Russians, Superheros, Princesses and Feisty Teenagers! Oh my!

I really should have checked my class work schedule before beginning this challenge seeing as I have a really big paper due two days after the ceremony but I promise that I will be trying my hardest to finish what I have started.

On another note, I realized while doing this project that I come in with lots of snobby film student-y assumptions about the films that I watch, sorry to subject you to them. It's just how I have been taught to think. Here are the most recent films that I have finished watching:

• Salt (Best Sound Mixing)

My same issue that I had with Nicole Kidman applies here. Angelina Jolie tends to play the same people over and over. The bad but totally self-righteous female lead who can also kick some serious butt. At least she plays the character well. The plot on the other hand was too convoluted and ridiculous for me. I'm not really that adept at the sound categories because though I sort of understand the difference between mixing and editing, I will more than likely not understand to the point of picking a correct answer. That being said, I don't think this really has that good of a shot since it generally goes to films in contention of the Best Picture prize. The exception of course being Pirates of the Caribbean 2 in which the film won both sound awards in 2007.

• Tangled (Best Original Song)

I genuinely thought that this was going to be another cheesy princess movie produced by Disney but honestly, I loved this. My roommate Laura was raving about it prior to me watching it and I can thoroughly see now why. It's really wholesome and amusing. Generally my issue with songs from animated films is that they really don't have anything to do with major plot points but "I See the Light" fits pretty well with the film. I also have an affinity for Mandy Moore ever since I fell in love with A Walk to Remember when I was about 9. Unfortunately though, the Academy recently has been moving away from giving the awards to animated features. Enchanted was nominated for three different songs and lost to a song from Once.

• Iron Man 2 (Best Visual Effects)

Any excuse to watch RDJ is a good one for me. Playboy superhero Tony Starks returns with a new enemy on his hands, Mickey Rourke's Whiplash. The visual effects in this film, like the first as well, are impressive but I do have to say a little overdone. I like my action movies to have some real looking content and the last half hour of the film is all CGI special effects business. Good for the kiddies and men that like to see stuff blown up but not particularly my cup of tea.

• Winter's Bone (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor- John Hawkes, Best Actress- Jennifer Lawrence, Best Adapted Screenplay)

I will never ever in my life go to the Ozarks region. I'm not sure exactly where this was shot but for once, this shows that the people that live there are not just dumb poor hicks. The societal order of the poor community is astounding and truly terrifying. A very unique film with outstanding performances by both Lawrence and Hawkes, it really is no wonder why they both were nominated. Strong yet really vulnerable at the same time, Lawrence is relentless and moving in pursuit of her father and in keeping her family's land. I was really surprised how much I liked this film whenever I guiltily went in thinking that it was going to be Sundance Oscar bait film. With such heavy competition in all the categories, the only category it really seems to have a chance with is going to be Adapted Screenplay which isn't even fair seeing as it is in the same category as The Social Network.

25 down, 33 to go.