It’s hard to talk about authorial intent in “Margaret” when the studio interference on the project was so insane. Long story short for those who don’t know: the movie was supposed to be released in 2007, but Kenneth Lonergan failed to lock in a cut to Fox Searchlight’s satisfaction. Ultimately, they quietly dumped a version of “Margaret” into the theaters that was much shorter that Lonergan would have liked.
And indeed, what I saw in the theatrical cut (sorry, folks, did not drop the money to watch the director’s cut) was a little messy. But for whatever reason, that didn’t bother me. I was along for the ride with “Margaret” the whole way through, drawn in to the story by its imperfections.
There’s something very fascinating about knowing that a movie’s flaws are not something invented in your head. And in such a realization, you can start to find the diamond in the rough by peeling away the layers of sloppiness you observe. ”Margaret” in its very journey to the screen is not about the drudgery of life but rather the painful process of art. There’s a little bit of magic in getting to find your “Margaret” inside of what Fox Searchlight and Lonergan slapped together for us to avoid litigation.
My “Margaret” is a compelling drama of post-9/11 guilt and anger unfolding in New York City, told from the perspective of an ordinary girl, Anna Paquin’s Margaret. On just any old day walking, she observes the death of innocence at the hands of a vast piece of machinery. No, I’m not talking about the planes flying into the World Trade Center; I’m talking about a sweet old lady being struck and killed by a bus.
I don’t want to overload the allegory, though, but it’s impossible not to feel the legacy of the tragic day looming over all the proceedings. On a human scale, it’s an affecting tale of a mother (J. Smith-Cameron’s powerfully acted Joan) and daughter, a teacher (Matt Damon’s earnest Mr. Aaron) and a student, as well as victims, perpetrators, and observers. And that’s the beauty of watching the imperfect “Margaret” – doing your own internal rack focusing is not just encouraged. It’s practically required to make sense of the events. B+ / 
No Damon, no problem, right?
Have you heard the one about Matt Damon and the abs double? It sounds like a great joke to use at a bar. Here’s the story from 
Unlike “The Fighter,” which seems Academy-appealing on premise, “True Grit” is appealing on pedigree. It comes courtesy of the Coen Brothers, who each have three statues thanks to their work producing, writing, and directing “No Country for Old Men” in 2007 and another for writing “Fargo” in 1996. Including the nominations they have received for editing under the alias Roderick Jaynes, Joel and Ethan Coen have each received a whopping 
Bridges isn’t the only threat the movie has in the acting categories. Two-time nominee Matt Damon looks to make an entry into the Best Supporting Actor category, as does prior nominee Josh Brolin. The race still has no clear frontrunner (hard to believe), and either of them with enough buzz when the movie screens around Thanksgiving could lead to a major shake-up.
Brolin, on the other hand, has only recently emerged as an actor to be reckoned with thanks to roles in “Milk,” which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and “No Country for Old Men,” the Coen Brothers’ Best Picture winner which earned him a SAG Award for Best Ensemble. He has a more volatile personality, and this could harm him. In “True Grit,” he plays the outlaw Tom Chaney, another villainous role that he has gained so much notoriety playing. Unlike the Best Supporting Actress category where double nominees from the same film are common (see the 
But perhaps the movie’s biggest wild card is the spunky teenaged heroine Mattie Ross, played by newcome Hailee Steinfeld. She will be a more central figure in the 2010 version of “True Grit” since the novel focused more on her perspective. Still, Steinfeld will likely be campaigned for Best Supporting Actress where the field is thin and the category is more hospitable territory for young actresses. In the past decade, 13-year-old Saiorse Ronan and 10-year-old Abigail Breslin have been nominees for “Atonement” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” respectively. The category has also seen pint-sized winners like Tatum O’Neal for “Paper Moon” at the age of 10 and Anna Paquin for “The Piano” at the age of 11.
There are many categories on my Oscar ballot that I always call a toss-up, such as the short films. However, one such category regrettably includes the Best Documentary Feature, which I have, in the past, had little interest in. These movies tackle important current events or shine new perspectives on old ones, and as I’ve become more educated, these have become more intriguing to me.
The movie makes the argument that Wall Street has been heading for collapse ever since the 1980s when institutions were allowed to trade on their own behalf. The idea that banks and firms are betting against the customers is frightening, and the marketing campaign behind the movie seeks to make it look like an “economic horror movie.” It’s an interesting notion, and given some of the movie’s revelations, Sony Pictures Classics may be on to something.
The real question is if “Inside Job” will align with the Academy’s flavor of the month in the documentary category. Last year’s winner, “The Cove,” dealt with a very strong ethical cause that had not been anywhere in the news. Two years ago, “Man on Wire” told the story of Philipe Petit’s 1973 walk between the World Trade Center towers. Three years ago, Ferguson’s own Iraq documentary “No End in Sight” lost to “Taxi to the Dark Side,” which took a look at American policy on torture in Iraq. Four years ago, winner “An Inconvenient Truth” made global warming an issue. Five years ago, “March of the Penguin” charmed everyone in America.
There was once a time when a Clint Eastwood movie being released meant instant Oscar attention and presumed to have nearly automatic entry into the Best Picture category. Wait, that was just in 2008. After picking up his second Best Picture/Best Director combo package for “Million Dollar Baby” in 2004 and nominations for “Letters from Iwo Jima” in 2006, the Academy has been cold as ice to the 80-year-old legendary filmmaker.
Eastwood’s latest directorial venture debuted last month at the Toronto Film Festival to a very polarized reaction. Some critics seemed to really like it. 
Beyond the movie itself, I think Matt Damon can also be seriously considered in the Best Actor category. He received his first acting nomination last year for “Invictus,” a collaboration with Eastwood, and he also has a nice Oscar sitting on his mantle for writing “Good Will Hunting.” But with Damon also being an apparent scene-stealer in the much more Academy friendly “True Grit,” Warner Bros. may choose to campaign him harder there.
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