Arts & Entertainment

Film Critic Deconstructs Oscar Nominations, Picks Her Favorites

Cygnar dishes on movie gossip, too.

On the theory that talking about movies is almost as fun as watching them, Niles Patch Film Critic Cecilia Cygnar told a Niles Library audience her picks to win the Academy Awards during a Thursday presentation.

Cygnar also got a discussion going with the audience about the films they liked, and didn't, among the films nominated for a 201o Oscar, as well as films they felt should have been nominated.

"Getting nominated for an Oscar is so political," she said. "It might be, for Ghost Writer, that the Academy just doesn't like (director Roman) Polanski, or it came out last March and they forgot about it--or just that there weren't a lot of ads for it in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter."  

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Cygnar put Ghost Writer on her own list of picks, below, as a film that should have been nominated for best picture but was not. 

"Everyone has a film that they like. When I tell people my favorite film was Ghost Writer, they're like whaaaat?" Cygnar commented, adding that many people haven't even heard of it. 

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As the discussion turned to The King's Speech, which many in the audience favored, Cygnar said that Colin Firth, who plays the lead, was not necessarily trying to look like his character, Britain's Prince Albert, but was instead focusing on capturing his persona. She contrasted that to the 2006 movie The Queen, in which Helen Mirren strived to look like her character, reigning British monarch Queen Elizabeth, who coincidentally is the daughter of the late Prince Albert (who became King George VI). 

Both of those films are based on real characters and real events, however, which Cygnar said is not always what she's looking for when she goes to the theater.

"I like movies that are escapist." Cygnar said. "That's why I'm really dragging my feet on going to see Rabbit Hole (a story of a mother who lost a child) and The Fighter (a story of a family of boxers)."

She tempered that statement by saying she'd heard that Rabbit Hole does have an inspiring message.

"And The King's Speech is at times depressing, because of his stammer, but it's also inspiring," she  said.

Cygnar is organizing a 7 p.m. screening of the Academy Awards show on Sunday, Feb. 27, and library cardholders may register to attend. 

Her picks to win that night follow.

CECILIA'S OSCAR PICKS

Best Picture

Will/Should Win: The King's Speech

Movie That Could Swoop In and Win: The Social Network

Should Have Been Nominated: The Ghost Writer

Best Director

Should/Will Win: Tom Hooper, The King's Speech

Could Swoop In and Win: David Fincher, The Social Network

Lead Actor

Will/Should Win: Colin Firth, The King's Speech

Could Swoop In and Win: James Franco, 127 Hours

Lead Actress

Will/Should Win: Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Could Swoop In And Win: Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Supporting Actor

Will/Should Win: Christian Bale: The Fighter

Should Win: Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Supporting Actress

Will/Should Win: Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Should Win: Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech

Adapted Screenplay

Will/Should Win: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Original Screenplay

Should Win: David Seidler, The King's Speech

Could Swoop In And Win: The Kids Are All Right, Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg


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