Has anybody seen The Illusionist? Apparently it's really fantastic. I like Pixar a lot, but some of you are kind of ridiculous about it.

Yeah come on guys, I mean, it's not like Pixar made most of our childhood favourites or anything.

They don't really, they just ask for sequels and leech money off of Pixar's success.

Well excuuuse meeee.

About Toy Story 3. I'd say it's nowhere near a masterpiece. Best movie of the year was IMO The Social Network, but it isn't even a "masterpiece" in my eyes.

Somehow I don't see The Social Network win best film, despite it's placing in the Golden Globes. I'm hoping that the King's Speech will win, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it might be unexpectedly snatched by a film such as True Grit. Maybe it's because I wouldn't like to the Social Network win, but there's been a lot of good films over the last year, and I can see this is easily reflected in the range of nominations this year.

Mhm... again, I have mixed views, mostly will probably be controversial. Now to me, the Social Network is perfect Oscar bait, mostly because it's about a popular subjects, Social Networking and Facebook, and it's a real American film. Now don't get me wrong, I mean no offense to anyone here in the slightest, but to me anyway it seems to be the Oscars are a little bias towards films that fit the typical criteria, and this formula is used especially in the Social Network. Now I could be wrong, but that's just my opinion. This does not mean that American films can't be very good, heck, look at Inception, it's just a sort of American film.

Now this in particular I am in strong agreement with. Despite my over passionate love for the King's Speech, I found Inception's editing to be a hundred times better. See, TKS had some great shots, yes, but that doesn't mean the editing was great. As I have afore mentioned the editor is pretty unheard of as far as films are concerned, so it was to be expected that it mightn't be perfect, but Inception had real strong editing work, complimented by some great cinematography. And just while I'm on the subject of Inception, I must say that I find myself agreeing that it deserved more. I loved it so much that I began to think I was naively hoping it to get everything, but no, technical aspects really shone here. I really do hope that it wins Best Sound Editing and Visual Effects - mind you, I also hope equally that Harry Potter gets it (Visual Effects, of course).

I wouldn't consider The Social Network to be Oscar bait-y because, IMO, it goes against many of the conventions of the standard "Oscar film." While some of the main characters could be considered sympathetic, no one is particularly likable, the flow of the film is pretty unconventional and rather non-linear, and the dialogue is quick-witted, snappy, and moves at such a fast pace without ever slowing down for the audience's sake. Also, I don't think it being about such a modern topic necessarily works in its favor (especially with so many people writing it off as "the Facebook movie"), since period pieces often do just as well with the Academy as more contemporary stories do.

I find The King's Speech to be much more of an "Oscar film" for a number of reasons. It doesn't really deviate from standard narrative convention, features above average historical detail/production design (being a period piece), and is more universally appealing because it tells a crowd-pleasing story about a group of likable characters that everyone wants to root for. While it's probably easier to "like" a film like The King's Speech, I don't necessarily think that makes it better than something like The Social Network, which I think walked a greater tightrope than TKS.

Last edited by MindGame (January 27, 2011 (11:13pm))

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OK, I retract my previous argument, and instead support your one that the Golden Globes has no real credibility. My evidence? Avatar as Best Film. (I swear this will be the last time I mention that, and I apologise if it annoys you)

And Film Criticism is incredibly opinionated. I know people who hate 'The Kings Speech' - although they need a better argument than 'its boring'.

Coming from one of the most anti-royalist families in the world, I think its quite an achievement that I'm rooting for a person who does nothing for his country apart from make a few speeches (which were written by other people) and lives in the comfortable lap of luxury whilst the English people suffer and die in both poverty and the World War (I mean, having a stutter is the LAST of a working class man's/woman's worries) The fact I genuinely care for this guy is excellent scripting/acting in my opinion.

Ah yes, how could I forget?

Last edited by Max Butcher (January 28, 2011 (10:54am))

Damn, Jargon - thanks a bunch for posting. Loved Inception's little thing, as well as Winter's Bone.

As much as I hate to admit it, I think the race is pretty much over. At this point, it's The King's Speech's to lose, despite The Social Network having swept the critic awards prior to this.

I'm still hopeful for The Social Network to break through and take the top prize (I might even be okay with a Director/Picture split if Fincher wins Director), but I'm not expecting anything...*sigh* freakin' Harvey Weinstein.

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