Oscar Best Picture Winner 1961: The Apartment

BY: ORANGECHAIR

As should already be evident with these Oscar posts, I am going in no specific order or pattern. I have a list of all the Best Picture winners since the Oscar’s started and have been randomly choosing films off the list to watch. For this installment in this series of posts I chose the winning film from 1961, a film called The Apartment. Filmed in black and white and starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, I was skeptical about this film at first but found it to be one of the better films I have seen in the past couple of weeks.

My skepticisms in watching this film did not come from the fact that it was in black and white. My skepticism came from a dumb assumption I made before actually watching the film. Judging by the screenshots I had seen and by the description of the film, I assumed that it was an old romantic comedy, which aren’t always my favorite films. The Apartment taught me pretty quickly not to, pardon the cliché, judge a movie by its cover. Though the majority of the film did have a humorous, light-hearted feel, the movie touched on a number of fairly serious and dark topics.

The plot and drama of the film is fueled by the ambitious C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon), Buddy Boy for short, a man who does not want to become a nameless employee where he works. To climb the corporate ladder at his insurance company, C.C. Baxter allows four of his superiors to use his apartment as a place to enact their extramarital activities. In return, Baxter’s superiors all recommended Baxter for promotion where a fifth higher higher up begins to use the apartment as well. Ignoring the fact that his superiors are taking complete advantage of Baxter, making him leave his own apartment when they need to use it, the real drama enters the film when Baxter falls in love with one of the superior’s mistresses, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine).

Fran and Baxter both have their own plot lines that both converge and diverge multiple times. Both plot lines are incredibly depressing. Fran, who works as elevator operator in Baxter’s building, has fallen in love with the powerful and married Jeff D. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray) who also happens to be Baxter’s boss. Throughout the film, Fran has to deal with loving a man she must sneak around with and can never truly be with. After suffering endless heartache, Fran falls into such despair that she even attempts to take her own life.

While Fran is dealing with heartache, Baxter spends the film desperately trying to figure out how to stand up for himself. As his superiors continue to take advantage of him and the perks of climbing the corporate ladder do not trump sharing his apartment with five adulterers, Baxter starts to get fed up. Fighting to win Fran’s heart and keep his dignity at the same time, Baxter eventually finds a way to stand up for himself and be happy with his own life.

This film is full of great performances. Lemmon brings the eager to please yet inherently sad C.C. Baxter to life and MacLaine is absolutely charming as Miss Kubelik. The adulterous superiors are represented by a hilarious crew of fast talking actors including Ray Walston and David Lewis. Jack Druschen gives a hilarious performance as Doctor Dreyfus, Baxter’s judgmental and scolding neighbor. The film was directed by the extremely talented Billy Wilder, winning him Oscars for both Best Director and Best Writing. The film also won the 1961 Oscar for Best Picture beating out the Alamo, Elmer Gantry, Sons and Lovers and the Sundowners. I give this film a 9 out of 10. With great acting, directing and writing, this film made you care for the characters from beginning to end.

Looking to Oscar 2015- Despite Oscar Snub, Fincher Wins With Gone Girl

BY: ORANGECHAIR

Shocking, brilliant, disturbing, the list of adjectives that describe David Fincher’s most recent masterpiece, Gone Girl, could go on forever. It will be quite a challenge to write a review of this film without giving away one of its many spoilers but it is a promise that the following is a spoiler free review. Prior to seeing this film, I had almost no knowledge of the story so Gillian Flynn’s screenplay and Fincher’s camera walked me through this highly disturbing story for the first time.

The plot overview section of this review is going to be a little bit light because the twists show up quickly in the film and don’t stop. The story begins when Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) comes home to find his wife, Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), missing and evidence of a struggle in the living room. Nick immediately calls the cops and it does not take long for the media to turn its attention towards the case.  The case grows like wild fire as lead Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) attempts to determine if Nick Dunne killed his wife or if it was someone else, all while America constantly chimes in. The truth about the disappearance of Amy Dunne is only finally revealed as the film’s twisted plot unravels itself.

David Fincher’s directing style can be best described as dark and Gone Girl is certainly no exception. Only those with strong moral mind and, for one scene specifically, a strong stomach should attempt to view this film. Gillian Flynn, who wrote the novel the film is based on, wrote the screenplay filled with twisted and morally ambiguous characters. Coupled with Fincher’s directing, the two created a dark tale that searches the depths of the human soul. The story is written to keep the audience guessing the entire time and Fincher uses the camera to make the film a thriller. Each line delivered has the same effect as a villain jumping out of the shadows and each new piece of information uncovered is a suspenseful chase through an abandoned warehouse. The film is a masterpiece but like many cinematic masterpieces, it is not easy to watch.

This film was subject to one of the worst snub years in the 2015 Oscars. Earning only one nomination, the film deserved to be nominated in at least three other categories. Rosamund Pike holds the films only nomination, earning one for Best Actress. From what I’ve seen of the other nominees, Rosamund Pike has a legitimate shot at the Oscar. Her performance was unreal, bringing a very dark character to life. The film should have been given a nomination for Best Picture, David Fincher should have been nominated for Best Director and it could be argued that Gillian Flynn earned herself a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Beyond simply what was and what should have been nominated, the rest of the film was great. Ben Affleck played Nick Dunne perfectly, playing the character without letting the audience easily decide if he was a mourning husband or a deranged killer. Every character was well acted, including Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris in unique roles for the two actors. This is a 9 out of 10 film, one of the best of the year. It is unfortunate that the 2015 Oscar nominations do not reflect how great a film it is.

Looking to Oscar 2015: The Incredibly Unique Birdman

BY: ORANGECHAIR

Unique films are not always that easy to come by currently. So many films and television shows have done so much that often times walking out of a theater you can’t help but think that was really good but it reminded me of ______.  Alejandro Inarritu’s new film Birdman is about as unique as they come. A daring film that will make the audience think about it for weeks, Birdman should make some waves come Oscar time.

At its most basic level, Birdman is about Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton). Famous worldwide for playing comic book super hero Birdman in a film franchise, Riggan has decided he wants to be seen as more than just Birdman. Twenty years after the final Birdman film Riggan has decided to adapt a short story onto Broadway and to direct and star in the play. The film follows Riggan as he attempts to restart his career all while dealing with his just out of rehab daughter Sam Thompson (Emma Stone), pompous Broadway star Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), his best friend and lawyer Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and first time Broadway performer Lesley (Naomi Watts). To top it all off Riggan seems to be losing his mind. Birdman continuously talks to Riggan and often Riggan believes he can move things with his mind using his Birdman powers. There is even a sequence where Riggan flies around the city while a giant bird attacks, something that can only be assumed to have come straight out of Birdman. Riggan tries to keep his mind and struggles to survive while reinventing himself, leading up to one of the most shocking opening shows in Broadway history.

A blog post about this film could go on and on and on. The film was very dense, with every shot perfectly composed and each line expertly delivered. One of the most fascinating aspects of the film was director Inarritu’s technique in making the film look like one, continuous shot. The camera follows characters through hallways and through the streets of New York as they walk and talk. There are very few transitions in the film and even still most of them are continuous shots sped up to show the passing of time. This is one of those films that a screenshot of almost any scene could be dissected. Each line, each vase of flowers and each poster in the background helped to enhance the scene and the film as a whole. Audiences walk out of this film exhausted but in the most satisfying of ways, if you enjoy dissecting film and being sent of of the theater with your brain abuzz with what you just watched.

The end of this film is very bizarre in fact, I’m still not quite sure what happened. I have theories, I have ideas but I cannot say definitively how the film ended. I believe that was Inarritu’s intention. Was the film about a star trying to re brand himself or a mentally unstable man? I think the answer will be different for each audience member. If I was given a vote I would certainly vote for Inarritu to get a Best Director nomination and I would be surprised if the film was not nomination for Best Picture. I also would not be surprised if Michael Keaton or Edward Norton’s appeared on the Oscar ballot. Every aspect of this film was executed with near perfection but the most refreshing part of this film was its uniqueness. This is a 9 out of 10, certainly something that is worth the trip to the theaters.

Looking to Oscar 2015: Don’t Worry, Frank Has a Certificate

BY: ORANGECHAIR

Throwing this film under the looking to Oscar 2015 is most likely wishful thinking but this film was so well done I really think it deserves a nomination. The odd story of an eclectic group of people who have come together to form a band, Frank was unlike anything I have ever seen. Bitingly funny and stuffed full of emotion, the film keeps the audience thinking and studying the human mind until the very end.

An argument can be made that there is no way to determine who the main character of this film is. As the film opens we are introduced to Jon Burroughs (Domhall Gleeson), a young aspiring musician who is constantly creating music in his mind. An odd series of events leads to Jon playing a gig with a band he has never met before called the Soronprfbs. Led by the eclectic Frank (Michael Fassbender), a man who never removes a paper mache head, Jon joins the band and heads to a cabin where they stay for months recording an album. As Jon works with the band and tries to help them grow, he learns that there is more to every member of the band than meets the eye and that sometimes things are more about the music than the fame.

This hour and a half film manages to take the audience through a roller coaster of emotions multiple times as the layers of the mentally wounded Frank are pulled back and studied. While Frank is the musical inspiration for the band, it is run by two very important people. The first is manager Don (Scoot McNairy) and the other is Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is the one that keeps Frank under control. Throughout the course of the film Jon fails to see how delicate Frank and the balance of the band is, pushing Frank and causing disastrous results. Each time Frank is pushed, more and more becomes clear about the man who refuses to show his face to the world and more and more is revealed about what the band actually is.

I thought this film was good enough to receive a nomination for Best Picture but I am not sure that will happen. The directing was well done, the writing was unique and clever and the acting was outstanding. Michael Fassbender should be at least considered for Best Actor though a nomination for him could bring up some interesting discussions considering his voice does most of the work, not his face. Overall this is a 9 out of 10 film for me, a film that I could only think about watching again once it was done.

Oscar Best Picture Winner 1932: The Grand Hotel

BY: ORANGECHAIR
We are travelling back to 1932 today to take a look at the fourth film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. The film is titled Grand Hotel and features some of the biggest names in classic cinema. For a lot of people that probably isn’t a big deal but for me it was the first time I have seen some of these actors and actresses. This was the first time I had witnessed the talents of Gretta Garbo, Joan Crawford or John Barrymore. This film was fantastic; it is a shining example of good cinema.

The entire film takes place in one building, the Grand Hotel in Berlin. The story begins by introducing six different characters with six different stories and then allowing those stories to intertwine and interact. At the start and end of the film, one of the characters referred to as the Doctor gives us the famous quote “The Grand Hotel….always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever happens.” Though it does not come to light until the film’s end this quote serves as the entire film’s structure. The film opens with a car pulling up to the Grand Hotel followed by a voice over from character chronicling their motive for staying at the hotel.

• Grusenskaya (Greta Garbo)- a famous ballet dancer in town for a number of different shows. A temperamental dancer who seems to be losing her appeal with the public, Gru is generally not happy. After a dance, she finds the Baron hiding in her room and though he admits to trying to steal her pearls, the two fall madly in love and plan on running away together.

• The Baron (John Barrymore)- The Baron has been sent to the Grand Hotel to steal Gru’s pearls. An extremely charming character, the Baron befriends nearly everyone he meets including Mr. Kringelein and Flae. After instantly falling for Gru, the Baron abandons his quest to steal her pearls and embarks on a quest to gain enough money to run away with her through cons and thievery. Though he is a thief and a con artist, the Baron has a conscious and does not con good people like poor Mr. Kringelein out of their money (during the course of the film at least). The Baron ends up attempting to steal from General Director Preysing resulting in disaster for both of them.

• General Director Preysing (Wallace Berry)- owner of a large textile company, Preysing is desperately trying to merge his company with another. The only way the merger will go through is if Preysing gets the business of yet another company. Hiring Flaemmche to compose messages for him, Preysing desperately tries to get the company’s business as well as make the merger go through.

• Mr. Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore)- a man who has worked in Preysing’s textile factory and saved money all his life, Mr. K has recently found out only has weeks to live. Dead set on living as lavishly as possible for the rest of his short life, Mr. K is going out in style by spending the rest of his money at the expensive Grand Hotel. A simple man, Mr. K befriends the Baron and Flaemmche, not believing that someone as sophisticated as the Baron or as beatufiul as Flaemmche would ever like him. Mr. K is, in my opinion, the best character in the film. Lovable and happy just to live the rest of his life in happiness and around people, Mr. K’s happiness seems to permeate and infect most of the characters he interacts with in the film.

• Flaemmche (Joan Crawford)- a young woman trying to get by, Flaemmche jumps at the chance to type for Preysing and to be put up at the Grand Hotel. Spending her free time living it up in the lavish hotel, Flaemmche meets both the Baron and Mr. K. Beocming a friend to both and helping the Baron with his problems, Flaemmche ends the film trying to help Mr. K live the life he deserves.

Overall I found this film to be wonderfully enjoyable. The acting was outstanding, introducing me to some fabulous actors and actress I have never before seen on screen. The directing was a prime example of classic directing. Edmund Golding played with shot composition, shadows, light and camera angles to tell a story with the camera as well as dialogue. After explaining the role each chatacter has in the film, you may think I was crazy to say the Doctor’s quote describes the film. As the film ends, all the characters leave the Grand Hotel to go on whatever new adventures they have in place or face whatever consequences await them. As the characters leave, another car drives up and a whole new group of characters enter the hotel, prompting the Doctor to repeat the same quote. Nothing ever happens to the Grand Hotel, it just continues to house different guests, spit them out and then house more. I give this film a 9 out of 10. It easily proves that one shouldn’t jump to judge a film just because it is old. In fact, this film was better than some of the recent Oscar Best Picture winners that I have seen.