10 Days of Oscar – Viola Davis

In a business where the younger you are and the whiter you are can make the difference between you booking a role and not booking a role, its uplifting to see Viola Davis hitting her stride, at the age of 46 no less. Viola Davis is a serious actor and this year she receives her second Oscar nomination for her brilliantly realistic portrayal of Aibileen, a maid in 1960s Mississippi. Viola gives Aibileen a strength and subtlety few other actresses could have pulled off. If the white men in suits who run Hollywood want to accurately portray the diversity of humanity and the human experience they need to take a better look at Viola because there are so many more actors of color out there who are hungry for good, meaty roles that don’t just propagate decades-old stereotypes that have their roots in minstrel shows. I think Viola is an inspiration to actors everywhere.

Here are a couple of clips from The Help:

A nice interview:

Her SAG acceptance speech:

10 Days of Oscar – Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams makes a strong impact in whatever role she takes on. In all of her performances she brings a quiet intensity that nearly burns through the screen and through your heart. This year she is nominated for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn. She was previously nominated for her performances in Brokeback Mountain and Blue Valentine. I think we are seeing just the beginning of a very successful career. Here are some of her best moments on film:

Warning: If you have not seen the films, the clips do contain spoilers.

Brokeback Mountain

Wendy and Lucy

Shutter Island 

Blue Valentine 

My Week With Marilyn

10 Days of Oscar – Brad Pitt

Movie stars don’t really get any bigger than Brad Pitt. Not only is he incredibly famous and 1/2 of the two-headed fame monster known as Brangelina, he is also considered by many to be the pinnacle of handsomeness. Perhaps that is why Pitt has had such a hard time being recognized seriously. I, for one, have always thought that he’s been an underrated actor. This year he receives his third Oscar nomination for his performance in Moneyball. Though I enjoyed his performance in Moneyball I don’t think that its the best of his career so I’ve compiled this list of scenes from his best movies. Enjoy! Warning: Some clips contain major spoilers.

True Romance 

Se7en

Twelve Monkeys 

Fight Club

Snatch 

Babel 

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 

Burn After Reading 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 

Inglourious Basterds 

The Tree of Life

And here’s this gem of an outtake from Moneyball:

10 Days of Oscar – Chico & Rita

One of the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film this year is Chico & Rita, a lovely film about finding love in 1948 Cuba. The film chronicles the long and sometimes painful love affair between Chico, a young piano player and Rita, a beautiful young woman with an equally beautiful voice. The plot is not exactly original but the film more than makes up for it with beautifully rendered shots of Havana, New York, Paris and even Hollywood. This is the kind of animated movie serious adult moviegoers have been waiting for. Its themes may be mature but its also one of the most delightful movies of the year. I had the pleasure of seeing it in Spain last year and now it’s opening in certain theaters across the U.S. I’m happy that the Academy has decided to honor this film and I hope you will too. Here is a look at this great little movie: