2011 Oscar Winners

So sadly, another Academy Awards ceremony has come to an end. Both The King's Speech and Inception were the biggest winners on the night, each taking home four Oscars. however, The King's Speech won in the main categories, such as Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, as well as Original Screenplay and Sound Editing.

Here is a list of all the winners:

Splice (Vincenzo Natali, 2009)

 

Woah, now this was a disturbing film in so many ways. I was curious to see it because it was about genetic modification, which I have always been interested in, although this film didn’t leave me with the impression I was hoping for.

The plot is simple enough: two scientists (Elsa and Clive, played by Adrien Brody) who are experimenting with splicing animal genes, one day add human DNA (which Elsa later reveals was hers) and secretly create Dren, a freaky human-like creature with wings and a stinger. Instead of killing the creature, they raise it, risking their jobs (at the conveniently-named company called “N.E.R.D”) and perhaps their lives at the same time, all in the name of science. I thought that was dedication, until I saw what happened later in the film.

Elsa immediately has a strong almost-motherly connection with Dren, who she clothes in a dress and treats as if she were her own child, though Clive (who is also her boyfriend) is not so welcoming (by trying to drown her, and in the process, discovering that she can actually breathe underwater as well). But as Dren grows up (which due to her genetic make-up, happens more rapidly), she gets closer to Clive, who much to the audience’s disgust, also starts feeling attracted to the creature and they end up having sex. If that isn’t disturbing enough, Clive’s girlfriend, Elsa, walks in on them − it’s one of the most extremely awkward and repulsive scenes I’ve ever seen in a film!

They two scientists are keeping Dren at a farmhouse and one day return to see her seemingly dead, so they bury her. Then in keeping with the horror element of Splice, Dren suddenly returns and attacks some of the other suspicious scientists who had discovered what Clive and Elsa were doing. What ensues is a chase to kill Dren, who we find out has transformed into a male. Earlier in the film, we see two slug-like creatures that Clive and Elsa created, kill each other after the female one turns into a male (and kills the other male one). So we realise Dren has the same gene and is now a male. Then, horror turns back to disgust as the male Dren goes after Elsa and ends up having sex with her and killing Clive. But the film manages to go one further and at the end we see Elsa making a deal and will receive money in exchange for being part of the next stage of the secret experiment: it’s revealed that Elsa is pregnant.

And with that, I was left with a real sour taste in my mouth. What I expected to be one of the “usual” sci-fi thrillers that Hollywood produces turned out to contain some of the most disturbing moments I have ever seen in a film. But the question I think about most is what compelled Academy-award winner Adrien Brody, (star of one of my favourite films, The Pianist) to act in Splice?

2.5/5

Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

When I first saw the trailer for this film, it didn’t really appeal to me. I mean, seeing the scenes with the actors floating in the corridor and the sky folding upside down made it seem like some sort of disaster movie or strange sci-fi. However, it was after I read about Inception and starting hearing about it from other people that I became interested and realised that the trailer was quite misleading (for me anyway). It was the whole exploring-the-nature-of-dreams theme that really caught my attention.

Leonardo Di Caprio plays Dom Cobb, a thief who is part of a team who illegally enter people’s dreams in order to extract information they may be holding subconsciously or to incept an idea. I found the fact that an idea planted in someone’s mind may “grow” to have such impact on a person throughout their life was really exaggerated. I mean, sure, I might wake up and ponder some strange ideas I had in my dreams but the fact that someone like Fischer may change his whole attitude and actions during the rest of his life due to one dream seems really unlikely. I think the impact Cobb’s wife, Mallorie (Marion Cottilard), had on her husband was probably the closest the film came to being a “thriller”. She was a bizarre, frightening character but at the same time was illustrating that mystifying concept of the difficulty in making the distinction between reality and dreams.

Anyway, I particularly like the fact that Ellen Page plays an architect who helps design the dream they enter. It reminds me of when I design something in the world of my lucid dreams. But in a film that is so science-fiction and complex, I found myself thinking about certain issues or potential obstacles that would arise in such a world and which may have been considered in the scriptwriting process. For instance, how would people awake from the dreams? Director Christopher Nolan, who wrote the script, put in the idea of a “kick” that would awake the individual. Interestingly, it is not the impact of a person falling that wakes them, for instance, but it is the moment before the impact, when the body is jerked awake. However, I couldn’t accept that heavily-sedated individuals (even having ingested other “special” chemicals) would wake with a “kick” in the same way − to me you’re either sedated or you’re not.

Another issue, which has been pointed out by dream researchers, is the fact that the dreams depicted in Inception were quite unrealistic, in the way that they were so well-connected and logical. As probably most people have experienced, dreams are often made up of several surreal, incoherent, illogical scenes or moments. Obviously the plot (or lack of) in such a film would have been hard to follow, so it’s no surprise the dreams were constructed in this way.

Anyway, the biggest potential flaw with this dream inception process is how it would work with those who lucid dream. In the film, when people realised they were dreaming, most of the time their surroundings would start to crumble or suddenly change in some way as their brain makes this realisation. I’ve read a bit about consciousness in dreams and usually, as soon as someone realises they’re dreaming, they suddenly awake. However, as a person who lucid dreams, I am able to continue sleeping and maintain an awareness to the extent that I can start “controlling” my dream. So I just find it difficult to picture how people could incept a lucid dreamer because they would remain aware and have more control over what would happen.

It was actually Nolan’s experience of lucid dreaming as a teenager that led him to think about the story for this film. So I like the fact that the story stems from a personal experience of the director, and is really a topic that many people are interested in and curious about. I like the basic concept of the film and no doubt is a springboard for discussion about dreams. Actually, it’s common that after reading or thinking about dreams before going to bed can affect one’s dream − so I’m hoping to have some real interesting multilayer dreams tonight!

It was very clever though not surprising to have Nolan cut the final scene with the top still spinning (so we can’t be sure whether Cobb is still dreaming or not when he is reunited with his children). Although many people seem to be frustrated at the ending, it honestly doesn’t bother me that much − while I think the top looked like it was about to drop (and therefore it is real), I doubt that Cobb would have been “kicked” back into reality in time underwater. But the fact that Cobb is reunited with his children (whether in reality or not) is closure enough for me.

So overall, I found Inception quite engaging and original, which is a quality I really admire in value, and which I think is becoming quite rare in modern films. With echoes of the highly successful The Matrix and the mysterious topic of dreams, it’s easy to see the appeal of this film.

4/5

Unstoppable (Tony Scott, 2010)

I hadn’t actually heard of this film until someone I know told me they had gone to watch it. That surprised me because I would categorise this film in the same vein as other action films about runaway vehicles, like Speed (although that had a different premise), so I think it could find a similar audience too.

But the thing that I think would interest the audience most − and is what drew me in − is the fact it is based on a true story. It’s about two men who try to stop an unmanned freight train that is travelling out of control towards a city and carrying hazardous materials. It’s a simple-enough plot and it’s no surprise that the train will be stopped at the end of the film. Nevertheless, this is an engaging, thrilling film that I would probably describe as a “quintessential Hollywood” film − basic plot and characters combined with maximum cinematic effects, which works to get the audience on the edge of their seats.

One of the ways this film sought to increase the drama and suspense was through Scott’s interesting camerawork. I say “interesting” but it’s probably a little too distracting for me. There were frequent quick zoom ins and some moments felt like you were watching a handheld camera − it was like a mix of raw documentary, first-hand feel with epic Hollywood cinematography.

Anyway, the formula works for Unstoppable − it was what I was expecting from it, as a satisfying action flick. There were moments when I was questioning some of the decisions made by the characters, such as how another train would be able to slow down the runaway one by travelling in front of it, and why they abandoned the idea to drive alongside the train and have someone jump into the front carriage (which they almost did earlier in the film). So there are some plot holes, but then again, I’m not an expert in the field and some incidents from the true story were exaggerated (such as Denzel Washington’s character running across the top of the train carriages). But I think if you can suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride (no pun intended!), then you’ll also find some suspense and thrill.

4/5

Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone, 1994)

Wow. What an incredible film − I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be this good. I was originally drawn to this film after hearing Robert Downey Jr was in it, although he doesn’t appear until about mid-way throughout the film − and by then I had almost entirely forgotten about him as the film was so engaging and intriguing.

The film is about Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis), two serial killers who attract the nation’s attention and are almost glorified by the media. I wasn’t surprised that the story was by Quentin Tarantino − the violent nature of this film fits right within his style. However, another reason why I like this film is that is looks at society’s obsession with violence, and how people seem to be becoming desensitised to a point where Mickey and Mallory are almost celebrated as heroes. I think the film also touches on the idea of how individuals become violent − is it really in their blood (as Mickey says), or is it their upbringing (in which case, are young people are at a greater risk, being exposed to more violence in today’s society?).

There is definitely a deeper message within this film, which also depicts the media’s sensationalist coverage of such issues and events. This was mainly done through Robert Downey Jr’s entertaining character Wayne Gale, who much to my amusement, is an Australian journalist who hosts a tabloid show called American Maniacs, and by the end has also changed his outlook and behaviour, sympathising with the killers (before he is shot by them). I have to praise Downey’s Australian accent, which surprised me (as I was not aware he was going to be an Australian character) and was actually well done (it felt a little exaggerated but I think that was because it was so different compared to his American accent, which I was expecting instead!). Now having seen Tropic Thunder and Natural Born Killers, it’s clear Downey can do an Aussie accent well.

What really struck me in this film was the original and creative camera work and editing. From the opening sequence of the film, where Mallory and Mickey kill people at a diner, I was drawn to this film.




On a sidenote, I also found the scene in the drugstore amusing − the fact that they can go and help themselves to snakebite antidotes on the store’s shelves was just so strange. I also loved the scene where a flashback to Mallory’s origins is presented as some sort of old-fashioned TV sitcom portraying a normal family − and we find out Mallory’s upbringing is anything but normal and happy. It’s disturbing and surreal but I was glued to the screen.

Anyway, this sort of thing happens throughout the film − trivial, happy music plays at moments when the murders are killing their victims, really adding to the psychotic nature of this film. That’s what I really admired about this film − it played with conventions and stereotypes, both in content (exploring the attitude towards serial killers), as well as in construction. It played with the typical dramatic and romance conventions, as this really was, in some warped way, a film about two lovers. Their love and dedication is admirable despite the fact they are the most wanted murders. As Mickey says at one point in the film: “Doesn’t anyone in Hollywood believe in kissing anymore?” It’s ways like this that the film plays with your mind − Mickey is presented as some sort of personification of the devil but at the same time, you can’t help but admire some of his sentimental qualities. The use of black and white footage, animation sequences, and rapid intercutting of psychedelic footage with the main frames of the film (such as when they’re driving a car, or what is seen outside the windows or doors), were some of the other techniques that I also really found fascinating.

Lastly, this film had a fantastic soundtrack, with artists such as Leonard Cohen, Peter Gabriel, a lot of heavy rock, as well as 1960s rock ‘n’ roll, perfectly complementing this great film. Visually engaging and matched with an awesome soundtrack − whether you like it or not, Natural Born Killers will have an impact on you.

4.5/5