Official website – IMDB listing

Oscar nomination: Costume Design

I was prepared to laugh it up over Australia. Something about the trailers hinted at a movie that was way too ambitious, too arch, too earnest, and at 3 hours, too long – and this was the director that gave us Moulin Rouge, after all.

Well, I finally watched it last night, and damned if I wasn’t laughing and crying at all the right parts (you know, when the director wants you to).

It is not the hot mess I expected. It is not a steaming pile. It is, in fact, a rather good Aussie hybrid of a western and a war picture, and the family dynamic at the heart of it (Nicole Kidman as mom, Hugh Jackman as dad, and cute newcomer Brandon Walters as their adopted son) was one I bought completely. The only significant flaw I saw was that you can see the neat resolution coming about a mile off.

So good for you, Baz Luhrmann. All is forgiven. And I think I’d like to see your little film again, if only to experience again that thrilling cattle-stampeding-toward-the-kid scene.

In other news: I’m still not sure how I’m going to see The Baader Meinhof Complex, but here’s a review of it I found online in Time Magazine.

A successful Oscar Run can only be achieved if you see every nominated feature length movie. Thus, I’m in a pickle, because the following films are hiding from me. Can you help?

I need to find a way to see:

• The Baader Meinhof Complex (from Germany)
• Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
• The Class (from France)
• Departures (from Japan)
• The Garden
• Trouble the Water

I’m sure it won’t shock you to hear these are all documentaries or foreign films. Nevertheless, I want them, and will drive anywhere from San Diego to L.A. to see them. Little help?

Many thanks to my friend Jonathan Rimorin, who got me copies of Revanche (from Austria) and Australia (not strictly a foreign film, but a if-you-were-sick-that-week-you-missed-it film).

Have you seen the Oscar nominee list yet? No? Okay, go here and then let’s talk:

81st Annual Academy Awards Nominees

You back? Great. Here are my initial reactions.

• Dark Knight snubbed! In my opinion, it should have gotten noms for Best Picture, Best Director and one of the screenplay awards. Somebody buy Christopher Nolan a drink, even this early in the morning.
• How did I overlook Frozen River? Completely missing from my pre-nomination list. Forgive me, Melissa Leo.
• Damn the costume award! It always makes me see a movie I don’t want to. This year, that’s Australia (shudder).
• Yay for In Bruges! That was a brilliant but mostly overlooked film that got some love from both the Golden Globes (winner, Colin Farrell, Best Actor in Musical or Comedy) and the Academy (nominee, Original Screenplay). Well done.
• Nothing for…I’ve Loved You Too Long, Gran Torino, or Burn After Reading. Hmmm.
• Foreign film noms did not include Let the Right One In. Go see it anyway.

Tomorrow I’ll post my revised “movies to see” list, and in coming days, reviews of Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler.