Last week I gave you my thoughts on some of the winter’s most-acclaimed dramas and hottest tickets. This week I’m taking in more flicks that scored a lot of buzz (good and bad), which means: lesbian moms, middle-aged losers, questionable art stars, and a possibly possessed teen girl.

Screenings start up tomorrow, so this is the beginning of the end of the home viewing portion.

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The Kids Are All Right ~ Directed by Lisa Cholodenko


This family drama centers on lesbian moms (Annette Bening & Julianne Moore) and their kids (Mia Wasikowska & Josh Hutcherson) and what happens when their sperm donor, played by the roguish Mark Ruffalo, enters their lives. It’s standard fare from Cholodenko, and by that I mean it’s frank, complicated, and full of well-formed and relatable characters. The cast sings in this strong ensemble piece that’s already gaining lots of award nods. Kids is a totally solid and engaging showing.

Nominations: Best Feature, Best Director – Lisa Cholodenko, Best Screenplay – Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg, Best Female Lead – Annette Bening , Best Supporting Male – Mark Ruffalo

Snubbed? It was refreshing to see Moore play a less than whip-smart character; it’s a shame she didn’t pull notice here. But the Golden Globes have paid tribute.

 

Greenberg ~ Directed by Noah Baumbach


Awkward to the nth degree, this latest dramedy from Baumbach centers on a 40-year-old failure to launch played by Ben Stiller. Personally, I’ve been bored by Stiller and the collection of tics that is his brand of acting for years, so I’m mystified by his Best Lead nod here. Combine this with Baumbach’s earnest oddball/offbeat tone and the film practically twitches. This East Coast meets West Coast “romance” pairs Stiller’s less-than-lovable loser with a floundering twenty-something played by up-and-coming It Girl, Greta Gerwig, who is far more enticing than the griping Greenberg deserves. He’s so thoroughly unlikable that I wished the engaging supporting players would evict him from the proceedings and continue on without him. In short, Greenberg is not my kind of indie.

Nominations: Best Feature, Best Male Lead – Ben Stiller, Best Female Lead – Greta Gerwig, Best Cinematography – Harris Savides

Snubbed? Rhys Ifans. As Greenberg’s mellow pal, he was an easy-going relief from the trenchant ponderings of the pretentious protagonist.

 

Exit Through the Gift Shop ~ Directed by Banksy


Another Rhys Ifans film! Here Ifans provides the pseudo-stodgy British-toned narration for street art mega-star Banky’s directorial debut. Some Film Stagers felt this doc, which centers on the street art scene and one of its dubious success stories, was one of the best films of the year, and now that I’ve finally seen it – it’s easy to see why. It’s a humorous and thought-provoking doc that centers on Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman whose passion for the trangressive street art scene pulls him through a wild adventure. The film begs the question is Guetta a wannabe? A hanger-on? Or a true artist in his own right? But Banksy’s smirking (though intriguing) doc only half-heartedly explores the last option, dousing the film in a condescending tone that made the finale feel mean-spirited. I expected an eye-opening look at the world of street art, instead I found a kind of Forest Gump tale of a man who has no idea he’s considered a clown. While the critical ending felt a bit harsh, the film’s daring questions about artists, art and its value left me with a lot to think on, making the doc hard to shake in the best way imaginable.

Nominations: Best Documentary

Snubbed? I often wonder if there are rules that exclude docs from the Cinematography category. With plenty of compelling shots, this could of/should of earned a nod.

The Last Exorcism ~ Directed by Daniel Stamm


This year’s Spirit-nominated horror picture, The Last Exorcism goes the faux doc route to unveil the tale of the smug Rev. Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian), a pastor whose lost his faith and is setting out to expose the fraud of exorcisms when he is confronted by the troublesome case of a home-schooled girl named Nell (Ashley Bell). A surprisingly fun take on the found footage and exorcism subgenres, The Last Exorcism was full of dread and thrill-inducing scenes. Plus, Ashley Bell’s change from doe-eyed Daddy’s girl to neck-cracking demon child was as guttural and gripping as Ed Norton’s two-faced turn in Primal Fear. While the some of cinematography/editing choices hurt the “found footage” vibe and the ending is both befuddling and disappointing, this twisted tale still left me with a lot to mull over. I doubt it’ll win the awards for which it’s nominated, but I definitely agree it deserves the honor of its nominations.

Nominations: Best First Feature, Best Supporting Female – Ashley Bell

Snubbed? Hell no. A choice horror flick with a grounded and sure-footed cast to be sure, but with the genre biases that exist in award shows, this movie is lucky it got this much notice.

This week by the Numbers:

California-set Dramadies: 3

Possible Oscar nominees: 6

Unbearable Anti-heroes: 3

Mentally Off Artists: 1-2

Films Watched: 16/35

Runningtime conquered: 1407 minutes

 

State of Mind: Pretty solid. Though I have to admit, with so much thought-provoking drama, I had to take a mental health holiday by watching MacGruber. It proved a great palette cleanser, so I’m ready for more.

Next week I’ll be looking at Cyrus, Night Catches Us, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, and Lovers of Hate.


What are your thoughts on these nominees?

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