Climie Awards 2010
Jordan Climie
Issue date: 3/1/10 Section: M2 (Arts & Entertainment)
Every year, in college anyway, I have taken the yearly Oscar nominees and picked the one to win the coveted Climie Award. I have also given what I think will be the probably winner at the Academy Awards. Since this is my last year (unless they bring me back) I wanted to say goodbye from all of us here at the Academy.
I am a pretty liberal guy, so anything about Iraq these days can get my feathers ruffled. So when I hear about a new movie about the War in Iraq, I don’t get too excited. Imagine my surprise when I finally did see “The Hurt Locker.”
This isn’t a film about war. This is a film about what happens because of war.
Jeremy Renner and the rest of the small ensemble cast do wonders to reveal the silent horrors of war. You won’t find any “Saving Private Ryan” battles in this movie. While there are gunshots and grenades, the depth of the scare can be found in the psychological turmoil these men and women go through.
With the field of Academy Award Best Picture nominees enlarging from five to 10, this category really is a tossup. While “The Hurt Locker” has indie credibility that the Academy usually goes for, films like “Avatar” and “The Blind Side” have been added to the slate to draw viewers to the program, since ratings have been going downhill for the past several year. I won’t comment on how good or bad all of these films are, but “The Hurt Locker” portrays everything a best picture can. “Avatar” was pretty, but so is a flower. I’m not going to give a flower an award - it needs substance.
I can say a lot of the same stuff I said when I talked about picking “The Hurt Locker” as Best Picture. So I guess I will focus on the woman that brought it life on the big screen. That’s right, I said woman.
Let’s take a look at her career so far. She directed a horror film called “Near Dark” in 1987. Point Break was the big break for Keanu Reeves when he was directed alongside Patrick Swayze by Bigelow in 1991. And who could forget “K-19: The Widowmaker” in 2002? Everyone could.
So let’s call it a break-out for Kathryn Bigelow as well, or maybe it would be better to say a coming out party.
She is the talk of the town and will be even more on Oscar night.
What’s even more amazing is the coincidence when she gets her nomination. She goes against ex-husband James Cameron, who directed “Avatar.” Come on, this guy makes a film once a decade, and he’s up against his ex-wife?
The true reason Bigelow should and probably will win this award is how beautifully she told a story of war that focused on anything but the war. Frame by frame, we saw the terror build behind the eyes of the actors.
First off, let me say that I do hope Jeff Bridges wins for this award. His performance in “Crazy Heart” was something his life was building toward. If an actor has a role that defines them, this will be Bridges’ role.
But even if you are great, you sometimes have to go against other greats. Even Ali got knocked down.
George Clooney is a great, as if it didn’t matter what movie he was in this year, because I probably would have to give him the award.
This year though, it was close. A heavyweight like Morgan Freeman (“Invictus”) was mixed in with more unknown actors, although Colin Firth (“A Single Man”) is probably know if you watch the right movies. In the end though, it came down to Bridges vs. Clooney.
The silver fox took the knockout win.
Alright, enough boxing analogies. Clooney has a lot of great roles, yes. But in every great role he does, he makes that person different than the next.
We see George in all of his characters, but a change, no matter how small, gives that persona it’s own defining characteristics. This doesn’t change at all with his role in “Up in the Air.”
The nonchalance, the smirk and the eyes staring right through you are all present.
That’s right, Ms. Streep, keep smiling. Like George Clooney you are an entertainer I can’t resist.
Sorry to the other four, but you were at a disadvantage since Streep entered this race with her perfect portrayal of Julia Childs.
I said "perfect," and I mean it. But what did you expect from Streep? A lackluster slapstick version of the famous female chef? Please, don’t make Meryl laugh. Like every role she has mastered, Julia Childs lived through her. Watching a clip of Streep as Childs and the real Childs made it confusing as it was near impossible to distinguish them from each other.
Sandra Bullock is looking like a favorite in this category, which still shocks me, and has shocked me since she was even nominated for a Golden Globe. Again, I feel this is something the Academy is doing to boost ratings by giving “The Blind Side” even more nominations than just Best Picture, which was puzzling enough. No discredit to Bullock’s career or performance in this movie.
Streep has the same grace you’ve seen from her since the beginning, never losing anything with age. Her performances have only gotten better, and I expect I will be picking her for Best Actress for years now. And that’s without my own award.
This is always a fun category because you usually see the names of actors who will never be nominated again and this is that one defining role for them. Some winners don’t even get back in the spotlight. Just ask Cuba Gooding, Jr. how his Oscar for “Jerry Maguire” is helping him.
But this year, there are a slew of names that are vying for this statue.
Well-known actors such as Matt Damon (“Invictus”) and Woody Harrelson (“The Messenger”) are here along with veterans like Christopher Plummer (“The Last Station”), who at the age of 80 gets his first Oscar nomination.
This is actually surprising considering this award has often featured many younger male stars who are catching the eye of Hollywood for the first time. Add Stanley Tucci (“The Lovely Bones”) and you have a great seasoned cast.
Then there’s Waltz, who made his first English-language film with Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” Learning the language must have been fun with Tarantino around, I would have to guess. Waltz’s crazed yet comedic Nazi officer was flawless, the perfect mix of the serious and the slapstick to make his character not only evil, but a bit mentally unbalanced as well.
Another fun category with a lot of young stars, only this one usually isn’t contested as much as the male side.
Case in point, this year. Known stars Penelope Cruz (“Nine”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Crazy Heart”) are up for the award, along with a surprise in Mo’Nique (“Precious”) and unknowns Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga (both from “Up in the Air”).
Unfortunately, the last fact works against Kendrick and Farmiga.
Kendrick would be the favorite of the two, playing the innocent but tough Ivy League newbie to Clooney’s prized company. Standing toe to toe with Clooney, Kendrick holds her own surprisingly. A feat for such a young actress.
The problem is that when two people from the save movie are nominated for the same award in a given year, they usually cancel each other out. Chances are good this happens here again, with Mo’Nique’s train of credibility and respect gaining momentum as the Oscars get closer.
Kendrick does give Mo’Nique her biggest challenge, but she won’t be able to overcome it. If anything, it gives Kendrick a career past the “Twilight.”
Jordan can be reached at joclimie@umflint.edu.
Best Picture
"The Hurt Locker"
I am a pretty liberal guy, so anything about Iraq these days can get my feathers ruffled. So when I hear about a new movie about the War in Iraq, I don’t get too excited. Imagine my surprise when I finally did see “The Hurt Locker.”
This isn’t a film about war. This is a film about what happens because of war.
Jeremy Renner and the rest of the small ensemble cast do wonders to reveal the silent horrors of war. You won’t find any “Saving Private Ryan” battles in this movie. While there are gunshots and grenades, the depth of the scare can be found in the psychological turmoil these men and women go through.
With the field of Academy Award Best Picture nominees enlarging from five to 10, this category really is a tossup. While “The Hurt Locker” has indie credibility that the Academy usually goes for, films like “Avatar” and “The Blind Side” have been added to the slate to draw viewers to the program, since ratings have been going downhill for the past several year. I won’t comment on how good or bad all of these films are, but “The Hurt Locker” portrays everything a best picture can. “Avatar” was pretty, but so is a flower. I’m not going to give a flower an award - it needs substance.
Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow - "The Hurt Locker"
I can say a lot of the same stuff I said when I talked about picking “The Hurt Locker” as Best Picture. So I guess I will focus on the woman that brought it life on the big screen. That’s right, I said woman.
Let’s take a look at her career so far. She directed a horror film called “Near Dark” in 1987. Point Break was the big break for Keanu Reeves when he was directed alongside Patrick Swayze by Bigelow in 1991. And who could forget “K-19: The Widowmaker” in 2002? Everyone could.
So let’s call it a break-out for Kathryn Bigelow as well, or maybe it would be better to say a coming out party.
She is the talk of the town and will be even more on Oscar night.
What’s even more amazing is the coincidence when she gets her nomination. She goes against ex-husband James Cameron, who directed “Avatar.” Come on, this guy makes a film once a decade, and he’s up against his ex-wife?
The true reason Bigelow should and probably will win this award is how beautifully she told a story of war that focused on anything but the war. Frame by frame, we saw the terror build behind the eyes of the actors.
Best Actor
George Clooney - "Up in the Air"
First off, let me say that I do hope Jeff Bridges wins for this award. His performance in “Crazy Heart” was something his life was building toward. If an actor has a role that defines them, this will be Bridges’ role.
But even if you are great, you sometimes have to go against other greats. Even Ali got knocked down.
George Clooney is a great, as if it didn’t matter what movie he was in this year, because I probably would have to give him the award.
This year though, it was close. A heavyweight like Morgan Freeman (“Invictus”) was mixed in with more unknown actors, although Colin Firth (“A Single Man”) is probably know if you watch the right movies. In the end though, it came down to Bridges vs. Clooney.
The silver fox took the knockout win.
Alright, enough boxing analogies. Clooney has a lot of great roles, yes. But in every great role he does, he makes that person different than the next.
We see George in all of his characters, but a change, no matter how small, gives that persona it’s own defining characteristics. This doesn’t change at all with his role in “Up in the Air.”
The nonchalance, the smirk and the eyes staring right through you are all present.
Best Actress
Meryl Streep - "Julie & Julia"
That’s right, Ms. Streep, keep smiling. Like George Clooney you are an entertainer I can’t resist.
Sorry to the other four, but you were at a disadvantage since Streep entered this race with her perfect portrayal of Julia Childs.
I said "perfect," and I mean it. But what did you expect from Streep? A lackluster slapstick version of the famous female chef? Please, don’t make Meryl laugh. Like every role she has mastered, Julia Childs lived through her. Watching a clip of Streep as Childs and the real Childs made it confusing as it was near impossible to distinguish them from each other.
Sandra Bullock is looking like a favorite in this category, which still shocks me, and has shocked me since she was even nominated for a Golden Globe. Again, I feel this is something the Academy is doing to boost ratings by giving “The Blind Side” even more nominations than just Best Picture, which was puzzling enough. No discredit to Bullock’s career or performance in this movie.
Streep has the same grace you’ve seen from her since the beginning, never losing anything with age. Her performances have only gotten better, and I expect I will be picking her for Best Actress for years now. And that’s without my own award.
Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz - "Inglourious Basterds"
This is always a fun category because you usually see the names of actors who will never be nominated again and this is that one defining role for them. Some winners don’t even get back in the spotlight. Just ask Cuba Gooding, Jr. how his Oscar for “Jerry Maguire” is helping him.
But this year, there are a slew of names that are vying for this statue.
Well-known actors such as Matt Damon (“Invictus”) and Woody Harrelson (“The Messenger”) are here along with veterans like Christopher Plummer (“The Last Station”), who at the age of 80 gets his first Oscar nomination.
This is actually surprising considering this award has often featured many younger male stars who are catching the eye of Hollywood for the first time. Add Stanley Tucci (“The Lovely Bones”) and you have a great seasoned cast.
Then there’s Waltz, who made his first English-language film with Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” Learning the language must have been fun with Tarantino around, I would have to guess. Waltz’s crazed yet comedic Nazi officer was flawless, the perfect mix of the serious and the slapstick to make his character not only evil, but a bit mentally unbalanced as well.
Best Supporting Actress
Anna Kendrick - "Up in the Air"
Another fun category with a lot of young stars, only this one usually isn’t contested as much as the male side.
Case in point, this year. Known stars Penelope Cruz (“Nine”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Crazy Heart”) are up for the award, along with a surprise in Mo’Nique (“Precious”) and unknowns Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga (both from “Up in the Air”).
Unfortunately, the last fact works against Kendrick and Farmiga.
Kendrick would be the favorite of the two, playing the innocent but tough Ivy League newbie to Clooney’s prized company. Standing toe to toe with Clooney, Kendrick holds her own surprisingly. A feat for such a young actress.
The problem is that when two people from the save movie are nominated for the same award in a given year, they usually cancel each other out. Chances are good this happens here again, with Mo’Nique’s train of credibility and respect gaining momentum as the Oscars get closer.
Kendrick does give Mo’Nique her biggest challenge, but she won’t be able to overcome it. If anything, it gives Kendrick a career past the “Twilight.”
Jordan can be reached at joclimie@umflint.edu.
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