The “Millionaire” in my mind
I was scouring the Internet looking for an entertainment story to put my two cents into. Then, light bulb!
I remembered that the Academy Awards were premiering this Sunday. Forgetting the Oscars is a travesty to movie geeks everywhere. First of all, readers, I was a fan of “The Dark Knight,” but this is not a story where I will whine and demand a recount.
The fact is folks, Oscar killed the Batman.
Oh well.
However, this is a praise for the films and actors that were nominated and my belief that 2008 into early 2009 was one of the best years for movies.
I’m going to kick it off with the Best Supporting Actress nominees: Amy Adams, Penelope Cruz, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson and Marisa Tomei.
This pick is going to have to be Henson for her portrayal of the adoptive mother of Brad Pitt’s “Benjamin Button.” Henson brings to the screen the classic motherly love that no one has done since Sally Field in “Forrest Gump.”
Next up, Best Supporting Actor, the nominees are: Heath Ledger, Robert Downey Jr., Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Brolin and Michael Shannon.
I can’t deny my true Bat-fan roots, Ledger wins it hands- down in my book.
His chilling portrayal of the Clown Prince of Gotham blows Nicholson’s Joker out of the water like an exploding ferry. On the other hand, Downey Jr. cannot be forgotten as the hilarious Kirk Lazarus in “Tropic Thunder.”
Lazarus was a role truly offensive and always hilarious.
I’m now going to jump over to the Pixar-loving category Best Animated Feature Film.
I’ve whined about the over-hyped robot and my love for that dim-witted panda on my radio show before, but the fact is “Wall-E” has got it in the bag.
Many have compared this film to a Charlie Chaplin classic, but I can’t help think it’s more Woody Allen.
“Wall-E’s” neurotic tendencies are the robotic reincarnation of the beloved Allen and Eve’s free spirit is the machine equivalent of Diane Keaton in “Annie Hall”.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on “Bolt”, or as I call it, “Toy Story 2” with animals.
Let’s delve back into the acting categories as we take a look at the Best Actress nominees: Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Melissa Leo, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet.
As an entertainment reporter, I fail.
I have yet to see any of these actresses in their films.
However, based on past experience, watching the Oscars and seeing their performances in other films I would choose Winslet.
For too long Oscar has shut her out.
Her performance in “Enternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” was spot on, “Titanic” was breathtaking and in the little known film “Finding Neverland,” she embodied class.
So, as someone who has not seen the films, I simply must beg and plead with Oscar and demand she gets her golden man.
I’m going to interrupt my acting build and jump into the Best Original Screenplay category. The nominees are: “Frozen River,” “Happy-Go-Lucky,” “In Bruges,” “Milk,” and “Wall-E.”
This is actually one of the tougher categories to choose from, but I’m going with “Milk”.
I loved this film.
It was the perfect script for a time on Proposition 8 and the prejudice that is still consuming the homosexual community. It would be a travesty if this film did not win and if it did, it might be a step in the right direction.
Okay, here comes the big one, the one that is causing the most conversation around the Murphy’s dinner table and could make me lose my chance of winning that iPod in the award- guessing contest.
Who will be the Best Actor winner?
Will it be Mickey Rourke, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Frank Langella or Richard Jenkins? It is between Rourke and Penn, that is obvious.
The two have gone back and forth Rourke wins, Penn wins, Rourke, Penn and so on. My winner has to be Rourke.
As much as I love Penn’s performance in “Milk,” it’s all about that has been-wrestler.
Rourke put himself through so much pain and agony that it wasn’t even acting anymore, he truly became that character and that is what one has to do to be the best in the field, embody every moment of that person: blood, sweat and tears. What film will take the final three prizes: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture?
It will be, no questions asked, “Slumdog Millionaire.”
“Millionaire” was truly the greatest film I had seen all year and, in levels of hope and beauty, probably in five years.
It deserves all these coveted awards from its screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, to its golden director Danny Boyle all the way to the final masterpiece, that is this film.
I may have loved the inspirational tale of Harvey Milk, or the love story of Benjamin Button, but no picture made me realize why I love to write about film, like “Slumdog Millionaire” did.
So now, as I finish my list of favorites for the year in the top categories, I say to the host of India’s “Who wants to be a Millionaire.”
Yes, I’ll go with A. Slumdog Millionaire, final answer.
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