The First Annual Lauren Tormey Academy Awards
As I discovered while writing this post, the Lauren Tormey Academy Awards do not just give out one Oscar for each category. In fact, I don’t list every category. And sometimes, I make up my own. And other times, I make mention of the not-so good of 2011. Here are my lists of things I think should be listed (and some commentary on them).
Top 10 of 2011
Another Earth
-Everything about it was awesome. Especially the ending. And the story about the cosmonaut. I’ll stop before I go into super fan-girl mode…
Midnight in Paris
-I love the concept of this film, and I love how overstated its message is; thinking too much isn’t always fun.
Margaret
-I like when films emotionally distress me. A sign of cinematic success.
Moneyball
-I hate sports (especially baseball), but man, do I love sports movies.
The Ides of March
-Like Margaret, Ides was another film that left me in an emotionally-altered state and made me feel something. Mainly, anger. But in a good way.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
-Better than the Swedish adaptation, in my opinion.
The Help
-Even better the second time seeing it. I like how it stands on its own from the book.
We Need to Talk About Kevin
-They really should have. Haunting. Disturbing. Well-done.
The Muppets
-It’s really sad it doesn’t come out until February in the UK. Because it’s wonderful!
Drive
-What is keeping this at the bottom of the list is the story…nothing unique about it, but overall, a well-made, well-acted film. And Ryan Gosling.
Best Use of Music in a Movie:
Drive
-I wish the Academy Awards would have this category in addition to best score and original song because the people who decided to put the non-score tracks into Drive need to be acknowledged. A+ work.
Best Actors: Overall, not a great year for leading men. Good performances by some but nothing that greatly impressed me.
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris
-The man was made to speak Woody Allen’s dialogue!
Best Actresses: 2011 in film was the year of leading women. A lot of great performances. Instead of giving out a best actor Oscar, I think the Academy should just give out two best actress Oscars.
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
-I can’t believe this was the same girl from The Social Network. Beyond impressed.
Anna Paquin, Margaret
-Shailene Woodley has been getting a lot of attention for her role in The Descendants as an angry, emotional, yelling-at-parent teenager, but I think the real praise should be directed at Paquin. When she screams, it’s much more believable. And by believable I mean capable of inflicting emotional disturbance and heartbreak onto the viewer. As it should be.
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Brit Marling, Another Earth
Best Supporting Actors: Again with the men. Good but not overly impressive.
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Patton Oswolt, Young Adult
Best Supporting Actresses: Well done, ladies. And well done casting directors of The Help.
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Jeannie Berlin, Margaret
Best Screenplays: The same as my top three films…a clear indication that a screenplay makes the film for me.
Another Earth
Midnight in Paris
Margaret
Best Trailer Music:
Another Earth, “To Build a Home” by Cinematic Orchestra
-I love how trailers introduce me to wonderful music…
Best RomCom:
Something Borrowed
-I may be in a minority, but I like romantic comedies. I like cheesy love stories. I like happy endings. I like knowing the ending before I watch a film. Unfortunately, most recent romcoms have been really awful. To the point where I get angry I know the ending because it was such an awful journey to get there. However, Something Borrowed may be the first film I’ve seen where the girl does not end up with the guy I thought she was going to. Little Miss Smarty Pants thought she had the whole film figured out, but no! Also, it was a film that was better than the book. (Warning: Here comes my chick lit/US university rant.) In the film, the protagonist, having just turned 30, is still upset over her rejection from Notre Dame University; instead, she ended up going to a state university in Indiana. In the book, she gets rejected from Notre Dame but ends up at Duke University (and still is somehow upset about it in her 30s). Boo hoo, cry me a river, woman! I’m sorry your rejection from a good US university ended in you attending, in my opinion, an even better university. (Bitter US university reject done ranting now.)
Biggest Disappointment: The Descendants
Technically, a 2012 release for the UK, but 2011 back home in the ole U. S. of A. It’s a film that’s on pretty much every critic’s top 10 list, but I just didn’t care for it. All of the supporting characters were overly stereotypical to the point where I didn’t think such people existed in real life.
Worst Film of 2011: Wuthering Heights
Who only adapts half a book? And since when is Catherine allowed to wear trousers? And why is Heathcliff saying the c-word? And why is everyone else saying the n-word? And why not have a score? And where did that Mumford & Sons song come from?
This concludes the First Annual Lauren Tormey Academy Awards. 2012 films: get ready and prepared to be judged!