There were no real blockbusters at The Academy Awards this year, but there were a few intriguing films. A good amount of the pics are arriving on DVD this week, so if you didn’t head out to theaters to catch them when they were released, it’s a great time to see what all the fuss was about during award season.
The Descendants, earned George Clooney a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance as Matt King, a man who is dealing with his wife’s coma after a tragic accident as well as a major decision regarding the family trust, which includes 25,000 acres of land on the island Kauai. Clooney gives an understated performance in an interesting story.
The Adventures of Tintin was robbed of its nomination for Best Animated Film. This animated feature was stunning and had a forward momentum equal to live action rather than animation. Reporter Tintin (Jamie Bell) sets off on a search for a sunken ship looking to find a treasure.
My Week with Marilyn was Michelle Williams’ Academy Award-nominated performance as Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl. The story is told through the eyes of Colin Clark, an employee of acclaimed actor Sir Laurence Olivier, who gives a firsthand account of the tension between Monroe and Olivier. Williams nailed the essence of the iconic blond bombshell.
Happy Feet Two is the sequel to the successful animated feature Happy Feet, which won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2007. Sequels generally aren’t as good as the original and this is no exception, but it is good fun that should entertain children and parents alike.