The Academy Awards were last night, and I will be the first to admit that a good amount of my predictions were actually incorrect, ranging from not so incorrect (Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz versus Phillip Seymour Hoffman) to terribly incorrect (Best Cinematography: Life of Pi won, contrary to my prediction of Django Unchained). However, this will not be an article focusing on the lesser Academy Awards, such as sound mixing, but rather the core group of three, Best Actor, Best Actress, and the ubiquitous Best Picture (I am eschewing other prestigious awards, such as Best Director and Best Screenplay, due to length concerns, despite the fact that I hold the recipients in the highest regard). Of course, they will not be presented in a series of rants that describe my pleasure or displeasure with the Academy's choices, but rather a series of in-depth critical analyses describing why the actors and films won the award, regardless of my position. I'll be sharing each volume in three days, beginning with Best Actress and concluding with Best Picture. First, here were the winners: Jennifer Lawrence won Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook, Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, and the winner for Best Picture was Argo. We'll begin with Best Actress. The nominees were Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Emmanuelle Riva (Amour), Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Naomi Watts (The Impossible), and of course the winner, Ms. Lawrence. Perhaps one of the most-hyped nominees was Ms. Wallis, who, at nine years old, is the youngest nominee for Best Actress in the history of the Academy Awards. While it is a proud moment for film historians, critics, and bloggers alike, it should be remembered that she is still but a child; a talented child, but a child nonetheless. She is not yet ready to compete with such high-caliber actresses like Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, and Naomi Watts. Then there was Ms. Riva, who was nominated for the French film Amour, which surprised critics and audiences alike by scoring a high amount of nominations for a foreign film, much like The Artist, last year's winner for Best Picture. However, Riva and Amour in general did not receive as much publicity as their American counterparts, which some might say is unfair. Of course, it should be expected, as the average filmgoer in the states doesn't care much for foreign films, unless the boast something incredible, such as the German Das Boot (one of the most expensive films ever made), or The Artist, which was a silent film, something oft unheard of in today's day and age (The Artist also boasted an adorable dog actor named Uggie. Everyone loves puppies). Jessica Chastain, despite starring in one of the most acclaimed films of the year, failed to secure the award, perhaps due to the character she portrayed. Yes, she was a shoo-in, but her character was a type of allegory for the United States post 9/11, which is a touchy subject within itself. While I applaud this trait, the award deserves to go to someone who plays a riveting character, not a symbol. That said, I really did expect Naomi Watts to be taken a little more seriously. In The Impossible, she plays the exact type of riveting, tragic woman that is so often Oscar-bait, but there is one small problem. She was playing a woman who is still alive, and this may have been a contributor. By playing a living human, you have a high standard to uphold, and so much as a single side-by-side interview may disrupt this delicate balance. It's not believable to have a blonde bombshell like Watts play a humble Spaniard woman who was scarred by a tsunami. Should Watts have taken an approach similar to a character actor, like Daniel Day-Lewis or Robert de Nero, she may have won the award. Now, Jennifer Lawrence was the riveting, tragic woman that the Academy was looking for. She played a recovering sex addict with deeper issues that truly committed herself to the performance. Her character, in some ways, reminded me of April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) of Parks and Recreation: facetious and deadpan, though Lawrence adds the emotional side masterfully. She even possessed incredible chemistry with costar Bradley Cooper. She is an incredible actress who should perform excellently in the future.
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