The envelope please...

It is my favorite time of year. No, not Christmas, it is awards shows season.

            First the Golden Globes, then the SAGS, then the Grammy’s (which I’m not that crazy about), and the king of them all, the Oscars.

            I have loved the Oscars as long as I can remember. The dresses, the movies, the dreadfully long speeches, the tributes, the music, the stars and of course that little golden man.

            I love watching the stars gratefully, face full of shock, gracefully accept Hollywood’s greatest honor. This year is no different, except for the fact that I have actually seen more than one of the movies nominated.

            I will reveal my favorites, but these are in no way a predictor because I have not seen all the performances and stories unfold on the big or small screen.

            Lets start with my favorite category: best supporting actress. Of course best actress is the best, but it takes a true actress to play the supporting role. That, and I haven’t seen any of the movies nominated for best actress.

            Helena Bonham Carter did an excellent job playing the future Queen Mother in The King’s Speech. She was charming, sweet and enticing as a supportive wife and the true power behind the throne.

Even more impressive, is that she played the quiet queen on the weekends while playing the wicked villain, Bellatrix Lestrange of Harry Potter, during the week. To change so quickly from a frightening Death Eater to a loving companion impresses me the most.

            Hailee Steinfeld was the ever-convincing 14-year-old Mattie Ross in True Grit. Her performance was well executed with her shear determination and feminist attitude. Her tenacity to play such a strong character and to stand with the likes of her fellow nominees is an accomplishment in itself.

            The winner will probably be Melissa Leo from The Fighter, but my pick is Bonham Carter. My pure movie fan pick for best actress from the year is Emma Stone in Easy A. She is witty, has the funniest facial expression, a little nerdy and perfectly loveable, not to mention a fabulous red head. Love her or hate her, she was a great high school outcast turned fake slut turned Cinderella.  

Emma Stone as Olive Pendergast in Easy A.
My fan favorite actress of the year. 

            Now onto the noblest category, best actor. Jeff Bridges was a great Rooster Cockburn in True Grit, a true hero who complimented Hailee Steinfeld’s Mattie with stubbornness and subtle compassion. Jesse Eisenberg played Mark Zuckerberg, the “accidental billionaire” and true genius, with honesty and a certain bite that made viewers admire and sympathize with a man who so easily fell into the trap of money and betrayal of his best friend.

            But it was Colin Firth who swept audiences off their feet with his tragically uplifting story of a man who became king by default rather than choice and struggled with a disability that handicapped not only his speaking abilities but his self-confidence. Geoffrey Rush also did an amazing job as a character who never compromised and brought a little comic relief to such a serious subject. Colin Firth just has that natural ability to play a British nobleman and have audiences falling in love with the story.

            Firth is my pick for the Oscar and my fan favorite of the year.

Firth and Bonham Carter in the tragically
uplifting story about a king and his speech.
My pick for best supporting actress, best actor,
and best picture at the Oscars.  

            The envelope please…for best picture. This is not just considered the most important category; it is the most important category. However, I feel the Academy took some of its magnitude when it doubled the size of the category from five films to 10. But I only saw five of the 10 nominated movies so we’ll work with those.

            Inception. The moment I saw this movie, I knew it would land in the best picture category. It’s fantasy element, ensemble cast, interesting perspective of the human mind and complicated story all combined for an explosion of well-made cinema. But I just don’t think this movie can compete with the more introspective movies also nominated. So for fans of Leo Dicaprio, movies for thought and exciting visuals, this movie can stay a fan favorite rather than an Oscar winner.

            True Grit. The western tale can stand on its own two feet because of the acting that holds the story in place, but a winner this film is not.

            The Social Network. This movie is being called the movie of our generation. And this may be true. Facebook revolutionized the Internet experience, and now many people from my generation probably can’t imagine life without it. But the “true story,” while a compelling tall tale of the business world, should not win the big award. I enjoyed the film because of its interesting look at what it means to lose a few things when you make it to the top, and for its sharp dialogue.

Toy Story 3 is my favorite
movie from 2010. 

            The King’s Speech. This is a truly incredible film with the prowess to win. The cast, the story, the heartbreak and triumph combine to make a movie worth not just applause, but a standing ovation. Something about the interactions between characters, the plot, the time period and personal internal conflict can inspire viewers.

            My pick for the year, which will win an award, just not best picture, is Toy Story 3. Normally three-quels are box office and plot disasters waiting to happen, but this emotional story touched my heart. Kids my age grew up with Andy, Woody and Buzz. We were young when it was first released, we understood Jesse’s heartbreak of losing her kid when we were older, and we cried when Andy said goodbye to the best friends he had as a child. We fell in love with the friendship portrayed by the toys and their eternal devotion to their kid. So Toy Story 3, you have certainly got a friend in me.

            Enjoy the Oscars everyone, may your picks win, may your favorite stars end up on the best-dressed list and may the next year in movies be just as grand.