I get really cranky around this time of year. What with the Oscars and the BAFTAs and the New York Film Critics Circle all (ludicrously) pretending it’s possible to name a “Best” something without being subjective. So here are the Reviewdle Awards, happily and proudly as subjective as you can get. Join me in flipping the Academy the bird and asking then to explain exactly how they pick the “best” between out of an entire, diverse industry anyway?
“Film that Most Disappointed Me”
Invictus looked set to bring the amazing story of post-apartheid South Africa to a whole new generation with the star power of Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. Disappointingly, the take home message of the film was that racial tension was cured by the Springboks’ 1995 Rugby World Cup win. It’s especially disappointing when stacked up against District 9, a small South African film about aliens landing in Johannesberg that had more to say about apartheid (and did so far more cleverly) than this, a film that was supposed to be about apartheid. Although certainly not the worst film of the year (yes, The Lovely Bones, I’m looking at you), it was the one with the most potential left so spectacularly unrealised.
They also have this category at the Oscars (TM), but they call it “Best Film”. Of course it goes to Avatar, the most engorged film ever in the history of the Universe. (Avatar also gets companion prizes “Biggest Grossing Film of All Time” and “Film That Had the Biggest Budget but Spent the Least on Making Sure the Story Was Solid and Made Sense”.)
“The Film That Most Surprised Me”
I am ever-anxious about the release of a new Coen Brother’s movie. As writers and film makers they are so diverse as to defy expectation again and again. Sometimes this is disastrous (hello, Burn After Reading) and sometimes it is wonderful. Their offering this year, A Serious Man is captain of the wonderful camp. It’s a small, gentle, complete, self-contained gem about a man drifting in the ebbs and flows of his life. It’s packed with great performances by relative unknowns and is obviously a story close to the Coens' collective heart.
“Character I Most Wish Was Real (And Would Be My Friend)"
In An Education relative newcomer Carey Mulligan plays Jenny, a teenager in 60s suburban London who is bright, lively and disappointed that her only choices post-high school are secretary school and marriage or University and marriage. Then she meets an older man who loves music, art and Paris as much as she does and she is swept away to grow wisdom to match her intelligence and spirit. She’s an engaging character. Tricky thing about it is that she’s actually based on Lynn Barber, a British journalist, from her memoirs. So in theory, I could probably just look up Barber and ask her to be my friend. The major difference, though, is that An Education’s screenplay was written by novelist Nick Hornby (who also wrote About a Boy and High Fidelity) and the writing positively crackles. If I can’t be friends with Jenny, at a pinch I could take Barber if Hornby was feeding her lines.
“The Misdirection Award”
The Damned United said it was about British premier league football and Brian Clough’s brief, disastrous stint managing Leeds United. While that is certainly the foundation for the film, it actually turns out to be about ego and the complicated, moving relationship between Clough (played brilliantly by Michael Sheen from The Queen) and his head coach Peter Taylor (played by Timothy Spall from the Harry Potter films, see above, re: brilliant). About as surprising and satisfying a sports movie as I’ve ever seen.
Strike up the marching band for Up in the Air. Gush, gush, gush. If you didn’t read my recent review of this one, you can do so here.
Got an award of your own that you want to bestow? Awesome! Tell me about it!
