I know, I know.
Everyone already talked about the Black Swan and The King’s Speech for the billionth time in the past few months. And with the Oscars and all, I’m starting and ending all discussions about them in this post.
According to the majority of the people around me, there seemed to be no huge surprises for the Oscars. (Come to think of it, I guessed on The Social Network for best picture since it received like, every critics award.) Unfortunately, I actually didn’t have the chance to watch The King’s Speech. But I’m not worried. It’ll probably stay in theatres for about another week, given that it won an Oscar for best picture. So I really don’t have much to say about this movie… I’m guessing that it’s good. Nevertheless, I can hopefully run down to the crappy Regal Cinemas behind my house this weekend and spend my $11 to good use.
I did watch the Black Swan, however, and loved it. I’m not a huge fan of horror, thriller, drama, or whatever genre you call this type of movie. Yet something about it was just so fascinating! The psychological aspect of the film was tangible to the audience, and it felt like I was suffocating with Portman throughout the whole process. She definitely deserved that Oscar for best actress. (I think she was clever to take a completely different role in No Strings Attached. It really brought out the contrast in a compelling way. Oh, and I recently learned that she graduated from Harvard. Does that have anything to do with this? Being smart and being a good actress? Something to think about…)
Anyways, interestingly, there has been this trend in the film industry with good-quality, low-budget films. Black Swan and The King’s Speech were most recognized, but movies like The Fighter, Another Year, Barney’s Version, Blue Valentine, The Illusionist, Rabbit Hole, and the continuing list, all had their fair share in both profit and recognition. It’s good to see that people are turning to well-made films and not just the hi-tech, blockbuster stuff that people just ooooooooooooh and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah about for its effects. 3D is great and all but, really? Tron Legacy? The Green Hornet? Justin Bieber??????? It’s better to buy a freaking pop-up book than pay 20 bucks for those stupid 3D glasses.
Going back to low-budget movies, the production companies must be very happy with the results. The two films jumped the $100 million mark at the Domestic Box Office, which almost unheard of for these small titles. The major production companies are picking up on this trend and are investing in smaller titles, which carry fewer risks. With the economic depression persisting, it’s most likely that this trend will continue for at least another few years.
