i would like to thank the academy...

Ok, so today's topic: 2011 Academy Award nominations. I'm a little bitter because the one award show that I can stomach watching (and actually get a little starry-eyed over) falls on the Sunday that I will be in Seattle for Preview Days for the grad program I was accepted to (yes, that was a slight self-promotion, woot woot!). I can only hope that Carolyn and Adam are willing to tune in (and Jon, for that matter). At any rate, I think I need to put in my two cents about the nominees. I'll spare you any pretentious comments about movies I haven't seen or categories I have zero credentials to discuss (sound mixing, anyone?).

• The Black Swan: Ok, so I saw this after Christmas with sister Meghann (shout-out to my lone follower!), after much anticipation from the previews and reviews I heard from the press and acquaintances. I have to say, although I was riveted, this film was disappointing. I was expecting a lot from Natalie, seeing as she's also nominated for best actress, but I felt like her version of good acting was just looking terrified the whole time. I get that she was psychologically disturbed, but I didn't see any real difference between her character at the beginning of the movie and her character at the end, aside from some bloodshot eyes and back feathers. What ever happened to character progression? They never gave us the chance to relate to N.P.'s character because she was a basket case from scene one. I will admit that the special effects were pretty cool and there were enough artistic touches to keep me interested. But ultimately, it was just a bit too sensationalist to garner my full appreciation. I mean, let's face it: Mila Kunis's character was totally cardboard, and she could have easily been inserted into the old preteen favorite, Center Stage, and fit in perfectly. Sorry, Black Swan, entertaining but not Best Picture material. 
• Inception: All I have to say about this one is that if I have to watch a movie at a minimum of three times to remotely understand what's going on, it's not worth Best Picture. Of course, I only saw this movie once, but I was so mystified that I'm sure it would take at least three viewings to formulate any coherent opinion about it. I love Joseph Gordon Levitt, and the special effects were clearly superb, but I felt myself longing for the relative simplicity of Memento while watching it. Call me dense, but I just think there's something to be said for simplicity. I also realize that dreams are inherently abstract, thus when a movie centers on dreams, it has to have a certain level of disjointedness to do them justice. But come on, I don't want to have to do mental gymnastics to grasp the basic plot of a movie. Pass!
• The Kids Are Alright: Jon and I rented this movie from Redbox on a slow night, with fairly low expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it was going to be a mainstream celebration of white, upper-middle class lesbianism--which it kind of was--but it was still much more heartfelt and clever than I anticipated. Kudos to those who wrote the screenplay, I thought that was perhaps the best thing going for this film. I can't say that Mark Ruffalo really deserves the Best Supporting Actor nomination, seeing as he just played a movie version of himself. I also think it was a little cheap that Julianne Moore's character ended up being a flimsy lesbian and throwing herself at her wife's sperm donor (spoiler alert!). However, I liked the relative realism of this movie, and I thought Annette Bening played the role of pretentious, suburban, slightly alcoholic lesbian mom impeccably. I frickin' love her and wouldn't mind one bit if she won Best Actress. Anyway, I'm not going to say Best Picture winner on this one, but it's definitely worth watching.
• The Social Network: Ok, don't even get me started on this movie (oops, too late). I avoided seeing it for a long time because all the hype surrounding it screamed, "overrated" to me. Not to mention, the previews depicting half-naked women fawning over Mark Zuckerberg screamed, "douche bag flick." Nevertheless, when I heard that it was nominated for Best Picture and other awards (and more importantly, when I noticed it was playing at the $3 theater), I broke down and saw it. Unfortunately, I wish I had Redboxed this doozy. First of all, can I just say that I resent critics saying this movie "defines a generation"? I think it's a little too soon to determine what has defined our generation (let's give it a couple decades, why don't we), and I'd also love to know how many people comprising my generation have a life like Mark Zuckerberg's. I, for one, do not. I literally detested almost every character in that movie, and the ones I didn't hate were either only princes in comparison (Eduardo Saverin) or comic relief (the twins). The quick dialogue and fast-paced humor weren't enough to forgive the fact that this film fetishizes greed and arrogance. I don't think it did enough to show that Mark Zuckerberg and company's actions are morally reprehensible, and it even tried to make us like him in the last twenty minutes or so (to no avail). I will also be the first to say that it carelessly portrays women as not only marginal, but also obtuse, conformist sluts. There was one female character who was remotely empowered (Zuckerberg's ex), and even then she had too little screen time to be effective. I genuinely hope this movie flops at the Oscars, but seeing as most people are glorifying it despite its shallow message, it probably won't.
• Toy Story 3: I never thought I'd favor an animated film for Best Picture, but I think this one might just be a diamond in the rough. This is another one that I had no intention of seeing on the outset, but due to repeated positive reviews from friends, I went ahead and watched. I was delighted. It not only is just as good as the past two, I think it might even be better. It is a seamless blend of wit, laugh-out-loud humor, warm and fuzzy sentiments, and lovable characterization. At first, when I saw that it was up for Best Picture, I was a little incredulous because I am so used to the strict live-action drama mold that Oscar nominees so often fit into. However, I see no reason why Toy Story 3 is undeserving of the distinction. I also have a pretty deep appreciation for the amount of work that goes into computer-animated films, which seems to exceed most live-actions. If you haven't seen this one, get on it! If you have, how much do you love the toddler room mayhem scene? Hilarious!
• True Grit: Last, but certainly not least, is the most recent nomination I have seen. I've been intrigued by the Coen brothers ever since Fargo, and this latest work does not disappoint. It has all the characteristic humor, artistry, and gore they are known for, and it tells a pretty interesting story, to boot. The leading female is, in my opinion, too fresh for the Best Supporting Actress award, but I appreciate that she is bold and vulnerable at the same time. Jeff Bridges's role was MADE for him. He makes drunken, dirty, functionally illiterate rednecks hot! I don't think I can say that I've ever sat through any western before, including the original True Grit, but even still, this is the perfect western. The beautiful scenery in this also made me a little nostalgic, since I am a Wyoming girl at heart. If Toy Story 3 doesn't take the gold, I hope this one does.

Well, that's my rundown for this year's nominees--tell me what YOU think!