some key victories from the producing and directing guilds, The King's Speech cannot be ignored. It also leads the Oscars with twelve nominations, including Colin Firth's dominant Best Actor nod. Not unlike The Fighter, The King's Speech is a very traditional Best Picture film, centered around a historical event and featuring all kinds of fun period costuming and artistic touches. The King's Speech, however, separates itself from the pack through astonishing acting, unusually strong writing and an underrated directing effort from Tom Hooper. It will definitely be a strong player on Sunday night.

127 HOURS
Why It Might Win: Danny Boyle could not have made a movie less like Slumdog Millionaire than the brooding, focused 127 Hours. Instead of running through the streets of India, almost all of 127 Hours takes place in one location, as James Franco wrestles with an unyielding boulder that has trapped his arm. One of the most tense and emotionally riveting films nominated, 127 Hours takes a difficult premise for a movie and absolutely aces it. Strong editing and camera work help, but Franco and Boyle both deserve the most praise. The audience knows how this movie is going to end, but that doesn't make the events leading up to the climax any less compelling. Voters could end up being won over by this film's focus and overall commitment to the true events it was based on.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Why It Might Win: Well, it's been winning everything all year long. The King's Speech has been stealing a bit of its thunder, but The Social Network still has to be considered the favorite. Contemporary issues (Facebook) are combined with uber-witty dialogue from Aaron Sorkin, edgy, taut directing from David Fincher and a star-making performance from Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook's manic creator, Mark Zuckerberg. The Social Network also happens to be the best reviewed film of the year, an honor usually reserved for foreign art-house films about existential despair. Whether the film truly reveals something about the American zeitgeist is debatable, but I don't think Academy voters are going to ponder it over too much. The popularity and acclaim for The Social Network have been snowballing since September and it's going to take a mighty effort to derail it now.

TOY STORY 3
Why It Might Win: Ok, we all know that a kids' movie will never win Best Picture. However, Toy Story 3 presents a compelling case. For starters, it made more money than any other film this year. That's not uncommon for family-friendly movies, but there's no denying that Toy Story 3 resonated with more than just the under-15 set. In many ways, it's a movie that kids won't understand, aiming more for the nostalgic college kids who remember watching the first Toy Story movie so many years ago. The animation is up to Pixar's usual ridiculously high standards, while the story and script are far darker than your run-of-the-mill children's animation blockbuster. Hell, the last act of the film resembles Dante's Inferno, with the characters quite literally sinking into a fiery pit of doom. If there's ever been an animated movie that can hang with the heavy-hitters in the Best Picture category, this is it.

TRUE GRIT
Why It Might Win: I almost feel bad for True Grit. With ten nominations, it ranks ahead of everything not named The King's Speech at this year's Oscars. However, it is favored to win exactly none of those awards. Getting completely shut out would be quite embarrassing, especially considering what a strong, effective film the Coen brothers managed to churn out. Built around three strong performances from Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and young, show-stealing newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit isn't a movie that does anything new, but it does old things very well. Maybe voters will find that True Grit is more than the sum of its constituent parts and give it top honors despite the lack of support elsewhere.

WINTER'S BONE
Why It Might Win: As this year's Grammy Awards proved, anything can happen. Winter's Bone should pay careful attention, because more than any other movie nominated, it stands to be rewarded if the Academy pulls some Arcade-Fire-type rabbit out of its proverbial hat. A huge winner among critics and the independent film community, Winter's Bone is a powerfully bleak and focused film, a crime drama worthy of GoodFellas but in miniature. The entire story is trapped within the grey, snowy confines of the Ozark mountains, ravaged by meth and complex family ties. Add in Jennifer Lawrence's fantastic portrayal of a young girl in way over her head and you've got a true dark horse candidate. If the Academy wants to placate the critics, the film kids and the indie film whiners all in one fell swoop, giving Winter's Bone the Best Picture award would just about do the trick.

Alright, those are the nominees. I've got the envelope here... the results are in and they say:

Who Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: Toy Story 3

Let's not kid ourselves. There are only two movies that have a realistic chance of winning: The Social Network and The King's Speech. However, even with all the acclaim being dumped on The King's Speech in the past month, I'm putting all my money on The Social Network. It hits all the right buttons for American voters and should easily clean up on Sunday night. Of course, my favorite movie of the year was Toy Story 3, so I'd love to see it swoop out of nowhere and land a mighty blow for animated films everywhere. We all know that won't happen, though. The Social Network will rule the day, deserving or not.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Simon's Oscar Preview: Acting

Nominees: Javier Bardem - Biutiful (have not seen), Jeff Bridges - True Grit, Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network, Colin Firth - The King's Speech, James Franco - 127 Hours

Who Will Win: Colin Firth
Who Should Win: Colin Firth

Nothing radical here. Colin Firth has been winning every relevant acting award around and deservedly so. His performance in The King's Speech is strong, memorable and profoundly moving. He's the clear standout in what turned out to be a slightly thin year for the Best Actor category. Interestingly, this is the second year in a row that both Bridges and Firth are nominated. This time, however, the tables will turn and Firth will get his recognition. Lost in all this is Franco, whose powerful portrayal of Aron Ralston in 127 Hours should not be ignored.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Nominees: Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right, Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole, Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone, Natalie Portman - Black Swan, Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Who Will Win: Natalie Portman
Who Should Win: Natalie Portman

Again, they might as well just hand this one out now. Everyone knows that Portman is going to win here and few are arguing in favor of anyone else. This is a much stronger field than Best Actor, featuring great performances by Lawrence and Williams particularly, but Black Swan's Nina Sayers is probably the most memorable film character of the year. Bening has a few supporters, but I found her role in The Kids Are All Right handicapped by an awkward and often underdeveloped script. As for Kidman... well, Rabbit Hole is far from her best work, but she's Nicole Kidman, so we have to talk about her anyway. Don't let anybody fool you: Natalie's winning here.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Nominees: Christian Bale - The Fighter, John Hawkes - Winter's Bone, Jeremy Renner - The Town, Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right, Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

Who Will Win: Christian Bale
Who Should Win: Christian Bale

This will be the closest and most unpredictable of the acting awards. Bale's bug-eyed, manic turn as fallen boxer Dicky Eklund certainly deserves the award and he already has the Golden Globe as proof, but Geoffrey Rush presents a very compelling case. Although you could argue that his role should be considered a lead role, here he is with the supporting guys and many people suspect that he'll win. I'm not as convinced and I think The King's Speech is going to walk away with far fewer awards than people expect. Hawkes, Renner and Ruffalo all turned in quality performances, but anyone who thinks this is anything other than a two-horse race is crazy.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Nominees: Amy Adams - The Fighter, Helena Bonham Carter -The King's Speech, Melissa Leo - The Fighter, Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit, Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Who Will Win: Melissa Leo
Who Should Win: Melissa Leo

Basically the same as the Supporting Actors. Leo's domineering matriarch plays a commanding role in The Fighter and netted her the recognition at the Globes. Meanwhile, The King's Speech is sneaking up again, this time in the form of Helena Bonham Carter's charming portrayal of the future Queen Elizabeth. I'm predicting Leo to carry this category at the Oscars, but it certainly isn't set in stone. If Best Picture goes as planned and falls to The Social Network, the Academy may ensure that The King's Speech, their most nominated film, has plenty of other scraps to snap up. For the record, Hailee Steinfeld does not belong in this category: she had a lead role and that cannot be debated.

Simon's Oscar Preview: Writing & Directing

Nominees: Another Year, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech

Who Will Win: Inception
Who Should Win: The King's Speech

This one's a bit hard to predict. The Writers' Guild chose Christopher Nolan's insanely ambitious Inception script over others, yet The King's Speech is certainly the more recognized movie among the Oscar nominees. On top of that, you've got the fact that Inception is full of poorly fleshed-out characters and occasional chunks of clunky dialogue, while The King's Speech is one of most wonderfully language-based films I've seen in recent memory. Ultimately, I think voters are gonna throw Nolan a bone here, especially considering the popularity Inception received from actual movie-goers. The Academy has a history of using the writing awards to placate films that won't win the bigger awards. Whether that fact favors Inception or The King's Speech is yet to be seen.

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

Nominees: 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter's Bone

Who Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: True Grit

There is virtually no way Aaron Sorkin can lose here. His pithy, blisteringly witty script for The Social Network has been receiving accolades all year long and the Oscars will be no exception. Now, personally, I find Sorkin' script incredibly obnoxious. The infamous Sorkin-style dialogue transformers real people into hyper-verbose caricatures, all while carrying out a truly terrifying piece of character assassination against Mark Zuckerberg. If we interpret the field's title in the most literal sense, I feel True Grit is the best adaptation of the year. The Coen brothers' version of Charles Portis' novel is far more true to the source material that the old John Wayne version, dragging the subject matter into the dark and brooding end of the pool. Winter's Bone is another intriguing candidate. Either way, even though I'm betting on The Social Network, the less Sorkin in my life, the better.

DIRECTING

Nominees: Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - True Grit, David Fincher - The Social Network, Tom Hooper - The King's Speech, David O. Russell - The Fighter

Who Will Win: David Fincher
Who Should Win: Darren Aronofsky

Ok, who should really win this award is poor, ignored Christopher Nolan, whose visionary work on Inception shows the true power a director can exert over a film. Even with its many flaws, Inception's directing is beyond compare. So, of course, Nolan wasn't even nominated. Fincher has the inside track here, although, if the voters end up getting behind The King's Speech instead of The Social Network, Tom Hooper could swoop in. Of the candidates who are actually nominated, my vote goes to Aronofsky. Black Swan is another flawed movie that is catapulted into another level by intelligent, edgy camera work and a limitless sense of visual style. Aronofsky will probably always be too out-there and experimental to truly win over Academy voters, but we can dream.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Simon's Oscar Preview: Special Feature Films

Nominees: Exit Through the Gift Shop, Gasland, Inside Job, Restrepo, Waste Land (have not seen)

Who Will Win: Inside Job
Who Should Win: Exit Through the Gift Shop

I hope this is a close vote. Both of the leaders in this category are very solid films, but they represent very different ideas concerning the role of a documentary film. Inside Job is a strong, compelling examination of the factors that led to our current financial crisis. It's an exemplary social commentary doc, which shines a light on important issues and backs up its argument with strong reasoning and factual information. On the other hand, Exit Through the Gift Shop might be an elaborate work of fiction. British graffiti artist Banksy directed this thought-provoking film, which appears to follow a fan of street art. However, there has been much speculation that this character himself is one of Banksy's creations, commenting on media's relationship to art, intention and perception. I expect the Academy to side with the more traditional, while, personally, I like the second style more. Either way, both of these films deserve top honors.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Nominees: Biutiful (have not seen), Dogtooth, In a Better World (have not seen), Incendies (have not seen), Outside the Law

Who Will Win: Biutiful
Who Should Win: Dogtooth

Logic dictates that Biutiful should win, since it's the only film here that's nominated for anything else. Mind you, that didn't help The White Ribbon last year (nominated for Cinematography) or Pan's Labyrinth a few years ago (nominated for all kinds of things), but Javier Bardem's Best Actor nomination is nothing to ignore. They don't just hand those things out, you know. As you can tell, I haven't seen many of the films in this field, but I'm pretty certain that when I eventually do, Dogtooth will remain my favorite. This surreal, unsettling and bleakly funny Greek film ranks as one of the best movies I saw all year, regardless of language.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Nominees: How to Train Your Dragon, The Illusionist, Toy Story 3

Who Will Win: Toy Story 3
Who Should Win: Toy Story 3

Don't let them slam-dunk nature of this category fool you. All three of these films rank among 2010's Top 10 in my book and each is quite different from the others. How to Train Your Dragon is a superb family film, offering true entertainment that you can enjoy at all ages. The Illusionist aims much higher, offering a subtle and artsy narrative that would fly over most kids' heads but is perfect for jaded adults who think animation is beneath them. Finally, of course, we have Toy Story 3, an emotional (and oddly existential) journey through nostalgia and what it means to grow up. It absolutely deserves its eventual victory, but the other two films should not be ignored. This isn't the most competitive field this year, but it probably features the most overall quality and talent assembled in one place.

Simon's Oscar Preview: Short Films

This week's schedule:
Monday - Art & Design, Music
Tuesday - Technical Achievements
Wednesday - Short Films, Special Feature Films
Thursday - Writing & Directing, Acting
Friday - Best Picture

Films I haven't seen are marked accordingly. Since Shorts International only made some of the live action and animated shorts available on iTunes, I've seen less of these than I expected. I may still see the documentary shorts later this week and will update my post accordingly.

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

Nominees: The Confession, The Crush, God of Love, Na Wewe, Wish 143

Who Will Win: Wish 143
Who Should Win: God of Love

Short film awards are notoriously hard to predict, so I'm taking my best stab here, based on my own opinions and a wealth of thoughts on the subject from major short film blogs. Wish 143, a poignant story about a dying boy's wish to lose his virginity, is certainly a strong candidate. For a story with that subject, it's surprisingly serious and emotionally powerful. Na Wewe, a slightly heavy-handed story of racial confrontation in Burundi, is also getting a few nods here and there. Personally, I prefer Luke Matheny's God of Love, a sleek and stylish student film about a dart-throwing jazz singer who inadvertently becomes Cupid. It's fun, romantic and features some very strong black-and-white cinematography. Whether its lighthearted tone will play with Oscar voters is another story, though.

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

Nominees: Day & Night, The Gruffalo, Let's Pollute, The Lost Thing, Madagascar, a Journey Diary

Who Will Win: Day & Night
Who Should Win: Day & Night

I love me some animated shorts. This year is a bit of a mixed bag, but the overall level of quality is high. Pixar's Day & Night appears to have a well-deserved edge however, thanks to its charming premise, which features anthropomorphized representations of day time and night time. Full of clever visual jokes and featuring a strong score from Michael Giacchino, it should prevail. That said, keep an eye on Madagascar, a Journey Diary and The Gruffalo as possible dark horse candidates.

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)

Nominees: Killing in the Name (have not seen), Poster Girl (have not seen), Strangers No More (have not seen), Sun Come Up (have not seen), The Warriors of Qiugang

Who Will Win: Poster Girl
Who Should Win: uhh... Killing in the Name?

Ok, obviously, I haven't seen enough here to have an actual opinion. Shorts International promised that all the nominated short films would be made available on iTunes, but that never actually happened. I'm considering going to a screening of these missing films, so stay tuned for more. In the meantime, Poster Girl seems to be the clear favorite, concerning a woman's experience with PTSD following service in the Iraq War. My sources tell me that Killing in the Name is the other worthy candidate, but since I haven't seen either, I can't add my own commentary. Sorry, guys.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Simon's Oscar Preview: Technical Achievements

Nominees: Black Swan, The Fighter, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network

Who Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: 127 Hours

Best Picture winners often nab top honors for editing as well, so I fully expect The Social Network to take charge here. Mind you, I found the editing in 127 Hours to be absolutely astonishing. In a film with only one character and (for the most part) one location, the flow from one shot into the next is key. Jon Harris' editing is what made 127 Hours work, if you ask me, and deserves the official recognition.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Nominees: Black Swan, Inception, The King's Speech, The Social Network, True Grit

Who Will Win: Black Swan
Who Should Win: Black Swan

I do not believe that Matthew Libatique's work on Black Swan can be ignored. His claustrophobic, gritty images perfectly complement the story being told. He's been Darren Aronofsky's longtime collaborator and he clearly understands the tone and style Aronofsky is seeking. The film's poorly lit, dank hallways are as much a character in Black Swan as the dancers themselves. Inception should clean up most of the tech awards, but Cinematography should ultimately fall to Libatique.

VISUAL EFFECTS

Nominees: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Hereafter, Inception, Iron Man 2

Who Will Win: Inception
Who Should Win: Inception

This should be pretty clear-cut. Forcing Paris to stack itself on top of itself was a stunning visual achievement, while the sequence of Joseph Gordon-Levitt fighting in a spiraling hallway is one of the key film moments of the year. Obviously, this category is full of movies with massive visual spectacles for the popcorn-munching hordes, but none of them can actually go toe to toe with Christopher Nolan's sheer ambition.

SOUND EDITING

Nominees: Inception, Toy Story 3, Tron: Legacy, True Grit, Unstoppable

Who Will Win: Inception
Who Should Win: Inception

This is where the Inception tech juggernaut should really gain steam (although I realize that metaphor serves Unstoppable better). That said, the sprawling story lines and worlds-within-worlds-within-worlds elements of Inception required some epic sound work and the film did not disappoint. This is a frenetic movie we're talking about and Richard King's editing can certainly be called the glue that holds it together. I actually have a soft spot for the shuddering sound work used for Unstoppable's train-as-monster, but again, Inception should rule the day here.

SOUND MIXING

Nominees: Inception, The King's Speech, Salt, The Social Network, True Grit

Who Will Win: Inception
Who Should Win: The King's Speech

So, by now, you should understand why Inception will win here, but pause for a moment and consider The King's Speech. Here we have a movie all about audio, where the quality and character of the main character's voice is key to the entire narrative. Those who have seen the movie will remember the film's climax, where Colin Firth is patiently coached through looming, ominous silence. The sound mix is absolutely essential to the moment. I fully expect Inception to continue its tech domination here, but I certainly feel The King's Speech deserves this particular spotlight.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Simon's Oscar Preview: Music

Nominees: How to Train Your Dragon, Inception, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network

Who Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: How to Train Your Dragon

Lots of good stuff in this category. Trent Reznor's work with Atticus Ross for The Social Network has to be considered the favorite here. Dark, droning and atmospheric, it's certainly a strong score. Hans Zimmer's bellowing music for Inception also deserves recognition, especially when you consider the whole slowed-down-Edith-Piaf trick at its core. At the end of the day, though, my personal favorite has to be John Powell's score for How to Train Your Dragon, which incorporates wonderful touches of "Viking music" into fun, highly enjoyable compositions.

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Nominees: "Coming Home" - Country Strong (have not seen), "I See the Light" - Tangled, "If I Rise" - 127 Hours, "We Belong Together" - Toy Story 3

Who Will Win: "We Belong Together"
Who Should Win: "We Belong Together"

Another thin category. My logic here works through a process of elimination. "I See the Light" is essentially Alan Menken plagiarizing his own "A Whole New World," so it's out. "If I Rise," a collaboration between A.R. Rahman, Rollo Armstrong and Dido, is an overwrought, syrupy ballad that holds no one's attention. "Coming Home" might have a shot, since it's in a movie that's actually about music, but again, the song itself is so dull that I have a hard time imagining voters physically checking the box on the ballot. That leaves Randy Newman's "We Belong Together," a sweet-but-simple tune that does a decent job of matching the movie it was written for. Nothing exciting here, but it just might tip Oscar pool scales in your favor.

Simon's Oscar Preview: Art & Design

This week, the Academy Awards are taking over my blog. From today until Friday, I'll be running through all the nominees, handicapping the races and adding my own opinions. I've done my very best to watch every single thing nominated this year and there are only a few that have eluded me. Those eight films will be marked accordingly.

This week's schedule:
Monday - Art & Design, Music
Tuesday - Technical Achievements
Wednesday - Short Films, Special Feature Films
Thursday - Writing & Directing, Acting
Friday - Best Picture

ART DIRECTION

Nominees: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Inception, The King's Speech, True Grit

Who Will Win: The King's Speech
Who Should Win: Alice in Wonderland

Now, I'm no huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, but the visual imagination on display in that movie is quite fantastic. The film is nicely united by a zany, surreal aesthetic, a necessary element for any Alice story. That said, I fully expect The King's Speech to take the award, thanks to fantastic set design and that loving attention you get in all good period pieces.

COSTUME DESIGN

Nominees: Alice in Wonderland, I Am Love, The King's Speech, The Tempest (have not seen), True Grit

Who Will Win: The Tempest
Who Should Win: The Tempest

Bold predictions for a movie I haven't seen, I know, but judging from the trailers alone, I can't imagine the rest of the films competing with the elaborate costumes in The Tempest. The Caliban outfit particularly jumped out at me. None of the other films do anything special enough with clothes to warrant consideration.

MAKEUP

Nominees: Barney's Version (have not seen), The Way Back, The Wolfman

Who Will Win: The Wolfman
Who Should Win: The Way Back

What an odd category. With only three nominees, this one would be a bit of a crap shoot if there's wasn't one movie that exists solely to display hideous wolf-man hybrids through makeup. Of course, the great irony here is that the titular Wolfmen (spoiler alert: there's more than one) are overwhelmingly CGI, making the makeup a minor element of the overall film. Therefore, my personal vote goes to The Way Back's hideously worn and malnourished prisoners. For the record, I have no idea why Barney's Version is nominated here at all.

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Week in Albums: Feb. 18

The big music news of the day is of course Radiohead's early release of The King of Limbs, but we've got other stuff to talk about. Since it's gonna take another week for the critical opinions on Radiohead to come trickling in, The King of Limbs will not be included in this week's rundown. That said, there are certainly some other important releases that deserve your attention:

#1

Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
Island Records

There's no doubt about it: Let England Shake is your new leader for Album of the Year honors. Greeted with almost uniformly positive reviews, Polly Jean Harvey has reestablished herself as one of the most important songwriters of the modern age. Over the album's twelve tracks, Harvey meditates on themes of war from a distinctly British viewpoint. However, for all its imagery of bleak landscapes and corpses, the music on Let England Shake is gentle and almost calm, dominated by Harvey's sudden love for autoharp. Making autoharps rock in no easy accomplishment. Along with her long time collaborators John Parish, Flood and ex-Bad Seed Mick Harvey, PJ Harvey has delivered her strongest album in over a decade.

Simon's Grade:

Yuck
Yuck
Fat Possum Records

This new, London-based band arrived out of nowhere with a surprisingly strong debut album. Almost every critic pointed to Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth as musical touchstones and Yuck certainly incorporates large musical elements from both those bands. There's more to their 1990s revivalism, though, especially in the ramshackle production and endearingly lazy guitar strumming. Personally, I hear more of a Pixies-being-assaulted-by-Pavement vibe. Thankfully, Yuck is more than just influence-spotting. The songs are catchy, the emotions ring true and, at the end of the day, this band rocks. That's becoming a rare trait in music these days.

Simon's Grade:

Ravedeath, 1972
Tim Hecker
Kranky Records

Rounding out this week's list of noteworthy albums is Canadian ambient musician Tim Hecker. His sixth album, Ravedeath, 1972 earned a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork and a few other scattered positive reviews from the depths of the internet. We're still waiting for other major critics to weigh in, but Hecker's icy, ominous electronics have never been better than on this new album. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, Ravedeath, 1972 gets the recognition it most certainly deserves.

Simon's Grade:

Also this week: The People's Key by Bright Eyes (2.5 pretzels), Go-Go Boots by Drive-By Truckers (a very disappointing 3 pretzels), Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will by Mogwai (2.5 pretzels), and Dynamite Steps by The Twilight Singers (3.5 pretzels).