This morning the 2012 Oscar nominations were revealed, which of course annually provides both heartbreak and jubilation for those nominated and those snubbed. This year, the Best Picture nomination pool is nine, and not the ten of years past. The nominations were reduced from the ten made standard in 2010, down to however many Best Picture nominees the voting body feels is necessary. This year they felt nine was appropriate, a number I do not agree with. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was left off the nominee list, as was its director David Fincher. In my opinion, these two headline the snubs this year, along with Steven Spielberg being left out of the nomination for Best Director despite War Horse earning a Best Picture nod. Hit the jump for the full list, and a few brief thoughts from yours truly.

To be honest, I do not understand the award committees not rewarding The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. While I don’t think the film has to win Best Picture, I find it odd that it has rarely been included amongst the Best Picture nominees. It is even harder to comprehend considering award committees tend to lean towards films that tackle difficult to swallow or hard hitting issues — Fincher’s latest has no shortage of rape, incest, domestic abuse, mutilation, and murder. From my stand point, this 2011 version accomplished lightyears more than the 2009 mediocre Swedish take — that alone should merit some recognition. Last year the Best Picture field held ten nominees, why not this year? The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo isn’t deserving? What about Drive? (And what about Ryan Gosling?) What about Martha Marcy May Marlene?

And while my personal bias comes into play here, Fincher not being amongst the Best Directors this year is another disservice to the industry. I challenge any person to watch the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and then Fincher’s film and see the distinct difference an experienced and talented filmmaker brings in terms of final product. Fincher killed it on his end, and his work as a storyteller is rivaled by few in the game today — his name should be in the mix. In my opinion, every film nominated for Best Picture should be coupled with the film’s director. Period. If the film is good enough to be nominated for Best Picture, the person who was a central figure, if not the central figure, in molding the acclaimed final product should get due credit. That’s my two cents.

It’s nice to see that Leonard DiCaprio was left off the Best Actor list, as I felt his portrayal in J. Edgar was one of the worst performances of his career (that is still pretty damn good by most standards). His acting felt forced, and I didn’t think he deserved to be included like he was for this year’s Golden Globes. Also getting snubbed in their sophomore effort are Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their work on… you guessed it, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The pair won the Oscar last year for The Social Network, and despite composing an amazing score for the film, they were left off the list of nominees. Yet, if you look at the list, John Williams is nominated twice for two different films. I don’t agree with that at all.

I think the category to watch will be Best Actress. Those listening to the podcast know my position on Meryl Streep winning Best Actress at the Golden Globes this year (I was not happy), and now she is up against even more talent with Michelle Williams being added to the mix for her work in My Week With Marilyn. Williams also won at the Globes, but in a different category for actresses (Comedy/Musical). I will get this out of the way now, if Streep wins the Academy Award for Best Actress I will lose faith in all humanity. She is up against Rooney Mara (who should win), Michelle Williams (who also deserves a W), Viola Davis (who could be the dark horse here) and Glenn Close. I really want Mara to win for her total transformation into the dark persona that is Lisbeth Salander, but I’d be fine with Williams or Davis winning. Just not Streep! She shouldn’t get awards in 2012 just because she has had a long and illustrious career.

You can tune into the Oscars Sunday, Feburary 26th. And of course, after the awards show, we will have all our thoughts right here on the Mash.

Best Picture

“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer

“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers

“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer

“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers

“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers

“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers

“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined

“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir in “A Better Life”

George Clooney in “The Descendants”

Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”

Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn”

Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”

Nick Nolte in “Warrior”

Christopher Plummer in “Beginners”

Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”

Viola Davis in “The Help”

Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”

Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”

Jessica Chastain in “The Help”

Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”

Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”

Octavia Spencer in “The Help”

Animated Feature Film

“A Cat in Paris” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli

“Chico & Rita” Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal

“Kung Fu Panda 2″ Jennifer Yuh Nelson

“Puss in Boots” Chris Miller

“Rango” Gore Verbinski

Art Direction

“The Artist” Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan

“Hugo” Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

“Midnight in Paris” Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil

“War Horse” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography

“The Artist” Guillaume Schiffman

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Jeff Cronenweth

“Hugo” Robert Richardson

“The Tree of Life” Emmanuel Lubezki

“War Horse” Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design

“Anonymous” Lisy Christl

“The Artist” Mark Bridges

“Hugo” Sandy Powell

“Jane Eyre” Michael O’Connor

“W.E.” Arianne Phillips

Directing

“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius

“The Descendants” Alexander Payne

“Hugo” Martin Scorsese

“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen

“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick

Documentary (Feature)

“Hell and Back Again” Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner

“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman

“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory” Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs

“Pina” Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel

“Undefeated” TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Documentary (Short Subject)

“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement” Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin

“God Is the Bigger Elvis” Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson

“Incident in New Baghdad”James Spione

“Saving Face” Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing

“The Artist” Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius

“The Descendants” Kevin Tent

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

“Hugo” Thelma Schoonmaker

“Moneyball” Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film

“Bullhead” Belgium

“Footnote” Israel

“In Darkness” Poland

“Monsieur Lazhar” Canada

“A Separation” Iran

Makeup

“Albert Nobbs” Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng

“The Iron Lady” Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)

“The Adventures of Tintin” John Williams

“The Artist” Ludovic Bource

“Hugo” Howard Shore

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Alberto Iglesias

“War Horse” John Williams

Music (Original Song)

“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

“Real in Rio” from “Rio” Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Short Film (Animated)

“Dimanche/Sunday” Patrick Doyon

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg

“La Luna” Enrico Casarosa

“A Morning Stroll” Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe

“Wild Life” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)

“Pentecost” Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane

“Raju” Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren

“The Shore” Terry George and Oorlagh George

“Time Freak” Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey

“Tuba Atlantic” Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing

“Drive” Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Ren Klyce

“Hugo” Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl

“War Horse” Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson

“Hugo” Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

“Moneyball” Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin

“War Horse” Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson

“Hugo” Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning

“Real Steel” Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“The Descendants” Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

“Hugo” Screenplay by John Logan

“The Ides of March” Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon

“Moneyball” Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“The Artist” Written by Michel Hazanavicius

“Bridesmaids” Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig

“Margin Call” Written by J.C. Chandor

“Midnight in Paris” Written by Woody Allen

“A Separation” Written by Asghar Farhadi

What Do You Think Of The Nominees?

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

Each of the past three years has gotten a treatment of my top ten favorite movies here on the Movie Mash. I cannot believe I am already writing another one of these posts, how quickly time flies. For a year many critics considered to be a downgrade in overall quality in terms of content at the cinema, I found this year to be full of gems — of course there will always be movies that fail, but I believe 2011 had more than its share of films that soared. Hit the jump to check out my favorites from 2011.

Always remember, I can only attest for the films I’ve seen. Since I didn’t see them all, these are my favorites amongst the ones I did.

10. The Debt

One of the stronger films in terms of overall production this year, The Debt featured stellar shots from director John Madden, dynamic performances from a talented cast, and a story that built to a well deserved climax. This film centers around a Nazi death camp doctor, essentially a man who did cruel experiments on Jews in WWII, who escaped prosecution. The team featured above is charged with bringing him to justice. I love films about WWII, and I love films that are historical fiction. Since this hits both those definitions, its easy to see why I was a fan.

9. Martha Marcy May Marlene

Welcome to the acting game Elizabeth Olsen. It’s funny to think that in her breakthrough role, the youngest Olsen has already surpassed her twin sisters in acting achievements — that is, unless you consider Holiday in the Sun a cinematic success. Olsen was mesmerizing in her role playing the off kilter character who is uncertain of herself and her future. I spent the whole movie trying to figure her out, and in the end I still don’t know if I fully grasped what she was really about. Looks like I’ll have to spend another two hours being enchanted by her when I watch it again.

8. Warrior

This film does reek of clichés and a predictable storyline, but for some reason I didn’t care — by some reason, I mean well written and well developed characters. The Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton brother dynamic is compelling the first two-thirds of the film because of how distant their relationship is. However, the most inviting piece to the film is the former alcoholic Nick Nolte trying to get his sons to forgive him for past drunken misdeeds. His plight is truly heartbreaking. Don’t forget the exhilarating action within the walls of the octagon, a sure hit for any MMA fan.

7. Drive

What a year for Ryan Gosling. The only actor to even be in his class in terms of quality roles in quality films is Michael Fassbender. This film may have been marketed similar to a Fast & Furious type movie, but don’t be fooled. This slow burning film spends more time in the shadows with barely a spoken word than racing around town in beefed up cars. It took awhile to really grab me, but once it did, I was sold. The subtlety in Drive makes it unlike many films of the year — the true testament to its greatness comes from contrasting subtlety with in your face violence so seamlessly. Oh, and how could I forget? Drive has an 80′s mixed soundtrack that heightens the viewing experience tenfold.

6. X-Men: First Class

I’ve been waiting a long time for this film, an X-Men done right. Those who have read my thoughts on X-Men in the past know each mutant film before this has disappointed me. Finally Matthew Vaughn got it right with the help of James McAvoy, the quickly ascending Michael Fassbender, and Kevin Bacon. The only demerit comes from January Jones and her awful getup throughout — ugh, I hate January Jones so much. Can we please find an attractive blonde that can actually act?

5. Attack the Block

This is the film on the list few have probably heard of, but no one should miss. This is an alien invasion flick, but not one like you’ve ever seen before — imagine aliens invading a British ghetto, and a band of likable and oftentimes difficult to understand thugs standing up to said dark creatures. The aliens are ruthless in their pursuit for human destruction, and that adds an element of tension making the audience fear for the lives of the cast. But it is always kept lively listening to these boys comically banter back and forth. Even if you only understand 30% of what they say, that percentage will make you laugh, because these kids are hilarious. Make a date with Attack the Block in 2012.

4. 50/50

Perfectly cast and acted from top to bottom. 50/50 benefits from a great mix of comedy and drama blending in this heartwarming true tale of a man who survived cancer. If the story feels personal, it’s because Will Reiser wrote the film, and he is the one who survived, “stage five back cancer”.  I laughed and got choked up, which usually equates to my type of film.

3. Crazy, Stupid, Love.

The Summer provided a nice surprise for me when I stumbled across Crazy, Stupid, Love. I will admit, I can be a sucker for a good romantic comedy, and this film was one of the best I’ve ever seen in the genre. Equipped with a star studded cast, a story that weaves all the characters together in a unique manner, this film invites the laughs and tears to begin. While some have called it formulaic, I would argue what film in this genre isn’t? While Crazy, Stupid, Love doesn’t stray from the beaten path, it still has enough originality to feel fresh to the genre.

2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I really have fallen head over heels for this latest Fincher flick. While it couldn’t crack the number one spot held by The Descendants, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo had me mulling over everything that happened within it days after viewing it. So, I went and saw it again. Currently I have a date to see it a third time once my wife finishes the book — yes, this 2.5 hour dark tale is that good. In my opinion, Rooney Mara is without a doubt the best actress of the year playing the year’s most fascinating character, the 2011 version of Lisbeth Salander. Add Fincher, one of the best storytellers in the game, to the thriller/mystery mix, and this film should be amongst the award favorites in the coming months. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, along with the film below, are the only two warranting the grade of perfection in my book for 2011.

1. The Descendants

I did not get to write a review for this film, but Mike praised it as well. The only difference is that I would have given The Descendants an A+. It was such an emotionally powerful film, especially considering the subject matter which is very close to my heart. A family trying to cope with the loss of a mother, which is now being led by the not always there father played by George Clooney, is struggling to figure out what is next. This dramedy, drama/comedy, finds the perfect moments to incorporate laughs throughout the trying tale. The moment I was sold on the perfection of this film is an emotionally triumphant sequence showing Clooney at his best, with one of my favorite songs on the year, a soft guitar melody called Deep In an Ancient Hawaiian Forrest, ringing loud over the images. That moment is what what I consider cinematic gold.

The thing that surprised me the most while composing this top ten is how many of the films below could have been a part of it. As I said before, many have called it a down year in terms of cinematic quality, but I found it to be better than years past. All the films listed below are films I would recommend you get out and see if you haven’t. It’s not often you will see me strongly advocating 20+ films in one year.

Honorable Mention: Friends With Benefits, Limitless, Thor, Super 8, Cedar Rapids, 30 Minutes or Less, Ides of March, The Lincoln Lawyer, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Tree of Life, and The Help.

What Is Your Top 10 Of The Year?

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

It’s strange to think that you could bring your family to the movie theater right now and on either side of your innocent entertainment could be explicit, hardcore sexual content. As I walked through the theater the other day, I noticed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Shame were separated only by Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

Now, I’m not complaining here. Not at all. The two movies that make up the bread in this awkward sandwich are the epitome of exquisite niche cinema. They push the boundaries of what an audience member is comfortable watching and I approve of that. To an extent, Chipwrecked does that too, but in a totally different way. It’s just a strange time for movies like those, or even Young Adult and The Sitter to be playing in theaters.

I looked at the past few years of movies playing during Christmas to see if this really was out of the ordinary. In 2010, the only movie with shock value was Black Swan. In 2009, the biggest risk was Up in the Air and all that had was a promiscuous Vera Farmiga. 2008 gave us The Spirit, which is more offensively bad than offensive. And in 2007, Hollywood served up Sweeney Todd and Walk Hard, a pair of musicals that used shock value in a theatrical and comedic way, respectively. My point is that I’m not really sure where this sudden gusto came from, but I like it.

Right now, we’ve got a raging bitch, a foul-mouthed babysitter, a sex addict and a . And those are just the main characters! I’m used to the overwhelming amount of infidelity that gets tossed around during the holidays’ romantic movies like New Year’s Eve, but this is so wonderfully out of character for Hollywood and I just can’t seem to put a finger on it. There’s no question that movies are getting darker. I wouldn’t pin that on any single film, but it’s a trend that is building, especially in the blockbuster tentpoles. Essentially, it is creating a more de-sensitized moviegoer, which is a good thing. In the past, it’s been clear that Hollywood shied away from showcasing the dark, gritty and shady side of entertainment. It’s rare that we get a holiday season in which Blue Velvet would seem like a fit.

War Horse and We Bought A Zoo force enough inspiration down your throat to be full for months. Hugo and Chipwrecked can hold the kids down for a while. New Year’s Eve has the lovers in check. Sherlock Holmes, Mission: Impossible and Tintin fill our need for adventure. There seems to be a plethora of options for every movie fan right now, which is a good thing. But I still can’t grasp why we’ve got at least two highly controversial movies in theaters as well. And yes, Shame is not playing in 3,000 theaters, but for an NC-17 movie to be showing at an AMC Theater location, I was pretty surprised. And good on them for doing it. It’s a damn good movie, albeit tremendously depressing and hard to watch. Dragon Tattoo is kind of the same way.

I am fully aware that this article didn’t really come to a conclusion, but that’s kind of my point. I don’t know why Hollywood suddenly had this urge to push this kind of cinema into the public perspective during the holidays, but I am happy they did. It’s a rarity, and it’s worth pointing out. It’s worth pointing out that arguably the best movies out right now include extremely graphic material. And on top of that, the R-rated comedy is still alive and well during its resurgence in 2011.

It’s a tough question to answer: Why? I’d like to think the studios got together and decided to challenge us. I’d also like to think it’s just “coincidence,” much like The Prestige and The Illusionist releasing in the same year was a “coincidence.” It may be a combination of both. It may just be something else entirely. Frankly, we don’t know that these two films will be successful at the box office. Rest assured, if they do well financially, the sick freaks of your town won’t run amok on the streets. It’s just a new wave of shock cinema.

What Do You Think? Did Hollywood Grow A Set Of Balls Or Is This A Unique Circumstance?

I came across a trailer for Dominik Johnson’s new album World/Acoustic/Cinematic not knowing anything about him or his music. At only 24 years old, Dominik is making his passion for an array of world string instruments a key asset for making quality modern music productions unique and intriguing. With this multi-instrument talent, he has landed the opportunity to do a good deal of soundtrack production and design for multiple independent film productions, the BBC, Channel4, and NBC. He even got the chance to play the bouzouki and saz for parts of the 007: Blood Stone video game soundtrack under the guidance of the highly successful composer, Richard Jaques. Hit the jump to learn more about what Johnson thinks of his rising success as a session artist, composer, and producer, and view the World/Acoustic/Cinematic trailer.

Up to this point, Johnson has released four library albums featuring the following instruments from around the world (via his website):

Known for his smooth dancing and charming choreography, actor Fred Astaire captured Broadway lovers’ hearts. He starred in dozens of musical films and worked for nearly 70 years. Astaire is often remembered along side his frequent dancing partner, Ginger Rogers. Hit the jump to check out my favorite films from this legend.

The top five Fred Astaire movies of all time include:

5. Follow the Fleet: In this 1936 movie, Fred and Ginger team up as star actors and dancers. The plot is about a sailor (Astaire) who wants to rekindle an old flame with Rogers’ character. Meanwhile, Ataire’s character’s friend falls in love with Rogers’ character’s sister. The plot may be simple and lack depth, but the dancing makes it worth renting or Netflixing.

4. Silk Stockings: This film is the 1957 remake of the famous Ninotchka. A beautiful woman is hired to complete a mission failed by three Soviet agents. She must head to Paris to find and return a Soviet composer, but Astaire’s character, an American movie producer, wants the composer for his latest musical. As the movie progresses, the hired Soviet (Cyd Charisse) falls in love with Astaire and the West.

3. The Gay Divorcee: Another product of Rogers and Astaire, this 1934 film won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song in 1935. A married woman, Mimi (Rogers), wants to separate from her husband in a time that women could not simply file for divorce. Her aunt hires a man to fake an affair in order to make the split possible, but Mimi mistakes Guy (Astaire) for the correspondent. Although it has a silly plot, it’s amusing, the music is excellent, and Fred and Ginger perform flawless dancing.

2. Holiday Inn: Legend Bing Crosby teams up with Astaire in this 1942 Christmas classic. Astaire and Crosby play two men in a performing trio who both fall in love with the third member. Astaire wins, but the love affair only lasts a short time; after it ends, Astaire winds up at Crosby’s place of performance: an inn only open during the holidays. He drunkenly dances with Crosby’s coworker and must find her to make him his new dance partner despite the fact that he can’t remember what she looks like. This film brought popularity to the song “White Christmas” and later evolved into the 1954 semi-remake by the same title.

1. Top Hat: The best Astaire movie of all-time starred the dancing duo, Fred and Ginger. It’s a fairly cliche love story where Astaire and Rogers accidentally meet, while he’s dancing of course, and fall in love. What really makes this film stand out is it’s classic music and dance, which received four Oscar nominations that year. Check out Top Hat on Netflix.

Do Your Favorites Differ From My Own?

How to Watch Movies is a series of articles designed to help our readers get the most out of their movie watching experience.  I find that I get the most enjoyment from films when I take the time to really appreciate the deeper levels of the movie.  I hope the advice and methods that I give you can help you enjoy the movies you watch even more.

For a lot of movie fans film theory has a bad rap. It seems to most people that thoughtful film critics get off on tearing apart horrible or popular movies. While that may be true for some of them, most critics, theorists and cinephiles value quality film making and technical prowess and find entertainment value in decoding the complex language of film. I for one would like to set the record straight.

There is a marked difference between good movies and movies you like. I can, and certainly do, like movies that are not good and there are some very good movies that I don’t like. These categories are not mutually exclusive. As a prime example of the former, I LOVE Pauly Shore movies. They are just the right kind of funny for me, but shoot me the day I say any one of them is actually a good film. Basically there are a lot of different ways to view a film and I would like to introduce you to some of the ways I have learned to digest them. Let’s start with the fairly basic, mise-en-scène and how this lens can be applied to my favorite film The Fall.

To start I can say that, over the course of my education, mise-en-scène has never really been properly defined. According to Wikipedia (I know, it’s a second rate source, but none of my books even gave me a translation from French!) the term means “placing on stage.” Originally, it was a term used in stage theater to describe set dressing. Like much of the vocabulary taken from stage, it has been changed over time and adopted by film theorist as a particular “lens” through witch to watch and analyze movies.

First a working definition. Mise-en-scène, for our purposes, will mean anything you see on the screen. To fully grasp this, one has to realize the fundamental nature of movies; that nothing about filmmaking is natural!  The props, sets, lighting, music, angles and actors are all placed specifically by the director and crew; thus everything is in the shot for a reason and nothing is “just there.”

With this in mind, I would like to say that mise-en-scne analysis should not be looked at as a separate mode of film analysis but as a fundamental part of all methods of study. Attention to detail is incredibly important to analyze any film, so every shot should be scrutinized at length. What this tool of analysis is really about is seeing what the director places in front of you and deciphering his or her message.

Film has a language; it is one of images, sound, tone and performance. Combined, these pieces create the picture in front of you, one that is almost always coded, hidden beneath layers of meaning and abstract signs. The practice of reading signs is called semiotics, but we will come to that at another time. First, watch this video for the title sequence of Tarsem Singh’s The Fall.

To fully appreciate what is going on in this clip you would have to watch the entire film, which I highly recommend, but for now, we can simply look at what Tarsem has done here. The first image, the man breaking the surface of the river and the synchronization with the music immediately convey to the viewer the feel of the film; subtle and beautiful. Harmony in every aspect of production.

The real magic of the scene, however, lies in the use of foreshadowing. Many of the images and themes are reproduced later in the film. The violence in the water, the wounded leg, the shape of the steam engine’s chimney, the enamored woman with the locket. Characters are reused as well; the Indian, the mustached man, and the handsome gentleman all reappear in different roles (some with different faces). The director shows us what to look for before the movie properly starts!

In the sequence to follow, camera movement and choreography come in to play as well as props and set design. The same care taken to sync action and music during the credits is seen in this sequence, but used to frame shots and depict motion to create near perfect symmetry. Within one minute of seeing the dead horse lifted from the water, an equine marionette is seen in the children’s ward of the hospital. The same ward has beds lining each side of the room, if two characters move screen right, two more move screen left, when a nurse leaves a building a patient enters. There are examples of balance throughout this sequence, hinting at the chaotic story still to come.

Mise-en-scène analysis is above all tools to be utilized to better assess the quality of the film making. As I stated before, nothing about the production of a film is natural, I know this from experience. Every little piece has to be placed just right in order to convey actual, deep meaning.

In watching a movie like The Fall, it is obvious the director had a very specific plan, one that required everything on screen to be placed perfectly. Looking specifically at mise-en-scène, however, is not enough to glean any real themes or messages; what you see are simply signs that need to be decoded. Other modes of reading film rely heavily on your ability to see patterns and signs, so for now, use your eyes and pay attention!

What Do You Think? Discuss.

As many movie buffs know, the Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday for the 83rd Oscars ceremony set to take place on February 27th. Of course not all of our favorite movies, actors, directors, or writers can be nominated; but seriously, some of the snubs by the snobs on the nomination panel are starting to get a little sickening. This year’s list of nominees is not only missing a few notable names, but features an actress being placed into the wrong category. The list this year is so absurd in places it has infuriated me so much I will vent to anyone who says “Oscars.” Hit the jump to read my frustrations with this year’s nominees.

First things first, some little known director named “Christopher Nolan” was left off the nominees list for Best Director. I haven’t seen any of his movies or anything, but I hear he is a solid director and deserved a nomination. Seriously Academy, how in the eff could you possibly in your right mind leave Nolan off this list of nominees?

Granted, you don’t have to pick him to win, because we all know you love the ‘art house’ film that employs camera aesthetics to reveal character emotions, but to leave his name off the list is simply an insult. Inception was one of the most visually breathtaking movies I have ever seen in my entire life. The concept alone, also conceived by Nolan, was mind bending. But the fact the man was able to pull it off for the screen in a coherent fashion is a feat I doubt many others could have accomplished.

Just think for a minute about how many of the scenes from Inception were absolutely astonishing; think of the action sequences that your mind had to be working at full capacity to comprehend the drama unfolding on the multiple layers of the dream. The images in this film were amongst the best of the year. You could tell Nolan had his hands all over this project, one of the highest grossing films of the year, and his exclusion from this list is a mockery of the entire film industry.

I personally loved The King’s Speech, I thought it was one of the best films of 2010. But including Tom Hooper’s name on the list of Best Director is simply because the film is a front runner in the Best Picture category, not because his effort was extraordinary. Hooper had a lot of great shots that helped tell this story, but to choose him over Nolan, really? The same can be said for the Coen Brothers grabbing a nomination in the category. True Grit had great cinematography, and the Coens are always in the mix come award season, but to add them to the list for a film with nothing special over Inception that was nothing but special is disgraceful.

The other three nominees truly deserved their inclusion in this category (David Fincher for The Social Network, Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan, and David O. Russell for The Fighter). All three used visuals to help tell these stories — especially Fincher. For a movie comprised of almost all dialogue, The Social Network never felt dull or boring. In my opinion, the opposite can be said for True Grit. The film dragged on for me because of the overwhelming amount of dialogue coupled with the Coen’s lack of creative storytelling.

On the topic of Inception, the film was also left off the Best Editing list of nominees. As I said above, for this film to come off as understandable by the end is the work of top notch directing and editing. The various dream sequences stacked on top of each other is something that could only be pulled off with superb editing. Inception had a large team of editors led by Lee Smith. Inception is arguably the most complex film of the year, and the fact it came together so well is the result of inventive editing.

This might sound like a rant from a fanboy, but that isn’t the case. I love comics, superhero movies, etc., but my movie taste is well-rounded. I didn’t love Inception because I am a Nolan die-hard, I did because it was a jaw-dropping intelligent blockbuster. If The King’s Speech had better direction than Inception, I would be fine with Hooper making the cut. I just want justice and the Academy committee to quit leaving out a deserving film because of its ‘blockbuster status.’

I have highlight the fact Leonardo DiCaprio got the shaft from the Academy once again. Seriously? Did you see him in Shutter Island? My dislike for True Grit is widely known; but I did think Jeff Bridges did a fine job acting his shallow written character. However, him being nominated over Leo’s emotionally unstable and psychotic character Teddy is a joke, an outrage — maybe a scandal? The transition for Leo’s character in that film from scene to scene, from beginning to end, is difficult to swallow. Initially he is a callous cop that is hell-bent on solving the mystery of the missing woman. By the end, Leo’s character is an emotionally unstable mess discovering haunting things about his past. How was he not nominated?

Shutter Island SPOILER ALERT:

I like Bridges as an actor, but his character in True Grit wasn’t profound, deep, or very interesting at all. To say he deserved a nomination over Leo is reprehensible. The scene in Shutter Island where Leo discovers his three young children drowned by his insane wife is one of the most powerful moments in cinema I have ever witnessed — ever. Each time I watch the scene I am connected with Teddy’s devastation as he swims to pull his lifeless children to the shore. The emotion pouring from Leo’s character in that scene alone warrant him a nomination. Will Leo ever get his golden statue?

My last beef with this year’s nominees comes with the nomination of Hailee Steinfeld for her role in True Grit. Please don’t think for a second she doesn’t merit the nomination because she was excellent in the film. My problem stems with her being under the Best Supporting Actress category. How does a film’s leading character get nominated as a supporting actress? She is not only the female lead in the film, she is almost the only female in the entire film. Yet, she is nominated in the Best Supporting category.

I heard one expert claim this was done strategically to give her a chance to win because the Best Actress category is so strong with performances from Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Annette Benning in The Kids Are Alright, and Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole. I honestly do not understand how this is even possible. If a character is the film’s lead, then Best Actor/Actress is the nomination. If the character is supporting the lead, then Best Supporting is the nomination. Is there really a gray area to blur the lines and nominate an actor in a different category?

On a quick note, how did TRON: Legacy get left off the list for Best Visual Effects? The only really great thing from the film was the visuals –Hell, most of the film is computer generated visuals. Alice in Wonderland was nominated, and the visuals in the movie were terrible in the post converted 3D — Truly baffling.

Anyway, another year, another list of deserving people getting wrongfully left on the outside looking in. For the full list of nominees, hit the LINK. Check out the 83rd Academy Awards February 27th, 2011.

What Do You Think? Discuss.

The five Oscar nominations for Best Score have been announced for the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony. The list goes as follows: The Social Network by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Inception by Hans Zimmer, The King’s Speech by Alexandre Desplat, 127 Hours by A.R. Rahman, and How to Train Your Dragon by John Powell. All of these soundtracks are worthy of a nomination. I have a hard time zoning in on one soundtrack I want to see take the cake. However, I can give you some insight as to what exactly these soundtracks have to offer. That way you can understand where the competition is coming from within each soundtrack on February 27th.

First up, The King’s Speech by Alexandre Desplat, which has more of a melodic, slow-paced feel to it. There is a range of emphasis on symphony instruments with a lot of gorgeous buildups that sometimes surprise viewers by the intensity. One minute you will be listening to the slow rhythm of a piano and within seconds you are engulfed by the whirlwind of a loud and beautifully controlled symphony. Desplat is well known for his recent works on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Parts 1 and 2) soundtrack, which up to this point has not got the recognition it deserves. Regardless, while listening to The King’s Speech soundtrack you may be able to pick out sounds that remind you of Harry Potter. The King’s Speech is a beautiful soundtrack that has a firm hold on its nomination spot. I would not be surprised if Alexandre Desplat wins the award.

127 Hours has a great soundtrack that ranges from ambient, down tempo beats with slow strums of a guitar, to melodic strings, to unbelievably intense strings that pick up in the heat of the moment. Clearly, this is perfect for the film’s desert setting. Some of the songs in the soundtrack include vocals for harmonization, while other songs like “If I Rise” feature vocal accompaniment by Dido. “If I Rise” is composed ambient sounds, down tempo beats, and a simple guitar rhythm mixed with Dido’s captivating voice for a serious ear pleasing experience. I have a serious obsession with this song, along with many other of the songs on the soundtrack. I think A.R. Rahman’s soundtrack brings uniqueness to the table featuring an abundance of down tempo beats and ambient themed songs.

As you may know, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross already won the Golden Globe for Best Original Soundtrack on The Social Network. I tip my hat to the cover of “Creep” by Scala and the Kolacny Brothers that made an epic memorable entrance in the film. The rest of the soundtrack for The Social Network is compelling to people with taste in electronic music. Electronic music does not always receive a lot of recognition in movies. Maybe due to its lack of original instrumentation. However, Reznor and Ross did compile some distinguished dark electronic music for this soundtrack. The opening sequence with the song “In Motion” really gets the audience going from the get go. The nightclub scene also stands firm in my memory as one of my favorite parts in the film, and from the soundtrack. Overall, The Social Network features a good soundtrack that has earned its place, but does it deserve an Oscar? We will see.

[Editor's Note: If you own The Social Network on Blu-Ray or DVD, check out the special features disc for an in-depth look at the the creation of the music for the film.]

Obviously, the legendary Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for Inception made it into the nominees. It contains enormous amounts of energy from a full band and orchestra that makes any music enthusiast proud. All of the music within the soundtrack contains appropriate transitions that are not always predictable, which makes listening to the soundtrack simply enjoyable. From the strong brass and strings to the slow decrescendo of a piano, the soundtrack has a captivating ability to make you feel the intensity of the movie Inception. If you have seen the movie, I suggest going YouTube to listen to a track or two. I would be surprised if you could not recall the moment in the movie where the music was resonating through the speakers. Hans Zimmer has once again, made a strong standing as a nominee at the 2011 Academy Awards.

Indeed, the underdog in the nominations is John Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack. Not because the soundtrack barely made it into the running, but because the film was made for children. Yes, I know that is not supposed to play a factor in Best Score, but this is the Academy Awards. I have a feeling the Academy thought they were making themselves look good by adding John Powell to the list of nominees. However, I think the soundtrack is one of the most solid soundtracks of the five nominations. The soundtrack does an amazing job of capturing the enchantment and setting in the animated fantasy. The music includes a lot of emphasis on strings and the occasional flute for an Icelandic feel, which is the location setting for the film. If you have not seen the film as an adult viewer, I highly recommend you watch it or read Matt’s review. It would be awesome to see How to Train Your Dragon take home Oscar because of its underdog status.

There you have it folks, the contenders for Best Score at this year’s Oscar. I hope my information has provided you with some quick insight as to what these soundtracks have to offer. I still cannot say exactly who I want to win the Oscar. I will tell you that I am not pulling for The Social Network, and I hope to see one of the other four take it. I will let you draw your own conclusions about the soundtracks and who you think deserves the ‘W.’

Who do you want to see take home the Oscar for Best Score?

What Do You Think? Discuss.