Every year the British Academy of Film and Television Arts releases artist depictions of the nominated films for Best Picture. 2012's collection stands head and shoulders over recent years. Thanks to Hey You Guys, all five nominated film brochures are available online (The Artist, Drive, The Descendants, The Help and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy). Highlighted are my top three selections.
Showing posts with label tinker tailor soldier spy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tinker tailor soldier spy. Show all posts
Monday, February 6, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Descendants
What it's likely to get nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor
What I'd like it to be nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor
Alexander Payne has nailed the zeitgeist of the past decade and seemingly touched off again with this new one. The tale of one man's grief while pulling his family back together was the right amount of heart without reaching into the saccharin bag that too many films resort to.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
What it's likely to get nominated for: Best Actress, Editing, Score
Alexander Payne has nailed the zeitgeist of the past decade and seemingly touched off again with this new one. The tale of one man's grief while pulling his family back together was the right amount of heart without reaching into the saccharin bag that too many films resort to.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
What it's likely to get nominated for: Best Actress, Editing, Score
What I'd like it to be nominated for: Best Actress, Best Director
We're in a reversal from last year where The King's Speech was almost the only feel good splendor in the field. This year Dragon Tattoo is the juxtaposed film against heart-warmers like The Artist, The Descendants, War Horse, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Daring the Academy to come out of the closet regarding their genre fetishism may prove too strong to resist.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
What it's likely to get nominated for: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Sound MixingWhat I'd like it to be nominated for: Best Actor, Cinematography
Oldman's Smiley is not going to be brash enough to leap out at Academy voters, but his performance is no less impressive. He is glib in his answers, yet earnest in finding his own. The agency is a self-contained one, made up of huddled, tweeded masses who believe themselves to be the last line between England and the Soviet Union. A feeling of paranoia expertly captured by Hoyte Van Hoytema.
Oldman's Smiley is not going to be brash enough to leap out at Academy voters, but his performance is no less impressive. He is glib in his answers, yet earnest in finding his own. The agency is a self-contained one, made up of huddled, tweeded masses who believe themselves to be the last line between England and the Soviet Union. A feeling of paranoia expertly captured by Hoyte Van Hoytema.
The Artist
What it's likely to get nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress
What it's likely to get nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress
What I'd like it to be nominated for: Cinematography, Supporting Actress, Score
The apparent shoe-in for the awards this year, The Artist has captured the attention of critics and fans alike. Though the given favorite for the Academy's votes in most categories, the attention to detail in the cinematography in the construction of the 1920s and 1930s set design and camerawork, and the emotion portrayed in the score were undoubtedly exceptional. A nod must be given to Bérénice Bejo for her grounded and heartwarming performance as well.
The apparent shoe-in for the awards this year, The Artist has captured the attention of critics and fans alike. Though the given favorite for the Academy's votes in most categories, the attention to detail in the cinematography in the construction of the 1920s and 1930s set design and camerawork, and the emotion portrayed in the score were undoubtedly exceptional. A nod must be given to Bérénice Bejo for her grounded and heartwarming performance as well.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Taut thrillers have been left by the wayside in recent years - action films and romantic comedies are more sure investments for studios - but here, a prize one, has been placed right into our laps.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy opens as George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is about to receive the boot. Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), Bill Haydon (Colin Firth) and Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds) have the favor of Control (John Hurt) so the failure of their most recent assignment must fall square on the shoulders of Smiley.
Retirement suits Smiley well enough: he swims daily, reads the paper, and even decides to update his eye-wear (a nice reference when keeping track of the non-linear story). Yet retirement doesn't last long for Smiley, he is called in by Control. The Russians are have infiltrated "the circus" and Smiley has been tasked with finding a mole in his agency. When men start dying the stakes cannot be higher. But who can you trust?
Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of John le Carré’s novel gives in to the unrelenting suspicion of the Cold War where each agent is constantly wondering if the last sound they will hear is a silencer. Whether the camera closes in behind Smiley, Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) or Ricky Tarr (Tom Hardy) in various states of distress, the feeling of paranoia is expertly captured by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema. Frequently placing these members of MI6 at the center of a wide-shot, looking over their shoulder, the audience wonders if it is their last appearance onscreen as well.
Spy films are very rarely this subdued, but the quiet, tension-filled moments of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy match John LeCarré's work perfectly. Gary Oldman gives one of the finest performances of his career as the quiet analyst, Smiley is not going to be brash enough to leap out at Academy voters, but his performance is no less impressive. He is glib in his answers, yet earnest in finding his own.
What impresses most about Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the benign nature of it all. James Bond is the template for the genre, but this interpretation is far more honest. The agency is a self-contained one, made up of huddled, tweeded masses who believe themselves to be the last line between England and the Soviet Union, but they are just paper pushers. The real enemies are in their own ranks.
***1/2 out of ****
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