Longshot Shoutout (2011)

With the Oscar nominations coming tomorrow morning, I take this as an opportunity to give a mention to some films and performances that have little to no chance at being nominated, but would thrill me if their names were called. It’s a little good luck tradition that I’ve started, as usually one of my mentions manages to sneak in surprisingly. I’m not expecting it this year, though, but here it goes anyway.


Best Picture: Weekend
Absolutely no chance at getting nominated for this award, but it would thrill me to no end if it did. This movie affected me on an emotional level like very few films did this year, sporting wonderful performances from leads Tom Cullen and Chris New, and writer-director Andrew Haigh crafts just a beautifully heartbreaking love story. It’s one of the finest achievements of the year.

Best Director: Lynn Ramsay - We Need to Talk About Kevin
I could grab all five directors from my lineup, as none of them have a real chance at being nominated, but even though Nicolas Winding Refn would be my winner in this category, the way that Ramsay was able to assemble this unnerving psychological piece was an achievement that has gone unsung by too many. It is by her efforts that this film is as affecting as it is, and it is a directors’ piece if there ever was one. Sadly her name probably won’t be called.

Best Actor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50
The only performance of the year that managed to make me weep. Gordon-Levitt is a great actor who was been great in pretty much anything he does, and this is another example. The way he juggles all the emotional shifts in his character feel real, and he is one of the main reasons why the film succeeds so well. He makes you laugh and cry, sometimes at once, and I do hope there are a few others out there who have been taken in by his performance as I have.

Best Actress: Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
While I had my fair share of problems with this Sundance hit, the one thing I did think was truly marvelous was Olsen’s performance. It’s an outstanding debut, and she manages to maintain that thread of mystery throughout the entire film. There’s always a hint of complexity going on with her character, and even when stretched to the breaking point. It’s a case of liking a performance more than a movie, which sometimes is enough to deem someone Oscar worthy.

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Parks - Red State
Talk about longshots. He has absolutely no chance, but I would jump for joy if if his name were called. It’s a terrific, menacing performance that truthfully is used to doing well in this category. Unfortunately it’s a Kevin Smith film with no campaign money so it’s dead in the water. Too bad, because Parks is riveting and totally engaging as the murderous preacher who commands the film in every scene he’s in. For a film that is most of the time saved by the ensemble, he’s the best part of it.

Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston - 50/50
While I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the film, a part of me would be even happier if Huston managed to sneak in as well, which I think could be a distinct possibility. She’s devastating in this role, never taking the easy path of the grieving mother. There are a few deeper elements to her character as well, and Huston sells it with so much authenticity. The scenes between mother and son are some of the most tragic in the film. It would thrill me if she got a nod.

Best Original Screenplay: Weekend
I go to the bat once again for Weekend, as it is a film that is built upon its incredibly rich screenplay. I’ve spoken enough about Andrew Haigh’s screenplay for the film, which creates a rich world that keeps the audience invested in the relationship between these two characters. Their revelations about the situations around them feel profound and honest. Sometimes a screenplay mention is a saving grace for a film, not that I expect that to happen.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
This one is a little bit out there for a mention, because I am actually predicting it to get a nomination. However, of all the films I am predicting, this one is one the weakest terms. It shouldn’t be, because it is a layered story that tells it at a slow and steady pace. It’s detailed and intricate, and manages to slowly pull back the shades until it gets to a great reveal at the end. This might be the only mention among all my shoutouts that manages to sneak in, and I’d be fine with that.

There it is. All will be answered in the morning.