By Christa Youngpeter

Was Party Down a victim of its own success, or another witty comedy quashed due to poor ratings?

First Jane Lynch was poached after Season 1, and rightfully so. She’s comedic gold, and earned an Emmy nom in the first season of the ubiquitous Glee. After a buzzed about Season 2, word spread of other cast members getting pilots, and one had to wonder- was life beginning to imitate art? None of the actors were household names and after toiling away in the underbelly of premium cable on Starz, but now the cast appears to be moving up the Hollywood ladder. Movies in production, network shows- all signs of life after the death of an amazing (and underrated) TV show.

Maybe you have to be a resident of the LA area to truly get the humor. Everyone has at least one friend who still works at a Hollywood hot spot longing to be on the other side of the table, and you can’t help but lament the poor service at restaurants but sigh at the gorgeous silver screen ready staff. But like Arrested Development before it, Party Down has a humor that requires more than three brain cells to process, and a crudeness only seen in the real world, not on ABC. So was it lack of audience that killed this Paul Rudd produced gem, or a budding cast who finally got a big break?

Unfortunately, numbers don’t lie. According to tvseriesfinale.com, the season (now series) finale of Party Down attracted a 0.0 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic and just 74,000 viewers. Though I’d expect a posthumous popularity, I can’t help but feel disappointment that such a genius cast and script didn’t generate more of a loyal viewership while on the air, perhaps squeaking out a third season?

Rest assured though, the brilliant cast which through both seasons saw Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr, Megan Mullally, Ryan Hansen, Jane Lynch, and Jennifer Coolidge have a stellar show to bank on in the near future. Blonde “dood” Ryan Hansen has recently been cast in NBC’s Friends with Benefits and Adam Scott is rumored to have a larger role in the upcoming season of Parks and Recreation.  Both Lizzy Caplan and Martin Star have two films in the works and Ken Marino, the bumbling Ron Donald, has a recurring role a popular daytime TV show. Long time comediennes Jennifer Coolidge and Megan Mullally will, of course, keep us laughing along with the rest of cast, albeit in other ventures.

In these shaky, downright shitty times, should movies be a means of escape, or a medium for two-dimensional reality? While say, Kick Ass may have been a larger than life fantasy that riled audiences’ desires to kick some bad guys’ heads in, Solitary Man is a microscope on one individual who’s lost it all due to his own self-inflated importance. It’s a myopic view on how one individual copes with the spiral of a life swirling down the commode.

Ben Kalmen (Michael Douglas), is the archetypal man at the edge of a cliff – a greed-fueled upper middle class, white, smooth talking successful car salesman. Six years earlier, Ben is warned by his doctor of a serious health issue, but rather than facing his own mortality, he dives headfirst into women, bars and professionally questionable actions. After the destruction of his Tri-state network of dealerships and marriage with some seriously underhanded tactics, Ben’s life quickly crumbles. The predicable domino effect tumbles down to his wife Nancy (Susan Sarandon) and daughter Susan (Jenna Fischer) and her young son, leaving them all in the emotionally scarred wreck of a broken family.

Now what does a man do when his carefully crafted facade beings to crumble? He runs away to a place where he can still be great, adored and admired. In this case, it’s Ben’s alma mater to pull some strings for his wealthy, connected girlfriend’s (Mary-Louise Parker) daughter Allyson (Imogen Poots). There Ben passes his sage, if not slightly misogynistic, advice off to a young student played by the seemingly ubiquitous Jesse Eisenberg and clashes with bristly Allyson who too is eventually wooed by Ben’s smooth talking nature. Later, these conversations lead to some consequences, which thwarts Ben’s chance at a comeback.

Deft writing by Brian Koppelman and Steve Levien later cleverly juxtaposes a meeting with the average guy (Danny DeVito playing an old friend) with Ben’s success meets major failure with a simple, but rewarding middle of the road life. The irony of Ben waiting tables at a deli after gracing the cover a Forbes seems to be laying it on a little thick with the “look what you’ve done” overtones, but it makes a solid point considering the protagonist’s refusal to learn his lesson.

Douglas plays Ben with the sort of sleazy charm we’ve seen him do a few times before (most notably Wall Street) that makes the film both cringe-worthy and watchable, while the stellar ensemble does an excellent job of both building Ben up before tearing him down. While the ending leaves a bit to be desired, Solitary Man leaves the audience feeling just enough satiating hope to know that maybe there are a few bricks left to rebuild a leveled life.

Watch just 30 seconds and True Blood could be a mindlessly campy, topless romp filled with foul mouthed vamps (both the undead and human variety) steaming up the HBO small screen in what has to be the sweatiest part of the country. Watch a little longer though and the deeper themes of social mores, bigotry and political struggle play out with such poignant realism you start watching that pale friend of yours a little more closely at night.

Clearly I’m not alone in outspoken fandom as True Blood has garnered Sopranos rivaling numbers and rocketing its little known (save Oscar winner Anna Pacquin) stars into magazine cover material. Sultry looks aside, the cast turns “just another vampire story” into a serious powerhouse of sex, rivalries and feuds into TVs most watchable summer show. So why, dear Emmys, have you snubbed True Blood?

The show’s creator Alan Ball (Six Feet Under) is no stranger to quality TV and critical acclaim, yet unlike a family dealing with dead bodies, the undead of the adapted True Blood books  (nee The Southern Vampire Mysteries) have yet to traipse across the big stage.  Entourage, a fellow HBO series, with its tired plot lines (Eric and Sloan AGAIN?) is a statue-tastic darling bagging 24 Emmy noms since 2005. Is it vampire backlash, or the academy’s haughty refusal to dip its toes into fantasy/sci-fi filled waters? With Battlestar Galactica being another noticeable omission in 2009 one can’t help but wonder if thinking outside the box leaves a show in no man’s land when it comes to the a big time award show like the Emmys.

Which leads to an easily gleaned hypocrisy. If television is based on innovation and entertainment, why do the Emmys shut out a show like True Blood, with its 12 million plus weekly viewers and gaggle of praising critics in favor of the plodding plot lines of Big Love and the meandering clusterf*ck that is Lost. With seriously powerful leads in Anna Pacquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten and the fangtastic (sorry) Alexander Skarsgard and equally impressive supporting characters True Blood rises above the potentially off-putting gore to make itself a potent hit across multiple demographics.

So stop sucking, Emmys and get with the Bon Temps.

By Christa Youngpeter

Let’s get one thing straight. Comedy is king right now, and has been since a little film called The Hangover crashed a vintage Mercedes convertible of lols into even the most cynical critics’ heart. Since its premier in the summer of ’09 it’s been the benchmark for which all comedies have been compared, and “Is it as good as The Hangover?” is generally the first thing out of a skeptic’s mouth when discussing a new funny flick.

Enter the ingenuously titled Hot Tub Time Machine, a premise so in your face ludicrous, it has to be good, lest it collapse in on itself like a black hole of farce. Like The Hangover, both films rely heavily on nostalgia, wild nights in Las Vegas and painful memories (and equally painful fashion) of the 80s. Anyone born before 1987 can relate to these films on a closely personal level, which as with many iconic comedies of yore, is key to a wildly enduring success.

The buddy element is both key and entirely relatable here as everyone has the “asshole” friend (as John Cusak quips, “but he’s our asshole” in reference to Rob Courddry’s Lou). Everyone has the doormat pal who’s unlucky in relationships, or the the guy who can’t quite get his success to match his ego. The chemistry between both the ensemble of Hangover versus Hot Tub are top notch, and most importantly believable, even strained. Zac Galifianakis  and Clark Duke both have break-out roles as the unwelcome disheveled nerd, and The Office funnymen Ed Helms and Craig Robinson both played struggling cuckolds debating their emasculating relationships with unfaithful women. The over the top douchebag archetypes of the film, Bradley Cooper and Rob Corddry, are both wildly obnoxious, but vulnerable enough that they become (almost) likable.

But while Hot Tub wins when it comes to self-aware satire –  watch closely or you’ll miss tongue in cheek references to John Cusak’s 80s classics Better Off Dead and Sixteen Candles –  it loses steam towards the end with a hurried climax and predictable ending. Not to mention a disappointing cameo by Chevy Chase (really though, how could you beat Mike Tyson’s self-depricating comedic turn?) and a few tired jokes (slutty past mom, blowjobs and belligerent preppies) put Hot Tub a few rungs below The Hangover.

It’s not to say Hot Tub wasn’t a fun ride, it just doesn’t quite reach the Everest that is the Golden Globe win-nabbing Todd Phillips directed comedy juggernaut.

By Christa Youngpeter

The 2010 Academy Awards have come and gone, leaving in their wake 3 hours and 30 plus minutes of song, dance, deaths and upsets.

In something of a shock (for this jaded 3-D weary viewer anyway), Avatar walked away with just three awards and neither of them Best Director nor Best Picture. Kathryn Bigelow, scored both awards along with six others for The Hurt Locker, a little-known dark horse just a few short months ago. What is certainly a score for independent films, Bigelow directed a modern war film with an unmatched perspective thanks to former battlefield journalist Mark Boal. Talk about street cred’. A flawed film, sure, but it embodied much of what filmmaking should be all about- passion, intensity and raw emotion.

Not that the first three hours of the show didn’t have some upsets and surprises of their own. I was among the camp who didn’t believe the Academy would vote for Sandra Bullock, and lo and behold- she came away with a huge win and tear-jerking speech. The Best Actor lock, Jeff Bridges, was huggable like your favorite uncle at a family reunion.

Supporting Actress Mo’Nique and supporting Actor Christoph Waltz were much ballyhooed favorites, pulling though with wins for their gritty, mind-bogglingly hateful performances in Precious and Inglourious Basterds respectfully. For the five of you out there who saw Domino, you’d know Mo’nique had it in her all along- she just needed the right vehicle.

One of the genuinely moving pieces of the evening was the John Hughes tribute, which included many of the “Brat Pack” he made household names in the ‘80s. A tearful thank you from Hughes’ widow and children, though, was a definite tearjerker and harkened back to a more innocent age of comedy filmmaking. Later on in the show, though, the montage of Hollywood icons who passed away in the past year missed two fan faves- Bea Arthur and Farrah Fawcett. Sure, they were mostly known for their iconic TV roles, but they did have some film credits.

As for the hosts…well. Unlike Neil Patrick Harris’ laugh out loud Emmy hosting gig, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin’s shtick was painfully scripted at times- certainly a shame coming from two legendary actors. But hey, the Oscars aren’t exactly known for their cutting edge comedy (unless you count interpretive dance). Thankfully the awkward reality-show-ish gimmick of lining all of nominees on stage a la the Bachelor was eschewed in favor of cute anecdotes given by former co-stars. Different yes? A bit self-fellating by the Hollywood A-list? Also yes. Overall, not entirely memorable but an entertaining evening nonetheless.

Sure James Cameron and his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow may be the talk of the Best Director category, but far less sensational are the nominees of Best Art Direction. Another category that honors the hard working (and often forgotten) behind the scenes folks, many a multiple statue winner has found itself in this field.

OK, so it should also be noted that Cameron’s Avatar is nominated in both Best Director and Best Art Direction, but Art Direction is all about production and set design rather than the main man – or woman! – behind the camera, hence this nom’ for Avatar going to Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg (Art Direction) and Kim Sinclair (Set Decoration). But really, is it fair to include a film so heavy on special effects and CGI? Odds are the Academy will turn a collective nose up at the idea, and instead pick from the remainder of the diverse field.

First though, here are some photos of Avatar:

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Besides the blockbuster blue-people-laden juggernaut, the remaining nominees are a pleasantly varied blend of period (The Young Victoria), musical (Nine), mainstream family-friendly fare (Sherlock Holmes) and just plain out of the ordinary (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassas).

The Young Victoria, a sumptuous well, Victorian era picture could prove strong Oscar fodder given its well-rounded cast (I’ll say it again-Emily Blunt is stunning in so many ways) and how well they move within the vision of Patrice Vermette and Maggie Gray. Then again, with nominations in Best Achievement in Make Up as well as Best Costumes, Victoria could get passed over in this category due to the overshadowing of the worthy achievements in former.

Here are some photos of The Young Victoria:

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With its lavish, glittery cleavage-a-plenty feast for the eyes, Nine’s sets certainly weren’t the most notable element to an overall disappointing film. Most of the song and dance numbers were set on minimalist stages, and the scene-chewing ensemble cast took away from John Myhre and Gordon Sim’s work. Despite high hopes when I first saw trailers for Nine, it’s certainly a long shot here.

Here are some photos of Nine.

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In the middle of the heap there is Guy Ritchie’s good, but certainly not great, Sherlock Holmes. But while the popcorn-script (complete with the most obvious sequel set up possibly ever) was average, the sets and design were rather outstanding. Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer put together a potentially winning combo of old timey London and eye-popping gadgets that upstage even Robert Downey Jr.’s campy fun Sherlock.

Here are some photos of Sherlock Holmes:

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And then there was The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassas. Terry Gilliam, the man behind Monty Python, with production and set designers Dave Warren/Anastasia Masaro and Caroline Smith weaves a bizarre world commingling a mystical theater troupe with the everyday world they thrust themselves into. Perhaps best known for being Heath Ledger’s last film, production went on despite his death mid-way though filming, finishing with an ensemble of actors to play the lead, Tony. While not really relevant to Art Direction, the pains of production ultimately took away from the film as a whole – Oscar chances included.

Here are some photos of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassas:

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Road to the Oscars series:

Podcasts – Kit Bowen, Nate Freiberg, Adam Spunberg, and Phil Wallace

February 4: Live Action Short – Kit Bowen

February 5: Animated Short – Kit Bowen

February 8: Documentary Short Subject – Christa Youngpeter

February 9: Documentary Feature – Nate Freiberg

February 10: Foreign Language Film – Paul Popiel

February 12: Animated Film – Nate Freiberg

February 15: Sound Mixing – Jeremy Martin

February 16: Sound Editing – Jeremy Martin

February 17: Original Song – Adam Spunberg and Savanna New

February 18: Visual Effects – Mallory Pickard

February 19: Original Score – Adam Spunberg

February 22: Makeup – Christa Youngpeter

February 23: Costume – Steve Neumann

February 24: Art Direction – Christa Youngpeter

February 25: Film Editing – Steve Neumann

February 26: Cinematography – Paul Popiel

February 27: Original Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

February 28: Adapted Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

March 1: Supporting Actress – Marla Seidell

March 2: Supporting Actor – Phil Wallace

March 3: Actress – Marla Seidell

March 4: Actor – Kit Bowen

March 5: Director – Adam Spunberg

March 5: Picture – Kit Bowen

March 7: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards!

Long before “lights, camera, action!” come the toils of the unseen make-up artist. Certianly one of the unsung roles in the entertainment industry, everything from a soft red lip to Freddy Krueger’s face can set the tone for an entire film and leave an indelible impression on the audience. So, why, Oscar gods, do you insist on keeping Best Makeup to a paltry three nominees from a field of so many stand-outs this year? Sure, Avatar was CGI not prosthetics and latex and Guillermo del Toro didn’t give us any phantasmagorical monsters in 2009 but really… just three?

The Achievement in Makeup category is still capped at trio of contenders in a year where the 10 nominee Best Picture pool was resurrected, and in all honesty the chosen seem a bit of a motley crew: Il Divo, Star Trek and The Young Victoria. No District 9 and it’s heart-stopping transformation prosthetics, no Nine with all of it’s over the top sexy lips and lashes, and the most glaring omission of all being Inglorious Basterds and it’s juxtaposition of scalping and the gorgeous 1940′s era makeup stylings.

Ranting aside, the three nominees do deserve a break-down during their time in the Oscar spotlight. Il Divo, not to be confused with the musical ensemble, is a mocumentary of long-reigning Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti with its sole Oscar nomination in this category. Aging effects (remember the interminable Benjamin Button?) always fare well come awards season and this film could prove no exception for artists Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano. Not to mention anything Italian and anything period always bring out the best of a bygone era- fierce eyebrows, impeccably-lined ladies and weathered gentleman.

Here are some photos from the film:

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Nom’ number two goes to Star Trek, a surprisingly exceptional film all around given its campy ’60s roots. Eric Bana and his villainous crew look convincingly menacing despite their elaborate makeup and Zachary Qunito’s Spock is spot-on without being a boring copy of the original (who is also in the film). But is such a massively budgeted, consumer-driven film worthy of such an honor for Barney Burman, Mindy Hall Joel Harlow? Couple that with the Academy’s notorious poo-pooing of science fiction and Star Trek could prove to be an all out dark horse.

Here are some photos:

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Finally there’s The Young Victoria, a fantastic period piece in the vein of the gorgeous two Cate Blanchette-driven Elizabeth films. Though the Victorian era lacks in the grandeur of the Eilzabethan, the team lead by John Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore could be contenders thanks to Oscar’s love of great eras past. Plus it doesn’t hurt to have Emily Blunt’s fierce beauty and porcelain skin to back up your brush skills.

Here are some photos:

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So who will take the little gold man in this narrow category? The Young Victoria seems to have the right elements for Oscar votes – a dewey young starlet in a bygone era surrounded by sumptuous faces. No spaceships, no aging old men, just sheer beauty.

Road to the Oscars series:

Podcasts – Kit Bowen, Nate Freiberg, Adam Spunberg, and Phil Wallace

February 4: Live Action Short – Kit Bowen

February 5: Animated Short – Kit Bowen

February 8: Documentary Short Subject – Christa Youngpeter

February 9: Documentary Feature – Nate Freiberg

February 10: Foreign Language Film – Paul Popiel

February 12: Animated Film – Nate Freiberg

February 15: Sound Mixing – Jeremy Martin

February 16: Sound Editing – Jeremy Martin

February 17: Original Song – Adam Spunberg and Savanna New

February 18: Visual Effects – Mallory Pickard

February 19: Original Score – Adam Spunberg

February 22: Makeup – Christa Youngpeter

February 23: Costume – Steve Neumann

February 24: Art Direction – Christa Youngpeter

February 25: Film Editing – Steve Neumann

February 26: Cinematography – Paul Popiel

February 27: Original Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

February 28: Adapted Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

March 1: Supporting Actress – Marla Seidell

March 2: Supporting Actor – Phil Wallace

March 3: Actress – Marla Seidell

March 4: Actor – Kit Bowen

March 5: Director – Adam Spunberg

March 5: Picture – Kit Bowen

March 7: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards!

Documentaries are often forgotten in awards chatter, especially in this Avatar blockbusting day and age and flashbulb-laden entertainment industry. However, even short subject documentaries can offer seriously powerful, ground zero accounts of forgotten disasters and historical events on every level from personal to domestic to global.

For example, who can recount the devastation in China’s Sichuan province in 2008 when poorly constructed schools killed countless children? It may have been a 24 hour blip on CNN, but Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill’s China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of the Sichuan Province takes viewers face to face with the toll an earthquake can have on a rural town and unfamiliar culture where families are pressured to follow a strict one-child policy. With the recent devastation in Haiti, this candidate could either win big or be pushed aside by more recent events. You can see the trailer here.

Nominee The Last Campaign of Governer Booth Gardner is not the first time around the Oscar block for director Daniel Junge who was nominated last year for was nominated last year for his feature-length They Killed Sister Dorothy. Following Washington state’s Parkingson’s-plagued former governor and his battle for legally assisted suicide could certainly prove a worthy domestic candidate of the Oscar this year with it’s taboo subject and political human rights struggle. To see more Booth Gardner (the history, not the film), you can click here.

Another domestic nominee, The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, offers a plight of a different nature- joblessness in the worst economic climate in decades. Filmed in a bare-bones style, but rife with heart-breaking emotion, Last Truck is a true testament to the hardest working suffering the most as giant corporations fall. America’s heartland is rarely depicted in all of its raw earnest, so Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert’s documentary could easily draw votes for its blue collar focus in a time where attention is focused seemingly everywhere but the common American. You can see the trailer here.

Music by Prudence, a 30 minute journey through a young, disabled woman’s impossible struggle from birth, is the kind of uplifting message that, let’s be honest, we all need right now. Prudence Mabhena was born in Zimbabwe with unimaginable disability- no legs, twisted arms, but gifted with a hauntingly beautiful voice. Surviving infanticide only to live as an outcast, Prudence winds up excelling thanks to a school for disabled youth. By Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett. You can visit the film’s official site to see more.

And then… there were rabbits. And the Berlin Wall. As odd as the premise may sound, Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra’s concept could very well lead to an Oscar win for this dark horse (rabbit?) nominee. Juxtaposed with black and white footage of Communist-era barbed wire, machine gun fire and brick and mortar construction, are families of blissfully ignorant rabbits running free. Certainly original, and with the 20^th anniversary of the Wall’s demise this past year, don’t count this one out. You can visit the official site for Rabbit a la Berlin for more information.

So in a field on international and local disasters, struggles and Communist oppression, who stands the best chance of bringing home the statue and with it, priceless visibility for funding future projects? Music By Prudence seems to have it all- life-long struggle in a developing nation, hidden talent that overcomes said struggle and ultimately a sincere, uplifting that ending that’s feel-good without being too saccharine-sweet. While the other nominees are strong despite their succinct time frames, Prudence may very well outshine the rest.

Road to the Oscars series:

Podcasts – Kit Bowen, Nate Freiberg, Adam Spunberg, and Phil Wallace

February 4: Live Action Short – Kit Bowen

February 5: Animated Short – Kit Bowen

February 8: Documentary Short Subject – Christa Youngpeter

February 9: Documentary Feature – Nate Freiberg

February 10: Foreign Language Film – Paul Popiel

February 12: Animated Film – Nate Freiberg

February 15: Sound Mixing – Jeremy Martin

February 16: Sound Editing – Jeremy Martin

February 17: Original Song – Adam Spunberg and Savanna New

February 18: Visual Effects – Mallory Pickard

February 19: Original Score – Adam Spunberg

February 22: Makeup – Christa Youngpeter

February 23: Costume – Steve Neumann

February 24: Art Direction – Christa Youngpeter

February 25: Film Editing – Steve Neumann

February 26: Cinematography – Paul Popiel

February 27: Original Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

February 28: Adapted Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

March 1: Supporting Actress – Marla Seidell

March 2: Supporting Actor – Phil Wallace

March 3: Actress – Marla Seidell

March 4: Actor – Kit Bowen

March 5: Director – Adam Spunberg

March 5: Picture – Kit Bowen

March 7: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards!

Come Academy Award Nomination Day (February 2), tongues will certainly be wagging on the heels of “Avatar’s” Golden Globe Best Picture win. Will the introduction of the 10 contender format help or hinder the $400 million Hollywood behemoth nab director James Cameron another little gold man? Naysayers may deride “Avatar” as a bloated blockbuster, but really there isn’t a better time for a “best picture” that’s universally entertaining, visually stunning and allegorically poignant in a troubled world.

But how does “Avatar’s” (spoiler alert!) relatively Disney ending play against “Precious’” incest, abuse and other potential nominees like the Cohen brothers “A Serious Man,” Katheryn Bigelow’s (fun fact: Cameron’s ex-wife) “The Hurt Locker,” George Clooney as George Clooney in corporate America in “Up in the Air” and the Nick Hornby-penned beauty, “An Education?” While “Avatar” was a true box office Goliath swallowing Titanic-like numbers over the past month, it was more than just a CGI eye-buffet.

The acting may not have been worth noting on an individual level, but as a whole, the cast was cohesive as an ensemble, with one “evil” greedy group collective foils of the “good” heroes. This relatively simple formula set the stage for a modern-day Conquistadorian epic with monsters, electric blue natives and the admittedly comic “unobtanium” coveted by earth-based corporate raiders. The climactic battle between machine and the Na’vi is jaw-dropping and emotionally gripping- a rare combination in any special effects venture to say the least.

Worldwide success and critical acclaim, however certainly don’t seal the deal of a coveted Oscar win, especially this ear. What makes 2010 a wide-open race, however, is the reintroduction of the 10-nominee Best Picture category. During Hollywood’s so-called Golden Age, the last time 10 films were up for Best Picture, classics were being churned out at an incomparable rate. Do “Avatar’s” rare accomplishments in a schlock-filled industry merit a Best Picture Oscar?

Going up against nine other contenders this year will create serious buzz for films that in years prior would have been shut out, namely sci-fi standouts such as “District 9″ and “Star Trek.” Not exactly Citizen Cane territory, but “Avatar” could lose out to Neil Blomkamp’s dark horse D9, or will the Academy vote along the tired lines of dark and gritty? “Precious” is clearly the year’s emotional favorite, catapulting the career of young star Gabourey Sidibe and cementing M’onique as a credible dramatic actress. Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” was a welcome rendition to the post-post-modern war drama but ultimately didn’t resonate. And as for “Up” and “Up in the Air,” “Invictus”… well, We’ll know come Oscar night come March, but until then, expect endless entertaining speculation in a wide open field this year.

Two strong and well-rounded female driven films have generated deserved award buzz this season, and both resonate with a vibrato normally unheard of in most lady-centric period pieces. In An Education and Coco Before Chanel, we meet young women thrust into heartbreak and personal devastation that nary a Katherine Heigl character could overcome. Sinewy and gamine, both Carey Mulligan and Audrey Tautou capture the audience with both their coquettish beauty, and then demand attention through their misfortunes and mistreatment in pre and post war Europe while adding a hearty dash of charm along the way.

An Education tells the captivating story in drab-colored 1960’s London of a school girl (Mulligan) swept off her feet by a mysterious, smooth talking businessman (Peter Sarsgaard) leaving in his wake her parents’ not so subtle wish for her to attend Oxford. Mulligan is so at ease as Jenny, her rushed transformation from naïve cellist to school shirking rebel to broken-hearted young woman is both moving and predicable in the best possible way. As both she an the audience put the pieces together as to the true nature of her doting beau, one can’t help but share her crushing disappointment and cheer for her determined resiliency after her dreams slip away after one fateful discovery.

Mulligan, nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance, shines as a top-notch student poised for Oxford thanks to her wit and overbearing father (Alfred Molina). On a chance rainy encounter she meets David (Sarsgaard) and the two embark on a whirlwind romance taking sheltered Jenny to Paris while her lover embarks on shady business dealings with his morally questionable best friend Danny (Dominic Cooper) and his ditsy fur-clad girlfriend Helen (Rosamund Pike). As the gilded lies unravel, each character reveals their true nature, leaving Jenny in a shattered fairy tale and possibly some statuettes from the academy.

Across the English Channel, Audrey Tautou tackles perhaps fashion’s most worshiped icon in Anne Fontaine’s Coco Before Chanel, chronicling the couturier in her early years as a lonely orphan to her climb through the Paris elite. Tautou, like Mulligan, is utterly cherubic at first glance- soft brown hair, pool-like eyes and captivating smile. Once her character develops, though, a one-dimensional dimpled girl becomes uncontrollably fierce, even unlikable at times.

Director Marie Fontaine is careful not to traipse down the familiar path of laying out a heroine’s journey too early on in the film. Chanel didn’t fall out of the womb stitching couture, obviously, and the director subtly reminds the audience that she evolved into her larger than life self only after years of ladder climbing and shrewd decision-making. Unlike naïve working-class bred Jenny, Coco (ne Gabrielle Chanel) is more hardened to the world and sardonically inclined which adds to the movie’s biting authenticity and inherent watchability. Isn’t it, after all, so strangely rewarding watching a pre-war figure slog her way through society’s trenches to world-wide reverie rather than being born into wealth and privilege?