Biutiful - Alejandro González Iñárritu, the director of Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel, brings a the story of a man involved in illegal activity with a serious health problem who is confronted by an old childhood friend, who is now a police officer. Biutiful premiered receiving a standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival and competed for the Palme D'Or. The movie received raves and received Oscar buzz since when it was annouced that Biutiful will be released this year in USA. One of the strongest contenders for the Best Picture race!
The Fighter - while this movie's director (David O. Russell) may not be a loved person, The Fighter is one of the this year's picture that has most potential to be loved. First, the Academy loves box more than any other sport (just look at Rocky and Million Dollar Baby). Second, David O. Russell is good in what he does and I'm sure this will be another good writing and directing work. Third, a dream cast composed by some of the biggest Hollywood darlings: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. The Fighter will only not be nominated if it gets poor reviews, because it has all the potential!
Hereafter - Clint Eastwood is a magnifient director (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Parents, Letter From Iwo Jima, Gran Torino and Invictus) and Hereafter should not be far away from its director's previous works. The story line seems as interesting as the subject of the movie itself: a supernatural thriller with a man who can talk with dead people (Matt Damon), a tsunami's female survivor (Cécile de France) and a kid who tries to contact his twin brother in the afterlife (Frankie McLaren). Interesting? A lot! Let's wait, but by now, it seems very good material!
Inception - Christopher Nolan created another critical acclaimed blockbuster and the sensation-movie of this Summer. Starring an amazing cast with Leonardo Di Caprio, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Caine between others, Inception was described as something very inovative, smart and thrilling, a movie about dreams that became a kind of "dream movie" and a technical masterpiece. A place between the 10 nominees is almost sure for Inception and it deserves that honour!
The Kids Are All Right - the small indie production with a $4 million budget that received all the critics love this Summer after an acclaimed presence in Sundance Film Festival and became the that film scored the highest average gross in the year to date. With a respectful cast composed by Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson that got raves for the great acting, The Kids Are All Right is a light-comedy-movie and a portray of a modern family that the Academy almost surely will love and give an Oscar nomination for the Best Picture category.
The Social Network - David Fincher has already brought us some great movies like Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and, this year, he brings a movie about the most popular social network of nowadays: the Facebook. The early reviews give lots of praise to The Social Network making this one seeming a kind of Best-Picture-Oscar-nominee-kind-of-movie and may be a strong contender for a win. Plus, this one has all of the media attentions! The Academy's recognition is almost sure.
Somewhere - One of the most acclaimed movies of Venice Film Festival was directed and written by Sofia Coppola, the same woman who created the legendary Lost In Translation. Somewhere is a story of loneliness of a Hollywood star that feels unhappy in spite of a life of luxury until the day his daughter goes to live with him and he starts a journey to find himself between all his fame. The movie seems something intimate, very personal and sweet (the same Sofia Coppola's directing style that won the Academy's love with Lost In Translation), and the Academy members may see themselves in Somewhere. So, why not a Best Picture nod for Somewhere?
Toy Story 3 - Toy Story 3 is the 5th highest-grossing film of all the time is also a critical acclaimed one and it's an animated feature that has a place between the 10 nominees for the Oscar of Best Picture guaranteed and is the strongest to take home the Oscar of Best Animated Feature. Toy Story 3 tell us the adventures of a group of toys who are abandoned by their owner when he goes to college. But it isn't only the story, the comedy-adventure style, the deep and honest emotions and the message of Toy Story 3 that make it a strong contender, it's all about one thing: everybody loved Toy Story and Toy Story 2. The Academy loves to be a child sometimes and children (and grown-ups) loved Toy Story 3!
Winter's Bone - Winter's Bone is another indie production that may have its place between the 10 Best Picture Oscar nominees. Receiving raves in Sundance Film Festival (winning the Grand Jury Prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award) and in Berlin Film Festival, Winter's Bone has attentions enough to keep on the running for the Best Picture race and has the outstanding performances of the cast (specially from Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes), the refined direction of Debra Granik (2003's Down to the Bone) and a good screenplay based on a well-known novel (a young woman's journey to find her dad in order to protect all she most love). Winter's Bone deserve a Best Picture nod, because it is a true deserver of such an honour, I hope the Academy didn't go blind to ignore it!
in consideration: 127 Hours; The King's Speech; The Town;
Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
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