Preview of the MAFFE Awards - Yes, that silliness.

I am distinctly aware of my apathy for this years Oscars. I am just not that passionate about any of the nominees who have a chance to win (aside from J-Hud and Perhaps O’Toole and LMS). I mean I would be happy should they walk home with Oscar, but I am usually disappointed on the big night so I am not celebrating too soon. What I guess is my biggest problem is that I am not that excited about this years cinematic offerings. I have yet to see a film that is an A grade, the ones I have given an A- to are at the lower end of that grading spectrum. So I thought this would be a good chance for me to unveil how my own personal awards the MAFFE’s (Michael’s Academy of Feature Film Exellence) are looking. I still have to see A LOT of films, and will be cramming them in, in the next few weeks, but here is how they are looking right at this moment.

Best Picture
Children of Men
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan’s Labyrinth
Shortbus
Volver


Best Director
Pedro Almodovar – Volver
John Cameron Mitchell – Shortbus
Alfonso Cuaron – Children on Men
Guillermo del Toro – Pan’s Labyrinth
Paul Greengrass – United 93

Best Actress
Penelope Cruz – Volver
Judi Dench – Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren – The Queen
Meryl Streep – The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet – Little Children


Best Actor
Sasha Baron Cohen – Borat
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Departed
James McAvoy – The Last King of Scotland
Peter O’Toole - Venus
Clive Owen – The Children of Men

Best Supporting Actress
Abigail Breslin – Little Miss Sunshine
Toni Collette – Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson – Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi - Babel
Maribel Verdu – Pan’s Labyrinth


Best Supporting Actor
Paul Dawson – Shortbus
Sergi Lopez – Pan’s Labyrinth
Leslie Phillips - Venus
Stanley Tucci – The Devil Wears Prada
Mark Wahlberg – The Departed

Some are very safe bets (like Best Actress) and some are chosen because I simply could not forget them. It was a tough list because as much as I wanted to put United 93 in my top 5, I had to think about films I would really want to watch again, and I just could not bring myself to be put through that again. I also wanted to include Alan Arkin, Sook-Yin Lee and Adrianna Barraza, but it was choca-bloc! I will be seeing the Clint movies, The Fountain, Blood Diamond, Pursuit of Happyness, The Notorious Betty Page, Snowcake, and perhaps 1 or 2 others. Half Nelson is not released until later in the year. I will officially announce them after the Oscars (using the word ‘officially’ as though anyone cares but me…..one can pretend)