Best Picture Nominees — 'Silver Linings Playbook'


And now we come to the last of the Best Picture Nominees to recap.

Silver Linings Playbook
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Chris Tucker, and Jackie Weaver
Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Actor (Cooper), Best Actress (Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (De Niro), Best Supporting Actress (Weaver), Best Director (David O. Russell), Best Adapted Screenplay (Russell), and Best Editing
Synopsis: If there is one drawback to my dedication to making my year-end lists, it's the compressed time frame with which I have to see all the key contenders. Most of the "best" films get released in a flurry at the end of December, and there is a tendency to really recall what you saw last and have it stick with you. That has led to some of my worst picks. A few years ago I "We Are Marshall" and got sucked into the emotion of the moment. I made it my best film of the year. I haven't seen it since. Every time I think about watching it again, I find something better. It wasn't my best pick. In the years since, I've been more cautious about getting caught up in the moment. Now "Lincoln" is an excellent film, I liked it a lot, and it's a worthy pick for my favorite film of the year. I saw "Silver Linings Playbook" on Christmas Day and wrote my best of list a week later. Now those that know me know I need time to process my thoughts, sometimes more than a week. That's the case with "Silver Linings Playbook." It's not that I didn't know I liked it, it's just that I didn't realize how much I loved it. If I were to revise my list today, "Silver Linings Playbook" would be at the top of the list, without a doubt. That's also how I know it won't win Best Picture. Every year there is a movie nominated that I have fallen in love with. Every year I watch as that film gets the shaft from the Academy. This year will be just slightly different. While "Silver Linings Playbook" won't win the big prize, I do expect it will win some prizes (unlike "Up In The Air" and "The Descendants," previous Matt approved films that missed out on Academy love). I fully expect Lawrence — who is one of the most phenomenal actresses working today — to win. She had an incredible year in two great films ("The Hunger Games"), and she has the edge over Jessica Chastain. I also think De Niro will end up on top. Best Supporting Actor is a toss up, but my gut says he gets the nod over Tommy Lee Jones. Russell also has a puncher's chance at Best Director, though I expect Steven Spielberg to take that one. Still, it could be a good night for "Silver Linings Playbook," because it's a GREAT film.
Rating: R for language and some sexual content/nudity. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

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