Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher

My biggest fear about what this Rom Com would do to Natalie Portman’s chances for an Oscar nomination, or win, has been waylaid, she can do comedy with the same skills she displays in drama. In “No Strings Attached” she’s teamed with Ashton Kutcher, (or, as Ricky Gervais might refer to him, son of Bruce Willis) who shows an adept comedic skill as well. Ivan Reitman (“Stripes”, “Ghostbusters”) is at the helm, and brings his considerable winning track record to the proceedings. Adam ( Kutchner) and Emma (Portman) are are lifelong friends who, after having sex decide, mostly because of Emma’s fear of commitment, to make it a strictly “friends with benefits” arrangement ( watch for the upcoming romantic comedy, “Friends with Benefits”, featuring Justin Timberlake and Portman’s imagined bed mate in “Black Swan”, Mila Kunis, oh what a tangled web Hollywood weaves).

Reitman gets considerable mileage out of the supporting cast, including Emma’s friends Shira ( Mindy Kraling from “The Office”), Patrice (mumblecore darling Greta Gerwig), and also Olivia Thirlby (Juno) as Emma’s lovely, and in love, sister,Katie. Likewise, Adam’s pals include funny turns by rapper/actor Ludicris, and Jake Johnson.

Rated R

My GPA: 3.2

Ron Howard directs comedy again with Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly  and Winona Ryder in “The Dilemma”. Ronnie (Vaughn) and Nick (James) are paired as business partners and best friends. Ronnie sees Nick’s wife (Ryder) cheating with another guy ( a sleazy Channing Tatum). The dilemma is whether or not Ronnie should tell his friend. Meanwhile , Ronnie has commitment issues with his girlfriend (Connelly). The comedy is very good since it revolves around Vince Vaughn’s skill as a fast talker. Nobody does this better, although Kevin James hangs right in there. The surprise is that, aside from the silly moments, there are some surprisingly good dramatic turns by all involved. There’s a subplot about the two guys trying to win a big contract with Dodge which gives a few good moments to Queen Latifah as a crass auto executive.

Sue Scott, Vince Vaughn, Tim Russell at the Minnesota State Fair PHC Show

I met Vince Vaughn a couple of times backstage at “A Prairie Home Companion” (he came to the show with his friend Peter Billingsly-that’s right, Ralphie! Now a successful producer/director.) and he couldn’t have been a nicer guy and yes, he talks that fast all the time. Rated  PG-13, my GPA rating is 3.2

Vince Vaughn, Peter Billingsly, Martin Sheen at The Greek Theater PHC Show in LA

This is always a difficult task but it comes with the territory. There are lots of small films that deserve attention but unless you live in “selected cities” you may not get a chance to see them in theaters. In Minneapolis/St. Paul we are blessed with a number of theaters that exhibit some of the most talked about films of the year in spite of the small box office numbers they generate. Thank you Landmark Theaters and The Film Society of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Here are my top 10 film choices fro the past year with some honorable mentions thrown in at the end.

“The King’s Speech”. Colin Firth will win the Oscar for his portrayal of the stammering King George VI. I predict nominations for Geoffrey Rush, as speech therapist Lionel Logue, and Helena Bonham Carter, as the kings wife, in the supporting actor category as well.

“Toy Story 3″. Here’s a film that outshines it’s predecessors in the series with brilliant 3D animation , terrific script, and a real sense of heartfelt emotion and heart stopping action. If any animated film could win the Best Picture Oscar, this would be the one.

“The Social Network”. Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher deliver a fascinating character study with the story of Facebook’s inception. Special notice to Armie Hammer who played both “Winklevi”, the litigious Winklevoss Twins, with such skill.

“Winter’s Bone”. This is one of those small films that sticks with you through the year. The story of a 17 year-old girl struggling to keep her house and protect her young siblings against tremendous odds. Jennifer Lawrence will get a Best Actress Oscar nomination for a gutsy, brilliant performance.

“The Fighter”. Christian Bale is once again amazing, watch for a Best Supporting Actor battle with Geoffrey Rush, as Dickie Ward in this true story about a scrappy boxer, Mickey Ward, played by the reliable Mark Wahlberg. More nominations possible for Melissa Leo (Frozen River) as the Matriarch of the squabbling Boston Ward Clan, and Amy Adams, playing an anything but “Enchanted” blue collar barkeep.

“127 Hours”. Oscar nod for James Franco for his portrayal of Aron Ralston, the hiker who amputated his own arm. Franco and director Danny Boyle keep us tuned and fascinated during this essentially one man show with great storytelling skill.

“Black Swan”. I predict Natalie Portman will win the Best Actress Oscar  for her role as ballet dancer Nina Sayers in the psychological thriller from film maker Darren Aronofsky ( The Wrestler). The film is way over the top, but in a good way. Mila Kunis (forgetting Sarah Marshall) will get some Best Supporting Actor attention with her performance as well.

“True Grit”. The Coen Brothers have taken the Charles Portis novel, made famous in 1969 by John Wayne’s version of the character Reuban “Rooster ” Cogburn, de-Hollywoodized it, and delivered a truly gritty Western, thanks to Oscar worthy performances by Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) and newcomer, 14 year old Hailee Steinfeld.

“Restrepo”. This documentary is a must see for all who wonder about the challenges facing our volunteer forces in Afghanistan. A harrowing inside look about our “boots on the ground “protecting an outpost in the most hostile environment imaginable.

“Inside Job”. A fascinating, ultimately depressing, documentary from Charles H. Ferguson detailing the financial crisis of 2008. The depressing part is that apparently the corporate foxes are still in charge of the Wall Street henhouse. A fine companion piece to the 2003 documentary “The Corporation”, which questions the status of the corporation as a “person” with an often pathological behavior pattern.

Honorable mention goes to:

“The Square”. An Aussie import with a Coen Brother’s vibe. A Noir thriller about the dangers of infidelity and greed crossing paths.

“The Kids Are Alright”.  A film about family, an unusual family at that. Annette Bening will get a much deserved Oscar nomination for her part as partner of Julianne Moore’s character, each giving birth to a child thanks to an anonymous sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo) who enters the picture when the kids come of age.

“Rabbit Hole”. I think Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart both deserve Oscar consideration. They are terrific as a couple deeply affected by the loss of their 4 year old son. It’s a film of heartbreak and redemption that avoids easy answers.

“Tangled”. This is another worthy use of 3D technology. Brilliant animation and a fine musical score updating the Rapunzel tale with humor. Look for this fine Disney offering to become a Broadway Musical.

Looking forward to more fine films in 2011.

THE KING’S SPEECH

Here’s your first choice for a great Holiday (Oscar Nominations under the tree) film. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are sure Oscar nominees for Best and Supporting Actor respectively, and the film will get a Best Picture nod as well. It’s the story of George VI, known too his family as “Bertie” (Firth), a stammerer lost in the shadow of his older brother Edward the VIII ( Guy Pearce), a monarch who abdicated the throne to be with the woman he loves, divorcee Wallace Simpson (Eve Best). How will Bertie the new monarch inspire his subjects on the eve of World War II with his debilitating speech problem? Commoner Aussie Lionel Logue, a speech therapist with practical theories zeroes in on the underlying causes of Bertie’s issues and becomes a true friend, overcoming the obvious class distinctions, though not without a few bumps in the road. Helena Bonham Carter shines as the future Queen Mother, but the chemistry between Firth and Rush and the skill with which director Tom Hooper and writer David Seidler deliver the story, makes this the top Holiday choice this year. Rated R for some “Anglo-Saxonisms”.

GPA 4.0

TRUE GRIT

The Coen Brothers, the pride of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, have done it again, turning a fine piece of literature into an excellent film (see “No Country for Old Men”), and once again they deserve a Best Picture Oscar nomination for their effort (hey, Golden Globes, “The Tourist”, seriously?). Jeff Bridges out-bads Bad Blake (Crazy Heart) as the gritty Marshall Rooster Cogburn, and should pick up another Best Actor Nomination, but the performance of the film belongs to 14 year old Hailee Steinfeld. She delivers the formal language of the novel’s author, Charles Portis, with skill way beyond her years as the prim yet feisty Mattie Ross. I just saw the John Wayne version of “True Grit” the other night on TCM and was surprised at how close to the story and script it is to this newer version. The big difference is the Coen Brothers have taken the Hokey Hollywood style, National Park landscapes, Glen Campbell’s helmet hairdo, and oppressive musical score, and replaced it with a planet more in tune with the grittier West as it must have been, thanks to long time collaborators like cinematographer Roger Deakins, and the scoring of Carter Burwell. Matt Damon takes on the role of Texas Ranger LaBoeuf with his usual flair, and Josh Brolin is fine as the dim-witted Tom Chaney, the man who killed Mattie’s father and sets off her laser focused search for Old Testament revenge. An almost unrecognizable Barry Pepper plays “Lucky” Ned Pepper, Chaney’s gang leader ( played by Robert Duval in the first film) in a memorable turn. “The Coen Bothers bookend the main story line with the comments of Mattie as an adult woman (Elizabeth Marvel), a nice device and improvement over the 1969 film. Rated PG13 for intense violence and disturbing images.

GPA 4.0

PS. I eagerly await the Coen Brothers entry into the Procedural Crime Solving genre with “Detective #1″, the story of an underpaid and under-appreciated gumshoe, a balding, dour veteran of the police force, the kind of role done with such great skill by, let’s see, Richard Jenkins?, no…ME! (see “A Serious Man”, and don’t blink).

I give it a 3.8 GPA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdNiXidfLcc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=odTJd0VYI4o

Harry Smith joins Sue Scott and Tim Russell on PHC

This past weekend Harry Smith of the CBS “Early Morning Show” joined the “Royal Academy Of Radio Acting” for a night. He performed flawlessly in “The Lives of the Cowboys”, even warbling a cowboy tune.  He also negotiated through a script replete with tongue twisters and the word Piscacadawadaquadimoggin.

Why would he subject himself to such treatment? It fulfills an opportunity to check off an item on a “Bucket List” of dream jobs he created for the “Early Morning Show”. His adventure will be told on that CBS show Thursday morning, October 29th.

Harry was a great guest and his film crew and producer Eric couldn’t have been nicer.

We started a new season of “A Prairie Home Companion” this Saturday an amazing performance by Garrison Keillor. Just three weeks after suffering a “minor” stroke he was in charge and in control, both for the first show, and the street dance, which traditionally follows the opening show each season at the Fitzgerald Theater.

Sam Bush and his band, newcomer singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz, and singers Andra Suchy and Connie Evingson all performed.

Later Saturday night, I attended the cast and crew screening of  “ A Serious Man”, the newest Coen Brothers film opening next weekend. It is terrific, thought provoking, and hysterical at the same time. I predict a Best Picture nomination for the brothers again this year, in spite of my appearance in the film as “Detective#1”. (Watch for me at the :48 second mark in the movie’s trailer).

I introduced my self to Joel Coen and he was most gracious about my participation. Before the 9pm VIP screening I introduced Lucinda Williams, the head of the Minnesota Film and TV Board.

How lucky is it to have survived the cutting room floor in films by Robert Altman and the Coen Brothers?