THE POPE’S 2011 OSCAR® PREDICTIONS -- PART 2

This year’s Oscar® telecast promises to be steeped in nostalgia.  Let’s face it, this year’s Best Picture nominees scream nostalgia – from the age of silent film in THE ARTIST to father of cinema Georges Méliès in HUGO to 1920s Paris in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS to a winning A's season in MONEYBALL to segregated bathrooms in THE HELP to World War I in WAR HORSE or to 9/11 in EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE.  I could go on, but I’m confident I’ve already crossed the boundaries of good taste.

Despite all the feel-good nostalgia, this year’s Oscar® race lacks a sense of urgency.  But nostalgia will do that to you.  There is no one film that everyone is excited about, wants to talk about, wants to see win.  This year’s Oscar® broadcast has the potential to be a little crazy (like in 1992 when THE PIANIST had upset wins in some major categories) or a complete snooze (like in 2004 when THE RETURN OF THE KING made a clean sweep).  Even though it will mess up my Oscar® pool, I’m rooting for some upsets.  Fingers crossed.

As promised, below are my Oscar® predictions for the categories you care about (at least as much as you can this year).  I'm not too terribly confident in them this year.  In fact, the only thing I am confident in predicting is that thanks to the preponderance of nostalgia films, this year’s Oscar telecast (with the possible exception of host Billy Crystal) will be mostly insufferable.

Here we go.

And the nominees for Best Picture are:

THE ARTIST

THE DESCENDENTS

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

THE HELP

HUGO

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

MONEYBALL

THE TREE OF LIFE

WAR HORSE

You know it’s a weak year for the Oscars® when only one Best Picture nominee makes it onto your Top 10 list.  So it should come as no surprise that MONEYBALL is the movie I’d most like to see win.  But that won’t happen.  If we go by total number of nominations, your best bets are either THE ARTIST or HUGO.  But don’t discount such Oscar® bait as THE DECENDENTS, THE HELP and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.  Only choose one of the remaining nominees if you get great odds.  THE ARTIST stands out in more significant ways than any other nominated movie (i.e., black and white, silent, made by a Frenchman), and I would put even money on it taking home the gold.  My pick for an overlooked movie that should have made the list is TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.  See it if you haven’t.  It puts most of these nominees to shame.

Should Win:  MONEYBALL

Will Win:  THE ARTIST

Overlooked: TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

 

And the nominees for Best Director are:

Woody Allen, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST

Terrence Malick, THE TREE OF LIFE

Alexander Payne, THE DESCENDENTS

Martin Scorsese, HUGO

I look at this list and think, “Seriously, was this really the best you could come up with?”  None of these guys deserve the gold this year.  Okay, you could give points to Terrence Malick for ambition but, seriously, dinosaurs?  And although Martin Scorsese salvaged a mess of a script, the pace was soooo sloooooow.  The best director this year was Tomas Alfredson from TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, followed closely by Mike Mills from BEGINNERS and Asghar Farhadi from A SEPARATION.  But if forced to choose from the actual list I’d give it to Alexander Payne, whose own choices still surprise me even when they show up in a subpar movie.  However, if asked to put money behind my choice, I’d go with Michel Hazanavicius, because the Academy does like its novelty acts.

Should Win:  Alexander Payne, THE DESCENDANTS

Will Win:  Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST

Overlooked:  Tomas Alfredson, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

And the nominees for Best Actress are:

Glenn Close, ALBERT NOBBS

Viola Davis, THE HELP

Rooney Mara, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Meryl Streep, THE IRON LADY

Michelle Williams, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

I only saw three of the nominated actress performances this year and, of those, Michelle Williams was my favorite.  The Academy won’t honor her, convinced that her time will come some years down the road.  What a great idea.  Heath Ledger, anyone?  The same could be said of Rooney Mara, but her role (not to mention the movie) was too unsavory to clinch anything beyond a nomination.  In any other year, Glenn Close might walk away with the gold to honor her career achievements.  Not this year.  It comes down to Streep and the marvelous Viola Davis.  I think Davis will win, but I would argue that her role is more supporting than lead.  Because Tilda Swinton won a supporting actress Oscar® a couple years back, the Academy chose to ignore her amazing work in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.  That’s a shame.

Should Win:  Michelle Williams, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Will Win:  Viola Davis, THE HELP

Overlooked:  Tilda Swinton, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

And the nominees for Best Actor are:

Demian Bichir, A BETTER LIFE

George Clooney, THE DESCENDENTS

Jean Dujardin, THE ARTIST

Gary Oldman, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Brad Pitt, MONEYBALL

I’ve seen all but Demian Bichir’s performance.  The same can probably be said of the Academy.  Of the remaining, I would be thrilled to see Gary Oldman win but must confess my heart resides with Brad Pitt.  This may be his one and only chance to go home with the gold and I, for one, would give it to him.  As to who will win, you’re looking at either George Clooney or Jean Dujardin.  I’m going with Dujardin, because he has an accent and Clooney won supporting actor not too long ago.  Michael Fassbender gave some fantastic performances this year, and none better than in SHAME.  I guess the NC-17 rating gave the Academy pause as well.

Should Win:  Brad Pitt, MONEYBALL

Will Win:  Jean Dujardin, THE ARTIST

Overlooked:  Michael Fassbender, SHAME

And the nominees for Best Supporting Actress are:

Bérénice Bejo, THE ARTIST

Jessica Chastain, THE HELP

Melissa McCarthy, BRIDESMAIDS

Janet McTeer, ALBERT NOBBS

Octavia Spencer, THE HELP

This may be the strongest overall category.  Of the performances I’ve seen (sorry, Janet McTeer) my favorite is that of Melissa McCarthy, who steals every scene she’s in.  If she were to win, it would be a huge upset.  But I feel confident that Octavia Spencer will walk away with the statuette.  And that will be fine, too.  Though it would be hard to choose which nominee to drop, Carey Mulligan should have been recognized for a fearless performance in SHAME.

Should Win:  Melissa McCarthy, BRIDESMAIDS

Will Win:  Octavia Spencer, THE HELP

Overlooked:  Carey Mulligan, SHAME

And the nominees for Best Supporting Actor are:

Kenneth Branagh, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Jonah Hill, MONEYBALL

Nick Nolte, WARRIOR

Christopher Plummer, BEGINNERS

Max von Sydow, EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

This is another strong category.  And once again I haven’t seen one of the nominees -- Max von Sydow, for a reason that begins with Stephen and ends with Daldry.  I wouldn’t mind at all if Nick Nolte were to pull an upset, but Christopher Plummer has the momentum and, truth be told, deserves the award.  If we could have squeezed in a sixth nominee, Patton Oswalt deserved at least a nod for his underrated work in YOUNG ADULT.

Should and Will Win:  Christopher Plummer, BEGINNERS

Overlooked:  Patton Oswalt, YOUNG ADULT

And the nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are:

George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, THE IDES OF MARCH

John Logan, HUGO

Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, THE DESCENDENTS

Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin, MONEYBALL

This is a very weak category (see the On The Page Oscar® podcast posted on my blog and Facebook pages last week for a more complete discussion).  The only writers who deserve a win are Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan and Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin.  Of those two I like O’Connor & Straughan best.  As to who will win, I’m sorry to say that the most likely recipient will be Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash.  That’s better than the other two scripts, which were both messes.  And while Pilar Alessandra (On The Page) may disagree with me, I would have preferred John Romano’s adaptation of THE LINCOLN LAWYER to at least three of the nominated scripts.

Should Win:  Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Will Win:  Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, THE DESCENDENTS

Overlooked:  John Romano, THE LINCOLN LAWYER

And the nominees for Best Original Screenplay are:

Woody Allen, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

J.C. Chandor, MARGIN CALL

Asghar Farhadi, A SEPARATION

Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST

Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig, BRIDESMAIDS

Although stronger than the adapted category (again see the On The Page Oscar® podcast for a more comprehensive discussion), there are only two truly worthy scripts:  Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig’s hilarious female-driven comedy and Asghar Farhadi’s riveting domestic drama.  If forced to choose I would have to go with Farhadi, but if Mumolo & Wiig were to accept the prize, I would be equally thrilled.  Sadly, this is unlikely to be the case.  Although there’s an outside chance that screenwriter Hazanavicius will benefit from a potential sweep by THE ARTIST, I consider it more likely that Allen gets the consolation prize.  The Academy’s biggest oversight this year may be Mike Mills and his lovely script for BEGINNERS.

Should Win:  Asghar Farhadi, A SEPARATION

Will Win:  Woody Allen, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Overlooked:  Mike Mills, BEGINNERS


This wraps up The Pope's Picks for 2011.  Thanks for reading this far, and we'll see you in 2012.

THE POPE’S 2011 OSCAR® PREDICTIONS -- PART 1

Every year yours truly matches wits with (or at least tries to think like) members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  This year my predictions have been divided into two parts.  Part 1 includes the categories you don't care about (i.e., technical awards, documentaries, foreign film, etc.).  However, if you're entered into an Oscar® pool, these categories could mean the difference between victory and defeat.  Below is Part 1 of my wills and shoulds for 2011 (and a handful of glaring omissions):

Best Animated Film

A CAT IN PARIS

CHICO & RITA

KUNG FU PANDA 2

PUSS IN BOOTS

RANGO

I’ve only seen RANGO, and I didn’t much care for it.  That said, I suspect it will win.  But it begs the question, why wasn’t THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN nominated?

Will Win:  RANGO

Overlooked: THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

Best Foreign Language Film

BULLHEAD (Belgium)

FOOTNOTE (Israel)

IN DARKNESS (Poland)

MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Canada)

A SEPARATION (Iran)

Of the nominees I only saw A SEPARATION, but I can’t imagine a better foreign film in this batch.  Keep in mind, however, that the Academy does love its Holocaust dramas, so IN DARKNESS may be a surprise winner.

Should and Will Win:  A SEPARATION

Best Documentary Feature

HELL AND BACK AGAIN

IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT

PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY

PINA

UNDEFEATED

I haven’t seen any of them and haven’t a clue.  A friend of mine saw PARADISE LOST 3 and liked it.  So, what the heck, let’s go with that.

Will Win:  PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY

Best Cinematography

Jeff Cronenweth, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Janusz Kaminski, WAR HORSE

Emmanuel Lubezki, THE TREE OF LIFE

Robert Richardson, HUGO

Guillaume Schiffman, THE ARTIST

There are some great looking movies in this category (though I didn’t see WAR HORSE).  But let’s face it -- Lubezki was robbed in 2007 for CHILDREN OF MEN.  He deserves it here, and this time he will win.  If Wally Pfister hadn’t won last year for INCEPTION, he would (and should) have been on the list this year for MONEYBALL.

Should and Will Win:  Emmanuel Lubezki, THE TREE OF LIFE

Overlooked:  Wally Pfister, MONEYBALL

Best Film Editing

Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST

Thelma Schoonmaker, HUGO

Christopher Tellefsen, MONEYBALL

Kevin Tent, THE DESCENDENTS

Baxter and Wall won last year.  So despite respectable work here, they will not win.  HUGO was toooo looooong.  If it were up to me Tellefsen would win.  I think the Academy will honor Bion and Hazanavicius here.

Should Win:  Christopher Tellefsen, MONEYBALL

Will Win:  Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST

Best Costume Design

Mark Bridges, THE ARTIST

Lisy Christl, ANONYMOUS

Michael O’Connor, JANE EYRE

Arianne Phillips, W.E.

Sandy Powell, HUGO

We have no contemporary costuming to eliminate here, because all are period.  Elizabethan costumes are popular with the Academy, so Christl would be my favorite to win but that the movie was laughably bad (or so I heard).  So the rest being equal, it comes down to perceived front-runners THE ARTIST and HUGO.  Either would be a respectable Will Win choice, but I’m going to match it with my Should Win choice, Powell.

Should and Will Win:  Sandy Powell, HUGO

Best Art Direction

THE ARTIST

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2

HUGO

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

WAR HORSE

HUGO was gorgeous to look at and deserves to cash in with a gold statuette.

Should and Will Win:  HUGO

Best Original Score

Ludovic Bource, THE ARTIST

Alberto Iglesias, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Howard Shore, HUGO

John Williams, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

John Williams, WAR HORSE

Howard Shore won in this category twice before for two of the LORD OF THE RINGS movies, so his chances here are remote.  HUGO is a gorgeous score, but Iglesias’ is better.  His score taps into Cold War paranoia and yet feels so ‘70s.  His would be my choice.  I don’t think Williams will win for either score, but I wouldn’t put it past the Academy.  So that leaves Bource.

Should Win:  Alberto Iglesias, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Will Win:  Ludovic Bource, THE ARTIST

Best Original Song

“Man or Muppet”, Bret McKenzie, THE MUPPETS

“Real in Rio”, Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, Siedah Garrett, RIO

I didn’t see either movie.  But I love the Muppets, and I adore Bret McKenzie from The Flight of the Conchords.  Let’s go with his song.

Will Win:  “Man or Muppet”, Bret McKenzie, THE MUPPETS

Best Sound Mixing

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

HUGO

MONEYBALL

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

WAR HORSE

I read somewhere that every year a war movie was nominated for sound mixing, it won.  So I predict WAR HORSE will win.  I would prefer MONEYBALL, because the sound just invites you into the world of baseball.  I guess I’m just a sucker for baseball.

Should Win:  MONEYBALL

Will Win:  WAR HORSE

Best Sound Editing

DRIVE

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

HUGO

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

WAR HORSE

The sound effects in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO creeped me out.  I would have to pick that for my favorite.  I think the Academy won’t want HUGO to go away without another Oscar®, so they’ll give it this one.

Should Win:  THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Will Win:  HUGO

Best Visual Effects

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2

HUGO

REAL STEEL

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

This is the last chance for the Academy to recognize the HARRY POTTER franchise, and I suspect they’ll do it here.  But I would prefer if the PLANET OF THE APES prequel took the prize.

Should Win:  RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Will Win:  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2

Best Makeup

ALBERT NOBBS

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2

THE IRON LADY

I only saw the HARRY POTTER movie, so by default that would be my preference.  Yet there’s this niggling doubt that it will win two awards this year.  That leaves the old age makeup of THE IRON LADY and the drag makeup of ALBERT NOBBS.  The latter sounds like something that could win.  Let’s go with that.

Should Win:  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2

Will Win:  ALBERT NOBBS

Best Documentary Short Subject

THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM: FOOT SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

GOD IS THE BIGGER ELVIS

INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD

SAVING FACE

THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

I haven’t seen any of them.  But THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM involves the devastating Japanese tsunami from last year and seems likely to garner the votes.

Will Win:  THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

Best Animated Short Subject

DIMANCHE/SUNDAY

THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE

LA LUNA

A MORNING STROLL

WILD LIFE

No clue, but I hear LA LUNA is good.

Will Win:  LA LUNA

Best Live Action Short Subject

PENTECOST

RAJU

THE SHORE

TIME FREAK

TUBA ATLANTIC

See above.  Let’s go with THE SHORE.

Will Win:  THE SHORE

Join me for a live, Facebook discussion of this year's Oscar® at 6:00pm PST on Saturday, February 25, 2012, at The Pope's Picks -- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Pope group.  There I will reveal my predictions in the major categories.  And, if you join the group before the presentation, you will have the opportunity to vote for the coveted Rosary Award where you, gentle reader, get to pick your favorites in each of those self-same major categories.  I hope to see you online then.

Even if you can't join us I will post Part 2 of The Pope's 2011 Oscar® Predictions shortly after the presentation on Saturday.

Thank you and have a happy Oscar® viewing.

THE BEST (AND WORST) OF 2011

What follows is a list of my favorite films this year.  I have included runners-up and honorable mentions because any number of these films could have moved higher or lower on my list depending on my mood.  All the movies I have listed I find worthwhile and would feel comfortable recommending.  I have also listed my least favorite films this year, and a couple of runners-up.  I cannot in good conscious recommend them, but by all means see them if you’re so inclined.  Just remember, you have been warned.

THE BEST OF 2011
(in alphabetical order)

ATTACK THE BLOCK  Joe Cornish’s crackerjack B-grade horror movie delivers more scares, laughs, and subtle social commentary per budgetary dollar (or in this case, pound sterling) than anything I’ve seen this year.

BEGINNERS  A movie this wise about love and loss is rare indeed, but Mike Mills’ deft, daft comedic drama tackles profound and personal issues with a light but tender touch that is even rarer.

BRIDESMAIDS  At times tasteless, often touching, always hilarious, this boisterous comedy about a bridesmaid on the verge of a nervous breakdown features some topnotch actresses who just happen to be very funny indeed.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER  This smart, suspenseful crime drama hearkens back to an era when notions such as rich characterization and clever plotting were honored and revered more than explosions and visual effects.

MONEYBALL  Brad Pitt gives the most relaxed and natural performance of his career in this smartly written and gorgeously shot movie about the business of baseball that even people who don’t like baseball can enjoy.

A SEPARATION  Asghar Farhadi’s compelling Iranian domestic drama takes its flawed, beautifully realized characters (and the audience) on an emotional rollercoaster until its final, devastating shot.

SOURCE CODE  Part science fiction, part thriller, part existential meditation, this nifty take on GROUNDHOG DAY may not hold up under close scrutiny, but it’s narrative panache delivers the goods and then some.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY  John le Carré’s labyrinthine spy novel receives a smashing adaptation, with economic, elegant writing, brilliant direction, and terrific acting, all reminiscent of a cinematic golden age.

WARRIOR  This harrowing drama about a family of damaged men, set in the world of mixed martial arts, features powerhouse performances that deliver as many emotional wallops as body blows.

WIN WIN  Tom McCarthy’s quiet, subtle drama about a decent man who does the wrong thing for the right reasons finds the perfect muse in the unsentimental yet compassionate performance of Paul Giamatti.

Runners-Up of 2011

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

A DANGEROUS METHOD

MYSTERIES OF LISBON (MISTÉRIOS DE LISBOA)

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Honorable Mentions: THE ARTIST; CONTAGION; THE DESCENDANTS; HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2; HUGO; JANE EYRE; MARGIN CALL; MIDNIGHT IN PARIS; MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL; YOUNG ADULT

THE WORST of 2011(in alphabetical order)

THE BIG YEAR  Its greatest crime is its near pathological banality.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER  True to the period but, like its protagonist, hopelessly square.

CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE.  What it calls insight, I call dishonesty.

SUPER 8  J.J. Abrams attempts to do bad Steven Spielberg and succeeds.

THOR  Clumsy filmmaking and awkward performances from an all-star cast equal a head-scratching mess.

Dishonorable Mentions: RANGO; X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

JANE EYRE (2011)

The latest adaptation of the Charlotte Bronte novel opens with our heroine Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) fleeing from (what we later learn is) Thornfield Hall and onto the stormy moors.  Cold, wet and exhausted Jane collapses at the threshold of the remote domicile of clergyman St. John Rivers (Jamie Bell) and his sisters.  They nurse the girl to health, and the grateful Jane reveals to them (and us) her tumultuous history.  Orphaned as a child, Jane (played here by Amelia Clarkson) lives with her cruel aunt, Mrs. Reed (Sally Hawkins) who sends the girl to the oppressive Lowood School as soon as she can.  There Jane deals with institutionalized torment under the guise of piety.  The sadistic instructors succeed in mortifying her flesh but not her spirit.  When she comes of age, Jane leaves the school by becoming governess to a French-speaking ward at Thornfield Hall under the watchful but kindly eye of housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax (Judi Dench).  When master of the house Rochester (Michael Fassbender) returns, the moody gentleman shows an uncharacteristic interest in Jane.  His interest becomes more acute when the governess, roused from sleep by a strange noise, saves his life after she discovers a fire nearly consuming his sleeping chamber.  Nevertheless Rochester remains preoccupied -- with Lady Blanche Ingram (Imogen Poots) whom society fully expects him to marry and with a dark secret that will eventually drive Jane from his home.  Moira Buffini’s thrifty screenplay, while lean, remains adequately nourished.  The characters are keenly drawn without undue flourish.  Likewise Cary Fukunaga’s nuanced direction retains a rich period atmosphere while using a succinct visual style to prevent the film’s pace from becoming overly deliberate.  The supporting performances are uniformly excellent, with Hawkins as decorously nasty as Dench is quietly endearing.  As the mercurial Rochester, Fassbender achieves a fascinating blend of roiling passion and enigmatic diffidence.  But the movie rightly belongs to the wonderful Wasikowska whose portrayal effortlessly captures Jane’s strength, conviction and self-worth.

THE POPE'S PICKS AT ON THE PAGE

Below is a link to the On The Page podcast, hosted by noted screenwriting instructor Pilar Alessandra, in which she, Michael Musa and I discuss this year's Oscar-nominated screenplays.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-page-screenwriting/id262077408

It runs about an hour.  Enjoy.

50/50 (2011)

Dying is easy; comedy is hard.  Or so goes the old adage.  It should be said that making a comedy about dying (or at least its prospect) is hard, too.  Screenwriter Will Reiser and director Jonathan Levin have set this laudable task for themselves with disappointing results.  27-year-old Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has an almost live-in girlfriend named Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and a crass best friend named Kyle (Seth Rogen).  At a doctor visit Adam learns he has a tumor on his spine and that the recovery prognosis is fifty-fifty.  Adam’s young counseling intern Katherine (Anna Kendrick) struggles to put her charge at ease with various coping and relaxation techniques.  However, he does attain a modicum of comfort (and some medical marijuana) from fellow chemotherapy patients Alan (Philip Baker Hall) and Mitch (Matt Frewer).  Adam’s anxious mother Diane (Anjelica Huston) offers to move in, but Rachael assures her (and herself) that she can look after her beau.  But Kyle catches the reluctant girlfriend in some convenient canoodling, which prompts our intrepid friends to explore cancer as a means to pick up shallow women -- and opens an avenue of romance between Adam and Katherine.  Aside from the disease-as-seduction gag Reiser gets slight comedic mileage out of his cancer premise, and what humor hi-jinks the film has are recognizable from most so-called “bromances”.  Levine directs tentatively, relying too often on music montages, and leaves his actors floundering and unfocused in scenes that require delicate tonal shifts.  The appealing Gordon-Levitt and adorable Kendrick manage moments of genuine charm in spite of this.  Howard does well in a thankless role, while Huston distinguishes herself nicely.  Rogen, however, does not fare so well.  His dialogue, much of which I suspect was improvised, sounds like outtakes from lesser movies, and his comic timing has all the precision of a stampede.  I have no doubt a movie that addresses cancer with sensitivity and humor could be made.  Unfortunately we’ll have to wait for more courageous comedy writers and directors (Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant spring to mind) to tackle it.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2011)

In the wake of horrific events society seeks comfort in finding a reason for the tragedy or, in the absence of reason, in assigning blame.  This challenging film from Lynne Ramsay explores the effects of a high school massacre on the mother of the teen killer, her feelings of guilt and of responsibility for the actions of the child she brought into the world.  Adapted from Lionel Shriver’s novel, the screenplay by director Ramsay & Rory Kinnear opens with a series of disorienting images, like memory fragments arising unbidden, from a primitive ritual in a foreign land to a dark suburban home with billowing sheer curtains and the sound of automatic sprinklers in the disquieting night.  These memories belong to Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) who has become a pariah in her town.  She regularly cleans the red paint thrown on her house and car, hides from victims' mothers in the grocery store, and accepts the hostile stares and recriminations heaped upon her.  The memories begin to coalesce and we learn of her well-traveled youth, her marriage to Franklin (John C. Reilly) and her reticence to impending motherhood.  Son Kevin’s birth confirms Eva’s fears.  The baby screams constantly in her presence, the toddler refuses to play with her, and the 6-year-old (played by a convincing Jasper Newell) spurns toilet training with open hostility, all the while benign to his father.  Teen Kevin (Ezra Miller) only gets worse, but whenever Eva expresses concern over their son’s sociopathic behavior her husband dismisses it as typical.  In a career-defining performance, Swinton elicits both sympathy and frustration as Eva in her attempt to walk the line between unconditional love and social responsibility.  We understand her hope of redemption for Kevin, and yet we cringe at the choices made with our benefit of hindsight.  And, despite Kevin’s relentless lack of remorse, we continue to question whether stronger parental intervention would have saved lives.  Ramsay’s unflinching and rigorous examination of the development of a psychopath refuses the comfort of easy answers, which makes for a bracing if less than pleasant film experience.

WARRIOR (2011)

Gavin O’Connor’s rousing, emotionally punishing film follows three damaged men.  Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte), a recovering alcoholic, struggles to make amends with his estranged sons.  Years ago Tommy (Tom Hardy), a star high school wrestler, moved to the West Coast with his mother to escape his father’s drunken rages.  Meanwhile older brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton) married sweetheart Tess (Jennifer Morrison) and fled to Philadelphia where he teaches high school physics and bounces at a nightclub to help feed and clothe his three daughters.  After his mother’s death Tommy returns to the Pittsburgh family home and persuades his despised father to train him for Sparta, a winner-take-all mixed martial arts tournament.  Meanwhile Brendan, with his mortgage under water and no stranger to fighting for money, convinces trainer Frank Campana (Frank Grillo) to get him back into shape for the upcoming competition as well.  While Brendan’s motive for this punishing pursuit is clear, Tommy’s is more enigmatic but no less compelling.  The film’s second half, set in Atlantic City, chronicles the bruising battles leading to the championship round, the results of which will leave all but the most stone-hearted shaken.  Credit screenwriters O’Connor & Anthony Tambakis & Cliff Dorfman with an unflinching portrayal of the world of mixed martial arts and a visceral yet humane portrait of its physically and psychologically pummeled central characters.  Often the film’s most devastating blows come from words and not fists.  Director O’Connor maintains a propulsive pace and elicits performances both raw and delicate from this exceptional cast.  Nolte achieves a riveting restraint as the contrite, self-loathing patriarch barely holding himself together.  Edgerton is terrific as a stable family man and dogged combatant willing to put his body on the line to save his home.  However, the film belongs to the revelatory Hardy, who projects hurt and despair in his eyes while anger vibrates through his muscled, ape-like body.  Succeeding both as a pugilist picture and perceptive family drama, this punch to the breadbasket of a film takes the breath away.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO’VE JUST JOINED US

I’m a procrastinator, and the Pope’s Picks online blog has compelled me to write more timely reviews.  Previously I would spend all of January and most of February writing reviews of films I’d seen months earlier in order to meet my Oscar® deadline.  At times a movie made such a minor impression I could barely recall its details from the fog of the past, and the review felt vague and unformed.  I now call each movie as I see it, when I see it, without tweaking my opinion in the afterglow of award nominations (or lack thereof) at season’s end.  For that reason I am much happier with this year’s crop of reviews, and I hope you are, too.

For the most part I have received very positive feedback.  There were a number of you, however, who thought I should make my reviews more user-friendly by providing a rating system and/or a more clear delineation of which movies I liked and which movies I disliked.  A fair (and not uncommon) comment, and one that I have pondered throughout the 25-year history of the Pope’s Picks.

Early readers of the Picks will recall that for a time I gave each movie a Rosary rating.  Most reviewers did the equivalent, so the concept made perfect sense.  Then I was given a book of film criticism that changed the way I approached reviews:  Guide for the Film Fanatic by Danny Peary.  This is a wonderful book that’s out of print.  If you can track down a copy, grab it and hold it close -- especially if you love movies.  Peary dispenses with the rating system.  His rationale for this is simple and one that I respect:  each movie he writes about is worthy of viewing – the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Therefore I’ve chosen to forgo ratings to foment exploration rather than judgment when discussing movies.

I look at a movie review as the beginning of a conversation.  And I hope you will view it the same way.  If something I’ve written sparks a comment, an observation, an idea, or even strong disagreement, please do post in the comment section of the blog.  I’m always happy to keep the conversation going (now that I know how to post my own comments to your comments).

Thanks for sticking with me this far.  Thanks especially to all of you who have encouraged me and posted thoughtful comments both on the blog and on Facebook.  If you haven’t already and are interested in joining my Facebook group, The Pope’s Picks vs. The World!!, please send a request to the group and I will happily add you.  In addition to posting blog links in the group I also link to select movie-related articles that are worthwhile reads.

Finally, I must thank Michael Musa for lighting a fire under me to start this online blog and for handling many of the Facebook group logistics.  And thanks also to Nina Berry for providing on-the-fly editorial help when I call and ask, “What’s the term for the thing that does that thing?  You know what I mean.”  Because she usually does.

Over the next week or so I’ll be posting my 2011 Best of the Year list as well as my Oscar® predictions.  Stay tuned.