The Star Awards!

Well, only missing a couple of big films from 08, so after I've seen all of them, my official picks for this year will begin. Expect them around 2 weeks from today. 

Including all the Oscar categories, plus some of my own, and some "funny" categories just for...well, fun.

Slumdog Millionaire Sweep Continues

Without any surprises, as expected, Slumdog Millionaire's bulldozing through the awards continues. Recently, after it's clean sweep at the Globes, the film continues it's easy road to the Oscars by taking home the Scripter Award, the Producer's Guild Award and the Screen Actor's Guild Award. 

In what's probably becoming one of the most boring Oscar races in a while, Slumdog is only missing the WGA and the BAFTA before the Oscars. After all the love it's garnered, expect it to take these two easily, and close the race taking home 5 or 6 statuettes on Feb. 22, includuing of course, Best Picture.

Revolutionary Road Review

More than ten years after they enchanted the world with their passionate love on board of the famous sinking ship, Titanic. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunite on the big screen to a completely opposite atmosphere. They are the Wheelers-April and Frank-from Revolutionary Road, a special couple that everybody envies. They look happily married, with 2 children, a good job, and a dream life of any American couple. However, the reality is completely different, both of them feel trapped and frustrated, feeling their dreams and hopes have been crushed, all of these, on Revolutionary Road. Directed by Winslet's husband, Sam Mendes (the mind behind American Beauty and Road to Perdition), Kate & Leo star in this deep, complex and harsh drama.

After April and Frank meet, they get married, have children and move to the suburbs to start their own American dream lifestyles, always thinking of themselves as "special". Although, April reacts to her frustrated acting career, and Frank goes day by day to work at a job he can't stand (actually the same job in which Frank once pitied his father). Despite all these, there seems to be hope. Frank and April decide to move to Paris, where their dreams and their fantasies await them. However, this will remain as that, nothing but dreams. Without a way out, Frank and April must figure out a way to deal with each other, to live the life they have, to tolerate their long gone goals and await for happiness to come. Neverless, these may very well never come.

Slow paced and with a very psychological aspect to the film, Mendes' direction flows easily thanks to the outstanding work by his actors, and the tenacity of Justin Haythes' eloquent screenplay, adapted from Richard Yates' novel from 1961. Though Mendes' direction misses some clear spots from the film, and is messy at times, the film still works out. A good call from Mr. Mendes was to step back, and give his actors the neccessary space they need to make the film work out. It is an acting showcase, a brilliant one, but with a little help, Mendes' could have fixed some of the film's problems.

As Frank and April, Leonardo and Kate demosntrate their maturity as actors, superior in every level to the one seen in Titanic a decade ago. In what's probably his career-best performance, DiCaprio accomplishes an emotionally deep level that we had never seen from him. He leaves behind all his rudeness and over the top screaming from Scorsese's films, and achieves maturity and a pitch perfect understanding of the frustration of Frank. His Oscar snub is trully, one that hurts. On the other hand, as April, Winslet gives another of his usual outstanding work. Though many might find resemblance between her character in Little Children and here, Winslet trully achieves two completely different women. Not once, did I felt I had seen a previous Kate.

In what's probably a 2nd career-best work from an already outstanding curriculum, Winslet delivers a trully moving and disturbing performance as April. You see a frustrated wife and mother, full of love that is on the verge of madness. Winslet reaches immerses herself into the complex role completely and achieves more than greatness. Kate Winslet's April Wheeler is what I would call the best female performance of the year, and undoubtedly one of the best of the decade.

By the supporting cast, we have a consistenly strong Kathy Bates, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour and Zoe Kazan all fullfilling their work. However, there is one member who emerges triunfant and that is capable of stealing the show in no more than 10 minutes of screentime, Michael Shannon as the mentally ill John Givings. Whenever he appears, Shannon inserts so much inequality and energy to his character that is impossible to forget about him one second. Being the only cast member to receive an Oscar nomination (a true atrocity I must say, Kate & Leo were deserving as well), Shannon lights up the movie when he appears.

Techinally speaking, the film is a beauty to watch. An accurate art direction, beautiful costumes and a subtle and brilliant cinematography from Roger Deakins make this even a more delightful film to watch. Ironically, the always good Thomas Newman would be the weakest aspect of the film. Though his score is quiet and moving, at times, it becomes repetitive and overused throughout the film. Noneless, it's still a good work from him.

It would be a lie to say that the film is enjoyable, because it isn't. It's a cringe worthy, painful experience to sit through. Full of life, supported by the lies, the cheating, the sickness that involves the Wheeler's relationship, much worse than the one we saw 40 years ago between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. In a devastating and hurtfull truth, the film focuses on all the suffering around the couple. It the empty hopelessness that involves each one of us, and that is shown in the film that trully affects one. A truth not everyone can stand through. Too much pain. Too much suffering. Too much frustration. Too much devastation. Too much cruelty. Too much misery. Too much truth.

RATING: 9/10