Last night I hunkered myself down for the two hours of glitz and glamour I usually have the pleasure of watching once a year. Sure the films nominated are often hammy and over rated but usually do display the cream of the mainstream crop. The 2010 BAFTA's was a very different viewing experience for me; one of incomprehension, rage, confusion and down right disappointment. I only really agreed totally with two or maybe three of the films and industry members who were dignified with the honour of a BAFTA award.
If you did not have the displeasure of watching the ceremony here is a list of the nominees and winners:
I am absolutely dumbfounded by the critical acclaim this film was greeted with when it came out, my shock only increased when the BAFTA nominations were released and this film was nominated across the board. This film is not necessarily bad but it is painfully average. The plot revolves around a wild maverick bombardier who repeatedly puts his life in danger at the dismay of his fellow bomb squad colleagues. The narrative revolves around boring and overly familiar themes of masculinity and the clash between fear and adrenaline. It is a film which does nothing with the war film genre and if anything I would say it was boring. The dialogue was unrealistic, the acting was predominantly wooden, the cinematography was uninspiring and the plot had little to no engaging development-you are mainly just watching a macho man strutting around Afghanistan defusing bombs.
I literally punched myself square in the face when this film received Best Film, I had been built up into a frenzy of discombobulated confusion as it was awarded Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Editing. Best Film simply tipped me over the edge, I felt like Michael Douglas in Falling Down. I am still so confused about the whole thing; I almost don't like talking about it. Maybe, just maybe I am completely wrong and this is a good film that just washed over me. However I think perhaps there is a political agenda due to the films entrenchment within modern political affairs and the fact that Prince William is taking over the Presidency of the Academy in Richard Attenborough's illness.
Orange Rising Star Award:
As if the string of awards that The Hurt Locker was awarded was not enough the Orange Rising Star award went to Kristin Stewart-yep, Kristin Stewart. Arguably one of the most wooden actresses that has disgraced the screen in years. Tahar Rahim deserved the award for Best Actor (although Colin Firth was also a truly worthy candidate) let alone Rising Star award. I do not like how an actor only receives awards once their career is at it's peak before its inevitable decline. Surely if one actor delivers a remarkable performance which stands out as a cut above the rest then it should not matter how long he has or has not been involved with the industry?
It's bizarre.
Best Supporting Actress:
Thank god that Mo'nique got this award. Her performance in Precious was absolutely impeccable. She portrays a terrifying woman who systematically abuses her daughter. She is spine chillingly convincing as this raging behemoth but also manages to convey a huge degree of sorrow present within the character. In a scene near the end of the film a monologue her character delivers reduced me to tears. Very, very powerful cinema made all the more impressive by virtue of the fact that she is not a professional actress.
Best Foreign Language Film:
Personally I think that The White Ribbon should have been received this award but I knew that the award would go to A Prophet. In fairness the White Ribbon is too 'arty' for a ceremony such as the BAFTA's and it already received what is probably the most important award a film can be honoured with-The Golden Palm at Cannes. A Prophet is an absolutely stunning film which as I stipulated in a previous blog entry is both entertaining and intellectually engaging-the perfect candidate for this award.
Best Animated Feature:
Obviously UP won this and very deservedly so as well. I was disappointed to see that Ponyo had not been nominated but even if it had UP was undoubtedly my preferred film.
The rest of the ceremony was all fairly predictable and awkward. Avatar obviously received best SFX, Up In the Air received Best Adapted Screenplay and Duncan Jones (David Bowie's son) was awarded best promising newcomer for Moon which was one of the best proper sci-fi films I have seen in years. It is a shame that the entire ceremony is clouded by the ridiculousness of the number of awards Hurt Locker picked up. Vanessa Redgrave's closing speech was so awkward, never let an emotional old lady talk for an extended period of time especially if it is at an awards ceremony and even more so if it is being broadcast on TV. I felt bad for laughing though, she deserved the award and was cleary very moved to have received it.
I can only hope that the Oscars is a more accurate celebration of what was offered to audiences in the last cinematic year.
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