Oscars 2011 Predictions

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
127 Hours, Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, and Winter's Bone

Who Will Win: The Social Network
Who Should Win: Inception
Winner: The King's Speech (0/1)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Nominees:

Javier Bardem for Biutiful, Jeff Bridges for True Grit, Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network, Colin Firth for The King's Speech, and James Franco for 127 Hours

Who Will Win: Colin Firth

Who Should Win: James Franco
Winner: Colin Firth (1/2)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Nominees:

Annette Being for The Kids Are All Right, Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole, Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone, Natalie Portman for Black Swan, and Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine

Who Will Win: Natalie Portman

Who Should Win: Natalie Portman
Winner: Natalie Portman (2/3)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominees:

Christian Bale for The Fighter, John Hawkes for Winter's Bone, Jeremy Renner for The Town, Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right, and Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Who Will Win: Christian Bale

Who Should Win: Christian Bale
Winner: Christian Bale (3/4)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Nominees:

Amy Adams for The Fighter, Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech, Melissa Leo for The Fighter, Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit, and Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom

Who Will Win: Helena Bonham Carter

Who Should Win: Hailee Steinfeld
Winner: Melissa Leo (3/5)

Best Achievement in Directing

Nominees:

Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan, Ethan & Joel Coen for True Grit, David Fincher for The Social Network, Tom Hooper for The King's Speech, and David O. Russell for The Fighter

Who Will Win: David Fincher

Who Should Win: Darren Aronofsky
Winner: Tom Hooper (3/6)

Best Writing, Screenplay Written for the Screen

Nominees:

Mike Leigh for Another Year, Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, & Keith Dorrington for The Fighter, Christopher Nolan for Inception, Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg for The Kids Are All Right, and David Seidler for The King's Speech

Who Will Win: David Seidler

Who Should Win: Christopher Nolan
Winner: David Seidler (4/7)

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Nominees:

Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy for 127 Hours, Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network, Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, & Lee Unkrich for Toy Story 3, Joel & Ethan Coen for True Grit, and Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini for Winter's Bone

Who Will Win: Aaron Sorkin

Who Should Win: Aaron Sorkin
Winner: Aaron Sorkin (5/8)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Nominees:

How to Train Your Dragon, The Illusionist and Toy Story 3

Who Will Win: Toy Story 3

Who Should Win: Toy Story 3
Winner: Toy Story 3 (6/9)

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Nominees:

Matthew Libatique for Black Swan, Wally Pfister for Inception, Danny Cohen for The King's Speech, Jeff Cronenweth for The Social Network, and Roger Deakins for True Grit

Who Will Win: Wally Pfister

Who Should Win: Matthew Libatique
Winner: Wally Pfister (7/10)

Best Achievement in Editing

Nominees:

Jon Harris for 127 Hours, Andrew Weisblum for Black Swan, Pamela Martin for The Fighter, Tariq Anwar for The King's Speech, and Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall for The Social Network

Who Will Win: Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall

Who Should Win: Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall
Winner: Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall (8/11)

Best Achievement in Art Direction

Nominees:

Robert Stromberg & Karen O'Hara for Alice in Wonderland, Stuart Craig & Stephenie McMillan for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias & Douglas A Mowat for Inception, Eve Stewart & Judy Farr for The King's Speech, and Jess Gonchor & Nancy Haigh for True Grit

Who Will Win: Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias & Douglas A Mowat

Who Should Win: Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias & Douglas A Mowat
Winner: Robert Stromberg & Karen O'Hara (8/12)

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Nominees:

A.R. Rahman for 127 Hours, John Powell for How to Train Your Dragon, Hans Zimmer for Inception, Alexandre Desplat for The King's Speech, and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross for The Social Network

Who Will Win: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Who Should Win: Hans Zimmer
Winner: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (9/13)

LeapBackBlog 2010 Film Awards – Part 5: Films

Film in 2010 was fantastic, full of great performances, great directing and great work behind the camera (or in post-production). More so than the last few years, 2010 had a greater number of excellent films, which made choosing the best films, performances, directors, and technical achievements very difficult. The LeapBackBlog Film Awards are comprised of what I think were the best and most interesting films, the strongest performances (taking into consideration who the actor is and what else they have done, and 2010 features a lot of amazing breakthrough performances), the narrative style that drew me in (best directing), and exquisite craftsmanship (best technical achievements). But really, these are lists of my favorites from the year.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances

Part 3: Directors

Part 4: Leading Performances 

Films:

127 Hours

Unflinching, 127 Hours is an intense film, the audience feeling each moment of panic, dread, elation, and euphoria.  The story centers on outdoorsman Aron Ralston and his incredible true story of survival against all odds. Danny Boyle directs the film to be a manic barrage of images and sounds, each conjuring emotions that create the journey. The film is a thrill ride, juxtaposing extreme emotions – a difficult task as it primarily takes place in a claustrophobic canyon. But what else would you expect from Boyle and his fantastic cast and crew?

Black Swan

A beautifully shot film about Nina’s rise to ballerina in her company’s new production of Swan Lake, Black Swan turns dark once director Darren Aronofsky warps it to be a psychological thriller. It is a scary film with jolting moments. But as it plays with the psyche of Nina struggling with the pressure to be perfect, the narrative is often unreliable, making for an interesting journey deeper into the darker recesses of Nina’s mind. The acting and technical work are aesthetically wonderful, leaving the film to be all the more alluring.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

The first half of the finale in the Harry Potter series, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is the perfect set up to what should be an action packed Part 2. But the film does not just merely play as a prologue. It is a very sad film at heart with characters being pushed closer to their breaking point and feeling the sheer anguish of their situation. However, director David Yates is very good at inserting humor into even the darkest films, and this is no different with many fun moments. And like many of the other films in the series, the aesthetics are amazing.

Inception

A heist film taking place on many levels within the target’s dream, Inception is simply an amazingly grandiose film. How writer-director Christopher Nolan every put it together is mind boggling. The acting and aesthetics are fantastic, but it is the characters and story (and astounding visuals) that make this (probably) the best film of the year. More than any other film during 2010, Inception was the cinema experience. But again, it is not all just spectacle. The story and characters are just as dense and rich. It is truly a masterful piece of filmmaking.

Kick-Ass

Probably the most fun of all these films, Kick-Ass is about a normal kid who tries to be a superhero. Director Matthew Vaughn’s realistic(ish) approach to the material pays off resulting in great action scenes, hilarity and genuine emotion. The cast is phenomenal and really elevate the film. Vaughn made this for fans of the genre who were tired of the predominantly sappy and lame adaptations coming out of Hollywood (though, of course there are a few great ones too, Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight for example), and we loved it.

The King’s Speech

The true story of King George VI’s friendship with his speech therapist, overcoming a debilitating stammer to lead his country during WWII, The King’s Speech is at its heart a buddy film (only surrounded with grave stakes and real consequences), which is very well crafted and structured hitting all the right emotional notes. Director Tom Hooper is also able to find humor in the serious subject matter and the cast is superb. It makes for a great companion piece to Hugh Whitemore’s Winston Churchill films.

Never Let Me Go

Aesthetically brilliant, Never Let Me Go is tragic but hopeful tale of three children who grow up to be harvested for their organs. It is the most beautiful film of the year with wonderful cinematography, music and performances. Yet, the subject matter is difficult, as the dystopian film is haunting and ultimately heartbreaking. Director Mark Romanek and screenwriter Alex Garland structure the story to focus primarily on the three children and their emotional journeys.

The Social Network

Probably the favorite to win the 2011 Oscar for Best Picture, The Social Network is the story of the founding of Facebook – lies, deceit, betrayal, and other fun stuff. It features excellent performances, music and a genius script by Aaron Sorkin. Director David Fincher does masterful work turning scenes of programming into exciting espionage. But what really makes it a great film is the character work, as the audience follows an antagonistic Mark Zuckerberg as if he were the hero of the story.

Temple Grandin

While this may just be a made for TV movie (though HBO’s homegrown movies are generally quite good), Temple Grandin is nonetheless one of the year’s best. It is a biopic about Temple Grandin an autistic woman who grows up to be a top scientist in the field of animal husbandry. Director Mick Jackson does good work visually expressing the perception that Temple has on her world, while also allowing the wonderful performance by Claire Danes to play as the center of the piece. It is a heart-lifting and inspirational treat of a film.

True Grit

A classic western in style, True Grit features some of the year’s best performances, cinematography, music, and dialog. It is a hoot. Writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen tell the tale of Mattie Ross who hires a U.S. Marshall to help her track down her father’s killer. The film has a perfect mix of humor, violence and drama to both entertain and enthrall its viewers. For those that love westerns (as I do), this is probably the must see of the year.

LeapBackBlog 2010 Film Awards – Part 3: Directors

Film in 2010 was fantastic, full of great performances, great directing and great work behind the camera (or in post-production). More so than the last few years, 2010 had a greater number of excellent films, which made choosing the best films, performances, directors, and technical achievements very difficult. The LeapBackBlog Film Awards are comprised of what I think were the best and most interesting films, the strongest performances (taking into consideration who the actor is and what else they have done, and 2010 features a lot of amazing breakthrough performances), the narrative style that drew me in (best directing), and exquisite craftsmanship (best technical achievements). But really, these are lists of my favorites from the year.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances
Part 4: Leading Performances
Part 5: Films

Directors:

  

Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan

With Black Swan, Aronofsky has created a film that seduces its audience, luring them in and then scaring them half to death with thrills. His work, his style, his vision produce such an interesting visual world in which the camera floats dancing as if another character in the narrative, while the narrative lies and is completely dishonest yet enthralls and garners authentic emotion. It is a very compelling and difficult achievement.

Danny Boyle – 127 Hours

Coming off is Oscar victories for Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle had a tall task living up to the expectations of his next project. He chose the cinematically difficult story of Aron Ralston – an outdoorsman whose arm gets trapped under a rock in the middle of nowhere, having to go to extreme measures to survive. Most of 127 Hours takes place in a tiny confined space, yet the brilliance of Boyle’s energy and kinetic, even manic style makes the film seem larger in scope than it is. This is a film few directors could make (let alone make well), and to do so with such flare and narrative style only solidifies Boyle as the auteur his fans know and love.

David Fincher – The Social Network

The Social Network every easily could have been a terrible film, boring and riddled with shallow unlikable characters, but it is not. Why? Fincher is a master of unlikeable protagonists and scene structure. The opening scene in the film featuring Jesse Eisenberg and Rooney Mara is pure genius (my favorite individual scene of the year). It plays a bit like a prologue for the rest of the film both setting up the character of Zuckerberg and his journey. In this scene alone, Fincher exhibits his gift for storytelling in the visual medium of film.

Christopher Nolan – Inception

Nolan is quickly becoming a household name and god to film fans. Since 2005 with Batman Begins, has there been a filmmaker with a better critical and commercial track record? With Inception, Nolan took the insanely high expectations following The Dark Knight into his latest film and still blew everyone’s mind. The sheer scope of the film is immense; the writing must have been daunting; and still Nolan delivers a fantastic narrative filled with great performances, action and drama. Nolan’s cinematic mastery for making great cinema that is wholly entertaining to a broader audience (i.e. not just appealing to film fans, but to more casual movie-goers too) is unmatched.

Mark Romanek – Never Let Me Go

Romanek’s work on Never Let Me Go, an aesthetically brilliant film, is top-notch. He tells the story of friendship and love dashed by tragedy and haunting heartbreak so subtly, that many viewers simply just disregarded the film. But for those willing to engage the film and let it take hold, it is a beautiful piece. Essentially, Romanek takes what has been called an “un-filmable” novel and produces a unique dystopian film that stays with its viewers reminding them of the fragility and importance of life and its moments.

Stars to Watch: Part 1 – Movies Spotlight – October 2010

Cinema constantly has new talent each and every year, making good films and opening audiences’ eyes to new characters, stories and worlds. Six such newcomers in particular are having a breakthrough year – Chloe Grace Moretz, Andrew Garfield, Rooney Mara (Part 1), Emma Roberts, Aaron Johnson, and Gemma Arterton (Part 2), each with a new film coming out in October.

Chloe Grace Moretz:

What She’s Been In:

Moretz, 13, got her start when her family moved to LA in 2003 and she was cast in a role in the series The Guardian, appearing in two episodes. Her first film role came in Heart of the Beholder. In 2005 she got her next film role in The Amityville Horror remake earning her first Young Artist Award nod (of four). She continued to appear in TV shows and films for the next few years before her first breakthrough role, highlighted by Desperate Housewives, My Name is Earl, Bolt, Dirty Sexy Money, and My Friends Tigger & Pooh.

Breakthrough:

In 2009 Moretz had her first breakthrough performance as Rachel Hansen in (500) Days of Summer, a role in which she seemed to be wise beyond her years offering advice and reconciliation to heartbroken Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Then in 2010, she burst onto the scene as Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass, garnering the attention of cinema goers and practically stealing the show. Her performance is wonderfully comedic and perfectly charismatic, oh yeah and subversive. As the credits play, everyone in the theater knew a star had been born.

October Film:

Moretz follows up Kick-Ass with this month’s Let Me In, a film in which she gives another fantastic performance. The film tells the story of a young lonely boy, Owen, who is bullied at school and ignored at home. He befriends a young girl, Abby, who has just moved into his apartment complex (Moretz) – and she also happens to be a vampire. It is a great horror/romance/coming-of-age film. Go see it.

Upcoming:

With great performances in Kick-Ass and Let Me In this year, Moretz is in high demand (she has seven films currently on her slate). Next up she has a role in Untitled Comedy, a feature film composed of short comedy segments. Then she is in Martin Scorsese’s first 3-D film (really, even Scorsese is buying into this) Hugo Cabret about an orphan living in 1930s Paris in a train station trying to solve a mystery involving his late father and a robot. She has another four films scheduled for 2011 and then Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall in 2012. If anything, she certainly has a bright future and some cool films coming up.

Career Highlights:

1.) (500) Days of Summer (2009) – supporting [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

2.) Kick-Ass (2010) – supporting* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]
3.) Let Me In (2010) – lead* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

*Editor’s picks

Andrew Garfield:

What He’s Been In:

Garfield, 27, got his start after graduating from England’s Central School of Speech and Drama in 2004 appearing in local youth theatre productions. He won the MEN Theatre Award for his performance in Kes and later the Evening Standard Theatre Award for outstanding newcomer in 2006. Having made a name for himself on the stage, he changed his focus to film. He first appeared in a number of British TV series, including Doctor Who, before getting his first big roles in Boy A and Lions for Lambs. Boy A in particular was well received by critics and his performance was noted as being very good. He also had a brief cameo in The Other Boleyn Girl.

Breakthrough:

Garfield’s first breakthrough performance came in 2009’s the Red Riding Trilogy. He stars in the first part – Red Riding: In the Year of the Lord 1974. The film is the best of the series and Garfield’s performance is one of the best of the year. He also got a role in Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (featuring Heath Ledger’s last performance) and the co-lead in the critically acclaimed festival favorite Never Let Me Go also starring Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan. These two films being distributed in the U.S. along with the Red Riding Trilogy’s release on DVD and streaming on Netflix.com garnered him exposure with American audiences leading to him landing the lead in Sony’s flagship franchise (to be discussed below).

October Film:

This month Garfield co-stars in The Social Network about the founders of Facebook. This film is excellent, directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. It is certainly one of the best of the year and a must see for those a part of the online social experience as the film is about you, in a sense. Garfield’s performance in the film is great, and probably the best of the film, again further establishing him as one of the best young actors today.

Upcoming:

Earlier in the year with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 falling apart, Sony Entertainment announced they would be rebooting the franchise with a new director and cast. The new Spider-Man film will be directed by Marc Webb, hot off the success of last year’s (500) Days of Summer, based on the script by Zodiac writer James Vanderbilt. Garfield won the lead role of Spider-Man and now Emma Stone has been announced as Gwen Stacy. With a number of very good performances under his belt, Garfield can now look forward to worldwide fame with the release of the film in 2012.

Career Highlights:

1.) Boy A (2007) – lead [DVD/Rent]

2.) Red Riging Trilogy – lead* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

3.) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – supporting [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]
4.) Never Let Me Go – lead* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]
5.) The Social Network – supporting* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

*Editor’s picks

Rooney Mara:

What She’s Been In:

Mara, 25, started her career with a small role in the direct-to-video horror sequel Urban Legends: Bloody Mary in 2005. She was inspired to get into acting looking up to her older sister and actress Kate Mara. She then got bit roles in a number of TV shows including Law & Order: SVU, Women’s Murder Club, The Cleaner, and ER. In 2008 she was cast in her first feature to be distributed, Dream Boy, following it up in 2009 with small roles in indy films Dare and Friends (With Benefits). She got some more mainstream exposure with roles in 2010’s Youth in Revolt and The Winning Season, though still only being cast in small parts.

Breakthrough:

Mara got her first leading role in 2009’s Tanner Hall, though it only received very limited distribution. Her first breakthrough came with this year’s remake A Nightmare on Elm Street. She played a co-lead among a few better known TV actors all being hunted and terrified by Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley). While critics were not overly impressed with the film, many listed the performances of Mara and Haley as the highlight. It was also her first film to receive a wide release finally getting her name and face out there.

October Film:

She also stars in this month’s The Social Network – though in a limited by very important role. She is incredible in her scene opposite Jesse Eisenberg that opens and sets up the whole film. The film really serves as her second breakthrough as not only is she fantastic and memorable, but also it will likely be an Oscar Best Picture contender which will only bring more acclaim and awareness her way. 

Upcoming:

Up next for Mara, and what should really serve as her coming out party, is David Fincher’s remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2011. She plays co-lead Lisbeth Salander, a computer hacker who helps Mikael Blomkvist investigate a mystery involving a missing girl. Mara stars opposite Daniel Craig as Blomkvist. She won the role, which was highly coveted among many of Hollywood’s best young actresses, due to her great work with Fincher in The Social Network. He obviously saw something special in her, and if you see The Social Network (and you should) so will you.

Career Highlights:

1.) The Social Network – supporting* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

*Editor’s picks

The Social Network (2010) – Review

The Social Network is smart, funny, engaging, interesting, and so much more than anyone could have ever guessed a film about Facebook would be (and yeah, the overall truthfulness of the story depicted is irrelevant to me). Right from the first scene (and what a brilliant scene it is, probably the best I have seen this year, to date) it is clear that this is a special film. The interplay and fast-moving pointed dialog between all the characters is beyond top-notch and is something that is missing in most Hollywood films. What makes this scene so good, and many in the film, is that right from the beginning the audience completely understands the characters, the film and the magic of what is about to happen. Only to be followed up with a scene that completely revolutionizes how technology can and maybe should be portrayed to the masses. While what Mark Zuckerberg is doing is complicated, director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin design the scene to be completely and somewhat universally understood. Sure there is technical jargon throughout the film, but it does not matter or hinder the viewer’s overall understanding. However, this is not what makes the film great. The film is a tale about a young man that is completely alone and sad. He is brilliant, but that does not translate into his ability to make friends – which is ironic given the subject matter (and really the premise of Facebook – are your Facebook friends actually your real life friends). Fincher is able to capture a character and promote him in such a way that he should be the protagonist, but does the audience like him – probably not. But he is not an antagonist either, not really at least. Zuckerberg is trapped in what he imagines is the way things are and should be and that influences his attitude, persona and decisions. But the problem is that his perception is altogether flawed and really more of an ideal than an actuality, which isolates him even more and fundamentally disconnects him from humanity and reality. He does not have any friends, because he does not actually understand what it is to be or have a friend. And thus the story is sad. The viewer could hate him, as he is kind of a jerk, all the time, but he does not know any better or even have the capability to know better as he seems to have no basis for real human interaction, which is why he is so drawn to the social internet experience. His one true goal is too be esteemed and respected – which influences his behavior (stemming again from what he thinks he should act like to garner these attributes from others). When others succeed because of inherent wealth alone, he is jealous and spiteful. He champions self-made, bottom to the top, types (because that is what he essentially is). The film is on the surface the interesting story of the founding of Facebook, but really Fincher and Sorkin are more interested in the character of Zuckerberg (or one like him). Facebook is a backdrop and could be anything. It is not the point. The point is to look at what our society has become, as Zuckerberg is an amalgamation, and maybe exaggeration, of the culture of the modern computer-social man – alone and disconnected from real meaningful experiences. He longs for real interaction, but he just does not know how, and yet he creates the most successful social network ever. The story carries the audience, as there is no character that they can get behind and root for, which would often be the downfall of a film – if the viewer does not care about the characters, then they do not have a stake in the outcome and thus are not full engaged in the narrative – but Fincher is able to look at his characters, society and culture in an earnest manner while substituting story for protagonist. It is risky, but he does it masterfully (though, I wonder how well the film plays upon multiple viewing – now that you know the story and are left with the characters, does it still work? I think it does because again, Fincher and Sorkin substitute protagonist with wonderful dialog and scenes and perfect performances that intrinsically emote the needed emotions that influence the viewer, regardless whether there is a likable character to take stock in). The Social Network works because Fincher is a great director and knows how to structure a complicated film with mostly unlikable characters.

Technical achievements: as stated at agony above, director Fincher and writer Sorkin are masters of narrative storytelling and this film basically succeeds on their talent (in lesser hands this would just be a stale film with limited interest based on each viewer’s appeal in knowing the story of the founding of Facebook – i.e. more than likely it would not be good). The film is also very good aesthetically. Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth (and Fincher movie veteran) collaborates well with Fincher allowing the camera be fluid and moving, yet focus on what is most important. The color scheme, like many of Fincher’s films, is dark with brown and earthy colors making for a kind of depressing overtone to the film, but given the character and subject matter it is quite fitting.  The editing by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall in film is great, which it needed to be to precisely capture the wit and interplay of the scenes, characters and dialog. Donald Graham Burt’s production design is good, fitting the feel of the scenes well. The score by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor is outstanding. While it is subtle in places, it captures the loneliness in the story (I loved what I think is Reznor’s rendition of In the Hall of the Mountain King). The cast is great in the film; all are very suited and give good performances. However, there are a few that are just amazing. The film’s star, Jesse Esenberg, perfectly encapsulates the character (though it is on-type for him, but still it is a wonderful performance). Andrew Garfield is among the best young actors working today, and he shows it with his performance. He is just a kid, naïve to the ways of the world desperately trying to be an adult. Justin Timberlake plays his role as we imagine he is like, yet behind the wow is a tragic figure akin to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Howard Hughes. The two breakout performances in the film belong to Armie Hammer and Rooney Mara. Nether is given lots of screen time, but they are mesmerizing in what they have. Hammer is hilarious, while Mara needed to be perfect, as her performance launches the whole narrative (and she is). The film has a difficult narrative structure to derive a great film from, being that there is no real protagonist or character of any sort to cheer for or get behind, but Fincher, cast and crew do just that – make a great film.

The Social Network lives on its wit, performances and irony. It challenges the audience to engage themselves in a study of a flawed and lonely character, and they do – enjoying every bit of it. 9/10

David Fincher – Movies Spotlight – October 2010

David Fincher is known for his dark thrillers, often working with a saturated color palette. His use of fluid tracking shots, low camera angles, and low-key lighting along with the cold temperature colors has made his style one of the most recognizable – perfectly fitting the tone of his work. He has become one of Hollywood’s best auteur directors (and easily one of the top directors working today). His new film, The Social Network about Mark Zuckerberg the creator of Facebook, is this month’s must see and a likely favorite in the 2011 Oscar Best Picture race.

Early Career:

Fincher started making films when he was eight years old using an 8 mm camera. Once of age, he decided not to go the film school route getting a job instead at Korty Films as a camera loader, among other odd jobs. From there he moved on to the famed Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in 1980, working on such films as Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. But Fincher really wanted to direct films, so he left ILM to gain experience directing commercials. His first was for the American Cancer Society – it featured a fetus smoking a cigarette. The commercial got the attention of producers in LA and he was hired to direct his first film – the Rick Springfield 1985 documentary The Beat of the Live Drum. He then returned to commercials directing spots for such companies as Revlon, Converse, Nike, Pepsi, Sony, and Levi’s. With the birth of the more mainstream music video thanks to the success of MTV, Fincher saw them as a more interesting medium to pursue his directing.

Propaganda, Music Videos and Alien 3:

Fincher joined the video production company Propaganda Films, a company that by 1990 was producing almost a third of all music videos made in the US. Propaganda Films has a very impressive list of directors that went on to success in film including: Fincher, Michael Bay, John Dahl, Antoine Fuqua, Spike Jonze, Alex Proyas, and Mark Romanek. At Propaganda Films, Fincher made many iconic and well know music videos for artists Madonna (Express Yourself and Vogue), Billy Idol (Cradle of Love), Paula Abdul (Straight Up), Aerosmith (Janie’s Got a Gun), The Rolling Stones (Love Is Strong), Nine Inch Nails (Only), and Michael Jackson (Who Is It), among many others (and multiple videos for a few of the listed artists). After directing several highly praised music videos, he finally got his chance to do a feature film. 20th Century Fox hired him to do the next in the successful Alien series – Alien 3. But Fincher became entangled in disputes with the studio over the budget and script. He felt that Fox was not putting the necessary trust in him as a filmmaker (though remember this was his first feature, and on a higher profile film). When the film came out in 1992, it was met with poor reviews from critics and did not perform well with the general movie-going population either (he is not the only very talented director to produce an average film while working on the Alien franchise as Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Alien: Resurrection aka Alien 4 is considered the worst of the series and not a very good film in general). The experience was awful for Fincher and he went back to music videos working with The Rolling Stones (see above).

Brad Pitt and Settling into the Hollywood System:

In 1995, Fincher was dawn back into feature films by a great screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker called Se7en about two detectives tracking down a serial killer whose murders are based on the seven deadly sins. Again, he had issues with the studio, this time New Line Cinema, when they wanted him to shoot a new ending refusing to use the original one due to its disturbing and shocking climactic scene. But star Brad Pitt stepped in and said he would not be apart of the project if the ending was changed. The film opened with the original ending to acclaim from critics and fans alike. The film is widely regarded as one of the best of the decade. Fincher and cinematographer Darius Khondji’s use of the bleach-bypass process to create a dark look is heralded by filmmakers and often copied. Next he made The Game with Michael Douglas about an executive who is given an odd birthday present by his brother – a live-action game that begins to dominate his life. It also opened to good reviews from critics, but only mild box office success. He then cast Pitt in Fight Club, a film about an insomniac who starts a bare-knuckle fighting club that evolves into a cult-like group. Surprisingly, given the film’s almost unanimous love today, the film opened to bad reviews from critics and failed at the box office – though many of those same critics and fans changed their tunes, as the film appeared on many best of the year and best of the decade lists. Aside from Alien 3, Fincher started his career with three very good films and buckets of critical acclaim. So, for his next film he made the David Koepp scripted film (probably his first mistake was working with Koepp; sure he is famous and highly successful, but his scripts generally yield poorly structured and not great films) Panic Room. It is probably his most mainstream film (and also probably the worst of his career, not counting Alien 3). He then took a five year break developing Zodiac with screenwriter James Vanderbilt about the hunt for the Zodiac Killer. It was the first film he shot digitally (as digital is the growing medium now), aside from a few sequences that digital could not accommodate. Upon its release, it was one of the best received films of the year, but could not maintain its buzz and failed to garner a single Oscar nod and it struggled at the box office. Due to this, it is considered as one of the most underrated films of the decade (though I was not a huge fan). Up next Fincher decided to again work with Pitt on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button about a man who ages backwards. The film was beautifully done receiving an Oscar best picture nod and Fincher his first best director nod (and it is one of my favorites of the year). Fincher has a fantastic track record critically, with Panic Room being the only blemish on his resume (Alien 3 not being entirely his fault). Now with The Social Network, he is again primed to have an Oscar contender in a number of categories.

Future Projects:

Fincher is currently in the process of filming his next film, a remake of the Swedish crime-mystery (and first of the Millennium Trilogy) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Fincher has a great crew on the film with a script from excellent screenwriter Steven Zaillian, his producer from The Social Network Scott Rudin, production designer Donald Graham Burt, who did his last three films, and newcomer cinematographer Fredrik Backar. The film will star Rooney Mara (poised for a breakout year; she is also in The Social Network), Daniel Craig, Robin Wright, and Stellan Skarsgard. Then, he is attached to direct the action film The Killer based on the French graphic novel by Matz. He is also producing the animated film The Goon starring Paul Giamatti based on the comic series by Eric Powell. Fincher is one of the best, and every film he makes has cinema fans eagerly awaiting its release.

David Fincher Selected Career Highlights:

1.)    Seven (1995)* – Director – available on Blu-ray/DVD

2.)    The Game (1997) – Director – available on DVD

3.)    Fight Club (1999)* – Director – available on Blu-ray/DVD

4.)    Zodiac (2007) – Director – available on Blu-ray/DVD

5.)    The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)* – Director – available on Blu-ray/DVD

*editor’s picks

David Fincher’s Filmography is also available on Netflix.com to rent and stream