2015 Academy Awards

[Owain Taggart]

I thought it was good, not great, and I knew the story going in, which was an important one to tell. Chiefly, I think it was down to the acting and the directing. There was little dramatic tension, not very much chemistry between the actors. It was almost as if the acting was too calculated, and at times even felt forced rather than natural. The pacing also felt off, and a little disjointed given how straightforward a story it actually was.

That said though, I wish we had actually seen more of Bletchley Park. As an important historical location, I was disappointed at how little we had actually seen of it given its importance. We didn't see very much of the process behind it. Remember, Keira's character is, for the sake of the project, hired on as secretary to protect her real identity within the project. That's analogous to the other bunch of people hired on when the war was actually going on, with many others doing the same thing, and transcribing those solved codes, and it was very much a busy hub of activity. They were also considered 'computers', and a very important aspect of winning the war. The fact that they hardly showed any of that was a disappointment to me. As important as Turing's machine was to the war, it was only one part of the larger program at work. Bletchley Park also was looking far too empty looking in the way it was presented in the movie. Where's everyone else working under them?

 

[EnriqueH]

I thought it was good, not great, and I knew the story going in, which was an important one to tell. Chiefly, I think it was down to the acting and the directing. There was little dramatic tension, not very much chemistry between the actors. It was almost as if the acting was too calculated, and at times even felt forced rather than natural. The pacing also felt off, and a little disjointed given how straightforward a story it actually was.

Yeah, it was as if the movie went out of its way to be complicated or dull at first.

I'll give this to the film: I feel as if I should watch it again. But then I feel a better movie would've hooked me and expressed its themes more cohesively. Instead, I feel like the audience stumbles upon the themes. It just comes out of nowhere.

I agree with you though: By the end, I'm glad the story got told and that the nomination means more people will know about it.

 

[EnriqueH]

Ok, so I just saw Whiplash.

I probably need some more time to digest it, but here are my thoughts:

Stunning and absorbing.

Great performance by the two leads.

I went into this film "cold" too, just knowing about the nominations and that J.K. Simmons was in the cast, but NOTHING about the story.

I've always liked Jazz, and loved the soundtrack, but I'm surprised how much power this story has despite its simplicity.

I don't want to build it up, (I'm seeing it after some hype myself), but it is a powerful story.

I'm not going to rank it against American Sniper or Grand Budapest yet, but I definitely liked it more than The Imitation Game.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, it was as if the movie went out of its way to be complicated or dull at first.

I wouldn't even say it was all that complicated. It just lacked pull.

I'll give this to the film: I feel as if I should watch it again. But then I feel a better movie would've hooked me and expressed its themes more cohesively. Instead, I feel like the audience stumbles upon the themes. It just comes out of nowhere.

Again, that's likely down to the directing of the subject material and how that was presented, because the story itself is a fascinating one that should have been more gripping. If you'd like to know more on the subject, I can highly recommend the book it's based on. And in terms of historical fiction, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon features Alan Turing as one of the primary characters. One of my favourite books.

I agree with you though: By the end, I'm glad the story got told and that the nomination means more people will know about it.

Yeah, I'm glad Alan Turing finally got the recognition and pardon. There've been many movies about codebreaking, but none about the man himself.

 

[EnriqueH]

Yeah, it was as if the movie went out of its way to be complicated or dull at first.

I wouldn't even say it was all that complicated. It just lacked pull.

I'll give this to the film: I feel as if I should watch it again. But then I feel a better movie would've hooked me and expressed its themes more cohesively. Instead, I feel like the audience stumbles upon the themes. It just comes out of nowhere.

Again, that's likely down to the directing of the subject material and how that was presented, because the story itself is a fascinating one that should have been more gripping. If you'd like to know more on the subject, I can highly recommend the book it's based on. And in terms of historical fiction, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon features Alan Turing as one of the primary characters. One of my favourite books.

I agree with you though: By the end, I'm glad the story got told and that the nomination means more people will know about it.

Yeah, I'm glad Alan Turing finally got the recognition and pardon. There've been many movies about codebreaking, but none about the man himself.

Yeah, "complicated" is not the right word.

I like how you put it: "lacked pull".

 

[cardinal biggles]

I also saw Imitation Game recently, and had much the same reaction -- excellent performances, especially from Cumberbatch -- but the film did little to raise itself above your run-of-the-mill Oscar-bait biopic.

 

[SPCTRE]

I know I'll be rooting for Guardians

 

[EnriqueH]

If only WHIPLASH's Terrence Fletcher could host the Oscars.

Niiiice.

 

[tomalak301]

Ok, so I just saw Whiplash.

I probably need some more time to digest it, but here are my thoughts:

Stunning and absorbing.

Great performance by the two leads.

I went into this film "cold" too, just knowing about the nominations and that J.K. Simmons was in the cast, but NOTHING about the story.

I've always liked Jazz, and loved the soundtrack, but I'm surprised how much power this story has despite its simplicity.

I don't want to build it up, (I'm seeing it after some hype myself), but it is a powerful story.

I'm not going to rank it against American Sniper or Grand Budapest yet, but I definitely liked it more than The Imitation Game.

After watching Whiplash, I have come to the conclusion that Miles Teller might have put in the most underrated performance of the year for this movie. Everyone is talking about Simmons and he was excellent, but Teller was also very very good and this actor kinda just came out of nowhere.

 

[EnriqueH]

I agree totally.

He was just as effective.

That's kinda how I felt about Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Everyone talked about Ledger, who was excellent, but I thought Eckhart was equally good.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, it was as if the movie went out of its way to be complicated or dull at first.

I wouldn't even say it was all that complicated. It just lacked pull.



Again, that's likely down to the directing of the subject material and how that was presented, because the story itself is a fascinating one that should have been more gripping. If you'd like to know more on the subject, I can highly recommend the book it's based on. And in terms of historical fiction, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon features Alan Turing as one of the primary characters. One of my favourite books.

I agree with you though: By the end, I'm glad the story got told and that the nomination means more people will know about it.

Yeah, I'm glad Alan Turing finally got the recognition and pardon. There've been many movies about codebreaking, but none about the man himself.

Yeah, "complicated" is not the right word.

I like how you put it: "lacked pull".

Heh, thanks. Maybe that isn't even quite right itself. Lacking the feeling of urgency, maybe?

It's like everything that was happening was shown without context. I liked that they used archival footage, but at the same time, I think that contributed to the feeling of disconnect. It was more tell, less show. Had they maybe dramatized these, maybe there would have been more a sense of urgency to their situation.

 

[Claudia]

I just saw The Imitation Game - and I can't agree with the opinions above. I definitely felt the urgency, and for me the archival footage worked well to underline that. I appreciated that they didn't dramatize those, because the movie worked fine without that. In fact, I'm glad that there's a movie out there where the characters stand for themselves without effects, drama etc. That's rare these days. So, to me they handled the Enigma-issue really well.

I'd have wished, though, that the homosexuality-issue had been portrayed a bit more ambitiously... not just as a sidenote, with a heartbreaking finale. Destroying that extraordinary mind with a so-called "treatment", and doing the same thing to countless others, for not other reason than their sexual orientation is the real injustice, and not that Turing didn't get recognition for breaking the code. There have been and will be countless of other movies about Enigma, but this could have been an opportunity to put society on the stand. Because while chemical castration might no longer be an issue, discrimination still is. So I guess this missed opportunity is why the movie (and Cumberbatch, unfortunately, because he was just brilliant) didn't get the Golden Globe, the SAG-award and won't get the Academy Award, either.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

If Keaton wins Best Actor, that would be the 2nd Batman to win an acting Oscar.

I almost hope he does, just so George Clooney can no longer make that obnoxious joke about being the only Batman actor to win an Oscar.

Clooney will have to find another way to be fake modest.

Clooney hasn't been able to make that joke since 2011, when Christian Bale won Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter.

In that case, if Michael Keaton wins, Val Kilmer will sure look like an asshole.

 

[EnriqueH]

I just saw The Imitation Game - and I can't agree with the opinions above. I definitely felt the urgency, and for me the archival footage worked well to underline that. I appreciated that they didn't dramatize those, because the movie worked fine without that. In fact, I'm glad that there's a movie out there where the characters stand for themselves without effects, drama etc. That's rare these days. So, to me they handled the Enigma-issue really well.

I'd have wished, though, that the homosexuality-issue had been portrayed a bit more ambitiously... not just as a sidenote, with a heartbreaking finale. Destroying that extraordinary mind with a so-called "treatment", and doing the same thing to countless others, for not other reason than their sexual orientation is the real injustice, and not that Turing didn't get recognition for breaking the code. There have been and will be countless of other movies about Enigma, but this could have been an opportunity to put society on the stand. Because while chemical castration might no longer be an issue, discrimination still is. So I guess this missed opportunity is why the movie (and Cumberbatch, unfortunately, because he was just brilliant) didn't get the Golden Globe, the SAG-award and won't get the Academy Award, either.

Nice post, you make me want to rewatch it even more now. It's nice to get a different take on the "urgency" factor.

However, the fact that the homosexuality angle and the heartbreak of it is also a MAJOR problem for me as well. Like I said previously, I felt like we stumbled upon the theme. It didn't come organically from the story, it just felt like the movie made a sharp left turn.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, I guess it assumed most people would know. I didn't feel it was a problem, but I could see why. Maybe they should have given more hints throughout. Since I knew going in, I kept wondering when he'd reveal it, so it does have the opposite effect as well. But he kept it secret for as long as he did because he knew it could ruin his progress.

 

[Claudia]

Well, there were those looks at school with implied more than friendship feelings (on both sides?) - and then just talk in that clinically detached way which made it difficult to put real emotions into the homosexuality-problem. We didn't actually see Turing in a relationship (and I don't mean steamy sex scenes, but human connection), other than with Joan. He just blurted out having had previous relationships with men during that engagement party... and then came those 2 scenes with the spy respectively the MI6-handler where he's threatened because they know his secret. But again, it's a secret that's kept very theoretical and rational. But the actual emotional anchor for this threat that he was facing was missing, I felt. Perhaps one scene where he was looking for companionship and didn't because of a fear or being revealed etc. or something like that would have sufficed. And the same applies to the scenes in the 1950s. The whole interrogation and then just reading that newspaper article about his being charged with indecency felt too sterile.

Again, it doesn't take anything away from the impact of that last scene, beautifully portrayed by Cumberbatch and Knightley (the realization dawning on her face...), but perhaps the movie as a whole would have felt better balanced.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Good points, and I mostly agree. I think it could even be argued that it was handled that way in the movie as a way to stylistically make the audience feel detached the same way that Turing was feeling himself. Some of it though felt too cut-and-dry. I did appreciate how they handled the friendship between the both of them though, particularly when she explains to him what kind of wife she could be. I thought that was very sweet. It showed that they held a deep connection even though he could never pursue anything romantically with her.

 

[cardinal biggles]

And the same applies to the scenes in the 1950s. The whole interrogation and then just reading that newspaper article about his being charged with indecency felt too sterile.

It's not just that, but also how they utterly Poochie'd the ending — you have Joan come back and give Alan this inspirational speech about how he won the war because he was different, and then cut to the bonfire where they're all joyously burning the ULTRA records, and across the bottom of the screen in small print, suddenly it's "Oh yeah, BTW, he killed himself a year later."

 

[Awesome Possum]

I'm hoping Birdman wins in every category its up for. I love that movie and every performance in it.

 

[Claudia]

It's not just that, but also how they utterly Poochie'd the ending — you have Joan come back and give Alan this inspirational speech about how he won the war because he was different, and then cut to the bonfire where they're all joyously burning the ULTRA records, and across the bottom of the screen in small print, suddenly it's "Oh yeah, BTW, he killed himself a year later."

Interesting - I thought having that bonfire and Alan on a high point, juxtaposed with the written notice that he killed himself had quite a punch...