I spent twelve and a half hours yesterday watching all five films nominated for best picture.
To break it down the best I can, let me start off by saying that I don’t believe that Babel or Little Miss Sunshine are in quite the same league as the other three films. Don’t get me wrong, these are great movies, but just not in the same class as the other three films.
It’s hard for me to pick just how I think the Academy is going to vote this year. As a political way of doing this I’m going to show how each of them could win.
1: The Queen – If the Academy has an interest in the Monarchy of Great Britain and/or a sense of humor, the Oscar goes to ‘The Queen’.
2: The Departed – If the Academy has a soft spot for Martin Scorsese and a love for his past work, the Oscar goes to ‘The Departed’
3: Letters from Iwo Jima – If the Academy still loves Clint as much as they have in the past, the Oscar goes to ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’.
Some reasons why each film might not win.
1: The Queen – While not a fall-out-of-your-chair-funny comedy, the queen has a number of situations that you can’t help but laugh at… in a good way. The “History” is rather recent and all of the major players are still alive, so it doesn’t play any side too harshly.
2: The Departed – While financially successful, this is NOT Martin Scorsese’s best film. We’ve seen what he can do, and he CAN do better. There were a few roles in the film that were excellently acted, but could have served a lesser known actor more than a big name. I’m talking to you Mr. Baldwin.
3: Letters from Iwo Jima – Clint has two movies that have the same setting, just from different view points. This is the one you have to READ. It’s also the story from the enemy’s point of view and it does a fantastic job of humanizing the enemy… which may or may not help.
In the end, I am really torn on which film to give the Oscar to. And which I think the Academy will go with.
But since I promised a decision, here we go…
Best Female Actor – Helen Mirren
Best Director – Martin Scorsese
Best Picture – The Queen (Because it was the one that I was surprised by the most)
There you have it… I guess we’ll know how I stack up in just a few hours.