(Courtesy photo)
Opinionated movie buffs all over campus are gearing up for the biggest night in movies: The Oscars.
Viewers of the Oscars, which air Feb. 27, range from avid movie watchers with serious biases, to those who merely enjoy the elegant dresses and attractive celebrities. Whatever the reason for sitting back and enjoying one of the most highly-anticipated events of the year, predictions always emerge.
Discussions between students are heard all over campus, some more heated than others.
Elizabeth Hastie, a 21-year-old junior physics major said she is a big movie watcher, and although she’s only seen four of the nominations for best picture, is rooting for “The King’s Speech.”
“The acting was phenomenal, and the film approaches the touchy subject of a King’s troublesome flaw with such elegance,” Hastie said. “Colin Firth did such an amazing job showing frustration and self defeat.”
The film, a portrayal of King George VI of Britain overcoming a speech impediment, is a popular pick for best picture. However, there were a few nominations that Hastie said she didn’t agree with, one in particular being “Inception,” the science fiction film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
“I think Inception was very creative, and the special effects were definitely awe inspiring,” Hastie said. “However, it feels as if it is nominated for being confusing. People may say that the director is trying to be thought provoking, but the story line got lost in its never ending series of dreams upon dreams.”
Cristina Benavente, an 18-year-old freshman double-majoring in film and Spanish, said she was able to use her film education for an in-depth look at this year’s selections, especially the psychological thriller “Black Swan.”
“What makes Black Swan so intense is that it’s not your typical commercial movie,” Benavente said. “They made a movie that really is a work of art. Everything is sculpted so well throughout the entire thing. Because of my background in film, I noticed that the camera movements are so intense and really quick so you’re constantly moving.”
Staying consistent with her pick for “best motion picture,” Benavente said that Natalie Portman deserves the Oscar for “Actress in a leading role.”
“She lost so much weight for the role, and anyone playing that type of craziness has to be applauded,” Benavente said. “To be able to do those scenes with Mila Kunis, she had to have a real commitment to the character.”
Meagan Sloan, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in Spanish, said she does not always have time to feed her movie addiction because of school. Sloan said that Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in “Inception” is what really won her heart.
“I love to predict whose going to win,” Sloan said. “Leonardo DiCaprio really blew me away. He was able to play a mentally disturbed person and a sound individual all in the same movie.”
The List:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids are All Right”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
“127 Hours”
“Toy Story 3”
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening (“The Kids are All Right”)
Nicole Kidman (“Rabbit Hole”)
Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”)
Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”)
Michelle Williams (“Blue Valentine”)
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem (“Biutiful”)
Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”)
Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”)
James Franco (“127 Hours”)
Jeff Bridges (“True Grit”)
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale (“The Fighter”)
John Hawkes (“Winter’s Bone”)
Jeremy Renner (“The Town”)
Mark Ruffalo (“The Kids are All Right”)
Geoffrey Rush (“The King’s Speech”)
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams (“The Fighter”)
Helena Bonham Carter (“The King’s Speech”)
Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”)
Hailee Steinfeld (“True Grit”)
Jacki Weaver (“Animal Kingdom”)
Original Screenplay
Another Year (Mike Leigh)
The Fighter (Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colich, Eric Johnson, Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy)
Inception (Christopher Nolan)
The Kids are All Right (Stuart Blumberg and Lisa Cholodenko)
The King’s Speech (David Seidler)
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Susan Gonch at Susan.gonch@colorado.edu.
