Always Anna

As you know, I made a ridiculous effort to see every movie nominated for the Big Six Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture.  And I’m sure you’ll be shocked and thrilled to learn that I managed to see all but 3 of the films!*

As I settled in for 6 hours of Oscar watching (including E’s red carpet special, obviously), I was really excited to see who would end up winning.  And I have to admit that I thought I’d predict at least some of the winners.  I mean, I saw almost every movie!  I really thought about each category!  And surely I’m not so far out of touch that I couldn’t predict at least half of them, right?

Well, it turns out that that the Academy did not agree with ANY of the films/actors that I thought should win.  NOT ONE. 

First off, I really don’t understand why the Academy equates good acting by a male with portraying totally over-the-top crazy.  What other explanation is there for the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards?  Yes, Javier Bardem was good in No Country for Old Men.  And I did really like that movie.  But how on earth did Tom Wilkinson not win Best Supporting Actor for Michael Clayton?  He was completely brilliant in his role!  And way more believable and harder to play (I think) than a blank-eyed killer.  And Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will be Blood?  Well, I admit that I’m biased, since I didn’t really like the movie .  But I still don’t understand why crazed screaming and convulsing and crazy-eyes is considered better acting than a complex combination of pain and strength - like George Clooney showed to perfection in Michael Clayton.  Apparently the Academy does not like subtlety.

Moving on to the actresses.  I thought that all of the actresses did a phenomenal job.  But two stood out well above the other nominees, which is why I was shocked that Cate Blanchett didn’t win Best Supporting Actress for her role in I’m Not There and Julie Christie didn’t win Best Actress for Away from Her.  I don’t really have anything bad to say about the two winners, but… well, I just don’t agree.

As for Best Director… well, I can’t lie.  I don’t really understand how to judge this, so I’m okay with the Coen Brothers winning for No Country for Old Men.  But I was hoping that Michael Clayton would win.  No reason, just hoping.

I sat on my couch, heart racing, as Denzel came out to announce Best Picture.  I bounced in my seat slightly, thinking “Please say Atonement.  Please say Atonement!  Please say Atonement!!!!!” over and over in my head.  First off, I was pretty pissed off and surprised that neither Keira Knightley nor James McAvoy received nominations for their acting in this movie.  They were both so wonderful, in that way that makes you unable to imagine anyone else in the world playing their roles.  They totally inhabited their characters!  And the movie was gorgeous.  So when Denzel announced that No Country for Old Men won ANOTHER award - the biggest award - I was shocked.  And a little appalled.  Again, I liked the movie.  But… I mean… Atonement was just better!  And, when it comes down to it, so was Michael Clayton!

I just don’t get it.  Really.  Don’t.  Understand.

* I didn’t make it to the theater to see Charlie Wilson’s War (Philip Seymour Hoffman nominated for Best Supporting Actor), In the Valley of Elah (Tommy Lee Jones nominated for Best Actor) was rented out at the two rental places I looked, and Into the Wild (Hal Holbrook nominated for Best Supporting Actor) isn’t out on rental until March.