GKIDS Double Feature: “Chico & Rita” and “A Cat in Paris” Reviews

Two unique and independent animated films snuck into the Best Animated Feature Oscar category this year and they both happen to be distributed by the same studio, GKIDS. Even though the Oscars are over, I thought I’d review both anyways.

Bryan’s 2012 Oscar Predictions

And time! The awards are this Sunday and I’ve seen everything except for one foreign film that isn’t even out yet. We’ve also reviewed almost everything. What isn’t up before Sunday, I’ll review soon after. Taking a vacation in the middle of this adventure stole away precious obsession fulfilling time. Oh, well. Here are my predictions for what it’s worth (which I’m starting to think seeing everything makes me worse at this part).

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 10: Documentary Feature

Not as good as last year’s slate, but a really good year nonetheless. Here are reviews of all 5 nominees for Best Documentary Feature.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 9: All Made Up With Nowhere to Go

Here now are reviews of movies featuring Best Actress Nominees. I’ve already had my say about My Week With Marilyn and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I’m sad to say the rest fall into the same category of good acting, bad movie.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 8: Documentary Shorts

And now the last of the shorts, not the most chipper group of films ever assembled. Here are reviews of all 5 nominees for Best Documentary Short.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 7: Live Action Shorts

We’re rolling now. Here are reviews of all 5 nominees for Best Live Action Short.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 6: Animated Shorts

Let’s just dive right in. Here are reviews for all 5 nominees for Best Animated Short.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 5: Bullhead and Monsieur Lazhar

This checklist will take a look at two of the five foreign film nominees. I will have reviews of the others, but I wanted to get these two out now because they constitute a rarity for us. They are both early reviews!!!! Bullhead opens up today and Monsieur Lazhar doesn’t open until April.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 4: One-offs

I know I said animated was next but we’re going with this instead. This checklist features two films that don’t really fit with anything else that I haven’t already reviewed. The only thing they have in common is that they were nominated in just one category.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 3: Macaw or Muppet

Today’s checklist is all about the best song category. The Academy has been tinkering with the music branch’s nominating procedure for the last few years which has resulted in only two nominees this year. I’m not saying something else should have been here because original songs in films have been weak for ages. It’s a little strange though. It’s also not terribly surprising that both songs are from kid’s films.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 2: Men at Work

Today’s checklist focuses on films with acting nominations, specifically the men.

2012 Oscar Checklist – Part 1: The Links

Just like last year, I’ve decided to drive myself insane. The Oscar nominations have been released and I will once again be attempting to not just see everything nominated, but to provide you good people with reviews of the films as well. This year is going to be rough. Not only do I now have a silly and wonderful third child (who doesn’t like to sleep), but I will be on vacation for a week during prime catch-up time. Why do I attempt something so foolhardy? Because I’m an idiot of course… I mean, shut-up! That’s why!

If I Were King of the Oscars…

You’ve seen the Oscars, I listed my top ten, now it’s time for my nominations. Some of these the Academy got right, others not so much. Here is what my personal ballot for 2010 would look like.

Oscar Recap

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards are over, and it was a lackluster evening at best. Hathaway and Franco were okay as hosts. She was a little too enthusiastic, spastically applauding and wooing constantly, while Franco looked like he had ten other things on his mind (which he does). It was an interesting experiment, but really all we want is Billy Crystal back with his charm and many zingers. There was only one memorable speech, Melissa Leo brilliantly dropping the F-bomb, but most everything else was rather forgettable.

Oscar Checklist – Part 8: Salute Your Shorts

This is my last Oscar checklist for 2011, for the rest of the short films I’ve managed to see, mainly Live Action. I was hoping to see more documentary shorts, but the company releasing them did not offer them up on iTunes, like they advertised. Had I known this, I might have sojourned to the theater that was showcasing them for one week only, but I was waiting for iTunes.

I also have not seen the other three foreign nominees: In A Better World and Incendies aren’t out until April, while Outside the Law, which came and went last year, is not yet on DVD. I have failed to locate copies of Hereafter or The Tempest, both of which are apparently awful, so maybe that’s for the best. So, for those keeping track at home, I’ve seen every nominated film except: 3 foreign films, 2 one-nomination features, and 4 documentary shorts. Not bad for a guy with a full-time job, no money, two kids, a pregnant wife, and one crazy obsession.