Oscars 2014: If We Picked The Nominees (Best Picture)

4. The Place Beyond The Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines is one of those movies that everyone who saw it really liked, but never reached the critical mass of viewers to catch on as a genuine phenomenon. Premiering at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival but not seeing wide release until April of 2013, a time that "good movies" are not suppose to be released, The Place Beyond the Pines fell between the cracks. It's a film whose reputation will undoubtedly grow over time as more people discover it (particularly if director Derek Cianfrance's career takes off) and in about 5-10 years, many people will be wondering how the film managed to get zero Oscar nominations. Reminiscent of a Greek tragedy, The Place Beyond the Pines tells the story of fathers and sons, and the consequences of a father's sins on the life of his son. Told through a narratively adventurous triptych structure, the first third of the film deals with Luke (Ryan Gosling), an unambitious motorcycle carney who resorts to bankrobbing to support his young son he didn't know he had until just recently. The second third deals with a police officer, Avery (Bradley Cooper), who is put in a tight spot when he tries to uncover corruption in his local police force. Finally, the third act of the film, which I won't get into detail for those who have not seen the film, deals with the consequences of the actions taken by the characters in the first two acts. It's a brilliantly concocted screenplay (written by Cianfrance as well as Ben Coccio and Darius Marder) that, while relying a bit too heavily on coincidence and karma, is just too powerful not to look past the flaws. The Place Beyond the Pines is that rare film that is able to mix the seemingly desperate styles of realism and classicism. Cianfrance proved his penchant for realism in his debut feature Blue Valentine, which painfully dissected the optimistic beginnings and ugly dissolution of a relationship, but what makes his sophomore effort a superior film is that he integrates the intimate rendering of his characters with a grandiose scale that complements the aspects of cinema which has made it the most important art form of the 20th Century and beyond. It's truly a potent mix that is hard to shake. The film also proves that, if there is anyone who still doubts it, Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper are seriously good actors. Particularly Ryan Gosling, who gives probably the single best performance this year regardless of sex or status as lead or supporting (how he wasn't a prominent figure in the acting awards this year I am not sure), is absolutely on fire in this movie, stunning to the point of numbness. When you combine this with an uncanny portrayal of certain parts of Upstate New York (the film takes place in Schenectady), you have one of the most underrated movies of the year and a sure to be future classic.