It's Awards Time

This is the time of year when various film industry organizations hand out awards for the best in movies for the previous year. I love awards season! But an annual frustration occurs too when movies that I really liked get snubbed at the awards. For example, director Christopher (The Dark Knight) Nolan's Inception, which I thought was the Best of the year as an overall film. Second place would go to the Coen Brothers' True Grit for taking a great American story and spinning it beautifully to life. Third place would go to David Fincher's The Social Network which chronicles the birth of facebook.

Will it go the way I'd like it to? Probably not. It's likely that the King's Speech, an historical bio from the UK, will sweep the awards at Oscar time. It's a good little film, the kind that Academy voters tend to swoon for.

So, let me take this opportunity to give out the Terrys, my own award to the movies and the artists who make them.

Best Film: Inception

Best Director: Christopher Nolan (runner up: the Coens)

Best Music Score: Hans Zimmer for Inception (runner up: Carter Burwell for True Grit)

Best Actor: Colin Firth for The King's Speech

Best Actress: Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit

I still haven't seen The Fighter or Toy Story 3. So I have some catching up to do.

By the way, here is an excellent new blog devoted to film music: http://musicatthemovies.wordpress.com/

This blog entry is dedicated to the memory of legendary film composer John Barry who died a few days ago.

True Grit

Yes, it has been months since my last posting here. I've been waiting for a good enough reason. Today I found it.

I just saw the new film from the Coen brothers, True Grit, starring Jeff Bridges as one-eyed US Marshall Rooster Cogburn and an all-star cast. It is the best film of 2010, in my view.

If I gave out awards, I'd give the following to this extraordinary retelling of an American classic Western:

- Best Score by Carter Burwell

- Best Screenplay adapted from a book

- Best ensemble of actors including the young phenom Hailee Steinfield as the avenging 14 year old Matty Ross, Matt Damon as a stalwart Texas Ranger, Josh Brolin as the hunted killer Tom Chaney, and Barry Pepper as outlaw chief Lucky Ned Pepper.

- Best directors

- Best picture

My niece came along to see the film and had never seen a Western before. She loved True Grit and asked me what other Western is as good. I'm still thinking about that one.

Go see it.