BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
BEST SCREENPLAY The Kids Are All Right- Stuart Blumberg & Lisa Cholodenko
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE The Illusionist
BEST DOCUMENTARY Inside Job
BEST FOREIGN FILM Carlos
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Black Swan- Matthew Libatique
BEST FIRST FEATURE Animal Kingdom- David Michod
A nice, and much needed boost for The Kids Are All Right and Annette Bening. For those keeping track-- the New York Film Critics Circle are the first awards group not give their screenplay award to The Social Network.
I may be sounding redundant, but I must continue on my love for The Kids Are All Right, really only because I'm starting to get a little worried. As already stated, I'm not really interested in box office receipts because they have little if no merit in actual quality. However, this past weekend, my beloved Kids (even better on second viewing) went nationwide, quadrupling it's theater count, becoming accessible in middle American and suburban areas, and saw its box office grow in a fairly minuscule way. Playing on 847 theaters, it made $3.5 million with a $4,000 theater average. It was good enough for twelfth place, even though last weekend it placed eleventh on 200 theaters. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse on its fifth week placed above, as well as the kid-lit dud Ramona & Beezus; at the very least it bested the hideous and evil The Last Airbender. It was thoroughly modest, and hardly the gangbusters numbers The Kids Are All Right exhibited in limited release.
This is sadness to me-- while at the same time the thinky brilliance of Inception tops the box office chart again, the summer's unsung gem goes a bit wayward. It's difficult not to think that the films failure to surge nationally isn't due to the subject matter-- in this case gay marriage and child rearing. I have no interest in getting into the political debate here, but merely focus on the aspect of filmmaking. In this case, the artfulness is so strong, so loose, so funny that I'd hoped the appreciation for a fine film in an awkward summer would compensate the alleged leftist agenda, of which is nowhere in the film itself. The joy and universal pleasures of Kids are exactly that-- how a family works, not exactly how an "nontraditional family" works. On that note, I ask what exactly a "nontraditional family" is-- I'm aware, perhaps even in a heterosexual coupling that possibly not exactly "normal," enough of this discussion; back to the movie.
I ask, and beg, and beseech to moviegoers in all aspects of the country and throughout that desire a movie of substance, humor and genuine humanity to seek out The Kids Are All Right, and see it. Even if begrudgingly-- I know movie prices are ridiculous-- seek it out. If a curious moviegoer does, surely a delight will commence. Even if only an appreciation for fine acting; the prickly tough love of Annette Bening, the intelligent flaky portrait by Julianne Moore, the hippish charm and sexiness of Mark Ruffalo, and the naturalistic incandescence of Mia Wasikowska (so much more comfortable here than in Alice in Wonderland.) Or a fan of a tightly constructed screenplay (by director Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg.) Or as a fan of finely observed comedy\drama that without any intention of changing political perspective, reconfirms that people are people with the same day-to-day problems parted into a humorous, delightful way. Whatever the reason, I feel The Kids Are All Right should be a success, in a perfect world, it would be without question. I'll stop my dithering advertisement. I'd hate to think that if the film did catch Oscar recognition that it would become another example of how out of touch the Academy was with the rest of the world-- the film deserves better.
This does not relate to Inception, whose backlash I personally have no interest or time for. I hearted the movie very much, and a damned Rotten Tomato score isn't going to change that-- it's all about the discussion here; let's debate and talk about it, that's what is so exciting about about Nolan's achievement, I feel. This backlash occurs from a singularly piece of garbage written in the New York Post by columnist Andrea Peyser, in which the subject is the other awesome movie currently playing: The Kids Are All Right. Here's I suppose what I was dreading, but prepared for: the critical treatise of the whole gay parents with children hate machine coming out. I realize this is only the New York Post, and hardly a respectable source of journalistic integrity, but the hateful vile spun about is just the sort that needs to exit the American subconscious.
Peyser's words:
It reaches further than the gay-cowboy romp "Brokeback Mountain," whose characters maintained a sense of otherness while shielding the kids from their shenanigans. In this movie, exposing kids is the entire point.
And this is how Hollywood does an end run around morality.
"Hollywood has set the stage for the gay agenda, nothing new," said Laura Bailey, Brooklyn mom of two boys. "Why do you think they did propaganda films in the 1940s? They're setting the new norm."
"The movie industry is doing its best to undermine the American family," said Patricia Whitehead, Connecticut mom of two girls. "Hollywood -- we don't care about the sick lives you lead behind closed doors. Just don't bring children into it."
This brazen attempt at trend-setting comes as national polls show Americans oppose gay marriage, half of us strongly. Support for it was at 47 percent in this year's Washington Post/ABC News poll -- but fully two-thirds favored civil unions, in which gay couples enjoy most rights of marrieds without having to stand under the chuppah.
It doesn't take a genius to glean the truth: Folks are happy with gays living together. But bringing children into the equation is a deal-breaker.
The only question I ask particularly is that if a child can be provided for, cared for, and loved, should the gender be relevant? The second question, if I'm allowed to ask, what's wrong with presenting a film, even one with an "nontraditional family" (a truthful aspect of American culture, even if some disagree with it) in an utterly honest, and entertaining way. I disagree with this article in every aspect, but I personally doubt she's seen the film, especially when she calls the presentation of Annette Bening and Julianne Moore's characters as "perfect," since neither at all a presented that way-- the comedy as well as the drama comes from their very imperfections, but also the honesty, effort and love that are, or should be the very foundation of family.
I know it's a long time until the awards season comes back in full throttle, but I think I've already seen one the best performance of the year and pray that a loving, tender, merciful God will remember. It's courtesy of Mark Ruffalo in Lisa Cholodenko's sublime The Kids Are All Right. I've already fussed about my awe of the film before, but it's worth reiterating, because it's far and away one the 2010's best, at least so far. This warm, generously spirited, sexy comedy-drama works on a handful of levels, and exceeds expectations because of the committed cast. Much has been fawned at them already-- Annette Bening being the one singled out the loudest, but Ruffalo is awesome as donar dad Paul. This criminally underrated actor, who first got attention in his breakthrough a decade ago in You Can Count on Me, has unfathomably never been nominated before, and that's a crying shame, but it makes perfect sense, as sad as it is to here. He's such a subtle actor, never one to lay on actorly tics, always infusing his characters with a naturalism, that too often goes unnoticed. The Academy likes 'em big. With a decade of enviable performances in many terrific films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac, You Can Count on Me, The Brothers Bloom, Collateral), it's an honest to god shame that he's never gotten the recognition he deserves. But there's something perhaps a bit more special about Paul. Here Ruffalo gets a play up his immense charm and gives one of his freshest, warmest performances yet. Paul's a bit of a ladies man, and could easily have been seen as a flakey too-smooth operator in lesser hands, a cad, even full of himself. But Ruffalo nails ever nuance, especially the first half, which delves from one awkard scene to the next. You need an actor with incredible integrity and charisma for it all to work, and Ruffalo is the perfect fit. In my own world view, Ruffalo should be on he's third or fourth nomination, but I'll settle for a first, and possible win. Here's hoping that The Kids Are All Right remedies that come next February.
This film is more than all right. In fact it's a refreshing, spot-on, wonderfully witty comedy of manners that represents a peak for it's fine cast, as well as writer-director Lisa Cholodenko, whose previous credits include the not very similarly lesbian-themed High Art, and Laurel Canyon. The Kids Are All Right is a rare film that's insightful, intelligent and genuinely crowd-pleasing, without any sort of self-righteous platitudes or preaching. The laughs, which are plentiful, are earned, as well as deeper emotions. What may end up being the greater reward is that film, centered around two middle-aged lesbians, is that it never plays like a niche gay arts film, but actually a universal, quite commercial film about a family. Such as Brokeback Mountain, there's absolutely no politics aboard here, but complicated, interesting, messy human relationships. This one just happens to center around two married women, their two teenage kids, and sperm donor who made it happen. It all sounds like a bad high concept sitcom for the Bravo network, but with a top drawer cast, and a generous, intelligent script (co-written by Stuart Blumberg), The Kids Are All Right is the best alternative (so far at least) to very noisy, and mostly unspectacular summer.
Annette Bening plays Nic, a controlling, type-A doctor who's razor sharp tongue is often quite intimidating. She's a hard shell to crack, but also an obviously fiercely intelligent, strong woman. She's the dominate, "man" of the house. Julianne Moore plays Jules, her wife-- she's more of the fun, laid-back, stay at home wife. There's a great scene early on where Nic and Jules tell the story of how they met. Jules had a swollen tongue, and Nic being the doctor she visited comforted her. Nic says, "you were so pretty," Jules says, "you were so smart." Even though they have a classic Odd Couple dynamic, there's a distinctive chemistry that bonds them. Together they play one of the most committed, and natural couplings in recent screen history-- and completely non-threatening lesbians to the conservative audience members. They have two children-- Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Jon Hutcherson)-- which was used by the same sperm donor, courtesy of Paul (Mark Ruffalo.) When the kids hitch a plan to meet their dad the story and film settles into a fine comedy, with hints of the serious, and a bit of melancholy-- all sublime.
What Cholodenko captures perfectly is the awkwardness of all the evidents-- the meeting of Paul by the kids, and eventually the parents, and the various interactions. The film honestly and comically explores all the squirmy proceedings, all of which is performed brilliantly the cast. Paul is a mellow, easy-going guy, sweet, but perhaps both a bit full of himself and un-sure of himself, which is firmly puts him on more common ground with Jules than Nic, who prefers everything tidy and together. He becomes attractive to the kids because of his cool demeanor-- he drives a motorcycle, and runs a local-grown eco-friendly organic restaurant-- which is all a little too hippy\flakey for Nic. Ruffalo is terrific in the role, conveying both easy going charm (he's a bit of ladies man, I'll say no more), but with a bachelor longing for the stability of Nic and Jules. It's one of his best performances.
Moore is wonderful is well, filling in the spacey Jules with a charm that this wonderful actor hardly gets to really exhibit, what with her reputation in hardcore dramatics. She adeptly handles the humor, but is heartfelt as a woman that's unsure of herself, always feeling recessive to Nic. As for Bening, she has the hardest part; in less gifted hands Nic might be seen as a shrew, a critical nag with a drinking problem (she likes her red wine), but Bening is far too talented for any one-note take on a role, and makes Nic one her greatest concoctions, slowly revealing notes of vulnerability and softness-- in the end she might be considered best in show here, and that's saying a lot.
The Kids Are All Right doesn't neglect the kids either, and they're pretty swell too, especially Wasikowska. Playing Joni (named after Mitchell as discussed in one the most memorable scenes), the film also deals with a young woman leaving the nest-- she's headed to college as all this going down. Previously seen as the lone bright spot in the otherwise abysmal Alice in Wonderland, here we get a refreshing and wonderful look a a young actress, without any CGI crap getting in the way, and she plays the part of a women in discovery of oneself with a clear and lovely precision; she's sometimes angry, but always lovely. So kids going to college is a theme in the two best movies of the summer, this and Toy Story 3, go figure.
But what I enjoyed most about this film is the generosity of spirit. Everyone here is an equal, no one villainized, all carefully and fully drawn out. I think it's perhaps the finest ensemble comedy since Juno. And while the film may make some nervous, especially in parts of the country not particularly embracing of gay marriage, there's a wonderful feeling inclusion to this film. There's a few aspects that might be viewed as transgressive (particularly when Nic and Jules use gay male porn as an aphrodisiac), but ultimately as the title proclaims, the kids are all right, as well as the moms, and the world itself when films this rich come about. A
So the summer movie season is about one month in, still three weeks before the official calendar change, and it's been a largely ho-hum affair. Hollywood, as usual, has produced slickly over-priced, under-nourished franchise continuations and franchise hopefuls, and yet no one seems to be caring. No box office records have been smashed (or eviscerated, as hoped), no critical smashes, no films that seem anywhere close to entering the pop-culture lexicon. Perhaps, in a P-A (post-Avatar) filmmaking world, the doldrums must come. Much has been discussed of the last month and the disappointments (even though calling Iron Man 2 a disappointment when it's earned $290 million domestically because it didn't break any records seems ridiculous and an example of the wrong-headedness of the movie industry) that have ensued.
Iron Man 2, a well meaning if directionless and cowardly sequel, fared better than anything, and was followed by Robin Hood, which with Ridley Scott at the helm and a berth as the opening film at Cannes this year is still struggling to make it's way to $100 million, besieged with a plethora of middling reviews. It's unfortunate that a film barely making $100 million is a sign of failure-- perhaps if more control over whatever was going on in Scott's brain at the time were better maintained, the feature would have been viewed as a success. But thanks to a nice returns from a forminable overseas box office, Robin Hood will survive, and possibly go another round in the not too distant future-- the world wins.
Following Robin Hood, with it's desperate need for a sequel, was a sequel nobody asked for in Shrek Forever After, this time in magically 3-D. While the film has made money, despite it being the poorest attended Shrek in it's quadilogy, it hasn't exactly broadened the wonders of 3-D, or deepened the legacy of the Shrek franchise. And as a supporter of film preservation, I implore the end of unecessary sequels, really just to maintain the success (or lack of) of the original film. Which brings us to Sex & the City 2, the critical punching bag of the season, which like the rest is struggling to earn enough dough to defeat cultural embarrassment. Whether the reviews are fairly judged or not is perhaps not the case here, but again speaking from a preservationist perspective are the Sex films helping or hurting the legacy of the lauded and, in many ways, groundbreaking television show. Then again, perhaps the film would feels less like a dud if it didn't cost $100 million to make (just a theory-- perhaps the gals should have stayed in Manhattan, instead of traversing off to Abu Dahbi.) The second mishap of the unfortunate Memorial Day weekend was Prince of Persia, showing off Jake Gyllenhaal's abs to massive effect-- again the overseas box office is booming for this, but is anybody really interested in a second helping?
And so I'm, in a rare move, rather proud of the indifference shown on this years product by the American people. The populist do, and should have the power to say what they\we are and are not interested in, and the American movie industry should listen. And if we need a season without a box office record to make that point, then so be it.
However, even in times of distress, I see a beacon (perhaps a few) of hope in a few of the offerings coming out this summer. Here's the top ten films I'm most looking forward too this summer:
10. I Am Love- I posted the preview for this sumptious looking Italian film earlier starring Tilda Swinton. I know next to nothing about it, and I kind of want to keep it that way until I see it. It generated mixed reviews at this years Sundance Film Festival, but the I've always been fascinated by love-it\hate-it type movies, and this appears to be one of them. Opens limitedly on June 18th.
9. Dinner for Schmucks- I wasn't overly impressed with the trailor for this, but it's kind of slim pickings this summer, and in truth, I suppose I'd rather waste two hours of time with the likes of Steve Carell and Paul Rudd then the other jokesters coming out this summer. Then again the trailer for The 40-Year-OldVirgin didn't exactly impress me either initially. Opens July 23rd.
8. Joan Rivers: Piece of Work- This critically acclaimed and Sundance Film Festival winner for Documentary editing examines the body of work of Ms. Rivers as she approaches her 75th birthday. I've always been ticked by Rivers and this one looks like it could be a raw and perceptive look at her career, self parody and all, plus it might actually be funny. Open limitedly June 11th.
7. Winter's Bone- A grim feature from Debra Granik (Down to the Bone) which won the Grand Jury Prize at this years Sundance Film Featival, and follows a young girl (Jennifer Lawrence) trying to find her father and rebuild her family in the Ozarks. The film has gotten some of the best reviews so far this year, and while the feature looks relentlessly bleak, I'm intrigued by the Ozarks angle, simply because I've never seen a film set there before, plus advance word is Lawrence is terrific. Opens limitedly June 11th
6. Cyrus- Another hit from Sundance this year, but this one seems far more commercial than Joan Rivers: Piece of Work and Winter's Bone. It's a comedy from the Duplass Brothers (The Puffy Chair) starring John C. Rielly, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener and Jonah Hill, centering around a romance developing for Rielly and Tomei, with Hill as her son mucking up matters. I'm hoping a mature, yet warped look at romance. Plus I'm digging Fox Searchlight's promotion for this already. Opens June 18th.
5. The Adjustment Bureau- This one's a conspiracy theory take on a Philip K. Dick short story starring Matt Damon as an aspiring senator and Emily Blunt as a ballerina. Dick stories come hot and cold in Hollywood (Blade Runner is the best by a far margin), but Damon is a pro at this point at this and Blunt, as least from the trailer appears to be right there with him. I'm hopeful about this one, so let's hope like the Bourne films it manages to please the cineasts and popcorn fans at once. Opens September 17th.
4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World- Perhaps this one is a bit too high since it seems that it can go anyway at this point, but Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead; Hot Fuzz) is freaking brilliant, and I'm largely impressed with the young, hip cast assembled here. Sure I'll bet everyone's a bit tired of Michael Cera playing Michael Cera, but it seems like such a Michael Cera role, who else would it be? Plus Jason Schwartzman, Keiran Culkin and Anna Kendrick. Even if it sucks, I'm totally there. Opens August 13th.
3. Toy Story 3- The only sequel on this list, and for good reason-- Pixar wouldn't just make this if there wasn't a reason too. The unparallelled focus on story and how spectacle can enhance a story (such as 3-D) is but one of the reasons Pixar is in the loftiest of situations-- they've proven all of wrong so many times now with they're innovative and inventiveness, that I succumb to them every time they choose to wave something new in my face. Open June 18th.
2. The Kids Are All Right- The buzz about the lesbian mothers and sperm donar dad comedy is so deafening at this point, I just want to see this bloody thing so badly. Not just because it stars three of favorite actors currently working in cinema-- Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. Not just because it's written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko, a skilled filmmaker and observant writer (High Art.) Not just because of it's rave reviews from Sundance and Berlin film festivals. Nor because the trailer looks like it strikes the right balance between fun and heartfelt. It's because I'm clamoring and begging for a quality film to come my way, and I don't want to wait until July 9th.
1. Inception- Yep, I'm eagerly awaiting Christopher Nolan's return to the cinema moreso than the dozen of so promising films from film festivals, so there you go-- I'm not quite the cinematic snob you might figure me out to be. I'm digging just about everything so far on this film, but I worry as well. I worry that the overwhelming buzz surrounding Inception will swell to a degree of indifference either on my part or the part of the populist. But if it's as good as I feel it could be than everyone wins, right? Opens July 14th.
Already a festival favorite, as seen by it's enormous reception at this year Sundance and Berlin film festivals, this lesbian comedy has become one of the more interesting films of 2010. And I can't wait for it. Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon) is an insightful writer-director returning for a several year break from films, and stars Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo seem like a perfect combination for lesbian couple\male sperm donor roles, respectively. Also, I'm curious about the casting of Mia Wasikowska (the single bright spot in the dullard Alice in Wonderland) as Bening and Moore's daughter. All answers will hopefully and happely revealed when Focus Features opens the film July 7-- it seems like their trying to attract the Little Miss Sunshine slot.
