Oscar Watch: True Grit
"True Grit"
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (Bridges), Best Supporting Actress (Steinfeld), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.
"True Grit" was a retelling of a book, which as also a 1960s John Wayne movie. It's actually the film where Wayne won his one and only oscar. You know when the Coen brothers make a movie, it's probably going to be oscar bait. Most of the time, though, their movies are very good, and this one is no exception. "True Grit" has stellar acting, good direction, and is the suspense story that "Winter's Bone" tried hard to be but really wasn't. "True Grit" does move slow at times, and the old western dialogue does get to be a bit much in some extended scenes. However, the story and strength of the acting ultimately win out.
Bridges playes Rooster Cogburn, hired by a young girl (Steinfeld) to track her father's murderer. A texas ranger (Damon) is simulatanously tracking the same guy, Tom Chaney (Brolin), for a seperate murder in Texas. The story follows their quest to find him. While it's an interesting journey, the real story is how this young girl changes Cogburn from a bitter, angry man to someone who learned to actually care for someone. It's a good mix of suspense, action, and drama, and it is filmed as such. I don't know how authentic the costume design is to back in the days, but they do look real.
I really think Stienfeld did a commendable job, and should be considered higher on the list to win. Why she was only supporting actress and not in the main category is a bit odd to me, as she probably has the most screen time of anyone, and was the focus of the movie. She was better than both Leo and Adams in "The Fighter," and I have yet to see Carter in "The King's Speech," or Weaver in "Animal Kingdom."
Bridges was also very good, as I figured he would be. Given that he won last year, I'd say the award should go to someone else. But he did an oscar-worthy performance. My pick to win so far is Franco ("127 Hours"), but that may change after I see "The King's Speech."
I liked this movie more than some of the other Coen brothers' stuff (especially best pic winner "No Country For Old Men," and "A Serious Man"). My favorite of their films is probably "Intolerable Cruelty," just because it's fun to watch. Anyway, I'm hoping for a few wins for this film, particualrly best supporting actress and perhaps best costume design, although "Alice in Wonderland" had some pretty fancy costumes too (one of the few things it did well).
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (Bridges), Best Supporting Actress (Steinfeld), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.
"True Grit" was a retelling of a book, which as also a 1960s John Wayne movie. It's actually the film where Wayne won his one and only oscar. You know when the Coen brothers make a movie, it's probably going to be oscar bait. Most of the time, though, their movies are very good, and this one is no exception. "True Grit" has stellar acting, good direction, and is the suspense story that "Winter's Bone" tried hard to be but really wasn't. "True Grit" does move slow at times, and the old western dialogue does get to be a bit much in some extended scenes. However, the story and strength of the acting ultimately win out.
Bridges playes Rooster Cogburn, hired by a young girl (Steinfeld) to track her father's murderer. A texas ranger (Damon) is simulatanously tracking the same guy, Tom Chaney (Brolin), for a seperate murder in Texas. The story follows their quest to find him. While it's an interesting journey, the real story is how this young girl changes Cogburn from a bitter, angry man to someone who learned to actually care for someone. It's a good mix of suspense, action, and drama, and it is filmed as such. I don't know how authentic the costume design is to back in the days, but they do look real.
I really think Stienfeld did a commendable job, and should be considered higher on the list to win. Why she was only supporting actress and not in the main category is a bit odd to me, as she probably has the most screen time of anyone, and was the focus of the movie. She was better than both Leo and Adams in "The Fighter," and I have yet to see Carter in "The King's Speech," or Weaver in "Animal Kingdom."
Bridges was also very good, as I figured he would be. Given that he won last year, I'd say the award should go to someone else. But he did an oscar-worthy performance. My pick to win so far is Franco ("127 Hours"), but that may change after I see "The King's Speech."
I liked this movie more than some of the other Coen brothers' stuff (especially best pic winner "No Country For Old Men," and "A Serious Man"). My favorite of their films is probably "Intolerable Cruelty," just because it's fun to watch. Anyway, I'm hoping for a few wins for this film, particualrly best supporting actress and perhaps best costume design, although "Alice in Wonderland" had some pretty fancy costumes too (one of the few things it did well).
posted by DarthDooku at
5:01 PM
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