Burst into the film world bright comet optimistic living musical film “La La land” received a record 14 nominations, equaling in this age-old competition with a classic drama by Joseph L. Mankiewicz “All about eve”, filmed in the distant 1950 and with at least a classic blockbuster James Cameron’s Titanic, released in 1997.
The success of “La La land” was predictable. Even if we leave aside all the obvious cinematic merits of the film, he has another undeniable advantage.
The Academy — as probably all of us — it’s nice to watch a movie about yourself. The myth of Hollywood, of its Golden age, retains the irresistible appeal.
This Hollywood myth about itself carefully cultivated, and not only out of a sense of narcissism.
The story of the movie is terribly attractive to the viewer, and each generation happily immersed in the charm of the “Golden age”. This is indisputably reminded crushing, and unexpected success among the audience and critics, and academicians modest black-and-white and silent French “Artist” in 2011.
The appeal of “La La land” in the fact that, unlike the Artist, the nostalgic genre and style of the film is immersed in a contemporary reality and let the remaining mythologized Hollywood is just a little closer to today’s viewer.
14 nominations will surely provide the film a fistful of prizes, although he has serious competitors.
The opposition of contrasts
For the main prize — best film — a key rival of “La La land” is considered the “Manchester by the sea.”
More contrast to pick it would be hard against rainbow, bristling over the edge of optimism and joy — grief from death of loved ones and destroyed by the grief-stricken psyche.
Against the perpetual summer sun of Los Angeles — the dark cold winters of Northern Massachusetts. Against the charismatic, handsome hero Ryan Gosling — a harsh, taciturn misanthrope character Casey Affleck. But the accuracy of psychological emphasis, ruthlessness (without frustration!) in the reflection of the complex and, alas, inevitable for each of us a period of experiencing the loss of loved ones has rightly earned the film the rating of “masterpiece” from the pen of the most respected critics.
It is not known whether the author of the “Manchester by the sea” Kenneth Lonergan to circumvent the author’s “La La land” Damien Chazelle in the major categories — best film and directing, but Casey Affleck has all the rights to claim his first Oscar for best actor.
However, it is possible that the struggle for this award and will join Andrew Garfield, who played in based on a true human destiny film “For reasons of conscience.”
His hero — a humble guy from the American heartland during the Second world war is in the army dabawalas, but on religious grounds refuses to hold the weapon. It court-martialed and nearly sent to prison. In the end, Desmond Doss was awarded the highest military award of the United States for the fact that the fight carried on their hands 75 wounded soldiers.
Put “For reasons of conscience” Mel Gibson is one of the most controversial figures in Hollywood.
In recent years, the reputation (but not the stars!) actor-Megastar was severely undermined by scandals, alcoholism, clashes with police and anti-Semitic statements. All of this was eclipsed by the undoubted talent of Gibson-Director. “Braveheart” he was almost not visible, and fully declared himself boldly controversial “Passion of Christ” and especially the masterpiece “Apocalypse”.
“For reasons of conscience” can not be put on a par with the previous two films Gibson, but, nevertheless, relevant in trompowsky America Patriotic theme, coupled with quite sturdy (as in the battle scenes is just outstanding) by the skill of the Director can make the film a contender not only for the lead role, but even for best picture and best Director.
“Heavy artillery” stars
Even more violent than her partner Ryan Gosling, the struggle for “Oscar” in the category “best female role” to be the heroine of “La La land” Emma stone. Against her exposed to the most that neither is “heavy artillery” of female stars.
Natalie Portman played as the critics claim, the best role of his life in the film “Jackie”.
In the post-election period, the press is full of comparisons between Michelle Obama and Melania trump. The movie, in which Jackie Kennedy, the first “star First lady”, and even in the most dramatic moment of his life, but of the whole of postwar American history, with blood just murdered her husband on the suit, makes Portman the clear favorite.
However, we should not ignore the two Actresses of the older generation. Isabelle Huppert, as always, expertly and mercilessly exposes the most hidden and the most perverse corners of the female psyche in the movie “It”, filmed by the master of the psychological Thriller Paul Verhoven.
And, of course, the brilliant Meryl Streep in pursuit of his fourth, record-breaking “Oscars”.
In the movie “Florence foster Jenkins” it is, as always amazing, played incredibly funny but at the same time, incredibly touching, the role of the fanatically obsessed, but, alas, absolutely mediocre Opera singer. In favor of a Strip antitrombina its violent campaign of recent months, which could not fail to arouse sympathy categorically opposed to the new President of Hollywood.
African American gap
Separate and politically very important to the plot of this “Oscars” — the place of black filmmakers in the categories. The lack of them last year became the reason of grandiose scandal, boycotts, trials and apologies.
Throughout the greater part of 2016 seemed African American gap last year to completely fill in “the Birth of a nation” is a grandiose film about a slave uprising in the American South. The symbolic significance ascribed to it, and despite the name, borrowed from the masterpiece from the perspective of the movie, but frankly racist 1915 film classic of early Hollywood by David Griffith.
However, in the summer suddenly surfaced a bad story.
It turned out that back in 1999, directed and starring the current “Birth of a nation” Nate Parker was accused of rape. The court acquitted him, but several years later, the rape victim, a white student committed suicide. From the stain on his reputation Parker wash failed, and the film critics immediately noticed a lot of flaws — the pretentious sentimentality to justify religious fundamentalism. About the nominations almost instantly forgotten.
Released “birth of a nation” the place of the flagship of African-American cinema filled Moonlight.
The film deals with unexplored in the movie, the theme of growing up of a young homosexual in an environment focused not only on the ostentatious masculinity, but even the machismo of black urban areas of America.
The film is very worthy, and dual African-American and homosexual, the emphasis on political correctness gives him great chances of success.
“Moonlight”, a total of eight nominations, which he shares second place with a fantastic and, in my opinion, greatly overvalued the painting “Arrival”, the only advantage of which is an attempt to look at the old problem of contact with aliens through the prism of linguistics.
Another African-American to be nominated Denzel Washington in “Fences” looks quite familiar.
On account of the well-known actor already has two Oscars. But nominated for the main award of the film “Hidden figures” largely unexpected. Mainly because it reveals completely unexplored topic — about the participation of black women in the us space research.
Ray — lost chance
So in conclusion, about the disappointment that befell fans of Russian cinema, which depend on the appearance of the film by Andrei Konchalovsky’s “Paradise” in the category “Best foreign language film”. Already awarded the “Silver Lion” in Venice, the work of the veteran, which this year will be 80 years old, lost really shiny belts.
Iranian Asghar Farhadi, became famous in 2011 with his film “separation of Nader and Simin”, which brought together all the major awards at the Berlin film festival 2011. His new job is “Salesman” is as poignant and as accurate in creating the portrait is little known in the West of modern Iranian society.
A German picture “Toni Erdmann” directed by Maren Ade is a brilliant Comedy, a grotesque absurdity which lies the true and deep drama of a split in the relations between generations.
