By: Mathew Rodgers, Staff Writer
The Oscars are approaching, and this year is just as exciting as any of the previous years. With a list of great movies to choose from, The Lions Pride is here to let you know what movies to watch out for and to place our bets on who we think will go home with an award.
One film that has a lot of buzz around it is the biographical sports drama Moneyball directed by Bennet Miller and starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. The movie details the account of the 2002 Oakland Athletics baseball team and how the general manager Billy Beane (Pitt) assembled a competitive team using statistics to overcome poor financial backing. This film is up for an academy award not only for Best Picture but also for Actor in a Leading Role (Brad Pitt) and Actor in a Supporting Role (Jonah Hill). Moneyball has also been nominated for the writing Adapted Screenplay category.
Another film to watch out for is The Help, which is a drama movie about Eugenia “Skeeter” Phillip and her relationship with her black maids, as she seeks to write a book from the viewpoint of help. The movie is set in the 1960s in Mississippi and details the racism that black Americans had to face during the civil rights era. The Help is not only up for Best Picture but also has a nomination for Actress in a Leading Role (Viola Davis) and Actress in a Supporting Role ( Jessica Chastain). It’s surprising to note that this movie was not nominated for Writing Adapted Screenplay, as it was originally a novel.
Also creating a bit of a buzz is The Artist, which is a silent film set in the 1920s. It details the careers of Peppy Miller and George Valentin. Miller accidentally bumps into film star George Valentin outside a film premier. The attention that the press gives Miller launches her career, while Valentin has to cope with the ushering in of films with sound and his worries that it may make him obsolete. The film is up for Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role ( Jean Durjardin) and Actress in a Supporting Role (Bérénice Bejo). The Artist is also nominated for an Oscar in Art Direction, Costume Design, Directing, Music (Original Score), and Writing (Original Screenplay). With all the buzz around The Artist, it is a safe bet that it will receive at least one, if not several Oscars.
The Tree of Life is another film up for multiple Oscars. It stars Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain. The film follows the journey of Jack (Penn) as he tries to reconcile his complicated relationship with his father Mr. O’Brien (Pitt). The Tree of Life is up for Best Picture, Cinematography, and Directing.
Other movies to watch out for are the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, starring Daniel Radcliff and Rooney Mara, which is up for multiple awards, including Actress in a Leading Role (Mara), Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing. The Descendants starring George Clooney is also up for several awards, including Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (Clooney), Directing, Film Editing, and Writing (Adapted Screenplay). Another one to watch is War Horse, which is up for Best Picture, Cinematography, Art Direction, Music (Original Score), Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the exciting movies that are up for nomination. In the end, it is a pretty safe bet that Moneyball and The Help are going to go home with an award and it would not be too big of surprise if The Artist received multiple awards as well. For more Oscar coverage and news of the winners, please check out The Lions Pride Twitter and Facebook page.
