First up is Precious, which today became the first film to ever win both The Sundance Grand 
Jury Prize and the TIFF's People's Choice Award. A beautifully crafted, wonderfully acted, affecting piece of work, Precious is for lack of a better term the most "real" film I've seen in quite a while. I left the screening knowing I had seen a masterpiece, a film that looked, sounded and felt so raw and realistic that there was times during the showing that I felt physically uncomfortable at what was happening on screen. Precious is a brutal theatre going experience, it is a movie filled to the brim with hate yet in the ends leaves you filled with a shred of hope.
Jury Prize and the TIFF's People's Choice Award. A beautifully crafted, wonderfully acted, affecting piece of work, Precious is for lack of a better term the most "real" film I've seen in quite a while. I left the screening knowing I had seen a masterpiece, a film that looked, sounded and felt so raw and realistic that there was times during the showing that I felt physically uncomfortable at what was happening on screen. Precious is a brutal theatre going experience, it is a movie filled to the brim with hate yet in the ends leaves you filled with a shred of hope.Telling the story of Precious Jones, Precious bears to the screen some of the most vile things I have ever seen in a movie. Precious, a 16 year old mother of two, the result of being raped by her father, lives her life in Harlem, a harsh reality compared to the fantasy life she escapes to, which improbably saves her from the hellish existence she suffers through.
As if bearing two children from her own father isn't bad enough, her mother is possibly the worst to ever be conceived on the silver screen, if not of all of forms of fiction. Her mother constantly abuses her physically, as well as mentally, never sparing her from her anger and making her life miserable in general. Making matters even worse, Precious is expelled from school and is forced to enroll in alternative classing, an event that changes her horrific existence for the better. Cared for by her loving teacher Precious begins on a journey that leads to the birth of another child and another potentially devastating incident in the form of the HIV virus.
While a definitely uncomfortable viewing experience, the movie soars, an shining example of the power of cinema when placed in the hands of a wonderful film making collaboration. The acting is simply awe inspiring. Gabourey Sidibe is a revelation, bringing joy, sorrow and pain to screen in a showcase of raw acting talent, a performance as fine as I've ever seen from an actress. If Sidibe is snubbed for an Oscar this year, it will be a travesty and a major letdown on the Academy's part. She gives the best lead female performance of the year, and speaking of which, her costar
Mo'nique gives the best supporting female performance of the year if not the last 5. Bringing a shocking lack of vanity in any form to the role, Mo'nique gives herself completely to the film shedding any sense of her own personality in favor of becoming the character so completely. She brings a terrifying presence to the screen filled with hate, and i downright disgusting and horrific as a woman who lost any parental affection over the years spent married to her monster of a husband, taking out her frustration on Precious an easy target for herself. Mo'nique, just like Sidibe is as of now the undisputed front runner for Best Supporting Actress of the year. Rounding out the impressive ensemble is Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton and Sherri Shephard all of whom are great in their respective roles, Carey in particular surprised me, though I have yet to decide whether or not this was due to her deglamming role or her actual talent.
Mo'nique gives the best supporting female performance of the year if not the last 5. Bringing a shocking lack of vanity in any form to the role, Mo'nique gives herself completely to the film shedding any sense of her own personality in favor of becoming the character so completely. She brings a terrifying presence to the screen filled with hate, and i downright disgusting and horrific as a woman who lost any parental affection over the years spent married to her monster of a husband, taking out her frustration on Precious an easy target for herself. Mo'nique, just like Sidibe is as of now the undisputed front runner for Best Supporting Actress of the year. Rounding out the impressive ensemble is Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton and Sherri Shephard all of whom are great in their respective roles, Carey in particular surprised me, though I have yet to decide whether or not this was due to her deglamming role or her actual talent.Precious is a raw, affecting and daring masterpiece, directed wonderfully by Lee Daniels and beautifully translated to the screen. The editing is fantastic, I enjoyed the photography and the rest of it's technicals are great as well. This is a film that is tough to get through, yet ultimately is a winning experience and a testament to the power of cinema. It is one of the best film's of the year, and as such a expect it to play heavily in this year's Oscar race, assuming the Academy has the cajones to honor such a brutally realistic film. See it the second it comes out in theatres.
Up next(no pun intended) in Part 2 of this article is Up in The Air, the thrid film from Jason Reitman, the Oscar nominated director of Thank You For Smoking and Juno.
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