Russ Goes To the Movies, 2009--updated 2/20/9

I don't get out much anymore. Not to see many films, at least. I used to see dozens of movies a year, I followed directors and writers along with actors and actresses, kept up with everything happening in the industry. When I was a film student, back in '92 and '93, I saw upward of 70 movies a year.

Last year? I saw three. No wait, four: SHINE A LIGHT, DARK KNIGHT, GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON, and THE HAPPENING. Three out of four, that's not bad. Right?

But I didn't catch any of the movies that went on to get any significant Oscar nominations, and I'm all about the Oscars: I'll beat anybody at Academy Award trivia, I've been following the Oscar races since '79, the way other guys analyze the Superbowl or the World Series.

So, if Sunday's Oscar broadcast is going to mean anything to me--and I plan on blogging it live--then I gotta do some homework.

So I've seen a Best Picture nominee a night all week, and then some. Here's what I think so far:

THE WRESTLER

Good performances and some deft direction, not much else. The story seems recycled from cliches that must date from wrestling pictures since the 30's: pro wrestler who's too old to continue, heart-of-gold stripper who can't/won't date customers, estranged kid that can't be bought off by belated apologies and heartfelt gifts, etc. All brought to life with a cinema verite quality and an attention to detail that itself may be new to the wrestling genre, but doesn't elevate the material much beyond that. Still, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing Marisa Tomei strip for a good cause: that being fleshing out a two-dimensional supporting character into something that provides a good motivation for the protagonist. I never thought Mickey Rourke was a bad actor, WILD ORCHID notwithstanding--ANGEL HEART is one of my favorite movies, and I can't picture anyone else in the role. And he certainly does a great job here, though it's not transcendent like Langella as Nixon or Pitt as Button. So: here's hoping for Marisa.

MILK

Good, but I don't see it winning in any major categories. Looks great, though, a vivid evocation of the 70's, both in period detail and the cultural climate. And once again, Sean Penn disappears completely into a role. And like most Gus Van Sant movies, the supporting cast really stands out. Not too flashy for a biopic, which works in its favor, but its understatement makes it an unlikely choice for anything other than its acting nominations (Penn and Josh Brolin), and they're up against almost impossible competition.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

I have to confess that I'm not at all taken with Indian culture (that being Asian Indian, not American Indian--I myself am a half-breed, and I find Native culture to be fascinating). I don't like Indian food, art, music, or cinema. This whole Bollywood thing is going to pass me right by. Which is not to say that I didn't like this movie, it was engrossing and had a minor epic sweep to it. Danny Boyle is kinetic enough, and knows how to structure a quirky story. But the story is farfetched and the characters too simple, kind of out of step with the stark realism in its depiction of the slums of Mumbai, and the brutality of abject poverty. Its popularity could cut either way, but my money's not on this one. Maybe Best Photography or Best Editing.

FROST/NIXON

I was surprised at how blown away I was. Never mind that Ron Howard was the same guy who did SPLASH--he also did A BEAUTIFUL MIND, not one of his best, though it won him Best Director and won Best Picture. Here, he's spot-on and no-nonsense, almost as good as his masterwork, APOLLO 13. Though I'm a big Watergate buff, I only dimly remember the Frost interviews from when I was a kid, and was never too curious. But this depiction of ten hours of videotaped talk is riveting. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at how much work went into the whole television endeavor, but I didn't expect it to make for such a fast-paced drama. Didn't seem dumbed-down at all. But the real driving force here is Frank Langella's performance as Nixon. That Oscar is his. This is the best evocation of Nixon I've ever seen, beating out Dan Hedaya in DICK and Phillip Baker Hall in SECRET HONOR. This is on par with Val Kilmer's portrayal of Jim Morrison, it's uncanny. I can see this winning for Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

I can't believe how this movie won me over. This is my vote for Best Picture and Best Director. Certainly Best Makeup, though I thought DARK KNIGHT was goddamned impressive, too. It isn't too sentimental or cloying, like FORREST GUMP, which is its obvious comparison. It's low-key and is focused on its characters, not the historical sweep, and that makes its impact all the more subtle. I love the fact that everyone just kind of accepts the premise that the lead character is aging backwards and works with it, rather than treating it as an opportunity for cheap quirky humor. Thirteen nominations? I wouldn't have believed it til I saw it. My money's on this one.

THE READER

Even without copious nudity and sex, this would still be a knockout performance by Kate Winslet. I don't know that she'll win--and in truth, I haven't seen the other nominees in this category, but she's just amazing in a very demanding role, and she may be the one I'm pulling for most. The whole film is a real winner, a meditation on past mistakes and atonement, about missed opportunities and healing. It's a shame that this one won't win many awards tonight, as it's overshadowed by more luminous contenders.