The Dellies - 2012 Best Documentary Feature

I'll be honest right off the bat. This is the category I am probably least qualified to present an award, not that I'm actually qualified to give any, but you get my drift. For much of my life I only watched one or two docs per year and kept telling myself I should watch more. Recently, I have. However, that still only amounts to a handful each of the last few years (not quite that many this year). Sadly, my handful doesn't fully match the Academy's nominees. Still, I'll give it a go. Click on the titles of my nominees to read my full reviews.

2012 Best Documentary - Feature

The Real Nominees: 5 Broken Cameras (Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi), The Gatekeepers (Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarski, and Estelle Fialon), How to Survive a Plague (David France and Howard Gertler), The Invisible War (Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering), Searching for Sugar Man (Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn)

My Nominees:

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

Directed by Alison Klayman

With such dedication to both his ideals and working toward them combined with his popularity, it can be argued that Ai Weiwei is the most important artist in the world. Never Sorry ably conveys this point.

How to Survive a Plague

Directed by David France and Howard Gertler

Its story is very well told. It is also a reminder that even though AIDS isn't the immediate nailing up of the coffin it once was, it’s still out there and plenty of people continue to die from it.

The Invisible War

Directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering

The film itself contributed to changes in how allegations of sex crimes are handled. Like many policy changes, it’s not a solution by itself, but a step in the right direction.

The Queen of Versailles

Directed by Lauren Greenfield

Real life intervened and gave us a plot. We get to see people go through a range of emotions, both good and bad. We see a change in the way they interact with one another. There is substance and even sadness in watching their family fortune deteriorate.

Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap

Directed by Ice-T

If you’re at all a (hip hop) fan, the nearly two hours flies by as a new perspective or another rhyme is never too far away.


The Real Winner: Searching for Sugar Man (Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn)

And My Winner Is...

The Invisible War

Directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering

"There are some works of writing or painting, speech, or film that do more than just stand as great works of art. They change things. They put before us something fundamentally wrong with the world — with the society we take for granted, with the institutions on which we depend and that in turn depend on us — and demand change. "The Invisible War" belongs in that pantheon, and is easily one of the most important films of the year." - Jonathan Hahn, The Los Angeles Review of Books

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The Dellies - 2012 Best Supporting Actress

For this next category, you'll find that this is where I'm probably most divergent from the Academy's thinking. That's mainly because I slid two of the nominees over to the Best Actress category, as I explained in that post, and dropped another out of the running. Hey, I did say these were my awards, right? Anyhoo, on with the show...

2012 Best Supporting Actress

The Real Nominees: Amy Adams (The Master), Sally Field (Lincoln), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables), Helen Hunt (The Sessions), Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook)

My Nominees:

Gina Gershon, Killer Joe

Gina Gershon is thoroughly skanky. She's practically the epitome of trailer trash royalty.

Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

We get a wonderful turn by Anne Hathaway. In just a handful of scenes, she gives us a gut-wrenching few minutes of screen time.

Charlize Theron, Snow White and the Huntsman

She seethes, hisses and vampirically gains strength by literally draining it from others. Like the bloodsucker, she earns both our dread and the pity we reserve for one whose seemingly boundless power is really fueled by a fatal flaw.

Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook

Weaver does an excellent job conveying her character’s raggedness from being pulled to and fro. She tries to do right by everyone and often winds up little more than an enabler.

Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

A sizable share of the movie’s funniest moments are hers. Her timing is rock solid and she has charisma to spare.


Honorable Mention
Samantha Barks, Les Miserables
Ann Dowd, Compliance
Carmen Ejogo, Sparkle
America Ferrera, End of Watch
Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel


The Real Winner: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

And My Winner Is...

Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

This might be the best comedic performance of the last few years including 2011’s Oscar nominated turn by Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids.

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This is 40

Directed by Judd Apatow.

2012. Rated R, 134 minutes.

Cast:

Paul Rudd

Leslie Mann

Megan Fox

Albert Brooks

Jason Segel

John Lithgow

Maude Apatow

Iris Apatow

Charlyne Yi

Melissa McCarthy

Graham Parker

Tatum O’Neal

Whether she admits or not, Debbie (Mann) has just turned 40. Even more disconcerting than her age is that her entire life seems to be falling apart. Nearly every conversation with her husband Pete (Rudd) disintegrates into argument. His fledgling record label is about to go under while her clothing store is treading water, at best. On top of all this, their oldest daughter is in full-blown crazy teen mode, looking for a shouting match with anyone in the house, anytime. By the way, both of this couple’s daughters are played by the directors real life daughters, Maude and Iris Apatow. Much of This is 40 consists of the couple in question dealing with the above problems. They must also contend with a host of periphery issues that do nothing but throw lighter fluid on an already raging fire.

The movie gives us a fairly honest look at the relationship of a long-married couple. Many of their concerns and conversations ring true. It feels like we’re watching a real family, albeit a dysfunctional one on the verge of imploding. Both Mann and Rudd feel natural in their roles and have a nice chemistry with one another. We understand that they care deeply for one another, are entirely too familiar with each other, and are going through a rough patch. We get that they love their kids and would do anything for them, but there are also times when they can’t stand them.

In typical Judd Apatow fashion, there are also plenty of over-the-top moments. A number of these work, giving us some memorable scenes. A few of them involve our two leads. Others feature Albert Brooks as Pete’s forever mooching dad. Later, John Lithgow gets in on the fun as Debbie’s father and even Megan Fox has some unforgettable moments. Granted, hers are due less to her acting than her looks, but you take what you can get. Most indelible is the extended cameo of Melissa McCarthy. She plays the parent of a boy that’s been bothering Pete and Debbie’s older daughter. Her face-to-face with Pete and the ensuing meeting in the principal’s office with both Pete and Debbie present are the high points of the movie.

Also in usual Apatow style, the movie goes on for far too long. It becomes too on the nose in the sense that we begin to feel as if we’re really living every single day with these people, and not in a good way. Things are stretched way too thin as the time between laughs keeps getting bigger while the plot just drones on and on…and on. We’re ready for the conclusion long before we finally get it. I’m no movie director, and have no expertise to speak of when it comes to creating cinema so take the next sentence with a grain of salt. In my viewing experience an hour and forty to forty-five minutes is a good rule of thumb for comedies. Most don’t have enough funny material to sustain more than that. This is 40 is no exception and it runs thirty minutes past that point. Much could be cut, it seems, just from the subplots of supporting players without altering or detracting from the main plot one bit. There are probably fifteen or twenty minutes wasted on superfluous storylines that didn't need to be introduced in the first place. All of this extra time serves to wear us down and makes the final act a chore to sit through. Our hare that bolted out of the starting gates morphs into the tortoise ever so slowly creeping across the finish line.

The Dellies - 2012 Best Supporting Actor

For me, this next category is probably the toughest. So much great work was turned in by guys portraying secondary characters. Whittling it down to five nominees proved a difficult task, one that makes me begrudgingly admit The Academy almost got right. Almost. With that tantalizing tease, let's move on to...

2012 - Best Supporting Actor

The Real Nominees: Alan Arkin (Argo), Robert DeNiro (Silver Linings Playbook), Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

My Nominees:

Alan Arkin, Argo

In Argo, Alan Arkin is particularly exceptional. He can proudly add this to a long list of fine supporting roles.

Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained

Jackson breathes an unbelievable amount of life into his character. He is funny, conniving, deliciously evil, and perhaps the smartest person in the movie.

Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

When neither Daniel Day-Lewis nor Sally Field are on the screen, the movie is carried by a magnificent Tommy Lee Jones who give his most inspired performance in years.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Hoffman is perfectly charismatic as the leader of a budding way of thought, no matter how out there it may be. In an exemplary manner, he pulls off his character’s ability to instantly adapt his explanations to most lines of questioning and knack for shouting down anyone not persuaded by his answers.

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Christoph Waltz switches sides of the coin, going from playing the unapologetic villain in Inglourious Basterds to a kinder, gentler man in Django Unchained, albeit one still capable of mowing down whoever stands in his way. He gives a moustache twirlingly fun performance.

Honorable Mention:
Robert DeNiro, Silver Linings Playbook
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Jeremy Irons, The Words
Jude Law, Rise of the Guardians
Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Hugo Weaving, Cloud Atlas

The Real Winner: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

And My Winner Is...

Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained

The portrayal I thought was best of all in a movie filled with great ones is that of Samuel L. Jackson. Every word he says, every movement of his body and shift of his eyes feels true. It’s nothing less than masterful.

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Robot & Frank

Directed by Jake Schreier.

2012. Rated PG-13, 85 minutes.

Cast:

Frank Langella

James Marsden

Susan Sarandon

Liv Tyler

Jeremy Strong

Jeremy Sisto

Peter Sarsgaard

Once a globetrotting cat burglar, Frank (Langella) is retired and lives alone. These days, he gets all of his excitement flirting with Jennifer (Sarandon), the local librarian, while checking out books. The problem is he’s suffering from what appears to be the early stages of Alzheimer’s. That word is never used in the movie to my recollection, just my amateur diagnosis. His adult son Hunter (Marsden) is worried about him and has entertained the idea of putting the old man in a nursing home. Thinking better of it, Hunter buys Frank a robot that functions as an automated in-home healthcare attendant. Though reluctant at first, Frank and machine develop a fascinating relationship.

This movie raises many of the same questions we've been asking for years about the potential good or harm that may come from our ever-increasing dependency on technology. However, it does it in a way that’s refreshing. It’s refreshing because no matter how plainly we can see that their friendship is artificial, it feels as authentic as any other. Clearly, we’re viewing the world through Frank’s cloudy perception. The idea of a mutual bond between he and the robot is as much a figment of his imagination as it is reality. The line between the two blurred by the robot often responding as a friend might. As a result, we’re caught in that abyss between the heart and the mind. We know one thing to be true and hope that the other thing is also, though we know it to be impossible.

Frank Langella gives us a great portal for such feelings. He plays his part perfectly. We see Frank as a stubborn man, aware he’s not as sharp as he once was, but thinking he can handle it. The robot reinvigorates him, helps him reclaim his zest for life. This is not always good thing, necessarily, as Frank entertains the idea of returning to his old tricks. On the other hand, his synapses are firing once more.

There are a couple of narrative issues. Namely, the way Susan Sarandon’s character is handled feels like a bit of a cheat, to me. I see what the filmmakers are trying to do, but it renders Frank much further gone than has been let on to that point. In fact, it makes it seem as if there should never have been a purchase of the robot in the first place. His son should have went with his first instinct. For fear I've already said too much, I’ll leave it at that. I will say that Sarandon herself is great in the role. Other supporting players are just as good. The whirlwind turn by Liv Tyler as Frank’s daughter especially impresses.

While superheroes and dystopian futures dominate the box office, the truth is that most of the best science fiction of recent vintage shies away from explosions and invasions. Instead, they use futuristic premises to examine our present circumstances. In lieu of eye-popping visuals, they engage our minds. Ultimately, they are films about us human beings. Movies like Another Earth and Safety Not Guaranteed understand this and weave wonderfully relatable tales out of their sci-fi frames. They’re barely even recognizable as members of the genre, at all. Robot & Frank strikes a similar chord, though the presence of the machine renders it more obvious. Sure, it presents us with a society where it is becoming increasingly normal to have a robot around to do chores for you, but this isn't the hyper-paranoid universe of I, Robot. This is one man trying to come to grips with his own very personal situation.

The Dellies - 2012 Best Actress

With my first award, I merely confirmed the Academy's choice for Daniel Day-Lewis as Best Actor. I assure you that won't be the case with all of the awards.

Before moving on, I have to get into semantics. The lines between an actor in a leading role and one in a supporting role is blurred by the Academy. My first instinct is to say that anyone who is not the protagonist is in a supporting role. However, that isn't quite right. For instance, Jennifer Lawrence received a nod for, and won, Best Actress for her work in Silver Linings Playbook though she doesn't play the main character. That leads me to my prevailing notion which is that the words "lead" and "supporting" are gender specific. In other words, Lawrence is the lead female in SLP. However, that doesn't really hold water since Helen Hunt received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Sessions even though I would say she is the lead female character in that movie. Still, the latter is the definition I prefer so that's the one I'll go with. In other words, Two of the ladies below were actually nominated for Best Supporting Actress. You should already know who one is, I'll give you one guess as to who the other is. Forget about it, let's just get on with it...

Best Actress

The Real Nominees: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Emanuelle Riva (Amour), Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wilds), Naomi Watts (The Impossible)

My Nominees:

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

As Maya, Jessica Chastain is nothing, if not fierce. Her ferocity is drawn from unwavering conviction. She is the type of person we viewers might not like if we had to work with/for her, but we’d appreciate her and be glad she’s on our side.

Sally Field, Lincoln

In the role of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln,is nearly her leading man's equal, coming apart at the seams one moment and the very picture of composure the next.

Helen Hunt, The Sessions

The flip side of John Hawkes’ restraint is the unshakable bravery of the work done by Helen Hunt.

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Again proving herself a superior talent, Lawrence’s portrayal is note-perfect all the way through. Always at the appropriate times, she’s stand-offish, emotional, manipulative, confident and never quite stable.

Michelle Williams, Take This Waltz

As has become the norm, Ms. Williams turns in a tremendous performance making us feel every emotion with her.

Honorable Mention:
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Judi Dench, Skyfall
Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wilds
Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Real Winner: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

And My Winner Is...

Helen Hunt, The Sessions

Not least of the reasons her performance has to considered courageous is because most of her screen-time is spent naked. Her character’s job description is pretty much being a sex object. The genius of the directing, the writing, and finally, Hunt herself, is they all refuse to let that be all there is to her. She’s a fully formed being grown from the Hollywood archetype of the hooker with a heart of gold, but is so much more.

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Bachelorette

Directed by Leslye Headland.

2012. Rated R, 98 minutes.

Cast:

Kirsten Dunst

Lizzy Caplan

Isla Fisher

James Marsden

Rebel Wilson

Paul Corning

Adam Scott

Andrew Rannells

Sue Jean Kim

Kyle Bornheimer

Hayes MacArthur

Becky (Wilson) is getting married tomorrow to the man of her dreams. Naturally, her three bestest high school buddies - Regan (Dunst), Gena (Caplan) and Katie (Fisher) – are in her wedding. Regan is the tightly wound maid-of-honor while the other two are notorious party animals. The bride turns in early to rest up for the big day and disappears from the movie until near the end. If you've been paying attention you've noticed I haven’t even named the man who wins her hand. As in most weddings, mine included, the groom is little more than a prop, so there. Anyhoo, with the other girls left to their own devices they manage to destroy the wedding dress. In the midst of confronting old loves, meeting potential new loves, and overdosing, a mad dash to fix the gown ensues.

Like many movies, Bachelorette isn't winning any awards for originality, either of premise nor execution. Every note is struck precisely on time with nary a surprise to be found anywhere. Yes, this bridesmaid will hook up with that guy. Yes, this will happen and that will too, right when you expect it. Unfortunately, its predictability is pretty much the bright spot. That’s not entirely true. The performance of Lizzy Caplan as Gena is pretty good, better than the material she’s working with. Kirsten Dunst has the flashiest role and gets to rage against the world. She’s no Meryl Streep, but it works.

On the other hand, the movie utterly wastes Rebel Wilson. When you have, arguably, the funniest woman in Hollywood in your cast, you don’t make her play the straight role. You certainly don’t compound the error by sending her to her room while the others go out and play. Even with material as lame and telegraphed as this, her sheer energy would be good for a few more laughs than we actually got. For proof, one needs to look no further than the awful What to Expect When You’re Expecting. She also has a bit part in that catastrophe, but lights up the screen during the brief instances in which she appears. And, since you’re probably thinking it, she absolutely is far and away the best thing about Pitch Perfect. Here, she’s an All-Star riding the bench while the scrubs run up and down the court. Her absence from most of the proceedings reveals a simple truth about Bachelorette. That truth is that the only reason her character is the titular one is because there is already a movie called Bridesmaids.

Ms. Wilson’s role is also at the heart of an even bigger issue with this picture: it’s lack of heart. It thinks it’s funny by using a lot of dirty words and some explicit sex talk. In, and of itself, this is not the issue as there is the occasional laugh to be had from this. The problem is that this is the vehicle through which Bachelorette is incessantly and aggressively mean spirited. The fact that the bride is the butt of many of the jokes is bad, but not totally cringe-worthy by itself. What takes it over the edge is that the movie tries to pass these people off as her friends. They are anything but. We very clearly get the message they let her hang around all these years because she’s not as physically attractive as they are (as per societal norms), is willing to take the fall for their crap, and tolerates it when they call her names. She’s simply someone to blame and make fun of. Therefore, it looks like they only try to get her dress fixed is because they are inexplicably wrong and wish to maintain their access to a good-natured scapegoat, not out of some deep sense of friendship.

Believe it, or not, so much suckiness is thankfully crammed into an hour and a half. However, since I started checking my watch about fifteen minutes in, it feels much much longer. I didn't think the hands of time could move so slowly. It obviously wants to be the aforementioned Bridesmaids, but can’t carry the movie’s sports bra. Truthfully, I think Bridesmaids is overrated, but at least it makes me laugh. I can’t say the same for Bachelorette.

MY SCORE: 2/10