Local Residents Chime In With 2011 Oscar Picks

The 83rd Academy Awards, hosted by newcomers James Franco and Anne Hathaway, marks the most prestigious honor that an actor can achieve, and the question of who is going to walk away with the coveted Oscar statue has gotten more people talking this year than in recent memory.

Patch decided to pay a visit to local movie theater Seaford Cinemas to get the opinions of local residents as to who they feel should walk away with the gold in some of the top categories.

One of the movies that has created the most buzz this year, among critics and audiences alike, is "Black Swan," director Darren Aronofsky's tale of an obsessed ballerina’s relentless pursuit of perfection that eventually drives her into madness. The film itself has received the nomination for Best Picture, Aronofsky for Best Director, and the film's star, the talented Natalie Portman, for Actress in a Leading Role.

Massapequa resident Michael Lipscomb feels that, while "Black Swan" itself is a tad over hyped, Portman herself turned in one of the best performances he's  seen in years.

"What that woman put up on the screen blew me away," he said. "She simply disappeared into the role...you could see the months of training for the dancing, but it was far more than that. She lived inside her character, and you could feel every ounce of her hope, joy, anger, and sorrow. The movie itself could have been better- it didn't really need the horror elements - but it was worth watching to see Portman work her magic."

As for Best Picture, Lipscomb deferred to his 12-year old son, Brett, for his opinion.

"I think 'Toy Story 3' should win," he said. "I know it's up for Best Animated Film, but it should win the whole thing. It was so awesome."

Another hot movie vying for Best Picture, Director, and Actor is "The King's Speech," a historical drama chronicling the story of King George VI, ruler of England and hopeless stutterer, and his heartfelt relationship with the unconventional speech therapist determined to help him.

The star of "The King's Speech," Colin Firth, has been receiving accolades for his role as the aforementioned King, something that Seaford resident Beth Jameson agrees with wholeheartedly.

"That man so beautifully showed the King's vulnerability and how desperate he was," she said. "Can you imagine inheriting the crown and having to make public addresses on a regular basis and not being able to get a word out? I almost died watching the opening scene when he choked on the microphone, and when an actor can get you to feel for them like that, they've done their job."

Kelly Burns of Seaford not only agreed with her friend's assessment of Firth achievements, but also maintained that "The King's Speech" also deserves the Oscar for Best Picture as well.

"It was just such a profoundly beautiful and emotional movie," she said. "And the fact that it really happened...well, you know, it was dramatized for the screen, of course, but even if fifty percent was real, it's just wonderful knowing that it happened, and the fact that it was filmed and acted so perfectly...it totally deserves the Oscar."

Christian Bale has been in the Hollywood spotlight since childhood, and his roles in diverse films such as "Empire of the Sun," "American Psycho," "The Machinist," and "The Dark Knight" have garnered him a strong following. However, it was his role as an ex-boxer turned crack addict in 2010's "The Fighter" that won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

"I can't believe the guy hasn't already won an Oscar," said Bradley Boyd-Jones of Massapequa Park. "I mean, he drops to, what, 120 pounds in 'The Machinist' to play some crazy insomniac, and then he's bulked up to play Batman a few months later? He's this generation's Robert De Nero, I'm telling you. He gets the gold Sunday, take it to the bank."

However, when it comes to Best Picture, Boyd-Jones insists that the Joel and Ethan Coen directed-remake of the famous John Wayne western "True Grit" deserves top honors in that category.

"They took a classic and made it even better," he said. "The original was a great film in its own right but the remake made it grittier, more dramatic, and even funnier."

And what's the opinion of this year's new Oscar hosts, actor James Franco and actress Anne Hathaway? Jaime Holsbrook of Wantagh admits she's biased because of an old favorite.

"I miss Billy Crystal," she said.