So remember when I was all pumped about the Oscar nominations? Well, the Academy Awards are just a few days away, and I’ve barely been talking about movies here (or blogging for that matter)! I have caught up on a few movies, including two Best Picture nominees and… one romantic-comedy starring a future Best Actress winner.
Inception (2010)
Quick Stats: Written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Marion Cotillard.
Plot: A group of corporate spies, led by DiCaprio, attempt an almost impossible task: planting an idea into a target’s subconscious, or “inception”.
Verdict: I actually liked this movie a lot more than I expected to. Even though Inception was one of this summer’s biggest blockbusters, I put off seeing it, partly because I am not a fan of Nolan’s work (and yes, including his Batman films). I’m also not really a fan of sci-fi and whatnot, but the story is really interesting, so it captured my attention. Luckily, I watched it on DVD who had already seen the movie multiple times, so I was able to ask lots of questions when I got confused. It didn’t “blow my mind” like I expected, but it’s a “must-watch” based on technical and visual achievement alone.
The Social Network (2010)
Quick Stats: Written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by David Fincher, based on the book The Accidental Billionaires. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, and Armie Hammer.
Plot: The Social Network tells the inside story behind the founding of Facebook, and its aftermath.
Verdict: This movie is very well-done, but I didn’t necessarily find it enjoyable, yet I don’t have anything bad to say about it. The script is smart and fast-paced, and the acting is generally solid. I guess there was something about the editing and pacing (I found it to drag at times) that turned me off from it. Now that I think about it though, it was hard to connect with the characters – all them were really unlikable, except maybe Esteban (Garfield). A little disappointing overall, but it’s not a bad movie.
No Strings Attached (2011)
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Natalie Portman
Plot: Um, it’s a romantic comedy… about two friends having casual sex… who fall for each other. Yeah, none of this has to be explained.
Verdict: This movie was actually really entertaining, though I think it’s mostly because of the charm of the two leads, and their supporting cast. I never have anything bad to say about Natalie Portman, and it was fun seeing her play such a mainstream role. She was pretty convincing. My main criticism, besides the typical rom-com predictability, was the uneven tone. No Strings Attached was trying too hard to be both raunchy and sweet, and it was a weird combo. It’s a fun movie to see with your girlfriends though.
Have you seen any of these movies? What did you think?
~ Sarah