Wait a minute SHE got the Oscar nod?

That look upon John Hawkes' face - bulging eyes, protruding veins, flaring nostrils - even a severe polio victim can portray the shock and dismay commensurate to the situation at hand. 

Yes, it's true; I watched "The Sessions" last night. After all, it's Oscar week and even Argo will be available on demand starting tomorrow.

BAD: I can not believe Helen Hunt is the one who walked out of this movie with an Oscar nod. What, because she did full nudity and had fake sex with a poet polio victim? Listen, in real life, I'm sure that this Cheryl Green was, in fact, a compelling character. Spending your days as a sex surrogate, and then coming home to a husband and child is a dynamic which fascinates me. But I was so ridiculously thrown off by Hunt's inconsistent "Salem accent", overly simplified compassion,  and circa 2010 Victoria's Secret bras in a 1988-based story that I didn't buy it. "Maaaahk... is it yoo-wah faw-wult  you gawt polio?" Bottom line - she read the script and said "I'm channeling my inner therapist - but naked."

BETTER: On the positive side, because I did NOT actually hate the movie, Sessions often explored the intersection between sex and religion. This inherently equals comedy. And, often times this exploration was guided by William H. Macy's character - Father Brendan. No spoiler here, but I like a priest who believes in a God who wants a polio victim to get laid. Amen.

BEST:  There are many reasons why Hohn Hawkes was chosen for this role, and I'm sure you are all aware of them. The guy can act, and if there were to be a nomination for this film - it should have been his. He looks like he went on the Christian Bale "Machinist" diet, first of all; he had to have some kind of uncomfortable pillow jammed under one side of him the whole time to make him read all "twister", and I believe it was HIS acting that made the intimate scenes in the movie so powerful - awkward, scary, sweet, etc. Frankly, I think his performance rivals some of the nominees we have to choose from this year, as does the dad from Southern Wild. Was Bradley Cooper really that good? Are we really in love with Hugh Jackman?

Although I realize that the name of the film was "The Sessions", based on O'Brien's essay, which I have not read - I found myself more interested in the other relationships he formed, the "other 2" women in his life, etc... again, no spoilers on the off chance anyone else is going to go here.

I don't know - I guess I just wasn't sold on it. The film and its relationships were not developed enough for me, which puts it in the "OK, I only spent $5.99 and 95 minutes invested in over-Oscar-preparedness" category.

Argo from the comfort of my bed tomorrow. Better than an iron-lung.