New Review: The Way Back

Scar Trek

Peter Weir is a filmmaker that still exists in another generation. He’s the type of guy who makes the films that were present decades ago, where epic filmmaking and grand vistas filled the frame and the focus was not on detailed storytelling but rather intimate character moments. That type of genre-free filmmaking is all but gone, and while I don’t necessarily weep at its demise, it is comforting to see such filmmakers try to harken back to that old style, for better or worse. Weir and a collection of very talented people come together for a project that, unfortunately, delivers a bit more on the latter than the former.

World War II has just broken out, and Europe is being savaged by the Germans to the west and the Russians to the east. Janusz (Jim Sturgess) is a polish citizen fallen victim to trumped-up conspiracy charges and is sentenced to twenty years in Siberia. His will and determination leads to him and a small band of other prisoners to escape and eventually make a 4,000 mile journey to the north of India. Included on the trip are a crackly old American known only as Mister Smith (Ed Harris), a Russian thug (Colin Farrell), and an abandoned girl (Saorsie Ronan) who meets them during their very long walk.

Weir is a man who knows what he’s doing, and there isn’t one place where I doubt his masterful skill as a director. He knows how well to shoot such epic material, and it’s nice to see him harken back to a style that is quickly vanishing. He suffers from some pacing problems, particularly toward the end, but he crafts a portrait that knows how to be grand and intimate in the right spots. However, the screenplay by Weir and co-writer Somebody offers very little beyond the first act and has characters that simply wallow on the screen. Very little is given to characters not played by big stars, and it is to the film’s detriment. An emotional connection is hard to find in people that are quite expendable, causing much of the back half of the movie to drag on nearly to the point of unbearableness.

The ensemble is nicely fashioned, though Sturgess, a reliable actor in anything he does, is somewhat of an uncharismatic lead. He does his best to anchor the film, but as the center upon which everything else is built upon, he hardly shows enough to be taken seriously in the lead. Among the supporting players, I’m split. Harris is great, but he’d be better if he wasn’t saddled with such a subdued character whose emotional revelation didn’t feel like a forced trick at the end. I like Farrell’s charm and dedication to his role, but his hammy accent gets in the way of becoming lost in the character. Ronan barely registers in a limited role, and of the four interchangeable other escapees, only Dragos Bucor as a joker named Zoran stands out with some light humor that brings the film out of its melancholy state of mind.

In the end, this is one of those movies that you tend to respect and appreciate more than you actually like. The performances are good and the direction feels solid, particularly in a strong first act, but it never really maintains that energy all the way through, and as the story drags and the characters deflate, we’re left with gorgeous imagery that does little else to stimulate the intellect. It’s a noble effort for sure, but if Weir was intending this as a persuasive essay to bring back an old style of filmmaking, this is not one of the strongest arguments.

B-

Final Oscar Nominations Predictions: Best Picture

Best Picture (Predicted 10)

Black Swan

It’s a love-it-or-hate-it film, but there’s enough love to push it into the spotlight. A nomination is more than likely assured.

The Fighter

A rousing crowd pleaser that has front-runner status in the supporting acting categories. It’s in.

Inception

Let’s not kid ourselves: the whole reason we have ten Best Picture nominees is because of The Dark Knight. Even if Nolan miraculously gets snubbed, the film is making the cut here.

The Kids Are All Right

The delightful little indie that has waves of support, particularly from the actors. A sure bet that is probably getting in.

The King’s Speech

For the nomination, this is a cake walk. It’s fighting really hard to steal some buzz away from the frontrunner.

The Social Network

The one to beat at the moment, particularly because it’s been winning everything. It’s cozying up to take the top prize.

The Town

It’s been a critical and financial success, but, more importantly, it’s been an industry success. Affleck and the cast are good, and it’s the type of film that supposedly opening the field was supposed to honor.

Toy Story 3

Pixar got in last year, and going in with the best reviewed film of the year will probably pay off. That win that Disney wants is probably out of reach, but the nomination isn’t an issue.

True Grit

People everywhere love this movie. It’s a late bloomer that’s making a significant impact. They were here last year for a film that hardly anyone saw, so I’d imagine getting invited back is a no brainer.

Winter’s Bone

The buzz isn’t what it used to be, but I think there’s still enough industry support to push the film over the edge. I think it will pay off.

Alts.

127 Hours

The buzz for this film is an up and down roller coaster. It started strong, then it dipped, then it rose up again with mentions from the Producers and Writers guild, then it dipped back down when it missed other guild support. With all of that, and the fact that the Slumdog Millionaire mega-success was only two years ago, will probably mean that Danny Boyle will be left on the sidelines this time. Franco’s nomination will probably be the film’s consolation prize. Still, there are a couple of soft spots in the lineup, so it could very well get mentioned.

Blue Valentine

This is a longshot, I know. However, people are just discovering this movie, and the people who love it, really, REALLY love it. That’s the kind of support that helps smaller films get pushed into the spotlight. With Harvey Weinstein behind the project, that means a lot in terms of its broad awards potential. There’s not a general sweep of acclaim, as some are not willing to embrace the film entirely, but it remains a possibility. It’s not likely, but if there’s a surprise in the Best Picture lineup, this might be it.

Final Oscar Nominations Predictions: Best Director

Best Director (Predicted 5)

Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan

I thought he’d be here for The Wrestler and he was snubbed. This time around he’s got a much more celebrated support with solid industry support. He’s on track for his first nomination.

David O. Russell - The Fighter

It seemed like he was a longshot at first, but nabbing both a Golden Globe and DGA nomination means a lot more than his infamous reputation within the business. The movie’s riding high, and he’ll probably make the cut.

Christopher Nolan - Inception

It's been well established that The Dark Knight has created more influence than it probably should have, and Nolan is to thank for that. To leave him off this time, in spite of all the support from the precursors in such a “director’s” piece, would be a severe mistake.

Tom Hooper - The King’s Speech

He’s credited for making the film feel less dry than this material normally would be. He won’t win, but a nomination is a pretty safe bet.

David Fincher - The Social Network

Nothing to worry about for the nomination. He will more than likely win this award next month.

Alt.

Joel and Ethan Coen - True Grit

True Grit is making a last minute surge in popularity, and it’s probably going to pay off in many categories. However, I’m not as sure about this category as I once was. The directing duo has tons of industry support, but often times I think people are more quickly ready to reward their stories rather than their directing, even though both are highly revered. In this case, I can see the Academy snubbing them in response to rewarding a first-timer like Russell, Hooper or Aronofsky. Still, they could replace any of them, or repeat themselves and snub Nolan again (ugh). Their film will have a lot of success, but I’m not thinking it will be in this category.

Final Oscar Nominations Predictions: Best Actress & Best Actor

Best Actress (Predicted 5)

Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right

She's a veteran who is working that angle very much to position a possible upset. She's beloved, the film's beloved, and a nomination is almost assured.

Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole

She's been holding on well throughout all the major precursers, and it's likely that she'll make the cut. It's a performance from her than many are willing to reward this time around.

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone

She's no longer in the strong position she once was when the film debuted this past summer, but she's still got a lot of passionate support. Even if the film doesn't make the cut, she's in.

Natalie Portman - Black Swan

The nomination is no problem right now. She's the frontrunner to win this award, and her name is going to be called; no question.

Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Very much a longshot at this point, but her performance and the film has got a lot of support, and much of it is from a passionate place. I can see her being the representative for her tiny film.

Alt.

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

The support for this girl is off the charts, and a lot of people want to nominate her. However, some people would prefer to see her in this category rather than Supporting Actress where the campaign has placed her. That dissent has reached a lot of people's ears, and it might be enough to bump Williams from that fifth slot. It's likely Steinfeld will get a nomination, but it's unclear exactly where she'll show up.

Best Actor (Predicted 5)

Jeff Bridges - True Grit

He's the man about town right now, and people are really liking his performance in a very good movie. Even with the Oscar from last year, he's in the position to be invited back once again.

Robert Duvall - Get Low

Not a sure bet at this point, but he's an industry favorite who finally has a performance that is worth nominating. People like him and will probably reward him for it.

Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network

The film shows up everywhere, and Eisenberg is right along with it. Earning the SAG nomination shows how much support he has and will lead to his first nomination.

Colin Firth - The King's Speech

Another veteran from last year's ceremony, except this time he's the frontrunner. A nomination is assured; all that is left is to see if he'll win it in next month.

James Franco - 127 Hours

Yet another person whose nomination is locked in the bag. In fact, had he not taken the consolation prize of hosting the event, he might have been in a better position to upset. Anyway, expect his name to be called.

Alt.

Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine

The "little movie that could" of the year is catching on with many people. Gosling's name hasn't shown up on every ballot, but he and Williams are constantly being mentioned in the wind. It's a deserving performance, as many agree, but the problem is that there are many worthy performances in this category. If he gets snubbed, it isn't a matter of unworthiness, it'll be not enough spaces. I think he missed one two many honors to make the cut, but he could very well replace some like Duvall, or even Bridges and Eisenberg.

Final Oscar Nominations Predictions: Best Supporting Actress & Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress (Predicted 5)

Amy Adams - The Fighter

The film itself is gaining a lot of momentum lately, and she's right there with it. The right precursors and a lovely personality has helped her before, and I expect it to pay off once again.

Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech

She's the weakest link in the ensemble, but she's competing in an incredibly weak category this year. She's riding on the coattailes of the film, and she'll likely earn her second nomination.

Mila Kunis - Black Swan

She was a bit of a longshot at first, but nominations at the Critic's Choice, Golden Globe and especially the SAG Awards speaks volumes to support she has. It's a safe bet she'll make the cut.

Melissa Leo - The Fighter

The arguable frontrunner in this race, taking most of the major critics honors, as well as the recent Golden Globe. It'd be a big shocker if she's snubbed, and given this Oscar race, that's very unlikely.

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

This one's stricky because Steinfeld is in a heated category placement debate. While she's getting a lot of support in the Best Actress race, she's more likely to make a stand here, and if so, she may be a possible upset.

Alt.

Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

There's a battle for the last spot in this category, all based on which category Steinfled gets nominated in. If she gets in the other one, then it's up to Weaver or Manville. Both have a strong, passionate support base, but Weaver's got the memorable villain role going for her. There's not a whole lot of wiggle room in this category, but if Steinfeld gets an upgrade, then she's might have a well-deserved nomination.

Best Supporting Actor (Predicted 5)

Christian Bale - The Fighter

An incredible performance that has no question of getting nominated. Bale has that step in the bag. Now it's just a matter if he can win the award.

Andrew Garfield - The Social Network

The SAG snub really stunted his buzz, but I still think he's going to make the cut. His film is still riding high, and if all else fails, the coattailes will rally him to the frontlines. He's definitely one of the weaker nominees, but I still have faith.

Jeremy Renner - The Town

This category has had a habit of rewarding memorable screen villains, and he certainly fits the profile. Plus, the film was a significant industry hit and he's got alot of goodwill left over from his nomination from The Hurt Locker.

Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right

He's got a lot of respect in the industry, and he's in a well-respected film. Add to it that he's always been mentioned as someone who has deserved to be here many times before.

Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

A charming actor in a charming role. The film is far too beloved to have him be left off, and he remains a (distant) upset for Bale to win the Oscar.

Alt.

John Hawkes - Winter's Bone

He's been popping up in a lot of precursers lately, and having been working as a reliable character actor in the business for a while gives him an edge over some of his competition. The film had a surge of buzz, but lately it's been faltering a bit. Still, he's a credible contender, and could very well take Garfield's place. I'm thinking he might just miss the cut, but he's a name to keep in mind.