Film Independent Spirit Awards 2012 Nominees

Film Independent announced the nominees for this year's Spirit Awards this morning. Follow the link for the categories and their nominees: http://www.spiritawards.com/nominees.

Best Feature: I need to see 50/50 and The Artist but, for now, I think The Descendants will be hard to beat.

Tibet in Song (1:22) 2008

For many centuries Tibet passed on their folk songs to the next generation through a strong oral tradition. Every activity had a song attached to it, milking and drinking beer are two examples. Dancing the native dances were also a very popular pasttime. In 1950, Tibet was invaded by Chinese who have forced and continue to force their culture on the Tibetans. The Chinese brought radios to Tibet and played Chinese music on the "music boxes". In 1995, a young musician named Ngawang Choephel returned to Tibet to record his native traditional music. Choephel's mother fled Tibet with him when he was two. When he returned, Choephel wanted to meet his father for the first time and travel to the rural areas collecting music. He was eventually stopped by the police, arrested  and sentenced for eighteen years in prison. Tibet in Song contains many examples of folk songs and many shots of the beautiful Tibetan montains and countryside. The Tibetans have suffered greatly from the hands of the Chinese invaders, their courage and culture are to be greatly admired.

Hugo (2:06) 2011

Someone will have to explain to me why Hugo is some highly rated. The cinematography is fantastic in 3D, the boy who plays Hugo is adorable, but the movie drags. I just didn't like the style of the movie and the story is just odd. I really don't think that children will have the patience for the two hour movie. The story is about a young orphan who lives in a train station and takes care of all the clocks. He has a nonworking automaton that he has been repairing. He steals gears and parts from a merchant who runs a toy stop. Hugo learns that the shop owner made movies before the first world war. As my son would say "Big Whoop." Please think twice before spending money for this movie, especially in 3D. And feel free to disagree.

The Descendants (1:50) 2011

Matt King (George Clooney) is a lawyer and the trustee of a very large tract on undeveloped and very valuable land. His wife Elizabeth is in a boating accident and is in a coma on life support. Matt now has to take care of his daughters, teenage Alex and young Scottie which is proving difficult as he considers himself the backup parent. The doctor advises Matt to go around and inform family and friends that Elizabeth's life support will be discontinued per her wishes. As difficult as this, matters become more difficult when Matt is told by Alex that his wife was cheating on him. Matt now has to deal with his daughters, the family land deal, and coming to terms with his wife's death and the knowledge that she was unfaithful. This is a wonderful movie for many reasons. Clooney will be nominated for Best Actor, the daughters are fantastic, the dialogue realistic, snappy and touching. The scenery of Hawaiian the beaches, the mountains and the coast should be seen on the big screen. What I was unprepared for was the many scenes of the family visiting the unconscious and dying Elizabeth in the hospital. The scenes were peppered throughout and up to the end of the movie.

Gone the Wind (3:42) 1939

AMC is broadcasting Gone With the Wind in commemoration of the movie's 75th anniversary. Set in 1861 Georgia, Scarlett O'Hara is the belle of the ball with all the plantation owners' sons. All the young men are vying for her attention but Scarlett has her sights set on Ashley Wilkes. Ashley is very taken but not with her, he is planning to marry Miss Melanie. Scarlett has one admirer from Charleston, wealthy Rhett Butler who is considered to be a real scalawag. War breaks out and all the men enlist in the Confederacy. Melanie and Ashley wed, days later Scarlett and Charles, Melanie's brother wed. Scarlett soon becomes a widow leaving the door open for Rhett to keep her company. Scarlett moves to Atlanta and is there when Sherman's troops  burns the city to the ground. Returning to Tara, the family plantation now in ruins, Scarlett works very hard to rebuild. She marries Rhett but Rhett knows that Scarlett loves Ashley. Rhett is devastated when their young daughter dies in a horse riding accident. After Melanie's death, Scarlett realizes she never did love Ashley. Is it too late to save her marriage? Gone With the Wind is a long time family favorite, my younger sister was named after Melanie. Is you haven't seen this great American classic, please do!

The Boy She Met Online (1:29) 2010

Cami is seventeen and meets a college engineering student online. Or so she thinks. Cami finally meets Jake and begins dating him without her mother's knowledge. After several dates, Cami admits to Jake that she is not eighteen but seventeen. When she admits the truth, Jake tells her his truth, he is not a college student but has just released from prison after serving time for a felony. Tori, Cami's mother, discovers that Cami is dating and dating an ex-con. Jake, realizing that his chances for a legitimate job are slim, starts making a few drug deliveries. Events starts crashing down around Cami and Jake, will their love survive?  The Boy She Met Online is a Lifetime movie with a good premise for this day and age but is just a typical made for television movie.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (1:57) 2011

Much to my surprise I really liked this movie. I have never read any of the books and had just rented the Eclipse sequel to understand why the series is so popular with the Middle School girls in my school. I liked Eclipse and thankfully had my daughter fill in the back story. This morning I went to see Edward and Bella get married and it was a truly beautiful ceremony. During the honeymoon Bella becomes pregnant which comes as a surprise to all. Bella  and Edward fly home because Bell experiences a rough pregnancy. Then an unexpected complication arises, the baby is growing at an alarming rate. This part of the film reminds me of Troi's pregnancy on Star Trek: Next Generation. Edward has to enlist Jacob's help as the werewolves will eliminate Bella's baby.  Breaking Dawn has received poor reviews from the critics but it is very enjoyable two hours. Some of the dialogue is a little hokey but the movie has a great spirit. The soundtrack and cinematography adds to the movie going experience. I am anxious tospeak with the students tomorrow to hear their reactions to Breaking Dawn.